Prelude to the Battle of Midway
Americans:
In mid-May 1942, U.S codebreakers informed the military that the Japanese intended to attack one of the Pacific Islands. Unsure of the location, the codebreakers prepared a clever plan to discover the location nicknamed "AF" by the Japanese. The codebreakers believe the attack will be on Midway and broadcast a un-coded message stating that the distillation plant on Midway was broken. Later, they intercepted a Japanese transmission stating, "AF is short of water", which proved Midway was the destination. Admiral Chester Nimitz, upon hearing the news, directed all ships to the defense of Midway. Because the ships all left right after Midway was identified as a target, the Japanese did not have their submarines in place to detect the ships presence.
The defense of Midway consisted of:
Task Force 16
- Carrier Enterprise
-- 27 Fighters
-- 37 Dive Bombers
-- 14 Torpedo Bombers
- Carrier Hornet
-- 27 Fighters
-- 35 Dive Bombers
-- 15 Torpedo Bombers
Task Force 17
-Carrier Yorktown
--27 Fighters
--37 Dive Bombers
--15 Torpedo Bombers
TOTAL AIRCRAFT: 234
Midway Island Aircraft
-U.S. Marine Corps
--VMF-221: 27 Fighters
--VMSB-241: 27 Dive Bombers
-U.S. Navy
--6 Torpedo Bombers
--22 Patrol Planes
-U.S. Army Air Corps
--4 Twin Engine Bombers
--15 Four Engine Bombers
TOTAL AIRCRAFT: 105
In mid-May 1942, U.S codebreakers informed the military that the Japanese intended to attack one of the Pacific Islands. Unsure of the location, the codebreakers prepared a clever plan to discover the location nicknamed "AF" by the Japanese. The codebreakers believe the attack will be on Midway and broadcast a un-coded message stating that the distillation plant on Midway was broken. Later, they intercepted a Japanese transmission stating, "AF is short of water", which proved Midway was the destination. Admiral Chester Nimitz, upon hearing the news, directed all ships to the defense of Midway. Because the ships all left right after Midway was identified as a target, the Japanese did not have their submarines in place to detect the ships presence.
The defense of Midway consisted of:
Task Force 16
- Carrier Enterprise
-- 27 Fighters
-- 37 Dive Bombers
-- 14 Torpedo Bombers
- Carrier Hornet
-- 27 Fighters
-- 35 Dive Bombers
-- 15 Torpedo Bombers
Task Force 17
-Carrier Yorktown
--27 Fighters
--37 Dive Bombers
--15 Torpedo Bombers
TOTAL AIRCRAFT: 234
Midway Island Aircraft
-U.S. Marine Corps
--VMF-221: 27 Fighters
--VMSB-241: 27 Dive Bombers
-U.S. Navy
--6 Torpedo Bombers
--22 Patrol Planes
-U.S. Army Air Corps
--4 Twin Engine Bombers
--15 Four Engine Bombers
TOTAL AIRCRAFT: 105
The USS Yorktown
The USS Hornet
The USS Enterprise
Japanese:
By March 1942, the Japanese had achieved all their goals much quicker than expected. They had conquered most of Southeast Asia, Korea and major parts of China. The only threat that remained to them in the Pacific was Australia, and Midway Island. The Doolittle Raid convinced them that Midway was much more important and in order to stop further bombing raids, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto planned a decisive attack on Midway involving much of the Imperial Japanese Navy, with over 150 ships. His plan for the attack on Midway was complex and relied on perfect timing and diversionary tactics to lure parts of the American forces away from Yamamoto's main battle fleet which would invade Midway.
The main carrier fleet at Midway consisted of:
-Carrier Akagi
--21 Fighters
--21 Dive Bombers
--21 Torpedo Fighters
-Carrier Kaga
--21 Fighters
--21 Dive Bombers
--30 Torpedo Fighters
-Carrier Hiryu
--21 Fighters
--21 Dive Bombers
--21 Torpedo Fighters
-Carrier Soryu
--21 Fighters
--21 Dive Bombers
--21 Torpedo Fighters
-Cruiser Tone
-Cruiser Chikuma
-Battleship Haruna
By March 1942, the Japanese had achieved all their goals much quicker than expected. They had conquered most of Southeast Asia, Korea and major parts of China. The only threat that remained to them in the Pacific was Australia, and Midway Island. The Doolittle Raid convinced them that Midway was much more important and in order to stop further bombing raids, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto planned a decisive attack on Midway involving much of the Imperial Japanese Navy, with over 150 ships. His plan for the attack on Midway was complex and relied on perfect timing and diversionary tactics to lure parts of the American forces away from Yamamoto's main battle fleet which would invade Midway.
The main carrier fleet at Midway consisted of:
-Carrier Akagi
--21 Fighters
--21 Dive Bombers
--21 Torpedo Fighters
-Carrier Kaga
--21 Fighters
--21 Dive Bombers
--30 Torpedo Fighters
-Carrier Hiryu
--21 Fighters
--21 Dive Bombers
--21 Torpedo Fighters
-Carrier Soryu
--21 Fighters
--21 Dive Bombers
--21 Torpedo Fighters
-Cruiser Tone
-Cruiser Chikuma
-Battleship Haruna