Battle of Midway, 4-7 June 1942

http://www.history.navy.mil/index.html ^ | Unknown | DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER

[eeman]

The Battle of Midway, fought over and near the tiny U.S. mid-Pacific base at Midway atoll, represents the strategic high water mark of Japan's Pacific Ocean war. Prior to this action, Japan possessed general naval superiority over the United States and could usually choose where and when to attack. After Midway, the two opposing fleets were essentially equals, and the United States soon took the offensive.

Yamamoto's intended surprise was thwarted by superior American communications intelligence, which deduced his scheme well before battle was joined. This allowed Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, the U.S. Pacific Fleet commander, to establish an ambush by having his carriers ready and waiting for the Japanese. On 4 June 1942, in the second of the Pacific War's great carrier battles, the trap was sprung. The perserverance, sacrifice and skill of U.S. Navy aviators, plus a great deal of good luck on the American side, cost Japan four irreplaceable fleet carriers, while only one of the three U.S. carriers present was lost. The base at Midway, though damaged by Japanese air attack, remained operational and later became a vital component in the American trans-Pacific offensive.

[SkyPilot]

Anniversary bump.

[tophat9000]

From ...http://www.centurytel.net/midway/midway.html.... Great Midway site

This remarkable photo shows all fifteen of Torpedo Eight's TBDs as they depart for their attack on Kido Butai on 4 June 1942. To my knowledge, this photo has never before been published.

[microgood]

Great post. Admiral Nimitz's brilliant and daring gamble. Just saw the movie with Charleton Heston and Henry Fonda and Robert Mitchum(Halsey) over Memorial Day.

[microgood]

Thanks for that site.

[Sparta]

Battle of Midway anniversary ping!!

If you want on or off the Western Civlization Military History ping list, let me know.

[Sparta]

Douglas TBD-1 Devastator

Type:           Torpedo bomber
Crew:           2, Pilot and observer/rear gunner
Armament:       one .30 cal machine gun firing forward,
                one .30 cal machine gun in rear cockpit,
                one torpedo, or one 1000 lb. bomb

Specifications:
        Length:         35' 0" (10.67 m)
        Height:         15' 1" (4.60 m)
        Wingspan:       50' 0" (15.24 m)
        Wing area:      422 sq. ft (39.2 sq. m)
        Empty Weight:   5600 lbs (2539 kg)
        Gross Weight:   10194 lbs (4623 kg)

Propulsion:
        No. of Engines: 1
        Powerplant:     Pratt & Whitney R-1830-64
        Horsepower:     900 hp

Performance:
        Range:          716 miles (1152 km)
        Cruise Speed:   128 mph (206 km/hr)
        Max Speed:      206 mph (331 km/hr)
        Climb:          720 ft/min (219.45 m/min)
        Ceiling:        19500 ft (5943.3 m)

[eeman]

can you put me on your ping list? I generally don't post on them but I look at them. I've been posting a lot lately because I have been on vacation--taking time off for our new baby boy who is one week old today

[Sparta]

can you put me on your ping list?

No problem.

I've been posting a lot lately because I have been on vacation--taking time off for our new baby boy who is one week old today

Congratulations on the new baby boy.

[eeman]

I found that website, I was going to post a picture--that same one actually, or a picture of the Hiryu after it was hit by US dive bombers

Battle Damage to Hiryu

However, I could not put the picture in the response, could you tell me how that is done?

[eeman]

Thank you. My wife, bless her heart, is very liberal whereas I am the opposite. It will be interesting to see how he turns out along the way. Whatever he turns out to be, he is just sooo intoxicating and I just hold him forever (or until he needs to be fed).

[Light Speed]

[eeman]

I saw the movie on AMC I think a few months ago. I just read Gordon Prange's book Miracle at Midway" this past week. The book was okay-to-good. It certainly was not as good as the hype around it when it was originally published way back when. For one thing, a few maps or diagrams would have been nice.

In contrast to the movie "Midway," Prange asserts that the Japanese planning for the attack was well before Mitchell's raid on Tokyo. You get the sense from that movie that the B-25 raid inspired Yamamato to attack Midway

[microgood]

It is kind of ironic that the USS Midway(CV41) was stationed in Japan at SRF Yokosuka for many years after the war (not sure when it began being based there but it was commisioned in 1945). They finally replaced it with various Forrestal class carriers in the late 80s or early nineties under protest from the Japanese (They totally resist Nuclear carriers).

[microgood]

In contrast to the movie "Midway," Prange asserts that the Japanese planning for the attack was well before Mitchell's raid on Tokyo. You get the sense from that movie that the B-25 raid inspired Yamamato to attack Midway

I did not notice that. Thanks for that insight. I was so focused on the spotter planes and who knew what and when they knew in that movie. I was not thinking of their motives at the time I saw the movie.

My assessment has always been that the Japanese did not know where our carriers were when they attacked Pearl, and did not know where they were when they attacked Midway. Big mistake when you have someone as daring as Nimitz around.

[eeman]

That movie is very factually correct, which is something that seems to be no longer important (U571, Saving Private Ryan, Peal Harbor). However it was very hard to follow. To be fair, however, it is hard to keep straight who did what and when. Basically all I can remember is that the torpedo planes were all wiped out and by luck the dive bombers came at the right time

[microgood]

Basically all I can remember is that the torpedo planes were all wiped out and by luck the dive bombers came at the right time

Having just seen it, they spent a lot of time covering the Japanese trying to decide whether to arm their planes with bombs or torpedoes after the first strike on Midway. Some advisors were proposing a second assault on Midway Island and others were cautious about finding American carriers. They did find the Yorktown(I think) by plane(they followed our planes back to it) and pummeled it, but we had found them and they never actually found our other two carriers(according to the movie).

[eeman]

I have to finish my thought that I started in my last post before I was interrupted by having to do a diaper change and burping (see my posts 8 and 11 on this thread).

What fascinates me about Midway is that the first three of four Japanese carriers were all hit in five minutes. The whole balance of the Pacific war shifted in five minutes.

[eeman]

Yes Nagumo screwed up by not launching all of his planes the moment they found the Yorktown. Had the Japanese just stopped re-arming the planes and launched them at the Yorktown, there would have much less secondary explosions (from the on-deck and in-hangar planes with their bombs and fuel) which doomed the carriers.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

If you see the movie "Midway" listed as 2 hours ( As TBS airs it ) , avoid it. The Coral Sea battle is cut out completely, making a conspicious hole in the film's continuity and the word "Japs" is censored every time they use it.