Battle of Midway
Resources to plan Battle of Midway commemoration events may be found in our Commemoration Toolkit.
The Battle of Midway was fought 3–7 June 1942 at and near the island of Midway in the central Pacific Ocean. The United States took the offensive in World War II after this victory of the U.S. Navy over the Japanese Imperial Navy. After Midway, the tide of the war turned in favor of the United States and her allies.
Read the combat narrative (PDF, 5.6 MB), republished in 2017 by NHHC with a new introduction in observance of the 75th anniversary of the battle. The combat narrative was originally published by the Office of Naval Intelligence in March 1943; an HTML reproduction of the text is available in the Online Reading Room.
80-G-41686, Battle of Midway, June 1942. Torpedo Squadron Six (VT-6) TBD-1 aircraft are prepared for launching on USS Enterprise (CV-6) at about 0730-0740 hrs, 4 June 1942. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Click image to download.
Learn about the composition of U.S. forces at Midway.
Learn about the composition of Japanese forces at Midway.
Learn about The Japanese Story of the Battle of Midway.
Explore the key events before, during, and after the battle.
Analyze the battle in the Online Reading Room:
Review the U.S. Naval War College Strategical and Tactical Analysis (PDF, 18.2 MB).
Consult additional sources for your own research.
Read H-Gram 006 by NHHC Director Sam Cox that provides his thoughts on the Battle of Midway 75th Anniversary.
Read first-hand accounts of Midway.
Review select biographies of Navy leaders at Midway:
Vignette: "Chief Water Tender Charles Kleinsmith and Yorktown (CV-5)"
See the battle through the photographer’s lens in the Photo Collection.
View artists’ depiction of the battle in the Art Collection.