Upholding Core Values: Midway, The Battle, The Heroes and Their Stories

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Upholding Core Values Midway, The Battle, The
Heroes and Their Stories
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The Young and the Brave

• When you hear people saying harsh things about
  American youth, you will know how wrong they all
  are. So many times that now they have become
  commonplace, I've seen incidents that make me
  know that we were never soft, never weak

Anonymous Letter from a Navy Pilot at the Battle
of Midway, written 1942
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Midway, An Overview

• The Background
• The Intelligence
• The Battle
• The Significance
• The Heroes
• The Values

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The Background to the Battle I
Yesterday, December 7, 1941- a date which will
live in infamy - the United States of America was
suddenly and deliberately attacked by the naval
and air forces of the Empire of Japan." The
Japanese had attacked the United States in Pearl
Harbor. Franklin D. Roosevelt
President of the United States
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The Background to the Battle II
Midway was important because of its proximity to
the main Hawaiian Islands, 1,135 miles from
Honolulu. . . . .a perceived chink in the
Japanese defense perimeter that had to be
eliminated.
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The Background to the Battle III
The Battle of Midway, is considered the decisive
battle of the war in the Pacific
A Japanese Admiral had said not to attack America
because we will rebuild and we will rebuild
stronger... and we did.
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The Role of Intelligence I
Naval Intelligence played a major role in the war
in the Pacific. There were two significant
stations, one in Melbourne, Australia and another
at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
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The Role of Intelligence II
Naval Intelligence intercepted Japanese radio
communications and through traffic analysis and
code breaking, uncovered the location of major
fleet units and shore based air forces. More
importantly, they began to uncover and predict
Japanese operations.
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The Order of Battle I
The United States had 3 carriers and 22
destroyers at sea, 234 aircraft afloat, and 110
at Midway. All of these vessels and aircraft, as
well as a few of the submarines, were on the
scene at Midway on the morning of 4 June 1942.
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The Order of Battle II
The Japanese armada included about 185 ships (4
carriers, 11 battleships, 14 cruisers, 42
destroyers and various other ships and subs.
There were at least 323 aircraft.
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The Battle

• Japanese had Superior Numbers
• U.S. had Intelligence Advantage
• U.S. Counter-Attacked Successfully
• Japanese Underestimated U.S. Forces
• Japanese Logistics Problems
• U.S. Stayed on the Offensive
• Victory was the only option to the U.S.

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The Significance of the Battle

• American Fighting Spirit
• Value of Intelligence
• Strategy and Planning
• Bravery in Adversity
• Peace

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Heroes and Core Values

• Honor
• Courage
• Commitment

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Honor

• From OUR oath,
• I will bear true faith and allegiance...
• Reminds us that
• We are accountable for our professional behavior.
• We are privileged to serve our fellow Americans.

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Heroes I
Torpedo Squadron Eight, flew at 100 knots below
the clouds while the remainder of the group flew
at 110 knots, climbing to 19,000 feet. This
squadron of officer and enlisted were recognized
for exceptional bravery as they fearlessly lead
the attack by finding the enemy, pressing home
its attack, without fighter protection and
without diverting dive-bomber attacks to draw the
enemy fire.
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Courage

From OUR oath, "I will support and defend..."
Reminds us that courage Is the value that gives
the moral and mental strength to do what is
right, even in the face of personal or
professional adversity.
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Heroes II
ARM3 Cossitt, assigned to Torpedo Squadron 6 from
USS Enterprise (CV-6), spent 17 days in a life
raft after his TBD-1 torpedo plane ditched on 4
June 1942. The plane's pilot was MM3 Albert W.
Winchell. Recovered by a Patrol Squadron some 360
miles northward of Midway, they were the last of
the downed aviators to be rescued.
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Commitment
From OUR oath, I will obey the orders Reminds
us about Exhibiting the highest degree of
technical excellence, quality, and competence in
what we have been trained to do. The day-to-day
duty of every Navy man and woman is to work
together as a team to accomplish the mission.
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Heroes III

• RM3 Harry Ferrier, was 17 years old at Midway.
• He sat in a lower gunner station while above him
  the turret gunner, Jay Manning, was killed in an
  engagement with 20 Japanese Zeros.
• Harry and the pilot, ENS Bert Earnest were the
  only two men out of 6 crews of Avengers to make
  it back to Midway alive.
• He would later serve in the Korean War.
• In 1970, after 30 years of loyal service, Harry
  retired as a Commander.
• When duty called, he always was there.

Ill go to my grave believing that the real
heroes died that day. They earned a victory.
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SUMMARY I

• We must make certain now and for the future,
  that the peace is secure. We must remain strong.
  Never again should we risk the threat which
  weakness invites. We owe this to the men who have
  fought and to the youngsters who are growing up
  today.
• Admiral Chester W. Nimitz USN

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SUMMARY II
In this Battle of Midway lesson we have discussed

• Historical significance
• Strategic importance
• Heroes
• Reflection of Core Values