Battle of Midway Dive-bomber Dispels Myths of Sinking Japanese Carriers 

American diver bomber pilots did it over and over flying into the mouth of the dragon

I don't know when this was filmed exactly but hopefully Roland Emmerich's 'Midway' movie that came out in 2019 has set the record straight and given the dive bombers the credit they deserved. I can only think that the US Navy's long pretence that the torpedo bombers sunk these carriers was out of some sort of guilt that they sent brave men (who virtually all died) on a mission with defective torpedo's that were completely ineffective.

Then you weren't reading Shattered Sword. The two authors claimed that that dive bomber crews were telling "lurid tales" for which they can "be forgiven". In fact, the two authors' primary source- Senshi Sosho- is 'not' the official history which they claim it to be. Moreover, they conveniently left out statements from the senior surviving officers of both Soryu and Kaga which completely support the statements of our dive bomber crews- and directly contradict the authors' claim that all of the Japanese attack aircraft were in the carriers' hangars when the dive bomber attack began.

I hope he got to see it.

America could never have been defeated by Japan, but they could have lost all sway in the western Pacific ocean if they had given up on it, of course they did the opposite and took on a war on 2 fronts , winning the pacific war and hugely contributing to the winning in europe as well, in both men and material support to their allies. I think there was a lot of propaganda designed to galvanise the armed forces and the public, and it was a huge success.

It's going to happen again if this current administration don't stop bowing down to China the other swine

I think I saw what you did. Good memory, I forgot that was in the movie.The movie made it look like the US Navy just caught the Japanese by surprise. Hollywood dramatization made it look like it was a huge lucky break. It makes much more sense that it was because of the tactics this veteran said were used.

@@shawnpa by pure chance McClusky found the Jap destroyer steaming full bore all alone. the destroyer had been shadowing the US sub Nautilus from attacking the Jap fleet. McClusky , lost as to where the fleet was, then followed the course of that lone destroyer catching up, to set up the most fateful 5 minutes in history. sinking 3 of Japan's fleett carriers.

.my father was a marine Corp. Corsair fighter pilot

Before WW2 The IJN was probably the most powerful navy in the world at that time with the most advanced warships currently in use until Midway.

I agree with him! Not only did it put them far away while the Japanese carriers changed course, they also knew many pilots would not have enough fuel to return and many would have to land in the water. The dive bombers from Hornet did not hit the carriers at all, the Hornet dive bombers who ignored orders went on the right course but they all got shot down. There was a US submarine "the Natilus" that was harassing the Japanese fleet and the ship that Mclosky followed to the carriers had stayed behind to harass the sub, so without that sub, we might never have found the carriers. As much as the torpedo bombers were on a suicide mission, some experts say it was the torpedo bombers that exhausted and drew away the Japanese air cover, so they didn't get the dive bombers when they finally came and destroyed the carriers. If I was a assigned to a torpedo plane I would have known it was a suicide mission. I'm not sure what I would have done - tried like hell to switch to a fighter or dive bomber. What's worse is at that time of the war most of those torpedoes were defective, so even if they went on a suicide mission it wasn't worth it.

@@ppumpkin3282 The Hornet’s SBDs did miss the first attack, many actually made it to Midway, they had spotted the smoke from the 1st Japanese attack, and landed there. They were able to refuel and fly back to the Hornet. They did have a role in the attack on the cruiser Mikuma. Which would also sink.

A little narrow minded dude......

you must be drunk writing such a ridiculous response after listening to the mans experience DoucheAbag smdh

Well hes 90...sometimes your use to saying something and eventually someone wrote one....hes a legend he say what ever he wants

Don't think he suppressed or did any disservice to Mr Best. The accomplishments of Best are well noted. The interview wasn't about Best, it was about the guy being interviewed.🤔🤔

@@fighterjetsteve He said Torpedo bombers were USELESS it was up to them to win that battle... Disgraceful....

@@17donhol the torpedo bombers were useless, they all got shot down. They did what they could in obsolete equipment but thats disgraceful to you......ho hum with your trivial hum drum.

@@fighterjetsteve that just shows ur ignorance...Yes they had no chance against the superior Zeroes but while the jap carriers were repelling the attack THEY WERENT ABLE TO GET THE VALS UP FROM THE HANGERS ONTO FLIGHT DECK which mean they couldnt LAUNCH !!!! That allowed the bombers to cast h them in a very vulnerable position and were floating powder kegs until the bo.bers could wipe them out.. McClusky totally fucked up diving.on Kaga and quick thinking Lt Best pulled out of a dive and took.his 2 wingmen.with him and went after the Akagi....Bests single 1000 lb bomb., the only bomb that was a direct hit ) exploded in the hangar section and set off a chain reaction.of explosions and doomed Akagi... McCluskys bomb on Kaga.missed btw...

Best was a dive bomber.