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preceding day when a message was received in plain language telling of the discovery of the enemy carrier task force on bearing 325° from Midway. Climbing to 20,000 feet (6,100 m), the
Fortresses changed course to find the carriers. The enemy force was located at 07:32, but the carriers, circling under a cloud formation, were not found until 08:10. The B-17's had skirted the fleet and approached from the northwest; i. e., from the stern of the targets. They attacked by flights, two elements concentrating on each of two carriers and a single element on a third. Antiaircraft fire was heavy and found the altitude, but was generally behind. The Japanese fighters did not dare press home their attacks, which were ineffectual.
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441:(Golden crownbeard flower) has about taken over all of it. The runways, although declared a National Historic Treasure, are not maintained. The only building on Eastern Island is an outdoor john built by Fish and Wildlife Service. The seawalls have been taken down, allowing for substantial erosion. The island is desolate with no trees.
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then dropping down to only 10 feet (3.0 m) above the water under heavy attack from
Japanese fighters. Two of the Marauders were lost in this action, and the other two were heavily damaged. No hits were made on the Japanese carriers. The B-26 was much too large an aircraft for this type of attack.
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Between 3 and 5 June, Fifth Air Force B-17s flew 16 attacks totaling 55 sorties from Midway. However, eventually it was determined that none of the heavy bombers actually hit a target. The B-17's were far more suited to high altitude bombing, hitting stationary ground targets, not maritime bombing,
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an hour earlier only 700 miles (1,100 km) away, and was ordered to attack this "main body." This
Japanese force, consisting of 2 or 3 heavy cruisers and about 30 other ships, including destroyers, transports, and cargo vessels, had evidently been moving toward Midway since the morning contact.
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Eastern Island has been abandoned since 1970. Today, the original runways, bunkers and other wartime remnants still stand. Bomb craters and long strings of strafing bullet marks from
Japanese Zero fighter aircraft still stitch across runway aprons and building faces, evidence that Japan brought the
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In addition to the B-17 attacks, at 07:05 the B-26's attacked through heavy fighter defense and flak with no fighter support of their own. The
Marauders were equipped with external torpedo racks underneath the keel of the aircraft. The torpedo runs began at 800 feet (240 m) altitude, the B-26s
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At 16:25 the fleet of 26 ships was spotted 570 miles (920 km) from the island. Six B-17Es of the 431st, along with three B-17Es from the 31st, attacked in three flights of three from altitudes of 8,000 feet (2,400 m), 10,000 feet (3,000 m), and 12,000 feet (3,700 m) respectively.
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Because of the threat of a dawn attack on Midway, searching planes were sent out as early as possible each day - usually about 04:15. To safeguard them from destruction on the ground and to have the striking force instantly available, the B-17's took off immediately afterwards. They remained in the
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Nimitz believed that the enemy planned a rendezvous about 700 miles (1,100 km) west of Midway and ordered that this area be searched by B-17's on 31 May and 1 June, if possible. This was done with negative results. On 2 June a B-17 without bombs searched 800 miles (1,300 km) to the west
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A second group of eight B-17Es launched from Midway on 5 June attacked a
Japanese task force 130 miles (210 km) from the island and claimed hits on two large warships. A third group of six B-17s claimed hits on a heavy cruiser 300 miles (480 km) from Midway. The last strike made by
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On the night of 3 June, an additional seven B-17Es from the 42d Bomb
Squadron arrived on Midway to reinforce the heavy bomber contingent. At 04:15, 14 B-17s left Midway shortly after the patrol planes had been sent out. They were proceeding to the west to attack the enemy forces sighted the
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air for about 4 hours, by which time the progress of the search and the reduction of their fuel load made it safe for them to land. The four B-26's, the six TBF's, and other planes remained on the ground but fully alert until the search had reached a distance of 400 miles (640 km).
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without making any contacts. These searches were conducted in part by two groups of six B-17's flown in from Hawaii on 30 and 31 May, respectively. Consequently, their crews were in the air about 30 hours in the 2 days before actual combat, and, in addition, serviced their own planes.
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Seventh Air Force aircraft in the Battle of Midway was by five B-17Es attacking a heavy cruiser 425 miles (684 km) from Midway, in which one B-17 was shot down, although all of the crew but one was rescued. Another B-17 was lost due to running out of fuel.
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in 1942, the
Japanese were so sure of their victory that they deliberately spared the runways of Eastern Island for their use after the capture of the island. That didn't happen, due to their overwhelming defeat in the waters surrounding Midway.
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of World War II. Henderson Field was built in 1941. It consisted of a seaplane facility on Sand Island and a landplane airfield on
Eastern Island. The Eastern Island airfield initially comprised three runways, 2 hangars & a barracks.
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First
Lieutenant James Muri's aircrew and its USAAF B-26A which made torpedo-attack on Nagumo's carriers in early morning 4 June during the Battle of Midway, June 1942. 1st. Lt. Muri is second from left, in the front
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425:-equipped 73rd Fighter Squadron (18th Fighter Group) was assigned to Henderson Field after the battle to provide air defense. It remained until January 1943 when it returned to Hawaii.
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Aircraft of the Navy, Marine Corps & Army operated from Eastern Island, and helped to turn back the Japanese Fleet. The Marine Corps had nineteen
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On 3 June the usual search was made. At 12:30 9 B-17Es left Midway in search of the Japanese invasion fleet, which had been sighted by a
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Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History.
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The Battle of Midway, Combat Narrative. Office of Naval Intelligence, United States Navy, March 13, 1943
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Airfields of the United States Army Air Forces Air Transport Command in the Pacific Ocean Theater
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421:, who perished in the battle. The airfield on Eastern Island was abandoned after the war. The
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334:) were deployed to Midway on 29 May 1942 and were joined by nine more the next day from the
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B-17E of the 72d Bomb Squadron, 5th Bomb Group which took part in the Battle of Midway, 1942
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Airfields of the United States Army Air Forces in the Pacific Ocean theatre of World War II
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221:(originally known as Naval Air Station Midway Islands) on East Midway Island is a former
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After the Battle of Midway, the airfield on Sand Island was named in honor of Major
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358:)). The Marauders were equipped to drop torpedoes and were under the command of
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The Midway Islands are best known as the location of the pivotal battle of the
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No aircraft based on Midway scored any hits on enemy ships during the battle.
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Midway was shelled by a Japanese destroyer on the same day as the
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362:, Commander in Chief, Pacific. In addition, B-17Es of the
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Former World War II airfield in the Central Pacific
68:but its sources remain unclear because it lacks
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229:. The airfield was abandoned after the war.
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555:Previously: Hawaiian Air Force (1940-1942)
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99:Learn how and when to remove this message
437:No buildings remain on Eastern Island.
350:) that were in Hawaii and two from the
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472:Air Force Historical Research Agency
409:attempting to hit moving targets.
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466: This article incorporates
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118:Naval Air Station Midway Islands
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627:USAAF in the Southwest Pacific
245:Henderson Field (Midway Atoll)
32:Henderson Field (Midway Atoll)
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894:United States Army Air Forces
434:battle onto Midway's shores.
190:United States Army Air Forces
622:USAAF in the Central Pacific
451:USAAF in the Central Pacific
36:Midway International Airport
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328:431st Bombardment Squadron
153:28.2110500°N 177.3286111°W
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368:72d Bombardment Squadrons
360:Admiral Chester W. Nimitz
352:69th Bombardment Squadron
344:19th Bombardment Squadron
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336:42d Bombardment Squadron
158:28.2110500; -177.3286111
116:Henderson Field (Midway)
54:This article includes a
30:Not to be confused with
18:Henderson Field (Midway)
324:B-17E Flying Fortresses
296:F2A-3 Brewster Buffalos
267:, and was shelled by a
83:more precise citations.
468:public domain material
356:38th Bombardment Group
332:11th Bombardment Group
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271:several months later.
489:www.pacificwrecks.com
439:Verbesina encelioides
429:Henderson Field today
372:5th Bombardment Group
348:22d Bombardment Group
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274:During the climactic
286:dive-bombers, seven
873:549th Night Fighter
868:548th Night Fighter
847:316th Troop Carrier
842:311th Troop Carrier
816:41st Reconnaissance
811:28th Reconnaissance
784:419th Troop Carrier
419:Lofton R. Henderson
265:Pearl Harbor attack
249:Lofton R. Henderson
149: /
821:43d Reconnaissance
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292:SB2U-3 Vindicators
186:United States Navy
182:Controlled by
56:list of references
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863:6th Night Fighter
837:9th Troop Carrier
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732:494th Bombardment
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543:Seventh Air Force
302:torpedo-bombers.
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413:After the battle
342:(three from the
338:along with five
276:Battle of Midway
241:Battle of Midway
225:airfield in the
177:Site information
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753:18th Fighter
748:15th Fighter
547:World War II
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423:P-40 Warhawk
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196:Site history
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89:January 2024
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75:Please help
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700:Bombardment
684:7th Fighter
668:VII Fighter
209:In use
156: /
132:Coordinates
81:introducing
991:Categories
966:Fourteenth
961:Thirteenth
663:VII Bomber
457:References
239:See Also:
976:Twentieth
971:Fifteenth
830:Transport
797:Squadrons
561:Airfields
269:submarine
212:1941-1945
951:Eleventh
656:Commands
601:Ie Shima
445:See also
298:and six
956:Twelfth
931:Seventh
741:Fighter
615:Pacific
594:Okinawa
585:Wheeler
575:Bellows
326:of the
233:History
77:improve
936:Eighth
916:Fourth
906:Second
693:Groups
606:Yontan
580:Hickam
568:Hawaii
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322:Eight
946:Tenth
941:Ninth
926:Sixth
921:Fifth
911:Third
901:First
677:Wings
649:Units
540:USAAF
201:Built
62:, or
479:ISBN
366:and
318:row.
204:1941
169:Type
545:in
390:PBY
34:or
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364:3d
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