| Bombing Squadron 8 (VB-8) and Scouting Squadron 8 (VS-8) Doulgas SBD-3 Dauntless dive bombers from USS Hornet (CV-8) approaching the burning Japanese heavy cruiser Mikuma during the third set of attacks on her at 1445 Hours, June 6, 1942. 12 SBDs ignored the burning Mikuma to concentrate on the escorting destroyers and Mogami. Mikuma had been hit earlier by strikes from Hornet and USS Enterprise (CV-6), leaving her dead in the water and fatally damaged. Photo was enlarged from a 16 mm color motion picture film. Note bombs hung beneath these planes. On June 5, Mikuma erroneously made a 90-degree turn while the rest of Cruiser Division 7 made a 45-degree turn to avoid submarine USS Tambor (SS-198). The cruiser was hit by Mogami, which was heavily damaged; Mikuma suffered slight damage to oil storage tanks. The two cruisers were left behind, with destroyers Arashio and Asashio as escorts, making slow progress for Wake. The cruisers were bombed by United States Army Air Force B-17s at 0534 Hours and near-missed by VMSB-241 Vindicators and Dauntless at 0805. 81 SBDs from Enterprise and Hornet score hits with five bombs, blowing up torpedoes and ready ammunition and killing or wounding many on the bridge, including Captain Shakao Sakiyama. He died on June 12 from his wounds. Mogami is so badly damaged during the attack that she is out of the war for two years. 650 Mikuma crewmen are killed; 240 are rescued by cruiser Suzuya. On June 9, USS Trout (SS-202) rescued Chief Radioman Yoshida Katsuichi and Fireman Third Class Ishikawa Kenichi. They are the last survivors of the cruiser Mikuma. | |
| Image Filename | wwii1303.jpg |
| Image Size | 2.19 MB |
| Image Dimensions | 2926 x 2279 |
| Photographer | Unknown |
| Photographer Title | |
| Caption Author | Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | June 06, 1942 |
| Location | VS-8 and VB-8 from USS Hornet (CV-8) |
| City | Over Mikuma |
| State or Province | Battle of Midway |
| Country | Japan |
| Archive | National Archives and Records Administration |
| Record Number | |
| Status | Caption ©2007, ©2024 MFA Productions LLC Image in the Public Domain |
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