The Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway, fought from June 4 to 7, 1942, was the United States' first naval victory against Japan and led to its defeat of Japan in World War II. The battle is now recognized as one of the most important naval conflicts in history.
A Turning Point in the Pacific Campaign
It was a turning point in the Pacific campaign, bringing an end to Japan's ability to operate offensively and giving America a resurgent military power in the region. The Japanese had accumulated a formidable force of three large fleets on their way to Midway, including the Carrier Strike Force that was headed by Admiral Yamamoto. The Carrier Strike Force had four main carriers and dozens of support ships.
The Attack on Midway Island
On June 4, 1942, Japanese aircraft attacked the US base on Midway Island and damaged it severely. Unbeknownst to the Japanese, US carrier forces were just to the east of the island and ready for battle.
American Response
By 6:30, one hundred and eight Japanese planes had attacked Midway's two islands: Eastern Island with its airfield, and Sand Island with its oil tanks, seaplane hangar, and other facilities. While the Japanese attack was largely successful, American planes, particularly Navy and Marine Corps scouts and torpedo bombers, did much to destroy or disable the enemy.
The Role of US Carriers
TBD Devastator torpedo bombers from the United States carriers USS Yorktown (CV-5), USS Enterprise (CV-6), and USS Hornet (CV-8), launched against the Japanese. The torpedo bombers drew the Japanese aircraft away from the US carriers and cleared the skies for SBD Dauntless dive bombers from the Enterprise and Yorktown to attack.
Japanese Strategy Fails
While the Japanese torpedo bombers destroyed or disabled several of the American carriers, their damage and loss were minor compared to the devastating losses of the American ships. The Japanese had hoped that the attacks would draw the US fleet out of Midway and allow them to strike Hawaii, but their strategy was doomed to failure.
American Counterattacks
At about the same time, four night-flying PBYs attacked Japanese transports northwest of Midway and disabled them. The American torpedo bombers retaliated with repeated attacks, but the Japanese fought back with their fighters and antiaircraft fire.
Escalation of Attacks
As the day wore on, more and more ships were detected by the Japanese, including the USS Yorktown, the largest and most capable ship in the United States at that time. At first, the Japanese thought that the Americans had left Yorktown to sink after its defeat at the Battle of the Coral Sea.
Victory at Midway
But by 10:25 a report came in that American B-17s were flying over the Japanese fleet. This led to an escalation of attacks by the American force, including more Army B-17s and Vindicators.
The Aftermath
These attacks shattered the Japanese carrier strike force and compelled them to abandon their plans to invade Midway and retreat westward. By the end of the day, the United States had destroyed or sunk three Japanese carriers and had captured one of them.
The Impact of Midway
The victory at Midway changed the course of the Pacific war forever. In the months that followed, the U.S. Navy grew to be the largest and most powerful in the world, while Japan struggled to maintain control of the waters. In the end, Japan never regained the military dominance it lost at Midway.
