The Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway consisted of large amounts of planes,ships, and people.
American Forces
3 carriers ,25 support ships,233 carrier-based aircraft,127 land-based ,aircraft, - Total: 28 ships
Japanese forces
4 carriers(Akagi, Kaga, Soryu, and Hiryu),2 battleships,15 ,support ships, 248 carrier-based aircraft,16 floatplanes
Did not participate in battle:
2 light carriers, 5 battleships, ~41 support ships, 116 other ships (including auxiliary and
transport vessels), -Total: 185 ships
American Casualties and losses
1 carrier sunk(Yorktown), 1 destroyer sunk, 150 aircraft destroyed, 307 killed
Japanese Casualties and losses
4 carriers sunk, 1 cruiser sunk, 248 carrier aircraft destroyed, 3,057 killed
The Americans had cracked the Japanese code and knew that the Japanese would launch an attack on Midway on June 4, 1942. Three American Aircraft carriers were the: Yorktown, Hornet, and the Enterprise. Scout planes had been sent out all around Midway, and the American Admiral, Spruence, and waited for word of Japanese carriers. At 4:30 Nagumo, the Japanese admiral, launched an attack of 108 planes to bomb the island of Midway. The attack did not succeed in neutralizing Midway, but some buildings were destroyed and part of the aircraft strip was damaged.
At around 7:00 three of the Japanese carriers were sighted(at the time it was thought that there were only two Japanese carriers together). Spruence scrambled his planes, but the escort planes were having difficulty taking off and time was being wasted. Spruence made the decision to send off his dive-bombers unescorted. The Yorktown was sepreated from the Enterprise and the Hornet, so its planes launched at 8:00 and were sent on their way.Since the aircraft carriers were moving, their position was unknown after 3 hours of flying. The dive-bombers were running out of fuel and would have to turn back soon.
At 10:22 the planes from the Hornet and Enterprise spotted the Kaga and the Akagi. The Japanese were caught by surprise and the dive-bombers managed to score hits of both carriers,sinking them. By chance, the planes from the Yorktown spotted the Soryu, and they sunk that carrier. The Hiryu was attacked by bombers from the Yorktown, but it was not hit.In five minutes three of the four Japanese aircraft carriers had been sunk by dive-bombers. Spruence's descision to send the bombers off alone sunk 3 aircraft carriers.
The Japanese quickly counterattacked. Planes from the Hiryu attacked the Yorktown and they scored three hits on the Yorktown's boilers. However, the crew on the Yorktown had become practiced at putting out fires becuase of the Battle of the Coral Sea. The fires were put out in about an hour. The Yorktown crew had patched her up so well that when the Japanese planes flew over the Yorktown again, they mistook her for an undamaged carrier. The Japanese landed several hits on the already damaged ship, sinking it.
Nagumo had thought that he had destroyed 2 of the 3 American carriers. He thought there was only one carrier left, and he ordered his men to sleep and eat.
At the end of June 4th Spruence pulled his fleet away from the Hiryu, afraid of a night attack. On June 5th not much action occured. Neither side could spot the other's ships.
Nagumo thought there was only one carrier left, and he ordered his men to sleep and eat.
This was a terrible mistake by Nagumo. He had given up the offensive and the planes from the two remaining American carriers grouped up and destroyed the Hiryu. The Japanese planes were being reloaded and refilled with gasoline and were extremely vulnerable. The ship was hit by several bombs and it sunk. Only the Japanese destoyers were still floating and they were hunted down during the rest of the day. Several were destroyed, and Nagumo had his remaining ships retreat form the battle.
The Japanese had faced a major defeat at the hands of the Americans. Midway was a turning point in WWII.
American Forces
3 carriers ,25 support ships,233 carrier-based aircraft,127 land-based ,aircraft, - Total: 28 ships
Japanese forces
4 carriers(Akagi, Kaga, Soryu, and Hiryu),2 battleships,15 ,support ships, 248 carrier-based aircraft,16 floatplanes
Did not participate in battle:
2 light carriers, 5 battleships, ~41 support ships, 116 other ships (including auxiliary and
transport vessels), -Total: 185 ships
American Casualties and losses
1 carrier sunk(Yorktown), 1 destroyer sunk, 150 aircraft destroyed, 307 killed
Japanese Casualties and losses
4 carriers sunk, 1 cruiser sunk, 248 carrier aircraft destroyed, 3,057 killed
The Americans had cracked the Japanese code and knew that the Japanese would launch an attack on Midway on June 4, 1942. Three American Aircraft carriers were the: Yorktown, Hornet, and the Enterprise. Scout planes had been sent out all around Midway, and the American Admiral, Spruence, and waited for word of Japanese carriers. At 4:30 Nagumo, the Japanese admiral, launched an attack of 108 planes to bomb the island of Midway. The attack did not succeed in neutralizing Midway, but some buildings were destroyed and part of the aircraft strip was damaged.
At around 7:00 three of the Japanese carriers were sighted(at the time it was thought that there were only two Japanese carriers together). Spruence scrambled his planes, but the escort planes were having difficulty taking off and time was being wasted. Spruence made the decision to send off his dive-bombers unescorted. The Yorktown was sepreated from the Enterprise and the Hornet, so its planes launched at 8:00 and were sent on their way.Since the aircraft carriers were moving, their position was unknown after 3 hours of flying. The dive-bombers were running out of fuel and would have to turn back soon.
At 10:22 the planes from the Hornet and Enterprise spotted the Kaga and the Akagi. The Japanese were caught by surprise and the dive-bombers managed to score hits of both carriers,sinking them. By chance, the planes from the Yorktown spotted the Soryu, and they sunk that carrier. The Hiryu was attacked by bombers from the Yorktown, but it was not hit.In five minutes three of the four Japanese aircraft carriers had been sunk by dive-bombers. Spruence's descision to send the bombers off alone sunk 3 aircraft carriers.
The Japanese quickly counterattacked. Planes from the Hiryu attacked the Yorktown and they scored three hits on the Yorktown's boilers. However, the crew on the Yorktown had become practiced at putting out fires becuase of the Battle of the Coral Sea. The fires were put out in about an hour. The Yorktown crew had patched her up so well that when the Japanese planes flew over the Yorktown again, they mistook her for an undamaged carrier. The Japanese landed several hits on the already damaged ship, sinking it.
Nagumo had thought that he had destroyed 2 of the 3 American carriers. He thought there was only one carrier left, and he ordered his men to sleep and eat.
At the end of June 4th Spruence pulled his fleet away from the Hiryu, afraid of a night attack. On June 5th not much action occured. Neither side could spot the other's ships.
Nagumo thought there was only one carrier left, and he ordered his men to sleep and eat.
This was a terrible mistake by Nagumo. He had given up the offensive and the planes from the two remaining American carriers grouped up and destroyed the Hiryu. The Japanese planes were being reloaded and refilled with gasoline and were extremely vulnerable. The ship was hit by several bombs and it sunk. Only the Japanese destoyers were still floating and they were hunted down during the rest of the day. Several were destroyed, and Nagumo had his remaining ships retreat form the battle.
The Japanese had faced a major defeat at the hands of the Americans. Midway was a turning point in WWII.