Battle of Midway

[john sefton]

On the 25th May 1942 U.S. cryptanalysts intercepted a message disclosing a proposed attack on Midway Island on the 4 June 1942.
A U.S. Navy fleet led by the aircraft carriers USS HORNET, USS ENTERPRISE and USS YORKTOWN and including the destroyer USS HAMMANN was assembled northeast of Midwaya on 4 June to intercept the advancing Japanese fleet. The Japanese fleet of 86 warships included the battleships YAMATO, flagship of Admiral Yamamoto on her maiden sortie, MUTSU and HIEI, the aircraft carriers AKAGI, flagship of the First Carrier Striking Force, HIRYU and the destroyer AMAGIRI. The Japanese expected no opposition to this attack. The Japanese fleet was spotted by aircraft from Midway on 3 June and a Japanese oiler was hit on the 4 June by aircraft from Midway. Japanese aircraft bombed Midway in the early morning of 4 June but achieved little significant damage. Three of the four Japanese aircraft carriers and one cruiser were severely damaged or sunk by mid-morning of 4 June by American aircraft. With her flight deck full of armed aircraft ready to Iaunch. AKAGI was hit by two bombs from aircraft of the ENTERPRISE, severely damaging her and setting her on fire. One bomb hit the near elevator amidships, penetrating to the hanger and detonating a torpedo ·store. The second bomb exploded amongst the parked aircraft. With her steering out of commission, her engines stopped and fires raging, AKAGI was abandoned in the evening of 4 June. AKAGI was sunk in the early morning of 5 June by torpedoes from four Japanese destroyers, the first time ever that the Japanese Navy scuttled one of its own warships.
YORKTOWN was bit by three bombs and badly damaged by a first wave of Japanese aircraft from the remaining Japanese carrier HIRYU, shortly before noon on 4 June. One bomb went down the funnel putting out five of the Six boilers and another exploded at the fourth deck. A second wave from HIRTU hit YORKTOWN in the early afternoon of 4 June with two torpedoes in the port side leading to her abandonment. On 5 June, a still floating YORKTOWN was made seaworthy by a U.S. Navy salvage crew from HAMMANN and began to make their way to Pearl Harbour for repair. However, she was hit by two torpedoes and HAMMANN by one torpedo from the Japanese submarine 1-168 on 6 June. HAMMANN sank in four minutes with heavy casualties, while once again YORKTOWN was abandoned. She finally rolled over and sank on the morning of 7 June. One destroyer was also lost.
HlRYU was hit by four bombs in the late afternoon of 4 June and was put out of action. Early in the morning of 5 June, five minutes after AKAGI had been ordered scuttled, the Japanese force was ordered to withdraw. Japan's aircraft carrier strength had been irreparably crippled.

From Watercraft Philately, Log Book March 1996.


Grenadines of St Vincent SG659

[aukepalmhof]

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