National Museum of the U.S. Navy

1942: June 4:   Battle of Midway

In the morning of June 4, 1942, after sending planes to attack the U.S. base at Midway, the Japanese carriers Akagi, Kaga, and Soryu were fatally damaged by dive bombers from USS Enterprise (CV-6) and USS Yorktown (CV-5).  Later in that day, Yorktown was abandonded after bomb and torpedo hits by planes from Japanese carrier Hiryu.  The latter was, in turn, hit by U.S. carrier planes.  Compelled by their losses to abandon their plans to capture Midway, the Japanese retired westward.   The battle was a decisive win for the U.S. and would continue with the Navy pursuing the Japanese on June 6.   

Image:  80-G-23841:  USS Yorktown (CV-5) listing after attack, June 4, 1942.   Official U.s. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.