As a kid, my only knowledge of the Battle of Midway was what I garnered from watching the movie, which featured Charlton Heston, Henry Fonda and a myriad of other great Hollywood stars.  The movie could not do justice to the sacrifice made by the members of our military, but it did make you appreciate the fragile nature of our country’s defense after Pearl Harbor.

Some six months after that devastating attack on Hawaii, the U.S. Navy launched an ambitious attack against a very powerful and successful Japanese military.  Much attention will be paid to the D-Day anniversary over the coming week, rightfully so, but Midway surely turned the tide in the Pacific and helped us to secure our footing and move on to eventual victory over the Japanese.

There are several sites that provide great information about Midway, I would like to forward a few:

Navy History

Wikipedia Summary

Navy Memorial Events

We should always give thanks to our veterans, regardless of what battle they fought or what service they provide.  However, there are certain campaigns that truly have saved our country—-Midway was one of those engagements.