| 1 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 2 | |
| 3 | !United States |
| 4 | |
| 5 | !!Crew of the USS ''Enterprise'' |
| 6 | [[folder:Richard "Dick" Best]] |
| 7 | !!Lieutenant Richard Halsey "Dick" Best |
| 8 | !!!'''Portrayed by:''' Creator/EdSkrein |
| 9 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/5dcca0a4a310cf3e97a623eb.jpeg]] |
| 10 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"[[AndThisIsFor This is for Pearl!]]"'']] |
| 11 | [[quoteright:163:[[labelnote:In real life...]]\ |
| 12 | https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/richard_halsey_best.jpg[[/labelnote]]]] |
| 13 | |
| 14 | Executive Officer, then Commanding Officer, Bombing Squadron 6 |
| 15 | ---- |
| 16 | * AcePilot: His EstablishingCharacterMoment is him showing how skilled he is in the SBD Dauntless, when he manages to land the plane without power. In combat, he proves himself to be even better, when his bombing runs are always guaranteed hits, and he even shoots down a number of Zero fighters attempting to shoot him down. |
| 17 | * ActionDad: A father, and a very capable pilot who claims several Japanese fighters and two aircraft carriers. |
| 18 | * BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: At one point, he outright says that he wish he could see his wife and daughter again for more than just a few days. [[spoiler:He ends up getting his wish at the end, but at the cost of him coughing up blood, being unable to fly in the Navy again, and having to undergo treatment for Tuberculosis.]] |
| 19 | * BellyScrapingFlight: A preferred tactic of his. In training missions, he does this in order to simulate battle damage or establish how skilled he is in handling the SBD. He almost always comes close to hitting the water's surface, both in take offs and landings. In combat, it's to ensure his bombs will always hit their targets, which they do, both against an enemy airfield as well as two of the Japanese carriers. |
| 20 | * BloodFromTheMouth: After inhaling too much of a toxic oxygen mixture during the Battle of Midway, he begins to cough up blood every now and then. It's later revealed to be Tuberculosis, which ultimately ends up being a CareerEndingInjury for him. |
| 21 | * CaptainSmoothAndSergeantRough: Pretty much his dynamic with [=McClusky=]. In this case, he's the Sergeant Rough, teaching newer pilots and aircrew by drilling them the hard way. |
| 22 | * CareerEndingInjury: He inhales a batch of bad oxygen during the Battle of Midway, which gives him Tuberculosis. This sickness ultimately prevents him from ever flying again. |
| 23 | * EstablishingCharacterMoment: His first scene, no less. Rather than land his SBD conventionally, he opts to simulate an engine and power failure, getting his plane into a BellyScrapingFlight and then landing the plane from a steep angle. This shows that he's a MilitaryMaverick, someone willing to get into the heat of battle, and, given that he really does have to try landing a damaged plane later, a practical realist. |
| 24 | * HappilyMarried: He has a wife and daughter back in Hawaii, and during his time together with the former, he's shown to be a loving husband. |
| 25 | * HeadbuttingHeroes: With Eugene Lindsey, commander of Torpedo 6. Best, with good reason, knows about the TBD's flaws as well as the problems shown with the Mark 13 torpedo, to which Lindsey denies these accusations. |
| 26 | * TheHero: He's the character with the most focus, showing his service from Pearl Harbor to Midway. |
| 27 | * HotBlooded: Amongst the pilots and crew of the planes based on ''Enterprise'', Best stands out as the most eager to get back at the Japanese and the first one to go into the heat of battle. |
| 28 | * IncurableCoughOfDeath: Subverted. He starts coughing up blood following his strike on the ''Akagi''. Following his run on the ''Hiryu'', he begins coughing even more, to the point he's no longer able to stand properly. It's eventually revealed to be due to Tuberculosis, which ultimately gets him grounded for the rest of the war, but thankfully doesn't kill him. |
| 29 | * MilitaryMaverick: As a pilot and officer, he's shown to be a rather hotheaded type, willing to charge into battle in order to exact revenge on the Japanese at first opportunity. |
| 30 | * MyGreatestFailure: [[spoiler:His is getting Willie West, a NewMeat pilot and his newly appointed wingman, killed in a training mission.]] |
| 31 | * PostVictoryCollapse: Following his successful attack on the ''Hiryu'' and landing his plane in one piece, he ends up collapsing after getting out of his cockpit thanks to his earlier inhalation of bad oxygen mixture, coughing up blood in the process. He has to be carried over to the ship's sick bay as a result. |
| 32 | * RankUp: He's promoted to Bombing Squadron 6's Commanding Officer just before the Battle of Midway by Admiral Halsey. By the end of the movie he's been promoted in substantive rank to Lieutenant Commander. |
| 33 | * YouAreInCommandNow: He takes de facto command of the ''Enterprise'' and ''Yorktown'' dive bomber squadrons after [=McClusky=] is badly wounded during their first attack. |
| 34 | [[/folder]] |
| 35 | |
| 36 | [[folder:C. Wade [=McClusky=]]] |
| 37 | !!Lieutenant Commander Clarence Wade [=McClusky=], Jr. |
| 38 | !!!'''Portrayed by:''' Creator/LukeEvans |
| 39 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/unnamed_8804.jpg]] |
| 40 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"Men like Dick Best are the reason we're gonna win this war."'']] |
| 41 | [[quoteright:350:[[labelnote:In real life...]]\ |
| 42 | https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/clarence_wade_mcclusky.jpg[[/labelnote]]]] |
| 43 | |
| 44 | Commander, Enterprise Air Group (CEAG), and Best's immediate superior. |
| 45 | ---- |
| 46 | * AwesomenessByAnalysis: He may not have done so well in the fight itself, but he was the one to spot the ''Arashi'' and make the connection that it was trying to get back to the Japanese fleet, thus allowing the ''Enterprise'''s bombers to find their target in the first place. |
| 47 | * CaptainSmoothAndSergeantRough: He's the Captain Smooth to Best's Sergeant Rough, being the calm and collected commander. |
| 48 | * ICanStillFight: After getting shot by a Zero's machine gun and returning to the ''Enterprise'', [=McClusky=] tells Adm. Spruance that he can still fly and lead Bombing 6. The Admiral, however, tells him instead to get his arm patched up, as he's in no condition to fly in his state. |
| 49 | * TheLeader: Of Enterprise Air Group (Bombing 6, Scouting 6, Torpedo 6, and Fighting 6). |
| 50 | * NonActionGuy: For most of the film, he's stuck onboard the ''Enterprise'' in a commanding position. The one time he does sortie, he misses his target and gets badly wounded. |
| 51 | * OnlyAFleshWound: Subverted. He gets shot in the arm and initially walks if off. Adm. Spruance, who realizes the severity of his wound, orders him to get patched up, as he's rightfully not in a condition to lead or fly. |
| 52 | * PutOnABus: Thanks to his arm injury, he misses out the final strike on the ''Hiryu'', with Best taking command of the dive bombers in his stead. |
| 53 | * RankScalesWithAsskicking: Subverted. When transferred to a dive bomber before the battle, he claims to Best that he can do as good a job when it comes to flying the SBD and bombing. But during the Battle of Midway he not only confuses both his and Best's squadrons into going after one carrier, he also misses his target and then gets shot in the shoulder during the flight back to the ''Enterprise''. In reality, [=McClusky=] (as noted above) had only recently transferred from a fighter to a dive bomber, and the doubling-up upon the ''Kaga'' was due to simultaneous radio broadcasts confusing both units. |
| 54 | * RankUp: Halsey promotes him to the ''Enterprise's'' air group commander just before the Battle of Midway. Postwar, at the end of his career, he's a Rear Admiral. |
| 55 | * ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Best irritates him quite a bit, but he recognizes Best's value and knows when to cut him some slack and how to rein him in. In particular, he intervenes quickly to save Best from himself when Best is about to get himself in serious trouble fighting with Lindsey. |
| 56 | [[/folder]] |
| 57 | |
| 58 | [[folder:Clarence Earle Dickinson]] |
| 59 | !!Lieutenant Clarence Earle Dickinson |
| 60 | !!!'''Portrayed by:''' Creator/LukeKleintank |
| 61 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dickinson.png]] |
| 62 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"Come on, Dickinson, do what you're paid to do!"'']] |
| 63 | [[quoteright:350:[[labelnote:In real life...]]\ |
| 64 | https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dickinson_19421010_72dpi_400x527.jpg[[/labelnote]]]] |
| 65 | |
| 66 | A member of Scouting Squadron 6, and a close friend and Annapolis batchmate of Best and Pearce. |
| 67 | ---- |
| 68 | * AcePilot: He is the one responsible for hitting the ''Kaga'', after all. Also, prior to the events of the film, he was the pilot on the ''Enterprise'' with the most notable achievements, surpassing Dick Best in a lot of regards. |
| 69 | * BornLucky: He gets shot down by Zeroes near Oahu, but manages to survive with no lasting injuries. Later, he scores a devastating hit on the ''Kaga''. And just as he runs out of fuel before he can make it to the ''Enterprise'', he ends up ditching near a friendly destroyer, and coming back to the ''Enterprise'' in one piece. |
| 70 | * CaptainCrash: In two of the three sorties he's shown doing, he ends up losing his plane in two of them. The first to Japanese fighters, the second due to running out of fuel. |
| 71 | * DisneyDeath: Following the attacks on three of the Japanese carriers, Dickinson's plane is among those not to return to the ''Enterprise'', implying he was shot down, captured, and executed like [[spoiler:Gaido and O'Flaherty]]. Late in the film, however, he's shown to have survived, having been picked up by a friendly ship offscreen. |
| 72 | * ItsProbablyNothing: During the Attack on Pearl Harbor, Dickinson at first dismisses the massive flak barrage over the harbor as a training exercise. This soon changes once Japanese Zeroes start going after his flight. |
| 73 | * TheLancer: To Best during the raid on the Marshalls, and later, the Battle of Midway. |
| 74 | * LeadTheTarget: He lampshades this when the ''Enterprise's'' inexperienced anti-aircraft gunners are trying to shoot down Japanese bombers attacking the carrier. |
| 75 | * OhCrap: |
| 76 | ** He begins to lose his composure once Japanese Zeroes jump his SBD flight en route to Pearl Harbor. |
| 77 | ** [[spoiler:He pretty much loses his composure when he witnesses Ensign West take off without enough wind to lift his plane up.]] |
| 78 | * SoleSurvivor: Of his flight of Dauntlesses during the Pearl Harbor attack. He's the only one able to bail out of his plane when Zeroes jump them en route to Pearl Harbor. |
| 79 | [[/folder]] |
| 80 | |
| 81 | [[folder:Eugene E. Lindsey]] |
| 82 | !!Lieutenant Commander Eugene Lindsey |
| 83 | !!!'''Portrayed by:''' Creator/DarrenCriss |
| 84 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/eugenelindsey.jpg]] |
| 85 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"Torpedoes sink ships, not bombs."'']] |
| 86 | [[quoteright:350:[[labelnote:In real life...]]\ |
| 87 | https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/eugene_lindseyh84903.jpg[[/labelnote]]]] |
| 88 | |
| 89 | Commander of Torpedo Squadron 6. |
| 90 | ---- |
| 91 | * TheAllegedCar: In stark contrast to the [[CoolPlane SBD Dauntless]], the TBD Devastator is slow, sluggish, and very much vulnerable to enemy fighters and AntiAir fire. Even its defensive armament is less than the one used on the SBD, having only a single Browning [=M1919=] to defend itself instead of the faster-firing twin mounts used on the SBD. |
| 92 | * {{Determinator}}: Despite getting badly injured following a botched landing just before the Battle of Midway, he insists on commanding Torpedo 6 during the Battle of Midway. |
| 93 | * FaceDeathWithDignity: [[spoiler:When his plane is shot up by a Japanese Zero beyond repair, he calmly awaits his inevitable demise shortly before his plane disintegrates.]] |
| 94 | * TheFriendNobodyLikes: Best, Dickinson, and even [=McClusky=] are all shown to dislike Lindsey to differing degrees, thanks in no small part to being too stubborn to realize that the TBD Devastator and the Mark 13 torpedo are obsolete and unreliable, respectively. By the morning of the Midway battle, though, Best at least shows Lindsey a newfound respect after the latter insists on leading his squadron despite severe injuries. |
| 95 | * HeadbuttingHeroes: With Best regarding tactics and aircraft preference. Lindsey insists that the torpedo bombers can inflict devastating blows to the Japanese ships, while Best argues that Dive bombers are far more reliable. |
| 96 | * ICanStillFight: Unlike [=McClusky=] or Halsey, though, Lindsey manages to continue flying and commanding Torpedo 6 despite being badly injured only days prior to the Battle of Midway. |
| 97 | * {{Irony}}: Early in the film, he argues with Best, an SBD pilot, that it's torpedoes that sink enemy ships, not bombs. [[spoiler:During the Battle of Midway, his torpedo bombers are cut to pieces by Japanese anti-aircraft fire and fighters, and worse, any torpedoes launched by the Devastators either miss or malfunction. Ultimately, it's the SBD Dauntlesses, Best's included, that sink the Japanese carriers.]] |
| 98 | * ReliablyUnreliableGuns: The Mark 13 torpedoes used by the TBD Devastators turn out to be this. Even if they do successfully activate when hitting the water, they will refuse to detonate upon impacting an enemy ship, as shown early on during the raid on the Marshall Islands. |
| 99 | * TheRival: To Dick Best, believing that torpedo bombers can do more damage to enemy ships than dive bombers. Given Japan's own successes with torpedoes to this point he might have been right, except that [[spoiler: American torpedoes prove to be duds with depressing frequency.]] |
| 100 | * SittingDuck: His entire flight of TBD Devastators end up being unable to flee or defend themselves when Japanese flak and fighters open fire on them, resulting in all of them getting shot down. |
| 101 | [[/folder]] |
| 102 | |
| 103 | [[folder:James Murray]] |
| 104 | !!Chief Aviation Radioman James Murray |
| 105 | !!!'''Portrayed by:''' Keean Johnson |
| 106 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/thumb_1920_1025416.jpg]] |
| 107 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"We got Zeroes on our tail!"'']] |
| 108 | |
| 109 | Best's radioman and gunner. |
| 110 | ---- |
| 111 | * CommunicationsOfficer: Aside from being Best's tail gunner, he's also responsible for operating their SBD's radio. |
| 112 | * {{Determinator}}: During the bombing run on the ''Hiryu'', Murray gets burned in the hands when his machine gun locks position during the diving run. Despite suffering horrific burns, he manages to get the gun firing, shoot down a couple of Zeroes attempting to chase his and Best's plane, and save them from certain doom. |
| 113 | * GuyInBack: He serves as Best's radioman and rear gunner, saving the former's life more than once during strikes on both the Marshall Islands and Midway. |
| 114 | * HeroicBSOD: He briefly goes into one following the attack on the ''Akagi'', and initially refuses to accompany Best again. Thankfully, Best snaps him out of it. |
| 115 | * RedOniBlueOni: Serves as a level-headed and sober counterpart to Best's wilder nature. While it leads to his temporary HeroicBSOD outlined above after one close scrape too many, Best shows that he values this aspect of Murray's character. |
| 116 | * TenMinuteRetirement: Following the strike on the ''Akagi'', Murray becomes reluctant to fly with Best one more time. Best, thankfully, snaps him out of this, and Murray later saves himself and Best from being shot down during the bombing run on the ''Hiryu''. |
| 117 | |
| 118 | [[/folder]] |
| 119 | |
| 120 | [[folder:Bruno Gaido]] |
| 121 | !!Aviation Machinist's Mate Bruno Gaido |
| 122 | !!!'''Portrayed by:''' Music/NickJonas |
| 123 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/nick_jonas_is_a_fearless_world_war_ii_pilot_in8&formatjpg&width625&height351.jpeg]] |
| 124 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"Come on! Come on!"'']] |
| 125 | [[quoteright:350:[[labelnote:In real life...]]\ |
| 126 | https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/guwoqc4fi_yqye2jznu_9x5b1kjslbzffuk6tuiinvy.jpg[[/labelnote]]]] |
| 127 | |
| 128 | An SBD gunner based aboard the ''Enterprise'' who saves the ship during a Japanese air raid. |
| 129 | |
| 130 | ---- |
| 131 | * BadassBystander: During the Japanese bombing attack in the Marshall Islands, one of the [=G3M=] "Nell" bombers attacking the ''Enterprise'' decides to go on a SuicideAttack, having been mortally wounded by the ship's AntiAir fire. Gaido, who had been observing said attack alongside Best and Murray, decides to hop into an unmanned SBD, man the rear machine gun, and shoot the bomber's remaining engine out. |
| 132 | * CementShoes: [[spoiler:His fate upon being captured by the Japanese upon refusing to divulge any information is to be tied to an anchor and dropped into the ocean.]] |
| 133 | * CruelAndUnusualDeath: [[spoiler:The Japanese destroyer crew who capture him decide to tie him to an anchor and drown him when he refuses to give any information.]] |
| 134 | * DefiantToTheEnd: [[spoiler:Rather than give any information to the Japanese, he tells the Japanese to go fuck themselves before being killed.]] |
| 135 | * FaceDeathWithDignity: [[spoiler:Moments before slipping beneath the waves, his expression is him calmly accepting his fate.]] |
| 136 | * GuyInBack: He serves as the rear gunner for Clarence Dickinson during the raid on the Marshall Islands. During the Battle of Midway, he serves as one for Frank O'Flaherty. |
| 137 | * HistoricalBadassUpgrade: A rather tragic example regarding [[spoiler:his death. While the film version goes out like a champ, the real Guido was ''gruesomely'' tortured until he cracked and told the Japanese everything he knew; and he begged for his life as they tied him down with weights and prepared to toss him overboard]]. |
| 138 | * MakeAnExampleOfThem: [[spoiler:The Japanese destroyer captain who captures him and O'Flaherty decides to execute him via CementShoes, in order to prove to O'Flaherty he isn't messing around.]] |
| 139 | * OneLastSmoke: [[spoiler:Immediately following his capture, he asks his Japanese captors for a cigarette, knowing they'll just kill him anyway whether he gives them vital information or not.]] |
| 140 | * RankUp: He gets promoted by Adm. Halsey after helping to save the ''Enterprise'' from a potentially devastating hit. |
| 141 | * WeAllDieSomeday: ...so why worry about it? This belief is the source of his courage. To illustrate his point, he tells the story of his uncle, who worked construction on the Empire State Building without safety equipment and without fear...and then died in a car accident while walking home from church. |
| 142 | [[/folder]] |
| 143 | |
| 144 | [[folder:Willie West]] |
| 145 | !!Ensign Willie West |
| 146 | !!!'''Portrayed by:''' Creator/JakeManley |
| 147 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/20200829_001429.png]] |
| 148 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"Tell me. What's your secret? How do you do it?"'']] |
| 149 | |
| 150 | A replacement pilot assigned to Bombing Squadron 6, whom Best appoints his new wingman. |
| 151 | ---- |
| 152 | * AlliterativeName: His first and last name both start with a "W". |
| 153 | * NewMeat: He's a replacement straight out of flight school, so this is to be expected. |
| 154 | * RedShirt: He's just one of an entire batch of new pilots on the ''Enterprise''. [[spoiler:And he dies in his 3rd scene during a training accident.]] |
| 155 | * SacrificialLamb: [[spoiler:He ends up dying on a training mission, thanks to his lack of experience and lack of confidence. His death also establishes how even normal flight operations on aircraft carriers are still dangerous.]] |
| 156 | * {{Wingman}}: To Best [[spoiler:until he's killed on his first patrol.]] |
| 157 | [[/folder]] |
| 158 | |
| 159 | [[folder:Frank Woodrow O'Flaherty]] |
| 160 | !!Ensign Frank Woodrow O'Flaherty |
| 161 | !!!'''Portrayed by:''' Russell Dennis Lewis |
| 162 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/frankoflaherty.jpg]] |
| 163 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"We're going in!"'']] |
| 164 | |
| 165 | An SBD pilot from Scouting Squadron 6, whom Bruno Gaido is assigned with. |
| 166 | ---- |
| 167 | * CementShoes: [[spoiler:Like Gaido, the Japanese toss him into the sea tied to an anchor once he's no longer of any use to them.]] |
| 168 | * KilledOffscreen: [[spoiler:While not shown in the film, the Japanese destroyer crew drop him into the sea following Gaido's own execution.]] |
| 169 | * OhCrap: [[spoiler:His expression when the Japanese destroyer captain begins interrogating him.]] |
| 170 | * RedShirt: Ultimately his role in the film. He doesn't get much focus in the story proper [[spoiler:and he dies in his 3rd scene.]] |
| 171 | [[/folder]] |
| 172 | |
| 173 | [[folder:Edwin Kroeger]] |
| 174 | !!Lieutenant Junior Grade Edwin Kroeger |
| 175 | !!!'''Portrayed by:''' James Hicks |
| 176 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/edwinkroeger.jpg]] |
| 177 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"Feel a little lonely, sir? You should have brought more planes to the party."'']] |
| 178 | |
| 179 | A pilot in Bombing Squadron 6, who serves as one of Best's wingmen. |
| 180 | ---- |
| 181 | * ComingInHot: Following the attack on the ''Hiryu'', Kroeger ends up crash-landing his SBD on the ''Enterprise'', and is shortly revealed thereafter to be wounded in the head. |
| 182 | * {{Wingman}}: To Best during the attack on the Marshall Islands, and later, during the Battle of Midway. |
| 183 | [[/folder]] |
| 184 | |
| 185 | [[folder:William "Bull" Halsey]] |
| 186 | !!Vice Admiral William Frederick Halsey Jr., Commander, Carrier Division Two |
| 187 | !!!'''Portrayed by:''' Creator/DennisQuaid |
| 188 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/midway_lg_3.jpg]] |
| 189 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"That's the bravest damn thing I think I've ever seen."'']] |
| 190 | [[quoteright:350:[[labelnote:In real life...]]\ |
| 191 | https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/close_up_of_admiral_william_f_halsey_aboard_aircraft_carrier_enterprise_u_l_pa25f20.jpg[[/labelnote]]]] |
| 192 | |
| 193 | Commander of Carrier Division Two and [=McClusky's=] superior. |
| 194 | |
| 195 | ---- |
| 196 | * AttackAttackAttack: His commanding style and combat philosophy revolves around launching retaliatory strikes against Japanese air and naval bases, in order to force the Japanese to expend valuable resources into defending these outposts. |
| 197 | * FrontlineGeneral: Unlike his superior Nimitz, he commands operations onboard the fighting ships. During the attack on the Marshall Islands, he's just as much in the line of fire as the other men onboard the ''Enterprise''. |
| 198 | * HotBlooded: After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Halsey becomes itching to get some payback at the Japanese. |
| 199 | * ICanStillFight: When the ''Enterprise'' docks in Pearl Harbor just before the Battle of Midway, he tells Nimitz, his superior, that he can continue commanding from the ''Enterprise'' despite his increasingly worse sickness. Nimitz has none of it, and has to order him to take sick leave for 6 weeks. |
| 200 | * PutOnABus: Adm. Nimitz sends Halsey on six weeks leave to de-stress and treat his shingles, causing him to be absent for the Battle of Midway. He returns briefly at the end when Nimitz phones him about the victory, and is visibly happy about it. |
| 201 | * RedOniBlueOni: The Red Oni to To Adm. Raymond Spruance's Blue Oni, his successor. Unlike Spruance, who is very cautious when leading the US Task Force, Halsey takes the opportunity to attack the Japanese whenever possible, despite the risk of his carrier getting attacked. |
| 202 | |
| 203 | [[/folder]] |
| 204 | |
| 205 | [[folder:Raymond A. Spruance]] |
| 206 | !!Rear Admiral Raymond Ames Spruance, Commander, Carrier Division Two |
| 207 | !!!'''Portrayed by:''' Jack Weber |
| 208 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_20200829_002530.jpg]] |
| 209 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"''Yorktown's'' hit."'']] |
| 210 | [[quoteright:350:[[labelnote:In real life...]]\ |
| 211 | https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ray_spruance.jpg[[/labelnote]]]] |
| 212 | |
| 213 | William Halsey's replacement as commander of Carrier Division Two and commander of forces at the Battle of Midway. |
| 214 | |
| 215 | ---- |
| 216 | * FrontlineGeneral: Like Halsey, he leads from the fighting ships, serving aboard the ''Enterprise'' and directing flight operations. |
| 217 | * KnowWhenToFoldEm: Once the ''Hiryu'' is taken out of action, Spruance wisely decides to get the fleet out of dodge, knowing the rest of the Japanese fleet will come looking for them. |
| 218 | * RedOniBlueOni: The Blue Oni to Adm. Halsey's Red Oni, his predecessor. While Halsey is an aggressive commander whose priority is to strike back at the Japanese, Spruance is far more cautious, pulling out his ships once the battle is won. |
| 219 | * TheStoic: In contrast to Admiral Halsey, Spruance is far more calm and collected when commanding his ships. Even as the ''Yorktown'' receives devastating hits on her flight deck, he just calmly asks how many planes are left. |
| 220 | |
| 221 | [[/folder]] |
| 222 | |
| 223 | [[folder:Miles Browning]] |
| 224 | !!Captain Miles Rutherford Browning |
| 225 | !!!'''Portrayed by:''' Eric Davis |
| 226 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/milebrowning.jpg]] |
| 227 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"What do we tell Doolittle?"'']] |
| 228 | |
| 229 | Admiral Halsey's Chief-of-Staff. |
| 230 | ---- |
| 231 | * NumberTwo: To Admiral Halsey, being his Chief-of-Staff. |
| 232 | * SatelliteCharacter: To Admiral Halsey, with all but one of his scenes being shared with his direct superior. |
| 233 | [[/folder]] |
| 234 | |
| 235 | !!US Navy staff |
| 236 | |
| 237 | [[folder:Chester W. Nimitz]] |
| 238 | !!Admiral Chester William Nimitz Sr., Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet and Commander in Chief, Pacific Ocean Areas |
| 239 | !!!'''Portrayed by:''' Creator/WoodyHarrelson |
| 240 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/5dcca0a4a310cf3e97a623e6_1.jpeg]] |
| 241 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"I trust Layton and his team. Make your plans accordingly."'']] |
| 242 | [[quoteright:350:[[labelnote:In real life...]]\ |
| 243 | https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/adm_chester_nimitz_1942.jpg[[/labelnote]]]] |
| 244 | |
| 245 | Commander in chief of Allied forces in the Pacific and Halsey's commanding officer. |
| 246 | |
| 247 | ---- |
| 248 | * ArmchairMilitary: Averted; while he spends the entire film in his headquarters at Pearl Harbor planning and then receiving updates about the battle, this is exactly how he is supposed to serve as Commander-in-Chief of America's Pacific Fleet, and he is far from clueless about the risks or potential consequences of the upcoming battle. |
| 249 | * BigGood: Serves as this to the main cast on the ''USS Enterprise'' as commander of the Second World War in the Pacific (though he also shares authority with General UsefulNotes/DouglasMacarthur in the Philippines), replacing the disgraced Admiral Kimmel. He is subordinate to the even [[BigGood bigger goods]] Admiral Ernest King (chief of the navy) and President Roosevelt. |
| 250 | * RankUp: Nimitz is promoted to full Admiral to replace Kimmel as Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet after the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. Later in 1944, Nimitz was promoted to the five-star rank of Fleet Admiral, he along with three others would be the only officers to ever receive the rank. The aftermath of the war also sees him appointed Chief of Naval Operations, succeeding Fleet Admiral Ernest King. |
| 251 | * ReasonableAuthorityFigure: All of his scenes show him as a rather coolheaded figure, seeing Best's remarks about wanting payback on the Japanese as something positive. He also takes Layton's intelligence seriously, and doesn't reprimand Rochefort despite violating dress code. |
| 252 | * YouAreInCommandNow: Adm. King tells him this when he's called to Washington, once Nimitz himself asks who's commanding the forces in the Pacific following Kimmel's removal. |
| 253 | [[/folder]] |
| 254 | |
| 255 | [[folder:Husband E. Kimmel]] |
| 256 | !!Admiral Husband Edward Kimmel, former Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet |
| 257 | !!!'''Portrayed by:''' Creator/DavidHewlett |
| 258 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/2020_08_23_1.png]] |
| 259 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"If it's any satisfaction to you, Layton, you were right."'']] |
| 260 | [[quoteright:350:[[labelnote:In real life...]]\ |
| 261 | https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/husband_e_kimmel_794f0717_85e2_4c57_9034_c9b176b710a_resize_750.jpg[[/labelnote]]]] |
| 262 | |
| 263 | Commander in chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet in 1941 and overall commander of operations at Pearl Harbor. |
| 264 | |
| 265 | ---- |
| 266 | * GeneralFailure: Is regarded as this for the failure to foresee or at least prepare for a Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour though it's implied he may have been made a scapegoat by higher-ranking officers. |
| 267 | * OhCrap: His face says it all during the Attack on Pearl Harbor. |
| 268 | * PutOnABus: He gets relieved of his command offscreen, and is replaced by Nimitz in all subsequent scenes. |
| 269 | [[/folder]] |
| 270 | |
| 271 | [[folder:Edwin T. Layton]] |
| 272 | !!Lieutenant Commander Edwin Thomas Layton |
| 273 | !!!'''Portrayed by:''' Creator/PatrickWilson |
| 274 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mid_d09_03640_re.jpg]] |
| 275 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"Pearl Harbor is the greatest intelligence failure in American history."'']] |
| 276 | [[quoteright:350:[[labelnote:In real life...]]\ |
| 277 | https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/1571163844105.jpg[[/labelnote]]]] |
| 278 | |
| 279 | A US Navy intelligence officer, formerly a Naval Attache to Japan. He's also a close friend of Dick Best. |
| 280 | ---- |
| 281 | * CassandraTruth: He's been telling his superiors prior to the Japanese attack that Pearl Harbor would be a likely target for the Japanese. Kimmel only starts believing him once the bombs begin falling. Averted when Nimitz takes command of the US Pacific Fleet, as he now has good reason to believe Layton's intelligence. |
| 282 | * DecoyProtagonist: During the prologue, he's the main focus, showing him as the US Naval attache to Japan before the War in the Pacific. Once the film proper begins, however, it's Best that the film focuses mostly on. |
| 283 | * {{Deuteragonist}}: Ultimately, while not the main focus of the film, he is arguably the second most important viewpoint character, showing how the Americans were able to decipher upcoming Japanese plans. |
| 284 | * IgnoredExpert: Just prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor, Layton warned Admiral Kimmel of the danger posed by the Japanese carriers, which were in an "unknown location" in the days leading to the attack. Kimmel, of course, refuses to listen until it's too late. |
| 285 | * NonActionGuy: Unlike Best, Dickinson, and [=McClusky=], he's an intelligence officer, not a pilot, and so he spends all of his screentime back in Hawaii, gathering important intelligence on the Japanese. |
| 286 | * OhCrap: His reaction upon first hearing of the Japanese attacking Pearl Harbor. He gets an even bigger one once he gets to see the attack itself, complete with a silent gasp. |
| 287 | * ReadingTheEnemysMail: Through Rochefort and his codebreaking team, he's able to analyze the Japanese transmission codes, giving him an idea of their next moves. |
| 288 | * TheSmartGuy: Being a former naval attache who has been to Japan and met Admiral Yamamoto in person, he's practically this for the American side, having vital knowledge and intel that most of the American command does not. |
| 289 | * {{Workaholic}}: Even after arriving home late at night, he continues to analyze mountain of classified intelligence. Justified because, following the Pearl Harbor attack, Layton is one of the few people who knows how the Japanese high command works. |
| 290 | [[/folder]] |
| 291 | |
| 292 | [[folder:Joseph Rochefort]] |
| 293 | !!Commander Joseph John Rochefort |
| 294 | !!!'''Portrayed by:''' Brennan Brown |
| 295 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/2020_08_23_2_7.png]] |
| 296 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"Sorry, Admiral. It, uh, gets cold here down in the dungeon."'']] |
| 297 | [[quoteright:350:[[labelnote:In real life...]]\ |
| 298 | https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/46b13_cq5dam_web_1280_1280.jpeg[[/labelnote]]]] |
| 299 | |
| 300 | An eccentric US Navy codebreaker recommended by Layton to Nimitz. |
| 301 | ---- |
| 302 | * BunnyEarsLawyer: He wears pajamas on-duty and employs former band members of other ships as codebreakers, but his methods ultimately prove to be key in deciphering upcoming Japanese plans. |
| 303 | * CastingGag: Brennan Brown's previous role was as Japan-fetishing, reluctant resistance-collaborator Robert Childan in ''Series/TheManInTheHighCastle''. |
| 304 | * ReadingTheEnemysMail: Pretty much his job in a nutshell, where he and his team spend all of their time intercepting Japanese transmissions in order to find out where their next target in the Pacific is. |
| 305 | * SmallRoleBigImpact: He has less screentime than Layton and Nimitz, but his codebreaking method is what helps tip the Americans off to Japanese plans at Midway. |
| 306 | [[/folder]] |
| 307 | |
| 308 | [[folder:Ernest King]] |
| 309 | !!Admiral Ernest Joseph King, Chief of Naval Operations |
| 310 | !!!'''Portrayed by:''' Creator/MarkRolston |
| 311 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/midway_lg_1.jpg]] |
| 312 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"The situation in the Pacific is far worse than has been reported. We have three carriers. The Japs have ten. We have zero functional battleships, they have nine."'']] |
| 313 | [[quoteright:350:[[labelnote:In real life...]]\ |
| 314 | https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ernest_joseph_king_operations.jpg[[/labelnote]]]] |
| 315 | |
| 316 | Chief of Naval Operations of the United States Armed Forces and Nimitz's superior. |
| 317 | ---- |
| 318 | * AdaptationalNiceGuy: The real life Ernest King was quite the "Son-of-a-Bitch" (his own words); he pushed his men hard, flirted with their wives during down time, refused to back down if he thought he was right (which was most of the time), and had a temper more explosive than all the ordinance in the Navy. Still, King was also the type of leader who never asked his sailors to attempt something that he would never do himself, and also made sure they were well cared for. |
| 319 | * BigGood: The highest ranking officer shown on the American side, and the man who appoints Nimitz to replace the now-disgraced Adm. Kimmel. |
| 320 | * SmallRoleBigImpact: His appointment of Nimitz as the new Commander in Chief of US forces in the Pacific helps to drive the events leading up to the Battle of Midway. |
| 321 | [[/folder]] |
| 322 | |
| 323 | !!United States Other |
| 324 | |
| 325 | [[folder:Roy Pearce]] |
| 326 | !!Lieutenant Roy Pearce |
| 327 | !!!'''Portrayed by:''' Creator/AlexanderLudwig |
| 328 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_20200829_003508_1.jpg]] |
| 329 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"Get the wounded below deck. Everyone else, battle stations!"'']] |
| 330 | |
| 331 | An officer serving aboard the USS ''Arizona'', and fellow Annapolis batchmate and close friend of both Best and Dickinson. |
| 332 | ---- |
| 333 | * AbandonShip: Orders Sulley and the other surviving sailors aboard the sinking ''Arizona'' to get to the neighboring supply ship before the battleship goes down. |
| 334 | * BodyHorror: When Best finds his corpse following the attack, it's badly burnt, with all of his skin charred, indicating he burned to death when the ship went down. |
| 335 | * HeroicSacrifice: Seeing his men getting cut down by the Japanese, he elects to stay behind and man a 20mm AntiAir gun and cover the survivors. |
| 336 | * OhCrap: Pretty much his expression when he sees the Japanese attacking the ships around him, including his own. He gets an even bigger one when an armor-piercing bomb punches through an unprotected portion of the ''Arizona's'' deck. |
| 337 | * RedAlert: Once the Japanese begin attacking, Pearce immediately orders his men to battlestations. |
| 338 | * SacrificialLion: He's the first named casualty of the film, and his death helps to motivate Best and Dickinson's actions later down the line. |
| 339 | * TakeCover: He orders the men around him to do this when he sees a Japanese armor-piercing bomb punch through an unprotected area of the ''Arizona's'' deck. This saves his, Sulley's, and most of the other men's lives for the time being. |
| 340 | |
| 341 | [[/folder]] |
| 342 | |
| 343 | [[folder:Jimmy Doolittle]] |
| 344 | !!Lieutenant Colonel James Harold Doolittle |
| 345 | !!!'''Portrayed by:''' Creator/AaronEckhart |
| 346 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/aeckhart.jpg]] |
| 347 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"We'll be the first enemy in Japan's history to hit their home territory."'']] |
| 348 | [[quoteright:350:[[labelnote:In real life...]]\ |
| 349 | https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/5a4ab605_5440_4786_ade7_241e04866cc4.jpg[[/labelnote]]]] |
| 350 | |
| 351 | Commander of a top-secret mission to bomb Japan, which is to be launched from the deck of the USS ''Hornet''. |
| 352 | ---- |
| 353 | * AbandonShip: When his B-25 runs out of fuel over the Chinese coast, he and his crew immediately bail out of their doomed plane. |
| 354 | * AcePilot: He's stated by Adm. Halsey to be the best pilot in the world, and proves it when he leads his flight of sixteen B-25 Mitchells into the air. |
| 355 | * AdvertisedExtra: While he appears in the movie's poster and receives lots of promotional advertisments featuring him, Doolittle himself only has a few minutes worth of screentime in the film proper. |
| 356 | * AirstrikeImpossible: His mission in a nutshell: to deliver a blow to the Japanese mainland and then fly a OneWayTrip to China, avoiding Japanese-occupied territory along the way. |
| 357 | * SmallRoleBigImpact: He only has a few minutes of screentime, but the raid he leads on Tokyo has a major psychological impact on the Japanese. Fearing more bombing raids, the Japanese high command elect to divert precious resources into defending the home islands, while also stepping up their invasion plans, the latter of which ultimately lead to the Battle of Midway. |
| 358 | * TrappedBehindEnemyLines: Ends up bailing out over Japanese-occupied territory in China. Thankfully, he's found by Chinese resistance fighters who are all too willing to help him get to Nationalist-occupied China when they find out he bombed Japan. |
| 359 | * UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: |
| 360 | ** After witnessing a Japanese bombing raid on a Chinese village he's currently, hiding in, Doolittle slowly realizes that he and his raiders have unwittingly caused the Chinese civilians in the area to be targeted now that the Japanese know that Doolittle and his raiders have crashed in the surrounding countryside. |
| 361 | ** On a more personal note, [[spoiler:him handing his personal lighter to Zhu Xuesan ends up potentially dooming the latter to torture and execution by the Japanese Army, when one of their officers discovers the lighter in Zhu's house.]] |
| 362 | [[/folder]] |
| 363 | |
| 364 | [[folder:George Gay]] |
| 365 | !!Ensign George Henry Gay Jr. |
| 366 | !!!'''Portrayed by:''' Brandon Sklenar |
| 367 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/georgegay.jpg]] |
| 368 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"When they see us, we'll know."'']] |
| 369 | |
| 370 | A TBD Devastator pilot in Torpedo Squadron 8, based on the USS ''Hornet''. |
| 371 | ---- |
| 372 | * TheAllegedCar: Like Lindsey, he flies the TBD Devastator, a slow, sluggish to respond, and ungainly aircraft by 1942. |
| 373 | * MauveShirt: He's the only one in his squadron given a name and focus. He's also the only one to survive the onslaught of Japanese AntiAir fire and fighters. |
| 374 | * SittingDuck: Like Lindsey before him, he and the rest of his flight of TBD Devastators get cut to pieces by Japanese flak and fighters. |
| 375 | * SoleSurvivor: He ends up being the only one in his squadron to survive the attack runs on the Japanese carriers. |
| 376 | [[/folder]] |
| 377 | |
| 378 | [[folder:Hank Potter]] |
| 379 | !!2nd Lieutenant Hank Potter |
| 380 | !!!'''Portrayed by:''' Jacob Blair |
| 381 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hankpotter.jpg]] |
| 382 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"I keep recalculating, but with this steady tailwind..."'']] |
| 383 | |
| 384 | A USAAF flight navigator, who serves as part of Lt. Col. Doolittle's crew during the Doolittle Raid. |
| 385 | ---- |
| 386 | * AbandonShip: Alongside Col. Doolittle and the rest of his crew, he bails out of his B-25 once the plane runs out of fuel. |
| 387 | * GuyInBack: Rather than being a rear gunner like the other American aircrew listed here, he's a navigator, being tasked with finding the way to China following the raid on Tokyo. |
| 388 | * PutOnABus: He bails out along with Lt. Col. Doolittle over Japanese-occupied China. Thanks to this, he gets separated from the Colonel and the rest of his crew. |
| 389 | * SatelliteCharacter: He's always shown alongside Lt. Col. Doolittle and the other Doolittle raiders. |
| 390 | * TrappedBehindEnemyLines: Like his superior, he ends up bailing out over Japanese occupied-territory. |
| 391 | [[/folder]] |
| 392 | |
| 393 | [[folder:William Brockman]] |
| 394 | !!Lieutenant Commander William Herman Brockman Jr. |
| 395 | !!!'''Portrayed by:''' Creator/JamesCarpinello |
| 396 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/williambrockman.jpg]] |
| 397 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"Evening gents."'']] |
| 398 | |
| 399 | Captain of the USS ''Nautilus'' (SS-168). |
| 400 | ---- |
| 401 | * TheCaptain: Of the USS ''Nautilus''. |
| 402 | * RedAlert: He orders general quarters once a Japanese destroyer begins to depth charge their sub. This forces him and his crew to stay below periscope depth for a good chunk of time. |
| 403 | * SmallRoleBigImpact: He has only 3 short scenes alongside the rest of his crew, but his attempts to torpedo the Japanese carriers at Midway lead to [=McClusky's=] and Best's SBD crews to trail the Japanese destroyer that had been depth-charging his submarine back to the rest of the Japanese fleet, and consequently, the Japanese carriers. |
| 404 | * SpannerInTheWorks: His failed attack on the Japanese fleet may not have done much in and of itself, but it did give the SBD pilots a clue to where the Japanese carrier fleet would be after the Japanese destroyer that had been chasing the ''Nautilus'' is ordered to head back. |
| 405 | [[/folder]] |
| 406 | |
| 407 | [[folder:John Ford]] |
| 408 | !!Commander Creator/JohnFord |
| 409 | !!!'''Portrayed by:''' Geoffrey Blake |
| 410 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/john_ford.jpg]] |
| 411 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"I'm gonna shoot the damn picture."'']] |
| 412 | [[quoteright:350:[[labelnote:In real life...]]\ |
| 413 | https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ford_john_pic2.jpg[[/labelnote]]]] |
| 414 | |
| 415 | A famous Hollywood director, who goes to Midway island in order to film combat footage. |
| 416 | ---- |
| 417 | * BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: He wished to film combat footage. He does get what he wants when the Japanese begin bombing Midway, at the cost of receiving a piece of shrapnel in his arm, bleeding heavily, and lying in pain. |
| 418 | * CoolShades: Notably the only character in the film to be shown wearing sunglasses. |
| 419 | * {{Determinator}}: Even after getting hit by shrapnel, Ford insists on continuing to film the ongoing Japanese air attack. |
| 420 | * HonorBeforeReason: He's a filmmaker at a place where history is being made, and by ''God'' he's going to get the shot. |
| 421 | * NonActionGuy: He's a filmmaker, not a combatant, but nevertheless risks his life during the Japanese air raid at Midway in order to get the combat footage he needs. |
| 422 | * PermaStubble: Notably the only character to be shown with one. And, despite being a NonActionGuy, he immediately goes into the line of fire just to get the combat footage he so desperately wished for. |
| 423 | [[/folder]] |
| 424 | |
| 425 | !Empire of Japan |
| 426 | |
| 427 | !!Imperial Japanese Navy |
| 428 | |
| 429 | [[folder:Tamon Yamaguchi]] |
| 430 | !!Rear Admiral Tamon Yamaguchi, Commander, 2nd Carrier Division |
| 431 | !!!'''Portrayed by:''' Creator/TadanobuAsano |
| 432 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tamonyamaguchi_7.jpg]] |
| 433 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"Brave men. We are fortunate they have such bad planes."'']] |
| 434 | [[quoteright:350:[[labelnote:In real life...]]\ |
| 435 | https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tamonyamaguchi.jpg[[/labelnote]]]] |
| 436 | |
| 437 | Commander of the Japanese 2nd Carrier Division, and one of the architects of the Midway operation. |
| 438 | ---- |
| 439 | * CoDragons: With Nagumo to Yamamoto, being the more junior of the two and commanding half of the Japanese carriers involved in the Midway operation. He's also the more active of the two in dealing with the American carriers, thanks to the ''Hiryu'' being the only Japanese carrier not to get hit during the initial attack on the rest of the ''Kido Butai''. |
| 440 | * FaceDeathWithDignity: Just before the ''Hiryu'' is blown to smithereens, Yamaguchi can be seen calmly accepting his inevitable demise. |
| 441 | * FrontlineGeneral: He commands directly from the ''Hiryu'', and as a result is also in the line of fire alongside the rest of the ship's officers and crew. |
| 442 | * GoingDownWithTheShip: He and Tomeo Kaku, the ''Hiryu's'' captain, choose to go down with the aircraft carrier, in order to take responsibility for their failures. |
| 443 | * HonorBeforeReason: Played with: |
| 444 | ** Even after the loss of the other three carriers, Yamamoto commands Yamaguchi to press on with his remaining carrier and salvage the battle. Yamaguchi considers this action pointless now, but carries out his orders. |
| 445 | ** Rather than AbandonShip like Admiral Nagumo, Yamaguchi elects to stay on the ''Hiryu'' to the end, despite being one of Japan's most competent flag officers. This would prove to be detrimental in the long run, as someone like him would have been a thorn to the Allies in later carrier battles. |
| 446 | * HypercompetentSidekick: To both Yamamoto and Nagumo, his superiors. Both before and during the Battle of Midway, he can be seen planning and executing a huge portion of Japanese naval and air operations, of which several prove to be devastating against the Americans. Most notable among these is the devastating attack on the USS ''Yorktown'', despite having only a handful of planes and pilots left under his command. |
| 447 | * IgnoredExpert: During the Pearl Harbor attack, he was among those vouching for a 3rd strike, in order to sink the American carriers as well as target the oil storage facilities and submarine bases. Nagumo, fearing an American counterattack, does not listen to Yamaguchi's pleas, and orders the carriers back to Japan. Unsurprisingly, Yamaguchi's reasons prove to be sound, when the Americans begin using those same carriers and submarines during the Battle of Midway. |
| 448 | * NervesOfSteel: During the first wave of bombing attacks, a blast kicks up a large wave near the ''Hiryu'' and everyone on the command tower ducks for cover except for Yamaguchi. |
| 449 | * NiceJobFixingItVillain: Him choosing to GoDownWithTheShip rather than AbandonShip and live to fight another day would have serious consequences for the Japanese Naval High Command later in the war, when someone with Yamaguchi's talents would be sorely needed. |
| 450 | * TemptingFate: Tells Captain Kaku that it's fortunate that the American planes, in this case the TBD Devastators attacking them, aren't good. And then come the [=SBDs=], which are a far better aircraft with more reliable ordnance... |
| 451 | * WorthyOpponent: Unlike Nagumo, Yamaguchi actually respects the American's resolve when they attack the Japanese carriers despite insurmountable odds. |
| 452 | * YouAreInCommandNow: With the ''Akagi'' pretty much beyond repair and Nagumo being forced to AbandonShip, Yamamoto orders Yamaguchi to take over the remaining planes and pilots of the ''Kido Butai''. |
| 453 | [[/folder]] |
| 454 | |
| 455 | [[folder:Chūichi Nagumo]] |
| 456 | !!Vice Admiral Chūichi Nagumo, Commander, 1st Air Fleet |
| 457 | !!!'''Portrayed by:''' Jun Kunimura |
| 458 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/nagumo_5.jpg]] |
| 459 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"Americans aren't that brave."'']] |
| 460 | [[quoteright:350:[[labelnote:In real life...]]\ |
| 461 | https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/chuichi_nagumo.jpg[[/labelnote]]]] |
| 462 | |
| 463 | Commander of both the 1st Carrier Division and the ''Kido Butai''. |
| 464 | ---- |
| 465 | * AbandonShip: He eventually abandons ship with the rest of the ''Akagi's'' officers, after some convincing by Genda. |
| 466 | * CoDragons: With Yamaguchi to Yamamoto. He's the more senior in rank, making him Yamaguchi's direct superior, and commands the entire armada of Japanese carriers. |
| 467 | * TheFriendNobodyLikes: Both Yamamoto and Yamaguchi clearly dislike his leadership and methods in the wake of the Pearl Harbor attack, but choose to keep it to themselves in order to make the Naval High Command look like a united effort against the Army High Command. |
| 468 | * FrontlineGeneral: He commands directly from the ''Akagi'', and as a result is in the line of fire alongside the rest of his staff and the ship's crew. |
| 469 | * KilledOffscreen: He dies after the events of the film, on Saipan in July 1944 just as US Marines and Army soldiers are about to overrun his headquarters on the island. |
| 470 | * NiceJobFixingItVillain: His indecision on whether to attack Midway's airstrip or the American aircraft carriers cost the Japanese valuable time, and also cause the hangars of his own carriers to be filled to the brim with exposed fuel, ammunition, and explosives. |
| 471 | * OhCrap: He has a silent one when he sees Best's flight of SBD Dauntlesses line up for an attack on the ''Akagi''. Before that, he has one upon hearing the droning of the ''Enterprise'' Dauntless dive bombers and realizes the Zero CAP is not anywhere nearby to defend the carriers since they were still dealing with the Devastator torpedo bombers at the time. |
| 472 | * PutOnABus: He eventually abandons ship, and consequently, the battle, when the ''Akagi's'' battle damage is too severe, leaving Yamaguchi to command the remaining pilots of the Japanese strike force. |
| 473 | * UnderestimatingBadassery: He constantly looks down the Americans, and thinks that they aren't brave enough to do things like perform a SuicideAttack. He later pays for this once the ''Akagi'' and 3 of the other Japanese carriers are hit. |
| 474 | [[/folder]] |
| 475 | |
| 476 | [[folder:Isoroku Yamamoto]] |
| 477 | !!Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, Commander in Chief, Combined Fleet |
| 478 | !!!'''Portrayed by:''' Etsushi Toyokawa |
| 479 | [[quoteright:330:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/web1_mid_d59_20610_re.jpg]] |
| 480 | [[caption-width-right:330:''"We have awakened a sleeping giant, and filled him with terrible resolve."'']] |
| 481 | [[quoteright:330:[[labelnote:In real life...]]\ |
| 482 | https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/yamamoto_isoroku_08.jpg[[/labelnote]]]] |
| 483 | |
| 484 | Commander in chief of the combined Japanese fleet during World War II and the architect behind the attack on Pearl Harbor. |
| 485 | |
| 486 | ---- |
| 487 | * BigBad: Commands the Imperial Japanese Navy, the most immediate threat to the Carrier Division Two and the main opposing force at the Battle of Midway. |
| 488 | * DontMakeMeDestroyYou: During his farewell dinner with Layton in the prologue, he outright tells Layton that the Japanese High Command, Yamamoto's superiors, will be forced to take drastic action should the American government decide to cut off Japan's oil supplies. |
| 489 | * HandicappedBadass: A downplayed example, but sharp-eyed viewers would note his two missing fingers on his left hand, which is actually historically accurate. |
| 490 | * IgnoredExpert: Personally familiar with the United States (a rarity among Japan's senior military commanders), having studied at Harvard University, served as naval attaché in Washington, and extensively traveled through America, he had been expressing for years that he believed going to war against the U.S. would be folly and that Japan might likely pay a heavy price. |
| 491 | * KilledOffscreen: As revealed in the end credits, Yamamoto is killed when his plane is shot down over the island of Bougainville, American intelligence having traced his aerial routes. He was honoured with a promotion to Marshal Admiral. |
| 492 | * LuredIntoATrap: He lampshades this once he finds out that 3 of his carriers have been bombed. |
| 493 | * NonActionBigBad: All of his scenes show him commanding from the rear, usually onboard the Battleship ''Yamato''. |
| 494 | |
| 495 | [[/folder]] |
| 496 | |
| 497 | [[folder:Minoru Genda]] |
| 498 | !!Captain Minoru Genda |
| 499 | !!!'''Portrayed by:''' Peter Shinkoda |
| 500 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/minorugenda.jpg]] |
| 501 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"It's the captain's duty to save the ship. Your duty is to lead."'']] |
| 502 | [[quoteright:350:[[labelnote:In real life...]]\ |
| 503 | https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/zfjjghaaw0d17343.png[[/labelnote]]]] |
| 504 | |
| 505 | Air Operations Officer of the 1st Air Fleet, who works directly under Adm. Nagumo. |
| 506 | ---- |
| 507 | * AbandonShip: He and Adm. Nagumo, after some convincing by Genda, eventually abandon the ''Akagi'' once its realized the damage is too extensive to continue flight operations. |
| 508 | * NumberTwo: To Nagumo, helping the Admiral direct carrier operations during the Battle of Midway. |
| 509 | * PutOnABus: Like Nagumo, Genda ends up abandoning ship, and consequently, the battle, leaving Yamaguchi and Kaku to command the remaining aircrews. |
| 510 | * SatelliteCharacter: All of his scenes are of him accompanying Admiral Nagumo, and he never leaves the Admiral's side. |
| 511 | [[/folder]] |
| 512 | |
| 513 | [[folder:Tomeo Kaku]] |
| 514 | !!Captain Tomeo Kaku |
| 515 | !!!'''Portrayed by:''' Nobuya Shimamoto |
| 516 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tomeokaku.jpg]] |
| 517 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"I wish to stay with you."'']] |
| 518 | [[quoteright:350:[[labelnote:In real life...]]\ |
| 519 | https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kaku_tomeo.jpg[[/labelnote]]]] |
| 520 | |
| 521 | Captain of the Japanese aircraft carrier ''Hiryu'', who serves directly under Adm. Yamaguchi. |
| 522 | ---- |
| 523 | * AbandonShip: He orders his crew to do this once it's realized that the ''Hiryu'' is damaged beyond repair, and is now at the risk of being captured by the Americans. |
| 524 | * TheCaptain: Of the Japanese aircraft carrier ''Hiryu''. |
| 525 | * FaceDeathWithDignity: Just before the ''Hiryu'' goes up in flames, he and Yamaguchi can be seen calmly accepting their inevitable demises. |
| 526 | * GoingDownWithTheShip: He volunteers to go down with the ''Hiryu'' alongside his direct superior Yamaguchi, feeling partially responsible for failing to save the ship. |
| 527 | * HonorBeforeReason: Like Yamaguchi, he feels responsible for dooming the Midway operation, and so decides to join Yamaguchi in going down with their carrier. |
| 528 | * NumberTwo: To Yamaguchi, being the one actually in charge of the ''Hiryu''. |
| 529 | * SatelliteCharacter: To Admiral Yamaguchi. All of his scenes show him directing the ''Hiryu's'' operations alongside his direct superior, as well as taking orders from him. |
| 530 | * UndyingLoyalty: To Yamaguchi, which is the other reason he chooses to join his superior officer in GoingDownWithTheShip. |
| 531 | [[/folder]] |
| 532 | |
| 533 | [[folder:Isamu Fujita]] |
| 534 | !!Commander Isamu Fujita |
| 535 | !!!'''Portrayed by:''' Hiro Kanagawa |
| 536 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/isamufujita2_3.jpg]] |
| 537 | |
| 538 | Captain of the Japanese destroyer ''Makigumo''. |
| 539 | ---- |
| 540 | * AllThereInTheManual: His name is never revealed in the film itself, but instead during the end credits. |
| 541 | * TheCaptain: Of the ''Makigumo''. |
| 542 | * DeathGlare: He takes his time to glare threateningly at both [[spoiler:Gaido and O'Flaherty]] after picking them up from the water. |
| 543 | * MakeAnExampleOfThem: On the giving end of this trope when [[spoiler:he orders Gaido to be executed]], in order to show [[spoiler:O'Flaherty]] that he isn't messing around. |
| 544 | * TheQuietOne: He only speaks one line, in Japanese. The rest of the time, he's simply glaring at his captives. |
| 545 | [[/folder]] |
| 546 | |
| 547 | [[folder:Takashi Moroishi]] |
| 548 | !!Lieutenant Takashi Moroishi |
| 549 | !!!'''Portrayed by:''' Ken Takikawa |
| 550 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/isamufujita2_6.jpg]] |
| 551 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"You! Tell us your ship. Or we throw you overboard."'']] |
| 552 | |
| 553 | Torpedo officer of the Japanese destroyer ''Makigumo''. |
| 554 | ---- |
| 555 | * AllThereInTheManual: Like his direct superior, his name is only revealed in the end credits. |
| 556 | * DeathGlare: Like his commanding officer, he takes his time to glare at their two American captives. |
| 557 | * NumberTwo: To Commander Fujita. |
| 558 | * SatelliteCharacter: His only scene is of him accompanying his commander officer at all times, and carrying out the latter's direct orders. |
| 559 | * TranslatorBuddy: Fujita doesn't speak English, so Moroishi translates for his superior when interrogating [[spoiler:Gaido and O'Flaherty]]. |
| 560 | [[/folder]] |
| 561 | |
| 562 | !!Japanese Government |
| 563 | |
| 564 | [[folder:Emperor Hirohito]] |
| 565 | !!Hirohito, Emperor of Japan |
| 566 | !!!'''Portrayed by:''' Hiroaki Shintani |
| 567 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/2020_08_23_1000.png]] |
| 568 | [[quoteright:350:[[labelnote:In real life...]]\ |
| 569 | https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/96a9aa34_919b_4e0d_9b04_0ccc08989261.jpg[[/labelnote]]]] |
| 570 | |
| 571 | Also known as the Showa Emperor, he is the then-current Emperor of Japan when War in the Pacific breaks out. |
| 572 | ---- |
| 573 | * TheCameo: He only appears for a few seconds inside the Imperial Palace during Col. Doolittle's bombing of Tokyo, before being escorted by his bodyguards to an air raid shelter. |
| 574 | * TheQuietOne: He never speaks out loud during his only scene. |
| 575 | |
| 576 | [[/folder]] |
| 577 | |
| 578 | [[folder:Hideki Tojo]] |
| 579 | !!General UsefulNotes/HidekiTojo, Prime Minister of Japan |
| 580 | !!!'''Portrayed by:''' Hiromoto Ida |
| 581 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hidekitojo.jpg]] |
| 582 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"Our priority must be to seize the resources that we need."'']] |
| 583 | [[quoteright:350:[[labelnote:In real life...]]\ |
| 584 | https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hideki_tojo.jpg[[/labelnote]]]] |
| 585 | |
| 586 | The Prime Minister of Japan just before and during the outbreak of war in the Pacific. |
| 587 | ---- |
| 588 | * TheCameo: He only appears in one scene, engaging in a meeting with several high-ranking Japanese Admirals, including Yamaguchi and Yamamoto. |
| 589 | * FourEyesZeroSoul: Wears glasses, is the leader of a brutal, military dictatorship, and drags the Japanese Navy into a war against the United States. |
| 590 | * GreaterScopeVillain: Yamamoto and Yamaguchi are pressured by him and the rest of the Japanese Army's high command into going to war with the United States and its allies. |
| 591 | * InterserviceRivalry: He makes it clear during his meeting with Yamamoto and Yamaguchi that he doesn't think highly of the Japanese Navy, seeing them only as a means for the Army's troops to get around the Pacific. |
| 592 | [[/folder]] |
| 593 | |
| 594 | !!Civilians |
| 595 | |
| 596 | [[folder:Anne Best]] |
| 597 | !!Anne Best |
| 598 | !!!'''Portrayed by:''' Music/MandyMoore |
| 599 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/annebest.jpg]] |
| 600 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"Well get good at something else. You have the rest of your life to figure it out."'']] |
| 601 | |
| 602 | Dick Best's wife. |
| 603 | ---- |
| 604 | * HappilyMarried: In the scenes where she's with her husband, it's clear that they both enjoy each other's company. |
| 605 | * OhCrap: This is her expression when the Japanese begin attacking Battleship Row, and worse, her daughter is out in the open just as the bombs are falling. |
| 606 | [[/folder]] |
| 607 | |
| 608 | [[folder:Dagne Layton]] |
| 609 | !!Dagne Layton |
| 610 | !!!'''Portrayed by:''' Rachael Perrell Fosket |
| 611 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dagnelayton.jpg]] |
| 612 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"Does America winning the war really depend on Edwin Layton working himself to death?"'']] |
| 613 | |
| 614 | Edwin Layton's wife. |
| 615 | ---- |
| 616 | * HappilyMarried: Despite her husband's long work hours, it's clear that they still enjoy being together, to the point that she helps him pull all-nighters by preparing him midnight snacks. |
| 617 | * SatelliteCharacter: All of her scenes are of her with her husband. |
| 618 | [[/folder]] |
| 619 | |
| 620 | [[folder:Jack [=MacKenzie=]]] |
| 621 | !!Jack [=MacKenzie=] |
| 622 | !!!'''Portrayed by:''' Dean Schaller |
| 623 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/jackmackenzie.jpg]] |
| 624 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"Are you okay sir?"'']] |
| 625 | |
| 626 | John Ford's cameraman, who accompanies the famous director all the way to Midway island. |
| 627 | ---- |
| 628 | * SatelliteCharacter: To Ford, being the one responsible for capturing all the combat footage when the Japanese bomb Midway island. |
| 629 | [[/folder]] |
| 630 | |
| 631 | [[folder:Millicent [=McClusky=]]] |
| 632 | !!Millicent [=McClusky=] |
| 633 | !!!'''Portrayed by:''' Christie Brooke |
| 634 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/millicentmcclusky.jpg]] |
| 635 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"There's a big battle. And one of our carriers is sinking."'']] |
| 636 | |
| 637 | Wade [=McClusky's=] wife. |
| 638 | ---- |
| 639 | * AllThereInTheManual: Her name and identity is never revealed in the film proper, instead appearing during the end credits. |
| 640 | * BearerOfBadNews: Her only scene has her informing Anne Best of the events of the Battle of Midway, of which includes rumors of heavy casualties among the US Navy's pilots. |
| 641 | [[/folder]] |
| 642 | |
| 643 | [[folder:Zhu Xuesan]] |
| 644 | !!Zhu Xuesan |
| 645 | !!!'''Portrayed by:''' Kenny Leu |
| 646 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/zhuxuesan.png]] |
| 647 | [[caption-width-right:350:''"He say...you lie."'']] |
| 648 | |
| 649 | A Chinese schoolteacher whom Jimmy Doolittle meets once he lands in China. |
| 650 | ---- |
| 651 | * ColdBloodedTorture: [[spoiler:A victim of this offscreen by the Japanese Army, in addition to being starved and held in solitary captivity.]] |
| 652 | * KilledOffscreen: [[spoiler:Given the captions following his last scene, it's very heavily implied that the Japanese executed him shortly afterward.]] |
| 653 | * NonActionGuy: He's a schoolteacher, not a fighter, and so decides to go back to help his family after helping Doolittle get out of Japanese-occupied territory. |
| 654 | * TranslatorBuddy: Briefly serves as this for Col. Doolittle, as the Chinese resistance members save for their leader cannot speak English. |
| 655 | * UncertainDoom: [[spoiler:He is last seen in Japanese Army captivity, with an officer coming across the lighter that Doolittle had given Zhu earlier in the film. Given the circumstances and the narration card, it's very likely Zhu was among the 250,000 Chinese executed for helping the Doolittle Raiders.]] |
| 656 | * YouNoTakeCandle: While he understands English well, he cannot speak it that well, thanks in part to it being his second language. |
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