Battle of Midway commemoration yields important lessons

Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Victoria Mejicanos | 160605-N-XP344-030 MANAMA, Bahrain (June 5, 2016) Rear Adm. Eugene Black, deputy commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and U.S. 5th Fleet, speaks to Sailors at a Battle of Midway commemoration ceremony held at U.S. Naval Support Activity, Bahrain in front of the coastal patrol ship USS Monsoon (PC 4). The ceremony commemorated the Sailors and Marines lost during the Battle of Midway. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Victoria Kinney/Released)  

BAHRAIN

06.05.2016

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Victoria Mejicanos 

U.S. Naval Forces Central Command / U.S. 5th Fleet           

“As we commemorate Midway, we must consider its legacy and enduring ability to inspire us, and we put that inspiration into practice,” said Rear Adm. Eugene Black, deputy commander of U.S. 5th Fleet and U.S. Naval Forces Central Command during the brief ceremony. “The Arabian Gulf is unlike the vast Pacific to be sure, but these lessons apply in our area of operations just the same.”

In June 1942, U.S. naval forces were focused on the battle raging in the Pacific Theater. U.S. and Japanese carriers squared off against each other. These nautical giants shook the world with the Battle of Midway changing the course of World War II.

Black highlighted three important lessons from the battle: trust your intelligence, trust your Sailors and be ready.

While pure strength and size was vital, the important role intelligence played cannot be overstated, Black said. In the lead-up to the battle, Sailors were able to decode 25 percent of the enemies' radio traffic, allowing them to determine that Midway Island was the target.

“The actual sighting of the Japanese fleet on June 3, heading for Midway, validated Adm. Nimitz’s trust in the intelligence information he possessed, information that had been vital to the formulation of his strategy,” Black said.

Nimitz’s trust in his leaders and Sailors was a key factor for flexible decision making, Black noted. Nimitz elected to remain at his headquarters in Pearl Harbor, relying on his clear direction of what he wanted to guide decisions at the scene.

“He gave clear guidance and then he got out of the way,” Black said.

The third lesson learned is the most important: be ready. He said the preparations for meeting the Japanese threat would prove to be the linchpin in the victory at Midway.

“Adm. Nimitz was arguably a better strategist and possessed a clear vision of what he wanted to do – to destroy the enemy fleet while preserving his own,” said Black. “In the actions of June 4-6, 1942, those subordinates, from flag officer to fighter pilot, from ship captain to seaman, proved to be up to the challenge.”

Black noted that all three of these lessons have application in today’s world.

“All of you here in the 5th Fleet are the heirs to these lessons learned,” Black said. “Whether it’s conducting maritime security operations in the Gulf of Aden or in the Arabian Gulf, countering piracy across the AOR, or escorting the free flow of shipping through the three critical chokepoints in the region, Midway serves as a strong example of who we are, and why we exist, so that well into the future, Sailors, Marines, and Coastguardsmen will continue to value the legacy of Midway.”

• Date Taken: 06.05.2016
• Date Posted: 06.06.2016 09:53
• Story ID: 200078
• Location: BH