IJN Hiryu Burning and Abandoned

Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft carrier Hiryu as photographed by an aircraft from IJN Hosho just after daybreak on June 5, 1942. Hit by at least four bombs by Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers around 1700 Hours on June 4, she manuvered until midnight, when she was abandoned and scuttling attempted. She refused to sink until around 0900 the next day. The plane from Hosho reported crewmen still aboard; the destroyer Tanikaze was sent to investigate, but found nothing. On June 14, a Consolidated PBY Catalina patrol seaplane spotted a small boat hundreds of miles away from Midway. It was seen again on the 19th, and the seaplane tender USS Ballard (AVD-10) was directed to the area. There she found 35 Japanese navymen, members of carrier Hiryu's engineering force who were left for dead when she was abandoned before dawn on June 5. They had made their way topsides, found a boat as their ship sank and had been sailing for two weeks trying to reach a friendly territory. They were transported from Midway to Hawaii in USS Sirius (AK-15) on June 23, 1942 to become prisoners of war.