Dear editor,

Six hundred World War II veterans are dying each day. Soon, this generation will be gone; the same as World War I Veterans. May is National Military Appreciation Month. The turning point during World War II in the Pacific Ocean, in anyone’s estimation, was the Battle of Midway and the Battle of Coral Sea, May 1942- June 1942.

Ten days after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, fleet Commander Admiral Chester Nimitz was made Commander in Chief of the U.S. Pacific. Nimitz proved himself to be one of the best naval warfare statisticians in history.

In the Battle of Coral Sea, the Allies had two carriers and 128 aircraft. The Axis powers had three carriers and 127 aircraft. The total number of casualties was 658 for the Allies and 966 for the Axis powers.

In the Battle of Midway, the Allies had three carriers and 360 aircraft. The Axis powers had four carriers and 240 aircraft. The total number of casualties was 307 for the Allies and 3,057 for the Axis powers.

Three years after Midway, on June 7, 1945, Admiral Nimitz accepted the unconditional surrender of the Japanese, on behalf of the U.S., aboard the USS Missouri. September 2, 1945, General Douglas MacArthur accepted the formal Japanese surrender aboard the USS Missouri which ended World War II.

Total U.S. casualties were approximately 400,000. Total Axis Casualties were approximately 5-10 million.

 

Miles Aldridge

Sr. Lt. USNR

World War II

1949-1959