Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class William G. Roy
U.S.S. Yorktown (CV-5)

Bill Roy was assigned to the carrier Yorktown in 1941 after attending US Navy Photographer’s school.  When the war began Bill went to sea with CV-5 and flew as photographer and observer during the Marshall and Gilbert Island carrier raids in early 1942.  At the Battle of Coral Sea Bill Roy was stationed on the bridge of the Yorktown with Captain Elliot Buckmaster and had a ring side seat for the first carrier versus carrier battle in Naval History.  As Yorktown’s photographer Bill shot many pictures and moving images of the Coral Sea battle, including images and film of the sinking of the carrier Lexington (CV-2). 

At the Battle of Midway Bill once again wielded his still camera and motion picture camera to record images of the greatest naval battle in history from the carrier Yorktown.  The images that Bill took are some of the most famous images shot during the battle.  His images taken from Yorktown provide an incredible glimpse into the battle that turned the tide of war in the Pacific.  Bill was aboard Yorktown during the dive bomber attack that disabled her and the torpedo attack that forced her crew to abandon her. 

After abandoning Yorktown Bill was asked by Captain Buckmaster to go back aboard with the salvage party to record the efforts to save CV-5.  While Bill was onboard with the salvage party, Yorktown was struck by torpedoes fired by an enemy submarine that finally sunk the gallant ship.  Forced to abandon his carrier a second time Bill photographed her as she rolled over and ultimately slipped beneath the waves.  While his still photographs from Midway are quite famous, his moving images are not as well known and are quite rare. 

Through the National Archives, The National WWII Museum has acquired the moving images shot by Bill Roy 65 years ago.  Many of his photographs and his rare moving images are shown in the museum’s in house produced exhibit display film that will premier at the opening of the exhibit.  The film is so rare that Bill himself had not seen the images since he shot them on June 4, 1942 until he was shown them during an interview with the Museum’s Assistant Director of Research.