 Yorktown 's partially depleted air group was rebuilt using whatever planes and pilots could be found . The dive and torpedo squadrons were replaced with those from USS Saratoga , with Yorktown 's own dive bomber squadron remaining in the scout bomber role . The fighter squadron was reformed with replacement F4F @-@ 4 Wildcat aircraft and aircrew drawn from Saratoga . In addition , surviving pilots from USS Lexington , under the command of Lexington 's Lieutenant Commander John S. " Jimmy " Thach , were also assigned to Yorktown . Some of the aircrew were inexperienced , which may have contributed to an accident in which Thach 's executive officer was killed . Despite efforts to get Saratoga ( which had been undergoing repairs on the American West Coast ) ready for the coming engagement , the need to resupply and assemble sufficient escorts meant that she was not able to reach Midway until after the battle . 
