Images

Battle of Midway

  • Heading to Midway

    Heading to Midway
    Japanese Navy sails towards Midway Island. It has four forces. One is charged with the invasion of the Aleutian Islands, which are located off the Alaskan coast, while the other three are to go to Midway Island and attack the USN fleet.
  • Final Japanese Force leaves Japan

    Final Japanese Force leaves Japan
    The final Force leaves Japan.
  • Aleutian Islands

    Aleutian Islands
    The Northern Force begins its operation to take the Aleutian Island chain and divert USN forces to the region.
  • Japanese attack again

    Japanese attack again
    American fighter aircraft undertakes heavy losses but forces the Japanese Navy to launch a second attack.
  • Japanese spots USN ships

    Japanese spots USN ships
    At 7:28AM, a Japanese plane spots ten undetermined USN surface ships northeast of the Japanese Midway invasion force.
  • USN Devastator attackers

    USN Devastator attackers
    All incoming USN Devastator attackers are shot down by Japanese Zero fighters in the span of six minutes.
  • Japanese carriers ultimately sunk

    Japanese carriers ultimately sunk
    The three Japanese carriers - Kaga, Soryu and Akagi - are struck with bombs and ultimately sunk and the Japanese carrier Hiryu is scuttled.
  • First Attack

    First Attack
    At 4:30AM, the bombing of Midway Island begins with aircraft from Japan's First Carrier Strike Force.
  • Dive bombers and torpedo planes

    Dive bombers and torpedo planes
    At 7:52AM, the USS Enterprise and USS Hornet launch their dive bombers and torpedo planes.
  • Attack on Japanese carriers

    Attack on Japanese carriers
    Between 9:30AM and 10:00AM, Torpedo planes from the USS Enterprise and USS Hornet begin their attacks on the Japanese carriers.
  • Island of Kiska

    Island of Kiska
    The island of Kiska is taken by Japanese forces.
  • Island of Attu

    Island of Attu
    The island of Attu is taken by Japanese force.
  • US attacks Japan once and for all

    US attacks Japan once and for all
    The US final attack crippled Japanese naval air power. The enemy suffered four lost carriers and the majority of its air fleet. The battle was a decisive victory for the United States that ended the Japan threat to the Hawaiian Islands and the United States mainland.