You're overcomplicating the hornet issue, like there's some 8D chess reason for a simple, yet major, fuckup.
I never overcomplicated it once. You're the one assuming I'm defending the decision in total, I'm only arguing that it cannot be so obviously dismissed as a stupid thing. Maritime Historian Craig Symonds wrote a piece in 2021 about this exact topic. The relevant section is below.
To try to resolve this mystery, it is essential to re-examine what the Americans knew—or thought they knew—about Japanese intentions that day. Remember that most of the high command—including Mitscher—believed the Japanese were operating in two carrier groups: the one that had been sighted, and a second one, which was presumed to be operating 80 to 100 miles to the rear. Mitscher knew that the planes from the Enterprise were going after the two carriers that the PBY had sighted and reported, and he may have harbored fears that even if that strike were successful the other two enemy carriers would remain untouched—and more important, that the element of surprise would be lost.
Pete Mitscher was the most senior U.S. Navy aviation officer afloat that day. Rear Admiral Bill Halsey, an aviator who was supposed to have commanded at Midway, was in the hospital. Captain George Murray, commander of the Enterprise, was Naval Aviator No. 22, and Spruance had designated him as tactical air officer for the strike. But Mitscher, who was Naval Aviator No. 33, had been selected for promotion to rear admiral, and his staff already was referring to him as “Admiral Mitscher.” In Halsey’s absence, Fletcher was the senior officer afloat, but neither he nor Spruance were aviators. It is easy to imagine that, in Mitscher’s mind, it was up to him to ensure the proper coordination of the air strikes.
Mitscher knew there would be only one chance to effect surprise, and that once surprise was lost, the battle would become a toss-up. If the Enterprise planes succeeded in surprising and sinking the two enemy flattops at the known coordinates, it is entirely reasonable to assume that Mitscher may have calculated the best use of the Hornet’s air group was to find and sink the two carriers that had not yet been sighted—but which presumably were operating 80 to 100 miles behind the other Japanese ships. In consideration of those factors, Mitscher may have told his air group leader, Commander Stanhope Ring, to take the entire air group to a position 80 miles behind the leading Japanese carriers. If one calculates that bearing from the Hornet’s position that morning, it turns out to be about 265 degrees.
If that is what happened, Mitscher apparently did not share the revised objective with any of the four squadron commanders—just with group commander Ring. That would explain why the commander of Torpedo Eight, Lieutenant Commander John Waldron, was so surprised—and then angry—when he was told the course he was to fly. He knew that a course of 265 would not lead them to the coordinates he had carefully plotted in the ready room that morning based on the location of the sighted Japanese carriers.
This is just explaining the fuckup, not justifying it. Mitscher perhaps thought it was a good idea, but it was still stupid - or as the article says, unwise.
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Notes -
I never overcomplicated it once. You're the one assuming I'm defending the decision in total, I'm only arguing that it cannot be so obviously dismissed as a stupid thing. Maritime Historian Craig Symonds wrote a piece in 2021 about this exact topic. The relevant section is below.
This is just explaining the fuckup, not justifying it. Mitscher perhaps thought it was a good idea, but it was still stupid - or as the article says, unwise.
...Again. I'm not justifying it. I am explaining why it is not obviously stupid. That's all.
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