Remembering the Battle of Midway

[rangerrebew]

 Remembering the Battle of Midway
by Nathan Quinn, Defense Media Activity
04 June 2019


Just after midnight on 4 June, Admiral Nimitz, based on patrol plane reports, advised Task Forces 16 and 17 of the course and speed of the Japanese "main body," also noting their distance of 574 miles from Midway. Shortly after dawn, a patrol plane spotted two Japanese carriers and their escorts, reporting "Many planes heading Midway from 320 degrees distant 150 miles!"

The Battle

Just after midnight on 4 June, Admiral Nimitz, based on patrol plane reports, advised Task Forces 16 and 17 of the course and speed of the Japanese "main body," also noting their distance of 574 miles from Midway. Shortly after dawn, a patrol plane spotted two Japanese carriers and their escorts, reporting "Many planes heading Midway from 320 degrees distant 150 miles!"

The first attack on 4 June, however, took place when the four night-flying PBYs attacked the Japanese transports northwest of Midway with one PBY torpedoing fleet tanker Akebono Maru. Later that morning, at roughly 0630, Aichi D3A ("Val") carrier bombers and Nakajima B5N ("Kate") torpedo planes, supported by numerous fighters ("Zekes"), bombed Midway Island installations. Although defending U.S. Marine Corps Brewster F2A ("Buffalo") and Grumman F4F ("Wildcat") fighters suffered disastrous losses, losing 17 of 26 aloft, the Japanese only inflicted slight damage to the facilities on Midway. Motor Torpedo Boat PT-25 was also damaged by strafing in Midway lagoon.

https://allhands.navy.mil/Stories/Display-Story/Article/1866113/remembering-the-battle-of-midway

[Elderberry]

I was crewed aboard the Lexington when the on-board scenes for the movie "Midway" were filmed. Several of my crew mates got bit parts. I watched the filming of the scene where a plane crash landed on the deck and crewmen rescued the pilot. They had to take it over and over as they kept dropping the pilot on the deck. I got Charlton Heston's autograph after the filming was over and we were pulling back into port.

[skeeter]

I attended the 55th memorial of the event on the USS Hornet in Alameda and got to meet many participants, pilots and sailors, among whom included Ens Jack Reid VP-44 who first spotted the Midway occupation force approaching the island.

It was a privilege to listen to these guys tell their stories and watch them interact with one another.