Posted on 06/04/2015 5:19:10 PM PDT by Retain Mike
Hey ‘Joe’!
Japan lost the war at Midway. And despite the staggering level of bravery of so many men, the victory was still a flat- out miracle. One of the true cases of divine intervention, IMHO.
It’s too bad the anniversaries of D-Day and Midway are so close together. D-Day celebrations tend to push publicity about Midway out of the press. I agree with you, Midway was an immensely important battle that turned the tide in the Pacific. Nimitz had nerves of steel to order all his carriers into that battle.
Thank you.
Midway was for everyone.
Very interesting read. Thank you.
I always wonder about the Japanese fighter pilots tasked with protecting their carriers. I think the Bushido Code that was prevalent in the Japanese military made them so hungry for the honor of a kill that they went down to the deck to kill an American instead of some of them staying high to protect their carriers from American bombers.
Some times, too much “Hooah!” Can be a problem.
Thank you. USNR
I was watching a documentary earlier today on the war in Europe and mulling over why that theater seems to get more coverage than the Pacific.
Thanks for posting the above.
P.S. I’ll bet there are people who would be surprised to hear that the Army even played a role in the Pacific Theater.
How Cryptology enabled the United States to turn the tide in the Pacific War:
http://www.navy.mil/midway/how.html
This in no way is taking anything away from our brave warriors from the Revolution to the present but those carrier pilots had mega cojones.
At the end of May, the shipyard was asked how much time they needed to repair the Yorktown. They said, “Three months.”
They were given three days.
http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/ships/logs/CV/cv5-Midway.html
Midway shows God grants miracles to America.
God hasn’t run out of miracles.
People were fighting for their very lives back then. No time for self-indulged little babies in those days. - It’s funny how really very unimportant trivia becomes when times are tough. - My father was a combat veteran during WWII. He said by the time they got out of basic training; they were ready to “charge Hell with a bucket of water”.
I hadn’t thought about that before, clearly the entire CAP should not have been allowed to go after the first batch of contacts.
From Wikipedia I pick up this about the Shokaku. It seems to have been hurt worse, but a month to even find space for it in a dry dock? Didn’t they know there was a war on?
“8 May 1942 by dive bombers from USS Yorktown and Lexington which scored three bomb hits: one on the carrier’s port bow, one to starboard at the forward end of the flight deck and one just abaft the island. Fires broke out but were eventually contained and extinguished. The resulting damage required ShÅkaku to return to Japan for major repairs. On the journey back, the carrier shipped so much water through her damaged bow she nearly capsized in heavy seas, maintaining a high rate of speed in order to avoid a cordon of American submarines out hunting for her.
She arrived at Kure on 17 May 1942 and entered dry dock on 16 June 1942. Repairs were completed within ten days and, a little over two weeks later on 14 July, she was formally reassigned to Striking Force, 3rd Fleet, Carrier Division 1”.[10]
Wild melee, absolutely astounding courage and mind-boggling self-sacrifice, and a turning point in World War II in the Pacific.
One of the decisive battles in world history.
Particularly Commander Waldron and his torpedo squadron, Torpedo 8.
Bump for later read.
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