For the record, Milt Tootle, whom I knew, was assigned F4F-4 bn 5080 #18. During the Battle of Midway, however, he flew bn 5152 #7; he was shot down by friendly AA fire and later recovered in the vicinity of the task force. ENS George Hopper was flying #18 when he was shot down, probably friendly AA fire, and killed; his assigned plane was #16 bn 5143 which Tom Cheek flew in the morning strike escort and suffered a barrier crash upon return. Tootle was, indeed, credited with downing a Japanese torpedo plane.
Only Thach in # 1 bn 5171, Leonard in #13 bn 5244, Barnes DC in #17 bn 5142, and Bass in #22 bn 5050 flew the planes to which they were actually assigned.
Tootle, who was TAD in Lexington's VF-2 at Coral Sea - he was detailed to VF-42, but never made the connection until arrival at Pearl Harbor after that action - went on to serve in VF-72, NATC, VF-10, and VBF-10 as well as the ComAirLant staff before the war ended.