creps@silver.bacs.indiana.edu (Steve Creps) (12/22/89)
From: creps@silver.bacs.indiana.edu (Steve Creps)
One feat that was thought impossible was the speed in which
U.S.S. Yorktown (CV-5) was repaired and made ready for the Battle
of Midway.
On May 8, 1942 Yorktown was damaged in the Battle of the Coral
Sea. The estimated time of repair was put at three months by Rear
Admiral Aubrey Fitch.
On May 26, knowing from intelligence reports that Yorktown would
be needed against a Japanese attack on Midway, Admiral Chester Nimitz
said, "We must have this ship back in three days." At this time it
was doubted that she could be repaired in sixty days.
Yorktown left Pearl Harbor on May 30 with Rear Admiral Frank
Fletcher, the impossible having been done in its repair. 1400 men
had worked around the clock, and she was not completely repaired,
but was battleworthy.
On June 3, the Battle of Midway began, Yorktown having joined
Enterprise (CV-6) and Hornet (CV-8). The Japanese lost four aircraft
carriers, Akagi, Kaga, Soryu, and Hiryu; Soryu was sunk by dive
bombers from Yorktown.
Unfortunately, Yorktown was so quickly repaired only to be sunk.
She was hit by a wave of dive bombers from Hiryu, and then a second
wave of torpedo bombers, and was abandoned. Hopes of saving her
were dashed a couple of days later, when she was sunk by torpedoes
from Japanese subs. But she had helped make the difference in the
battle which was the turning point in the Pacific Campaign of WWII.
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Steve Creps
creps@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (129.79.1.6)
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