Evening star., 1942-07-15
Attempted Invasion
By 80 Ships Fooled
In Big Sea Battle
Americas Losses Listed
As Carrier Yorktown and
Destroyer Hommonn

The tuH tert OF the Navy. De-
pdrtment's commnnique No. 81
the Battle OF MidDdy-tSSued last
night, tollo,Us.
|, Early in June, near the island
OF Midway, about 1,100 miles to
the westward of Pearl Harbor, units
of our Army, Navy and Marine
Corps Joined action with strong
Japanese invasion fleet which was
approaching our Midway outpost.
The voluminous reports of the de-
tails of the battle of Midway have
been studied and evaluated so that
this resume now becomes possible.
2. After the defeat the japanese
in the battle of the Coral Sea be-
tween May and May 8, our shore
based reconnaissance aircraft and
submarines reported a general with
drawal of enemy naval ships from
the Southwest Pacific toward Japan.
Concentrations of enemy naval units
made it apparent that large-scale
offensive operations were planned
by the enemy, but the exact nature
of the plan of attack could only be
guessed. The enemy had learned in
the battle of the Coral Sea that the
sea approaches to Australia were
strongly defended. 1t appeared log
ical, therefore, to assume that the
enemy's next thrust would come in
some other area-possibly Hawaii,
Alaska, the Panama Canal Zone, or
even the Pacific Coast of the United
States. In accordance with this es-
innate, United States naval surface
forces were deployed in the area
between Midway and the Aleutian
Islands. Bases in the outlying is
lands and in Alaska were reinforced
by long shore-based aircraft.
Similar precautionary measures also
were taken on the Pacific Coast and
in the vicinity of the Panama Canal.
g. At about 9 am, June 3, United
States Navy patrol planes reported
a strong force of enemy ships about
300 miles off Midway, proceeding
eastward. Nine United States Army
'Flying Fortresses" based on Mid
way Immediately were ordered to
intercept and attack the approach
ing enemy. The japanese force was
observed to be approaching in five
columns and was composed of many
cruisers, transports, cargo vessels
and other escort ships. The Army
bombers scored hits on one cruiser
and one transport. Both ships were
severely damaged and left burning
Some lesser damage was done to
other vessels in the formation.
Later, during the night, four Navy
Catalina" flying boats located and
attacked the same enemy group by
moonlight. These four planes scored
two torpedo hits on large enemy
ships. one of which is believed to
have sunk
Score Hits on Jap Cruiser.
4. About dawn on June 4, several
groups of Army medium and heavy
bonbers, and United States Marine
Corps dive bombers and torpedo
planes took to the air from Midway
to attack the approaching enemy.
The results of this attack were as
follows:
(a) -Four Army torpedo bombers
attacked two enemy aircraft car
riers through heavy screen of
enemy fighter protection and cur
tain Of anti-aircraft fire. One tor
pedo hit on carrier is believed to
have been made. Two of the four
bombers failed to return.
; {b) Six Marine Corps torpedo
planes attacked the enemy force in
the face of heavy odds. 1t is be-
lieved this group secured one hit
on an enemy ship. Only one of
these six planes returned to its base.
{ (c) Sixteen Marine Corps dive
bombers attacked and scored three
hits on cruiser, which is believed
] to have been the Soryu. Only half
sof the attacking planes returned.
Id Another group of IL Marine
! Corps dive bombers made later
attack on enemy ships and reported
two bomb hits on an enemy battle
ship, which was left smoking and
listing.
(e) A group of l6 Army Plying
aFortresses" carried out high-level
bombing attacks, scoring three hits
on enemy carriers. One carrier was
eleft smoking heavily.
40 Enemy Planes Downed.
s. Meanwhile, at 6::35 am mid
way time, June A., shortly after
the Marine Corps planes had left
Midway to carry out an attack mis-
sion, the island, itself, was attacked
by a large group of carrier-bor
enemy planes. They were engaged
by a badly outnumbered Marine
Corps fighter force, which met the
enemy in the air as he arrived.
These defending fighters, aided by
enti-aircraft batteries. shot down at
least 40 of the enemy planes. Sew
.eral more were damaged. AS the
result of this fighter defense, the
material damage to shore install
lations, though severe, was not
disabling. No plane was caught
grounded at Midway.
~ AiAC NiiNNoy -bdoCo Oh lol SCo
had struck the approaching japanese
sf]eet with their full strength, but
the enemy did not appear to have
been checked. 1t was estimated
that only about 10 enemy ships had
been damaged out of a total enemy
force of approximately 30 ships then
converging upon Midway.
,s l. 1t was learned later that our
eerial attacks had caused the enemy
carrier force to change its course.
They began a retirement to the
northwestward some time between
$50 ana $50 am, on the morning
of June f. Their complete change
of course was not observed by our
shore based planes because the
change came after the planes had
delivered their attacks and while
they were returning to Midway to
rearm.
Is L. S. Planes Fail to Return.