One of the critical World War II victories for America in the Pacific campaign against Japan came at the Battle of Midway.
This, many historians have said, was the turning point of the war for the United States. Through courage, planning, execution, intuition, sacrifice and a bit of luck, the fortunes of war turned in America’s favor at this point, and Japan would never recover from the losses it suffered.
That’s why this book, “Pacific Payback,” by Stephen L. Moore, is a must-read for anyone interested in what happened and why at Midway. He tells the story of “The carrier aviators who avenged Pearl Harbor at the Battle of Midway.”
Avenge it they did, but at great cost.
Moore tells a brilliant story about how this might have been the most important battle of World War II. It’s one everyone should know. With perhaps just a few minutes difference in the arrival of American dive bombers over the Japanese fleet of carriers on that fateful day — which would leave them ablaze, smoking and doomed — it’s questionable as to what might have gone on. Japan was now retreating and the U.S., island by island, was pushing them back.
It all started with the U.S. success at Midway due to the courage and sacrifice of those aviators.
Remember, finding ships in the Pacific Ocean was a trick in itself. Actually landing bombs on those ships, while facing anti-aircraft fire and attacks from fighters protecting those ships, all while diving from two miles above, took skill and bravery.
Yet, that’s what happened. Moore covers this with details, and keeps the story moving. He introduces us right into the mid-air fights that often ended with the losses of American pilots and gunners.
He writes, in his epilogue:
“The Battle of Midway was the most decisive naval victory for the United States during World War II, and it was decided by carrier aviators flying the Douglas SBD Dauntless. The war was still young, and four more major carrier battles would be fought in the Pacific, three of which included SBD dive-bombers. Dauntless alumni from the first six months of the Pacific War participated in each of those clashes. Yet the prospect for an American victory in World War II was achieved by the carrier aviators who took the fight to the Japanese during those first six months. By June 1942, the advance of the Japanese war machine had been checked at times, and was forcibly thrown back at Midway.”
“Pacific Payback” is an outstanding story, and gives us a look at just how brave these aviators were — many gave their lives, knowing when they flew in on a torpedo run they would not survive. But they went anyway. Their sacrifice opened the skies to the dive bombers from above, and changed the course of history.
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Bill Buley, editor-in-chief, can be reached at 245-0457 or bbuley@thegardenisland.com.
