Battle of Midway, 4-7 June 1942

http://www.history.navy.mil/index.html ^ | Unknown | DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER

[eeman]

I was on a FR thread about some of these same topics with a very knowledgeable gentleman whom I presume was in the Navy. It was very interesting thread, full of information, check it out.

No small task getting Kitty Hawk into dry dock

[eeman]

I must have seen the edited version of the movie, because there was nothing about the Battle of the Coral Sea in what I saw

[StupidQuestions]

That is a very famous picture and one of the clearest I've seen. Look at the wreckage atop the big gun at the rear. It is of an American dive bomber. You can pretty clearly see a piece of the wing resting against the base of the gun.

[microgood]

there would have much less secondary explosions

Had no idea that was a factor.

Great knowledge base report. I also saw a movie that explained the Japanese carriers had poor Fire/Control capabilities in comparison to US carriers. Not that it would have made a difference based on the devastating nature of our attack, but was a factor in the ensuing carnage.

[microgood]

What fascinates me about Midway is that the first three of four Japanese carriers were all hit in five minutes. The whole balance of the Pacific war shifted in five minutes.

Incredible. That is what happens when a guy like Nimitz decides to destroy the Japanese Navy and gets his wish. It was such a daring and amazing event that it is hard to understand at the human level.

[William McKinley]

What would have happened had the Japanese carriers not have been found, or if the battle of Midway had not occurred?

How do you imagine the rest of the pacific theater would have been affected? How do you imagine the war effort in total would have been affected?

[ALOHA RONNIE]

June 10, 1942 =

ALOHA RONNIE's Birthday


June 4-7, 1942 =

ALOHA RONNIE's Mother wonders who's coming first...


Little ALOHA RONNIE...

or the JAPANESE..!!!

[Jimmy Valentine]

"Basically all I can remember is that the torpedo planes were all wiped out and by luck the dive bombers came at the right time"

Torpedo Eight and the dive bombers were supposed to have fighter cover when they went in. As happens in battle the fighters and dive bombers were late. Torpedo Eight went in anyway and lost every plane and every crew but one who ditched (later rescued). The dive bombers of one flight wnet in first to draw away the Japanese fighters so that the rest could break through.

We lost a lot of very brave people that day who did what had to be done.

Regards,

[SAMWolf]

Thanks for the ping Sparta.

Thanks for the thread eeman.

"Miracle at Midway" Bump

[PeteyBoy]

The surviving Torpedo Eight crewman was George Gay. I understand that when he passed away about five years ago, per his instructions, his remains were scattered at the location where he was downed--to forever be with the rest of the lost crews.

These were great, brave men. Very few of them left today.

[SAMWolf]

[SAMWolf]

Congrats on the new baby.

[SAMWolf]

The original version of the movie had the Coral Sea battle removed, it was put back in fo a "Directors Cut" of the film.

[SAMWolf]

IF you get a chance read "Incredible Victory" very goo d book about Midway.

[Redleg Duke]

Good to remember. A fine example of "Victory Disease" and a splendid example of fine Intel Work!

And never forget the courage of all of the Naval Aviators, especially those of Torpedo Squadron 8 of the USS Hornet! One survivor, Ensign Gay...no hits...but they brought the Jap fighters and AA guns down to sea level, leaving the skies open for the dive bombers.

[kabar]

Another good book termed by Stephen Ambrose as "Superb...the best book on the greatest sea battle ever fought." is Return to Midway by Robert D. Ballard and Rick Archbold. Just six months after Pearl Harbor, the US was able to stop the Japanese naval offensive in the Pacific for the remainder of the war. Breaking the Japanese Naval code, JN 25, was a key to the victory. The gallant but tragic heroism of Torpedo Squadron Eight will live forever in the miliary annals of this country.

[Focault's Pendulum]

Here's your pic.........just do what I do....tape it to your screen and press enter.

[kabar]

As luck would have it, John Ford, the famous director, was serving as a Navy Commander at the time of the battle and was located on Sand Island, which suffered major attacks by the Japanese against the Midway islands. He filmed the attacks until one blast rendered him unconscious. He made a film from his experiences, Battle of Midway, which won the 1942 Academy Award for the best documentary. It was the first film made on a real battlefield with only real combatants before the lens. It is no wonder Ford was such a patriot and made so many great films about the spirit of America.

[The Pheonix]

"Man Proposes, God Disposes"

God was clearly on our side

"In God we trust"

[SAMWolf]

Click the picture to read about Lieutenant Commander John C. Waldron and Torpedo 8 at Midway