History of Marine Corps Aviation

Battle of Midway

aerial photograph of Midway Island, 1941

With the fall of Wake Island, the immediate concern of the 2nd MAW and MAG-21 was the reinforcement of Midway and the closest of the outer islands, from which a Japanese force could interdict the routes to and from Hawaii and the southwest. Of almost equal concern was the earliest possible provision of air defense for those Allies- held islands farther out on the route to Australia and the southwest.

All of the lifeline "route islands" were in American or British hands, but the only one that had any air defense was Fiji, where 22 British planes were based. Colonel Larkin of MAG-21 began strengthening Midway almost immediately after Pearl Harbor by dispatching Marine Scout Bomber Squadron (VMSB) 231 when it returned from deployment aboard Lexington. The long overwater flight was made one week later on the 17th. It was a major accomplishment to get the squadron ready to deploy again in one week's time. In addition, the arrival of VMF-221 was like a Christmas present on the 25th when it flew in from Saratoga with 14 F2As, on its way back to Pearl Harbor from the aborted relief task force for Wake. Aviation deployments came from elements of both the 1st and 2nd wings.

Preparations

An important step toward organized expansion was taken on March 1, 1942. Squadrons were broken into as even a distribution of talent as possible, to form additional Marine air groups and fighter or bomber squadrons. For the most part, the reorganization was ahead of the equipment curve and the new units struggled along with minimum aircraft, sending whatever was available in planes and pilots to the MAG at Midway. Personnel shifts continued in a constant effort to spread what experience and talent were available, as widely as possible. Regrettably, inexperienced and partially trained pilots generally had to be moved westward to Midway and Samoa, with some veterans going back to Ewa and the West Coast to take over new squadrons.

The net effect was to turn Ewa, Midway and Samoa into training bases with minimum aircraft assigned. This was the case on the eve of the battle of Midway at the end of April. A typical squadron on the West Coast in the spring of 1942 would have as many as 60 lieutenants just out of flight training and only six obsolete F2As to fly.

Battle of Midway

After the Battle of the Coral Sea, intelligence increasingly indicated a brewing assault by the Japanese, with Midway Island the target for invasion. Its occupation would give the Japanese the ability to control and interdict any operations from Hawaii.

On May 2, Admiral Chester W. Nimitz made a visit to Midway and, afterwards preparations for an attack intensified. By the end of May, the airfield was literally choked with any aircraft that could be spared from Hawaii. Included were four B-26s and 17 B-17s of the Army, and six Navy torpedo planes of the latest type. The Navy patrol planes, which had been based on the island from the beginning, now totaled 16. SBD used by VMSB-241 at Midway

MAG-22 had 19 SBD-2s, 17 SB2U-3s, 21 F2A-3s and seven F4F- 3s. The SBDs and the F4Fs were to carry Marine Aviation well into the start of its swing to superiority, but at this point they were brand-new to these squadrons which, in turn, were largely manned by inexperienced pilots. As for the SB2U-3s and the F2As, both were obsolescent but they were all that was available.

The Japanese task force was formidable. It was composed of four carriers, including Akagi and Kaga; two battleships; three cruisers; adequate supporting destroyers; and the transport group carrying a landing force of 5,000 troops. The plan called for three days of softening up Midway by aircraft and naval bombardment, following which the 5,000 troops would land in the assault. In the approach to the Midway area, the transport group took a more southerly route with the main force coming into the area from the northwesterly quadrant.

June 4

The first sighting came from a patrol PBY which uncovered the transport force 700 miles to the west of the island at 0900 on June 3. The B-17s were sent out, and they found and struck the transport group but without any identified success, The first sighting of the main enemy force came at 0525 on the morning of June 4. The four Army B-26s and the six Navy TBFs were launched for a torpedo attack against the carrier, reported to be 180 miles to the northwest of the island. At 0555, Navy radar picked up "many planes" bearing 310 degrees at 89 miles and inbound for Midway. Within 10 minutes, all planes of both Marine squadrons were airborne. The fighters were divided into two units of 12 and 13 aircraft: seven F2As and five F4Fs under Major Parks were vectored directly on course for the inbound enemy planes; and 12 F2As and one F4F under Captain Armistead were vectored out to 10 miles to await an anticipated attack flight on a slightly different inbound heading. The dive-bombers were divided into two groups also, with 16 SBDs under Major Henderson and 11 SB2Us under Major Norris, both proceeding in company to attack the carriers "180 miles out, bearing 320 degrees, enemy course 135 degrees, speed 20 knots."

At 14,000 feet and 30 miles out, Maj. Parks and his 12 fighters ran into what looked like the whole Japanese air force: 108 planes, divided into several waves of attack, dive-bomber and fighter aircraft. Joined in just a few moments by Armistead and his 13, the 25 fighters gave all they had and scored well. They reduced the attack flight to almost half of the 36 horizontal bombers they started with, and the dive-bombers from 36 to 18 by the time they were over the target. The courageous and resolute attack by the Marine fighters with their inferior planes resulted in the heaviest losses they would sustain in all of WW II. Fifteen of the 25 pilots, including Maj. Parks, were lost in the brief action. In Maj. Parks' flight of 12, only Captains Marion Carl and Carey and Lieutenant Canfield returned, while the Armistead flight lost six out of its 13. Although 13 F2As and two F4Fs were lost, the damage inflicted by the Marine fighters on the overwhelmingly superior striking force left the Japanese with considerably less weight to throw against the American carriers as the battle developed. It was a costly contribution to the successful outcome of the battle.

Because the fighters went after the inbound attack flight, the bombers headed toward the Japanese carriers were very much alone. In the first launch with the B-26s and the TBFs, no fighters were even airborne. The attack on the main Japanese force at 0710, almost 150 miles from Midway, was like the slaughter of the fighters closer in. Five of the six TBFs and two of the four B-26s fell to either enemy fighters or AA fire, without scoring a single hit on a Japanese ship.

Maj. Henderson's SBDs reached the enemy force ahead of the slower SB2U-3s at 0800. They went into a wide circle at 8,500 feet preparatory to launching a glide-bombing attack from 4,000 feet above the carriers. This was because the pilots were not experienced in the SBD which was new to the squadron. They had no time to learn and develop their dive-bombing tactics, a far less vulnerable approach than glide-bombing. Defending fighters hit them at 8,000 feet and Maj. Henderson was one of the first to be shot down.

Postwar analysis of Japanese records showed that, at 0810, hits were scored on two of the carriers, Akagi and Soryu, but that damage was quickly brought under control. Eight of the 16 SBDs were shot down in the attack and, tragically, no significant damage was done to the enemy carrier force. Major Norris and his 11 SB2Us arrived at the target about 15 minutes after the SBDs and was immediately attacked by defending fighters. The flight was out of position for a run on the carriers and was forced to choose a battleship as target, inflicting minor damage on either Kirishima or Haruna. Three planes were shot down and one pilot was recovered by a PT boat. At 1900, six SBDs and five SB2Us were launched to search for and attack a "burning carrier," 200 miles northwest of the island. The flight could not locate the enemy carrier and, on the return leg 40 miles from the field, Maj. Norris went into a steep turn while letting down and was not seen again.

June 4, 1942, was indeed a rough day for both fighters and dive-bombers of Marine aviation - high on courage and resolve, low on time and equipment. At 0630, June 5, Captain Marshall Tyler, the third skipper of VMSB-241 in the fateful 24 hours of June 4-5, took off with what dive-bombers were left - six SBDs and six SB2Us. They had no trouble finding the target, as an oil slick 50 miles long led them right in. Capt. Tyler led the SBDs in a steep dive-bombing run from 10,000 feet against Mogami and achieved six near misses but no direct hits.

Capt. Fleming and the Mogami

The SB2Us were led by Captain Richard Fleming in another glide-bombing run from 4,000 feet at Mikuma, a light cruiser. Fleming was hit in the attack and, as he pulled out, his plane burst into flames and crashed into the after turret, starting many fires and causing extensive damage. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his courageous and determined attack against the cruiser and his participation in all three missions of his squadron.

This was the last Marine Aviation mission in the battle. Any summary of the Battle of Midway gives top honors to the Navy carrier pilots. While no one surpassed the pilots of the Marine fighter aircraft and dive- bombers in sheer guts and determination, the carrier air groups showed what could be done with a minimum level of training in the up-to-date SBDs and F4Fs assigned.

In Adm. Nimitz' post-action message to the Marine Aviation units at Midway, he summed up their part in the Battle of Midway as follows: "Please accept my sympathy for the losses sustained by your gallant aviation personnel based at Midway. Their sacrifice was not in vain. When the great emergency came, they were ready. They met, unflinchingly, the attack of vastly superior numbers and made the attack ineffective. They struck the first blow at the enemy carriers. They were the spearhead of our great victory. They have written a new and shining page in the annals of the Marine Corps."

History of Marine Corps Aviation

Battle of Midway

Preparations

Battle of Midway

June 4

Capt. Fleming and the Mogami

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