The Unknown Battle of Midway: The Destruction of the American Torpedo Squadrons“A memoir and more . . . Kernan brings this maritime battle superbly to life. . . . And he narrates the air assault in gripping detail” (The Wall Street Journal). The Battle of Midway is considered the greatest US naval victory, but behind the luster is the devastation of the American torpedo squadrons. Of the 51 planes sent to attack Japanese carriers only 7 returned, and of the 127 aircrew only 29 survived. Not a single torpedo hit its target. A story of avoidable mistakes and flawed planning, The Unknown Battle of Midway reveals the enormous failures that led to the destruction of four torpedo squadrons but were omitted from official naval reports: the planes that ran out of gas, the torpedoes that didn’t work, the pilots who had never dropped torpedoes, and the breakdown of the attack plan. Alvin Kernan, who was present at the battle, has written a troubling but persuasive analysis of these and other little-publicized aspects of this great battle. The standard navy tactics for carrier warfare are revealed in tragic contrast to the actual conduct of the battle and the after-action reports of the ships and squadrons involved. “An incisive and laconic writer, Kernan knows his facts and presents them with deep feeling. A World War II must-read.” —Booklist “I read The Unknown Battle of Midway in one sitting. It is a momentous piece of work, reeking of the authenticity of carrier warfare as experienced by the flight crews.” —Sir John Keegan, author of A History of Warfare “An emotionally powerful story, not merely one of war but of its lasting effects.” —The Times Literary Supplement |
Contents
| 1 | |
| 8 | |
FOUR | 27 |
The Great American Torpedo Scandal | 39 |
Personnel of the Midway Torpedo Squadrons | 54 |
Survival | 123 |
APPENDIX | 133 |
1 | 145 |
APPENDIX 3 | 151 |
BIBLIOGRAPHY | 169 |
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Common terms and phrases
2ndLT aboard Action Reports Admiral aerial torpedo after-action report aircraft carriers Akagi altitude American carriers American fleet American navy American torpedo ARM2c ARM3c armor aviation Battle of Midway battleship bomb BOMRT Coral Sea course crew cruiser Devastator dive-bombers drop Ensign Enterprise exploder feet fighters fire Fletcher flew flight deck flying fuel George Gay gunner hangar deck Hornet air group Japa Japanese carriers Japanese fleet Kido Butai knew knots landing later Laub launch machine guns Marc Mitscher Mark 13 Markland Kelly Midway Island miles Mitscher Nagumo naval nese never Nimitz officer Osmus Pacific Pearl Harbor pedo pilots port radio silence radioman riers Ring Ring’s scouting ship ship’s shot sighted speed Spruance Squadron Six starboard strike submarine target Task Force TBD Devastator told Tom Cheek torpedo attack torpedo planes Torpedo Squadron turned north U.S. Navy Wade McClusky Waldron Wildcat Yorktown Zeroes