[Retain Mike]

This year we will celebrate the 70th anniversary for D-Day, but as an old sailor I like to give equal time to the Battle of Midway which also occurred the first week in June two years earlier. However, I do have a write up for D-Day also.

Some of the sources are really great. Nimitz Graybook may be only accessable to USNI member, but here you get to see hard copies of actual orders.

[Sasparilla]

thanks to the author.

[yarddog]

Midway almost turned out to be a total catastrophe for the U.S. but ended as an incredible victory.

If not for those Dauntless dive bombers we would have lost everything.

[Billthedrill]

A BTT - ENS Gay had a front-row seat for the turning point in the Pacific war after every one of his VT-8 squadron mates including his rear gunner had died. When at last he died in 1994 he had his ashes scattered on that spot.

[spel_grammer_an_punct_polise]

Admiral Nimitz was at my boot camp graduation. He was a very gracious man. By then he was a frail, old man in civvies. He wanted to stand around and shoot the breeze with us white hats but the brass kept trying to usher him away. He won! ;-)

[yarddog]

One thing Midway showed us was that we had a lot to learn especially for the Army Air Force.

B-17s flying at 20,000 feet had little chance of hitting moving ships. I have seen video of German Condor bombers attacking a convoy and they were flying right at mast high. These were four engined bombers, not fighters and they were pretty slow yet they came right over the ships.

The other thing was that we needed much better planes, especially fighters tho a well flown Wildcat could do OK.

[Talisker]

God intervened directly at Midway.

[DaxtonBrown]

Well done, appreciated.

[smokingfrog]

Probably one of the most important naval battles of the war.

If you ever get to Fredericksburg, Texas, be sure to check out the Nimitz Museum. (I think they may have changed the name but its the same place.)

Those Brewster Buffalos were a real POS.

[GeronL]

Wow... great essay

I never really knew our planes were quite THAT antiquated

[PA Engineer]

Thanks for the post and a great summary. I always felt a Devine Hand had much to do with the success, along with a great amount of sacrifice (not to mention the inferior damage control and fighting layout of the Japanese carriers).

A good read. BTTT.

[ken5050]

Very well written piece. Kudos!. And thanks especially for the bibliography...some of the sources look fascinating. I intend to delve into them later on..

Do post your D-Day piece, and kindly ping me. Thanks.

[Lower Deck]

A couple of years ago Johnathan Parshall and Anthony Tully came out with Shattered Sword: The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway. It's the battle told entirely from the Japanese side. Reading it the wonder is not that the U.S. won but how the Japanese did so well prior to that. It goes into the leadership, supply issues, training, organization, damage control, command and control, and tactics. An absolutely fascinating read.

[Servant of the Cross]

Great article. Thank you for sharing. I believe God intervened at Midway.

I do have a write up for D-Day also.

Please ping me when you post it.

[Jacquerie]

Midway was as significant to the US as Trafalgar was to Great Britain.

It is a pity and shame the US Navy does not celebrate Midway as the RN celebrates Trafalgar.