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Photo # 80-G-21627:  USS Yorktown underway with her air group on the flight deck, early in the morning of 4 June 1942.

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

USS Yorktown Operating on 4 June 1942

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:

  • Scenes on USS Yorktown, 4 June 1942.

    For pictorial coverage of the air attacks on Yorktown and of her abandonment, see:

  • Japanese Attacks on USS Yorktown, 4 June 1942.

    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:

  • U.S. Navy Ships in Action during the Battle, 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-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:

  • Scenes on USS Yorktown, 4 June 1942.

    For pictorial coverage of the air attacks on Yorktown and of her abandonment, see:

  • Japanese Attacks on USS Yorktown, 4 June 1942.

    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:

  • U.S. Navy Ships in Action during the Battle, 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 5 April 1999
    Coding updated 24 April 2009