The Battle of Midway was a 5-day campaign in June 1942 between US and Japanese naval forces in the Pacific Ocean that drastically changed the outcome of World War II. Considered one of the most decisive battles in the Pacific, the Battle of Midway shifted momentum away from Japan and towards the Allied forces. If your relatives served in the Navy during World War II, researching the Battle of Midway may help you connect with their personal story.
At MyHeritage, we help you decode historical events and understand your family’s connection to them with our research tools. In this post, we’re recapping the significance of the Battle of Midway and how you can trace your ancestors through World War II military records.
Key takeaways on the battle of Midway:
- The Battle of Midway was a major turning point in the war in the Pacific during WWII.
- You can research your personal connection to the Battle of Midway using oral histories, military records, casualty lists, and naval archives.
- Platforms like MyHeritage provide digital databases and research tools to further your research on historic events.
- Even if your ancestors weren’t directly involved in the Battle of Midway, understanding this major WW2 event can help you understand the context of the experiences they lived through.
What was the Battle of Midway?
The Battle of Midway was a campaign by Japan to neutralize the U.S. naval power in the Pacific. It resulted in a decisive victory of the U.S. Navy and allied forces, destroying Japan’s first-line carrier strength. Along with the Battle of Guadalcanal, Midway prevented any further invasion by Japanese forces in the Pacific. Midway had been a target for Japan since 1941 due to its geographical significance.
The success of the U.S. Navy provided more than just a morale boost. The four Japanese carriers at the Battle of Midway — Akagi, Soryu, Hiryu, and Kaga — had also been involved in Pearl Harbor six months earlier. Believing the U.S. Navy had been drastically depleted during the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japan aimed to attack Midway as a final assault. However, the U.S. forces had been alerted to Japan’s plans through the Allied code-breaking network, known as Ultra, allowing them to intercept Japan’s planned ambush.
Alongside losing all four carriers, over 100 trained Japanese pilots were also killed during the Battle of Midway. The campaign marked the beginning of offensive action by the United States in the Pacific, shifting the Second World War in favor of the Allied forces. As a result, Japan was unable to continue with its plans to invade Samoa, Fiji, and New Caledonia.
The human side of the battle of Midway
If you’re researching the Battle of Midway for genealogy purposes, you might have a relative who was involved in this WW2 campaign or who was directly impacted by it. Japan suffered a catastrophic loss during the Battle of Midway, including four carriers, more than 320 planes, and an estimated 3,000 Japanese sailors and airmen.
The speed of their retreat prevented any major opportunity to recover potential survivors. The U.S. also lost one carrier, a destroyer, and almost 150 aircraft, including over 300 airmen, sailors, and marines from the Midway garrison.
Your family may have a connection to the Battle of Midway outside of being involved in the campaign directly. Civilian industries often supported these battles indirectly, and the success of the Battle of Midway ultimately marked a turning point in the war in the Pacific post-Pearl Harbor. If you’ve traced your family tree to Japan, your ancestors may have lost family members or friends in the Battle of Midway.
How to find potential ancestors using WWII records
World War 2 records are increasingly being digitized and made available through platforms like MyHeritage. There are a variety of World War II records available for events like the Battle of Midway, from casualty lists to service records, war diaries, and missing-in-action reports.
While it’s easy to focus on military documents, you can also use personal artifacts to get a civilian perspective on the Battle of Midway. As this historical event occurred just over 80 years ago, your wider family circle may still have postcards, diaries, and letters that document the real-time thoughts and feelings of your ancestors during this time.
Discover your family’s connections to WWII with MyHeritage
Researching historical events, like the Battle of Midway, can help you understand the context of the world your ancestors lived in. Linking an ancestor to a major event like this can give you a deeper sense of connection and allow you to continue sharing their story with future generations. With MyHeritage, you can honor their legacy by using our research tools to uncover a database of over 266 million military records.
FAQs about researching the battle of Midway
What documents should I use to find out if my relative fought in the Battle of Midway?
Military and navy records, including ship rosters and muster rolls, can confirm whether your relative was involved in the Battle of Midway. Some of these records are available on digital databases, such as MyHeritage, or through the National Archives.
My ancestor served in the Pacific during WWII but wasn’t involved in Midway. Should I still research it?
Researching major events, such as the Battle of Midway, can give you a greater understanding of the war in the Pacific and provide context to the lived experience of your ancestors.
Am I able to access Japanese WWII military and naval records?
It can be challenging to access Japanese WWII records due to the destruction of documents during the war. However, some documents are accessible, but most will still be in Japanese, requiring you to have a high level of language skills or a translator to help.
I don’t know if my ancestor was connected to the Battle of Midway. Where should I start my research?
Look for clues by examining family documents and using oral histories to determine whether they were involved in the war in the Pacific or if they could have been directly impacted by it.
Can DNA testing connect me to ancestors who served in World War II?
DNA testing can help you find new relatives through your shared DNA, confirming DNA Matches and Smart Matches
on MyHeritage in your family tree.
The post Battle of Midway: Tracing Family History Through WWII Naval Records appeared first on MyHeritage Blog.
Source: My Heritage
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