198: The Pacific Tide Turns at Coral Sea & Midway

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It's mid morning, May 7th, 1942, and 20 year old naval fireman, third class, Bill

Lou. In the depths of the oil tanker, USS Neo-Show, hard at work with two other sailors in the stuffing and cramped number one magazine. As their vessel cuts through the waters of the southwest Pacific Squirrel Sea, you can only imagine what exact duties he might be filling at the moment.

“Is he insisting and moving ammunition to the guns above?”

Perhaps he's inspecting for fire hazards. After all, the Neo-Show may have just refueled the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown, and the cruiser USS Historia yesterday, but it's still the case that one little spark here could easily send this 25,000 ton ship and its nearly 300 souls to the depths. But whatever typical task he's doing, it comes to an end as he picks up the JV phone and

the sailor describes the action above. Here comes three, three off our bow. OK, time out. Before we get too deep into this battle, the battle of the coral sea. Let's get just a touch more background.

As we know from recent past episodes, the Japanese Empire has spread rapidly through the Pacific, perhaps especially after its attack on Pearl Harbor last year, December 7th, 1941. The Japanese have swept through the Dutch East Indies. He can the U.S. Commonwealth of the Philippines, and pushed into the British Crown's territories everywhere, from Singapore to those on eastern New Guinea.

“And right now, on May 7th, the Japanese are a few days into a multi-pronged action, called”

Operation Mo, intended to take Port Morseby. Located on Australia administered pop was southern coast, and just across the coral sea from the land down under. Port Morseby was positioned the Japanese well to cut off U.S. supplies to Australia, and then to move in for the kill.

But this hasn't gone as smoothly as Japanese leadership had hoped. Not with the Americans having cracked Japan's operational code system, J.N. 25. Fully aware of the general strokes of the Japanese forces plans, rear Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher's aircraft carrier, USS Dorktown, surprised the Japanese at their newly established base on the island of Tolagi on May 4th.

This was followed by two days of both sides, respective aircraft carrier-led fleets, trying to catch the other in the vast coral sea. And now, this may 7th morning. Japanese have honed in on the oil tanker, USS Neo-Show, and its accompanying escort, the destroyer USS Sims, is staking the retreating Neo-Show for one of the American's carriers.

As this mistake slowly becomes clear, most of the Japanese aircraft are called off, but not the dive bombers. They soon swoop in, and sailors deep in the Neo-Show's hold, like Bill Liu, are getting that news over the J.V. phone. Ah, and that brings us back to our story. With some two dozen or more, I.E.G.D. 3A2 dive bombers, or VALS as then, dropping one bomb

after another, Bill and his fellow sailors feel every hit as it shakes the whole ship. If one is too close for comfort, shaking it so hard, it tears the port-flaster right off the wall. The voice on the other side of the J.V. phone yells, "Are you guys still alive down there?" "Yes, we are, but I'm sure scared."

"Hahaha, so are we."

“Bill must be one, but he really survived Pearl Harbor, only to die in the whole of this”

tanker.

After seven bombs hit the Neo-Show, and three strike the Sims, Bill hears the cry.

"I'm a man in ship." "It's contrary to the captain's orders, but not knowing any better. He makes his way to the deck, and clung his into the porcelain's waters." Bill has no life-fest, his was stolen, either knows who stole it. The battle will help him now, as his continued arms start to get out.

Slowly, he decides that there's just no point. He gives up. Bill lets himself start to sink below the blue surface. As he comes up for a last, desperate breath, the young fireman hears a voice call out.

“"Hold on, Bill, hold on, I'll help you."”

This unnamed savior lets Bill hold on to his life-jacking, until a boat in their damaged

ship. He was in both of the waters, through tournament, the listing but still floating Neo-Show. There, the survivors send out a distress car, and wait. It's the next day, May 8th, 1942. Japanese and American scouts were both zipping through the skies over the coral sea.

As they do, the Neo-Show is still listing, and the Sims is at the bottom of the city. But so is the light-jacking's aircraft carrier, show-home. She was sunk yesterday morning by aircraft from the carriers USS Yorktown and USS Lexington, lasted with upwards of seven torpedoes, and at least a dozen bombs. The sinking of the show-home brought the invasion of Port Morsby to a pause, leading to

this morning's situation, which the Japanese and Americans alike are attempting to seek and destroy the others carriers. And not long after 11 am, both sides find the respective targets. Hundreds of miles apart, the machine guns of Japanese-zero and American wildholds are both sinking the same song, accompanying the sound of bombs striking aircraft carriers from the

sky. Americans hit Japan's show-cocky with three 1,000 pound bombs forcing many of her aircraft to land on her sister carrier, Zui-Cocky. Meanwhile, far out of sight from this action, the Japanese are landing their pledges too. They strike the Lexington with two bombs and torpedoes.

Last, Lady Lex, as she's known, won't survive the day. The Yorktown struck too, and she's leaking oil, badly. Despite neither sides carriers ever seen the other, both have lost point to men by the gazing. And as each recoils to look their wounds, they'll live, and other surviving sailors are

still stuck from the listing of the show, praying that they distressed all of her. Welcome to History that doesn't suck. I'm your professor, Greg Jackson, and I'd like to tell you a story. Bill Lou and his fellow survivors do pull through. The destroyer USS Henley saves them a few days later.

If in scuttles the oil tanker, sending the Neo show to join the Sims at the bottom of the coral sea. The Battle of the Coral Sea is often overlooked, yet it is truly noteworthy. This isn't only because it's where the US first sinks to Japanese aircraft carrier. Or is it because the Battle is a strategic victory for the Allies, even if a tactical

victory for the Japanese. Who lost more men, but fewer ships, naturally both sides will claim victory. No, the Coral Sea is also of great significance, because it is the first full step into the modern world of naval warfare, a world in which planes, not ships, do the attacking.

“Did you notice that aircraft did all the attacking here?”

Moreover, the Japanese and American fleets never even came close enough to see one another,

let alone fire at one another in this battle. Yes, the Coral Sea proves that the once mighty battleship is now a dated technology. Sea battles are now air battles, or, as Lieutenant Commander John A. Colett will put it later this year, quote, "Air power has not displaced sea power. Air power is sea power."

Nonetheless, the importance of the Coral Sea is often eclipsed by the seismic shift in

And this battle is our story for the remainder of this episode.

“We'll begin by setting the stage as we take in some high-level Japanese battle plans.”

We'll then pivot across the ocean to the U.S., where the newly minted Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, or Sink Pack, Chester Nimitz, has some inside knowledge about those Japanese plans.

After that, we'll follow the action of the Grand Battle itself, particularly on its first

and decisive day of fighting, June 4, 1942. As at the Battle of the Coral Sea, we'll find that air power is sea power, as planes clash and bomb aircraft carriers near the midway at all, located about midway, pun intended, between Japan and the Pacific coast of America. Well, let's not give anything away.

Rather, let's begin our tale by backing up just ever so slightly to take in the whole Japanese strategy in the Pacific for the summer of 1942. Ready? Rewind. In the spring of 1942, the land of the rising sun truly feels like an empire kissed by

the early morning's first rays of light, both internally and abroad.

Within its massively expanded borders, Japan claims its fighting the affected European imperialism with its greater East Asia co-prosperity sphere. Founded back in 1940 by Foreign Minister Matsuoka Yosuke, this initiative asserts that is casting off the evils of European imperialism to bring Manchukuo, China, Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands.

In short, the "eight corners of the world" under Japan's supposedly benevolent rule. Hmm. But is it?

“Or has European imperialism simply been replaced by Japanese imperialism?”

Many living within this co-prosperity sphere already say it's the latter.

As for a broad, Japan's navy is ready to extend to the empire's reach all the more.

And as stated in a March 7th, 1942 directive, "deprived the United States of its will to fight," closed quote. In commander-in-chief of the imperial Japanese combined fleet, Yamamoto Isoroku, believes he has just the plan for this. He wants to move against Alaska's illusion islands, that is, the chain of islands trailing

toward Russia's Asian coast, and a far greater importance in his mind, the Midway Atoll. Now just what is this midway you ask? Located 1,135 nautical miles west northwest of Pearl Harbor, and 2,200 of those same nautical miles east southeast from Japan. Midway Atoll is, well, about the middle of the way between the United States West Coast

and Asia. As for its geographical structure, it's a Pacific atoll, like many others, a coral reef and circling a lagoon. Specifically, Midway has two less than two mile long islands nestled in the middle. Put on the map by Whaleers in 1859, the US attempted to carve a channel through the lagoon

a decade later. That didn't work, but the US navy nonetheless began making use of the islands around the turn of the century, and by the late 1930s, as war with Japan loomed, that formerly failed the channel received new attention. It was soon completed with an airfield.

“Thus, in the months before Pearl Harbor, the small atoll became a crucial American island”

airfield. In brief, the Midway Atoll is like an immobile aircraft carrier in the middle of the Pacific, and taking these two little islands, and Alaska's most western allusion islands would give Japan a mighty new perimeter. That said, Yamamoto is less worried about actually capturing Midway than drawing the US

specific fleet out of the safety of Pearl Harbor to be engaged and destroyed. Such a defeat, Yamamoto believes, will crush the Americans' hopes and push them toward giving up and making peace. This outcome alone would make a surprise attack on Midway worthwhile. As for the allusion islands, this strike is more about dividing American attention and

complicating its response at Midway. Getting a toehold on Alaska would be great, but the real focus is crushing America's ability and will to fight, before its mighty industrial machine can fully mobilize. Some harbored doubts about these plans, and those doubts do not vanish, but officially, the battle of the coral sea is framed as a victory, and enough confidence remains for

the operation to go forward. On the night of May 25th, 1942, Yamamoto holds a party aboard his battleship, Yamamoto. It does the night harbor an ill-owned man, steward Omi Hejuro realizes that the cook has

In Japanese, the sane, to put Miso on food, it dramatically means to make a massive

“thing. Well, unlike his steward, the optimistic Yamamoto doesn't make much of the mistake.”

He and his officer's drink to Japanese victory all night. Only days later, Vice Admiral Nagumo Tzuichi, the very same who led the attack on Pearl Harbor, once again sails out of Japanese waters, with his massive naval force, Kido-bu-tai. Though lacking the two aircraft carriers damaged in the coral sea, he still has four

of these massive, powerful, plain-carrying vessels, the Akagi, Kaga, hear you, and story you.

As well as a few battleships and cruisers, and roughly it doesn't destroyers. Meanwhile, another part of the Japanese combined fleet sails off to make its near simultaneous attack on Alaska's illusion islands. Yamamoto's plan is now officially in motion. Back in America, the same May 1942, the newly appointed Commander-in-Chief of the U.S.

Pacific Fleet, otherwise called the "Sink Pack," Admiral Chester Nimitz, knows something's fishy. Chester's had a long navy career. In 1909, he became a submarineer, and rose quickly through the ranks during World War 1 before eventually being entrusted with the role of "Sink Pack" after husband Kimmel's

perceived failures at Pearl Harbor.

“A fast bio, I know, but the key thing to follow is that”

Chester is a proper navy man, now holding one of the most coveted, or feared, depending on how you see it, positions in the U.S. Navy. Basically, he's running everything in the Pacific outside of Douglas MacArthur's command. And Chester is busy crossing his fingers that his codebreakers, the combat intelligence unit, under the command of Joseph John Rochford, has figured out what the Japanese Navy is up to.

It's pretty clear that the Keto Boutai has been practicing maneuvers for a great battle. The million dollar question is, "Where do they plan to have it?"

And I guess the second million dollar question then becomes, "When do they want to

have it?" It's Thursday, May 14, 1942. Or in Captain Joe Rochford's windowless basement, dubbed the Dungeon, an office in the old administration

“building of Pearl Harbor's Navy yard, where the expert codebreaker has been working”

basically around the clock to crack the subset of Japanese JN25 code they've turned JN25B. And it seems like he's getting close. He'd probably like to focus without us hanging over his shoulder though, so as Joe hammers out the final details of what might be a huge breakthrough, let's take a second to understand this code.

The JN25 consists of 40,000 to 45,000 5-digit number groups, some of which are just fillers designed specifically to fool codebreakers. On top of those number groups, the coded messages are further and ciphered. Tell you what, all that historian Craig Simon's explained it to you.

"The encoder selected a 5-digit number from this cipher tablet and added it to the first

number group in the message. The next cipher number was added to the second number group and so on throughout the message. An indicator buried in the message itself revealed at the exact location, Hage number, column and line, where the cipher number added is to be found in the secondary tablet. Thus the code group for east might be 10,236, but it would be encrypted again by adding

another 5-digit number from the cipher tablet. If the encoder added the number 45,038, the word east became 55,264. To decrypt the message, the recipient needed the initial codebook, the secondary code tablet, and the indicator, closed quote. In other words, cracking this code is no small thing, and now that we can appreciate that,

let's rejoin Joe in his basement. Excitedly, Joe calls up fellow codebreaker Edwin Layton. I've got something so hot here, it's burning the top of my desk. You have to come over and see it. It's not cut and dried, but it's hot.

The man with the blue eyes will want to know your opinion of it. Edwin gashes to the underground bunker, guarding past the marine guarding the door. He's soon greeted by Joe. The master codebreaker points to a semi- decrypted message that has the words "Coryoccal and Ty" in it.

Edwin also sees a geographic designator. Two letters, simply A-F, which refer to A, and I quote, "fourth communication."

The term "Coryoccal, who Ty," popped up right before major battles and places like Java, Sumacha, and Bali.

“It's pretty clear to him that A-F is the target, but Joe can go further.”

Doing what Edwin calls a brilliant piece of detective work. He quickly convinces his friend that the objective is midway.

Edwin explains, quote, "The clinchers were two messages sent out by the second-fleet command

to its associated air units. The first went to the A-F occupation force, which is ordered to proceed direct to the Sipan Guam area and wait for the forthcoming campaign. The second one ordered another unit to load its basic equipment and ground crews in advance to A-F, everything in the way of the basic equipment and military supplies, which will

be needed for the K-Campaign, will be included. Plus, quote. From here, Joe's quick to rationalize that the mysterious K-Option, as he puts it, is tied to the mass of Japanese forces in Sipan.

“He knows that A-H is Oahu, and A-K is the French frigate shuls.”

If supplies for air units are being prepared to be sent to this A-F, it's pretty clear that A-F has to be an island-based, near enough to Pearl Harbor. Midway is really the only option, and so, Joe's done it. He's pieced together enough of the J in 25B to know that the next Japanese target will be the midway at all.

Now, if he can only get the rest at the U.S. Navy on the board. The discovery is immediately run up the chain of command until it reaches Admiral Chester Nimitz, who doesn't take much convincing to trust his codebreakers. But the higher-ups in Washington aren't as easily swayed. Is this mysterious A-F actually midway?

A few days later, on May 20, Joe and his team make another incredible discovery.

The keto-bootai is set to depart from Japan on May 27th. Now you and I already know that. But Washington D.C. was thinking that this attack on A-F, A-K-A, midway, wouldn't be until late June.

“Why then would the Japanese fleet be leaving so early?”

Well, that's because, as this next round of decrypted information suggests, the attack is actually happening on June 2nd or 3rd. Chester is ready to pass, but he's being held back by that D.C. bureaucracy. So Joe advises a scheme that's endorsed by the Admiral. To confirm without a doubt, that midway is in fact what Japan means by A-F, a fake message

is transmitted saying that the A-Tol's distillation plant has broken. Well, sure enough, two days later, a message is sent to Tokyo that A-F has a little fresh water. It's brilliant. And to make this even better for the codebreakers, Japan's subsequent messages confirm

that the assault will take place on one of the first days in June, just as they thought. Admiral Chester Nimitz knows he's going to have to face the Japanese fleet. There's no hiding from Yamamoto's Armada, but he has the right man for the job. In Tactical Command will be Task Force 17 Commander, Rear Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher. Yes, we caught mention of this Iowa native at the start of this episode when we saw Jack

or Black Jack, as he's also called, just like our old Army Commander from the Last World War, John Pershing. Scores supposed to victory at the Battle of the Coral Sea. With him is Rear Admiral Raymond Spruens, who's commanding Task Force 16. Chester tells the two Rear Admirals that the goal is, quote, "to inflict maximum damage

on the enemy by employing strong attrition attacks, governed by the principle of calculated risk, which you shall interpret to mean the avoidance of exposure of your force to attack by superior enemy forces, without good prospect of inflicting, as a result of such exposure greater damage on the enemy." Close quote.

OK, but in practice, what does that actually mean? It means that, on May 28th, the day after the Japanese carriers began heading out to Midway, Raymond Spruens sails out of Pearl Harbor with Task Force 16s two aircraft carriers, USS Hornet and his flagship USS Enterprise, as well as six cruisers and 11 destroyers. Two days later, May 30th, Black Jack flutter follows with two cruisers and six destroyers

and the PS2 Resistance. His flagship, the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown, yes, despite its severe thrashing in the Battle of the Coral Sea, 1400 men managed to complete repairs that should have taken months in a mere two days.

Convince that they put the Yorktown down for the count, the Japanese will never see her

coming.

a thing.

“Aerial reconnaissance isn't possible because an American ship is anchored where the”

Japanese plan for their refueling station to be.

Submarines that were supposed to intercept American ships between Oahu and Midway aren't in position. And to make matters even worse, intelligence is reporting that Midway is on alert. Air patrols are going out and cranes are visible, suggesting that the Americans know something is coming, which, as we know, may do.

Yamamoto wants to alert Kito-Gu-Tai Commander Nagumo Trichi immediately since the admiral is still operating under the assumption that the US knows nothing about Japanese plans. But, as with Pearl Harbor, the fleet is traveling under radio silence. A heavy fog, usher's both nays toward Midway. Agumo and his trusted Chief of Staff, Kusaka, Ayuno'ska, are anxious.

How will they properly navigate the dual mission they've been assigned if they can't see the American fleet? See, the Japanese plan is two-fold, attack the atoll on June 4th to land on the 6th, but also, secretly find and destroy the American fleet.

“But how can one happen without tipping the US off to the other?”

Well, it seems pretty clear that a land invasion will be a complete failure if the naval and air forces aren't neutralized.

So the air in sea part has to come first.

Meanwhile, Captain Oishi Tamosu makes what the rest of the Japanese forces think is a good point. To quote him, "Even if the Americans are already aware of our movements and have sortie to Midas, they can't be far out from base at this moment, and certainly can't be in your ass."

Close quote. But oh, is he wrong. Out on air patrol, in his PBY Catalina, on the morning of June 3rd, instant Jack Reed is about 600 nautical miles west southwest of Midway, when he sees something that looks to him, like, quote, "Miniature ships in a backyard pool," close quote.

“The group is roughly 30 miles in front of him.”

Jack asks his co-pilot, "Do you see what I see?"

Entering down at the Pacific below, and it's in hardening replies, "You damn right, I do." The two pilots think they've found the full Keto-Bu-Tai. In response, nine Midway dispatched B17 flying fortresses, try and fail to bomb these ships that very afternoon.

In reality, these miniature ships are the invasion transport group under Vice Admiral Kondo-Nobutake. Now, clearly, the Vice Admiral knows that the Americans know he's coming, but that doesn't mean that the Americans know about the rest of the Japanese fleet, because Admiral Nagu-Nobut is approaching with his forecarious from a separate northern route.

The plan is for his aircraft to strike Midway and soften it up before these transports land their 5,000 men. So, not wanting to risk alerting the Americans to the rest of the fleet's presence, or willing to deviate from the plan. Kondo does not break radio silence to inform Nagu-Mo of the B17's failed attack.

Thus, as night falls on June 3, the ever-so-silent Japanese ships sail on in their two respective groups, knowing they'll be in position by morning. But as they do, American commanders Blackjack Fletcher and Raymond Spruence also have their sailors and flyboys ready. The Jack has made an incredibly lucky, yet informed in France.

He's brought the US carriers just north of Midway, which happens to be more in line with the Japanese aircraft carriers path. Skuttlebut, amongst American sailors, has it, but because they've broken the Japanese code, the rising sun's ships are still in straight into a carefully-waid trap. Well, let's see if that's the case.

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Let's record it. At 2.45 AM, June 4, 1942, the Akagi's loudspeakers, jolt, Japanese airmen from their slumber. They quickly consume their multi-decade traditional pre-attack meal of rice, soybean soup, dry chestnuts, and soaky. At 4.30 AM, an air officer shines the green lantern, and the planes hurled down the carriers

The board his flagship aircraft carrier, Akagi.

“Japanese-vice admiral, Nagumo Trichi, still thinks the American ships are on route from”

Pearl Harbor, arriving in about 48 hours. He likely can't wait for them to show up at midway, only to realize that the Japanese have gone their first. Okay, pause. Is it actually 4.30 AM?

Japanese logs say 1.30 AM. American rear admiral's blackjack fletcher and raemen's spruence say it's 6.30. But on the atoll, it's 4.30. These complications on the time are due to today's battle being so close to the international baseline.

For simplicity's sake then, we'll stick with midway time, the time zone in which the atolls

located.

“But, if things get a little fuzzy with other reports you've read, you now know why.”

Okay, back to sunrise and midway. At 5.34 AM, Lieutenant Howard Attie is patrolling in his Catalina aircraft when he comes out of a cloud and is met with the fearful sight Japanese carriers and several other warships. Yes, he spotted the Keto-Wu-Tai, Howard immediately radios to headquarters. The later recall this moment as being, quote, "like watching a curtain rise on the biggest

show on earth," close quote. rear admiral Jack Fletcher gets through a port but wants more confirmation. At 6.07, he sends his fellow rear admiral raemen's spruence a message, proceeds south westerly and attack enemy carriers when definitely located. I will follow as soon as planes recovered.

But even as raemen reacts, around 100 Japanese aircraft, including IEGD-3A2 dive bombers, otherwise known as Vals, Nakajima B5 in torpedo bombers, also known as Kates, and their

“deadly escorts of Mitsubishi A6M fighters, or Zeros, are already coming in hot.”

Thanks to a heads up from their radar, some two dozen of midways marine fighters, consisting of rooster F2A buffaloes and grooming F4F wild cats, scrambled to meet their incoming foe. As with the takeoff of the due little raid, U.S. filmmaker John Ford is in the thick of it, capturing it all as the Japanese drop 38 tons of explosives on the atoll. The Japanese do plenty of damage, yet, despite that, and having the numbers, they are

less successful than their wildest hopes. Around 7 o'clock, strike leader Tomonaga Joichi, radio's back that, "there is need for a second attack." Close quote. Around this same time, as the fog finally begins to clear, rear-admal raemen's spruence

is making a crucial decision.

The decision to listen to chief of staff miles browning. Likewise assuming that the Japanese will need to make a second strike, miles believes that, if American aircraft strike right now, they can catch the Japanese business properly refueling and unable to fight. Though just put into this command, due to the hospitalization of his predecessor, rear-admal

spruence is a deeply analytical man, and sees the logic. Damn the well over 100 mile distance, and lack of other details then. They will not wait. Times of the essence, as three waves of mid-way-based aircraft take to the no longer fog sky, and ineffectively attempt to torpedo and bomb the Keto-Bu-Tai, raemen's orders

every aircraft on the enterprise and the Hornet, apart from 32 wild-capped fighters held back as his fleets defending combat air patrol, to attack the Japanese fleet. Seems it really will be, as our patrol and pilot between a Howard-Addy-Plitte, the biggest show on Earth. But as these planes take off, flying at different speeds, some in different directions,

the attack is not going off to a good start. Sometime between 9 and 10 a.m. June 4th, 1942. Having taken off from the aircraft carrier USS Hornet, about an hour earlier, U.S. naval aviator, Instant George Gay, is in one of 15 Douglas TV-V1 devastator bombs that make up torpedo squadron eight, also known as VT-8.

George is flying as tail-in-Charlie, which is to say, as the navigator at the back of the group. As he and the squadron flying north of Midway, George sees Black smoke far out on the right horizon. That's got to be the Japanese fleet, or rather, the Black steins of down to aircraft, American

aircraft, sent to their watery graves while attempting to strike the dreaded Keto-Kutai. Closing them, George here's squadron leader, Lieutenant Commander John C. Waldron, trying to radio in the sighting to Hornet Air Group Commander Stan Hope-Reen. Stan Hope, Johnny Juan. Stan Hope, Johnny Juan.

We're still, as they approach the Keto-Bu-Tai, George realizes that their 15 planes squadron

“of torpedo bombers has no company-dive bombers.”

Should they wait and regroup? Ah, they're so tiny.

Japanese-Zero's would take them out first.

It's at this point that the encen gets instructions over the radio from the skipper. They won't go in, we won't turn back, former strategy cannot be used. We will attack and lock. Oof, piling out on the strategy of a coordinated attack with dive bombers is definitely bold.

Good luck indeed, man. George and his squadron descend to attack loom at 110 knots, slowly closing in on the Japanese carrier, Sorya. But while still about eight miles out from striking distance, they're discovered by an aircraft. George feels a frantic panic season.

That's a later recall.

“Zero's were coming in from all angles and both sides at once.”

The planes of torpedo eight are falling at irregular intervals.

Summer on fire, and some did a half roll and crash on their backs, completely out of control. Amid the chaos, George hears the standing voice of his commanding officer radio in. But it's hard to stay steady when zeroes are unleashing 20 millimeter cannon shots. It's turning moving fast. Still, none of Uncle Sam's boys are to suede him.

They fly on. George watches in horror as the squadron commander, John Waldron's already bullet in cannon riddled plane, is hit once more by a cannon shell and bursts in flames. The horror grows greater still. This John pulls his right leg out of the cockpit, desperately trying to avoid the planes

eating up his devastated.

But with everything going on, the lieutenant commander isn't quick enough.

He's still in the plane, he hits the waters and disappears. George is one of the few in the squadron, he's still in the air. But for how long has machine gunned fire rips through this devastating. His gunner, Robert Bob Huntington, manages to eat out and got me before slumping over and he's seen.

“Turning around, George shouts to his friend, "Are you hurt bad?”

Can you move?" No response, Bob is perfectly silent as a bullet rips through George's arm. Turning back around, George looks at the cockpit window and realizes none of the other 14 planes in the squadron are still alongside him. It's just, you know.

But one to abandon the mission, he locks in, preparing to drop his pickle, as it's called or torpedo. He punches the torpedo release button. But nothing happens. Okay, time to use the backup, the manual release, the cable comes out from his hands.

George has no idea if the torpedo drops, but that's no longer an issue. Another way of those devastating cannon shells from a Japanese hero has just sat his engine in the plane, but flames looking at his left leg, George turns off the fuel to avoid an explosion and attempts a water landing. The right lean of his plane slams into the Pacific, flipping the devastating into a carton.

Strambling out of the waterfield cockpit, George grows off his helmet and goggles. A freight bell reflect the sun and leave the Japanese right to him. He checks on Bob, confirming what he feared while in the sky. The gunner is long gone, sinking into that blue clear water alongside the plane.

Our intrepid navigator manages to maneuver underneath black push as he moves so overhead. Here, he waits and prays that his fellow Americans find before the Japanese. It's a slaughter, and St. George gay is the only survivor of torpedo squadron eight. And this is well representative of the whole, as one uncorordinated attack after another of the American torpedo bombers, strike the Keto blue tie with disastrous results.

By around 9.30 a.m., aircraft from rear admiral Blackjack Fletcher's York town join in, but of the roughly 47 planes that have taken off so far, only six are still airborne. And for all that sacrifice, not a single Japanese carrier has been hit. But as the Japanese combat air patrol fly at a lower altitude to engage, these doomed American torpedo squadrons, and as the four Japanese carriers are sufficiently

disrupted to slow their next waves take off. Lieutenant Commander, Clarence McCluskey's 37-dive bombers from the carrier enterprise are scanning the horizon. A head, a thin white trail catches the commander's eye. A wake, slicing across the ocean.

Hmm, it's a Japanese destroyer. Could it lead to a Japanese carrier? He decides to follow. Back on the American carrier, the enterprise, the man behind the plane, Chief of Staff,

quickly once the Japanese fleet is found. He continues to push aggressive action. Attack, attack.

“Clarence responds, "Wilco, as soon as I find the bastards."”

20 minutes go by, and now the planes are low on fuel.

But finally, fortune favors them.

Miles' dive bombers spot, a Japanese carrier, the Kaga. To arrive is the Akagi. Swoping down alongside Lieutenant Richard, Dick Bests, bombing six from the enterprise. These American flyboys hope to succeed, where their numerous dead or dying friends in the waters below met failure.

It's just after 10 a.m. still June 4, 1942. Lieutenant Commander, Clarence McClusky, and his 37 SPD-Dontless dive bombers, are flying alongside Lieutenant Richard Dick Bests and Wilmer Earl Gallagher squadrons. Perfectly focused, Clarence's radio is his fellow pilot. At 1,800 feet, Earl releases his bomb over the Kaga, pulling his plane up quickly, but

not without lingering just a moment longer than protocol.

He's desperate to know, as he struck this foe that destroyed Pearl Harbor, he watches

“right until a bomb explodes on the Kaga's death.”

Therence couldn't be happier, but more bombs follow, slamming into the flight deck, crumbling the once-mighty aircraft carrier. Japanese commanders aboard the Akagi are so transfixed by their neighbor next door, they don't even see the attack on their own ship coming. Dick and his bombing six are on it.

Thanks to the sacrifice of those earlier ways of American torpedo bombers, like the one that left George G. the lone survivor, Japanese heroes are circling low, effectively defending at the wrong altitude. Dick and two of his fellow bombers take advantage of this. Flying into the formation, the three American aircraft accroach from the 80.

They've got a small target, the width of the Akagi, not its length. This is going to be tricky. He's sinking to 1,500 feet, Dick releases his cargo. Like Earl, he goes against the proper procedure to watch the 1000-pound bomb land on the Akagi's flight deck.

He sees other explosions on the bow and stern of the ship, and knows his team as managed to land for three hands. As the sore away, Lieutenant looks out to see that, everything is blown up. Yes, everything. Sailors and pilots down on the Akagi are left in complete panic as lines of planes that were prepared for kick-off explode, and that's not even the worst

of their situation. The elevator, or the mechanism that allows planes to move from the hander to the deck to kick-off is supported, and to make matters worse for the Japanese, fires are slowly working their way across those parts of the carrier that aren't already managed. Chief of staff, Hussaka, Raiunosuke, shouts to his commander Nagumo Chouichi.

We must move to another ship, Nagumo refuses. He keeps repeating, "We are all right, over and over, helplessly, instant madness." Fire continues to spread, hitting fuel, turning the Akagi into a raging inferno. Even still, Nagumo won't leave.

Finally, Hussaka tries another strategy.

He reminds the Admiral that he's in charge of the hole for it, not just this one ship. That gets him. Nagumo snaps to it with a short curtain on him. Hussaka springs into action. Break the window.

The man used 45 foot long ropes to be back to it, as Hussaka later recalls, "I couldn't find away down. Everything was so covered with smoke and play. There was no way of getting down from the bridge, except fire rope, which we hung from the bridge."

When I got down, the deck was on the fire, and anti-aircraft and machine gun for firing automatically. I didn't set off by the fire or the ship. Bodies were all over the place, and it wasn't possible to tell what would be shot up next.

I had my hands and feet burned, a pretty serious burn on one foot. That is eventually the way we abandoned the Akagi. Help us shelter no order of any kind. The Americans have landed a massive blow, not only to the Japanese fleets fighting strength, but it's spirit.

“The Japanese central point of command, arguably the most important ship, if not for fighting”

ability then for morale, has been sunk, and it's forced to add around Nagumo Chouichi to flee, sheltered from his burning command post. Nonetheless, he and Kusaka set up shop on the Nagara, and began plotting an naval attack to counteract the air raids. In the meantime, American dive bombers have also hit the sword you.

and it's quite the scene.

“U.S. Navy Aviator, Max Leslie, will later recall it as, quote, "the greatest infernal and”

Holocaust I could ever imagine, with debris and material flying in all directions." Close quote. Still floating in the Pacific's blue waters, lone VT-8 survivor George Gay, watches the dive bombers, successful attacks, taking out the Kaga, Akagi, and so are you. Three of the Keto Bootai's four aircraft carriers.

Here members have magnificent the scene was. It was almost unbelievable, but I was seen it, almost simultaneously, three Japanese carriers were wiped out. I knew it at hint. Bikali, we did it.

Upon returning to the Enterprise, the returning American pilots are met with cheers, as

“one unnamed sailor recalls, "We were exultant, not just at the revenge for Pearl Harbor,”

sweet as that was, but at our renewed sense of power and superiority over the Japanese sweet." Yes, it seems that everything has turned on a dime. That the gamble taken by rear Admiral Raymond's sprints, and chief of staff, Miles Brown, and sending out the enterprises, and the Hornets Aircraft, so early in peace meal were

the right move after all. Well, let's now get to excited, Battle Midway is an over and yet. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. No, no, no, no, no, no. It's 242 in the afternoon, June 4th, 1942.

USS Yorktown is peacefully anchored within proximity of Midway.

“Well, as peaceful as an aircraft carrier, Tandy, in the midst of a major naval bow.”

Ever since noon, the miraculously repaired, post-coral Sierracraft carrier has been refueling and launching wildcat and diave bomber planes into battle. Then suddenly, at 243 p.m., a torpedo strikes frame 90 of the port side of ship. As a curly-haired instant named John Jack Crawford, the later recall, it was a real whack. You could feel it all through the ship.

I had the impression that the ship's whole buckled slightly. Spot on Jack, there's now a sizable puncture in New Yorktown's hole, 15 feet below the waterline. That's not good, even worse, six out of nine boilers are out of commission.

A few minutes later, the second torpedo comes screaming into the port side of the ship.

This time, near frame 75, both of the strikes overlap, creating a massive 60 by 30 foot crater all across the site of the ship. Water gushes in, making it clear that the two-day turnaround fixed ship is no match for Japanese torpedoes. As this large cavity continues to let water in, generator floods.

Emergency generators can't kick in with the intense water damage, and the power goes out with dark inertia. Luckily, it's still apt in New York, so sunlight provides some visibility. The ship pitches to a 26 degree angle, making it hard for crew members to walk around and assess the damage.

Then, just 12 minutes after the initial hit, at 255, Captain Elliott Buckmaster gives the dreaded order to the banding ship, but Jack and Stoke crew members don't panic. They've trained for this. Sailors emerge from below deck. They slash through the suspended canvas back by senior deck, holding the K-pop filled

life deaths, spilling out the safety devices for both healthy and wounded sailors. Knowing perhaps that the shoes will do the no-good in the ocean, then from Yorktown, take off the footwear, and line them up properly on the deck. That's right. They do this, even as the ship pitches all the way.

Well, can I say, maybe discipline to the utmost? Ever worried about the men, the captain urges his remaining crew members to gather on the rising starward side of the ship. He watches, as they lower themselves down 60 feet to the water, on nodded roads. Wanting to be the last one on the Yorktown, Elliott waits until he's confident everyone

is in the water.

If then climbs, hand over hand on the 30 degree pitched deck of his ship, before finally

It has done well, by his men.

“And it's even, dare I say, a positive affair for seeming ER-bud clung, who, upon stripping”

off his heavy, water-soaked anti-flash overalls, is pulled out of the water by none other than his high school classmate from Wilmer, Minnesota, near Newburgh. Many Yorktown survivors do their best to make light on the situation while waiting for a rescue ship to hold them out of the water. In Bob and Life Vests, pulling out the thumb as if they're trying to hit your right, others

call out. Taxi, taxi, a group begins singing, the beer barrel polka. Most of the Yorktown men are rescued. Meanwhile, the battle rages on, and the Americans have their next target in mind. The Keto-Buktai's fourth, and only remaining aircraft carrier.

The hear you. Pilots on the Americans' two remaining carriers, the Hornet and the Enterprise, are now fueled by vengeance as well. They want to get payback for the Yorktown's demise. And this time, there will be no guesswork.

“While the hear you wasn't grouped as closely as the other three Japanese carriers that”

have now met their end, Admiral Blackjack Fletcher sent 10 planes out to find it before the attack on the Yorktown occurred. Physically and emotionally exhausted from hours of flying and the loss of far too many friends in a matter of hours. They nonetheless manage to spy the elusive last carrier as they flew back to the American

fleet. Armed with that intelligence as the sun draws toward the horizon, the Americans are more than ready to attack the hear you. It's now just before 5pm, June 4th, 1942. Dive borrowing Norman Jack does take place in his fellow 80 years, are peering through

cloud cover as they fly over the Pacific. As they do, they soon see their target, the Japanese carrier, hear you. But beyond its own aircraft, the hear you also has its protective entourage of six other ships. And unlike this morning, Japanese fighter pilots are on high alert for their American

enemy. Dusty climbs to an attack altitude of 19,000 feet. He's instructed by Lieutenant Wilmer Earl Gallagher to circle clockwise and approach the hear you from the south. Dusty and his fellow pilots do so, emerging from the cloud cover as the setting sun casts

its golden rays across the Pacific's waters. All but blinding the Japanese anti-aircraft gutters as they attempt to spot the incoming American aircraft.

At 5.05pm, Earl drops the first bomb.

According to Dusty's later recollections, Commander's bomb is aimed, perfectly. But suddenly, hear you made a radical turn to court. The Hellsman on that carrier saw our approach and tried to spin the carrier 180 degrees. Gallagher had just gripped at the bomb release lever, and he jerked his plane to correct the air.

The skippers' bombs jolted the loose, and the force caused his plane to shudder like a tea-bomondaudible. He pulled out of his awkward diet, his bombs, splashing harmlessly in the stern of his target. The next pilot is Reed Stone.

Following closely behind Earl, Reed also doesn't have time to correct against the hear you sudden turn.

At the third aviator, Richard Chacardi manages to land a hit.

Un successful against the Caga this morning, Richard redeemed himself by dropping a 500-pound bomb on the forward elevator of the hear you. It's a massive score for the Americans. And then, it's Dusty's turn.

“As I plunged toward the sea, fourth in line, I remember thinking this was my toughest”

diet. In the morning, I had to hit a moving target. Now, I had to hit not only a moving target, but one that was also in the middle of a sharp turn. In a few seconds, I sized up the enemy carrier, determined its speed and turning radius.

Here you, smaller than Caga and Caga, turned remarkably fast. Once again, I aimed for the unblemished rising sun on the flight deck. I didn't aim directly to hit the ship, but aimed for where the ship was going to be as a continued to turn. I took my plane down to a low altitude, about 1,500 feet, and released my payload.

My bomb's plunged into hear you smoking flight deck. Pulling up from his successful mission, Dusty does exactly what he's not supposed to do, and what so many other pilots had done today. He looks over his shoulder to watch the explosion. But I'm glad he does, because he's so vividly describes the damage and his spectacular

metaphor. My bomb smashed into the flight deck and, like a giant hand, rolling a taco, just folded it over. But the deck killed away. I saw hear you's innards, rows of planes kept below decks, flying debris and flames pulverize

them, and produced such a huge fire that little else could be seen on hear you's bow. Still, the fire was nothing comparison to the fires I had seen in the morning attack.

hear you.

Back on the enterprise, Dusty gives this smoking taco report to his boss, but as the pilot

says, "I'm not sure he appreciates my metaphor." Returning to his room, and logging in today's events in his diary, Dusty writes that he's got to, quote, "Read the prayer for our suicide TBD squadrons." Close quote. "Yeah."

Like George Gays' whole squadron, and everyone else who failed to return to their rooms tonight. Here's Dusty's prayer.

“Now, oh Lord, won't you please take care of those wonderful ones who loved us so much?”

They were willing to die for us without hesitation. As day turns into night, and Dusty falls asleep, it's pretty clear who's won this battle.

As the destruction settles, rear Admiral Raymond Spruens remembers his bosses' instructions,

take a calculated risks to destroy the enemy. Raymond infers that the Japanese are plain to their strength, and mounting a night attack, so he orders his ships to head east and wait for gay break. He'll later put it into the official battle report. I did not feel justified in risking a night encounter, with possibly superior enemy forces.

But on the other hand, I did not want to be too far away from midway, the following morning. I wished to have a position from which either to follow up retreating enemy forces, or to break up a landing attack on midway. Abored his distant flagship, the Yamoto, Yamamoto and his staff anxiously searched for a way to hit back at the Americans.

“Full of emotion, the Admiral finally realizes the extent of American able strength.”

He tells the staff, a high in the one who must apologize to his majesty.

At 255 a.m., on June 5th, Yamamoto orders of withdrawal. With the huge amount of the Japanese fleet, either in flames, or making its way to the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, Yamamoto gives yet another shocking order. Half destroyers torpedo a Kagi. I mean, it's the best option.

Otherwise the US will seize the ship and be able to both learn the inner workings of a Japanese aircraft carrier and display it as a battle trophy. Vice Admiral Ugaki Matomi is frustrated. He writes in his diary that, quote, "Emotion must not be mixed with reason." "Close quote."

With hundreds of Americans and some 3,000 Japanese dead, the Battle of Midway is essentially over by the evening of June 4th.

“Behind site is 2020, and rear Admiral's Blackjack Fletcher and Raymond Spruens, not to mention”

US Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Shester Nimitz, and Commander in Chief of the Imperial Japanese Combined Fleet Yamamoto Isoroku. Don't know that. The next few days see what we can call a "smattering of action." As the Japanese retreat on the morning of June 5th, Raymond Spruens wants to ensure that

the Japanese don't get away too easily. American planes find and hit two of the land of the Rising Sun's cruisers, the Mugami and Mikuma. Mugami manages to escape just barely alive, but thanks in part to our dive-bombing friend, Dusty Clice, Mikuma is mortally wounded and sinks the following day.

Multi-class is the only pilot to score hits on three Japanese ships during the battle. That same June 5th, Admiral Chester Nimitz announces, "This too early to claim a major Japanese disaster. The enemy appears to be with drawing, but we are continuing to battle." But just 24 hours later, on June 6th, the Commander in Chief in the Pacific is slightly

more optimistic, even if still hedging his bets. Just quote him again, "A momentous victory is in the making, but the battle is not over." But, by the next day, June 7th, Yamamoto abandoned the operation altogether. After refueling on the 7th and 8th, the combined fleet turns back towards Japan. While Yamamoto's Alaska-bound forces have captured two illusion islands, the story that

will return to another time, that small success certainly was not worth the thrashing he's taken here up midway. Back in the land of the rising sun, Prime Minister Tojo Hideki orders that the truth about Midway be hidden from both the public and some Japanese officials. Imperial headquarters announces on June 10th that Japan has, quote, "secured Supreme

power in the Pacific," close quote. Citizens and Tokyo celebrate with the flag procession in land and parade. But as we know, this propaganda couldn't be further from the truth. The Battle of Midway was a massive American victory, one that enabled historian Samuel Morrison succinctly sums up as, quote, "If victory of intelligence, bravely and wisely

applied," close quote. Admiral Chester Nimitz would agree, according to him, "had we lacked early information

of Midway would have ended differently."

“Japan has lost a major battle in the Pacific, a loss that will turn their strategy from”

one of aggressive offense to a holding pattern, desperate to stave off the Pacific fleet at the very much awakened giant that is the United States. Yes, the tide is turning in the Pacific, but the fight ahead is another one. A deadly one, one of horrific, gruesome battles for once if the island after another.

Nonetheless, these tales of island hopping will have to wait for another day, because it's

time for us to catch up with the fight on the other side of the globe, and that's right.

“Next time, we're returning to the European Theatre.”

Mr. That doesn't suck as created at hosted by me, Greg Jackson, episode research and written by Greg Jackson and Riley About, production by Ersha, sound designed by Molly Bock, audio editing by Muhammad Chaze, being music composed by Greg Jackson, arrangement and additional

composition by Lindsey Graham of Ersha, for a bibliography of all primate and sick

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