Photographs from the Battle of Midway

80-G-11635 Rear cockpit and .50 caliber machinegun turret of the only survivor of six Torpedo Squadron Eight (VT-8) Grumman TBF ""Avenger"" that had attacked the Japanese carrier force in the morning of June 4, 1942. Seaman 1st Class Jay D. Manning, who was operating the .50 caliber machine gun turret, was killed in action with Japanese fighters during the attack. Damage to the turret can be seen in this view. The plane's pilot, Ensign Albert K. Earnest, and radioman, Radioman 3rd Class Harry H. Ferrier, survived the action.

80-G-11637 Grumman TBF-1 ""Avenger"" of Torpedo Squadron Eight (VT-8), photographed at Midway, June 24-25, 1942, prior to shipment back to the United States for post-battle evaluation. This badly damaged plane was the only survivor of six VT-8 TBFs that had attacked the Japanese carrier force in the morning of June 4.

80-G-17053 Oil tanks burning on Sand Island, Midway, during the night of June 4-5, 1942. They had been set afire by the Japanese air attack on the morning of 4 June. Light from this fire guided at least one Marine aviator back to Midway after an attempted night attack mission against Japanese ships on June 4-5.

80-G-17056 Burning oil tanks on Sand Island, Midway, following the Japanese air attack delivered on the morning of June 4, 1942. These tanks were located near what was then the southern shore of Sand Island.

80-G-17063 Grumman TBF-1 (Bureau #00380) ""Avenger"" of Torpedo Squadron Eight (VT-8), photographed at Midway, 25 June 1942, prior to shipment back to the United States for post-battle evaluation. Badly shot-up, this plane was the only survivor of six Midway-based VT-8 TBFs that had attacked the Japanese carrier force in the morning of 4 June. The plane's pilot was Ensign Albert K. Earnest. Crew were Radioman 3rd Class Harrier H. Ferrier and Seaman 1st Class Jay D. Manning. Manning, who was operating the .50 caliber machine gun turret, was killed in action with Japanese fighters during the attack.

80-G-19974 Crew of the Patrol Squadron 23 (VP-23) PBY-5A "Catalina" patrol bomber that found the approaching Japanese fleet's Midway Occupation Force on the morning of June 3, 1942.

80-G-41686 Torpedo Squadron Six (VT-6) TBD-1 aircraft are prepared for launching on USS Enterprise (CV-6) at about 0730-0740 hours, June 4, 1942. Eleven of the fourteen TBDs launched from Enterprise are visible. Three more TBDs and ten F4F fighters must still be pushed into position before launching can begin. The TBD in the left front is Number Two (Bureau #1512), flown by Ensign Severin L. Rombach and Aviation Radioman 2nd Class W. F. Glenn. Along with eight other VT-6 aircraft, this plane and its crew were lost attacking Japanese aircraft carriers somewhat more than two hours later. USS Pensacola (CA-24) is in the right distance and a destroyer is in plane guard position at left.

USAF 22635 AC U.S. Army Air Force B-17E ""Flying Fortress"" bombers take off from the airfield on Eastern Island, Midway Atoll, on June 3-4, 1942. Plane in the center is an early-model B-17E, with a Bendix remotely controlled belly turret.

USAF 3725 AC Japanese aircraft carrier Hiryu maneuvers to avoid three sticks of bombs dropped during a high-level attack by U.S. Army Air Force B-17 bombers, shortly after 0800 on June 4, 1942.

USAF 75712 AC Japanese aircraft carrier Hiryu maneuvering during a high-level bombing attack by U.S. Army Air Force B-17 bombers, shortly after 0800 on June 4, 1942.