The Battle Of The Philippine Sea

 

General – Decisive US vicotry; Jap naval, air power cease to exist; greatest and last CV attack

 

Japanese Plan – 3 light CV bait, main body in two task forces

 

U.S. Reaction – US ships shell Saipan; RADM Mitscher 15CV, 900 planes

 

The Battle Sequence – Jap wave 1: all but 17 of 300 planes lost – “Turkey Shoot”

 

U.S. Submarines – Alert Spruance to Japs; Albacore sinks Jap CV; Ozawa expects 500 Guam planes but they were destroyed

 

June 20, 1944 – Spruance lets Mitscher of 200mi tether; night flight sinks CV Hiyo but loses 80 planes to darkness

 

Battle Losses – Japs: 3 CVs, 410 planes, (200 more planes land based); US: 130 planes and minor ship damage

 

A New Fleet And Commander – 5th renamed 3rd; Halsey given command; confuses Japs into thinking they’re 2 massive fleets

 

A New Plan Develops – Phillipines focus of US; King doubts their value

 

Return To The Philippines – Halsey reco 2 month early return when air power meets light resistance

 

The Battle For Leyte Gulf

General – US loses 1k as it fights through caves and tunnels; 216 US vs 64 Jap ships; largest naval clash ever; last battle b/w bship ever

 

Air Battle Off Formosa – Largest air battle; US loses 79 planes, Japs 500

 

Japanese Plan – Simultaneous approach from N, S, W

 

Four Engagements – Cape Engano, Sibuyan Sea, Samar, Surigo Strait

 

Converged U.S. Fleets – 7th and 3rd fleet support landing; 3 escort CV groups; comm prob due to divided cmd

 

Battle Of Sibuyan Sea – US subs attack main force, sink five inc. Jap flagship; airstrike cripples 4 bships, others

 

Halsey Moves North – Kurita temporarily retreat; N force attacks and draws Halsey after it (bait)

 

Battle For Surigao Strait – RADM Oldendorf prot strait with 6 bship, 8CC / DDs; Nishimura obliterated (1 ship survies); Shima withdraws upon arrival

 

Battle Off Samar – Kurita knew S hit hard; expected to see Halsey; saw Taffys and assumed they were Halsey’s fleet CVs; US planes had no armor piercing bombs but made dry runs

 

Kamikaze Attack – Kurita thought he was pressing his luck and withdraws; 1st kamikazes (had explosives, gas for a 1-way trip)

 

Battle Off Cape Engano – Halsey’s force sinks all of Ozawa’s 4 CVs

 

Final Losses – US: 1 light CV, 2 CVE, 3 DD … Japs: 2bship, 4 CV, 6HCC, 9DDs; only 7 CVs left – single US fleet had 2x that