Battle of Midway author to speak at NPC American Legion Post 20 meeting May 31

Battle of Midway expert Jim D'Angelo will discuss his recently published book, "Victory at Midway: The Battle That Changed the Course of World War II," at a luncheon meeting of the National Press Club's American Legion Post 20 at noon on Thursday, May 31, in the McClendon Room. The speaker portion of the meeting is open to all Club members.

The 76th anniversary of the famed battle is on Monday, June 4. While most military historians and authors have considered the Battle of Midway the turning point of war in the Pacific, D'Angelo argues that the devastating U.S. naval victory over Japanese forces -- Navy aircraft sank four enemy aircraft carriers in a single day -- was the critical event that changed the course of the entire war.

A retired physician from the Washington area and Air Force veteran, D'Angelo is founder and chairman of the International Midway Memorial Foundation (IMMF). For more than 20 years IMMF has strived to ensure that the battle and those who fought and died in it are properly commemorated. IMMF has placed monuments to the battle on Midway Atoll and the U.S. Naval Academy. It was also instrumental in the passage of legislation designating Midway Atoll as a National Memorial.

Post 20 has been associated with the National Press Club since the post was founded in 1919 at the suggestion of storied World War I Army Gen. Jack "Black Jack" Pershing. Serving in Washington at the time, Pershing was an associate member of the Club.