defenders at 3:00 a.m. with reveille. All gun positions on both islands were manned as pilots and aircrews stood by their planes. At 4:00 a.m., six F4F Wildcats from Major Floyd B. "Red" Parks' VMF-221 took off on combat air patrol. They were followed by 11 PBYs from VP-44, searching for the Japanese carriers, and 16 B-17s led by Sweeney that were to attempt another attack on the Japanese transports. At 4:30 a.m., the carriers of Vice Adm. Chuichi Nagumo's First Striking Force--Akagi, Kaga, Hiryu and Soryu--launched their aircraft. Fifteen minutes later, 36 Nakajima B5N2 Kate torpedo bombers, 36 Aichi D3A1 Val dive bombers and 36 Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero fighters were on their way to Midway. At 5:30, Lieutenant Howard P. Ady emerged from a cloudbank and spotted Nagumo's carriers. Ady radioed Midway, "Carrier bearing 320 degrees, distance 180." Ady ducked back into the clouds and circled the Japanese fleet, radioing again, "0553, Two carriers and main body of ships, carriers in front, course 135 degrees, speed 34." Fifteen minutes after Ady's sighting, Lt. j.g. William Chase, flying south of Ady's sector, saw a formation of Japanese fighters and bombers. Chase quickly radioed: "Many enemy planesheading Midway bearing 320 degrees, distance 150." On Midway, radar on Sand Island picked up the approaching Japanese planes at 5:53. Air raid sirens wailed, and all personnel raced to their dugouts and gun positions. Major Parks' 21 Buffaloes and six Wildcats scrambled into the air, followed by Lieutenant Fieberling's six TBFs and Captain Collins' four B-26s. Major Henderson's dive-bombers were last to take off. By 6:16, all 66 of Midway's aircraft were airborne. While the bombers headed toward the Japanese carriers, Parks led six Buffaloes and three Wildcats to intercept the 108 oncoming Japanese planes. Captain John Carey, leading the three Wildcats in Parks' flight, was first to sight the Japanese. "Tallyho! Hawks at angels twelve!" Carey radioed...
