At about 1400 on 4 June, soon after USS Yorktown began to move again following bomb damage repairs, her radar detected a second incoming raid from the Japanese carrier Hiryu. This formation included ten torpedo planes commanded by Lieutenant Joichi Tomonaga, plus six escorting fighters. As they approached, Yorktown steadily increased her speed to about twenty knots and launched additional "Wildcats", some with very little fuel. Despite losses to the defending F4F fighters and heavy anti-aircraft fire, the Japanese planes pushed on to deliver a beautifully coordinated torpedo attack.
This page presents views of the Japanese torpedo planes as they flew through heavy "flak", prior to dropping their torpedoes.
For further coverage of this attack and its results, see:
For links to pages on the dive bombing attack earlier in
the day, 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-32248 Battle of Midway, June 1942 Japanese Nakajima Type 97 shipboard attack aircraft from the carrier Hiryu fly through anti-aircraft shell bursts while approaching USS Yorktown (CV-5) to deliver a torpedo attack, during the mid-afternoon of 4 June 1942. Photographed from USS Pensacola (CA-24). At least five Japanese aircraft are visible in this image, three in a "V" directly below the camera aiming cross, one somewhat further left and one low at the extreme left, next to the "H"-shaped A.A. burst. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the U.S. National Archives. Online Image: 79KB; 740 x 595 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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Photo #: 80-G-32249 Battle of Midway, June 1942 The Japanese carrier Hiryu's Type 97 shipboard attack aircraft fly through anti-aircraft shell bursts while closing on USS Yorktown (CV-5) to deliver a torpedo attack, during the mid-afternoon of 4 June 1942. Photographed from USS Pensacola (CA-24). At least three Japanese aircraft are visible in this image, in a shallow arc from near the left side to below and right of the camera aiming cross. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the U.S. National Archives. Online Image: 91KB; 740 x 570 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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Photo #: 80-G-17051 Battle of Midway, June 1942 A Japanese Type 97 shipboard attack aircraft is shot down while attempting to deliver a torpedo attack on USS Yorktown (CV-5), during the mid-afternoon of 4 June 1942. See Photo # 80-G-32250 for another view of this crash, taken from a different ship. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the U.S. National Archives. Online Image: 97KB; 590 x 765 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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Photo #: 80-G-32250 Battle of Midway, June 1942 A Japanese Type 97 shipboard attack aircraft crashes, while attempting to deliver a torpedo attack on USS Yorktown (CV-5), during the mid-afternoon of 4 June 1942. Photographed from USS Pensacola (CA-24). Small object just to left of the camera aiming cross appears to be a Grumman F4F-4 "Wildcat" fighter banking away. See Photo # 80-G-17051 for another view of this crash, seen from a different ship. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the U.S. National Archives. Online Image: 74KB; 585 x 765 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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Photo #: 80-G-32247 Battle of Midway, June 1942 Two of the Japanese carrier Hiryu's Type 97 shipboard attack aircraft (far right) approach the drop point, during the torpedo attack on USS Yorktown (CV-5) in the mid-afternoon of 4 June 1942. The lower plane's Type 91 torpedo is clearly visible below the fuselage. Note heavy anti-aircraft fire, with shell fragments splashing in the water below the bursts. Photographed from USS Pensacola (CA-24). Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the U.S. National Archives. Online Image: 82KB; 740 x 570 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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For further coverage of this attack and its results, see:
For links to pages on the dive bombing attack earlier in
the day, 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 11 April 1999
Coding updated 25 April 2009