On December 7th, 1941, six Japanese carriers launched a total of 351 planes to attack Pearl Harbor. The attack sunk and damaged several ships, and killed 2403 Americans.

Shortly after the war began, at Naval General Headquarters in Tokyo, the Japanese military planners began a strategic debate for the purpose of determining the best path forward.

By June 3^rd, the Japanese formations were approaching, TF-16 and TF-17 were patrolling northeast of Midway, and Midway’s PBY scout planes were looking for the enemy carriers.

Kido Butai simultaneously launched an attack on Midway and a seven plane scouting pattern. At the same time, Admiral Fletcher was launching ten SBD scouts from Yorktown.

At 0530, a PBY spotted Kido Butai and reported the sighting, but was spotted by the Japanese two minutes later. At 0545, another PBY sighted the Japanese 108 plane strike force.

At 0600, the Japanese strike force was closing on Midway, and American fighters were climbing up to intercept them. The rest of Midway’s planes were heading for the Japanese fleet.

At 0700, Akagi received Tomonaga’s message that another Midway strike was needed, and Nagumo learned that cruiser Tone’s scout plane had sighted ten American ships.

Between 0800 and 0900, sixteen SBDs attacked Kido Butai, then fifteen B17s attacked, then Nautilus attacked, and then eleven old Vindicators attacked. None were successful.

Tomonaga’s strike force was recovered and debriefed. VT-8 torpedo planes from Hornet attacked Kido Butai, and a few minutes later VT-6 torpedo planes from Enterprise also attacked.

At 1000, Japan had crushed every American air attack, and was winning. However, by 1100, with 3 of their carriers burning, the Japanese had essentially lost the Battle of Midway.

A scouting report said that the Americans were only 90 miles away. Based on this, Nagumo ordered his remaining ships to charge forward and create a surface engagement.

Fires continued to blaze on Akagi, Kaga, and Soryu. Hiryu’s first counter-strike of Val dive-bombers attacked Yorktown. Nagumo learned that the Vals hit a carrier and left it burning.

Torpedo planes of Hiryu’s 2nd counter strike attacked Yorktown, American scout planes located Hiryu, and a large explosion occurred on Akagi. Kaga and Soryu were abandoned.

TF-17 moved towards TF-16 leaving one destroyer to guard the abandoned Yorktown. Even though burning, Hiryu moved towards the northwest with the other ships of Kido Butai.

Hiryu sank. Near Midway, I-168 was ordered to head northeast to attack the damaged Yorktown. American planes from Midway attacked the crippled cruisers Mogami and Mikuma.

Mikuma was damaged by air attacks. While the Americans worked to salvage Yorktown, I-168 launched 4 torpedoes. One missed, another hit destroyer Hammann, and two hit Yorktown.