In June 1942, the Japanese, intent on depriving the US Pacific Fleet of an important refuelling stop, dispatched 162 warships to capture Midway Island. But the US was prepared for the attack, and inflicted a crushing defeat on the invaders. A Japanese who took part in the battle later wrote:
As the enemy's machine-gun fire burst on the deck, my legs shook violently. Turning my eyes to the distance, I saw black smoke rising here and there, indicating the great damage suffered by our warships. My ship received orders to retreat.
The following morning, there was a burial at sea. A casket wrapped in military colours was lowered into the sea. It did not sink for quite a while, and we saw it drifting farther and farther away, in and out of the waves.
一九四二年六月，日軍計劃奪去美國太平洋艦隊一個重要的燃油補給站，派遣一百六十二艘戰艦，前去攻佔中途島。但美軍早有防備，把來犯者殺得落花流水。一個參戰的日本人事後寫道：
敵軍的機關槍火打在甲板上，我雙腿抖得非常厲害。往遠處望去，只見黑煙四起，我們那些戰艦所受損毀顯然非常嚴重。我的戰艦奉命撤退。
第二天早上，我們舉行海葬。一副棺材用軍旗包着，放進海裏，好一段時間都沒有沉下去，波浪之中載浮載沉，在我們目送之下，漸漂漸遠。