The Great Sea War by Unknown

Author:Unknown
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-03-12T16:00:00+00:00

Midway Area—First Contacts, June 3

The PBYs based on Midway departed before dawn each morning to search the western sector to 700 miles. That distance was calculated to prevent any force which might be just out of range from reaching a launching position before the next day’s search. During the last days of May and the first days of June coverage was excellent except in the critical area beyond 350 miles to the northwest, where the weather was bad.

The first contact of the battle was made on the morning of June 3 when a patrol plane reported “six large ships in column” about 700 miles to the southwest. American commanders both on Midway and in the carriers surmised correctly that this was part of the Japanese Occupation Force. Since the main attack was expected from the northwest, the American carriers kept their position some 300 miles north-northeast of Midway, and the island forces for a while held their attack. Finally, a little after noon, when no new contacts had been made, nine B-17’s with bomb-bay fuel tanks took off from Midway. Their attack, delivered about 1630, was ineffective. First blood of the battle was to be drawn by four radar-equipped PBY’s which took off that night with torpedoes and hit and slightly damaged a Japanese oiler. Before these planes returned, Midway was under attack.

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