The Unauthorized History of the Pacific War

Like Three Haystacks on Fire, with special guest Jon Parshall

Episode Summary

This week Seth Paridon and Captain William Toti present the 2nd of 3 episodes on the Battle of Midway. As with Episode 8, this one features guest Jon Parshall, one of the most highly respected historians of the Pacific War.

Episode Notes

• Aboard the Japanese CVs
• What is the morning looking like at this point aboard the CVs?
• What are the Japanese briefed about?
• When do they launch?
• Who is the strike leader?
• Talk about the flight into Midway…
• Aboard the American CVs
• Reveille for US aircrews is at 0300, breakfast at 0400, ready rooms shortly after that
• Talk about the anticipation in the ready rooms
• Nervous energy

• Aboard Midway island
• Search planes take off around 0415
• Americans prepare for the battle they know is coming today
• Planes fueled and armed
• Bert Earnest and his two dollar bill

• At 0545 a search plane sees the incoming strike and radios “Many Planes Heading Midway”

• PBY search planes sight Japanese CVs at 0552

• Because of incoming aircraft and CV sighting, Midway scrambles damn near everything with wings by 0600

• Japanese Midway strike
• Give us the run-down of the Japanese attack on the island and the aerial encounters with the American fighters
• Bill Brooks and his Brewster engage Japanese as they come into the island around 0616
• What are the effects of the Japanese strike on the island?
• Who decides another strike is needed?
• Why?
• When does Nagumo get word of another strike being needed?
• Take us through his decision making here

• Aboard the American CVs
• 0645 Pilots Man Your Planes!
• Dusty Kleiss
• Don Hoff
• Spruance on orders from Fletcher decides to launch at 0700
• CV6 launches and orbits the TF awaiting CV5 and her birds
• US CV strike launch is discombobulated and unorganized 
• (clusterfuck is a good term but we shouldn’t say that)
• “Proceed on mission assigned” flashed to McClusky
• Hornet’s strike
• Stanhope Ring versus John Waldron

• As the American CVs strike is being launched, the first attackers from Midway see the Japanese CVs…
• Bert Earnest and Harry Ferrier in 8-T-1 attack Hiryu
• The B26s attack Akagi at almost the same time
• Talk about the near miss by the B26 on Akagi’s bridge
• 0800 VMSB-241 attacks Japanese fleet
• Japanese CAP proves to be incredibly deadly to these attacks

• While the Midway based aircraft are attacking the fleet, the Japanese are also attacked by a submarine 
• Talk about the effects that the Nautilus attack on the fleet have as far as timing is concerned, and what do the Japanese do 
• Nautilus’ attack, while not successful, is HUGE when it comes to the events that soon follow
• Arashi…

• Around 0840 the American attacks cease
• Talk about Nagumo’s timetable…
• What does it look like inside the hangar decks of the Japanese CVs right now?
• US VT attacks on Kido Butai
• VT8 and VT6 shortly afterwards

• Let’s once and for all dispel the George Gay myth…

• The Flight to Nowhere
• Where the hell is HAG?
• What happens to them?
• Could they have helped?
• Tease the cover up by Mitscher for Ring to be discussed at length in the next episode

• EAG flight and McClusky’s decision
• Talk about what is happening in the air right now 
• What is McClusky thinking
• What is happening to the SBD formation?
• McClusky’s decision to continue the search
• Seeing Arashi…
• Set up the attack of EAG on Kaga and Akagi from Japanese and US sides
• What is going on aboard the Japanese CVs right now?
• PLANES ON THE FLIGHT DECKS MYTH!
• Flash warning to Kaga
• McClusky breaks doctrine and attacks Kaga

• Attack on Kaga and Akagi
• Earl Gallaher
• Dusty Kleiss
• Don Hoff
• Aboard Kaga
• Briefly discuss attacks on Soryu
• Talk about the damage done to Kaga, Akagi and Soryu
• Just how bad is it?

• Discuss the Hiryu strikes on CV5

• Afternoon strike on Hiryu
• Lots of AAA this time and CAP
• Dusty Kleiss
• Don Hoff

• Wrap up June 4 and tease the next episode
• Japanese losses
• US losses