Miracle at Midway

27 May, 1942
From: Commander-in-Chief Pacific forces.
TO: Commander Task Force 16 (Enterprise).
Rear Admiral Spruance, you know of our intelligence concerning Japanese plans to invade our Naval Air Station at Midway Atoll. Latest reports indicate the Japanese Imperial Navy has launched a carrier striking force under Vice Admiral Nagumo and an invasion fleet under Fleet Admiral Yamamoto. The attack fleet consists of IJN carriers Akagi, Kaga, Soryu, and Hiryu plus screening cruisers and destroyers.

Admiral, you will sail in command of Task Force 16 (USS Enterprise, Yorktown, Hornet, and screening vessels) to Point Luck as indicated on your sea charts. From there you will seek out Yamamoto’s invasion fleet and prevent its landing on Midway. You will also seek out Nagumo’s carrier striking force and destroy it.

You will be 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.
(Exact wording in Admiral Spruance’s written orders. Unwritten instructions ordered him to give up Midway rather than lose his command. “Save the fleet.”)

0415, 4 June
From: CINPAC.
TO: Commander Task Force 16
Be advised, PBY Catalina scout planes report main body of Japanese invasion force, bearing 315, distance 574 miles from Midway Atoll. Course expected to intersect Midway morning 4 June. No sighting of Japanese carriers at this time. CINCPAC ends.

0624
PBY 92 reports two carriers and battleships bearing 320 from Midway, distance 180, course 135, speed 25.

0625
Urgent. Commander TF-16 to all ships Proceed southwest and attack enemy carriers when definitely located.

0700 MC1 loudspeaker:
Now hear this! Now hear this! Bomber Squadron VB-6 ready for take off. Clear the decks! Commander VB-6, launch your planes!

0735 MC1:
Now hear this! Scout Bomber Squadron VS-6 ready for take off. Clear the decks! Commander VS-6, launch your planes!

0738
Home Base, this is VB-6 strike leader. What’s taking so long to launch those other planes? We’re burning precious fuel up here.

Strike leader, we’re having difficulties getting VS-6 and VT-6 off the deck. We will send off the coordinated attack as soon as everybody’s launched.

Home Base, roger.

0730
Commander VB-6, Home Base. Proceed to targets. I repeat, proceed to targets.

Home Base, what about the coordinated attack?

VB-6, Admiral Spruance wants you after those enemy carriers. Proceed to targets.

Home Base, wilco. Alright, flyboys, you heard the man. Follow me on bearing 250. Let’s go bomb some Japs.

Hey, Commander. Looks like planes from Yorktown and Hornet are leaving, too.

Well, let’s get there first and show them what Enterprise bombers can do.

0750
From: Commander Midway NAS.
TO: CINCPAC.
Fleet Admiral Nimitz, please be advised Japanese bombers (Vals and Kates) have attacked Midway. Damage to facilities was minimal. Losses of Marine Corps Buffalo and Navy Wildcat fighters were major.

0835
From: Commander Midway NAS.
TO: CINCPAC.
Attacks by Marine Corps Dauntless bombers and Vindicator scout bombers, Navy Avenger torpedo bombers, and Army Air Force Marauder and Flying Fortress bombers proved ineffective against Japanese carriers. Only the Flying Fortresses have returned to Midway.

0903
Home Base, VB-6. Enemy formation not, I repeat, not at location predicted. Turning northeast to continue search.

0915
Home Base, VB-8 Unable to locate enemy carriers. Turning south toward Midway.

0930
Home Base, Torpedo Bomber-3. Have located enemy formation in sector G-niner, course 75, speed 25. Repeat: enemy carriers in sector G-niner, course 75, speed 25. Proceeding with attack.

Home Base, we’re being mauled by enemy fighters! Where are those dive bombers! Half my planes already shot down! My torpedo missed! Anti-aircraft is deadly! Where are our…

0953
Home Base, TB-8. Enemy carriers sighted. Lining up for torpedo launch.

OK, fellas. Follow me in.

Commander, Zeroes at ten o’clock! I count ten of ‘em!

Easy, Lieutenant. Once we’re through this ru…Ack!

Commander!

1022
Base, TB-6 beginning attack on enemy carriers. Would help if we had some fighters here to help with the Zeroes. Anti-aircraft fire also pretty thick.

Sir! Our planes are getting hit pretty bad!

Roger, Lieutenant. Continue to bore in and launch that torpedo.

Aye, aye, si…

Commander! Kowalski just went in!

1025
Home Base to Strike Force! Attack! I say again, ATTACK!

Wilco, Captain Brown, just as soon as I find the bastards.

Commander McClusky, sir! Surface ship at ten o’clock! Appears to be a single destroyer, sir.

VB-6, we’re turning to port to follow that ship’s wake. Should point us right at the Japanese carriers.

1030
Bomber flight, I have multiple ships on the horizon, bearing 354. God! What a mess! They’re in total disarray, going every which way.

Commander McClusky, sir! I see three carriers among all those ships.

Roger. OK, people, this is what we’ll do. Lt. Best, take VB-6 down on the starboard carrier. Lt. Gallaher, I’m leading VS-6 down on the other one. We’ll leave the third carrier for the next pass.

Aye, aye, sir. Wilco, sir.

Sir! Where are the enemy fighters?

I don’t see ‘em, either, Lieutenant. Get ready for our bombing run.

Commander, Lt. Henry. I have what looks like our planes making a low-level attack against the carrier to port. Enemy Zeroes are after our guys! Oh, God! Our guys are getting slaughtered!

R-roger, Lieutenant. There’s nothing we can do for them. We’re near the push-over point for our dive.

Aye, aye, sir.

Lt. Best, there is aircraft debris scattered all on one side of our target! Our torpedo bombers must have been wiped out on their launch run!

Roger. Proceed with push-over. Here we go!

Yahoo! Did’ja see that ‘xplosion! Right on the ol’ meatball!

Yay! Put mine among all them parked bombers an’ fuel lines! Wow! What a fire!

Easterman! You got a Zero on your tail! Break right! Tat-tat-tat! Got’im!’

Enemy fighters comin’ outta the sun at three o’clock high!

Strike force leader to bombers! Scatter! Rendezvous at the Enterprise. Our job’s done here.

Aye, aye, Commander.

Yes, sir! Soon as I get away from these Japs!

I got a Zero on my tail! Somebody help me…Ar-ar-gh!

1040
Base, this is Bomber Strike Leader. It is my pleasure to report that VS-6 and VB-6 have successfully hit the Kaga and Akagi. VB-3 has bombed Soryu. All three carriers are burning fiercely.

Strike Leader, Base. Acknowledged. Admiral Spruance says, “Well done.”

1500
From: Commander Task Force 16
TO: CINCPAC
After-action report:
Between 0930 and 1030 hours, 4 June, 1942, torpedo bomber planes from Enterprise, Hornet, and Yorktown attacked the enemy carriers. All three squadrons were wiped out by anti-aircraft fire and enemy fighter planes. However, these attacks drew the fighters down to sea level and away from our bombers.

At 1030 hours, VB-6, VS-6, and VB-3 successfully attacked and destroyed the Kaga, Soryu, and Akagi. This has effectively crippled Japan’s carrier fleet and should pave the way for continued operations of the United States Navy in the Pacific.

Admiral Spruance sends.