18 Midway In Formosa Straits

After a shortened readiness period and a hurried deployment due to the Quemoy - Matsu crises
in the Formosa Straits, Midway flying the flag of RADM Clark ComCarDiv 5 began doing what
carriers do best, showing a first line presence wherever trouble and aggression rears its ugly
head. Communist China was shelling the off-shore islands of Quemoy and Matsu in preparation
for a possible invasion of the Nationalist Government on Taiwan. Midway did what she has
always done, gone in harms way, to serve and protect and if necessary do battle with those
who would impose their will on others. On November 14 while the Communist propaganda was

flying from radio's "Peiping Polly"(click on flag to hear) , Gen. Chiang Kai Shek, President
of the Republic of Nationalist China came aboard Midway for discussions and a air show. Altho
most of the crew were supposed to keep below decks, many of us managed to get a peek at the
Generalissimo. Forty years later in May of 1998 the Nationalist Government on Taiwan struck a
medal for all of the armed forces personnel that served in the area during that time. I received
mine in a ceremony in Seattle, WA. We didn't go to the Formosa Straits for any medals but it
was nice they finally recognized the duty we performed. It's too bad a lot of Midway's crew
weren't still around to receive it.