I te 14 o Paenga-whāwhā 1942, ka riro i a ia te mana o te Torpedo Squadron Three (VT-3) i runga i te kaipuke, i te wa i Kaneohe Naval Air Station. I te 27 o Mei 1942, i whakawhitihia te VT-3 ki muri i te Pakanga o te Moana Coral, hei whakakapi i te kaipuke Torpedo Squadron 5 (VT-5). I rere a "Yorktown" me te VT-3 ki te Moutere o Midway ka uru ki te pakanga
i te 4 o Pipiri 1942. I roto i tenei tutaki nui, i mate a Massey i a ia e arahi ana i tana ope i te whakaeke iti ki te kaipuke rererangi a Hiryū. I kitea ia i te wa whakamutunga E ono noa nga kaiwhawhai F4F Wildcat, i arahina e Lieutenant Commander John Thach, tekau o nga TBD tekau ma rua o VT-3 i ngaro. Mo tana toa i te whai i te whakaeke ki "Hiryu", i whakawhiwhia a Massey ki te Navy Cross.