Battle of Midway

Britannica ^ | May 27th 2024 | Michael Ray

[Jacquerie]

Battle of Midway, (June 3–6, 1942), World War II naval battle, fought almost entirely with aircraft.

The Midway Islands were claimed for the United States on July 5, 1859, by Capt. N.C. Brooks. The coral atoll—consisting of Eastern Island and the larger Sand Island to the west—has a total land area of just 2.4 square miles (6.2 square km). Midway was formally annexed by the U.S. in 1867. A coal depot was established for transpacific steamers, but it was never used.

It was World War II which conclusively demonstrated the strategic importance of Midway. In 1940 the U.S. Navy began work on a major air and submarine base there. By the following year Eastern Island would boast three runways, while on Sand Island a seaplane hangar was built for a squadron of PBY Catalina flying boats.

So prominent was Midway in Japanese war planning that it was included in the opening offensive of the Pacific War on December 7–8, 1941. Roughly 12 hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Japanese destroyers Sazanami and Ushio bombarded the power plant and seaplane hangar on Sand Island.

Despite a strategic setback at the Battle of the Coral Sea (May 4–8, 1942), the Japanese had continued with plans to seize the Midway Islands and bases in the Aleutians. Seeking a naval showdown with the numerically inferior U.S. Pacific Fleet, Adm. Yamamoto Isoroku sent out the bulk of the Kidō Butai (“Mobile Force”), a massive carrier battle group under the command of Vice Adm. Nagumo Chuichi.

The 4 heavy aircraft carriers Akagi, Hiryu, Kaga, and Soryu were supplemented by 2 light aircraft carriers, 2 seaplane carriers, 7 battleships, 15 cruisers, 42 destroyers, 10 submarines, and various support and escort vessels.

Their orders were to destroy the American fleet and invade Midway.

[FtrPilot]

Norman Jack "Dusty" Kleiss (March 7, 1916 – April 22, 2016) was a dive-bomber pilot in the United States Navy during World War II. He was the only pilot to hit three Japanese ships with bombs during the Battle of Midway.

Youtube Video with Dusty

[Fiji Hill]

The names of the Japanese carriers are interesting--Akagi (red castle), Sōryū (blue dragon), Hiryū (flying dragon) and Kaga (a province in Japan).

[shotgun]

Are they underwater by now what with the climate crisis and all? /S

[chrisinoc]

The battle damage to Shōkaku and the aircraft losses of Zuikaku at the Battle of the Coral Sea prevented both ships from participating in the Battle of Midway the following month.

If the air crew of the Shokaku transferred to the Zuikaku and the ship sailed with the Kido Butai, the outcome might have been different.

[packrat35]

Also Midway Island is never given enough credit. Although they failed to hit any targets, their continual attacks cost the Japanese valuable time to rearm and recover aircraft.

[mware]

80 years ago today my dad was helping to liberating Rome.

[Phoenix8]

And scouting.

[chrisinoc]

“Also Midway Island is never given enough credit. Although they failed to hit any targets, their continual attacks cost the Japanese valuable time to rearm and recover aircraft.”

If I’m not mistaken a Midway PBY did score a torpedo hit on an oiler and the first strikes on the cruisers Mikuma and Mogami were from SBD Dauntless dive bombers from Midway.