MIDWAY BATTLE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 July 1942, Page 3

MIDWAY BATTLE

TWENTY JAPANESE SHIPS SUNK OR DAMAGED ONE U.S. DESTROYER LOST AND AIRCRAFT-CARRIER DISABLED. AMERICAN AIRMAN’S DIVE TO DEATH. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) WASHINGTON, July 15. Further details of the battle of Midway Island, which have been released by the Navy Department, reveal that of 80 Japanese ships which participated in the attack 20 were sunk or damaged. Also 275 enemy aircraft were destroyed and 4800 enemy personnel were either killed or drowned.

The United Stales aircraft-carrier Yorktown was put out of action and the destroyer Hammaim torpedoed and sunk. * The American losses in personnel were 92 officers and 215 men. The number of American aircraft lost is not revealed.

During the battle a Marine Corps pilot, Major Lofton Henderson, dived his blazing plane into a Japanese aircraft carrier’s funnel. Henderson led a squadron of scout bombers in the first attack against the Japanese fleet. Enemy fighters swarmed up from the carrier’s deck and intercepted the squadron, and flames burst from the wing of Henderson’s plane as he was beginning his final approach, but he continued the attack. , Another message says the enemy losses in the Midway Island battle were nine ships sunk—four aircraft-carriers, two heavy cruisers and three destroyers. In addition, three Japanese battleships, 4 cruisers and several destroyers were damaged. The only American ship sunk was the destroyer mentioned above. Most of her crew were saved. After the v - Yorktown had been put out of action t her planes continued to operate from other carriers.

In Honolulu on June 12 Commander Arnold, leader of a United States bombing group, describing the Midway Island battle, revealed that four Japanese aircraft-carriers were probably destroyed, including two of the largest type. One medium-sized carrier was sunk within 24 hours of the first attack on Midway, and another medium carrier certainly never got back to Japan. Commander Arnold said that two Japanese forces were involved. They struck first with a contingent of four carriers, three battleships and numerous cruisers and destroyers, and the second enemy force comprised about 11 large vessels of the cargo and transport class, protected by numerous cruisers and destroyers and also possibly some battleships.