American Valor Quarterly Issue 10 - Summer 2013 | Page 24

The Turning of the Tide
A Submariner’s Story of the Battle of Midway
By Hank Kudzik

U.S. Navy Photo

The Battle of Midway, June 4 to June
7, 1942, was the most significant
naval battle of the Pacific Campaign
of World War II, with every available
U.S. flight deck being called into
service. A modern-day tale of courage
showcasing brilliant strategy and
calling attention to the role of
intelligence and codebreaking, U.S.
forces held off a massive Japanese
attack led by the author of the attack
on Pearl Harbor – Marshal Admiral
Isoroku Yamamoto.

destroyer
to
counterattack with
depth charges.
During the attack,
the fleet moved on,
and the destroyer –
the Arashi became
separated.
It
would be spotted
by the American
dive-bombers,
leading them back
to the Japanese
carriers and a
A wartime diorama depicting the attack of the USS Nautilus on a
decisive
U.S.
burning Japanese carrier during the Battle of Midway, June 4, 1942.
victory at Midway.
Earlier, during an engagement with a Japanese destroyer, the
The
surprise Nautilus had unexpectedly and unintentionally played a significant
victory at Midway
role in the future outcome of the battle.
turned the tide of
the Pacific War, and would later be spent all my time on two submarines.
called by military historian John I made 14 war patrols, beginning with
Keegan “the most stunning and the Battle of Midway. We all know
decisive blow in the history of naval Midway was an air conflict, so what
warfare.”
was a submarine doing there?

The American defense, made up of
carriers, support ships, and carrier and
land-based aircraft, while outgunned
had the advantage of knowing the
enemy’s plan, thanks to the recent
breaking of the Japanese code. The
Japanese intended to lure the
American aircraft carriers into a trap,
destroying them and invading Midway
to extend their defensive perimeter in
the Pacific. Knowing the Japanese
plans, however, the U.S. Navy was
now able to prepare an ambush of its The son of Polish immigrants,
own.
sixteen-year-old Hank Kudzik joined
the Navy after the attack on Pearl
The initial attack on Midway caused Harbor, volunteering for submarine
severe damage, though the American service and finding himself assigned
air base remained operable. The to duty aboard the USS Nautilus.
Americans counterattacked, but the Eager to fight after Pearl Harbor,
first strikes on the Japanese fleet were Kudzik was itching for a chance to
easily repulsed. Meanwhile, three get back at the Japanese. He would
squadrons of U.S. carrier-based dive get his chance, when the Nautilus was
bombers could not locate the ordered from San Francisco to Pearl
Japanese fleet and were running low Harbor, and on to Midway, where it
would take part in the most epic naval
on fuel.
battle of the Second World War…
However, fate – in the form of the
U.S. Navy submarine Nautilus – would
come
from
Bethlehem,
intervene. The sub had engaged an I
enemy battleship, leading a Japanese Pennsylvania. During World War II, I

December 7th completely changed my
life. I was a 16 year old kid. I didn’t
know what to do with my life coming
up, so when the Japanese bombed
Pearl Harbor, two days after
Christmas in 1941 I went to the
recruiting office. I didn’t lie. I told
them I was 16 but I had a birthday
coming up. I got a recruiter who
listened to me and he said, “We’ll go
through all the preliminaries and get
you signed up and all you have to do
is put up your hand.” And he said,
“Son, you’re in the Navy.” No
mention of a submarine. I didn’t even
know what a submarine looked like.
I couldn’t tell the difference between
a baby stroller and a submarine. I
w [