Gang;
The problem with conflicting sources from John Lundstroms "The First Team" and his "Black Shoe Carrier Admiral" and "A Glorious Page in Our History" is simply additional research (from an unimpeachable source), photographic evidence, and fixing a misunderstanding by some participants since the strike as launched, and the original plan, were different.
I can give specifics of the spot from home tonight but ... the strike was planned in two deckloads as follows (Forward -> aft):
1st deckload:
VB-3 (17 SBD-3s) [a 1,000# bomb each] spotted forward in reverse order
VT-3 (12 TBD-1s) [a MkXIII torpedo each] spotted aft in reverse order
VB-3 was to form up and depart while climbing to altitude (I'll look it up) VT-3 was to form up and depart while climbing to 2,500'
2nd deckload was on the hangar deck, armed, fueled, and warming up, to be ranged as follows:
"VS-5" [really VB-5] (17 SBD-3) [a 1,000# bomb each] to be spotted aft via #2 and #3 elevator
VF-3 (6 F4F-4) to be spotted forward via the #1 elevator
VF-3 was to form up, climb to 3,000, and make a "running rendezvous" with VT-3. VS-5 was to form up, climb to altitude, and follow along, about 15 minutes behind VB-3 with spot and takeoff times added in, which would be shortened by using a faster cruise setting.
In the event, as the first deckload was launching, Admiral Fletcher opted to hold VS-5 behind as a ready "reserve". Thus, they never were ranged in their entirety and none were launched - just VF-3 was.
The first wave range, from AFT, would be spotted thus: VT-3 in reverse order (Aft->Forward) [T-1, T-2, T-3, T-4, T-5, T-6, T-7, T-8, T-9, T-10, T-11, T-12] armed with torpedoes. A live Mk-XIII has a steel body and a light navy grey warhead. In sunlight, in the shadows under the fuselage, the body appears to be bronze. In front of them was VB-3, again in reverse order (Aft->Forward) [B-1, B-2, B-3, B-4, B-5, B-6, B-7, B-8, B-9, B-10, B-11, B-12, B-13, B-14, B-15, B-16, B-17].
IIRC (and I'll have to check when I get home for the various launch times), the relief CAP (a six-plane division of F4F-4s) may have been spotted forward of this for some period.
In the hanger deck overhead were eight unoperational aircraft: three TBD-1s (one without wings), three SBDs, and two smashed up F4F-4s. On the deck itself, were the 23 aircraft scheduled for the 2nd deckload of the strike and the reserve F4Fs of VF-3, seven if a reserve division was ranged and spotted, thirteen if it was down here. The F4Fs would have been around the #1 elevator, the SBDs around the #2 and between it and the #3 elevator. Regardless, the rolling hanger doors on both sides were open.
As for flags, that is not really something I paid much attention to, except ... ALL of the ships' crew that was topside, in fact all of those topside on any if the ships in TF-17,
vividly recall the moment (and I don't recall when that was now) when Captaiin Buckmaster ordered the ships battleflag raised. It was the largest flag on the ship (noticeably larger than anything she normally flew) and was, I understand, run up in addition to what she had been flying. That is likely the answer to the flag question.
BTW, there was a substantial amount of movie footage shot on Yorktown that day, most of which is still extant and much of which I have seen (I was used by National Geographic to identify period appropriate footage for them to use for the Yorktown special - not that they listened - from the considerable amount they had acquired, and found the Yorktown footage which includes
the last landing ever made on CV-5 by Tom Cheek of VF-3 when his battle damaged F4F-4, F-16, flipped over alongside the island and clogged up her deck just prior to the Hiryu's VB were picked up on RADAR).
There is a walkway on the port (flight deck) side of the island, about 16' or so high (my perhaps inaccurate estimate) that had words written on it in quite large letters, white IIRC, giving a warning about safety with spinning propellers or some such. I MAY have this on film at home - I'll check.
Hope this helps. If anyone wants additional details, you may always contact me at ->
mhoran@snet.net <- It would be nice to get a non-SPAM e-mail once and a while
Mark E. Horan