“Heroic…courage…sacrifice.” Words to remember when recalling the Battle of Midway, an epic and tide-turning chapter of World War II that is receiving newfound attention. In June 1942, the Japanese launched a major attack against Midway in the hope of establishing
“Heroic…courage…sacrifice.” Words to remember when recalling the Battle of
Midway, an epic and tide-turning chapter of World War II that is receiving
newfound attention.
In June 1942, the Japanese launched a major attack
against Midway in the hope of establishing a stepping stone for a later
invasion of Hawai’i. But the U.S. had broken Japanese military codes and
launched an ambush of the Japanese fleet. In the fierce fighting, four of that
navy’s aircraft carriers were sunk and the war in the Pacific swung in the
Americans’ favor.
As a lasting tribute, U.S. Secretary of the Interior
Bruce Babbitt has designated Midway Atoll as the Battle of Midway Memorial.
Through planning by citizens’ groups and federal agencies, including the Navy
and the Marines, military installations from WWII will be preserved, and the
American ships and aircraft – victims of the battle – that lie nearby on the
ocean floor will be memorialized. A formal celebration of the project is
tentatively planned for next June on the atoll, during the famed battle’s
anniversary.
Said Babbitt, “Those who fought in the Battle of Midway won an
incredible victory against overwhelming odds. This memorial wil ensure that
their heroic courage and sacrifice will never be forgotten.”
