Wright, CEM William E., 246
Wuertele, Capt. Carl, 112-113, 212
Yamaguchi, Rear Adm. Tamon, 116-119, 120, 166-167, 180, 190-191, 206-207, 216, 222-223, 253
Yamamoto, Adm. Isoroku, 1-7, 9, 11-13, 19, 34, 35, 38, 39, 53, 67, 68, 117, 119, 134, 164-166, 214-219, 223-224, 228-231, 235, 240, 248, 251, 252-254
Yamasaki, Cdr., 152
Yamato, 1, 5, 7, 9, 11-13, 38-39, 67, 164-165, 216, 248, 252-253, 254
Yamauchi, Lt. Cdr. Masaki, 230
Yanagimoto, Capt. Ryusaku, 1, 118, 159-160, 185, 218
Yankee Doodle, 62, 112
Yokochi, Petty Officer, 152
Yokosuka Naval Base, 10
Yonai, Cdr. Shiro, 9, 67
Yorktown, at Coral Sea, 10, 20; May 15-27, recalled to Pearl Harbor, 20, 22, 28; May 27-29, repairs on, 29-30, 32-34; May 30-June 4, en route, 53-55, 73-75, 77-78, 83-85, 125, 136-138; June 4, attack on Nagumo, 138-142, 149-151, 155-156, 159, 169, 170-172, 174-175, 182-184, 190, 204-205, 208-209, 214-215, 260-266; attacked by dive bombers, 172-182, 192-193; attacked by torpedo planes, 193-199; ordered abandoned, 199-204, 214; June 5-6, attempt to salvage, 214, 227, 235-238, 243-244; June 6, attacked by submarine, 235-236, 244-247; June 7, sinking of, 249, 256
Yoshida, Chief Radioman Katsuichi, 251
Yoshida, Cdr., 220
Yoshimatsu, Lt. Cdr. Tamori, 55
Yoshino, Lt. Cdr., 116
Yoshioka, Lt. Cdr. Chuichi, 164, 217
Yugumo, 221
Yunoki, Lt. S., 62
Zelnis, Sgt. Frank, 115-116
Zero (fighter plane), 90-91, 147, 264; attacking Midway, 81, 89 ff; defending own force, 101-102, 104, 108-110, 130, 133, 141-142, 145, 150, 156, 159, 170, 187, 204-205, 206, 226, 241; escorting strikes against U.S. fleet, 120, 143, 167, 173, 190, 194
Zuiho, 12, 216, 248
Zuikaku, 10, 24, 137
Navy Department
Courtesy of Shizuo Fukui
The target. Midway Islands, looking west, as seen just before the war. Eastern Island lies in the foreground; Sand Island to the rear. Although the whole atoll amounted to only three square miles of dry land, its capture was the goal of one of the mightiest fleets ever assembled. The Japanese armada totaled some 190 ships altogether.
Author’s collection
Navy Department
The Japanese commanders. Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto (left) was the brilliant Commander in Chief of the Imperial Combined Fleet. A daring gambler, he wanted Midway partly to strengthen Japan’s defenses, but mainly to lure the weakened U.S. fleet into all-out battle. Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo (above) would provide the spearhead of the thrust. Everything depended on his Striking Force of four powerful carriers.
Navy Department
Navy Department
The U.S. commanders. Admiral Chester W. Nimitz (above, left) guided the destiny of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, based at Pearl Harbor. Standing with him is Rear Admiral Raymond A. Spruance, who led Task Force 16. Rear Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher (right) handled Task Force 17 and was in tactical command during the battle.
Author’s collection
The Akagi (above) was flagship of Admiral Nagumo’s powerful Striking Force. She and the Kaga (below) were huge, unwieldy ships, originally laid down as battle cruisers. Their horizontal funnel arrangement made for miserable living conditions; smoke was constantly seeping into the crew’s quarters. They were, nevertheless, great sentimental favorites within the fleet.
Author’s collection
Author’s collection
The Hiryu (above) and Soryu (below) rounded out Nagumo’s force. Although somewhat smaller than the other two carriers, they were faster, more powerful, and much larger than generally thought. On all four ships the pilots played shogi, wrote letters, and relaxed in utter confidence as the fleet pounded steadily closer to Midway.
Courtesy of Shizuo Fukui
Courtesy of M. W. McCoy
Thanks to a brilliant job of code-breaking, the American high command was thoroughly aware of the Japanese plans. Reinforcements were rushed to Midway, and the Marine defenders dug in for a last-ditch fight. Here a sun-baked gun crew at E Battery, 6th Defense Battalion, practices during the tense wait before the attack.
Army B-17s were an important addition to Midway’s defenses. It was hoped these tough, long-range bombers would give Midway a striking power of its own. Bearing jaunty names like Yankee Doodle and Knucklehead, they reflected the exuberance of the young men who flew them. Here one is taking off from Eastern Island.
National Archives
Navy Department
At sea the U.S. fleet quietly waited in ambush. First on the scene was Task Force 16, led by the carrier Enterprise. This view (not taken at Midway) was snapped from a dive bomber just taking off.
The other carrier in Task Force 16 was the Hornet, new and with an air group not yet tried in combat. These ships were soon joined by the Yorktown at a rendezvous symbolically called “Point Luck.” Navy Department
Navy Department
Navy Department
June 4, 1942. The Japanese carriers have been located, and on the Enterprise Torpedo 6 prepares to take off. Only four of these planes ever came back. The Hornet and Yorktown torpedo squadrons took even greater losses during the morning’s action.
The Hornet’s, Torpedo 8 was virtually wiped out: all 15 planes lost, 29 of 30 men. Of the pilots in this squadron picture, only one survived: Ensign George Gay, fourth from left, front row.
United Press International
Navy Department
Lieutenant Commander John C. Waldron, skipper of Torpedo 8, typified the fierce determination of all the torpedo pilots at Midway. Against the heaviest odds, they recklessly drove home their attacks. Including those based on the atoll, 42 out of 51 torpedo planes were lost in strikes against Nagumo’s carriers.
National Archives
The day’s fighting began with the Japanese attack, on Midway itself. As over 100 planes bombed and strafed the base, famed movie director John Ford filmed the action. The above shot is taken from the superb documentary that resulted. Below is the destruction on Sand Island photographed immediately after the attack.
Navy Department
U.S. Air Force Photo
Meanwhile the Japanese carriers were coming under heavy attack. Here one of them (probably the Hiryu) dodges bombs dropped by the B-17s. Close-up shows her flight deck, including two Zeros by the portside island. Later the U.S. Navy dive bombers struck, knocking out three carriers within an incredible six minutes.
Navy Department
The U.S. fleet was soon attacked too. Around noon the Yorktown was hit by dive bombers from the Hiryu, only Japanese carrier to escape the morning holocaust.
Navy Department
The Yorktown survived the dive bombers but not a second attack, this time by the Hiryu’s torpedo planes. Hit twice, she lost all power and listed 26° to port. Revenge was swift—the Hiryu soon paid the price—but not before the Yorktown was abandoned and out of the fight.
Navy Department
On the morning of June 5 the Yorktown was still afloat. Efforts to salvage her failed the following day when the Japanese submarine I-168 pumped two more torpedoes into her hull.
At 5:00 A.M. June 7 the Yorktown finally rolled over and sank. This picture of the end, believed never before published, was taken by her boiler division officer, Lieutenant (j.g.) Charles Cundiff, from one of the stand-by destroyers.
Courtesy of Charles R. Cundiff
Navy Department
All through June 5-6 the U.S. fleet pursued the fleeing Japanese. Above, Navy dive bombers attack the heavy cruisers Mogami and Mikuma. Below, the shattered Mikuma, photographed by Lieutenant (j.g.) Cleo J. Dobson shortly before she sank on the 6th.
Navy Department
Courtesy of Shizuo Fukui
The wreckage of Japanese hopes. The smoldering hulk of the Hiryu wallows in a calm sea in the early hours of June 5. These pictures were taken from a Japanese scout plane sent by Ad
miral Yamamoto to investigate the situation. The lower photo clearly shows how the carrier’s forward elevator was hurled against the front of the bridge.
About the Author
Walter Lord (1917–2002) was an acclaimed and bestselling author of literary nonfiction best known for his gripping and meticulously researched accounts of watershed historical events. Born in Baltimore, Lord went to work for the Office of Strategic Services during World War II. After the war’s end, Lord joined a New York advertising firm, and began writing nonfiction in his spare time. His first book was The Fremantle Diary (1954), a volume of Civil War diaries that became a surprising success. But it was Lord’s next book, A Night to Remember (1955), that made him famous. The bestseller caused a new flurry of interest in the Titanic and inspired the 1958 film of the same name. Lord went on to use the book’s interview-heavy format as a template for most of his following works, which included detailed reconstructions of the Pearl Harbor attack in Day of Infamy (1957), the battle of Midway in Incredible Victory (1967), and the integration of the University of Mississippi in The Past That Would Not Die (1965). In all, he published a dozen books.
All rights reserved, including without limitation the right to reproduce this ebook or any portion thereof in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher.
The Miracle of Dunkirk copyright © 1982 by Walter Lord, 1998 by Wordsworth Editions Limited
Day of Infamy copyright © 1957 by Walter Lord, renewed 1985 by Walter Lord
The lyrics to “Three Little Fishes,” are reprinted by permission of the copyright owner, Joy Music Inc., New York, NY
Incredible Victory copyright © 1967 by Walter Lord
Maps by Paul J. Pugliese
Cover designs by Connie Gabbert
978-1-4532-3850-9
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