Changes

[[Image:Midway Atoll.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Midway Atoll, as it looked in November, 1941]]

[[Image:Midway Atoll.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Midway Atoll, as it looked in November, 1941]]

'''The Battle of Midway''', fought near the Central Pacific island of Midway on June 4-7, 1942, is considered the decisive battle of the war in the [[Pacific Ocean]]. Before this battle the Japanese were on the offensive, capturing territory throughout [[Asia]] and the Pacific. By their attack, the Japanese had planned to capture Midway to use as an advance base, as well as to entrap and destroy the [[U.S.]] Pacific Fleet. Because of communication intelligence successes, the [[U.S.]] Pacific Fleet surprised the Japanese forces, sinking the four Japanese carriers that had attacked [[Pearl Harbor]] only six months before, while only losing of one carrier. After Midway, the [[American]]s and their Allies took the offensive in the Pacific.

'''The Battle of Midway''', fought near the Central Pacific island of Midway on June 4–7, 1942, is considered the decisive battle of the war in the [[Pacific Ocean]]. Before this battle the Japanese were on the offensive, capturing territory throughout [[Asia]] and the Pacific. By their attack, the Japanese had planned to capture Midway to use as an advance base, as well as to entrap and destroy the [[U.S.]] Pacific Fleet. Because of communication intelligence successes, the [[U.S.]] Pacific Fleet surprised the Japanese forces, sinking the four Japanese carriers that had attacked [[Pearl Harbor]] only six months before, while only losing of one carrier. After Midway, the [[American]]s and their Allies took the offensive in the Pacific.

==Midway Atoll==

==Midway Atoll==

First visited in 1859, Midway formally became a United States possession in 1867. A trans-pacific cable station was established there in 1903. In 1935, Pan American Airways built a way station on Sand Island to support its new seaplane route between the U.S. and Asia. Midway was recommended as a patrol plane and submarine base in a 1938-39 study of national defense needs, and construction of a U.S. Navy base began soon thereafter. This included a seaplane hangar and other facilities on Sand Island and an airfield on the smaller Eastern Island.

First visited in 1859, Midway formally became a United States possession in 1867. A trans-pacific cable station was established there in 1903. In 1935, Pan American Airways built a way station on Sand Island to support its new seaplane route between the U.S. and Asia. Midway was recommended as a patrol plane and submarine base in a 1938-39 study of national defense needs, and construction of a U.S. Navy base began soon thereafter. This included a seaplane hangar and other facilities on Sand Island and an airfield on the smaller Eastern Island.

The new base was bombarded by two Japanese Destroyers on December 7 1941, causing damage to some buildings and destroying one patrol plane. With the fall of [[Wake Island]] later in the month, Midway became the westernmost U.S. outpost in the Central Pacific. Land-based bombers and fighters were stationed on Eastern Island. U.S. Marines provided defensive artillery and infantry. Operating from Sand Island and the atoll's lagoon, PBY "Catalina" seaplanes actively patrolled toward the Japanese-held [[Marshall Islands]] and Wake, checking on enemy activities and guarding against further enemy attacks on Hawaii. There were occasional clashes when planes from Midway and those from the Japanese islands met over the Pacific.

The new base was bombarded by two Japanese Destroyers on December 7, 1941, causing damage to some buildings and destroying one patrol plane. With the fall of [[Wake Island]] later in the month, Midway became the westernmost U.S. outpost in the Central Pacific. Land-based bombers and fighters were stationed on Eastern Island. U.S. Marines provided defensive artillery and infantry. Operating from Sand Island and the atoll's lagoon, PBY "Catalina" seaplanes actively patrolled toward the Japanese-held [[Marshall Islands]] and Wake, checking on enemy activities and guarding against further enemy attacks on Hawaii. There were occasional clashes when planes from Midway and those from the Japanese islands met over the Pacific.

==Prelude==

==Prelude==

===Coral Sea===

===Coral Sea===

In early March, the Japanese postponed their planned seizure of Port Moresby because of previous events. An American carrier raid on Japanese shipping at Lae and Salamaua on the 10th, along with a previously unsuccessful attempt to attack Rabaul on February 20, had demonstrated to Commander in Chief, Fourth Fleet (Admiral Shigeyoshi Inouye), that Japanese were not assured of air superiority in the region. It was not until early May, when Admiral Inouye had three carriers for operations, that the invasion could begin. On May 7-8, the first carrier battle of the war took place in the Coral Sea. Each side had a carrier damaged, while the American lost the carrier USS ''Lexington'' and the Japanese lost the light carrier ''Shoho''. More important the Japanese broke off their invasion attempt. Significantly, American cryptanalysts had provided crucial order of battle and operational communications intelligence to the Allied commanders in the South Pacific.

In early March, the Japanese postponed their planned seizure of Port Moresby because of previous events. An American carrier raid on Japanese shipping at Lae and Salamaua on the 10th, along with a previously unsuccessful attempt to attack Rabaul on February 20, had demonstrated to Commander in Chief, Fourth Fleet (Admiral Shigeyoshi Inouye), that Japanese were not assured of air superiority in the region. It was not until early May, when Admiral Inouye had three carriers for operations, that the invasion could begin. On May 7–8, the first carrier battle of the war took place in the Coral Sea. Each side had a carrier damaged, while the American lost the carrier USS ''Lexington'' and the Japanese lost the light carrier ''Shoho''. More important the Japanese broke off their invasion attempt. Significantly, American cryptanalysts had provided crucial order of battle and operational communications intelligence to the Allied commanders in the South Pacific.

==="AF"===

==="AF"===

On May 19 the Officer in Charge of COMINT processing at Hypo (Commander Joseph J. Rochefort) and the intelligence officer for the Pacific Fleet (Lieutenant Commander Edwin T. Layton), identified Midway and Dutch Harbor, Aleutian Islands, as specific Japanese objectives. On May 22, following a radio deception operation, Melbourne completely confirmed that "AF" meant Midway. Hypo then discovered the date cipher used in Japanese message traffic. This meant analysts could determine exactly when the attack would take place. After examining previously intercepted messages, Hypo predicted an attack on Midway on 4 June. Admiral Nimitz used this estimate to plan American countermeasures.

On May 19 the Officer in Charge of COMINT processing at Hypo (Commander Joseph J. Rochefort) and the intelligence officer for the Pacific Fleet (Lieutenant Commander Edwin T. Layton), identified Midway and Dutch Harbor, Aleutian Islands, as specific Japanese objectives. On May 22, following a radio deception operation, Melbourne completely confirmed that "AF" meant Midway. Hypo then discovered the date cipher used in Japanese message traffic. This meant analysts could determine exactly when the attack would take place. After examining previously intercepted messages, Hypo predicted an attack on Midway on 4 June. Admiral Nimitz used this estimate to plan American countermeasures.

On May 26, since COMINT suggested the Japanese intended to approach from that direction, submarine USS ''Gudgeon'' (SS-211) sailed for a surface patrol northwest of Midway. Also on the 26th, aircraft ferry USS ''Kitty Hawk'' (AKV-1) arrived at Midway with reinforcements for Marine Air Group 22, a light tank platoon earmarked for a mobile reserve, and the 3d Defense Battalion, equipped with 3-inch antiaircraft guns. On that same day, Task Force Sixteen (TF 16) under the command of Rear Admiral [[William F. Halsey]], and centered around USS ''Hornet'' (CV- 8) and USS ''Enterprise'' (CV-6), returned to Pearl Harbor from the South Pacific to begin preparations for the upcoming battle. Although suffering from damage inflicted by Japanese bombs during the 7-8 May [[Battle of the Coral Sea]], USS ''Yorktown'' (CV-5) returned the next day.

On May 26, since COMINT suggested the Japanese intended to approach from that direction, submarine USS ''Gudgeon'' (SS-211) sailed for a surface patrol northwest of Midway. Also on the 26th, aircraft ferry USS ''Kitty Hawk'' (AKV-1) arrived at Midway with reinforcements for Marine Air Group 22, a light tank platoon earmarked for a mobile reserve, and the 3d Defense Battalion, equipped with 3-inch antiaircraft guns. On that same day, Task Force Sixteen (TF 16) under the command of Rear Admiral [[William F. Halsey]], and centered around USS ''Hornet'' (CV- 8) and USS ''Enterprise'' (CV-6), returned to Pearl Harbor from the South Pacific to begin preparations for the upcoming battle. Although suffering from damage inflicted by Japanese bombs during the 7–8 May [[Battle of the Coral Sea]], USS ''Yorktown'' (CV-5) returned the next day.

==Departure to battle==

==Departure to battle==