USS Yorktown was flagship of Rear Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher's Task Force 17, which operated independently from the other two U.S. carriers throughout the battle. At dawn on 4 June, she launched ten scouting aircraft to search for Japanese ships. At about 0840, Yorktown launched a striking force of seventeen SBD-3 scout-bombers and twelve TBD-1 torpedo planes, accompanied by an escort of six F4F-4 fighters. These aircraft later attacked the Japanese aircraft carrier Soryu, fatally damaging her. Before noon, Yorktown launched another scouting group, which succeeded in locating the enemy carrier Hiryu about three hours later, making possible the attacks that destroyed the final element of the Japanese carrier striking force. Yorktown also maintained an airborne combat air patrol of other F4Fs throughout the morning and recovered two planes from USS Enterprise that had earlier attacked the Japanese carrier Kaga.
This page presents views of USS Yorktown (CV-5) during operations in the morning of 4 June, prior to the Japanese air attacks on her. It also provides a view on one of her TBD-1 torpedo planes en route to attack the Japanese fleet.
For views taken on board USS Yorktown (CV-5) during
the 4 June battle, exclusive of the two Japanese air attacks on
her, see:
For pictorial coverage of the air attacks on Yorktown
and of her abandonment, see:
For views of ships of other U.S. ships operating during
4 June, including photos of the recovery on board USS Enterprise
of a plane and crew from Yorktown's Bombing Squadron Three
(VB-3), see:
For links to views of other aspects of the Battle of Midway,
see:
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-21627 Battle of Midway, June 1942 USS Yorktown (CV-5) underway with her air group on the flight deck, 4 June 1942, probably about 0630-0730 hrs, following recovery of her morning search and respotting the flight deck with her strike group. Several SBD scout bombers are on deck alongside and forward of the island, with many other planes densely parked aft. TBD torpedo bombers are at the flight deck's rear. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the U.S. National Archives. Online Image: 126KB; 740 x 600 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
![]() |
Photo #: 80-G-23842 Battle of Midway, June 1942 An SBD "Dauntless" scout bomber passes low over USS Yorktown (CV-5), possibly to drop a message, 4 June 1942. Planes parked aft appear to be TBD torpedo planes, indicating that the photo was taken sometime before 0840 hrs, when Yorktown launched her aircraft to attack the Japanese aircraft carrier force. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the U.S. National Archives. Online Image: 73KB; 740 x 525 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
![]() |
Photo #: 80-G-21668 Battle of Midway, June 1942 A Douglas TBD-1 "Devastator" torpedo plane, carrying a Mk. XIII torpedo, en route to attack the Japanese carrier force during the morning of 4 June 1942. This plane is probably from Torpedo Squadron Three (VT-3), launched from USS Yorktown at about 0840 hrs. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the U.S. National Archives. Online Image: 50KB; 740 x 605 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
![]() |
For views taken on board USS Yorktown (CV-5) during
the 4 June battle, exclusive of the two Japanese air attacks on
her, see:
For pictorial coverage of the air attacks on Yorktown
and of her abandonment, see:
For views of ships of other U.S. ships operating during
4 June, including photos of the recovery on board USS Enterprise
of a plane and crew from Yorktown's Bombing Squadron Three
(VB-3), see:
For links to views of other aspects of the Battle of Midway,
see:
NOTES:
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the Online Library's digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Page made 5 April 1999
Coding updated 24 April 2009