Some military information is kept secret to prevent it from falling into enemy hands. Nevertheless, during World War II, Congressman Andrew May appeared to overlook this protocol. In a poorly thought-through press conference, he disclosed sensitive details, resulting in the loss of 10 submarines and the tragic deaths of 800 US Navy personnel.
May Incident
The United States Navy was known for its successes following the country’s entrance into WWII. Despite Japanese attempts to sink their vessels, the Allied forces managed to evade their attacks. This was because, at the time, the Balao-class of submarine could dive to depths of 400 feet, deeper than the Japanese set their depth charges.
June 1943 press conference
In 1943, Andrew May, the chairman of the House Military Affairs Committee, undertook a tour of American military operations in the Pacific Theater, where he obtained a substantial amount of classified wartime information. When he returned in June, he held a press conference and revealed that the high survival rates of American submarines were attributed to Japanese depth charges exploding at excessively shallow depths.
This revelation swiftly circulated through news channels and appeared in newspapers across the country.
Fallout of a blabbermouth
Soon after the news spread, the Japanese naval anti-submarine units adjusted their depth charges to explode at greater depths. As a result, Vice Admiral Charles A. Lockwood, who managed the US submarine fleet in the Pacific, estimated that the breach in May resulted in the loss of 10 submarines and around 800 crew members’ lives.
“I hear Congressman May said the Jap depth charges are not set deep enough,” he said. “He would be pleased to know that the Japs set them deeper now.”
US Navy’s Pacific Submarine Fleet report
After the press conference, the Navy’s Pacific Submarine Fleet published a report revealing that Japanese anti-submarine warfare (ASW) forces were unable to determine the maximum depth the US submarine fleet could reach. Nonetheless, the report did not clarify whether the Japanese had modified their depth charge tactics to aim at greater depths following the information made public in May.
Alleged war profiteering
The disastrous press conference was just one of the many hurdles in Andrew May’s career. At the outset of the war, he teamed up with two New York businessmen, Henry and Murray Garsson. Although they had no experience or knowledge in arms manufacturing, they aimed to capitalize on the U.S. entry into the conflict by obtaining government munitions contracts.
Leveraging his role as chairman of the House Military Affairs Committee, May lobbied Army ordnance and other government officials on their behalf to secure war contracts, special privileges, and draft exemptions. In exchange for his efforts, he received substantial cash payments, which were later uncovered by a Senate investigative committee after the war.
Defective munitions
The situation rapidly turned into a scandal, which grew even worst after testimony about the Garssons’ company’s profiteering and defects in their munitions. Investigations uncovered that their 4.2-inch mortar shells had malfunctioning fuzes, leading to premature detonations. This is believed to have resulted in the deaths of 38 American servicemen.
Paying for his actions… Maybe?
The repercussions of Andrew May’s wartime mistakes extended to his loss in the 1946 election. He was also tried and convicted on federal bribery charges on July 3, 1947, after less than two hours of jury deliberations.
Despite attempts to avoid imprisonment, he was ultimately sentenced to nine months in a federal facility. Murray and Henry Garsson also received prison sentences.
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Despite his tarnished reputation, May retained influence within the Democratic Party, which enabled him to secure a full pardon from US President Harry Truman in 1952. However, he was unable to fully revive his political career and, ultimately, returned to Kentucky to practice law until his death.