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

Published New Haven : Yale University Press, ©2005

Click on the following:
ProQuest Ebook Central

Copies

Description 1 online resource (xvii, 181 pages) : illustrations Series The Yale library of military history Yale library of military history. Contents CONTENTS -- FOREWORD -- PREFACE -- 1. The Destruction of the American Battle Lineat Pearl Harbor -- 2. Trading Armor for Speed: The New Battle Line -- 3. Obsolete ��Devastators�� and Obsolescent ��Wildcats�� -- 4. Duds: The Great American Torpedo Scandal -- 5. Indians and ��Ringknockers��:Personnel of the Midway Torpedo Squadrons -- 6. Attack: ��My God, This Is Just LikeWatching a Movie�� -- 7. ��The Best-Laid Schemes o� Mice an� Men Gang Aft Agley��:Command Failures -- 8. ��Sorry about That��: Survival Appendix 1. Flight Personnel of the Torpedo Squadrons at MidwayAppendix 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 Summary The Battle of Midway is considered the greatest U.S. naval victory, but behind the lustre 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-publicised 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 Bibliography Includes bibliographical references (pages 169-175) and index Notes Print version record Subject Midway, Battle of, 1942. Torpedo bombers -- United States -- History -- 20th century World War, 1939-1945 -- Aerial operations, American Military planning -- United States -- History -- 20th century HISTORY -- Military -- World War II. HISTORY -- Military -- United States. Military operations, Aerial -- American Military planning Torpedo bombers Midway Islands United States Genre/Form History Form Electronic book ISBN 9780300128314 0300128312

  Permalink