European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - October 16, 1967, Darmstadt, Hesse                              1? font pm u the beginning of the ordeal for the Gallant Yorktown smoke Rolls up from the smokestacks following a hit by a japanese bomb june 4, 1942. Navy Tumin Pointin the Pacific anime and the Jet air plane have Al worked their ways to almost erase the tiny Midway islands Sand an Eastern from memory. True the Pacific Cable still pulses through a relay station there and an occasional Mili tary aircraft stops off at the gleaming White runways but mostly the gooney Birds have a free run in the gently rustling Trade winds. But in May and june Only 25 year Sago Midway and the restless Green seas around the islands were the focus of attention from the Imperial Palace moated and secure in Tokyo to the hushed Halls of a tense War depart ment in Washington . At stake a two fleets mane Vered and fainted was the course of the War in the  the japanese Fleet a massive Armada of 190 ships stretched Over an arc of-1,800 Miles won Hawaii would be in the balance. If the americans with 25fighting ships won the japanese thrust in Asia would be slowed perhaps halted and the production lines in Detorok and Chicago could bring their weight to Bear. The japanese All powerful after six months of Victory after Victory Fol lowing Pearl Harbor were out to eliminate the . Pacific Fleet and were right on schedule according to  Yamamoto commander in chief of the combined Fleet of the Imperial japanese Navy. Yamamoto s plan was to deliver crushing blow to the americans and hopefully Force them to peace talks be fore the initial momentum was lost. I operation which envisioned feint toward the aleutians followed by an attack on the Midway islands to draw out the Pacific Fleet was the monday october 16, 1967 by Sam Bauman staff writer specific action Yamamoto Felt that . Navy would be forced to fight for its most Westward outpost and with it overwhelming strength the Imperial Navy would win an astounding Victory. That the . Navy Marine Cor Sand army air corps frustrated the plan is hardly news today but just How thin the margin of Victory was May come As a Shock to Many which is precisely what popular historian Walter a night to remember " lord is out to do in his newest study incredible Victory Harper and Row. Facing Yamamoto s Fleet was  w. Nimitz commander in chief of the . Pacific Fleet in Pearl  to japanese estimates Nim Itz did t have a Chance. What did behave two or three carriers perhaps some baby carriers As Well possibly two battleships 11 to 13 cruisers and maybe 30 destroyers and two of the carriers had been seen in the Solomons which made the Edge even fatter. The Imperial Navy meanwhile had four Battle carriers a Host of Battle ships cruisers and escort types plus the almost legendary Yamato the big Gest Battle Wagon afloat with 18-Inch guns to sweep the seas. It was the stuff naval dreams Are made of. The japanese plan was neat and pre Cise capt. Kameto Kurushima an Al most mystical staff officer of Genius level had a program with 16 groups of ships All aimed at a Day the Day when the Midway landings were to be Gin. On n-3 the japanese would attack the aleutians under vice adm. Moshiro hos Gaya hopefully drawing american reaction. On n minus 2, vice darn. Chuich Nagumo would aim his strike Force loaded with four carriers the Akagi Kaga Hirayu and so Yufor Midway with softening air strikes. Invasion Day would Send the Imperial marines on beaches to grab the Island while the defenders were still dazed. Out would come the american Navy reasoned the staff and As general order no. 94 put Kitwe will destroy the enemy Fleet which will appear when our operation is under  knockout punch was to be furnished by the giant Yamato plus a Host Yamamoto s plan was to deliver a crushing blow to the americans and hopefully Force them to peace talks before the initial momentum Ivas  the stars and stripes of other japanese capital ships steam ing a few Hundred Miles to the West when the americans moved against the strike Force Yamamoto would pounce. Of course the americans could do something less than expected if they knew what was going on but the intelligence estimate in paragraph d said the enemy is not aware of our  paragraph d might have fit the Imperial staff Model to a to but unfortunately for the bureaucrats the Navy combat intelligence unit at Pearl Harbor presided Over commanded by just does t fit by cmdr. Joseph j. Rochefort jr., was aware of the Jap anese plans. A humorous Man with a gift for wit and codes Rockefort was fond of work ing in a smoking jacket and carpet slippers. For a Lark he had once broken the state department s diplomatic code they were mad As hell More to the Point he had puzzled out the Jap anese naval code in 1940. Thus when in 1942 adm. Ernest , commander in chief of the . Fleet asked Rochefort what japanese Long Range intentions were the answers were there 1 the japanese were finished in the Indian Ocean 2 there was no solid plan to go after Australia and new zealand 3 a move South of Rabaul was in the works 4 and somewhere some place something big was brewing. By late april bits and pieces Fellin place through a phony message Rochefort tricked the japanese into revealing that of was the code name for Midway the target. By mid May continued on Page it Page u