| By 10:30 AM the Japanese fleet was no longer on the offensive. Aircraft from the U.S. Navy carriers Hornet, Enterprise and Yorktown had attacked the Japanese carriers Akagi, Kaga and Soryu, setting them ablaze and taking them out of action. Later that day, planes from the remaining Japanese carrier Hiryu found and crippled the Yorktown (right). The Hiryu itself was disabled at 5:00 PM and sunk on June 5. |  Click photo for larger view |
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On the night of June 4, what was left of the Japanese fleet was in full retreat. Over the next few days, a number of Japanese ships, such as the heavy cruiser Mikuma (left) were tracked down and sunk. On June 6, the Japanese submarine I-168 torpedoed and the Yorktown (below), which sank at dawn the next day. By this time though, the Battle of Midway was over. |
| As a result of the battle, Japan's plans for invading Fiji and Samoa were derailed. More importantly, the balance of naval power in the Pacific had shifted decidedly from Japan to the United States. Soon after the battle, the U.S. Navy would take the offensive in the Pacific war, not relenting until Japan's surrender three years later. |  Click photo for larger view |