Saturday, June 04, 2005

Midway Anniversary Tribute

In June 1942, Japanese and American forces fought an epic battle at Midway, the name of a pair of mid-Pacific islands whose combined size totaled two square miles. But one of the islands was just large enough for an airfield and a small harbor, where submarines could rearm and refuel. Thus, Midway's strategic importance to both sides.

Midway was one of World War II’s most decisive battles. America's victory there halted the Japanese offensive and enabled the Allies to begin their advance toward Japan.

Beginning on June 4, the battle lasted for three-days. Its decisive action occurred that first day so we mark June 4 as the battle's anniversary.

Today is the 63rd anniversary of Midway. Here is how one historian began his account of the battle:

By any ordinary standard, they were hopelessly outclassed.

They had no battleships, the enemy eleven. They had eight cruisers, the enemy twenty-three. They had three carriers (one of them crippled); the enemy had eight. Their shore defenses included guns from the turn of the century.

They knew little of war. None of the Navy pilots on one of their carriers had ever been in combat. Nor had any of the Army fliers. Of the Marines, 17 of 21 new pilots were just out of flight school – some with less than four hours’ flying time since then. Their enemy was brilliant, experienced and all-conquering.


Further on, he wrote:

They had no right to win. Yet they did, and in doing so they changed the course of a war. More than that, they added a new name – Midway – to that small list that inspires men by shining example. Like Marathon, the Armada, the Marne, a few others, Midway showed that every once in a while “what must be” need not be at all. Even against the greatest of odds, there is something in the human spirit – a magic blend of skill, faith and valor – that can lift men from certain defeat to incredible victory.

You may recognize historian Walter Lord's words from the forward of his authoritative and inspiring book, Incredible Victory.

Lord's words are a fitting tribute. They speak for all of us.

You may want to visit these Midway websites:

Battle of Midway - Department of the Navy-Naval Historical Center staff prepared this excellent print and photo narrative.

The Battle of Midway, 1942 - A brief outline of the battle and the eyewitness account of Japanese pilot, Commander Mitsuo Fuchida, who was lead pilot at Pearl Harbor.

Midway@nationalgeographic.com - This is an extraordinary site. With narrative, photos, and video, it tells how the Navy, National Geographic, and undersea explorer Robert Ballard, who led the scientific team which located RMS Titanic, searched for and finally found on the Pacific's bottom the carrier, USS Yorktown, which was sunk by torpedo fire on June 6 after suffering severe damage earlier in the battle

5 comments:

Gun Trash said...

Amazing that we were such underdogs in this and then what, 2 yrs or so later it's the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot.

Also, is this the battle George H.W. Bush flew in, shot down, picked up by a US sub and the rescue was recorded?

Anonymous said...

AGT - The thing that always struck me about Midway was that this was the thinking Japanese admiral's greatest fear - losing too many boats at once.

We lost a lot of displacement at Pearl but had the industrial base to build it back up. The Japanese had no such capability.

We faces well armed well fed soldiers on the early islands - by the time we got to Okinawa they were shooting at us with ten rounds in their pockets, guns made of rolled steel on plywood, and half starved.

-C

PS - Never remember hearing the battle where GHWB was shot down and google was no help!

JWM said...

appalachian gun trash, You make a good point about the Turkey Shoot.

Former President George H.W. Bush was shot down in a later battle; and you are right, there are photos of his resue by an American submarine. I tried to find a link but no luck. Maybe someone can help.

Bush was at one time the youngest commissioned Navy pilot (age 18) and won the Distingushed Flying Cross.

Gun Trash said...

Okay, the old feller here gets his history mixed up at times. :-)

GHWB was picked up by the USS Finback, a lifeboat sub, and then he and 4 other rescued flyers were dropped off at Midway. I knew there was something about GHWB and Midway, I was 2 yrs too early. There is one grainy picture out there of the rescue, but History Channel or one of 'em has a video that a Finback crewman shot from the con.
Here's a Navy piece on GHWB .

In the big scheme of things, not important, but just one of those historical trivia bits that sticks in the mind.

Good blog, I like history, especially WWII. I'll be a regular, for sure.

Cheers!

JWM said...

appalachian gun trash,

Thanks for the follow-up with the facts and link concerning President Gearge H.W. Bush's naval pilot service in WW II.

You performed a nice service for readers.