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Courtesy of Shizuo Fukui
The target. Midway Islands, looking west, as seen just before the war. Eastern Island lies in the foreground; Sand Island to the rear. Although the whole atoll amounted to only three square miles of dry land, its capture was the goal of one of the mightiest fleets ever assembled. The Japanese armada totaled some 190 ships altogether.
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The Japanese commanders. Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto (left) was the brilliant Commander in Chief of the Imperial Combined Fleet. A daring gambler, he wanted Midway partly to strengthen Japan’s defenses, but mainly to lure the weakened U.S. fleet into all-out battle. Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo (above) would provide the spearhead of the thrust. Everything depended on his Striking Force of four powerful carriers.
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Navy Department
The U.S. commanders. Admiral Chester W. Nimitz (above, left) guided the destiny of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, based at Pearl Harbor. Standing with him is Rear Admiral Raymond A. Spruance, who led Task Force 16. Rear Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher (right) handled Task Force 17 and was in tactical command during the battle.
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The Akagi (above) was flagship of Admiral Nagumo’s powerful Striking Force. She and the Kaga (below) were huge, unwieldy ships, originally laid down as battle cruisers. Their horizontal funnel arrangement made for miserable living conditions; smoke was constantly seeping into the crew’s quarters. They were, nevertheless, great sentimental favorites within the fleet.
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Author’s collection
The Hiryu (above) and Soryu (below) rounded out Nagumo’s force. Although somewhat smaller than the other two carriers, they were faster, more powerful, and much larger than generally thought. On all four ships the pilots played shogi, wrote letters, and relaxed in utter confidence as the fleet pounded steadily closer to Midway.
Courtesy of Shizuo Fukui
Courtesy of M. W. McCoy
Thanks to a brilliant job of code-breaking, the American high command was thoroughly aware of the Japanese plans. Reinforcements were rushed to Midway, and the Marine defenders dug in for a last-ditch fight. Here a sun-baked gun crew at E Battery, 6th Defense Battalion, practices during the tense wait before the attack.
Army B-17s were an important addition to Midway’s defenses. It was hoped these tough, long-range bombers would give Midway a striking power of its own. Bearing jaunty names like Yankee Doodle and Knucklehead, they reflected the exuberance of the young men who flew them. Here one is taking off from Eastern Island.
National Archives
Navy Department
At sea the U.S. fleet quietly waited in ambush. First on the scene was Task Force 16, led by the carrier Enterprise. This view (not taken at Midway) was snapped from a dive bomber just taking off.
The other carrier in Task Force 16 was the Hornet, new and with an air group not yet tried in combat. These ships were soon joined by the Yorktown at a rendezvous symbolically called “Point Luck.” Navy Department
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Navy Department
June 4, 1942. The Japanese carriers have been located, and on the Enterprise Torpedo 6 prepares to take off. Only four of these planes ever came back. The Hornet and Yorktown torpedo squadrons took even greater losses during the morning’s action.
The Hornet’s, Torpedo 8 was virtually wiped out: all 15 planes lost, 29 of 30 men. Of the pilots in this squadron picture, only one survived: Ensign George Gay, fourth from left, front row.
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Lieutenant Commander John C. Waldron, skipper of Torpedo 8, typified the fierce determination of all the torpedo pilots at Midway. Against the heaviest odds, they recklessly drove home their attacks. Including those based on the atoll, 42 out of 51 torpedo planes were lost in strikes against Nagumo’s carriers.
National Archives
The day’s fighting began with the Japanese attack, on Midway itself. As over 100 planes bombed and strafed the base, famed movie director John Ford filmed the action. The above shot is taken from the superb documentary that resulted. Below is the destruction on Sand Island photographed immediately after the attack.
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U.S. Air Force Photo
Meanwhile the Japanese carriers were coming under heavy attack. Here one of them (probably the Hiryu) dodges bombs dropped by the B-17s. Close-up shows her flight deck, including two Zeros by the portside island. Later the U.S. Navy dive bombers struck, knocking out three carriers within an incredible six minutes.
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The U.S. fleet was soon attacked too. Around noon the Yorktown was hit by dive bombers from the Hiryu, only Japanese carrier to escape the morning holocaust.
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The Yorktown survived the dive bombers but not a second attack, this time by the Hiryu’s torpedo planes. Hit twice, she lost all power and listed 26° to port. Revenge was swift—the Hiryu soon paid the price—but not before the Yorktown was abandoned and out of the fight.
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On the morning of June 5 the Yorktown was still afloat. Efforts to salvage her failed the following day when the Japanese submarine I-168 pumped two more torpedoes into her hull.
At 5:00 A.M. June 7 the Yorktown finally rolled over and sank. This picture of the end, believed never before published, was taken by her boiler division officer, Lieutenant (j.g.) Charles Cundiff, from one of the stand-by destroyers.
Courtesy of Charles R. Cundiff
Navy Department
All through June 5-6 the U.S. fleet pursued the fleeing Japanese. Above, Navy dive bombers attack the heavy cruisers Mogami and Mikuma. Below, the shattered Mikuma, photographed by Lieutenant (j.g.) Cleo J. Dobson shortly before she sank on the 6th.
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Courtesy of Shizuo Fukui
The wreckage of Japanese hopes. The smoldering hulk of the Hiryu wallows in a calm sea in the early hours of June 5. These pictures were taken from a Japanese scout plane sent by Admiral Yamamoto to investigate the situation. The lower photo clearly shows how the carrier’s forward elevator was hurled against the front of the bridge.