The battle was a near run thing for the U.S. Taking the chance that his
intelligence service was correct in determining that Midway Island was the
target of the anticipated Japanese attack. Three US aircraft carriers, the
Yorktown, Enterprise and Hornet supported by a handful of
cruisers and destroyers faced the majority of the Japanese fleet. Led by
the First Carrier Strike Group composed of the carriers Akagi,
Kaga, Hiryu and Soryu the Japanese expected to sweep the
handful of American ships from the sea. After a strike against Midway Island and
turning back abortive American attacks by land based aircraft and the Torpedo
Bomber squadrons from the three American flattops it seemed that all was going
the Japanese way. The Americans had suffered heavy casualties. Most
of Midway’s land based fighters were shot down defending the Island. Land
based attack squadrons lost half of their number, and the three American Torpedo
Bomber Squadrons from the Yorktown, Enterprise and Hornet were
decimated. Flying underpowered, under armed and under armored TBD
Devastator’s they were overwhelmed by the Japanese combat air patrol Mitsubishi
A6M2 (Type-21) “Zeros.” Torpedo-8 from the Hornet lost all 15
aircraft with only one survivor, Ensign George Gay. Torpedo-3 from
Yorktown and Torpedo-6 from Enterprise lost most of their
aircraft. However the sacrifice of the Torpedo squadrons was not in vain.
http://padresteve.com/2009/06/04/turning-points-the-battle-of-midway-randy-johnson-gets-his-300th-win-and-chief-branum-gets-her-star/
intelligence service was correct in determining that Midway Island was the
target of the anticipated Japanese attack. Three US aircraft carriers, the
Yorktown, Enterprise and Hornet supported by a handful of
cruisers and destroyers faced the majority of the Japanese fleet. Led by
the First Carrier Strike Group composed of the carriers Akagi,
Kaga, Hiryu and Soryu the Japanese expected to sweep the
handful of American ships from the sea. After a strike against Midway Island and
turning back abortive American attacks by land based aircraft and the Torpedo
Bomber squadrons from the three American flattops it seemed that all was going
the Japanese way. The Americans had suffered heavy casualties. Most
of Midway’s land based fighters were shot down defending the Island. Land
based attack squadrons lost half of their number, and the three American Torpedo
Bomber Squadrons from the Yorktown, Enterprise and Hornet were
decimated. Flying underpowered, under armed and under armored TBD
Devastator’s they were overwhelmed by the Japanese combat air patrol Mitsubishi
A6M2 (Type-21) “Zeros.” Torpedo-8 from the Hornet lost all 15
aircraft with only one survivor, Ensign George Gay. Torpedo-3 from
Yorktown and Torpedo-6 from Enterprise lost most of their
aircraft. However the sacrifice of the Torpedo squadrons was not in vain.
http://padresteve.com/2009/06/04/turning-points-the-battle-of-midway-randy-johnson-gets-his-300th-win-and-chief-branum-gets-her-star/