The unknown Battle of Midway : the destruction of the American torpedo squadrons / Alvin Kernan ; foreword by Donald Kagan and Frederick Kagan.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Kernan, Alvin B.

Series:

Yale library of military history.

The Yale library of military history

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Midway, Battle of, 1942.

Military planning--United States--History--20th century.

Military planning.

Torpedo bombers--United States--History--20th century.

Torpedo bombers.

World War, 1939-1945--Aerial operations, American.

World War, 1939-1945.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (208 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

New Haven : Yale University Press, c2005.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

The Battle of Midway is considered the greatest U.S. naval victory, but behind the luster is the devastation of the American torpedo squadrons. Of the 51 planes sent to attack Japanese carriers only 7 returned, and of the 127 aircrew only 29 survived. Not a single torpedo hit its target. A story of avoidable mistakes and flawed planning, The Unknown Battle of Midway reveals the enormous failures that led to the destruction of four torpedo squadrons but were omitted from official naval reports: the planes that ran out of gas, the torpedoes that didn't work, the pilots who had never dropped torpedoes, and the breakdown of the attack plan. Alvin Kernan, who was present at the battle, has written a troubling but persuasive analysis of these and other little-publicized aspects of this great battle. The standard navy tactics for carrier warfare are revealed in tragic contrast to the actual conduct of the battle and the after-action reports of the ships and squadrons involved.

Contents:

Front matter

CONTENTS

FOREWORD

PREFACE

ONE. The Destruction of the American Battle Line at Pearl Harbor

TWO. Trading Armor for Speed: The New Battle Line

THREE. Obsolete ''Devastators'' and Obsolescent ''Wildcats''

FOUR. Duds: The Great American Torpedo Scandal

FIVE. Indians and ''Ringknockers''

SIX. Attack

SEVEN. ''The Best-Laid Schemes o' Mice an' Men Gang Aft Agley''

EIGHT. ''Sorry about That''

APPENDIX 1. Flight Personnel of the Torpedo Squadrons at Midway

APPENDIX 2. Chronology of American Torpedo Attacks at Midway

APPENDIX 3. The Hornet Air Group Course on the Morning of June 4

APPENDIX 4. Gas Consumption in the TBD

NOTES

BIBLIOGRAPHY

INDEX

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references (p. 169-175) and index.

ISBN:

9786611721916

9781281721914

1281721913

9780300128314

0300128312

OCLC:

952732442