Author calls Battle of Midway turning point of World War II

Dr. James M. D'Angelo, author of a newly publish book on the June 1942 Battle of Midway told a May 31 meeting of the National Press Club American Legion Post 20 that the historic U.S. Navy victory over the Japanese Navy should be recognized as the global turning point in favor of the allies in World War II.

D'Angelo, an Air Force veteran and retired oncologist from Chevy Chase, Md., said the battle is still underappreciated for the impact it had beyond the war in the Pacific. A Club Post 20 member who now lives in Florida, D'Angelo said the U.S. success caused Japan to scrap plans to confront the Soviet Union.

That allowed Stalin to transfer 60,000 Soviet soldiers from Siberia to his western front to assure the defeat of the German Army at Stalingrad, the widely accepted turning point for the war in Europe.

"Without Midway there might never have been victory at Stalingrad," he said.

Joining D'Angelo to discuss Victory at Midway, The Battle that Changed the Course of World War II was Jack Crawford, a veteran of the battle and the sinking of the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown.

Crawford, 99, is a member of Post 20 and will be a featured guest at an annual dinner on June 4 at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, Va., commemorating the battle.

D'Angelo is the founder and chairman of the International Midway Memorial Foundation, a non-profit organization that has gained prominence for the battle that once received little recognition by the U.S. Navy.

D'Angelo told of how Japan's defeat in trying to invade Midway and the crippling of its combined fleet was a combination of great intelligence, aggressive U.S. tactics and considerable good luck. Coming less than seven months after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. prevailed despite having naval aircraft that were no match for Japan's torpedo and fighter planes.

Speaker portions of Post 20 meetings are open to all Club members.