Posted on 06/04/2009 6:04:53 AM PDT by mainepatsfan
June 4, 1942
The Battle of Midway begins
On this day in 1942, Japanese Admiral Chuichi Nagumo, commander of the fleet that attacked Pearl Harbor, launches a raid on Midway Island with almost the entirety of the Japanese navy.
As part of a strategy to widen its sphere of influence and conquest, the Japanese set their sights on an island group in the central Pacific, Midway, as well as the Aleutians, off the coast of Alaska. They were also hoping to draw the badly wounded U.S. navy into a battle, determined to finish it off.
The American naval forces were depleted: The damaged carrier Yorktown had to be repaired in a mere three days, to be used along with the Enterprise and Hornet, all that was left in the way of aircraft carriers after the bombing at Pearl Harbor.
On the morning of June 4, Admiral Nagumo launched his first strike with 108 aircraft, and did significant damage to U.S. installations at Midway. The Americans struck back time and again at Japanese ships, but accomplished little real damage, losing 65 of their own aircraft in their initial attempts. But Nagumo underestimated the tenacity of both Admiral Chester Nimitz and Admiral Raymond Spruance, commanders of the American forces. He also miscalculated tactically by ordering a second wave of bombers to finish off what he thought was only a remnant of American resistance (the U.S. forces had been able to conceal their position because of reconnaissance that anticipated the Midway strike) before his first wave had sufficient opportunity to rearm.
A fifth major engagement by 55 U.S. dive-bombers took full advantage of Nagumo's confused strategy, and sunk three of the four Japanese carriers, all cluttered with aircraft and fuel trying to launch another attack against what they now realized-too late--was a much larger American naval force than expected. A fourth Japanese carrier, the Hiryu was crippled, but not before its aircraft finished off the noble American Yorktown.
The attack on Midway was an unmitigated disaster for the Japanese, resulting in the loss of 322 aircraft and 3,500 men. They were forced to withdraw from the area before attempting even a landing on the island they sought to conquer.
“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.
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.
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.
Not only that, but the damage control systems were chock full of CO2. The global warming crowd would have a coniption fit!
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.
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