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Battle of Midway Unveiled June 4 – 7, 1942 by Jon Brack

All photographs are courtesy of the National Archives within the 80-G series unless a different series number is noted in the caption.

May 31, 1942 A pilot signs the flight log after landing aboard the USS Enterprise (CV6) in a Navy Scout Bomber, SBD, “Dauntless.”
Courtesy National Archives 80-G-21865
USS Yorktown CV-5…after first hit on June 4, 1942.
Courtesy National Archives 80-G-21603
June 4, 1942. USS Yorktown – CV-5…Island of USS Yorktown.
Courtesy National Archives 80-G-21609
June 4, 1942. Courtesy National Archives 80-G-21611
June 4, 1942. Courtesy National Archives 80-G-21618
June 4, 1942. Courtesy National Archives 80-G-21649
June 4, 1942. The burning of the USS Yorktown (CV-5) bombed in the Battle of Midway after the first attack. Courtesy National Archives 80-G-32301
June 4, 1942, USS Pensacola escorting destroyers going to aid of Yorktown.
Courtesy National Archives 80-G-32315
June 4, 1942. USS Yorktown during Battle of Midway.
Courtesy National Archives 80-G-312000
June 4, 1942. USS Hammann sunk while assisting the sinking aircraft carrier USS Yorktown
Courtesy National Archives 80-G-32322
 
June 4, 1942. Taken at Battle of Midway, 4 June 1942, by 431st Bomb Sq., Lt. Col. Walter C. Sweeney, Jr., commanding, T/Sgt. Hastings, photographer. Altitude: 20,000 feet, with 12 inch lens. Scale: 1/3947. Identification: AKAGI.
Courtesy National Archives 342-FH-3A-40545
4 June 1942. Akagi bombing, taken at Battle of Midway by 431st Bomb Sq. (H). Seventh Air Force. Altitude: 20,000 feet, with 12 inch lens. Scale: 1/5700.
Courtesy National Archives 342-FH-3A-40543
June 6, 1942. A close-up of the USS Atlanta with the carrier USS Hornet, all of the Task Force 16 in background. The picture was made during the third day of the battle as the Atlanta came up to offer assistance to the USS Destroyer Phelps 00360, which was broken down temporarily because of fuel shortage.
Courtesy National Archives 80-G-11645
June 6, 1942. Survivors of USS Yorktown CV-5 being transferred from USS Portland CA-33 to USS Fulton AS-11, after the Yorkton was sunk in the Battle of Midway.
Courtesy National Archives 80-G-312044
June 6, 1942. Courtesy National Archives 80-G-21642
June 1942. The sinking of the USS Yorktown CV-5.
Courtesy National Archives 80-G-21643
June 6, 1942. Survivors of USS Yorktown CV-5 being transferred from USS Portland CA-33 to USS Fulton AS-11, after the Yorktown was sunk in the Battle of Midway. USS Fulton in foreground shows the forward one of five whips by which men were sent over, two at a time, in coal bags.
Courtesy National Archives 80-G-11645
June 6, 1942. Survivors of USS Yorktown CV-5 being transferred from USS Portland CA-33 to USS Fulton AS-11, after the Yorktown was sunk in the Battle of Midway. Coming aboard via coal bag and whip.
Courtesy National Archives 80-G-312040
June 6, 1942. Survivors of USS Yorktown CV-5 being transferred from USS Portland CA-33 to USS Fulton AS-11, after the Yorktown was sunk in the Battle of Midway. Being landed on USS Fulton.
Courtesy National Archives 80-G-312044
June 6, 1942. Survivors of USS Yorktown CV-5 being transferred from USS Portland CA-33 to USS Fulton AS-11, after the Yorktown was sunk in the Battle of Midway. Being landed on USS Fulton. Coming aboard via coal bag and whip. Courtesy National Archives 80-G-312047
June 6, 1942. Survivors of USS Yorktown CV-5 being transferred from USS Portland CA-33 to USS Fulton AS-11, after the Yorktown was sunk in the Battle of Midway. Coming aboard via coal bag and whip. Courtesy National Archives 80-G-312050
June 6, 1942. Japanese Heavy Cruiser Mikuma of the Mogami Class on fire after attack by planes of Task Force 16. Courtesy National Archives 80-G-414422
June 4, 1942. Sailors aboard USS Yorktown CV-5 during Battle of Midway.
Courtesy National Archives 80-G-312011

June 8, 1942

June 8, 1942. Admiral C.W. Nimitz and high ranking officials at Pearl Harbor watching survivors of USS Yorktown CV-5 being unloaded.
Courtesy National Archives 80-G-312025
June 8, 1945. Wounded survivors of USS Yorktown CV-5 sunk in Battle of Midway being taken off USS Fulton AS-11. Courtesy National Archives 80-G-312033
June 8, 1945. Wounded survivors of USS Yorktown CV-5 sunk in Battle of Midway being taken off USS Fulton AS-11. Courtesy National Archives 80-G-312033
June 8, 1945. Wounded survivors of USS Yorktown CV-5 sunk in Battle of Midway being taken off USS Fulton AS-11. Courtesy National Archives 80-G-312057
June 8, 1945. Wounded survivors of USS Yorktown CV-5 sunk in Battle of Midway being taken off USS Fulton AS-11. Courtesy National Archives 80-G-312061

June 9, 1942

June 9, 1942. Survivors of USS Hammann DD-412 returning to Pear Harbor, T.H., aboard USS Benham DD-397. Courtesy National Archives 80-G-312063
June 9, 1942. Wounded from USS Yorktown CV-5 aboard USS Fulton AS-11.
Courtesy National Archives 80-G-312068

The following film clips were found mounted on card stock while searching for Battle of Midway related photographs in the National Archives. The box was labeled “Battle of Midway Presentation.” While some images in that file were clearly not from the Battle of Midway, many of them were. Below is a sampling of what was located. If you can positively identify any of the following images, please email Friends of Midway Atoll at: friends@friendsofmidway.org

Courtesy National Archives 306-FS-9-9046
Courtesy National Archives 306-FS-9-9045
Courtesy National Archives 306-FS-9-9049
Courtesy National Archives 306-FS-9-9031
Courtesy National Archives 306-FS-9-9008
Courtesy National Archives 306-FS-9-9010
Courtesy National Archives 306-FS-9-9054
Courtesy National Archives 306-FS-9-9055
Courtesy National Archives 306-FS-9-9057
Courtesy National Archives 306-FS-9-9060
Courtesy National Archives 306-FS-9-9090

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