Summary of David Rigby's Wade McClusky and the Battle of Midway

By IRB Media

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Book Preview:

#1 On June 4, 1942, Wade McClusky was flying at 19,000ft in a Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless dive-bomber at the head of two squadrons of USS Enterprise dive-bombers, Scouting Six and Bombing Six. He was tasked with attacking the Japanese carrier striking force, Kido Butai.

#2 McClusky’s sixth sense told him that the Japanese were not going too fast, but too slow. They must have been held up somehow, and still be to his north. He turned right, leading his squadrons in a northwesterly direction.

#3 The most important factor when choosing senior commanders for the Army is character, which involves integrity, unselfish and devoted purpose, a sturdiness of bearing when everything goes wrong, and a willingness to sacrifice self in the interest of the common good.

#4 The Japanese showed at Midway that they were not good at improvising when the plan went awry. Without meaning any disrespect to the Japanese pilots who fought bravely at Midway, I believe that a Japanese squadron leader would have turned his group around and headed back to his carrier to refuel and get new orders before continuing a search for an enemy fleet.

• Language: English
• Publisher: IRB Media
• Release date: Jun 4, 2022
• ISBN: 9798822507661

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Insights on David Rigby's Wade McClusky and the Battle of Midway

Contents

Insights from Chapter 1

Insights from Chapter 2

Insights from Chapter 3

Insights from Chapter 4

Insights from Chapter 5

Insights from Chapter 6

Insights from Chapter 7

Insights from Chapter 8

Insights from Chapter 9

Insights from Chapter 10

Insights from Chapter 11

Insights from Chapter 12

Insights from Chapter 13

Insights from Chapter 14

Insights from Chapter 15

Insights from Chapter 16

Insights from Chapter 17

Insights from Chapter 18

Insights from Chapter 19

Insights from Chapter 20

Insights from Chapter 21

Insights from Chapter 22

Insights from Chapter 23

Insights from Chapter 24

Insights from Chapter 25

Insights from Chapter 26

Insights from Chapter 27

Insights from Chapter 28

Insights from Chapter 29

Insights from Chapter 30

Insights from Chapter 31

Insights from Chapter 32

Insights from Chapter 33

Insights from Chapter 1

#1

On June 4, 1942, Wade McClusky was flying at 19,000ft in a Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless dive-bomber at the head of two squadrons of USS Enterprise dive-bombers, Scouting Six and Bombing Six. He was tasked with attacking the Japanese carrier striking force, Kido Butai.

#2

McClusky’s sixth sense told him that the Japanese were not going too fast, but too slow. They must have been held up somehow, and still be to his north. He turned right, leading his squadrons in a northwesterly direction.

#3

The most important factor when choosing senior commanders for the Army is character, which involves integrity, unselfish and devoted purpose, a sturdiness of bearing when everything goes wrong, and a willingness to sacrifice self in the interest of the common good.

#4

The Japanese showed at Midway that they were not good at improvising when the plan went awry. Without meaning any disrespect to the Japanese pilots who fought bravely at Midway, I believe that a Japanese squadron leader would have turned his group around and headed back to his carrier to refuel and get new orders before continuing a search for an enemy fleet.

#5

The Battle of Midway was a huge victory for the United States, but it also led to the loss of many ships and lives. It is a battle that is still studied today.

Insights from Chapter 2

#1

The American victory at Midway was not a passive victory won by default. Japanese mistakes and lackadaisical planning were not enough to hand victory to the Americans. It was positive action, such as Wade McClusky’s ability to keep cool and improvise when things went wrong, that won the battle for the Americans.

#2

The Battle of Midway was the most important single factor in the American victory. However, Wade McClusky, the air group commander of the USS Enterprise, is a surprisingly obscure figure. His handling of the Enterprise fighter group was excellent, and he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his efforts.

#3

The idea that Wade McClusky was a time server is completely false. He was an ambitious man, but he never had any martinet tendencies. He was a vital component of the American victory at Midway in 1942, which did not happen by default.

#4

The Americans had to deal with many materiel shortages at the time. However, the American dive-bomber pilots delivered the most important blows that destroyed four Japanese aircraft carriers at Midway.

#5

The American dive-bomber pilots