During World War II, Ford served as head of the photographic unit for the Office of Strategic Services and made documentaries for the Navy Department. He was commissioned as a commander in the United States Navy Reserve. He won two more Academy Awards during this time, one for the semi-documentary "The Battle of Midway" (1942), and one for the propaganda film "" (1943). Ford filmed the Japanese attack on Midway from the power plant of Sand Island and was wounded in the arm.