At the time Lt. James Muri was hurtling down the flight deck
of Akagi in a desperate attempt to gain some respite from the
attentions of Akagi's CAP Zeroes, Japanese reconnaissance aircraft
had yet to sight any of the US Fleet at Midway, but would shortly
do so.
The sudden early morning appearance of a Martin Marauder hurtling
at prop tip height down the flight deck of the AKAGI may have
seemed to Vice Admiral Nagumo, that this unlikely intruder's
act was an omen of some significance. By the end of this day,
the 4th of June, 1942, the fortunes of the Imperial Japanese
Navy will have taken a dramatic reversal, placing them on the
defensive for the rest of the war.
Signed and numbered by the artist. |