Introduction to the battle of Midway....

[site admin]

Introduction to
The Battle of Midway
by Pat Maio

Tom Brokaw's excellent book "The Greatest Generation" served to remind me of many things that, over the passage of time, had slipped from memory. It deals with World War 2 and a different era, different values and sacrifice. It also served to remind me of what others had done that allow me, my children and grandchildren to live in the world, as we know it.

I served in Korea but have always been fascinated by the history of World War 2. I was in grade school on the fateful Sunday morning in December of 1941. I recall the commotion as people poured out of their Jersey City apartments and congregated on the streets discussing the news buzzing over the radios. I didn't fully understand all that was happening but I knew it had to be important.

This is a humble effort to acknowledge that those who made the ultimate sacrifice have not been relegated to the dustbin of history and forgotten. Before we light up the barbecue, take off for the lake or seashore, or lay in the backyard hammock, we might pause and let them know they have not been forgotten...wherever they are. This is more than a holiday and we should remember why we came to the store.

Valor and sacrifice can be found in the history of all the wars America has been part of. Different times and different places with funny sounding names, but always there were suffering and valor. Whether it was Normandy, Bastogne, Sicily, Anzio, Tarawa, Iwo Jima, Bataan, Kwajalein, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq or a host of other places. The locales were different but the color of the spilt blood was the same. There are many places...thousands of stories of sacrifice.

Out of the many stories at this momentous juncture in history, one story is my all time favorite. I will use it in honor of all brave men and women who made the supreme sacrifice. It was a definitive turning point that would point the way out of the darkness and toward the light.

Present generations may not appreciate what was at stake at that pivotal time in history. The world was on the "Edge of the abyss," to quote Winston Churchill. In just a few years the Axis powers commanded both the North Atlantic and the South Pacific. Europe was being ravaged and countless men, women and children were under the yolk of slavery in Asia. Russia was a hair's breadth away from annihilation and the British were on their knees, but still resisting, while the United States had just lost most of its Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor. In practical terms, the Nazis and Imperial Japan ruled almost half the world! Never, in the history of our planet was the human race so threatened by an age of darkness as it was then.

It is June, 1942 ...Yamamoto and the Imperial Japanese staff have formulated a plan to destroy what is left of the American fleet, and make the Pacific "their lake," giving them free rein to pursue the master plan of "Co-Prosperity," a euphemism for domination of Asia and the Pacific. The area included China, India, Burma, Australia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Indochina, and various other island groups. The plan calls for the invasion of Midway Island and the Dutch Harbor in the Aleutians.
It is hoped that what is left of the American fleet will respond to either threat and be decimated by a third and larger Japanese fleet hidden in the rear and waiting. Once the Americans loose this high stakes game nothing will stand between the Imperial Japanese Navy and the Hawaiian Islands and ultimately the west coast of the United States. What the Japanese do not know is that American Naval Intelligence have intercepted their messages and broken the code, exposing their plan. The U.S. Navy is now the hunter instead of the hunted. It will be the first time two formidable navies fight from a distance...with carriers.

Admiral Yamamoto commands a force of 200 ships, including 8 carriers, 11 battleships, 22 cruisers and 21 submarines --- the greatest naval armada in human history.

Admiral Nimitz can only scrape together 76 ships, including 3 carriers and no battleships.


June 2nd.
The American force is in position, north of Midway, ready to respond to the Aleutian threat if Yamamoto's force does not show at Midway.

June 3rd.
Catalina search planes from Midway spot the invasion force of Japanese troopships but this isn't the prize. Both sides want the other's carriers. Yamamoto's main battle force is in the rear and still undetected.

June 4th, Dawn.
Admiral Nagumo, who commands 4 carriers in the main battle force, launches a strike of 108 aircraft against Midway. Another strike group is armed with torpedoes and waits on deck should the American carriers be spotted. Fighter planes fly overhead as a protective screen.


Admiral Nagumo

Midway - the First Hit
The first strike group inflicts heavy damage on the Midway, but it's not considered decisive enough and a second strike is ordered to finish off the last of Midway's air arm. While the first group is landing, the second group's armament is being changed from torpedoes to bombs. There wasn't enough time to store the torpedoes properly in their magazines, so they were being stacked around the outer spaces.

Visible now, 10 torpedo carrying Avengers and some B-17's from Midway appear and start their attack. Torpedoes make their way to the Carriers Akagi, Kaga and Soryu, but the nimble ships are able to dodge and avoid any damage. The screening Zeros, the best fighter plane in the world at that time, shoot down 7 of the U.S Avengers, only 3 make it back to Midway.

Meanwhile, other U.S. Navy search planes spot the 4 Japanese carriers of the main force and radio the position to Admiral Spruance, on the flagship of the force waiting north of Midway. The signal to launch attack is given. The attack group will consist of three waves of torpedo bombers.


Lt Commander
John C. (Sioux) Waldron

I've often wondered ...
if Admiral Yamamoto, when he heard the news, called his staff to the bridge for a victory toast in the sake cups he had been given by the Emperor. Surely it was much deserved.
I wonder also ...
if he had time to warm the sake? Did he have time to bring the cup to his lips before the Lookout sounded the alarm.

Ensign George Gay's plane crashed inbetween the Kaga and the Akagi. Though wounded, he tried to get his gunner out of the rear seat but strafing Zeros forced him to dive under again and again. His rear gunner sank with the plane. Gay put a flotation cushion over his head to hide until twilight. He had a front row seat to the historic sea battle that was taking place before his eyes. A Navy Catalina would pick him up the next day.



One has to wonder if the young Japanese sailors thought, --- as all young men in all the wars have wondered --- why they were being torn apart by flying chunks of hot metal, their bodies covered with burning gasoline, and being blown overboard to sink beneath the waves, while the clique of old men who put them in harm's way were somewhere else --- safe, bodies intact, and alive.

The 1st Wave
On the decks of the 4 carriers, the signal is about to be given for the final crushing strike against the Midway when the lookout spots 15 American planes coming at them, low over the water. It is the first wave of American Torpedo bombers, lead by Lieutenant John Waldron. Lt Waldron radios that he is starting the attack. Those are his last words.

The Zeros, circling high above, pounce on the slow and lumbering, low flying Devastator torpedo planes and blow most out of the sky. The remainder fly like clay pigeons into a wall of murderous fire from the Japanese fleet. Fourteen of the first fifteen are plunged into the sea.

The 2nd Wave
Almost immediately, more low level Devastators from the Hornet, Enterprise and Yorktown come in for the next attack. Like the first, it is suicidal. The Zeros pound them first and the blanket of fire from the fleet below finish the rest. Of the forty-one planes in the second wave, only six return to their carriers. Not one hit is registered on the Japanese fleet. The Imperial Navy's ships remain unscathed and their invincibility intact.

The 3rd Wave
The Imperial Navy has no radar, so it is a shock when the lookout shrieks the alarm: a Third wave of dive-bombers, screaming toward them. This time, the Zeros can not be a factor - they are too low after having just decimated the first 2 waves. Nor can the gunners affect a deadly wall: there isn't enough time to redirect the still hot and smoking guns.

Squadron Leader, Lieutenant Commander Clarence McClusky leads the dive on the Akagi. Other groups pounce on the Kaga and the Soryu. As the Dauntlesses pull out of their screaming dives, latches are pulled detaching the bombs from the wings.

Aboard the Akagi, there is a blinding flash followed by two loud explosions. It doesn't stop.

Kaga is hit at about the same time it has 30 planes armed and fueled, waiting for takeoff.

Soryu, getting pummelled by Yorktown's planes, is experiencing the same: explosions, fire and death.

All three ships are hit while their decks are loaded with bombs and gasoline. In a matter of minutes, three prize carriers of the Imperial Navy are ablaze and in their death throes.

With three carriers burning, Admiral Yamaguchi assumes command. He wastes no time in launching 18 Val dive bombers and an escort of six Zeros from Hiryu...the fourth carrier. It is led by Lieutenant Michio Kobayashi, an experienced pilot, a veteran of the Pearl Harbor attack.


Yorktown


Yorktown under attack

The Yorktown - 1200 hours
Yorktown is preparing to recover her planes when radar picks up Kobayashi's group. Approaching from 18,000 feet, Kobayashi can see the American planes returning from their deadly attack on his fleet and gives the order to descend to 10,000 feet, in preparation for their own attack. The Zero escort tangles with American Wildcats and two Zeros are lost while other Wildcats dive into the Japanese dive bombers hoping to tear up their formation. This time it is the Japanese who fly into a withering fire from the fleet, but five of the 18 attack planes survive the onslaught.

Three of their bombs find their mark on Yorktown. While this battle is unfolding, Kobayashi directs the last of his planes, 10 torpedo bombers and six fighters, to join the fray. Lieutenant Joichi Tomanaga, the officer who led the attack on Midway, is the strike leader. With no time to repair the damage to his fuel tank, he knows it will be a one way mission.

On the Yorktown, damage control parties work at a rapid pace and have the fires under control in less than 2 hours. The carrier is able to make 18 knots under her own power and is refueling her fighters when radar picks up Tomanaga's group, 40 miles away. Tomanaga cannot believe that the carrier that ostensibly was near to sinking is making her way under her own power. He gives the order to attack. Yorktown attempts to get her planes into the air.

Wildcats shoot some of the Japanese planes from the sky, but some get through, again. Tomanaga flies through the hail of fire and launches his torpedoes. Knowing he cannot get back, he crashes his plane into Yorktown. Other planes follow his lead and launch their torpedoes. Two strike amidships. Yorktown shudders and stops dead in the water. Eight Japanese planes survive and turn to fly back to the Hiryu and report their victory.

Unknown to them, one of Yorktown's scout planes had spotted Hiryu and radioed back the position. Mortally wounded, Yorktown still might have made it except for the Japanese submarine that intercepted the Yorktown's position. While Yorktown was being towed, pumping out flooded compartments, working and making slow progress, Lieutenant Yahachi Tanabe on submarine I-168 sent four torpedoes toward her. Her salvage crew was taking a break of sandwiches and warm Coca-Cola when the torpedoes hit. The Destroyer Hamman, helping Yorktown was also hit and sank immediately. Hope was lost and the crews of the Yorktown were told to abandon ship.


The Enterprise - Launches All Out Strike
Admiral Fletcher, on the Enterprise, gives the order to launch an all out strike: 24 Dauntlesses, 14 of them are refugees from the stricken Yorktown. The Carrier Hornet launches 16 fighters to fly escort for the attack. Yamaguchi, desperate to turn bitter defeat into some sort of victory, decides to launch a last, twilight attack on the American carriers. Sweet rice balls are served to the weary, overextended flight crews before their planned attack.

Carrier Enterprise's dive-bombers come out of the sun. Hiryu swings to starboard in desperation and the Americans loose three planes to start. Hiryu twists evasively but four bombs find her deck. As before, explosion follows explosion on the carrier's deck. In a few minutes, Hiryu is a raging inferno. It is enough to cause the remaining American bombers to turn their attention to other Japanese ships.

The 8 Japanese planes that return from their attack on the Yorktown find their Carrier burning. They circle the Hiryu until their fuel runs out and they land their craft in the sea.



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Retribution was total for the Americans.
The epic battle was over.
Both fleets would withdraw.
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In 6 incredible minutes the world had changed. The Japanese advance in the Pacific was stopped dead in its tracks. Because of the sacrifice of those brave young men, Evil was not as invincible as it had first appeared and free people around the globe would take heart.


From the battle of Midway, the Americans gained precious breathing space until the end of the year when the mighty Essex class carriers were launched. The Japanese Imperial Navy had their first bitter taste of defeat: 4 first line carriers, 1 heavy cruiser and 332 aircraft, but even more important was the loss of experienced, well trained, veteran aircrews. This would manifest itself in future battles. From this point on, the Imperial Navy was never able to regain the offensive, they were in defensive mode for the rest of the war.





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The bottom of the sea is a cold, dark and lonely place. Valiant men rest there quietly, some still strapped into their twisted metal seats.
On behalf of my family and all others who remember, I humbly give thanks and raise my glass to all of you.

You rest alone,
but you are not forgotten.

[DouglasBush]

Nothing more can be said...you said it all!
I have heard many, many, stories from combat vets over my years and I nearly always tear up when I think of how horrible it had to be and yet, they served their country, survived, and came home!
There were no sissy britches whining about "meaningful dialogue" in foxholes, on ships, or in airplanes with some crazy nazi ,jap, chinese communist, or muslim blasting at them with all barrels.
As much as I disagreed with George McGovern's politics, he STILL did all those combat missions in those bombers over Germany, George Bush (the senior) was shot down twice by the japanese, and Eddie Albert, "Mister Douglas" from Green Acres tv show won a bronze star on Tarawa, along with countless other fighting men...some of who are still out there.
I salute all of them!
Regards,
Douglas

[pat maio]

As that Ginzu Chef we saw so much of on TV used to say "But wait, there's more." I read the book and have seen the movie about at least a dozen times. Some might call it "payback" for Pearl. Some, like me, call it "flaming hot poker up the butt time." Remember those times? Patriotism was not a dirty word.
Admin:
When does the rest go in?

[site admin]

Pat,

I posted everyting you sent me..... If there was more i don't have it. Try sending it again

[MartyMcAvoy]

Great Book Pat & Doug! I too have a fascination w/the events in the Pacific, all be it I am only 42, my father, Thomas A., 83 & still kicking was a paratrooper in WWII, Had his back broken in 5 places, hearing damaged by nearby bomb, & then nearly shot for not remembering the password by 1 of his own buddys who recognized his voice. I remember in Jr. high/ high school I hated to read, but read Midway, & the Bismarck several times, very odd for me, but I really enjoyed em! I am the son of 5 generations of American Soldiers, my brother is 17+ years my elder & served in Vietnam, so that counts in my book! Sometimes I find it amazing I am even here w/all the opportunities that could have changed it all. Even though Dad & I don't always see eye 2 eye, I have always admired his tenacity for dealing w/pain all the years, he has outlasted all but 1 of my childhood friends fathers but 1, & has a full 10 years on that guy. Plastic knees, & now a hip, 4-way bypass, hearing aids, broken ankles w/steel pins, & ol' Bill Plummer SuperFrog to the eye, no hooks, just the impact at about 60 mph, creating a permanent cataract type thing for him when I was just 8. He & Mom just got back from Vegas! his 2nd favorite passtime, says fishing is too hard on him. So some of us have a similiar appreciation as well, thinking of ALL those who gave the Ultimate Sacrifice, of have suffered the injuries for over half a century, Home of the Brave, Definitely! Land of the Free, I am having some trouble w/recently, as everthing goes up & up, so the Leaders can sell us out or just give it away.