Kammala jumla mai zuwa: A ranar 14 ga Afrilu, 1942, ya dauki umurnin Torpedo Squadron Three (VT-3) a cikin jirgin, sa'an nan kuma ya kasance a Kaneohe Naval Air Station. A ranar 27 ga Mayu, 1942, an canja VT-3 zuwa bin Yaƙin Tekun Coral, wanda ya maye gurbin wannan jirgin na Torpedo Squadron 5 (VT-5). "Yorktown" ya tashi tare da VT-3 zuwa Midway Island kuma ya shiga
yaƙi a ranar 4 ga Yuni, 1942. A lokacin wannan muhimmin gamuwa, an kashe Massey yayin da yake jagorantar rundunarsa a cikin wani hari mai rauni a kan jirgin saman Japan mai suna Hiryū. An gan shi a karo na karshe tare da mayakan F4F Wildcat shida, wanda Lieutenant Commander John Thach ya jagoranci, goma daga cikin goma sha biyu na TBD na VT-3 sun rasa. Saboda jarumtarsa wajen bin harin "Hiryu", an ba Massey lambar yabo ta Navy Cross.