Sea Power and Maritime Affairs

1. Sea Power and Maritime Affairs Lesson 12: The US Navy in the Pacific, 1941-1945 (Part 2)

2. Break Time……………. When We Resume: The US Navy and the Offensive Phase

4. U.S. Aircraft Production • Japan and Germany had early advantage in air war: • Messerschmit ME-109 • Mitsubishi A6M Zero • U.S. aircraft industry produces higher performance aircraft • American industrial base allows rapid and mass production • New flight training programs developed • U.S. gains advantage in air warfare • Air supremacy eventually established in both European and Pacific theaters

5. A6M “Zero” or “Zeke” Fighter

6. F2A “Buffalo” Fighter

7. F4F “Wildcat” Fighter

8. Wildcats on the Prowl

9. F6F “Hellcat” Fighter

10. F4U Corsair Fighter

11. SBD “Dauntless” Dive Bomber

12. SB2C “Helldiver” Dive Bomber

13. TBF “Avenger” Torpedo Bomber

14. PBY “Catalina” Scout

15. U.S. Submarine Force

16. U.S. Submarine Warfare • Simultaneously with Dual advance, US conducts war on commerce • Unrestricted Submarine Warfare ordered immediately after Pearl Harbor -- new role for U.S. submarines • Early operational problems - 1942-43: • Undependable torpedoes - poorly designed magnetic fusing. • Many commanders were excessively cautious.

17. Subs in Battle • Bataan and Corregidor, Philippines • Supplied by submarines from the Asiatic Fleet • Evacuation of personnel • Battle of Midway • Guarded approaches to the island • Guadalcanal Campaign • Begin to be more effective at fleet operations

19. U.S. Submarine Warfare • Late 1943: • Torpedo fusing problems corrected • Radar installed and sonar improved • Central Pacific Advance • Initially uncontested by Japanese Navy • Battles of the Philippine Sea and Leyte Gulf • U.S. submarines support fleet and amphibious operations • Japanese battleship and carriers sunk

20. U.S. Submarine Warfare • Search and rescue of downed naval aviators • Commerce raiding of Japanese shipping from East Indies • By 1945 - 3/4 of the Japanese merchant fleet sunk • High casualty rates among submarine crews: • Rotation policy: 20% of crew transferred after each patrol.

22. Japanese Submarine Warfare • Long Lance torpedo - smaller variant for submarines • Focused attacks on U.S. warships and avoided supply ships • Used to screen and scout for battle fleets • “Warrior ethos” of Japanese naval leaders • Used for supply of bypassed garrisons

23. Japanese Submarine Warfare • Battle of Midway • Failed to intercept U.S. carrier forces • Torpedoed USS Yorktown under tow • Guadalcanal Campaign • USS Saratoga torpedoed January 1942 • USS Wasp sunk • USS Indianapolis sunk-- July 1945 - shark attacks

26. Prelude to Guadalcanal • Japanese leadership shocked by defeat at Midway • Cancel plans to take Fiji, Samoa, and New Caledonia • Must proceed with plan to take Port Moresby • Within bomber range of major naval operating base at Rabaul • Japanese begin building airfield at Guadalcanal

27. Prelude to Guadalcanal • Nimitz moves to reinforce South Pacific Area • Protect vital sea lines of communication with Australia. • Vice Admiral Robert L. Ghormley • Commander South Pacific Ocean Area (Subordinate to Nimitz). • Two bases established in New Hebrides.

28. Army - Navy Dispute • MacArthur proposes retaking Rabaul • Wants Navy to let him borrow First Marine Division • Admiral King • Objects to Macarthur's plan • Proposes step-by-step advance through Solomons to re-take Rabaul. • Nimitz and Ghormley in command with Marines making amphibious assaults and Navy providing support. • Army forces used as garrisons for islands

29. Operation Watchtower • Compromise Three-Stage Plan of Operations • Initial advance in Eastern Solomons under Nimitz • Boundary between Areas moved west • MacArthur takes command after Tulagi secured

31. Gudalcanal Campaign Aug 1942-Feb 1943

32. Whoever controlled an airfield would control air over the Solomons Vital SLOC For both sides it symbolized offensive rather than defensive warfare Guadalcanal

33. Force Commanders • Admiral Robert L. Ghormley overall command of Watchtower • Rear Admiral Richmond Kelly Turner - Amphibious Forces • Vice Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher carrier group • Provided support against Japanese fleet during day

34. GeneralArcher Vandegrift • Commander - First Marine Division • Amphibious landing virtually unopposed • Marines take Henderson Field - “Cactus Air Force”.

36. Guadalcanal River Crossing

37. “See-Saw” Pattern • Japan dominates nighttime action. • “Tokyo Express” down “The Slot” into “Ironbottom Sound” • U.S. dominates daytime with shore and carrier aircraft

38. Actions • Battle of Savo Island, 8-9 August 1942 • Battle of the Eastern Solomons, 24 August 1942 • Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, 26-27 October, 1942 • “Naval Battle of Gudalcanal”, 12-13 November, 1942

39. Battle of Savo Island - Allies defeated in night surface action Battle of the Eastern Solomons - carrier battle USS Enterprise damaged by bombers USS Wasp sunk and Saratoga damaged by Japanese submarines Guadalcanal Campaign

40. Battle of Santa Cruz Islands • Halsey relieves Ghormley - 18 October 1942 • Rear Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid • Hornet sunk and Enterprise damaged • No operational carriers left • Zuiho and Shokaku badly damaged • Tactical defeat by strategic victory?…maybe

41. Naval Battle • Rear Admiral Willis A. Lee • uses RADAR to his advantage to win nighttime naval battle • Washington and South Dakota outfight Japanese battleships • Warships flee • Transports beach themselves

42. Guadalcanal Campaign • 1st Marine Division relieved by Army’s 25th Infantry Division • Japanese forces evacuate Guadalcanal • U.S. forces begin advance up Solomon Islands • Land-based airfields established • Marine Corps’ “Black Sheep” Squadron (VMF-214) • Commanded by Maj Greg “Pappy” Boyington • Medal of Honor Recipient • MacArthur drives Japanese from eastern Papua • Captures main Japanese base at Buna

43. Aftermath • Both sides suffered heavy losses • U.S loses more tonnage at sea, carriers • Japan loses more lives • Japan allowed to dominate sea at night while U.S. dominates day • Battle drags on from Aug 42- Feb 43

44. Aftermath • MacArthur successful in driving Japanese from Papuan Peninsula • By Feb 43 Jap plans for offensives in S. and W Pacific stopped cold • King uses Casablanca Conference to allocate more resources to Pacific

45. Reconquest of Attu and Kiska Aleutian Islands(January - May 1943) • No real threat to security. • Necessary to end Japanese control of American territory for political reasons. • Battle of the Komondorskis • Last classic surface ship battle. • Americans attack heavily guarded Japanese convoy. • Minimal resistance on Attu, none on Kiska.

46. The Solomons Campaign Halsey goes to work for McArthur Leads Amphibious Assault from Guadalcanal along Solomons McArthur wants direct assault on Rabaul King and Marshall overrule him Capture every island BUT Rabaul to isolate it Rabaul becomes isolated and insignificant On to the Phillipines (October 1944) Operation Cartwheel

47. The Defeat of Japan Objective: The Philippines and the penetration of the Japanese inner defense zone!

48. The Advance • Pacific “Thrust” • Amphib support • Vice Admiral Raymond Spruance • Significant campaigns: • Gilberts • Marshalls • Marianas

49. Essex ClassFast Carrier

50. The Gilberts (Tarawa) • New fleet organization due to new Essex Class carrier fleet production • Objective to gain airfield on Betio Island to launch further attacks in Central Pacific Drive • 3 days cost US > 3,000 marines