quote:
To be fair, the Battle of Midway is probably the single most backbreaking defeat that any modern day country suffered in war. Not in personnel or territory, but just sheer changing of the tides. The Japanese Navy was no joke and put up a formidable fight for quite some time, but was absolutely crushed in the span of 72 hours at Midway.

It didn't look so decisive at the time. Japan occupied the Aleutions in the same operation, and there were months of hard fighting ahead on and around Guadalcanal.

I could make a plausible argument that the Marines holding on to Bloody Ridge was the single decisive moment in the Pacific. If Japan manages to take Henderson Field, things look very different, Midway notwithstanding.

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Posted by Bill Parker?

Member since Jan 2013

4469 posts

Posted on 4/21/18 at 1:31 am to Jim Rockford

My father served in WWII, and came out of it alive. As a lazy American enjoying my life and family, any dead jap from the war is a good jap.

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Posted by lsuconnman

Baton rouge

Member since Feb 2007

2644 posts

Posted on 4/21/18 at 2:43 am to GeorgePaton

quote:
One of the most beautifully planned and executed aerial missions of the war.

Believe the pilot credited with the kill later said as he swung his P-38 around to line up for kill he pulled the trigger to fire off a few test rounds. To his surprise those "test rounds" were right on target. Shot ole Yamamoto down on those first rounds. He couldn't have pulled off better shots if he tried.

You can youtube the kill. ... it took about 8 passes to take off the left wing.

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Posted by nola000

Lacombe, LA

Member since Dec 2014

13139 posts

Posted on 4/21/18 at 7:59 am to blueridgeTiger

Just came here to say, McCollum memo.

This post was edited on 4/21/18 at 8:00 am

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Posted by foshizzle