| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Operation Hailstone (Japanese: トラック島空襲 Torakku-tō Kūshū, lit. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Empire of Japan ( {{unicode|Kyūjitai}}: ja 大日本帝國 Shinjitai: ja 大日本帝国 pronounced Dai Nippon Teikoku Admiral Marc Andrew "Pete" Mitscher ( 26 January 1887 – 3 February 1947) was a Vice-admiral in the United Vice Admiral was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. An aircraft carrier is a Warship designed with is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities "the airstrike on Truk Island") was a massive naval air and surface attack launched on 17 and 18 February 1944, during World War II by the United States Navy against the Japanese naval and air base at Truk in the Caroline Islands, a pre-war Japanese territory. Events 1500 - Battle of Hemmingstedt. 1600 - Philosopher Giordano Bruno is burned alive at Campo de' Fiori Events 3102 BC - Epoch (origin of the Kali Yuga. 1229 - The Sixth Crusade: Frederick II Holy Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Empire of Japan ( {{unicode|Kyūjitai}}: ja 大日本帝國 Shinjitai: ja 大日本帝国 pronounced Dai Nippon Teikoku Chuuk &mdash formerly Truk, Ruk, Hogoleu, Torres, Ugulat, and Lugulus &mdash is an island group in the south western The Caroline Islands form a large Archipelago of widely scattered islands in the western Pacific Ocean, northeast of New Guinea.
Contents |
Background
Truk was a major Japanese logistical base as well as the operating "home" base for the Imperial Japanese Navy's Combined Fleet. For Combined Fleet, please see that article For Carrier Striking Task Force, please see that article Some have described it as the Japanese equivalent of the US Navy's Pearl Harbor. Pearl Harbor is a Harbor on the Island of O{{okina}}ahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. The atoll was the only major Japanese airbase within range of the Marshall Islands and was a significant source of support for Japanese garrisons located on islands and atolls throughout the central and south Pacific. An atoll (pronounced /ˈætʌl/ is an island of Coral that encircles a Lagoon partially or completely The Marshall Islands, officially the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI is a Micronesian nation of islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean
To ensure air and naval superiority for the upcoming invasion of Eniwetok Admiral Raymond Spruance ordered an attack on Truk. The Battle of Eniwetok was a battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II, fought between 17 February 1944 and 23 February Raymond Ames Spruance ( July 03, 1886 - December 13, 1969) was a United States Navy Admiral in World War II. Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher's Task Force 58 had five fleet carriers (Enterprise, Yorktown, Essex, Intrepid, and Bunker Hill) and four light carriers (Belleau Wood, Cabot, Monterey, and Cowpens), embarking more than 500 planes. Admiral Marc Andrew "Pete" Mitscher ( 26 January 1887 – 3 February 1947) was a Vice-admiral in the United The Fast Carrier Task Force, known at different times as Task Force 38 and Task Force 58, was the main striking force of the United States Navy in An aircraft carrier is a Warship designed with Initial operations Enterprise was launched on 3 October 1936 at Newport News Shipbuilding, sponsored by Lulie Swanson wife of Secretary of the World War II 1943 Yorktown remained in the Naval Station Norfolk area until 21 May, at which time she got underway for shakedown training Operational history World War II Following her shakedown cruise the Essex steamed to the Pacific in May 1943 to begin a succession of victories which would Launch and commissioning The USS Intrepid was launched on April 26, 1943 by Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co Construction The Bunker Hill was launched on 7 December 1942 at the Bethlehem Steel Company, Quincy Massachusetts, sponsored World War II After a brief shakedown cruise Belleau Wood reported to the Pacific Fleet, arriving at Pearl Harbor 26 July 1943 Description Cowpens (named for the Battle of Cowpens of the Revolutionary War, like her contemporaries,, and) was launched 17 January Supporting the carriers was a large fleet of seven battleships, and numerous cruisers, destroyers, submarines, and other support ships. A battleship is a large heavily armored Warship with a main battery consisting of the largest Calibre of Guns Battleships were A cruiser is a large type of Warship, which had its prime period from the late 19th century to the end of the Cold War. In naval terminology a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance Warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, Convoy A submarine is a Watercraft that can operate independently below water as distinct from a Submersible that has only limited underwater capability (Morison, 1961)
Fearing that the base was becoming too vulnerable, the Japanese had relocated the aircraft carriers, battleships, and heavy cruisers of the combined fleet to Palau a week earlier. The heavy cruiser was a type of Cruiser, a naval Warship designed for long range high speed and an armament of naval guns roughly 8in in calibre The Imperial Japanese Navy of World War II was one of the most powerful navies in the Pacific War in World War II Palau, officially the Republic of Palau (Beluu er a Belau is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, some 500 miles (800 km) east However, numerous smaller warships and merchant ships remained in and around the anchorage.
Attack
The U. S. attack involved a combination of airstrikes, surface ship actions, and submarine attacks over two days and appeared to take the Japanese completely by surprise. Several daylight, along with nighttime airstrikes, employed fighters, dive bombers, and torpedo aircraft in attacks on Japanese airfields, aircraft, shore installations, and ships in and around the Truk anchorage. A force of U. S. surface ships and submarines guarded possible exit routes from the island's anchorage to attack any Japanese ships that tried to escape from the airstrikes.
In total the attack sank three Japanese light cruisers (Agano, Katori, and Naka), four destroyers (Oite, Fumizuki, Maikaze, and Tachikaze), three auxiliary cruisers (Akagi Maru, Aikoku Maru, Kiyosumi Maru), two submarine tenders (Heian Maru, Rio de Janeiro Maru), three other smaller warships (including submarine chasers Ch-24 and Shonan Maru 15), aircraft transport Fujikawa Maru, and 32 merchant ships. A light cruiser is a Warship. The term is a shortening of the phrase "light Armoured cruiser " describing a small ship that carried armour in the same way Background The Agano class light cruisers were designed to be swift and lightly armored command vessels for Destroyer or Submarine squadrons and Background Katori class cruisers were originally ordered to serve as training ships in the 1937 and 1939 Supplementary Naval budget Background Naka was the third (and final vessel completed in the Sendai -class of light cruisers and like other vessels of her class she was intended for use Commanding Officers Chief Equipping Officer - Cmdr Seiji Nakasugi - 10 April 1941 - 15 July 1941 Cmdr Armed Merchantmen has come to mean merchant ships equipped with guns usually for defensive purposes either by design or after the fact Some of the ships were destroyed in the anchorage and some in the area surrounding Truk lagoon. Many of the merchant ships were loaded with reinforcements and supplies for Japanese garrisons in the central Pacific area. Very few of the troops aboard the sunken ships survived and little of their cargos were recovered. (Lindeman, 2005)
Maikaze, along with several support ships, was sunk by U. S. surface ships while trying to escape from the Truk anchorage. The survivors of the sunken Japanese ships reportedly refused rescue efforts by the U. S. ships. (Morison, 1961) Agano, which was already en-route to Japan when the attack began, was sunk by a U. S. submarine, the USS Skate. Awards Skate received eight Battle stars for World War II service Oite rescued 523 survivors from the Agano and returned to Truk lagoon to assist in its defense with her anti-aircraft guns. She was sunk soon after by air attack with the Agano survivors still on board, killing all of them and all but 20 of the Oite's crew. (See Agano)
Over 250 Japanese aircraft were destroyed, mostly on the ground. Background The Agano class light cruisers were designed to be swift and lightly armored command vessels for Destroyer or Submarine squadrons and Many of the aircraft were in various states of assembly, having just arrived from Japan in disassembled form aboard cargo ships. Very few of the assembled aircraft were able to take off in response to the U. S. attack. Several Japanese aircraft that did take off were claimed destroyed by U. S. fighters or gunners on the U. S. bombers and torpedo planes.
The U. S. lost twenty-five aircraft, mainly due to the intense anti-aircraft fire from Truk's defenses. About 16 U. S. aircrew were rescued by submarine or amphibious aircraft. [2] A nighttime torpedo attack by a Japanese aircraft from either Rabaul or Saipan damaged the Intrepid and killed 11 of her crew, forcing her to return to Pearl Harbor and later, San Francisco for repairs. The modern torpedo (historically called an automotive automobile locomotive or fish torpedo is a self-propelled explosive Projectile weapon launched above or below Saipan (saɪˈpæn /saɪˈpɑn/ or /ˈsaɪpæn/ in English is the largest Island and Capital of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Pearl Harbor is a Harbor on the Island of O{{okina}}ahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth most populous city She returned to duty in June, 1944. Another Japanese air attack slightly damaged the battleship USS Iowa with a bomb hit. Construction See also Iowa class battleship, Armament of the Iowa class battleship Iowa was the lead ship of her class of " (Morison, 1961)
Aftermath
The attacks for the most part ended Truk as a major threat to Allied operations in the central Pacific. Thus, the Japanese garrison on Eniwetok was denied any realistic hope of reinforcement and support during the invasion that began on 18 February 1944, greatly assisting U. Events 3102 BC - Epoch (origin of the Kali Yuga. 1229 - The Sixth Crusade: Frederick II Holy Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. S. forces in their conquest of that island.
The Japanese later relocated about 100 of their remaining aircraft from Rabaul to Truk. Rabaul is a township in East New Britain province Papua New Guinea. But, these aircraft were attacked by U. S. carrier forces in another attack on 29 and 30 April 1944, destroying most of them. Events 313 - Roman emperor Licinius unifies the entire Eastern Roman Empire under his rule Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The April 1944 strikes found no shipping in Truk lagoon and were the last major attacks on Truk during the war.
Truk was isolated by Allied (primarily U. S. ) forces as they continued their advance towards Japan by invading other Pacific islands such as Guam, Saipan, Palau, and Iwo Jima. Cut off, the Japanese forces on Truk and other central Pacific islands ran low on food and faced starvation before Japan surrendered in August 1945. (Stewart, 1986)
References
- ^ Morison, Aleutians, Gilberts and Marshalls, p. 330. Deaths included 29 aircrew plus 11 crewmen on Intrepid. Aircraft losses included 12 fighters, 7 torpedo-bombers, and 6 dive-bombers.
- ^ Morison, Aleutians, Gilberts and Marshalls, p. 330. Number derived by summing the total crews of the 25 aircraft lost and subtracting the number (29) listed as killed.
Further reading
- Bailey, Dan E. (1992). World War II: Wrecks of the Kwajalein and Truk Lagoons. North Valley Diver Publications. ISBN 0-911615-05-9.
- Brown, David (1990). Warship Losses of World War Two. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-914-X.
- Brown, Herbert C. (2000). Hell at Tassafaronga. Ancient Mariners Pr. ISBN 0-9700721-4-7. -Firsthand account of Operation Hailstone by a crewmember of USS New Orleans.
- D'Albas, Andrieu (1965). Death of a Navy: Japanese Naval Action in World War II. Devin-Adair Pub. ISBN 0-8159-5302-X.
- Ito, Masanori (1986 (reissue)). The End of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Jove. ISBN 0515086827.
- Lacroix, Eric; Linton Wells (1997). Japanese Cruisers of the Pacific War. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-311-3.
- Lindemann, Klaus (2005). Hailstorm Over Truk Lagoon: Operations Against Truk by Carrier Task Force 58, 17 and 18 February 1944, and the Shipwrecks of World War II. Hailstorm Over Truk Lagoon is a Book by Klaus Lindemann about the Shipwrecks of Truk Lagoon. Events 3102 BC - Epoch (origin of the Kali Yuga. 1229 - The Sixth Crusade: Frederick II Holy Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Oregon, USA: Resource Publications. ISBN 1-59752-347-X.
- Morison, Samuel Eliot (1961). Samuel Eliot Morison, Rear Admiral, United States Naval Reserve ( July 9, 1887 – May 15, 1976) was an American Aleutians, Gilberts and Marshalls, June 1942-April 1944, History of United States Naval Operations in World War II. The History of United States Naval Operations in World War II is a 15-volume account of the United States Navy in World War II, written by eminent Boston: Little, Brown and Company. Little Brown and Company is a publishing house established by Charles Coffin Little and his partner James Brown. ASIN B0007FBB8I.
- Peattie, Mark (1992). Nan'Yo: The Rise and Fall of the Japanese in Micronesia, 1885-1945 (Pacific Islands Monograph Series). University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 0824814800.
- Stafford, Edward P. ; Paul Stillwell (Introduction) (2002 (reissue)). The Big E: The Story of the USS Enterprise. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-998-0.
- Stewart, William Herman (1986). Ghost Fleet of the Truk Lagoon: An Account of "Operation Hailstone", February, 1944. Pictorial Histories. ISBN 0-933126-66-2.
External links
- Crowl, Philip A. ; Edmund G. Love (1955). Seizure of the Gilberts and Marshalls (English). United States Army in World War II - The War in the Pacific. Office of the Chief of Military History, Department of the Army. Retrieved on 2007-01-23. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 393 - Roman Emperor Theodosius I proclaims his nine year old son Honorius co-emperor
- Jeffery, Bill (2003). War in Paradise: World War II sites in Truk Lagoon, Chuuk, Federated States of Micronesia (English). Chuuk Historic Preservation Office. Retrieved on 2006-08-30. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1363 - Beginning date of the Battle of Lake Poyang; the forces of two Chinese rebel leaders— Chen Youliang and
- Jeffery, William (November 2006). A CRM Approach in Investigating the Submerged World War II Sites in Chuuk Lagoon (PDF) (English). Micronesian Journal of the Humanities and Social Sciences, Volume 5. James Cook University, Townsville, Australia. Retrieved on 2007-01-23. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 393 - Roman Emperor Theodosius I proclaims his nine year old son Honorius co-emperor
- US Army Campaigns in World War II: Eastern Mandates
- WW2DB: Attack on Truk
- Account of the operation from Enteprise website
- Account of aircrew rescue operations at Truk by U.S. submarine Tang
- Moderately brief account of the attack
- Diving site showing where many of the sunken Japanese ships are with background information
Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic