My uncle, Norman Tuck, was on the Yorktown when abandon ship was called. He had an especially close relationship with his sister, my Aunt Martha. She often told of the dream she had, her brother Norman in the oil-filled water, saying 'tell mom I am all right'. Weeks later they got the official news, Norman had been rescued from the water, Yorktown was indeed sunk, but the battle had been won. They are all gone now, but their heroism will be remembered always.
if there is good,,,it was created by a god who is/was/always good,,,those boys are reunited with moms dads lil sises the bros at home,and maybe the dawg too
For this old Aussie living in the land down under, I know what a debt we owe to our American friends in all theaters of war and from all arms of your military. There was nothing to defend Australia through those fraught times and you have been a staunch ally ever since. Do not ever think that your sacrifices are not remembered and solemnly celebrated.
Thank you. We also remember and honor the many brave “Diggers” who fell along the Kakoda Trail defending our freedom and allowing the following generations to live in peace.
As we come up on the anniversary of the Battle of Midway, I hope to see more content about this historic and astounding naval engagement. I never tire of this story, and it still makes me proud to consider the skill and sacrifices of our naval officers and airmen even in those early days.
I never thought I'd ever see Midway with my own eyes, but in the late 80's, during a deployment to WestPac from Pearl Harbor, we received a message that a crewman's brother had died unexpectedly in the 'States, and we needed to get that crewman home to his family. We diverted to Midway, which still had an active Naval Air Station, to catch a P-3 to Hawaii and then a commercial flight home. When we surfaced off of Midway, I was the first to ascend to the bridge to install the navigational gear, rig the "flying bridge" and prepare the position for the OOD and the CO to conn the boat. I took a moment to gaze at this tiny spit of land; merely feet above the waterline, and felt awe at the thought of what had transpired there more than 40 years before.
Visiting historic sites like Midway, Gettysburg, the Normandy beaches, and heaven knows how many other places, for me has always been humbling. Nice story. Thanks for sharing. USN '82-'88
My WWII era cargo ship, converted into a training ship, was crossing the Pacific in JAN/FEB '90. We received permission to leave the shipping lanes & alter our route to enter into a normally forbidden area to approach within a certain distance to see an island on the horizon. I had the same impression as you. Wake Island was barely visible above the waves. We were also told that it had occasionally been evacuated in certain storm conditions, because it would become completely submerged by storm surge. My Fall 1988 Naval Science class report had been on The Battle of Midway Islands, so all of the details were still fresh in my mind. My immediate thoughts went to those who had been on those islands, in the air, and on the sea during the battle that permanently protected the Hawaiian Islands and the West Coast. Except for incendiary balloons, and a submarine sighting in PNW, the Japanese never tried to attack there again. So many lives were lost to give that protection. I also am grateful for shipyard workers, and onboard damage control teams, that worked miracles on the vessels. I looked at what was essentially a big rock, far away from everything else, that made all of the difference. BTW, same transit, a sub fired a flare to let us know that we had just been torpedoed in a war game. My grandfather, in the Navy in WWII, had ended up in the water a couple of times, so I felt that. Kudos to whoever was on that sub. Edit: Grandpa was gone by the time that I was taking these Pacific trips. Our ship was revisiting some of her WWII ports. I had asked Grandma if I was going to any of the places that he had been. She said that he had been Atlantic & Mediterranean. He was being trained for the Pacific when the bombs were dropped. He went home instead, to have my Dad & Aunt.
@@oldgoat142 I spent 3 years in Okinawa and never forgot, as I walked the island, that every step I took took me over a spot where someone had died in combat. Very humbling...
@@elizabethbottroff1218 Beautiful story. I deeply appreciate you sharing this with me. It seems to me that this is a very treasured memory, as it should be. Thank you.
I was in High School in the mid 80's and read the Battle of Midway book several times and decided then that I wanted to go into the Navy. Being from the Midwest, I had never seen the ocean before. I was wanting to be on a carrier and launch airplanes because of that book and battle. In the end, I ended up on submarines and don't think I would change anything. Midway always will have a soft spot in my heart? What an awesome video. Thanks gentlemen!
I'm a little older, in the 60's I wanted to get into the submarine service, they told me I needed glasses, so I went to the surface fleet. This battle has fascinated me since I was a kid also, that and the fact that my Dad was at Pearl Harbor, made me want to join instead of protesting war like others of my generation.
I have been fascinated by Midway since I saw the movie with Charlton Heston when I was 13 years old. I love this detailed account of the battle. Thanks. 👍🏻☮️🇺🇸
Richard Best made the most impactful, snap decision of the entire war. Peeling off Kaga to sink Akagi basically shifted the odds in our favor. Had we just put a few more bombs into Kaga - instead of sinking Akagi - we might have lost at least one more carrier. Then - of course - he helped to sink Hiryu later on.
My uncle Bob Neely was a Pacific carrier fighter pilot in WW2. Never got the details but I remember him saying how incredibly small an aircraft carrier was from above.
Excellent lesson on the Midway battle. Personally, I find the story of the Yorktown very inspiring. She sunk a small carrier and damaged a fleet carrier at Coral Sea and was severely damaged by Japanese counter-attacks. She limped back to Pearl, got patched up and headed to Midway, where she contributed one of the two dive bomber squadrons that sank 3 carriers of the Kido Butai. She then endured two counter-strikes by Japanese aircraft, surviving the first and acting as a decoy on the second attack to protect the Enterprise and the Hornet. She was eventually sunk by a Japanese sub. If the Yorktown was a sailor, she would probably get the Navy Cross for her bravery and sacrifice.
@DrakenViggen Correct! CV-10 was also named Yorktown in honor of the sacrifice made by CV-5. Speaking of museums, CV-5 is sitting relatively intact at the bottom of the Pacific, though it would be impractical to visit at it is 5 Km below the surface.
I’ve studied this battle more than any other. I think it’s because my late father (a Navy veteran for 26 years) Met George Gay when he was stationed in Florida after boot camp. I’ll have to look for that book to add to my collection of Midway books (both good and bad). Two of the best are Never Call Me A Hero by Norman ‘Jack’ Dusty Kliess and the Japanese side of the battle Shattered Sword.
I just finished Silver Waterfall two weeks ago. Great book, awesome writing and editing. I have read War and Rememberance many years ago and again last fall. Silver Waterfall filled holes in my soul about this great naval battle. I've read all of both of your books, looking forward to seeing more from you guys. Thanks for your service from a Marine dad.
Montemayor’s videos are excellent. A real depiction on how absolutely lucky we were and how absolutely terrible our torpedoes were. It’s an absolute tragedy how many young men lost their lives to deliver torpedoes that literally never worked. They had “no illusions” isn’t true though. It took way to long for the military to finally fix the problem and give the pilots a fighting chance to win.
What a brilliant description of the Midway battle, straight forward and very in depth, thank you Hozer for the great delivery and your knowledge of the subject, and like from the movie Tora Tora Tora...the Japanese certainly did awaken the sleeping dragon, and well, history is history, and the remainder of the war was the end of the Japanese Imperial Forces. Thanks Mooch for giving Hozer the chance to put this out there, great footage and coverage as always. Cheers from Aus!!!!
I was privileged to be invited to Naval War College for the 75th anniversary of the B of M celebration. I ran into a gent who was Spruance's Flag Sec. what a special experience for a long time student of the greatest Naval battle of the 20th century.
I agree. I can barely believe the Americans even tried. Don’t know if it was duty or desperation . An unbelievable act of bravery, and I remember when I have challenges to find inspiration.
It still grinds me that Mitscher and Ring weren't permanently exiled after sending the Hornet airwing on a flight to oblivion, not informing Spruance or Nimitz of their intent and subsequent action, and lying about it in the after action reports.
I believe you can relate to this, Mooch. Like music, sports, cars, carpentry, history... watching someone that's passionate about a craft is riveting entertainment. Kevin and Ward, thank you very much for keeping these events alive in our minds. I look at my grandparents and their generation with great admiration because of these events. Good work.
Amazing, after all these years and all the retellings of this battle that I've heard, to be able to learn new facts : to wit, that the first US torpedo was dropped from a PBY (love that plane!), and then, that the first attack on the Japanese carriers was by the land-based hodge-podge of heroes from Midway Isl. itself! Superb, Mooch and Hozer. Thanks!
Very good guys, how bout this for a true story. My buddy and I while in middle school would cut grass so we could go see the movie Midway (w sensaround no less) in the mid 70s. We would later join the NROTC at LSU w him a year ahead of me and would go on to flight school. My buddy finished w over 400 traps in an A6 Inturder. So this movie had such an impact on us as kids, that we would do our turn when the time came. Hozer, an excellent recall of details and Mooch as always you do a fine job interviewing the host and adding your own knowledge.
Sitting here watching "The History of the Aircraft Carrier" episode of "What Made America Great" on FoxNation. Who should be one of the featured interviewees but Capt. Kevin "Hoser" Miller. They also interviewed Adm. Jim Flatley III, and showed his C-130 carrier landing and introduced his son Seamus. Ward, if you can, please tell them they did a GREAT job.
It was a beautiful way to end this episode with the Navy Hymn. The first time I heard it was at the Navy Chapel at RTC San Diego my second week of boot camp in 1978. The hymn choked me up and really took my breath away as I felt it included me, even though I hadn’t yet gone to sea. I had the same reaction when this video concluded with the hymn. This was an excellent video, very well composed. Thank you!
Thanks Ward for having Hozer share this. He offers a fresh perspective to a pivotal battle in the Pacific War. I plan to read his book. I recommend anyone interested in the war in the Pacific to read Hornfischer's "The Fleet at Flood Tide". Again, thanks for helping us never to forget!
As a Naval War College graduate who took the "War In the Pacific" elective course there, I would also commend to you our text for that excellent class, "Eagle Against the Sun".
I invite you to find any lecture by John parshall. This guy was very good about the dive bomber info but some is to much stuff that has, with new info we know, been proven different.
Thanks for having Hozer give this wonderful look at Midway. His book, The Silver Waterfall is probably the best work of historical fiction. The SBD Dauntless... the carrier killer.
Bravo Zulu, Gentlemen. A most enjoyable recounting of the U,S. Navy's "Trafalgar". Very moving closing with the U,S,Navy's hymn; a life-long favourite of mine. This epic battle has fascinated me since I was around age ten. Some sixty-plus years later, it still thrills me to the core.
Commentary on the Hornet's Fight to Nowhere would have been welcome. The gross incompetence of Mitscher and Ring are such a contrast with the great leadership shown by Fletcher, Spruance, McCluskey, and Best.
It still grinds in my gears that Mitscher's exile wasn't permanent, but rescinded by "second Chance" Nimitz, I'm guessing with Spruance's acquiescence, knowing that Mitscher and Ring lied in their after action reports about sending the Hornet airwing on a different course than that ordered, AND NOT INFORMING the CARRIER FORCE COMMANDER of THEIR INDEPENDENT ACTION! WHICH Caused the Loss of their entire fighter group and some of the remaining fighter and attack force when they ran out of fuel on the "Flight to Nowhere". Both Nimitz and Spruance kept quiet about Mitscher's and Ring's treachery AND incompetence. At least Mitscher had enough residual shame and memory of these events that he didn't disobey Spruance a second time at Saipan and Phillipine Sea when Spruance ordered all ships to standby and protect the Saipan invasion force, to play defense against the Japanese carrier force bearing down on them. In the minds of those aviator carrier captains, they were giving up the initiative to the Japanese strike force. In reality they had laid a perfect trap into which the Japanese Naval Aviation arm flew, and were destroyed in what was named the Great Marianas Marianas Turkey Shoot. The combination of a well organized fighter direction center and experienced wing commanders with overwhelming numbers of a superior fighter force annihilated the Japanese attack force, most likely more effectively than if the carrier captains had gotten their way. It almost didn't matter if ALL the Japanese carriers had gotten away, which they didn't, since the Japanese retired with three fourths of their aircraft lost, never to be replaced. And the ability to replace spent fuel denied by our submarines and control of shipping lanes by complete air superiority by land and sea. The next day the fighter jocks got their way and showed their lack of disciplined judgment by launching full deck loads of airplanes in a chase from which many would never return in a flight beyond range and daylight. Mitscher gets credit for turning on the lights of his entire fleet to give his returning airplanes a chance to find the fleet, at risk of giving Japanese submarines sitting duck targets. This was clearly an act of desperation by Mitscher to try to keep from losing his entire air group, which had been totally victorious the day before. We handed back enough lost airplanes and crew to not quite even the score from the day before, but to unnecessarily lose a lot of people and planes. It's damn good that the Saipan air cover didn't suffer, or Nimitz and Spruance would have had to find new skippers for the entire carrier fleet. I would have replaced a lot of flag officers in charge of sending men into the night. I think putting Ching Lee in charge of the whole lot the next day would have sent the right message and some cold water where it was needed. The whole Halsey command suffered from Victory disease in the last months of WW2 with Halsey taking on two typhoons losing several ships with many hands. Halsey and MacArthur should have been relieved. The war had passed both of them by. Tĥe
Thanks for mentioning the white hats facing aft behind their stingers protecting their pilots. I am a United States Naval Aircrewman. My country has built me the finest aircraft known to man. They have entrusted me to use it to keep our country free. With my Honor, Courage, and Commitment, my aircraft will be able to perform any task. I will always remember that I am part of an unbeatable team, the United States Naval Aircrew Team. Being an aircrewman is not an easy job. When I am cold, hot, or tired, I will not fail my crew. When flying, I will be ever diligent and watchful to keep my crew safe. If we fly into battle, may the heavens watch over our crew and protect us from the enemy so that we may fly again.
My father inlaw was a gunner with Mcluscy at Midway his name was Joseph DeLuca. A quiet man very measured in his response. No one in family really understood what he did. Never talked about it.
My Father in Law was a Marine in that theater and he was also very very quite and reserved. Never spoke of it. It was only after his death at 88 did we find out all he had been through hidden in a locked box in his bedroom. The greatest generation.
My grandad was in the Army in London and France during the war. He wouldn’t tell me anything until i enlisted(in the Navy). Even then he didn’t tell me much. I know he had to kill a few people and it haunted him until he died.
Thanks Mooch for another wonderful interview. We need to continue to tell the story of those brave men and women who were undoubtedly the greatest generation and keep their memories alive!!!
I always tear up when I hear the Navy Hymn, impossible not to. It reminds me powerfully of the Marine and Navy brethren I lost in Vietnam. Semper Fidelis and Anchors Aweigh, my friends.
@@bearowen5480 I'm admittedly, a fossil here. But that hymm always affected me. There was a TV series in the 1950's called Navy Log, and they played it at the end of every episode. I love that show.
What a great episode, Mooch! Cudos to you and Hozer for a fantastic, and detailed review of perhaps the most iconic and consequential US Naval battle during in the Pacific theater of WWII! One of if not my top Naval battle I enjoy to learn about. Keep up the great work!!!
I met Ens. Gay once when I was about 10 years old. It was at an airshow at NAS Willow Grove near Philadelphia, and I think he was signing books. At the time I didn't fully appreciate what this man had gone through and represented; as a ten year old I just wanted to see jets. But he seemed like a nice guy. Wish I had met him a few years later.
Absolutely wonderful tribute. Thank you for all both of you are doing. It seems so few still remember, give reverence and credit to those who gave so selflessly and overcame incredible odds to save and ensure the freedom, we all to often, take for granted.
As a product of the fifties I never knew about Midway until the movie "Battle of Midway" was released in the seventies. In recent years I've seen a lot of stuff about it but none have come close to this presentation. Thank you.
Wow.... What a great episode this was... Thank You for that amazing interview and step back to early June 1942, Mr. Ward Carrol (Mooch) with Mr. Kevin Miller (Hozer).... So many Brave and Determined people who were in the middle of this epic battle, many loosing their lives....
Hozer’s walkthrough really exposes the grit of actual war. We now live in an era of watch-on-TV war that is so disconnected from the ugly boots-on-the-ground reality and fog of war. Thank you for sharing this.
I always enjoy hearing about WWII, and the Pacific campaign in particular. The dedication to the cause by our men, their patriotism, bravery, tenacity, and ingenuity is what inspired me to join the USMC.
On June 11th the newer movie version of the Battle of Midway is going to be shown on the hanger deck of the USS Hornet at former NAS Alameda. Afterwards a question answer session with a naval historian will take place. Naturally, since I am a ship restoration volunteer I will stay after my work. By the way Drachinfel did a three hour episode of the 80th Anniversary of the Battle of Midway. Very worthwhile to view.
Excellent commentary about the Battle of Midway during it’s 80th anniversary. I’d like to just point out that the two main Japanese carriers, Akagi and Kaga, were considerably bigger in displacement and size than the Yorktown class carriers, which were themselves not the biggest American carriers at the time; that distinction being owned by the older USS Lexington and USS Saratoga. However, Mr. Hozer is right in that the american carriers involved in the battle did have more aircraft (90 vs. 66 aprx) than their Japanese counterparts. Excellent description of the battle, and I am running to buy his book. Thanks for this post.
Let’s keep passing down the accounts through the generations so we keep remembering this battle (and others) and the terrible lost of lives on both sides. Let us learn from this and hope for peace. Thank you both for presenting this. The Battle of Midway has always fascinated me. This gave me more detailed knowledge of it.
Two of the best books reviewing the Battle of Midway are "Miracle at Midway," by Gordon Prange, and "Shattered Sword," by Parshall and Tully. The latter book reviews many of the aspects of the battle from the Japanese perspective. Richard Halsey Best should have been given a Medal of Honor for his actions (he got a Navy Cross), and IMO, should have had the newest Ford class carrier named after him.
"Shattered Sword" does have a great deal of information on Japanese carrier operations which can't be found in one volume anywhere else. That said, it also presents a number of inaccurate "revelations". Furthermore, their primary source is not the official history that they claim it to be. The book should be read with caution. Cheers...
@@manilajohn0182 I have heard/read that but for the most part it is accurate and more so than any of the other books about Midway which are older for the most part and loaded with fiction.
The Naval War College Review published a paper that was an operations research look at carrier combat during World War II. For the entire war, for all navies, on average it took a strike by two air wings to sink one carrier. At Midway, the two air wings that found the Japanese fleet sank three carriers. Statistically, that strike was 200% more effective than the expected value. Also, good to remember that US and Japanese carriers fought four major actions in 1942--Coral Sea, Midway, Eastern Solomon, and Santa Cruz--with Midway the only tactical victory. As Walter Lord named his book, Incredible Victory.
@@michaelsommers2356 Afraid someone would ask that. NWC Review now available online in pdf format for last 50 years or so. That article was sometime in late 1980s to early 1990s. I tried to search for it, however, the search function only works for the last few years. One of my rainy day projects is to go through the online repository and download articles of interest. Unfortunately, without a good search function that will take time.
I spent the last 3 months of my 17th year serving the 1st 3 months of my tour in Vietnam, aboard the USS Constellation, 1971/72 Westpac on Yankee Station. Very few people understand the difference between nose tow launch and bridle launch ie: one catapult crewman at the front landing gear vs 4 catapult crewman under the aircraft, unless it be a crusader where there where often 5 crewmen. It was quite a different world than what we have today. safety man, hookup men, holdback men... I worked all but safety man. Love all that you do. Might that make an interesting and informative video, capturing a bit of history in the evolution of navy air ops? God speed to all Navy Aviation participants, and all that support them! Thank you, Sir!
In honor of the Battle of Midway and the War in the Pacific, there is an outstanding UA-cam website Armoured Carriers detailing Britain's war with the IJN. Excellent video and stories in the words of those that were there. It's amazing to hear British pilots talking about Hellcats and Corsairs.
YES INDEED. That site is one of the best on the net, without doubt. It beats the stuffing out of its competition. It is in every sense of the word, "Professional".
Back in the '80s I was a fairly young engineer working as a contractor supporting AIRLANT. One of my co-workers was a retired Naval aviator who graduated from Pensacola in 1939 as a torpedo bomber pilot. He was in all the carrier battles of WWII and went on to captain one during the Korean conflict. We all were completely in awe of him.
A great joint victory that should be remembered and honored! Well stated and very well narrated........it's almost like Hozer was present for this pivotal battle that really was the turning point of the Pacific theater. I could listen to Hozer retell this extremely brave historic battle that almost sounds like fiction but truly happened and paved the way to by far the greatest Navy and armed forces the world has ever seen for the next 80 years and beyond! The rest of the world knows not monkey around with the US and Kevin and Ward are absolute shining ambassadors of this! Jim c.
I wish someone would do an in-depth study on the heroics of the shipyard workers that patched up Yorktown back to fighting trim. As a Journeyman Machinist, I have so much admiration for ALL the Trades that put all their skill and abilities to bear to help return Yorktown to the battle.
I especially hold high esteem for the men and crews of VMSB-241. By the opening of the battle, they had started to receive Navy SBD-2s to replace their SB2Us with many of their pilots low-time from my understanding and zero-hours in type. I cannot imagine flying an unfamiliar aircraft into combat for what would likely be their first time. I'm nothing more than a private pilot who started flying as a kid and those guys have my deepest admiration and respect. They all do. Thank you for sharing these finer points of this hard-fought victory despite all the ways that it went horribly wrong. Semper Fi.
Kevin, I am currently reading your book, and it is obvious even in the beginning that you’ve done one heck of a lot of research… So far a great read, thanks!
I really enjoyed this episode on this, the 80th Anniversary of The Battle of Midway! I read Kevin's book and found it highly entertaining and informative; it added a more human dimension to the story! Thanks, Ward and Kevin for posting this!! I've read a few other books about this Battle, among them : The Battle of Midway (Pivotal Moments in American History) by Craig Symonds, The First Team: Pacific Naval Air Combat from Pearl Harbor to Midway by John B. Lundstrom, and Shattered Sword: The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway by Jonathan Parshall, Anthony Tully, John B. Lundstrom. All good books! Thank You Ward and Kevin for mthis great video!!
Dear Mooch the story about the innovative torpedo riged on a PBY reminded me of a story my Dad Joseph Stephens CPO WW2 Navy PBY Aleutians etc at the time of Midway. Some PBY crew tried to rig a torpedo under wing to take off from a harbor in choppy water it came off the wing went live and sunk a US ship in harbor with a load of concrete for runways. The crew died in a cartwheel crash. Many other stories of crew deaths and suffering during that time. God rest you Dad.
My grandfather flew off of Yorktown, he was in the second scouting scouting squadron (VS-5). There doesn't seem to be as much I can find about what they did but it's nice to get a small piece of the puzzle here. Thank you both!
Thank you. My dad was on CV5 Yorktown in Bombing3 SBD’s. The Navy hymn caught me unprepared for the emotional vision of his experience. He barely mentioned the Saratoga, Yorktown and Hornet, and certainly not the combat that took him from E3 to E7 in 12 months.
As the son of a Midway vet who was aboard Phelps (the DD that sank Lex at Coral Sea) for Midway, glad to see you dedicate some time to this epic table-turning battle!!!
Torpedo bombers had to slow to 80 kts to attack at wavetop level. A Cessna 150 cruises at around 95 kts. Most people reading this has gone faster than this on a highway. Imagine doing this with enemy fighters swooping on you and enemy AA gunners using you as a clay pigeon. Crazy.
And sometimes luck is pretty blind and dumb. There was quite a bit of that on the US side alongside their serious bravery and training. A remarkable episode of history and full credit to the US for their critical, costly victory that did indeed turn the War in the Pacific.
I heard about the Battle of Midway from my grandfather, at a young age. His brother, Admiral Miles Rutherford Browning. I knew of him as Haley's Chief of Staff. The stories have kept me captivated throughout the years - Thanks Mooch and Hozer for bringing back the memories and the details.
I just finished reading the other "Silver Waterfall" by Simms and McGregor when I remembered and watched this interview. I just bought Hozer's novel, which I'm expecting to help me recover from post-Punk's Trilogy withdrawal.
My father was a SBD pilot (VS-8) who flew at Midway from the Hornet. Before Hornet launch its planes, he witnessed a heated argument between HAG commander Stanhope Ring and VT-8 commander John Waldron about where the Japanese carrier group would be found. As Waldron left the ready room, he uttered to his pilots "Follow me, I''ll take you to them!" which he did. And as they say, the rest is history.
I am always looking for information on this battle. My Father in law Clyde H. Stamps was a flying Peon in VMSB-241, I believe, at Pearl Harbor and Midway. I wish he was still here to talk with him more about his military career. He was a quite, and reserved man who amazed me.
It's hard to put into words what the US Navy means to millions of Americans and has for centuries. As a kid I got to visit the USS Constitution in Boston Harbor in 1976 where it had just been refitted for the bi-centennial. The next year we were on the west coast and visited the USS Missouri which was a floating monument at Bremerton Naval Station where my grandfather had spent the war as a civilian contractor. Both experiences were very moving. Around that time I asked my Mom what it was like being a little girl on the west coast in the first years of the war when it looked like the Japanese were unstoppable. She remembers how afraid some of the adults were but she was also told that as long as the US Navy was out there everything was going to be okay. That's also how I felt as a kid and young man during the Cold War. Sure the Soviets were pretty scary, but as long as the US Navy - and other US services - were out there we were going to be okay.
My uncle, Norman Tuck, was on the Yorktown when abandon ship was called. He had an especially close relationship with his sister, my Aunt Martha. She often told of the dream she had, her brother Norman in the oil-filled water, saying 'tell mom I am all right'. Weeks later they got the official news, Norman had been rescued from the water, Yorktown was indeed sunk, but the battle had been won. They are all gone now, but their heroism will be remembered always.
My grandfather, another Norman, was on the Yorktown then too.
if there is good,,,it was created by a god who is/was/always good,,,those boys are reunited with moms dads lil sises the bros at home,and maybe the dawg too
Lost a cousin at Coral sea on Yorktown, half buried at sea, half at the Punch bowl, some I'm sure still aboard. rip cuz.
I know what you mean...have one uncle, paratrooper in the battle of the bulge and another now passed that was a ball turret gunner. Amazing men.
Thanks for sharing that story!
For this old Aussie living in the land down under, I know what a debt we owe to our American friends in all theaters of war and from all arms of your military. There was nothing to defend Australia through those fraught times and you have been a staunch ally ever since. Do not ever think that your sacrifices are not remembered and solemnly celebrated.
Had more than one Nam vet tell of the incredible welcome they got there on R&R
Thank you. We also remember and honor the many brave “Diggers” who fell along the Kakoda Trail defending our freedom and allowing the following generations to live in peace.
Don't forget your own men and women... the coast watchers whose intel made so many victories possible.
Yes. The cream of the Australian army was still fighting in North Africa so Australia did need a little help in defending their country.
I got to serve with the Australian Army in 2007 at COB Adder in Talil, Iraq. Wonderful folks they were
Hozer is always one of your best guests, he brings a lot to the table. I hope we see him again in the future.
As we come up on the anniversary of the Battle of Midway, I hope to see more content about this historic and astounding naval engagement. I never tire of this story, and it still makes me proud to consider the skill and sacrifices of our naval officers and airmen even in those early days.
I never thought I'd ever see Midway with my own eyes, but in the late 80's, during a deployment to WestPac from Pearl Harbor, we received a message that a crewman's brother had died unexpectedly in the 'States, and we needed to get that crewman home to his family. We diverted to Midway, which still had an active Naval Air Station, to catch a P-3 to Hawaii and then a commercial flight home.
When we surfaced off of Midway, I was the first to ascend to the bridge to install the navigational gear, rig the "flying bridge" and prepare the position for the OOD and the CO to conn the boat.
I took a moment to gaze at this tiny spit of land; merely feet above the waterline, and felt awe at the thought of what had transpired there more than 40 years before.
Visiting historic sites like Midway, Gettysburg, the Normandy beaches, and heaven knows how many other places, for me has always been humbling. Nice story. Thanks for sharing. USN '82-'88
Thank goodness
My WWII era cargo ship, converted into a training ship, was crossing the Pacific in JAN/FEB '90. We received permission to leave the shipping lanes & alter our route to enter into a normally forbidden area to approach within a certain distance to see an island on the horizon. I had the same impression as you. Wake Island was barely visible above the waves. We were also told that it had occasionally been evacuated in certain storm conditions, because it would become completely submerged by storm surge. My Fall 1988 Naval Science class report had been on The Battle of Midway Islands, so all of the details were still fresh in my mind. My immediate thoughts went to those who had been on those islands, in the air, and on the sea during the battle that permanently protected the Hawaiian Islands and the West Coast. Except for incendiary balloons, and a submarine sighting in PNW, the Japanese never tried to attack there again. So many lives were lost to give that protection. I also am grateful for shipyard workers, and onboard damage control teams, that worked miracles on the vessels. I looked at what was essentially a big rock, far away from everything else, that made all of the difference. BTW, same transit, a sub fired a flare to let us know that we had just been torpedoed in a war game. My grandfather, in the Navy in WWII, had ended up in the water a couple of times, so I felt that. Kudos to whoever was on that sub.
Edit: Grandpa was gone by the time that I was taking these Pacific trips. Our ship was revisiting some of her WWII ports. I had asked Grandma if I was going to any of the places that he had been. She said that he had been Atlantic & Mediterranean. He was being trained for the Pacific when the bombs were dropped. He went home instead, to have my Dad & Aunt.
@@oldgoat142 I spent 3 years in Okinawa and never forgot, as I walked the island, that every step I took took me over a spot where someone had died in combat.
Very humbling...
@@elizabethbottroff1218 Beautiful story. I deeply appreciate you sharing this with me. It seems to me that this is a very treasured memory, as it should be. Thank you.
I was in High School in the mid 80's and read the Battle of Midway book several times and decided then that I wanted to go into the Navy. Being from the Midwest, I had never seen the ocean before. I was wanting to be on a carrier and launch airplanes because of that book and battle. In the end, I ended up on submarines and don't think I would change anything. Midway always will have a soft spot in my heart? What an awesome video. Thanks gentlemen!
I'm a little older, in the 60's I wanted to get into the submarine service, they told me I needed glasses, so I went to the surface fleet. This battle has fascinated me since I was a kid also, that and the fact that my Dad was at Pearl Harbor, made me want to join instead of protesting war like others of my generation.
I have been fascinated by Midway since I saw the movie with Charlton Heston when I was 13 years old. I love this detailed account of the battle. Thanks. 👍🏻☮️🇺🇸
Richard Best made the most impactful, snap decision of the entire war. Peeling off Kaga to sink Akagi basically shifted the odds in our favor. Had we just put a few more bombs into Kaga - instead of sinking Akagi - we might have lost at least one more carrier. Then - of course - he helped to sink Hiryu later on.
My uncle was a navy pilot who flew off the Enterprise at Midway.
His name please
Old man here. My dad served in the army in Europe during WW II. So proud of the greatest generation. Real brave men !
@@georgeforgerty2875 Ens. Daniel W Koster, flew with McClusky. Promoted in Feb 1942 and was part of Task Force 6.
This is history...
My uncle Bob Neely was a Pacific carrier fighter pilot in WW2. Never got the details but I remember him saying how incredibly small an aircraft carrier was from above.
Excellent lesson on the Midway battle. Personally, I find the story of the Yorktown very inspiring. She sunk a small carrier and damaged a fleet carrier at Coral Sea and was severely damaged by Japanese counter-attacks. She limped back to Pearl, got patched up and headed to Midway, where she contributed one of the two dive bomber squadrons that sank 3 carriers of the Kido Butai. She then endured two counter-strikes by Japanese aircraft, surviving the first and acting as a decoy on the second attack to protect the Enterprise and the Hornet. She was eventually sunk by a Japanese sub.
If the Yorktown was a sailor, she would probably get the Navy Cross for her bravery and sacrifice.
@DrakenViggen You're absolutely right, the 3rd carrier was the Hornet, not the Lexington. I amended the original comment with the correction. Thanks!
+{UCrdaGHRbDBNhYC5QiVpTbFA} *USS Yorktown (CV-5) earned a posthumous Battle Star at Midway.*
The Yorktown is a great visit, I've been 3 times and might have to go again.
@DrakenViggen Correct! CV-10 was also named Yorktown in honor of the sacrifice made by CV-5. Speaking of museums, CV-5 is sitting relatively intact at the bottom of the Pacific, though it would be impractical to visit at it is 5 Km below the surface.
@DrakenViggen Thanks for the correction!
This brought tears to my eyes. What an incredible sacrifice. God Bless these brave men.
They literally snatched the victory from the jaws of defeat. Those brave airmen and sailors. Such an awesome episode. Thank you to you both!
A conversation with John Lundstrom would be awesome. 😎👍
I’ve studied this battle more than any other. I think it’s because my late father (a Navy veteran for 26 years) Met George Gay when he was stationed in Florida after boot camp. I’ll have to look for that book to add to my collection of Midway books (both good and bad). Two of the best are Never Call Me A Hero by Norman ‘Jack’ Dusty Kliess and the Japanese side of the battle Shattered Sword.
I just finished Silver Waterfall two weeks ago. Great book, awesome writing and editing. I have read War and Rememberance many years ago and again last fall. Silver Waterfall filled holes in my soul about this great naval battle. I've read all of both of your books, looking forward to seeing more from you guys. Thanks for your service from a Marine dad.
Read his trilogy on modern carrier aviators. You won’t be disappointed.
That Yorktown was a tough SOB! There should always be a Yorktown and Enterprise in them US Navy….
Montemayor’s videos are excellent. A real depiction on how absolutely lucky we were and how absolutely terrible our torpedoes were. It’s an absolute tragedy how many young men lost their lives to deliver torpedoes that literally never worked. They had “no illusions” isn’t true though. It took way to long for the military to finally fix the problem and give the pilots a fighting chance to win.
What a brilliant description of the Midway battle, straight forward and very in depth, thank you Hozer for the great delivery and your knowledge of the subject, and like from the movie Tora Tora Tora...the Japanese certainly did awaken the sleeping dragon, and well, history is history, and the remainder of the war was the end of the Japanese Imperial Forces.
Thanks Mooch for giving Hozer the chance to put this out there, great footage and coverage as always.
Cheers from Aus!!!!
This week after Memorial Day and the Midway story, the Midshipman Choir is a right closing.
Every time I read or watch something about Midway I am always astounded by the bravery and sacrifice of the American aviators in this battle.
I was privileged to be invited to Naval War College for the 75th anniversary of the B of M celebration. I ran into a gent who was Spruance's Flag Sec. what a special experience for a long time student of the greatest Naval battle of the 20th century.
I agree. I can barely believe the Americans even tried. Don’t know if it was duty or desperation . An unbelievable act of bravery, and I remember when I have challenges to find inspiration.
It still grinds me that Mitscher and Ring weren't permanently exiled after sending the Hornet airwing on a flight to oblivion, not informing Spruance or Nimitz of their intent and subsequent action, and lying about it in the after action reports.
I believe you can relate to this, Mooch. Like music, sports, cars, carpentry, history... watching someone that's passionate about a craft is riveting entertainment. Kevin and Ward, thank you very much for keeping these events alive in our minds. I look at my grandparents and their generation with great admiration because of these events. Good work.
Amazing, after all these years and all the retellings of this battle that I've heard, to be able to learn new facts : to wit, that the first US torpedo was dropped from a PBY (love that plane!), and then, that the first attack on the Japanese carriers was by the land-based hodge-podge of heroes from Midway Isl. itself!
Superb, Mooch and Hozer. Thanks!
Very good guys, how bout this for a true story. My buddy and I while in middle school would cut grass so we could go see the movie Midway (w sensaround no less) in the mid 70s. We would later join the NROTC at LSU w him a year ahead of me and would go on to flight school. My buddy finished w over 400 traps in an A6 Inturder. So this movie had such an impact on us as kids, that we would do our turn when the time came. Hozer, an excellent recall of details and Mooch as always you do a fine job interviewing the host and adding your own knowledge.
IMO, Ward is becoming a much better interviewer, giving his guests more time - in the last month or so especially. Thanks!
Sitting here watching "The History of the Aircraft Carrier" episode of "What Made America Great" on FoxNation. Who should be one of the featured interviewees but Capt. Kevin "Hoser" Miller.
They also interviewed Adm. Jim Flatley III, and showed his C-130 carrier landing and introduced his son Seamus.
Ward, if you can, please tell them they did a GREAT job.
It was a beautiful way to end this episode with the Navy Hymn. The first time I heard it was at the Navy Chapel at RTC San Diego my second week of boot camp in 1978. The hymn choked me up and really took my breath away as I felt it included me, even though I hadn’t yet gone to sea. I had the same reaction when this video concluded with the hymn. This was an excellent video, very well composed. Thank you!
Thanks Ward for having Hozer share this. He offers a fresh perspective to a pivotal battle in the Pacific War. I plan to read his book. I recommend anyone interested in the war in the Pacific to read Hornfischer's "The Fleet at Flood Tide". Again, thanks for helping us never to forget!
As a Naval War College graduate who took the "War In the Pacific" elective course there, I would also commend to you our text for that excellent class, "Eagle Against the Sun".
I invite you to find any lecture by John parshall. This guy was very good about the dive bomber info but some is to much stuff that has, with new info we know, been proven different.
That hymn always gives me chills.
So much new information I've never heard before. This was a great one guys. Thank you!
Thanks for having Hozer give this wonderful look at Midway. His book, The Silver Waterfall is probably the best work of historical fiction. The SBD Dauntless... the carrier killer.
Slow But Deadly.
Bravo Zulu, Gentlemen. A most enjoyable recounting of the U,S. Navy's "Trafalgar". Very moving closing with the U,S,Navy's hymn; a life-long favourite of mine. This epic battle has fascinated me since I was around age ten. Some sixty-plus years later, it still thrills me to the core.
Hi Hozer, great to see you again.
Commentary on the Hornet's Fight to Nowhere would have been welcome. The gross incompetence of Mitscher and Ring are such a contrast with the great leadership shown by Fletcher, Spruance, McCluskey, and Best.
It still grinds in my gears that Mitscher's exile wasn't permanent, but rescinded by "second Chance" Nimitz, I'm guessing with Spruance's acquiescence, knowing that Mitscher and Ring lied in their after action reports about sending the Hornet airwing on a different course than that ordered, AND NOT INFORMING the CARRIER FORCE COMMANDER of THEIR INDEPENDENT ACTION! WHICH Caused the Loss of their entire fighter group and some of the remaining fighter and attack force when they ran out of fuel on the "Flight to Nowhere". Both Nimitz and Spruance kept quiet about Mitscher's and Ring's treachery AND incompetence. At least Mitscher had enough residual shame and memory of these events that he didn't disobey Spruance a second time at Saipan and Phillipine Sea when Spruance ordered all ships to standby and protect the Saipan invasion force, to play defense against the Japanese carrier force bearing down on them. In the minds of those aviator carrier captains, they were giving up the initiative to the Japanese strike force. In reality they had laid a perfect trap into which the Japanese Naval Aviation arm flew, and were destroyed in what was named the Great Marianas Marianas Turkey Shoot. The combination of a well organized fighter direction center and experienced wing commanders with overwhelming numbers of a superior fighter force annihilated the Japanese attack force, most likely more effectively than if the carrier captains had gotten their way. It almost didn't matter if ALL the Japanese carriers had gotten away, which they didn't, since the Japanese retired with three fourths of their aircraft lost, never to be replaced. And the ability to replace spent fuel denied by our submarines and control of shipping lanes by complete air superiority by land and sea.
The next day the fighter jocks got their way and showed their lack of disciplined judgment by launching full deck loads of airplanes in a chase from which many would never return in a flight beyond range and daylight. Mitscher gets credit for turning on the lights of his entire fleet to give his returning airplanes a chance to find the fleet, at risk of giving Japanese submarines sitting duck targets. This was clearly an act of desperation by Mitscher to try to keep from losing his entire air group, which had been totally victorious the day before. We handed back enough lost airplanes and crew to not quite even the score from the day before, but to unnecessarily lose a lot of people and planes. It's damn good that the Saipan air cover didn't suffer, or Nimitz and Spruance would have had to find new skippers for the entire carrier fleet. I would have replaced a lot of flag officers in charge of sending men into the night. I think putting Ching Lee in charge of the whole lot the next day would have sent the right message and some cold water where it was needed. The whole Halsey command suffered from Victory disease in the last months of WW2 with Halsey taking on two typhoons losing several ships with many hands.
Halsey and MacArthur should have been relieved. The war had passed both of them by. Tĥe
My dad was on the Enterprise as an electrician during that little dance in the Pacific. God bless all that served, and all that served all.
Thanks for mentioning the white hats facing aft behind their stingers protecting their pilots. I am a United States Naval Aircrewman. My country has built me the finest aircraft known to man. They have entrusted me to use it to keep our country free. With my Honor, Courage, and Commitment, my aircraft will be able to perform any task. I will always remember that I am part of an unbeatable team, the United States Naval Aircrew Team. Being an aircrewman is not an easy job. When I am cold, hot, or tired, I will not fail my crew. When flying, I will be ever diligent and watchful to keep my crew safe. If we fly into battle, may the heavens watch over our crew and protect us from the enemy so that we may fly again.
My father inlaw was a gunner with Mcluscy at Midway his name was Joseph DeLuca. A quiet man very measured in his response. No one in family really understood what he did. Never talked about it.
My Father in Law was a Marine in that theater and he was also very very quite and reserved. Never spoke of it. It was only after his death at 88 did we find out all he had been through hidden in a locked box in his bedroom. The greatest generation.
My grandad was in the Army in London and France during the war. He wouldn’t tell me anything until i enlisted(in the Navy). Even then he didn’t tell me much. I know he had to kill a few people and it haunted him until he died.
@@aaroncarr5725 Killing another human being has to be a haunting thing but the alternative is worse. Big respect for all these heroes.
Thanks Mooch for another wonderful interview. We need to continue to tell the story of those brave men and women who were undoubtedly the greatest generation and keep their memories alive!!!
From boot camp, 53 years ago, to now I still get chills every time I hear the Navy Hymn.
I always tear up when I hear the Navy Hymn, impossible not to. It reminds me powerfully of the Marine and Navy brethren I lost in Vietnam. Semper Fidelis and Anchors Aweigh, my friends.
@@bearowen5480 I'm admittedly, a fossil here. But that hymm always affected me. There was a TV series in the 1950's called Navy Log, and they played it at the end of every episode. I love that show.
Excellent Ward "Mooch" and thank you Hozer. I am watching the original movie tonight.
Thanks. My Uncle was on Midway, hardly ever spoke about it but gave credit to the Dauntless for making home
What a great episode, Mooch! Cudos to you and Hozer for a fantastic, and detailed review of perhaps the most iconic and consequential US Naval battle during in the Pacific theater of WWII! One of if not my top Naval battle I enjoy to learn about. Keep up the great work!!!
Yes, welcome Hozer. What a good way to remember the Battle of Midway. 80 years🛩⚓🇺🇲
I met Ens. Gay once when I was about 10 years old. It was at an airshow at NAS Willow Grove near Philadelphia, and I think he was signing books. At the time I didn't fully appreciate what this man had gone through and represented; as a ten year old I just wanted to see jets. But he seemed like a nice guy. Wish I had met him a few years later.
Absolutely wonderful tribute. Thank you for all both of you are doing.
It seems so few still remember, give reverence and credit to those who gave so selflessly and overcame incredible odds to save and ensure the freedom, we all to often, take for granted.
As a product of the fifties I never knew about Midway until the movie "Battle of Midway" was released in the seventies. In recent years I've seen a lot of stuff about it but none have come close to this presentation. Thank you.
Wow.... What a great episode this was... Thank You for that amazing interview and step back to early June 1942, Mr. Ward Carrol (Mooch) with Mr. Kevin Miller (Hozer).... So many Brave and Determined people who were in the middle of this epic battle, many loosing their lives....
Hozer’s walkthrough really exposes the grit of actual war. We now live in an era of watch-on-TV war that is so disconnected from the ugly boots-on-the-ground reality and fog of war. Thank you for sharing this.
I always enjoy hearing about WWII, and the Pacific campaign in particular. The dedication to the cause by our men, their patriotism, bravery, tenacity, and ingenuity is what inspired me to join the USMC.
I genuinely get emotional thinking about the heroism of the aviators at Midway. We owe so much to fortune, and so much more to skill.
On June 11th the newer movie version of the Battle of Midway is going to be shown on the hanger deck of the USS Hornet at former NAS Alameda. Afterwards a question answer session with a naval historian will take place. Naturally, since I am a ship restoration volunteer I will stay after my work. By the way Drachinfel did a three hour episode of the 80th Anniversary of the Battle of Midway. Very worthwhile to view.
Excellent commentary about the Battle of Midway during it’s 80th anniversary. I’d like to just point out that the two main Japanese carriers, Akagi and Kaga, were considerably bigger in displacement and size than the Yorktown class carriers, which were themselves not the biggest American carriers at the time; that distinction being owned by the older USS Lexington and USS Saratoga. However, Mr. Hozer is right in that the american carriers involved in the battle did have more aircraft (90 vs. 66 aprx) than their Japanese counterparts. Excellent description of the battle, and I am running to buy his book. Thanks for this post.
Let’s keep passing down the accounts through the generations so we keep remembering this battle (and others) and the terrible lost of lives on both sides. Let us learn from this and hope for peace.
Thank you both for presenting this. The Battle of Midway has always fascinated me. This gave me more detailed knowledge of it.
Silver Waterfall is a great read. Well done, Hozer.
Two of the best books reviewing the Battle of Midway are "Miracle at Midway," by Gordon Prange, and "Shattered Sword," by Parshall and Tully. The latter book reviews many of the aspects of the battle from the Japanese perspective. Richard Halsey Best should have been given a Medal of Honor for his actions (he got a Navy Cross), and IMO, should have had the newest Ford class carrier named after him.
Couldn't agree more.
I read recently another wonderful book, And I Was There: Breaking the Code: Pearl Harbor and Midway by Adm. Edwin P. Layton
"Shattered Sword" does have a great deal of information on Japanese carrier operations which can't be found in one volume anywhere else. That said, it also presents a number of inaccurate "revelations". Furthermore, their primary source is not the official history that they claim it to be. The book should be read with caution.
Cheers...
Imagine flying off of the Best Carrier. 👍
@@manilajohn0182 I have heard/read that but for the most part it is accurate and more so than any of the other books about Midway which are older for the most part and loaded with fiction.
Getting a ride on a PBY is on my bucket list...always my favorite airplane model to build...
Thanks! Many perspectives I haven't heard before. You sold one more book today.
Mooch, thank you for hosting Hozer once again. And a big thanks to Hozer, for breathing life back into such a crucial battle in a very tough theater.
The Naval War College Review published a paper that was an operations research look at carrier combat during World War II. For the entire war, for all navies, on average it took a strike by two air wings to sink one carrier. At Midway, the two air wings that found the Japanese fleet sank three carriers. Statistically, that strike was 200% more effective than the expected value. Also, good to remember that US and Japanese carriers fought four major actions in 1942--Coral Sea, Midway, Eastern Solomon, and Santa Cruz--with Midway the only tactical victory. As Walter Lord named his book, Incredible Victory.
Do you have a citation to the article?
@@michaelsommers2356 Afraid someone would ask that. NWC Review now available online in pdf format for last 50 years or so. That article was sometime in late 1980s to early 1990s. I tried to search for it, however, the search function only works for the last few years. One of my rainy day projects is to go through the online repository and download articles of interest. Unfortunately, without a good search function that will take time.
I wonder finally whose Hand was on that victory?
I spent the last 3 months of my 17th year serving the 1st 3 months of my tour in Vietnam, aboard the USS Constellation, 1971/72 Westpac on Yankee Station. Very few people understand the difference between nose tow launch and bridle launch ie: one catapult crewman at the front landing gear vs 4 catapult crewman under the aircraft, unless it be a crusader where there where often 5 crewmen. It was quite a different world than what we have today. safety man, hookup men, holdback men... I worked all but safety man. Love all that you do. Might that make an interesting and informative video, capturing a bit of history in the evolution of navy air ops? God speed to all Navy Aviation participants, and all that support them! Thank you, Sir!
In honor of the Battle of Midway and the War in the Pacific, there is an outstanding UA-cam website Armoured Carriers detailing Britain's war with the IJN. Excellent video and stories in the words of those that were there. It's amazing to hear British pilots talking about Hellcats and Corsairs.
YES INDEED. That site is one of the best on the net, without doubt. It beats the stuffing out of its competition. It is in every sense of the word, "Professional".
What is this great website called, if it doesn't feature Seth and Bill? The Second Best Also Unofficial....
Great story Hozer !!! Thanks Mooch !
I never get tired of reviewing this battle. It’s rare that strategic outcome for an entire war rest within 10 minute widow.
Hozer and Ward, thank you for that impressive point of view of history and that turning battle!
Back in the '80s I was a fairly young engineer working as a contractor supporting AIRLANT. One of my co-workers was a retired Naval aviator who graduated from Pensacola in 1939 as a torpedo bomber pilot. He was in all the carrier battles of WWII and went on to captain one during the Korean conflict. We all were completely in awe of him.
A great joint victory that should be remembered and honored! Well stated and very well narrated........it's almost like Hozer was present for this pivotal battle that really was the turning point of the Pacific theater. I could listen to Hozer retell this extremely brave historic battle that almost sounds like fiction but truly happened and paved the way to by far the greatest Navy and armed forces the world has ever seen for the next 80 years and beyond! The rest of the world knows not monkey around with the US and Kevin and Ward are absolute shining ambassadors of this! Jim c.
Wonderful telling of the battle, Kevin Miller...WELL DONE!
I wish someone would do an in-depth study on the heroics of the shipyard workers that patched up Yorktown back to fighting trim.
As a Journeyman Machinist, I have so much admiration for ALL the Trades that put all their skill and abilities to bear to help return Yorktown to the battle.
I especially hold high esteem for the men and crews of VMSB-241. By the opening of the battle, they had started to receive Navy SBD-2s to replace their SB2Us with many of their pilots low-time from my understanding and zero-hours in type. I cannot imagine flying an unfamiliar aircraft into combat for what would likely be their first time. I'm nothing more than a private pilot who started flying as a kid and those guys have my deepest admiration and respect. They all do. Thank you for sharing these finer points of this hard-fought victory despite all the ways that it went horribly wrong. Semper Fi.
Thank you gentlemen for your time and service may all who served and died rest in peace
Thanks Hozer! well done, well done.
Excellent retelling of a consequential battle. Thanks Mooch and Hozer!
Kevin, I am currently reading your book, and it is obvious even in the beginning that you’ve done one heck of a lot of research… So far a great read, thanks!
I really enjoyed this episode on this, the 80th Anniversary of The Battle of Midway! I read Kevin's book and found it highly entertaining and informative; it added a more human dimension to the story! Thanks, Ward and Kevin for posting this!! I've read a few other books about this Battle, among them : The Battle of Midway (Pivotal Moments in American History) by Craig Symonds, The First Team: Pacific Naval Air Combat from Pearl Harbor to Midway by John B. Lundstrom, and Shattered Sword: The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway by Jonathan Parshall, Anthony Tully, John B. Lundstrom. All good books! Thank You Ward and Kevin for mthis great video!!
Hoser is a great story teller. BZ,,,,And the Navy Hymn....ah, yes.
Great job Kevin. That is the fourth time I've heard you tell the story, and it never gets old! Thanks for that! Fly Navy!
Best video yet! I'm going to order that book!
Awesome interview Thank you Ward. Brilliant story from Hozer
Dear Mooch the story about the innovative torpedo riged on a PBY reminded me of a story my Dad Joseph Stephens CPO WW2 Navy PBY Aleutians etc at the time of Midway. Some PBY crew tried to rig a torpedo under wing to take off from a harbor in choppy water it came off the wing went live and sunk a US ship in harbor with a load of concrete for runways. The crew died in a cartwheel crash. Many other stories of crew deaths and suffering during that time. God rest you Dad.
Fantastic video! Thanks Mooch and Hozer!
My grandfather flew off of Yorktown, he was in the second scouting scouting squadron (VS-5). There doesn't seem to be as much I can find about what they did but it's nice to get a small piece of the puzzle here. Thank you both!
Great listen. Such an important battle fought on the Pacific that is usually overshadowed by the Media because of D-Day.
Thank you. My dad was on CV5 Yorktown in Bombing3 SBD’s. The Navy hymn caught me unprepared for the emotional vision of his experience. He barely mentioned the Saratoga, Yorktown and Hornet, and certainly not the combat that took him from E3 to E7 in 12 months.
Thank you for wonderfully appropriate ending with navy hymn
As the son of a Midway vet who was aboard Phelps (the DD that sank Lex at Coral Sea) for Midway, glad to see you dedicate some time to this epic table-turning battle!!!
Thankyou gentleman for your service, your deep respect for those who flew honorably before you.
Torpedo bombers had to slow to 80 kts to attack at wavetop level. A Cessna 150 cruises at around 95 kts. Most people reading this has gone faster than this on a highway. Imagine doing this with enemy fighters swooping on you and enemy AA gunners using you as a clay pigeon. Crazy.
Add to that the idea that our torpedoes were less than reliable and our VT combat crews were more than heroic.
"Luck is indeed where preparation meets opportunity" Without question the turning point of WWII in the Pacific
And sometimes luck is pretty blind and dumb. There was quite a bit of that on the US side alongside their serious bravery and training. A remarkable episode of history and full credit to the US for their critical, costly victory that did indeed turn the War in the Pacific.
I had a fighter squadron commanding officer that used to say that he did not want you unless you were "Lucky.''
80 years ago. It's hard to believe it's been so long. I thoroughly enjoyed your telling of this most famous of battles. God bless all who served.
I heard about the Battle of Midway from my grandfather, at a young age. His brother, Admiral Miles Rutherford Browning. I knew of him as Haley's Chief of Staff. The stories have kept me captivated throughout the years - Thanks Mooch and Hozer for bringing back the memories and the details.
Fantastic interview and history lesson. Thanks, Mooch and Hozer!
The Battle of Midway is the golden age of Naval Aviation. Those men had their balls screwed on tight. Great post Commander!
I just finished reading the other "Silver Waterfall" by Simms and McGregor when I remembered and watched this interview. I just bought Hozer's novel, which I'm expecting to help me recover from post-Punk's Trilogy withdrawal.
My father was a SBD pilot (VS-8) who flew at Midway from the Hornet. Before Hornet launch its planes, he witnessed a heated argument between HAG commander Stanhope Ring and VT-8 commander John Waldron about where the Japanese carrier group would be found. As Waldron left the ready room, he uttered to his pilots "Follow me, I''ll take you to them!" which he did. And as they say, the rest is history.
Thank you Ward for this wonderful interview with Kevin!
Idk why but the hymn always brings me to tears. Great recount and tribute to honorable warriors on both sides, by two of the same. Thank you!
I’m
Thank you for keeping fresh the memory of those warriors.
I am always looking for information on this battle. My Father in law Clyde H. Stamps was a flying Peon in VMSB-241, I believe, at Pearl Harbor and Midway. I wish he was still here to talk with him more about his military career. He was a quite, and reserved man who amazed me.
Dang it mooch, I was doing OK until you played the navy hymn. Good review thank you.
Great show...LOVE having the U.S. Navy Hymn at the end! Retired Senior Chief and History Buff. Thank you!
It's hard to put into words what the US Navy means to millions of Americans and has for centuries.
As a kid I got to visit the USS Constitution in Boston Harbor in 1976 where it had just been refitted for the bi-centennial. The next year we were on the west coast and visited the USS Missouri which was a floating monument at Bremerton Naval Station where my grandfather had spent the war as a civilian contractor. Both experiences were very moving.
Around that time I asked my Mom what it was like being a little girl on the west coast in the first years of the war when it looked like the Japanese were unstoppable. She remembers how afraid some of the adults were but she was also told that as long as the US Navy was out there everything was going to be okay.
That's also how I felt as a kid and young man during the Cold War. Sure the Soviets were pretty scary, but as long as the US Navy - and other US services - were out there we were going to be okay.
Not just Americans, the whole Western world-with love from Australia.
@@rogerpattube absolutely, sir. Thank you for the reminder.