Admiral Bull Halsey leading a carrier task force 38 was lured by the Japanese decoy ploy due to his personality and extreme determination to avenge Pearl Harbor by sinking the remaining infamous Japanesse carrier that participated on the Pearl Harbor strike. Unlike Admeiral Spruance Bull Hullsy was gutsy and blood thirsty so much so that he abandoned the invasion force he was supposed to protect in order to hunt down the inviting target of the last six remaining aircraft carriers in the Imperial Japanese Navy. His move turned to be a great success as he ripped apart the carriers, how ever he did make a mistake by taking the Japanese bait attacking the virtually empty and non threatening carriers while leaving the American force completely vealnrabile.[1] The Japanese super battleships and the entire center force that was thought to have disengaged swung around and surprise attacked the naval landing operation of Layte virtually unopposed. Small destroyers and heavy cruisers were the only protection of the helpless landing troops against the largest and most powerful battleship in the world with its 18inch guns. Thanks to the extremely vailiant efforts by Lt commander E.E. Evans who against all odds bravely charged the entire Japanese armada with his destroyer giving them all he got until he got within torpedo range. When he got within the desired five miles he unleashed his torpedo’s successfully sinking Japanese cruisers. Lt Commander Evans’ outstanding bravery inspired other American cruisers and destroyers as they joined him in the pearolous engagement in which every sailor on board was in all essence suicidial due to the extreme amount of firepower bearing down on them from the far superior Japanese ships.

First American strike from 17 carriers was a massive force of 1,100 airplanes with orders to eradicate Japanese airbases in the Philippines minimizing the ever so shrinking Japanese air arm down to a meager two hundred planes.[2]

Admiral Toyoda of the combined fleet Operation Sho Go or victory to through all he had which on the carrier side was virtually nothing useful except as bait but on the other end of the spectrum he used an impressive fleet of battleships and capital ships including the most powerful powerful battleships in the word sporting the 18inch guns one of which American naval planes took down with torpedo and bomb hits.[3]

Dan Ver Vat 348.

Battle of San Bernardino strait Clifton SPraugu’es Taffy 3 force were being battered without carrier protection.[4]

Kamakazi special attack units were used extensively in against American carriers quite effectively in the battle of Leyte Gulf.[5]

Ozawa commanded the Japanese navel force of 6 carriers which he used as decoys to lure the Americans and a very strong collection of the worlds best battleships an extremely formidable force that almost obliberated the entire American landing operation at Leyte had he not withdrawn from fear of attack by the returning American carrier aircraft, and the gutsy stand by Lt. Commander Evans and the warships that bravely defended the veunrable landing fleet from certain destruction.

Rear Admiral Thomas Kinkaid on the Enterprise lost six out of nineteen planes downig only two Japanese Zero’s over the Santa Cruz islands.[6]

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[1] Keegan,149.

[2] Keegan,148.

[3] Dan der Vat, 348.

[4] Dan van der Vat, 357.

[5] Dan van der Vat

[6] Dan van der Vat, 231.

Marianas Turkey Shoot

Marianas Turkey Shoot

Admiral Raymond Spruance

Vice Admiral Marc A Mitscher

Flagship Indianapolis

US 7 Carriers Task Force 58

16 total carriers

With 925 planes at his disposal

w

Against 5 Japanese Carriers

9 total Japanese Carriers with 450 planes

	CV	CVL	BB	CA	CL	DD	SS	Total
USN	7	8	7	8	13	68	27	138
IJN	5	4	5	11	2	23	19	69

CV: Fleet Carrier CVL: Light Carrier BB: Battleship CA: Heavy Cruiser CL: Light Cruisers DD: Destroyers SS: Submarines[1]

The Hellcat outperformed the Wildcat in many ways and was a much better match against the Japanese Zero. It had a 2,000 horsepower radial Pratt & Witney engine that practically doubled the 1,200 horsepower engine of its predecessor the F4F Wildcat.[2] This Hellcats massive R-2800-10 Double Wasp Radial engine gave it a max speed of 375mph and a range of 1,090 miles which was an improvement over the Wildcats max speed of 330mph and range of 845 miles.[3] “By V-J day the Hellcat produced more aces than any American aircraft and claimed some 5,200 kills for 270 losses in aerial combat: a nineteen-to-one win-loss ration over Japanese aircraft.”[4]

Ozawa had two advantages the trade winds that allowed him greater range and ability to launch his airplanes

Admiral Spruance stayed put close to the island for support of the landings.

Turning the lights on

Decision to send plans out over 300 miles on the 20^th of June.

Japanese Inexperienced pilots. The plan was to coordinate multiple wave attacks from the carriers in coordination with Japanese land based airplanes from the island based airbase in Guam. This failed to work effectively for the American pilots destroyed many of the land based planes before they were even a factor.

June 19^th 1944

• Wave one of Japanese planes attack and are intercepted by American Hellcats that shoot down 35 rendering the first Japanese wave completely ineffective.

• Taiho Sunk by sub[5] It was a new Japanese submarine that was poorly constructed for it was not ventilated well and the collected fumes and vapors spread throughout the ship and ignited causing it to meet its demise. It had a lack of good fire control. Contrast with the American Essex carrier.

Look back to the Amercian’s ability to repair carrier decks in Midway.

9:05am

The American submarine Albacore fires off 6 torpedoes at the Japanese carrier Taiho mortally wounding it. Due to the damage inflicted the Taiho sinks at 16:28.

• Shokaku sunk by sub

12:20pm

Shokaku is heavily damaged by a torpedo attack from the US submarine Cavalla. Captain Herman J Kossler. The bulkheads flood and fires ignite the airplane fuel. Fuel vapors leak throughout the ship and three and a half hours later those fumes ignite resulting in the total destruction of the flattop and it sinks. Three destroyers locate the submarine and hunt it for 3 hours. A record number of depth charges are dropped however the sub miraculously escapes.

Only one Peal Harbor carrier remaining the Zycokcko

• Raid 2 ends in disaster for the Japanese when they launch 373 planes and the American Hellcats shoot down over 200 and

The Japanese are now down two carriers.

The Hellcat was built tough. When Claude Plant was hit several times he landed his plane back on the Essex and to his surprise found that his plane was riddled with 150 holes that included a whole in each blade of his propeller and the plane was still stable enough to fly back and land on the carrier.[6]

June 20^th 1944

US carriers decide to chase the fleeing Japanese carriers and launch a risky retaliatory strike that covers over 300 miles and puts them in a risky position of having to recover their planes at night.

Hiyro is sunk by US dive Bombers and torpedo bombers

Many of the toperodos miss their respected targets

The US lost 99 planes of the 216 committed 82 of which that were lost trying to find the carriers

• Lighted up night landing

Night landing recovery. The Carriers lit up their lights and turned on their search lights as beacons. The destroyers followed suit and it looked like a lit up carnival. The scene was mass confusion as pilots running on fumes panicked and tried to land. Many had to ditch in the ocean and float in their rafts. The recovery on the carriers at night with no moonlight was difficult and there were some deadly crashes that hampered the process.

Gunners shot down 19 approaching Japanese planes in defense of the American carrier.

The fighter pilot concept changed from 1915 in World War I where they were individual hunters but for the US Navy fighter pilots utilized teamwork. Four plane formations two shooters and two wingman to protect the back of the aggressors. In the Turkey Shoot Pilots were raking up 6-7-8 or 9 kills in one day.

• The Marianas Turkey Shoot namesake origin.

It got its name when after the fighting on board the Lexington Lieutenant Junior Grade Zeigael Neff made a comparison to hunting back home in Missouri as he reminisced about the four Japanese planes he shot down that day and the unbeliviable amount the tally reached and he said that the victory and said, “It was just like an old-time turkey shoot”[7]The comparison caught on and spread throughout the carrier and it stuck. The American engagement and victory would be forever known in history as the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot.

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[1] Tillman, 102.

[2] Kenneth Munson. The Pocket Encyclopedia of World Aircraft in Color Fighters 1939-45 Attack and Training Aircraft. (Deventer: Blandford Press Ltd., 1969),25.

[3] Munson, 24.

[4] Tillman, 145.

[5] Tillman 155

[6] Tillman 163.

[7] Tillman, 196.

500

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjfOrz5gFZM

Battle of Midway 3 - Gone to Earth

Battle of the Coral Sea 【CG】

http://youtube.com/watch?v=uJ0rxaEHZEo

http://youtube.com/watch?v=7mpt3u7TS2E&feature=related

http://youtube.com/watch?v=dL_2saZlNjQ&feature=related

MIDWAY VIDEO 3

MIDWAY VIDEO 4

MIDWAY VIDEO 5

Battle of Coral Sea Japanese Version

Battle of Coral Sea Recreation CG

Aircraft Carrier List

US Carriers

USS Langley

USS Lexington
USS Saratoga
USS Yorktown
USS Enterprise
USS Hornet
USS Wasp
USS Essex

USS Franklin

USS Princeton

USS Bogue

USS Sarngama

USS St Lo

Imperial Japanese Navy Carriers

Hosho

Akagi

Kaga

Ryujo

Shokaku

Zuikaku

Zuiho

Soho

History 500 Carrier Warfare Focus questions

In this independent course study I will specifically explore two aspects of the general use of the aircraft carrier as both a defensive weapon and an offensive weapon.

The Carriers defense

• Placement and function of escort ships in the carrier battle group in the task force
• CAP Combat Air Patrols function in defending the fleet
• Deck guns
• Recon methods by both planes and old fashioned binoculars
• US use of Radar and why the IJN failed to utilize it:

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

The Carrier as an offensive weapon

• 3 airplane types with separate doctrine of attacks

1. Dive bombers
2. Torpedo Bombers
3. Fighters

• How Carriers respond to damage deck fires and flooding with all that fuel and airplanes on it

• The displacement of the Battleship as being the top strategic and decisive navel weapon

An analysis of the evolution of the Aircraft Carrier as a whole will be conducted with a close look at the advantages and disadvantages of each class.

Various Types of Aircraft Carriers

CV Fleet Carriers

CVL Light Carriers

Jeep Carriers

Admiral Nimitz was a key influential figure in the operation of the US pacific Navel fleet. I will look further at the role of the man who had the experience needed to lead the fleet and his relationships with his commanding staff and the people who he reported to being Ernest King the head of Department of the Navy. Nimitz hands leadership. Eisenhower as a diplomat

Ryan Evans

History 500 WW2 Carrier Warfare in the Pacific

Thursday, April 03, 2008

American Mistakes:

Chain of Command Alert system failed

Misinterpretation of incoming radar intercept for the flight of B-17s coming from the mainland

New of the sinking of the Japanese mini sub came too late

Planes were clustered close together to protect from sabotage which made them perfect targets for aerial bombardment

It was a Sunday putting the lowest alert for American Military Forces

America expected hostilities elsewhere such as in the Philippines.

Japanese Aircraft usage for Pearl Harbor[1]

Japanese Carrier Planes used:

143: Nakajima Type

97: B5N2 Model 11 Bombers

129: Aichi Type

99: D3A1 Model 11 Dive Bombers

78: Mitsubishi Type 0 A6M2 Zeke

Ryan Evans

On December 7^th 1941 the Japanese attacked the United States at dawn at Pearl Harbor. Thinking that it would pacify the Americans by destroying their immediate capability to wage war in the Pacific by destroying a large portion of their capital ships including their all important Battleships it turned out to backfire. The code messages took to long and the declaration of hostilities was told to late and America saw it as an unprovoked sneak attack and the entire American nation was swept up into a storm of fury. It was the complete anger and determined will stirred by this attack that helped for the American mentality to be stirred to fight until absolute victory to avenge the attack. The attack completely took them by surprise it was on a Sunday morning and early in the morning. Most of the men on the ill fated battleships were asleep below decks in their bunks. Many were not phased by the explosions for they had been on alert and had been used to drills. It took a great effort for the ships communication to envoke that it was no drill America was under attack which in some instances brought about panic.

Comdr Takahisa Amagai the air offier on the Hiryu carrier was in charge of the planes. He had to get up early and was responsible for checking the planes insuring their operational status. He also needed to fully brief all the pilots and aircrews making sure everyone had the latest info. His last task was to make sure that all the planes were ready to launch [1]

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[1] , Gordon W. Prange December 7th 1941: The Day The Japanese Attacked Pearl Harbor. (New York:Warner Books, 1988), 75.

---

[1] John Kuborn and Leatrice Arakaki. 7December 1941 The Air Force Study.(Hickam Air Force Base Hawii: Pacific Air Forces Office of History: 1991), 61.

World War II Pacific Carrier Warfare History 500

World War II Pacific Carrier Warfare 500

GRN#23773

(in addition to WWII Pacific 390)

5 credits

Spring 2008

Ryan Evans

Dr. Louis Truschel

Western Washington University

Syllabus

This 500 level independent study is going to focus on both American and Japanese Aircraft Carrier Warfare during 1941-1945, examining numerous aspects of the use of military technology and the decisions of both sides in the main battles including the battles of Pearl Harbor, Coral Sea, Midway, the Solomons, the Philippine Sea, and Leyte Gulf. While I intend to read the books listed here in their entirety or in part, I will also read relevant professional journal articles. Based on my readings, I will discuss these sources with Professor Truschel and write a historiographic essay, of approximately twenty pages, based on these readings. I will also write short three page overview analysis of five of the battles and post it onto a website that the class History 390 The Pacific War can view for additional information. There also will be a few lecture opportunities in addition to the research paper.

It is in addition to the regular course in that it goes beyond to cover aircraft carriers and to satisfy the 500 level.

The course will be evaluated by the essay of approximately twenty pages, the short three page overview analysis of the five battles.

Reading List

1. Murray, Williamson and Allan R Millet. A War to Be Won: Fighting the Second World War. Cambridge: Belknap Press, 2000.

2. Keegan, John. Collins Atlas of World War II. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 2006.

3. Hornfischer, James D. The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors: The Extraordinary World War II Story of the U.S. Navy's Final Hour. New York: Batam Books 2004.

4. Morison Samuel Elliot. The Two Ocean War A Short History Of the United States Navy in the Second World War. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press 1963. (Multi-Volume)

5. Tillman Barrett Clash of the Carriers: The True Story of the Marianas Turkey Shoot of World War II New York: Calibir 2005.

6. Willmott H.P. The Battle Of Leyte Gulf: The Last Fleet Action Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 2005.

7. Dull Paul S. A Battle History of The Imperial Japanese Navy 1941-1945 Annapolis: Naval Institute Press 1978.

8. Stille, Mark. Imperial Japanese Navy Aircraft Carriers 1921-1945. New York: Osprey Publishing 2005.

9. Prange, Gordon W. December 7th 1941: The Day The Japanese Attacked Pearl Harbor. New York: Warner Books, 1988.

10. Millot, Bernard A. The Battle Of the Coral Sea. Annapolis: Navel Institute Press,1974.

11. Stewart Adrian. The Battle of Leyte Gulf. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons,1979.

12. Thomas J Cutter, The Battle of Leyte Gulf. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1994.

14. Bradley, James. Flyboys: A True Story of Courage. Boston: Back Bay Books, 1992.

15. Okumon Masatak Zero The Story of Japan's Air War in the Pacific 1941-1945.

16. Burns Ken and Geoffrey C. Ward. The War an Intimate History 1941-1945. New York Alfred A Knopf, 2007.

17. Cawthorne, Nigel. History's Greatest Battles Masterstrokes of War. New York: Barnes and Nobel 2005.

18. Mitsuo Fuchida and Masatake Okumiya. Midway, the Battle that Doomed Japan; the Japanese Navy's Story, Annapolis: Naval Institute Press: 1955.

19. Prange William Gordon. Miracle at Midway. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1982.

20. Bishop, Chris The Encyclpedia Of Weapons of World War II The comprehensive Guide to over 1,500 Weapons Systems, Including Tanks, Small Arms, Warplanes, Artillery, Ships, and Submarines. New York: Metro Books,1998

I. Pearl Harbor

Dull

Morrison 46-49

Prange, Gordon W. December 7th 1941: The Day The Japanese Attacked Pearl Harbor

Emily S. Rosenberg A Date Which Will Live in Infamy

II. Coral Sea

Millot The Battle of Coral Sea

Dull 123

Morison 137-160

Millot, Bernard A. The Battle Of the Coral Sea

III. Midway

Dull 137-147

Morison 147-166

Prange William Gordon. Miracle at Midway.

IV. The Solomons

Dull 189-199

Morrison 275

Dan Van Der Vat 225

V. The Philippine Sea

Morrison 476

Dan Van Der Vat 343

VI. Marianas Turkey Shoot

Tilleman

Morrison 318-340

Dan Van Der Vat 316

VII. Leyte Gulf.

Dull 314

HP Willmott Battle Leyte Gulf

Adrian Stewart

Morrison 421-470

Thomas J Cutter, The Battle of Leyte Gulf.

Lecture: 1 hour elements on 2 of the battles which notes and structure of content will be put to review.

Resume

http://myweb.students.wwu.edu/evansr7/dreamweaver1/