Naval Base Kitsap honored the 77th Anniversary of the Battle of Midway, one of the Navy’s and the nation’s most historically significant naval victories, with a commemoration ceremony Thursday on the Bremerton waterfront boardwalk.

Capt. Matthew Paradise, USS Carl Vinson Commanding Officer, was the keynote speaker during the event, which was followed by a wreath laying ceremony. Navy Band Northwest provided music and the Vikings of Electronic Attack Squadron One Two Nine, out of Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, delivered an EA-18G Growler flyover. World War II veterans were also in attendance at the event.

The battle occurred June 3 – 7, 1942, and changed the tide of the war in the Pacific and the course of world history, according to an NBK press release. Just six months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. Navy delivered a stunning defeat to the Japanese Navy during the battle.

Before the battle, Japan possessed naval superiority over the U.S. afterward, opposing fleets were balanced and the U.S. soon took over the offensive, according to NBK. As a result of the battle on June 4, the Japanese carriers Akagi, Kaga and Soryu were attacked and sunk. The carrier Hiryu escaped an initial attack, but later, U.S. dive bombers found, bombed and sank her as well.

The Battle of Midway marked a technical revolution in displacing gunnery with naval carrier airpower as a primary means of delivering ordnance.