This video features some amazing footage from World War II. The Battle for Midway is considered the most important Pacific engagement. It turned the tide against the Japanese.

The Hollywood director John Ford happened to be on Midway. He was serving as photographic and intelligence officer. He was merely in transit to another location. But when the Japanese struck, he started filming.

The Navy had broken the Japanese code. So, American commanders knew the Japanese were planning to attack. The Japanese did not have that advantage. The Navy lost the carrier Yorktown and about 300 men. But three Japanese carriers were sunk, and more than 3,000 Japanese were killed.

Ford shot some of this footage from a tower on Midway. He was injured during the battle by shrapnel.