126 THE WIDENING WAR 1942
THE CRIPPLING OF THE HIRYU
5 PM–6:30 PM JUNE 4, 1942
Hiryū had been located at 2:30 pm by a scout plane
from Yorktown. Shortly after 5 pm 40 US dive-bombers
attacked the Japanese carrier, which was defended
by just a dozen fighters. Hiryū was hit many times and
set ablaze (she was scuttled the next day). B-17s from
Midway followed up the attack on the remains of the
Japanese fleet, which was in retreat by June 5.6
US dive-bomber
aircraftB-17 aircraft strike
from MidwayJun 5 Hiryū is set ablaze; the
crew abandons ship while Admiral
Yamaguchi and Captain Kaku
go down with their vessel.Jun 5 Akagi is scuttled
at 5 am; Yamamoto calls
off the operation against
Midway and at midday
the Japanese warships
withdraw westward.Jun 4–5 Route of carriers
Akagi, Sōryū, Kaga,
and Hiryū.PIVOTAL PACIFIC BATTLE
The Battle of Midway was Japan’s first
naval defeat for centuries. It marked the
ascendancy of carriers and their aircraft
as the modern weapons with which to
dominate the seas.KEYAir raidsTorpedo strikesTIMELINE2 JUN 1942 3 JUN 4 JUN 5 JUN2
3
4
5
61Route of Japanese
1st Carrier
Striking ForceJapanese aircraft
carriers sunkUS aircraft carrier sunkYorktown dive-bomber
and torpedo aircraftEnterprise dive-
bomber aircraftEnterprise
torpedo aircraftHornet torpedo
aircraftA MOMENTOUS MORNING
9:20–10:30 AM JUNE 4, 1942
The 1st Carrier Striking Force was now targeted by
torpedo planes from Enterprise, Hornet, and Yorktown,
which were tackled by the faster Japanese Zero fighters.
However, the Zeros, now out of position and low on
ammunition, could not contain a later wave of attacks
by dive-bombers. These hit the carriers Kaga and Sōryū
(both sank later that day), the flagship Akagi (scuttled
the next morning), two battleships, and a destroyer.4 YORKTOWN BECOMES A CASUALTY
11:50 AM–3 PM JUNE 4, 1942
US radar detected planes from the carrier Hiryū
approaching Yorktown from the west. The raiders
were intercepted by US fighters, but several broke
through and hit Yorktown at around noon with three
bombs. By 2:30 pm the fires aboard Yorktown had been
extinguished, but torpedo planes hit her again. By
3 pm Yorktown was listing and the order was issued
to abandon ship. Yorktown finally sank on June 7.5
Hiryū dive-bomber
aircraftHiryū torpedo
aircraftTHE US NAVY LAYS AN AMBUSH
JUNE 2, 1942
By June 2, the US Navy’s Task Forces 16 and 17
lay in an area of operations about 350 miles
(560 km) north-east of Midway, from where their
search planes scoured the ocean for the Japanese.
The task forces were formed around three aircraft
carriers: USS Enterprise and Hornet, which Yamamoto
thought were in the Solomons; and USS Yorktown,
which he believed sunk in the Coral Sea.1
US Task Force area of operationsUS Task Force 16: carriers Enterprise and
Hornet, 152 aircraft, 6 cruisers, 9 destroyersUS Task Force 17: carrier Yorktown, 73 aircraft,
2 cruisers, 5 destroyersTHE JAPANESE STRIKE MIDWAY
4:30–6:40 AM JUNE 4, 1942
The 1st Carrier Striking Force launched an air attack
on Midway with 108 aircraft, holding back around half
of its planes to deal with possible attacks by US naval
forces. At 5:45 am the raiders were spotted and US
interceptors scrambled. The Japanese failed to disable
Midway’s defenses in this attack, and around one-third
of the Japanese aircraft were destroyed or damaged
by US fighters and antiaircraft fire from the island.2
First air attack on MidwayCONFUSION IN THE JAPANESE FORCE
7:10–8:30 AM JUNE 4, 1942
US bombers from Midway attacked the Japanese
1st Carrier Striking Force with little effect. As the
Japanese force changed course following reports of
an approaching US naval force, planes began to return
from Midway to land and refuel. Deck operations
became confused, and planners were unsure whether
to rearm aircraft with high-explosive bombs for a
second sortie against Midway, or with torpedoes to
repel a threat from the US Navy.3
US aircraft
from MidwayJapanese aircraft
returning from MidwaySōryū sunk
Akagi scuttledKaga sunk7:10 am 10:15 am10:25 am5 pm6:30 pm12 pm2:40 pm Yorktown
torpedoedUS Task
Force 16Hiryū
scuttledJapanese 1st Carrier
Striking Force9:28 am9:45 amUS Task
Force 17Midway
AtollP A C I F I C
O
C
E
A
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