Jim Scanlon (deceased)
Senior Staff 
FORUM CHAPLAIN
Commander South Texas outpost of the County Sligo Squadron
Currently: Offline
Posts: 5,075 
Location:
Joined: July 2007
Retired: USAF
NBA: Spurs
NFL: Niners
MLB: Giants
NHL: Penguins
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Post by Jim Scanlon (deceased) on Jun 5, 2014 8:05:44 GMT 9
Beginning on 4 June 1942, the Battle of Midway was the first major victory for U.S. forces against the Japanese Navy, and the first major victory anywhere by American Naval Air Forces.
Yes, the Army Air Forces B-26 and B-17 aircraft involved, but the major part was played by Naval Air.
That was 72 years ago.
Not many of our group were around then.
By the tine the Battle ended on 7 June 1942, our Naval Air Forces sank 4 Japanese Aircraft Carriers, along with a number of other ships, and shot down 248 Japanese Carrier Planes.
This Day in Aviation History has several stories posted to-day.
www.thisdayinaviation.com/2-june-1942-carrier-vs-carrier/
www.thisdayinaviation.com/4-june-1942-torpedo/
www.thisdayinaviation.com/4-june-1942-admiral-nagumo-attacks/
If you have not read the books about this battle, find one and read it.
You also might want to watch the movies:
Battle of Midway Movie (1942) – U.S. Navy propaganda film directed by John Ford.
Victory At Sea: Midway Is East (1952) – Episode 4 from a 26-episode series about naval combat during World War II.
Also the 1976 film: "Midway" with Charston Heston and a bunch of other good actors; www.imdb.com/title/tt0074899/
It is a fascinating story or how our Navy saved us from being defeated in the Pacific.
Yeah, I know, it was the Navy, but it was still Airplanes doing the job.
Isn't that the main thing, that it was Aeroplanes?
Jim Too
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