The account of Yorktown's final sinking describes surrounding ships lowering their colours, crews uncovering their heads, and Catalina flying boats dipping their wings in salute. That language is attributed to Walter Lord's 1967 book Incredible Victory. The concern is that later works repeat its emotional description, sometimes closely enough to suggest dependence on the same account. The ceremony also raises an operational question about keeping escorts near a sinking carrier when an enemy submarine had already attacked. Respect for the lost ship and the continuing danger to surviving crews pull the assessment in different directions.
Notable Point · 1:58:16-2:00:03
Yorktown's final salute and Walter Lord's account
The description of Yorktown's final salute leads to questions about dependence on Walter Lord's account and the operational risk of remaining nearby.