This research was prepared by Captain (later Rear Admiral) Richard W. Bates, Head of the Department of Research and Analysis of the United States Naval War College, in 1948 as part of a series of similar studies devoted to the major naval battles of the Pacific Ocean Theater of World War II. The research was classified as "Confidential" (unclassified in 1968) and was never printed as a book: it was restrictedly distributed as photostats of the original typescript. Notwithstanding the classification of this research, it served as the basis for such well-known books about the Battle of Midway as classical Samuel Eliot Morison's "History of United States Naval Operations in World War II - Coral Sea, Midway and Submarine Actions" published in 1949 and Walter Lord's best-seller "Incredible Victory" published in 1967. Although over the decades that have passed since the making of Bates' research historians have obtained access to a number of additional sources, this study nevertheless remains an authoritative source of information, especially concerning the U.S. side of the battle. References to this research are found even in the most recent books on the Battle of Midway. This is the first time that "The Battle of Midway Including the Aleutian Phase, June 3 to June 14, 1942: Strategical and Tactical Analysis" by Richard W. Bates is published as a book. The text formatting was kept as close to the style of the original typescript as possible, including the original pagination for correct quotation. All the charts have been redrawn. Glossary of special terms and abbreviations as well as bibliographic records have been added. It is believed that this book will be useful to anyone interested in or studying the history of World War II in the Pacific Theater.
About the Author: Rear Admiral Richard W. Bates was born in San Francisco, California, on January 16, 1892. He was appointed to the US Naval Academy in 1911 and graduated in the Class of 1915. His first duty assignment was on board the USS YORKTOWN (GBT-1) then he served as Executive Officer in the USS CINCINNATI (C-7) and the USS SPROSTON (DD-173). In 1920 Bates attended the Naval Post Graduate School in Annapolis. The following year found him at Columbia University, studying electrical propulsion of ships. This was followed by duty as the Electrical Officer in the USS MARYLAND (BB-46), assistant in engineering at the Post Graduate School, and Engineering Officer in the USS RICHMOND (CL-9). In the decade before World War II, Bates saw duty with the Hydrographic Office, Honolulu and as Commander of the Naval Station, Honolulu; Commanding Officer of the USS BUCHANAN (DD-131), the USS RAMAPO (AO-12), the USS LONG (DD-209), and the USS CLARK (DD-361). When the war broke out, Bates was a student at the Naval War College. He continued at the College as a member of the staff until 1943 when he took command of the USS MINNEAPOLIS (CA-36). Under his command, the ship participated in the bombardment of Wake Island and the invasion of the Gilbert Islands. During 1944, Bates was on the staff of the Commander in Chief Pacific Fleet then Chief of Staff of the Bombardment, Fire Support and associated groups of the Seventh Fleet during the Philippine Islands campaign. December found him Chief of Staff and Aide to Commander Battleship Division Two and involved in the Lingayen-Luzon and Okinawa operations. This was followed in May 1945 by his appointment as Commander of the Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron and in December of the same year with appointment as Chief of Staff to Commander, Philippine Sea Frontier. Bates returned to the Naval War College in 1946 as Head of the Department of Research and Analysis, which was tasked with studying Second World War naval battles. Retired in 1949, he remained with the College, continuing his battle analyses in charge of what now had become the World War II Battle Evaluation Group. Although the work was not completed, the project was terminated in 1958. In 1969, Bates was appointed Vice President of the newly formed Naval War College Foundation, Inc., a private, non-profit association founded to support College programs not covered by appropriated funding. He was elected president in 1972, serving in that capacity until his death on December 27, 1973.