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Photo # 80-G-10121: USS Saratoga arrives at Pearl Harbor from the U.S. West Coast, 6 June 1942.

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- EVENTS -- World War II in the Pacific -- Battle of Midway --

Actions and Activities after 4 June 1942 --
Reinforcement of U.S. Forces at Sea and on Midway

On 6 June 1942, two days after the costly defeat of the Japanese carrier force, the U.S. aircraft carrier Saratoga arrived at Pearl Harbor from the West Coast. Rushed back into service after receiving battle damage repairs, she brought out badly needed replacement aircraft for the depleted air groups of Enterprise and Hornet. When she joined the other two carriers operating in the Midway area on 10 June, Saratoga became Rear Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher's new flagship.

Reinforcements were also sent to the Midway base, both to repair battle damage and to further enhance its value to the war effort. The heavy cruiser Pensacola landed more Marines later in June. During July, Midway became an important forward base for U.S. Navy submarines, making them more effective in carrying the war into Japanese home waters and elsewhere in the vast Pacific.

This page features photographs of reinforcement efforts carried out immediately following the Battle of Midway.

For links to additional coverage of later Battle of Midway events, see:

  • Actions and Activities after 4 June 1942.

    For links to views of other aspects of the Battle of Midway, see:

  • Battle of Midway, Overview and Special Image Selection.


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the Online Library's digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

    Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

    Photo #: 80-G-10121

    USS Saratoga (CV-3)


    Arrives at Pearl Harbor from the U.S. West Coast, 6 June 1942. She departed the following day to join USS Enterprise (CV-6) and USS Hornet (CV-8) near Midway, bringing replacement aircraft for those two ships, whose air groups had been depleted during the Battle of Midway.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the U.S. National Archives.

    Online Image: 110KB; 740 x 615 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: 80-G-12147

    USS Pensacola (CA-24)


    Alongside the Sand Island pier, Midway, disembarking Marine reinforcements, 25 June 1942.
    Aircraft in the foreground, with damaged tail, is a TBF-1 "Avenger" (Bureau # 00380), the only survivor of six Torpedo Squadron Eight (VT-8) TBFs that attacked the Japanese fleet on 4 June 1942.
    Ship in the right distance is probably USS Ballard (AVD-10).

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the U.S. National Archives.

    Online Image: 97KB; 740 x 610 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: 80-G-12146

    USS Pensacola (CA-24)


    Disembarks Marine reinforcements at the Sand Island pier, Midway, on 25 June 1942.
    Note m1903 "Springfield" rifles and other gear along the pier edge.
    The Sand Island seaplane hangar, badly damaged by Japanese air attack on 4 June 1942, is in the left distance, with a water tower beside it.
    The surviving Torpedo Squadron Eight (VT-8) TBF-1 "Avenger" (Bureau # 00380) can be seen on the beach, in line with the water tower.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the U.S. National Archives.

    Online Image: 84KB; 740 x 620 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     


    For links to additional coverage of later Battle of Midway events, see:

  • Actions and Activities after 4 June 1942.

    For links to views of other aspects of the Battle of Midway, see:

  • Battle of Midway, Overview and Special Image Selection.


    NOTES:

  • To the best of our knowledge, the pictures referenced here are all in the Public Domain, and can therefore be freely downloaded and used for any purpose.

  • Some images linked from this page may bear obsolete credit lines citing the organization name: "Naval Historical Center". Effective 1 December 2008 the name should be cited as: "Naval History and Heritage Command".


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the Online Library's digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


    Return to Naval History and Heritage Command home page.

    Page made 18 April 1999
    Coding updated 27 April 2009