This Day in World War II History June 4, 1942 Battle of Midway Begins

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?action=Article&id=6474 ^

[tcrlaf]

“Perhaps most important was the Japanese neglect of shipboard damage control.”

THIS is the single most important point about the Japanese Navy that people, and most historians, I’m afraid, neglect.

To prepare and train for damage control was to admit you could be defeated, and that wasn’t Bushido. It was to cost the Japanese dearly throughout the war.

On the other hand, it was the Yamato’s experience with damages earlier in the war that made it’s officer’s train INCESSENTLY for damage control, making it so hard to kill when it’s time came.

[mkjessup]

"all that was left in the way of aircraft carriers after the bombing at Pearl Harbor."
A reasonable statement or not?

Seemed reasonable to me, I think another poster thought the author was inferring that the Japs got some other carriers at Pearl, which was not the case.

[mainepatsfan]

Agreed. Until Nagumo had definite information about an American carrier in the area it would have made no sense for him to arm any of his planes for anti shipping operations while Midway was still in American hands.

[pa_dweller]

Excellent read on the subject:

http://www.shatteredswordbook.com/

[pfflier]

Yes you’re right on that count. The summary was overly simplified but mostly accurate. He also failed to mention Maj Lofton Henderson in the MOH recipients.

[Hugin]

I thought you were going to say that Greenpeace would have sought an injuction against allowing Yorktown into the harbor on account of her training an oil slick!

Not only that, but the damage control systems were chock full of CO2. The global warming crowd would have a coniption fit!

[Dilbert56]

Until Nagumo had definite information about an American carrier in the area it would have made no sense for him to arm any of his planes for anti shipping operations while Midway was still in American hands.

I believe the plan for the Midway attack instructed him to keep half his planes armed for anti-ship action. The decision to switch them to bombs for the second Midway strike would have been a deviation. One of the Midway planners was haunted by a Chinese proverb: "He who chases two hares catches neither". However, there they were, leading with the reduction of Midway in an operation that was designed to lure out and destroy the American Navy.

Also, if the carriers Shokaku and Zuikaku hadn't been laid up after Coral Sea, Nagumo's strike force would have had six carriers, plenty of resources to launch the second strike and keep an anti-ship reserve. Also, more fighters would have been around so the dive bombers might not have gotten a clean shot at the carriers.