Jun 5, 2012, JOINT BASE McGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. –Rear Admiral Randolph Mahr, Commander, Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division addressed over 300 attendees in Lakehurst’s historic Hangar One on Monday, June 4th to mark the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Midway.

Considered the combat turning point in the Pacific theater during World War II, the Battle of Midway took place June 4-7 1942. A vastly outnumbered U.S. Navy soundly defeated the Japanese Navy, resulting in the sinking of four carriers, one heavy cruiser and 291 aircraft. The losses greatly diminished Japan’s ability to project it’s naval and air power and enabled America to remain on the initiative for the remainder of the war.

In his remarks, Rear Adm. Mahr focused on the dedicated efforts of the skipper of the American aircraft carrier USS Yorktown, Captain Elliott Buckmaster who managed to return the ship to Pearl Harbor for extensive repairs after being heavily damaged during the Battle of the Coral Sea.

Experts estimated the ship needed at least 90 days of repair, but a determined Buckmaster enlisted the round-the-clock efforts of over 1,500 Sailors, Marines and civilians to work for 48 hours and they put the Yorktown to sea in battle ready condition.

According to Mahr, “it wasn't a miracle that the ship was repaired so quickly. It was plain hard work, spirit, dedication and valor. Repairing the Yorktown was a singular accomplishment. Those men and women from the shipyard answered the country's call to duty. Time cards, deck logs and watch bills recorded their names…not the history books.”

Four days later, Yorktown planes sank the Japanese carrier Soryu on the opening day of the battle.

“The U.S. Navy was not then and isn't now just ships. Our Navy was Sailors…the men, and today the men and women, who serve. Yorktown was not just a carrier but a fighting platform to launch and recover combat aircraft crewed by Sailors who wouldn't accept that they couldn't accomplish the impossible,” stated Mahr.

Attending the Lakehurst ceremony were three New Jersey residents who participated in the battle, Joseph Waller, who served on the USS Yorktown, Eugene Fitzmaier, who served on the heavy cruiser, USS Portland and William Askew, who served on the destroyer, USS Hughes.

At the conclusion of the commemoration ceremony, Taps was played and a wreath was dedicated to the memory of all those who served and those who died during this historic naval battle.