Saturday, June 4, 2016

Midway, June 4

After their success at Pearl Harbor, the Japanese chose Midway as a target they hoped would draw out the rest of the American fleet and complete their control of the Pacific. But the Americans had solved the Japanese fleet codes and Pacific fleet commander Adm. Chester W Nemitz was able to understand the specifics of the Japanese plans. Rather than the expected counterattack, the Americans planned ambush. Nimitz placed available U.S. carriers in position to surprise the Japanese moving up for their preparatory air strikes on Midway Island itself.
The battle started as the Midway  defenders tried to protect themselves against air attack while launching an ineffective air attack themselves against the Japanese Naval forces. In the middle of the attack against the island, the Japanese realized they were being identified by scout planes which implied some nearby aircraft carrier. The Japanese changed their plans and refitted the planes for torpedo attack against the as yet unidentified American force. As they were doing this change, the American torpedo bombers arrived. They had become separated from the dive bombers and attacted without cover and were almost completely annihilated without delivering a single blow to the Japanese forces. Fortuitously the dive bombers found the Japanese forces just at that moment and the Japanese carriers were caught refueling and rearming their planes on their decks.  The Americans sank four fleet carriers–the entire strength of the task force–Akagi, Kaga, Soryu, and, later, Hiryu, with 322 aircraft and over five thousand sailors, most highly skilled. The Japanese also lost the heavy cruiser Mikuma. American losses included 147 aircraft, more than three hundred seamen and the Yorktown.
 

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