Battle of Midway 65th Commemoration


The Navy Memorial hosted the Naval District Washington’s 65th anniversary of the Battle of Midway on June 4, 2007.  
The event, which included a public commemorative wreathlaying ceremony, was attended by Battle of Midway veterans who travelled from all over the country to participate. 

Veterans had the opportunity to pass on their vivid accounts to audience members. To hear one veteran's story, click here.

11:00 a.m. Naval District Washington commemorative wreathlaying ceremony at the Navy Memorial*

1:00 p.m. Screening of "Destination Point Luck: Voices of Midway," a new documentary produced by the Naval Media Center. (At the Arleigh & Roberta Burke Theater inside the Naval Heritage Center).

All events are free and open to the public. For more information, contact Taylor Kiland at (202) 380-0718.

Living History: Midway Veteran Educates Youth

On May 10, the NJROTC cadets from Friendly High School visited the Navy Memorial to hear from one of Midway’s veterans, CAPT Jack Crawford.  As a young, freshly-assigned ensign, Crawford served aboard the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown (CV-5), whose aircraft helped to demolish the Japanese fleet.  As the battle opened in June 1942, he stood watch as junior officer of the deck.  As the battle concluded, he joined the rest of the crew in abandoning ship after bombs and torpedoes had devastated the ship over successive days.  Crawford presented a comprehensive overview of the battle and shared his reminiscences as a witness to history.

The group then watched a screening of the Navy’s film production on the Battle of Midway that was done only months after the engagement.  Afterward, the cadets joined Captain Crawford on the Navy Memorial to lay a wreath at The Lone Sailor to honor the servicemembers who fought and sacrificed at this turning point in history.

Friendly High School’s visit, a first for many of the cadets, was concluded with a tour of the Navy Memorial.

What made the Battle of Midway so significant?

The Battle of Midway (1942) was the turning point in the Pacific Theatre of World War II. It saw American forces ambushing a Japanese invasion fleet as it sailed to attack the American outpost on the island of Midway. Although they were outnumbered, especially in the critical fleet component of aircraft carriers, the American task force under Admiral Nimitz managed to put four of the Japanese Navy's carriers out of action at a cost of one American carrier. The Japanese momentum in the Pacific theatre was blunted, and the initiative had passed to the Americans. (To learn more about this amazing feat in U.S. military history, click here.)