BGuthrie Photos: MD -- Annapolis -- US Naval Academy -- Museum -- History: World War II

MD -- Annapolis -- US Naval Academy -- Museum -- History: World War II:

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Specific picture descriptions: Photos above with "i" icons next to the bracketed sequence numbers (e.g. "[1]

") are described as follows:

NAMUW2_110130_001.JPG: Ernest King 1878-1956 King's naval career started with the Spanish-American War and lasted through World War II. He served in surface ships, submarine operations and, in 1927, completed flight training. He commanded the aircraft carrier USS Lexington in 1930. In 1932, he attended the Naval War College and was promoted to rear admiral in 1933 and to vice admiral in 1938. On 30 December 1941, he became Commander if Chief, US Fleet. On 18 March 1942, he was also appointed Chief of Naval Operations, and held both billets throughout World War II. On 17 December 1944, he was promoted to fleet admiral. USNA 1901
NAMUW2_110130_007.JPG: King Medals: For King's service, dedication, and leadership, Congress enacted legislation to express its thanks and award him a special recognition in the form of a medal.

NAMUW2_110130_017.JPG: World War II Production of Victory: Valor and skills are vital in war, but it has the production capacity of the United States, the "Arsenal of Democracy," that led to victory over the totalitarian regimes of Germany, Japan, and Italy. Even before the American entry into the war, the United States provided war materials to Great Britain, sustaining it as the sole defense against Nazi aggression. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, American industry burgeoned, producing the ships, planes, tanks, and weapons needed by the men and women who fought, and won, the two ocean war. 1939-1945 US Ships: On the eve of war, the combined forces of the United States Pacific Fleet and the Asiatic Fleet were out matched by the Japanese Navy. Americans were reluctant to acknowledge the facts: the Mitsubishi A&M "Zero" carrier borne fighter and the "Long Lance" torpedo were the best weapons of their class in the world. Moreover, the Japanese Navy had trained rigorously for war.

	United States			Japan
Battleships	9	0	9	10
Carriers	3	0	3	10
Heavy Cruisers	12	1	13	18
Light Cruisers	9	2	11	17
Destroyers	67	13	80	111
Submarines	27	28	55	64
Total Ships			171	230

Isaac C. Kidd (1884-1941): Rear Admiral Kidd mostly served in battleships, culminating his career with his role as Commander, Battleship Division 1 in USS Arizona. When the attack began, Kidd rushed to the ship's bridge. He was killed in the explosion that destroyed the ship. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for "conspicuous devotion to duty, extraordinary courage, and complete disregard of his own life..." USNA 1904 Cassin Young (1894-1942): Young followed a typical career path in the battleship navy. At the time of Pearl Harbor, he commanded repair ship Vestal, which was moored alongside the battleship Arizona. Young was at his station on Vestal's bridge when Arizona blew up. The concussion blew him into the harbor waters. Swimming back to his ship, he determined that Vestal was sinking. He got his ship underway and beached it where it could be more readily salvaged. Cassin Young was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions. He was killed in action during the Naval Battle for Guadalcanal, only days after taking command of San Francisco. USNA 1916 USS Arizona (BB-39): Arizona operated out of Norfolk, Virginia, during World War I and then spent most of the interwar period training in both the Atlantic and Pacific. On 23 January 1941, Rear Adm Isaac Kidd assumed command of Battleship Division 1, breaking his flag in Arizona. The ship was at her quays in Pearl Harbor on the morning of 7 December 1941. Eight bombs hit the ship within minutes, sinking Arizona was a loss of more than 1100 men. The ship was never raised. A memorial to those lost in the attack lies athwart her hull. USS Oklahoma (BB-37): Struck by three torpedoes in the first minutes of the attack, Oklahoma began to roll over. She then was hit by two more. Within twenty minutes, Oklahoma lay on her side, her masts keeping the ship from capsizing completely. A massive salvage operation began in March 1943, and by December the battleship was uprighted. Decommissioned, Oklahoma was sold in December 1946. As Oklahoma was being towed to San Francisco the following May, the tow line broke and the ship sank. 7 December 1941: Three hundred fifty-three aircraft from six Japanese carriers struck the military bases on Oahu, Hawaii, with devastating swiftness. The fleet moored in Pearl Harbor was the focus of the attack but installations at Kaneohe, Ewa, Wheeler, Hickam, and Bellows fields also were hard hit. When the attack ended, many of the United States Navy's battleships -- the pride of its fleet -- lay in the mud of Pearl Harbor. Most of the aircraft at Navy, Marine Corps, and Army bases were destroyed. But fuel dumps and repair facilities were nearly untouched ... a critical mistake. Destroyers Downes and Cassin were in Dry Dock 1 with the battleship Pennsylvania. When the dry dock was flooded to quench an inferno caused by a bomb, Cassin slipped off her keel blocks and came to rest against Downes. All three of the ships would be repaired and returned to service. The Japanese launched 353 aircraft to attack the military facilities on Oahu; only 29 aircraft were lost. Kido Butai: The Japaneswe carrier task force that attacked Pearl Harbor was one fo the most experienced and successful naval forces of the Pacific War. Comprised of six carriers, supporting vessels, and more than 350 aircraft flown by the cream of Japanese naval aviation, the Kido Butai ranged over the Pacific and Indian Oceans, nearly unstoppable for six months following Pearl Harbor. Skilled, daring, and determined, Japanese pilots flew the best aircraft of their type. The Hawaii Operation exhibited daring thinking and detailed planning of brilliant leadership. Isoroku Yamamoto (1884-1943): It is an irony of Pearl Harbor that the man who planned the attack was one of those most opposed to war with the United States. He realized that Japan would have to win the war in six months or it would lose to the vast resources that the United States would bring to bear. Given the task, Admiral Yamamoto planned the attack with skill and daring. But many of his operations were complex and required fine coordination. He led the Imperial Japanese Navy through the battles for Midway and the early stages of the Solomon's campaign. He would be killed when his plane was shot down over Bougainville on 18 April 1943. The Spear Blunted: Exploitation of intelligence, superb tactical decisions, and luck limited American losses in the two battles of Coral Sea and Midway. At the same time, Admiral Yamamoto's plans were too complex. In attempting the invasions of Port Moresby and Tulagi, he lost carriers vital to Japan's plans at Midway. The result was an attack force weakened and unfocused. In the end, the Japanese spear had been blunted.

Losses	U.S.	Japan
Coral Sea	1 carrier sunk 1 destroyer sunk 1 oiler sunk 66 aircraft lost 543 men lost	2 carriers damaged 1 light carrier sunk 1 destroyer sunk 144 aircraft destroyed 1074 men lost
Midway	1 carrier sunk 1 destroyer sunk 150 planes lost 307 men lost	4 carriers sunk 1 heavy cruiser sunk 253 planes lost 3500 men lost

Blunting the Spear: After Pearl Harbor, the Allies focused their main effort against Germany, fighting a defensive war in the Pacific. For six months, as Admiral Yamamoto predicted, Japanese forces were victorious everywhere. The combined efforts of Australia, Britain, the Dutch, and the United States were powerless to block the spear-like thrusts of Japan. Then, in rapid succession, the Japanese home islands were bombed, Japan's advance on New Guinea was turned back, Japanese naval aviation was decimated, and an Allied offensive begun in the Solomon Islands. Frank J Fletcher (1885-1973, USNA 1906): Fletcher, as a young officer, was awarded a Medal of Honor for actions at Vera Cruz in 1914. He commanded a destroyer in World War I, then served as chief of staff to the commander of the Asiatic Fleet and as aide to the Secretary of the Navy. Following a tour as commanding officer of the battleship New Mexico, Fletcher became commander of Cruiser Division 3, with the rank of rear admiral, in 1939. As the operational commander of the Battles of Coral Sea and Midway, he played a pivotal role in securing American victory in the Pacific theater of World War II. Norman Scott (1889-1942) USNA 1911: During World War I, Scott was executive officer of the destroyer Jacob Jobes when a German U-boat sank that ship. After the war, he was naval aide to the President. Other career highlights included commanding the cruiser Pensacola in the 1930s and serving a tour as a Naval Academy instructor. At the outbreak of World War II, Scott was serving in the office of the Chief of Naval Operations. Promoted to rear admiral, he commanded various task forces in the South Pacific until his death during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. San Francisco (CA-38): The heavy cruiser USS San Francisco was pivotal to the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. On 13 November 1943, the ship's navigation bridge sustained a direct hit. Three US Naval Academy graduates on the ship that day received Medals of Honor; one died in the attack. Daniel J. Callaghan (1890-1942) USNA 1911: During World War I, Callaghan served convoy duty on board the cruiser New Orleans, and after the war served in battleships Idaho, Colorado, and Mississippi. He was executive officer of Portland and on the staff of the Commander, Cruisers Scouting Force. Following a tour as naval aide to President Franklin D Roosevelt, Callaghan was assigned as commanding officer of San Francisco. After a brief tour as chief of staff for Admiral Ghormley, he was promoted to rear admiral and returned to San Francisco as commander of the Support Group off Guadalcanal. Callaghan lost his life in the Naval Battle for Guadalcanal. Herbert E. Schonland (1900-1984) USNA 1925: Schonland was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions on board San Francisco during the Naval Battle for Guadalcanal. When enemy gunfire killed Cassin Young and other senior officers, Schonland, informed that he was now the commanding officers, determined that the ship was in capable hands, and continued his efforts to direct damage control operations to save the ship. Bruce McCandless (1911-1968) USNA 1932: When enemy gunfire killed Cassin Young and San Francisco's other senior officers during the Naval Battle for Guadalcanal, McCandless, the senior surviving officer on the bridge, skillfully conned the ship out of further danger. He was awarded the Medal of Honor and promoted to commander for his actions. He continued to serve in San Francisco until he assumed command of the destroyer Gregory in 1944. His leadership during the Battle of Okinawa earned McCandless the Silver Star. He received the rank rear admiral upon his retirement in 1952. Daniel V. Gallery (1901-1977), USNA 1921: In September 1943, Gallery became commanding officer of the escort carrier Guadalcanal. The carrier was the center of the hunter-killer group that sank three German submarines and captured U-505. The group was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for U-505. Gallery later commanded the carrier Hancock and, during the Korean War, commanded Carrier Division Six. The Other Enemy: The Japanese were not the only enemy to be fought in the Pacific: the sea itself caused its share of destruction to the United States navy. On 17 December 1944, the Third Fleet was caught in a typhoon that sank three destroyers and severely damaged many other ships, including carriers. On 5 June 1945, the fleet encountered another typhoon. That day, USS Pittsburgh, the cruiser that had towed Franklin to safety, lost 33 feet of her bow. Three destroyers (Spence, Monaghan, and Hull), 800 men, and more than a hundred aircraft were lost in December 1944 to a typhoon. With winds exceeding 120 miles per hour, the destroyers -- light on fuel -- rolled more than 70 degrees, were overcome and swamped. The Japanese nearly had their divine wind, their nature-borne kamikaze.

NAMUW2_110130_020.JPG: Bell and Flag: On the morning of 7 December 1941, the USS Shaw was undergoing repairs in yard floating dry dock number 2. Three bombs hit the forward part of the ship. For almost an hour and a half, the crew fought the fires, but at about 0930, the destroyer's ... [???]
NAMUW2_110130_026.JPG: Coffee or Water Pitcher: A diver recovered this pitcher from the wreck of Arizona in April 1942. The ship's presentation silver had been removed on 17 September 1941, but this pitcher was part of the Navy issue supplied to the battleship when she was commissioned in 1916.
NAMUW2_110130_033.JPG: Piece of Arizona: A piece of the battleship Arizona, recovered as a souvenir of the ship.
NAMUW2_110130_040.JPG: Message: Word of the attack rapidly reached the ships of the fleet. In the North Atlantic, the message log of the oiler Salomonie recorded the event.
NAMUW2_110130_047.JPG: Sword: Lt. William A Hunt, Jr, USNA 1933, survived the bombing and fire of USS Downes, but his sword fared less well. It was recovered when the ship was salvaged.
NAMUW2_110130_065.JPG: Cassin Young's Medal of Honor: Captain Young's Medal of Honor was mounted for display in the wardroom of the destroyed named in his honor, now a museum ship at Charlestown Navy Yard, Boston National Historical Park.
NAMUW2_110130_073.JPG: Wrist Watch: Lt Philip F Hauck, USNA 1935, escaped as USS Utah sank. His wristwatch still records the time.
NAMUW2_110130_084.JPG: Enlisted Man's Blue Cap: William Huckenpoehler served on board the Arizona before the attack on Pearl Harbor. After the war, he spent his career at the Naval Academy.
NAMUW2_110130_097.JPG: Table, Tablecloth and Chair: A common mess table from Missouri's enlisted mess became the stage for the final act of the war in the Pacific. The green cloth is from the battleship's wardroom. HMS Duke of York provided the chair used during the ceremony.
NAMUW2_110130_105.JPG: Surrender Document: The original Instrument of Surrender is in the National Archives in Washington, DC. This is a full-size facsimile signed by Fleet Admiral Nimitz.
NAMUW2_110130_111.JPG: Cap, Shirt and Trousers: This is the uniform, including the cap, worn by Fleet Admiral Nimitz at the ceremony on board the USS Missouri bringing an end [to] the war in the Pacific against Japan.
NAMUW2_110130_125.JPG: Model of Missouri: This model of Missouri depicts the battleship as she appeared on 2 September 1945 and highlights the location of the surrender ceremony.
NAMUW2_110206_001.JPG: USS Pittsburgh (CA 72) The heavy cruiser was commissioned 10 October 1943 and after shakedown sailed for the Pacific where she participated in strikes on Japan and the invasion of Okinawa. On 4 June 1945, the ship lost her bow in a typhoon, but survived without the loss of a man. After repairs, she was held in reserve until the advent of the Korean War when she was recommissioned for duty in the Atlantic and Mediterranean. She was decommissioned in 1956.
NAMUW2_110206_006.JPG: USS Helena (CL 50) Commissioned in September 1939, the light cruiser was in Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, and received much attention from Japanese pilots. However, she was salvaged and, following repairs at Mare Island Navy Yard, joined the forces operating off Guadalcanal.
NAMUW2_110206_015.JPG: Aircraft Carrier USS Ranger (CV-4) Commissioned: 06-04-34 Decommissioned: 10-18-46
NAMUW2_110206_028.JPG: Bomb Arming Vane: An arming vane from a Japanese bomb was found after the attack.
NAMUW2_110206_033.JPG: Periscope: One of the Japanese midget submarines managed to enter Pearl Harbor. It was sighted by the destroyer Monaghan which raced to ram and sink the sub. The vessel was later recovered and became part of the landfill at the naval base. The upper part of the periscope was saved. Ko-hyoteki Submarines: Ten young volunteers set out in five two-man submarines to attack the United States ships in Pearl Harbor. Nine of them died in the attempt. The tenth, Kazio Sakamaki, was found near death in the surf where his submarine had run aground after developing compass problems. Sakamaki became the United States' first prisoner of war in World War II.
NAMUW2_110206_042.JPG: Sword: Ens Kazio Sakamaki's sword was found in his submarine
NAMUW2_110206_050.JPG: Fabric from a Kate: Few of the Japanese aircraft were shot down, and most of those were from the second attack wave when the American forces were more prepared. This fragment of material comes from one of the Nakajima B5N "Kate" torpedo bombers.
NAMUW2_110206_059.JPG: Perkins in the Battle of the Coral Sea: The destroyer Perkins was one of the ships sent to block the Port Moresby Invasion Force. Japanese land-based bombers focused their attack on these ships -- and not the carriers.
NAMUW2_110206_095.JPG: Typical US Submarine: This model and cutaway illustration reveal the interior arrangement and compartmentation of a World War II fleet submarine. What is not readily apparent is the closeness of the quarters in which the men lived and worked. Submarines: The Silent Service: Japan, a modern industrial nation, was of necessity, a maritime nation, dependent upon shipping for raw materials. As an island nation, it was vulnerable to the unrestricted warfare practiced by American submarines. Using stealth, these submarines focused on attacking the maritime supply lines that fed Japan and its military machine. Naval Targets: In World War II, the enemy's merchant ships were the main targets of American submarines. Nevertheless, if the opportunity arose, the submarines also attacked naval vessels. For example, American submarines Albacore and Cavalia sank carriers Taiho and Shokaku during the Battle of the Philippine Sea. Later, Archerfish sank Japan's newest and largest carrier, Shinano. By war's end, American submarines destroyed five of the 30 Japanese vessels involved in the attack on Pearl Harbor. Elton W. Grenfell (1903-1980) USNA 1926: Returning from the first submarine foray into Japanese home waters, Gudgeon picked up a message that three Japanese submarines were headed westward from Midway Island A review of the charts told Grenfell that Gudgeon was on a near-collision course with the Japanese. Grenfell laid in wait. On the morning of 27 January 1942, Gudgeon fired three torpedoes and sank I-173, the first confirmed sinking of an enemy warship by an American submarine. James W. Blanchard (1903-1987) USNA 1927: Blanchard commanded Albacore, which made a significant contribution to American efforts in the Battle of the Philippine Sea. The submarine came across Taiho, as the carrier was refueling its aircraft. One of six hastily fired torpedoes found its mark. Six hours later, fire ignited gasoline fumes and sent Japan's newest carrier to the bottom. Herman J. Kossler (1911-1988) USNA 1934: In mid-June 1944, Cavalia was headed for patrol off San Bernardino Strait when Kossler received word of nearby Japanese ships. The invasion of Saipan had just begun, and the Japanese navy was en route to dispute the landings. Cavalia had missed two previous opportunities with enemy task forces. But on the morning of 19 June 1944, she put three torpedoes into the carrier Shokaku. Fires raged for two and a half hours and then the American crew heard enormous explosions. Shokaku had sunk. James F. Enright (1910-2000) USNA 1933: In the early hours of 29 November 1944, Enright's submarine, the Archerfish, torpedoed the largest ship sunk by an American submarine in the war. The 59,000 ton Shinano was intended to be a sister to super battleships Yamato and Musashi, but was converted to a carrier. Commissioned just ten days earlier, the carrier was en route to a fitting-out yard when Archerfish caught her with six torpedoes. Shinano was not ready for sea and had a green crew, a combination that doomed her.
NAMUW2_110206_103.JPG: Torpedo Part: The object displayed here was part of one of Silversides' torpedoes fired at Toei Maru the previous day. The explosion of the torpedo blew this fragment about three-quarters of a mile. USS Silversides: On 18 January 1943, Silversides was patrolling off Truk when she sank the tanker Toei Maru. The tanker's escort retaliated with depth charges. Silversides remained submerged, but was attacked by a Japanese aircraft that spotted oil trailing from the sub. When it was safe, Silversides surfaced to make repairs and recharge batteries.
NAMUW2_110206_111.JPG: Typical US Submarine: This model and cutaway illustration reveal the exterior arrangement and compartmentation of a World War II fleet submarine. What is not readily apparent is the closeness of the quarters in which the men lived and worked.
NAMUW2_110206_117.JPG: USS Trigger (SS 237): The battle flag of the submarine Trigger celebrates her accomplishments during World War II. USS Trigger: Trigger was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for her fifth, sixth, and seventh patrols. On her twelfth patrol in March 1945, the submarine sank a Japanese repair vessel in the East China Sea and was attacked in retaliation. Nearby American subs heard the depth charging and heavy explosions. Japanese reports later indicated that a submarine was attacked by aircraft and ships. Trigger was never heard from again.
NAMUW2_110206_126.JPG: Purple Heart Medal: Lt. John Sincavich was lost with the rest of the Trigger crew during the attack in the East China Sea. His Purple Heart medal represents the many issued to submariners lost in the war.
NAMUW2_110206_138.JPG: USS Hammerhead (SS 364) In all, Hammerhead sank eleven enemy ships. The submarine's battle flag reflects her history. USS Hammerhead: Hammerhead began its second war patrol in September 1944. On 1 October, the sub encountered a five-ship convoy with three escorts. Hammerhead launched ten torpedoes, making six hits and sinking three of the vessels. Twenty days later, the sub found a six-ship convoy, and sank two more merchant ships. The patrol earned the Hammerhead the Navy Unit Commendation.
NAMUW2_110206_146.JPG: USS Barb (SS 220): Barb's battleflag records the ship's accomplishments; a Navy Unit Commendation and a Presidential Unit Citation. USS Barb: Barb sank 96,628 tons of Japanese shipping, the third highest total of all American submarines.
NAMUW2_110206_165.JPG: Map: This map of the Japanese islands and coast of China, is signed by all of Colonel Doolittle's aviators. James H. Doolittle (1896-1993, USA) A World War I veteran, Doolittle was commissioned first lieutenant in the Air Service in July 1920. He won the Harmon trophy in 1930, the Bendix in 1931, and set a world speed record in 1932. Shortly before World War II, he joined the Air Corps headquarters for an extended period of planning that bore results on 18 April 1942. The Halsey-Doolittle Raid gave the United States a much-needed jolt of excitement and pride. Doolittle was promoted to general and awarded the Medal of Honor for his feat. Japanese Expansion: Pearl Harbor was only one of Japan's several nearly simultaneous moves in the Far East. Japanese forces -- hungry for the oil, rubber, tin, and other essential raw materials -- quickly overran Thailand, landed on the Malay Peninsula, and seized Singapore, Guam, Wake Island, Hong Kong, and the Philippines. While the Japanese realized they could not occupy Australia, it was necessary to block the sea lanes carrying supplies between that country and the United States. Occupation of the Solomon Islands and Port Moresby on New Guinea would threaten those supply lines. The Limited Offensive: A generation of American naval officers had fought wars with Japan ... on paper and in war games. After the initial shock of the attack on Pearl Harbor and rapid Japanese successes, these exercised would provide the strategy for victory. The opening salvo, however, was beyond the planners' plans, a bombing raid on Japan conceived of by Lt. Col. James H. Doolittle, USA, and commanded by Rear Admiral William F Halsey. Although the raid did not inflict major damage, it forced the Japanese once more to plan the elimination of the United States Navy. Doolittle Raid: 18 April 1942: The joint Navy-Army Air Force operation relied on 16 twin-engine B-25 "Mitchell" medium bombers launched from the carrier Hornet. The bombers' mission: to travel 1,700 miles into enemy territory to the targets of Tokyo, Yokohama, Kobe, and Nagoya. Although most of the crews landed safely in China, some were forced to bail out before reaching their landing areas. Of those, eight airmen fell into enemy hands; three were executed. Doolittle's pilots had practiced taking off from short runways, but coping with pitching decks was a new experience. Although all of the bombers successfully launched, some skimmed the waves as they gained airspeed. Adding to the difficulty: bad weather and a last-minute decision to launch. Battle of the Coral Sea: 4-8 May 1942: The Halsey-Doolittle Raid convinced Japanese leaders that the United States Navy was a continuing threat. Admiral Yamamoto immediately started planning an attack on Midway Island to draw the American fleet into battle. But Japan still need[ed] to block the flow of supplies to Australia. To occupy Port Moresby in New Guinea and Tulagi in the Solomon Islands, which guarded the sea lanes, Yamamoto dispatched an invasion group screened by the light carrier Shoho and a striking force centered on fleet carriers Shokaku and Zuikaku. When Navy codebreakers learned the plan, carriers Lexington and Yorktown were dispatched to intercept the Japanese. The two sides met on 7 May; Japanese aircraft sank the oiler Neosho and destroyer SIms, while American planes sank Shoho. On 8 May 1942, Japanese and American carriers attacked each other simultaneously. Japanese pilots put two torpedoes into Lexington, setting off fires that could not be controlled. The carrier was beyond repair, so an American torpedo hastened her end. Lexington's crew abandoned ship in good order and without further loss of life. Split Decision: The Battle of the Coral Sea -- the first naval battle in which opposing ships did not see each other -- was a tactical victory for the Japanese because they sank an important United States carrier. But, for the first time in the war, Japanese aims were thwarted. Supplies continued to flow between the United States and Australia; a strategic victory for the Allies. Battle of Midway -- 3-6 June 1942: A month after the Battle of the Coral Sea, Yamamoto launched a massive, carrier-based air attack on Midway Island. The attack was intended to lure American forces out from their bases into a battle of annihilation. The Imperial Navy had a numerical advantage, but Yamamoto's plan was overly complex and his forces dispersed. In the end, American naval forces commanded by Rear Adm Frank Jack Fletcher and Rear Adm Raymond A Spruance inflicted the worst military defeat on Japan since the 16th century. Navy codebreakers knew a Japanese attack was coming, but were not sure of the target. They not only guessed Midway Island, but also where and when the Japanese carriers could be found. Admiral Nimitz sent carriers Enterprise, Hornet, and Yorktown. The plan: wait for the Japanese fleet, ambush them, surprise them, and defeat them.
NAMUW2_110206_172.JPG: Letter:Adm Ernest King, the Commander-in-Chief of the United States fleet, sent this note to Capt Marc A Mitscher, wishing him "good luck and good hunting" on the Navy's first attack on the Japanese home islands. Other Pacific Missions: In addition to attacking enemy merchant ships, American submarines covertly transported commandos, rescued downed aviators, performed picket duty for invasion forces, and -- in one instance -- carried tons of gold and silver to prevent the Japanese from getting it. As United States forces landed on Guadalcanal, two submarines, Nautilus and Argonaut, carried the Marine Corps' 2nd Raider Battalion to Makin, one of the Gilbert Islands. Landing on 17 August, the Marines eliminated the Japanese garrison, destroyed a radio station, military installations, 900 barrels of gasoline, and diverted Japanese guns and aircraft from Guadalcanal. On 1 April 1944, the submarine Harder was off the island of Woleal when planes from Admiral Mitscher's task force flew over. One informed Harder that a downed pilot was near the island. Protected by fighters, the submarine nosed up to the beach and rescued the airman. Harder would be sunk four months later. The Solomon Islands: Both at sea and on shore, the battles to gain control of the Solomons were among the most ferocious military campaigns in the Pacific. This arduous campaign began when the Allies seized a Japanese air base on the strategically important island of Guadalcanal. Japan's effort to retake the base lasted nearly six months. Supply shortages and brutal seesaw bombing attacks created heavy losses for both sides. However, the Americans demonstrated that they could replace their losses with ever-increasing numbers of men and ships. The Japanese could not, dooming the Empire. After the Solomon Islands Campaign, Allied victory became virtually certain. Capturing Guadalcanal -- 7 August 1942: Not long after the success at Midway, American commanders learned that the Japanese were building an airfield at Guadalcanal Island. If the airfield was completed, the Japanese could control sea lanes to Australia. A hastily gathered force arrived on Guadalcanal and neighboring island Tulagi on 7 August 1942. After a day of hard fighting, the Americans secured the airfield. Savo Island -- 9 August 1942: Countering the invasion of Guadalcanal, a Japanese naval force from Rabaul delivered the Allies one of their worst defeats. At Savo Island, Allied losses included four heavy cruisers -- Astoria, Quincy, Vincennes, and HMAS Canberra -- and the destroyer Jarvis. Surprise and daring enabled the Japanese cruisers to retire from the battle relatively unscathed. The one significant exception: a chance encounter with a 1920s-era American submarine sent the cruiser Kako to the bottom. The Battle of Savo Island was the US Navy's first fleet action since the Spanish-American War, and the first night fleet action ever. ... Eastern Solomons -- 24 August 1942: When Admiral Yamamoto learned that American planes were operating from Henderson Field and American carriers were in the area, he sent troops to recover the island and a carrier force to support the troops' landing. The battle was inconclusive, and both sides suffered damage. Nevertheless, the Japanese were forced to turn back. Planes from the carrier Enterprise managed to sink the light carrier Ryujo, but planes from the Combined Japanese Fleet also damaged the "Big E" ... Battle of Bloody Ridge -- 11-14 September 1942: The initial Japanese troops on Guadalcanal were construction workers, sent there to build an airfield. Combat soldiers arrived later, transported by destroyers running in at night: the "Tokyo Express." By mid-September, more than 6,000 soldiers were in position to try and wrest Henderson Field from the Americans. The Japanese underestimated the number of Marines on Guadalcanal. In the battle to take the Henderson airfield, more than a thousand Japanese lost their lives. Only forty Marines were killed. Cape Experience -- 11-12 October 1942: On 11 October, American aviators discovered Japanese ships speeding toward Guadalcanal. Their mission: to bombard the Henderson airfield so the Americans could no longer use it. A cruiser-destroyer force commanded by Rear Adm Norman Scott met the Japanese in a confused night battle that ended with the Japanese losing the carrier Furutaka and a destroyer, and the United States losing the destroyer Duncan. Battle of Santa Cruz -- 27 October 1942: Determined to retake Guadalcanal, Admiral Yamamoto dispatched the largest force since Midway: four carriers, four battleships, 14 cruisers, and 44 destroyers. The ships would cover landings on the island and fly in aircraft once the field was recaptured. At Santa Cruz, the Japanese encountered Halsey's force, which included the carriers Hornet and Enterprise. The ensuing battle claimed the Hornet and heavily damaged a Japanese carrier and heavy cruiser. However, Japan's inability to dislodge the United States made Santa Cruz a strategic victory for the Allies.
NAMUW2_110206_188.JPG: Fragment of a "Zero": Mitsubishi A6M fighters, popularly know[n] as "Zeros", were used to protect carriers and attack bombers. Many were lost as a result of the battle [of Coral Sea] and the sinking of the carriers. This fragment is from one of those fighters. Binoculars: The carrier Lexington was so damaged during the battle [of Coral Sea] that she could not be salvaged and had to be scuttled. Francis Brennan, a sailor on board the escorting destroyer Morris, recovered a sea bag belonging to Lexington's chief quartermaster. Inside the sea bag was this pair of binoculars, which were presented to Brennan. Pocket Watch: Capt Lionel Arthur was forced to abandon Yorktown. He spent two hours in the water, ruining his pocket watch.
NAMUW2_110206_206.JPG: Hat and Epaulets: The cocked hat and epaulets belonged to Lt Milton Ricketts, who received the Medal of Honor for his heroism on board Yorktown in the Battle of the Coral Sea. Milton Ricketts (1913-1942) USNA 1935: Upon graduation, Ricketts served two years on the carrier Ranger and then joined the commissioning crew of Yorktown. During the Battle of the Coral Sea, a bomb exploded in the compartment directly below the engineering repair party that Ricketts directed. Every man in the party was killed or severely injured. Despite his own injuries, Ricketts managed to open the valve to a fireplug and directed water onto the fire, preventing its spread. Ricketts died at his station, and received a posthumous Medal of Honor.
NAMUW2_110206_241.JPG: Flag: In the Battle of Tassafaronga, New Orleans steamed in line astern of Minneapolis. When Minneapolis was hit by Japanese torpedoes and slowed, New Orleans swerved out of line and took a torpedo which removed her bow back to turret number 1. As the bow passed down the side of the cruiser, it punched additional holes the length of the ship. A temporary bow was fashioned of coconut logs, enabling the cruiser to reach Australia for repairs. This ensign was flown by New Orleans during the battle. The "Little Beavers": In two battles, just more than a year apart, one American showed that the United States Navy could beat the Japanese at their type of warfare: night surface engagements. Capt Arleigh Burke, commander of Destroyer Squadron 23, the famous "Little Beavers," used destroyers aggressively and took the battle to the enemy. Battle of Empress Augusta Bay -- 2 November 1942: In an attempt to block the Tokyo Express, the nighttime transport of troops to Guadalcanal, four American cruisers and eight destroyers met an almost equal force of Japanese. Arleigh Burke's famous "Little Beavers" attacked first with torpedoes, all of which missed. The battle became confused. Two Japanese heavy cruisers collided, adding to their losses of one cruiser and one destroyer. Two American cruisers and one destroyer were damaged. The Americans would return to fight again. Arleigh A. Burke (1901-1906) USNA 1923: One of the most noted commanders of the Twentieth Century, Burke's career spanned both World War II and the Cold War. As the commander of Destroyer Squadron 23, the "Little Beavers," Burke led his destroyers in 22 engagements against the enemy. He spent much of the war as chief of staff to Admiral Mitscher on board carriers. After the war, Burke served in the Pentagon and was instrumental in fighting service unification. He was a principal negotiator in ending the fighting in Korea. Admiral Burke's career culminated as Chief of Naval Operations, a position he held longer than any other person. Battle of Cape St. George -- 25 November 1943: In what has been called the "almost perfect surface action," Burke's five destroyers met five enemy destroyers in the Battle of Cape St. George on 25 November 1943. Using radar, the Little Beavers closed to 5,500 years [sic -- presumably "yards"] before loosing torpedoes. As the torpedoes hit, the Americans opened up with their 5-inch guns. Three Japanese ships were sunk and one was damaged. Naval Battle of Guadalcanal -- 12-14 November 1942: Determined to take back Guadalcanal at any cost, Admiral Yamamoto ordered Rear Adm Raizo Tanaka to escort an additional 11,000 troops to the island. Battleships Hiei and Kirishima led the way. United States cruisers and destroyers, commanded by Rear Adm Daniel J. Callaghan, had a brief but fierce encounter off Lunga Point with the Japanese. American losses included the light cruiser Atlanta, and the destroyers Barton, Cushing, and Laffey. Japan's losses included two destroyers, and the battleship Hiei. The Naval Battle for Guadalcanal continued with another push up the "Slot" by Japanese transports. Planes from Enterprise and B-17s from the island of Espiritu Santo hit them throughout the day. On the night of 13 November, two new American battleships arrived: Washington and South Dakota. The duel at sea continued. South Dakota was damaged, but Washington's radar-aimed guns concentrated on Kirishima. The Japanese battleship was so damaged that she was scuttled, along with a destroyer. Battle of Taasafaronga -- 30 November 1942: Yet another effort to resupply Japanese troops led to a naval battle just off the coast of Guadalcanal. The Navy task force of heavy cruisers, a light cruiser, and six destroyers clashed with eight Japanese destroyers. The superiority of Japan's "Long Lance" torpedoes, which removed the bow of the heavy cruiser Minneapolis, made the battle a tactical victory for the Imperial Navy. Americans sent the Japanese destroyer Takanami to the bottom, but gunfire and "Long Lance" torpedoes badly damaged nearly every American combatant and sank Northhampton. In April 1943, naval intelligence intercepted a message outlining an inspection tour of the Solomon Islands by Admiral Yamamoto. Admiral Nimitz gave the go ahead to shoot down the Japanese commander. On 18 April , 16 Army P-38 "Lightnings" from Guadalcanal shot down a pair of Japanese transport planes. One carried Admiral Yamamoto to his death. Replaceable Losses: After a year of hard fighting, the epic struggle for the Solomon Islands came to an end; the Allies would be one step closer to Japan. The campaign saw almost equal numbers of American and Japanese losses in ships and aircraft. But, where the Japanese struggled to replace their losses, the United States could return two or three ships and aircraft for each one they lost, eventually overwhelming the Imperial Navy in numbers and quality. Although the war in the Pacific would last another two years, the Solomons campaign showed the futility of the Japanese struggle.
NAMUW2_110206_247.JPG: Japanese Bayonet, Machine Gun, and Mortar: Typical of the weapons used by the Japanese on Guadalcanal, and throughout the war, are a bayonet, machine gun, and "knee mortar." Despite its popular name, the mortar was not placed on the leg to fire it. As some unfortunate soldiers found out, the recoil could break a leg.
NAMUW2_110206_253.JPG: Maury (DD 401): This gold medal-winning model by Christopher A. Evers depicts the ship when she was first built. USS Maury (DD-401): After commissioning on August 5, 1938, Maury was assigned to the Pacific Fleet. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, the destroyer immediately went in search of the enemy fleet. Maury spent ten months fighting the battles for Guadalcanal, and -- while screening the fast carriers -- was in numerous actions, including the Mariannas and Philippines. In June 1945, an inspection team recommended the hardworking destroyer be retired.
NAMUW2_110206_265.JPG: Message: During the Battle of Tassafaronga, the heavy cruiser Minneapolis was hit by two torpedoes: one removed the cruiser's bow, the other flooded the number two fire room. This message announced that the cruiser was in danger of sinking, but magnificent damage control and seamanship enabled the cruiser to reach Tulagi where, camouflaged with palm fronds, the ship's company and Seabees made temporary repairs so that Minneapolis could reach the United States.
NAMUW2_110206_284.JPG: Sub Chaser: Escort vessels were desperately needed to counter Nazi submarines. A quick expedient was the adaptation of a World War I wooden hulled submarine chaser. Entering the fleet in the spring and summer of 1942, these vessels had little effect on the initial attacks by German submarines, but available in quantity later in the war, they helped protect harbors and coastal areas.
NAMUW2_110206_290.JPG: Enigma Machine: Early in 1941, British code-breakers secretly acquired an Enigma machine, a German encryption device, and began reading Berlin's military message traffic. These decoded messages, called "Ultra" intelligence, aided in the rerouting of Allied convoys to avoid Donitz's wolfpacks.
NAMUW2_110206_297.JPG: Medal: The U-Boots-Kriegsabzeichen, or U-boat war badge, was awarded starting 13 October 1939, usually after two war patrols.
NAMUW2_110206_309.JPG: Rudder Angle Indicator: The rudder-angle indicator from U-505. The submarine was thoroughly studied from the time it was capture until 1953. The ship is now on display at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. U-505: On 4 June 1944, destroyer escort Chatelein and "Avenger" bombers from escort carrier Guadalcanal forced German submarine U-505 to the surface near Cape Verdes Islands. As the Germans hurriedly abandoned ship, a boarding party from the American destroyer escort Pillsbury plunged down the U-boat's conning tower hatch to claim the prize. Not only was this the first capture of an enemy warship on the high seas since the War of 1812, but it also yielded codebooks and an Enigma cipher machine. The submarine is on display at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry.
NAMUW2_110206_315.JPG: Life Vest: The capture of the U-505 yielded many valuable secrets, and a lot of routine equipment, including a life vest used to keep a crewman afloat if he had to abandon ship.
NAMUW2_110206_321.JPG: Hunter-Killer Group: Because the United States could more than replace its losses, it had a great advantage over its enemies. When the numbers of escorts produced exceeded the number needed for convoy duty, the United States Navy's hunter-killer groups sought out German submarines. A Game of Chess: During World War II, the North Atlantic Ocean became a vast chessboard on which a deadly serious game was played. On one side was the German navy, intent on strangling the flow of foodstuffs and goods to England. The navies of the United States, England, and Canada lined up on the opposite side. The pieces on the board were U-boats and merchant ships. The prize was the survival or fall of Great Britain. "The Happy Time": During the first six months of war, German submarines sank 100 vessels along the American eastern seaboard. In this same period, Americans sunk only six German U-boats. Lax blackout practices along the east coast of the United States made it easy for the German subs -- the bright lights of coastal cities silhouetted merchantmen. By July 1942, German submarines were sinking an average of three merchant ships each day. German submarines called this "The Happy Time." Convoys: Relying on lessons learned in World War I, the British Admiralty believed that escorting merchant convoys and using the underwater sound-tracking device called ASDIC would eliminate the threat posed by German submarines. Upon the outbreak of war in 1939, the Admiralty ordered that ships that could make less than 15 knots travel in convoy; faster ships would sail alone. By the end of the year, only four of the 6,000 convoy ships had been lost, while 102 independently routed ships were sunk. Wolfpacks: At first, German U-boats operated independently, but by the fall of 1940, their commander, Adm Karl Donitz, began deploying them in picket lines. By coordinating their attacks, the U-boats were like a pack of wolves hunting caribou. Radio communication was critical to Donitz's strategy. After gathering information about the location of Allied convoys, Donitz broadcast this intelligence in code to his U-boats. Eventually, the Allies were able to intercept and decipher Donitz's broadcasts, and tried to reroute convoys. Hunter-Killer Groups: By mid-1943, the Allies finally had enough forces to go on the offensive against the German U-boats. A half dozen old destroyers and destroyer escorts, along with an escort carrier, went on the hunt. They used radar and sonar to locate enemy submarines and sink them with depth charges, hedgehogs, and aerial bombs. Hunter-killer groups effectively reduced losses of Allied merchant ships. Checkmate: The convoy approach was successful. Of the 2,275 merchant ships destroyed by U-boats, only 28 percent were in convoys. By war's end, the Allied had completed 300,000 crossings of the Atlantic. The fast pace of Allied shipbuilding was another factor in the demise of Axis power. The Germans could not keep up, especially given U-boat mortality rate, the highest of all service branches in the war. Three-quarters of U-boat sailors died. If Germany had started with 200 boats instead of 50, the Battle of the Atlantic might have ended differently.
NAMUW2_110206_346.JPG: Rifle: The Japanese had to defend the islands because from there, American bombers could reach the Home Islands. Saipan was particularly well defended and the fighting was desperate. This rifle was recovered during the battle for control of the island. On the Offensive: By November 1943, the United States military presence in the Pacific was powerful enough to launch two lines of attack on Japan. One thrust, under control of US Army general Douglas MacArthur and the Seventh Fleet, would continue the Allied advance up through New Guinea to Manila. The second offensive thrust, under Adm Chester Nimitz with the Third and Fifth Fleets, would advance from the Gilbert and Marshall Islands through the Marianas directly to Japan. In October 1944, the Third and Seventh Fleets were combined for MacArthur's return to the islands he was forced to leave almost three years earlier. The landings at Leyte Island in the central Philippines would spark a final effort of the Imperial Japanese Navy to counter the Allied advance. The Central Pacific: By the end of 1943, American factories were turning out so many ships, aircraft, and arms that a second offensive in the Pacific was possible. General MacArthur continued his drive up the Solomons, to New Guinea, to the Philippines. Admiral Nimitz would neutralize Japanese defenses in the Gilberts, Marshals, and Marianas preparing for the final assault on Japan. Japanese defense used rings of outlying islands as unsinkable aircraft carriers to attack the US fleet as it sailed towards Japan. The US offensive used a new mode of warfare: instead of land bases, use aircraft carriers (with a train of supply and repair vessels) to range ahead, neutralizing Japanese bases. The Gilberts -- 20 November 1943: The first major battle in the Navy's drive into the Central Pacific was the launch of amphibious forces on the cluster of islands that form the Tarawa Atoll. The operation targeted the 4,800 Imperial Army troops stations on the island of Betio. These soldiers served as the linchpin of the Japanese defense. The bloody Marine assault, commanded by Maj Gen Julian C Smith, demonstrated the basic soundness of amphibious doctrine, but also revealed the need for naval forces to intensify pre-landing bombardment and lend close air support. The Marshalls -- February 1943: Action at the Marshall Islands atoll of Kwajalein combined the landing of Army troops on Kwajalein Island and Marines on the twin islands of Roi and Namur. Preliminary bombardments by carrier forces practically eliminated the threat from Japanese land-based air[craft]. The Marines took their objectives in a day. The Army completed its occupation of Kwajalein two days later. The landings were so successful that naval strategists recommended seizing Eniwetok Atoll immediately. After carriers neutralized the Japanese air bases on Truk, American forces occupied Eniwetok between 19 and 22 February. The Marianas -- Summer 1944: At the beginning of June 1944, more men were in motion towards enemy shores than ever before in history. In the English Channel, 714,000 men and 4,000 vessels were breaching the bastions of Nazi-held Europe. In the Pacific, 127,000 men were attacking the outer defenses of Japan. Occupation of the Marianas Islands of Saipan, Guam, and Tinian would put American long-range aircraft within reach of Tokyo. On 15 June, the Navy landed Marines on Saipan; the Imperial Japanese Navy responded in force, precipitating the last great naval air battle of the Pacific: the Battle of the Philippine Sea (19-20 June). The Japanese had planned to trap the Americans between aircraft launched from island bases and the Imperial Navy. Instead, Americans destroyed most Japanese bases before the battle, and shot down many Japanese planes before they hit their targets. Within Reach of Tokyo: The Battle of the Philippine Sea was a decisive victory for the United States Navy. Three Japanese carriers were sunk and several other ships damaged; the United States lost none. More importantly, the Japanese lost nearly 400 aircraft and hundreds of trained pilots -- irreplaceable assets. The American victory eventually led to Allied occupation of other critical Marina Islands; Guam (21 June) and Tinian (1 August). Tinian would later serve as the base from which the B-29 bomber known as "Enola Gay" flew to Hiroshima, Japan, to drop the first atomic bomb. Unexpected resistance by the Japanese on Saipan delayed Allied landings on Guam. The island had been a possession of the United States since the Spanish-American War, and liberation of American subjects was seen as a political necessity. Saipan was attacked first because it was the most heavily defended and closest to Japan.
NAMUW2_110206_353.JPG: Pilot's Headset: During the fighting for Guam, this headset, a type used by Japanese pilots, was found on the island.
NAMUW2_110206_357.JPG: Japanese Naval Insignia: Almost simultaneous with the landings on Guam was the occupation of Tinian. Its value lay in the fact that it was close to Saipan and, left in Japanese hands, would be a continual source of harassment to the Americans on the northern island. This Japanese naval insignia was found on the island.
NAMUW2_110206_367.JPG: Jacket: This Japanese army jacket was picked up on Eniwetok after it was occupied in February 1944.
NAMUW2_110206_371.JPG: Range Scale: A range scale from a Japanese coast defense gun on Tinian. The gun made several hits on the battleship Colorado and destroyer Norman Scott.
NAMUW2_110206_376.JPG: "... you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world." -- Gen. Dwight D Eisenhower, D-Day Order, 6 June 1944 Breaching Fortress Europa: A few days after the attack on Pearl Harbor, America joined the Allies in their fight against the European Axis of Germany and Italy. The reclamation of German-occupied Europe, Hitler's "Fortress Europa," would be largely achieved by ground troops and air forces, but sea power provided an indispensable foundation for victory. The United States Navy, British Royal Navy, and warships of other allied nations escorted merchant ships carrying essential supplies and troops, and waged unrelenting war against the deadly German U-boat. Victory in Europe: By the spring of 1945, the war in Europe was drawing to its thunderous conclusion. The German armies, reduced to mobs of terrified fugitives, now began to surrender to the British and Americans. In the early hours of 7 May 1945, German Field Marshal General Alfred Jodl journeyed to General Eisenhower's Supreme Allied Headquarters at Reims, France, and signed the general surrender document. At 2301 on 8 May 1945, World War II officially ended in Europe.
NAMUW2_110206_382.JPG: Henry Kent Hewitt Admiral URN Commander US 8th Fleet Mediterranean World War II Henry K. Hewitt (1887-1972) USNA 1907: Hewitt's naval career began in grand style, voyaging around the world with the Great White Fleet. During World War I, he commanded two destroyers on convoy and submarine patrol duty. During the build up to American entry in World War II, Hewitt commanded the neutrality patrols in the Atlantic. He went on to lead amphibious landings in Africa, Sicily, Italy, and southern France. In April 1945, he was promoted to admiral and became Commander, United States Naval Forces, Europe. Amphibious Craft: The British evacuation of Dunkirk in 1940 and the landings in North Africa demonstrated the need for sea-going ships capable of delivering tanks and other heavy equipment. However, the North African landings did take advantage of small landing craft that had been developed an abandoned 1943 invasion across the English Channel. Larger tank-landing ships would be ready for the next big amphibious operation. LST (Landing Ship, Tank): the largest of the new craft, was rushed to production before its design had been tested. More than a thousand were built. Some were modified into repair or hospital ships, and a few were even fitted with flight decks for small observation planes. LCI (Landing Craft, Infantry): could off-load troops quickly over ramps on both sides of the vessel. While they were somewhat faster and more maneuverable that LSTs, the small size, lack of keel, and crowded conditions of LCIs made them awkward and uncomfortable. LCM (Landing Craft, Mechanized): A 56-foot, twin-screw, welded steel vessel designed to carry 80 troops or 32 tons of cargo. It could be carried on board a larger vessel, such as the LST. LCVP (Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel): The workhorse of amphibious operations. Designed to carry 36 Marines or soldiers, a three-ton truck, or four tons of cargo, the boat could hit the beach, lower its ramp, and discharge its load quickly.
NAMUW2_110206_403.JPG: In the early days of the war, a fundamental question was where, and how, to strike at Germany with some chance of success. North Africa was the compromise answer. In a three-pronged attack, Rear Adm H. Kent Hewitt and Maj. Gen. George S. Patton with 85,000 troops targeted Casablanca on the Atlantic coast. Other British and American troops headed for Oran and Tunis, well within the Mediterranean. North Africa: In 1942, American leaders pushed for an invasion of German-occupied Europe, while British commanders believed the Allies should amass strength before attempting an assault. The compromise: landings in Axis-held North Africa, which would hopefully force Germany to divert men and material to North Africa, slowing its momentum towards Moscow. Operation Torch: Landings in North Africa -- November 1942: Knowing that the French harbored resentment against the British for shelling French ships in the port of Oran, Americans would command the North African landings. Three sites were chosen for "Operation Torch" landings: two within the Straits of Gibraltar and one outside the Straits at Casablanca. All were port cities because the Allies still lacked the capability of landing heavy equipment directly on beaches. Casablanca: The attacks on Casablanca involved three separate landings: Fedhala, Safi to the south, and Mehdia to the north. France, which fell to Nazi forces in 1940, controlled Casablanca. Its naval forces bravely resisted the invasion. Light cruiser Primauguet and four destroyers sortied from Casablanca's harbor to meet an Allied invasion fleet that included the carrier Ranger, the battleship Massachusetts, two cruisers, and four destroyers. The greatly outgunned French forces could not keep the Allies at bay. Oran: Assaults east and west of the city quickly subdued any resistance. However, the French managed to sink two British cutters, Walney and Hartland, which were trying to take troops directly into the Oran harbor. Algiers: Protected from British gunfire, the Eastern Task Force made landings east and west of the port of Algiers. As at Oran, the Allies captured the city without difficulty, but the British destroyer Broke was sunk trying to enter the harbor. Casablanca's French commander, Vice Adm Francois C Michelier, gave the order to cease hostilities. Soon after, the French and Americans were working together to restore the port as a major Allied staging area for the push east into Tunisia.
NAMUW2_110206_407.JPG: To cut off German troops in Sicily, it would seem logical for the Allies to strike at Messina, but that was outside the range at which British aircraft could provide cover. Landings were made at the southern tip of the island and troops raced north, but arrived too late. After the fall of Sicily, the next step was to Italy proper, but here the Allies met their stiffest opposition. German defense nearly pushed the Allies back into the sea. It took nearly nine months of desperate fighting before the Allies liberated Rome. On to Italy: With the German army near surrender in North Africa, the Allies planned their next move. The Americans again argued for an invasion of France along the English Channel. The British, however, favored a push across North Africa up into Italy -- what Winston Churchill called the "soft underbelly" of the Nazi empire. Once more, the planners struck a compromise: an attack on Sicily would be the springboard for a push into the rest of Italy. Operation Husky: The Invasion of Sicily -- 9 July 1943: Almost a half million men were put ashore along a one-hundred-mile front. Sicilian troops, unenthusiastic about the German occupation of their island, surrendered en mass [sic]. However, 300,000 Italian and 50,000 German troops put up a vigorous defense. After more than a week of fighting, Gen. George Patton succeeded in capturing the Sicilian capital of Palermo. Most Axis troops escaped to the mainland, but the loss of Sicily was demoralizing to the Italian people. A coup ousted dictator Benito Mussolini from office. John J. Kirwin (1918-1943) USNA 1941: Because of the war in Europe, Kirwin and his classmates graduated early from the Naval Academy. Assigned to the light cruiser Savannah, he saw action in North Africa and Sicily. He was appointed lieutenant on 1 December 1942. On 11 September 1943, Savannah was bombarding German facilities at Salerno Bay, when a secret, radio-controlled bomb launched by a German plane hit one of its turrets. Kirwin helped others evacuate the turret at the cost of his own life, earning him a posthumous Navy Cross. The German Luftwaffe (Air Force) fought back with determination. On 11 July, two or three-dozen Ju-88 bombers attacked Allied support ships. The Liberty ship Robert Rowan was hit. When the resulting fires reached her cargo of ammunition, the ship exploded. Fortunately, the crew had abandoned Robert Rowan without loss of life. Operation Avalanche: The Invasion of Italy -- 9 September 1943: The long, drawn-out campaign to take Rome produced some of the most vicious fighting of the European theater. In fact, the very first Allied move -- landings at Salerno -- came close to being repulsed. Firepower delivered by Allied naval guns and aircraft finally enabled the invaders to overwhelm the Germans and move forward. Just as the invasion force approached Salerno on 8 September 1943, General Eisenhower broadcast news of an Italian armistice. The Italian fleet had surrendered to the Allies at Malta.
NAMUW2_110206_410.JPG: Rifle: A seaman from USS LCI 237 recovered this Mannlicher Carcano Model 1891 rifle from an Italian prisoner. Flag: The landings in Italy did not end German threats in the Mediterranean. On 6 November 1943, German aircraft attacked a convoy off Cape Borgaroun, Algeria. Beatty took a torpedo, broke in two, and sank three and a half hours later. The ensign was saved before the ship sank.
NAMUW2_110206_428.JPG: Chart: This chart of Normandy plots the landing sites of Omaha beach
NAMUW2_110206_434.JPG: After years of striking at the peripheries, in the summer of 1944, the Allies landed in France to begin the liberation of Europe and the destruction of Nazism and Fascism. Simultaneous landings in Normandy and the Mediterranean coasts were not possible because of the limited availability of landing craft, but successful landings were made and the troops joined forces for the drive on Germany. There would be much desperate fighting and one more amphibious assault ... across the Rhine River into Germany. Freeing France: One of the Allied forces' primary objectives was to liberate France from the iron grip of Hitler. A long-gestating plan for an invasion of the coast of Normandy was finally set in motion in 1944. In June of that year, an armada of ships carrying Allied troops moved across the English Channel to take part in "Operation Overlord." At the very same moment, half a world away, hundreds of American ships and tens of thousands of Allied troops were sailing toward the Pacific island chain of the Marianas. It was the largest movement of Men and material in history. Operation Neptune: The Invasion of Normandy -- 6 June 1944: The naval and amphibious phase of the Normandy invasion was called "Operation Neptune." Navy support of the invasion included logistical support, gunfire support, and the clearing of mines and beach obstacles. During the first days of the invasion, naval transports landed more than 300,000 men, 50,000 vehicles, and 100,000 tons of supplies to the shores of Normandy. Within a month, the Navy had transported more than one million men to France. Alan G. Kirk (1888-1963) USNA 1909: Kirk's resume included stints as naval aide to President Harding, naval attache in London, and director of the Office of Naval Intelligence. During the war, he returned to London as attache and chief of staff to the commander of the American Naval Forces in Europe. He was the senior American naval officers in planning the invasion of Normandy. He also participated in the landings as commander of the task force. He went onto become naval commander to General Eisenhower and then ambassador to the Soviet Union. Operation Dragoon: The Landings in Southern France -- 15 August 1944: This invasion, known in its planning stages as "Operation Anvil," was originally planned to draw German troops away from the Normandy landings. However, a shorting in landing craft delayed the attacks for two months. The assaults were made on three beaches: Cavalaire-sur-Mer, Saint-Tropez, and Saint-Raphael. All three were successful. Allied forces captured both Toulon and Marseilles on 28 August. The troops pushed north, making contact with advance units from Normandy. Southwest France was now in Allied hands. Operation Delaware: Crossing the Rhine River -- March 1945: By the spring of 1945, the Allies had conducted five major amphibious operations. There was one final effort: the crossing of the Rhine River. Although nearly forgotten today, it was critical to the Allies' victory. The Rhine River is a formidable barrier. It has protected Germany for thousands of years. By the war's end, most of the river's bridges had been destroyed, making its crossing exceptional difficult. Amphibious craft, carried on truck across France, ferried Allied troops into Germany. Nearly 100 LCVPs and 50 LCMs were carried to the Rhine in order to ferry troops across the swift-flowing river.
NAMUW2_110206_436.JPG: German 9-millimeter submachine guns, such as this one, were used to counter the Allied offensive in Normandy.
NAMUW2_110206_443.JPG: Clock. A chronometer, or navigation clock, removed from a U-boat after the end of the war.
NAMUW2_110206_452.JPG: Surrender Flag: One of the first U-boats to surrender was U-858. The closest thing she had to a black flag was a grey blanket, which served its purpose. She was escorted into Fort Miles, Delaware, by American destroyer escorts.
NAMUW2_110206_475.JPG: Flag: Princeton flew this flag during the Battle for Leyte Gulf, until the ship was abandoned and sunk. Leyte Gulf: October 1944 saw a merger of Nimitz's Central Pacific and MacArthur/Halsey's Southwest Pacific forces. The Allied landings on the Philippine island of Leyte precipitated a series of naval battles unprecedented for the number of combatants and the size of the area where battles were fought. Lacking adequate carrier-based air cover, the Japanese organized land-based kamikaze squadrons to fly suicide missions in a final, desperate attempt to stop the Allies. Plan SHO: America's amphibious forces landed on Leyte two months ahead of schedule. The Japanese responded by activating plan SHO (Victory), a pincer movement to attack the landing force with four elements. Vice Adm Takeo Kurita entered Leyte Gulf from the northwest. Read Adm Shoji Nishimura and Vice Adm Klyohide Shima came from the south. These three forces would brush aside American defenders and sink the vulnerable amphibious shipping. The fourth element -- Vice Adm Jisaburo Ozawa's forces -- would function as a decoy, luring away Halsey's THIRD Fleet northeast of Leyte. On 23 October, submarines Darter and Dace sighted the approaching Japanese fleet. They quickly sank two cruisers but ... Darter ran aground on Bombay Shoal. Dace rescued the crew, and Darter was destroyed. A submarine was lost, but Halsey now knew the attack was coming. Battle of Sibuyan Sea -- 24 October 1944: Having been alerted to Vice Admiral Kurita's incipient approach, Halsey dispatched his carrier-based bombers. The ensuing battle in the Sibuyan Sea, with the loss of the super battleship Musashi and the destroyer Wakaba, forced Kurita to reverse course. But he would return. A bomb dropped on Princeton started fires that burned for hours. The cruiser Birmingham went alongside to help fight the fires and tow the stricken carrier to safety. Suddenly, the fires reached a torpedo storage area. The resulting explosion killed 233 and seriously wounded 211 men on the cruiser. Princeton had to be sunk. Battle of Surigao Strait -- 24-25 October 1944: United States and Australian ships guarded the western entrance of Surigao Strait in order to protect the Leyte landings from the approaching Japanese Southern Force. On the night of 24-25 October, the Japanese Southern Force fought its way through the Strait, fending off attacks from PT boats and destroyers. At the end of the gauntlet, the Japanese encountered the American battle line of California, Maryland, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and West Virginia, ships nearly destroyed during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Jesse B. Oldendorf (1887-1974) USNA 1909: Oldendorf was a seasoned veteran, having served in World War I and commanded a naval station and convoy missions earlier in World War II. In 1944, he received command of a cruiser division in the Pacific. During the Battle of Surigao Strait, he deployed his ships in a classic battle line formation, defeating the southern Japanese forces commanded by Rear Admiral Nishimura and Vice Admiral Shima. After Leyte, he was wounded on board his flagship Pennsylvania off Okinawa. He retired in 1948. Battle off Samar -- 25 October 1944: The morning after the Battle of Surigao Strait, Kurita, again advancing through San Bernardino Strait, detected American naval forces and launched a new attack. The Japanese had overwhelming superiority -- battleships with 14-, 16-, and 18-inch guns against destroyers with 5-inch guns and torpedoes. Nevertheless, after two-and-a-half hours of battle, the Japanese suddenly broke off the fight. Apparently, Kurita believed he had encountered Halsey's fleet carriers. Had he pressed on, Kurita could have accomplished his mission: destruction of the Allied landings on Leyte. To protect their ships, pilots with no training or experience in attacking ships, took off and made repeated attacked on Japanese battleships, cruisers, and destroyers. When the planes ran out of ammunition and bombs, the pilots dived on the ships just to try to divert attention away from the carriers. Ernest E. Evans (1908-1944) USNA 1931: Evans was awarded the Medal of Honor for his service as commander of the destroyer Johnston during the Battle off Samar. When the Japanese were sighted in the opening moments of the battle, Evans ordered all boilers lighted off, set general quarters, and announced, "prepare to attack major portion of Japanese Fleet." With her main battery firing, Johnston raced toward the Japanese ships to launch torpedoes. Just after the torpedoes were released, Johnston was hit by large caliber rounds. Additional punishment sank the destroyer and killed many of the crew, including Commander Evans. Clifton A. F. Sprague (1896-1955) USNA 1918: The commander of "Taffy 3" in the Battle off Samar previously served in World War I. After that war, he qualified as a naval aviator and designed arresting gear for carrier flight decks. At the time of Pearl Harbor, Sprague commanded the seaplane tender Tangier, the first naval vessel to return fire on the attackers. He commanded the carrier Wasp during the Battle of the Philippine Sea, and was promoted to rear admiral in August 1944. After the war he commanded a carrier division and the Alaskan Sea Frontier. Battle of Cape Engano -- 25 October 1944: With their carrier-borne air forces virtually nonexistent, the Japanese sent their remaining carriers to the northeast of Luzon to draw Halsey's American carriers away from Leyte. The decoy effort worked. Halsey raced north. He believed the Kurita was retreating from San Bernardino Strait, when Kurita was actually en route to Leyte. Halsey's focus on the enemy's carriers opened the way for Kurita and nearly spelled disaster for the Allies off the landing beaches. Frederick C. Sherman (1888-1957) USNA 1910: Sherman led a varied career. He commanded submarines during World War I, had duty in battleships and cruisers between the wars, qualified as a naval aviator then served as executive director of Saratoga in 1937. In 1940, he became commanding officer of Lexington and was on board the carrier when she was sunk in the Battle of the Coral Sea. After service [sic] as assistant chief of staff to Admiral King, Sherman assumed command of Task Group 38.3, which included carriers Essex, Lexington, Princeton, and Langley. He retired in 1947. John S. McCain (1884-1945) USNA 1906: Upon graduation, McCain was assigned to ships in the Asiatic Fleet. In the 1930s, McCain went to flight school and earned his wings at the age of 52. In the early part of the Pacific war, he commanded all land-based aircraft in the defense of Guadalcanal. After a stint in Washington, he returned to the Pacific as commander of Task Group 38.1, which included carriers Wasp, Hornet, Monterey, and Cowpens during the Battle for Leyte Gulf. On 9 January 1945, American Southwest Pacific forces landed on Luzon at Lingayen Gulf, the same place the Japanese had begun their assault on the islands three years earlier. The Allied thrust marked the beginning of the liberation of Manila. Death of the Imperial Navy: Japanese naval aviation was destroyed in the Battle of the Philippine Sea in June 1944. Four months later, in the Battles for Leyte Gulf, the Imperial Navy was effectively destroyed as a fighting force. In places like Iwo Jima and Okinawa, there still remained months of battles hard-fought by both sides. Without the offensive support of the Navy, Japan turned to a new, fearsome weapon: the kamikaze.
NAMUW2_110206_480.JPG: $5 Bill: This oil- and water-stained five dollar bill was in the pocket of one of Princeton's men rescued after the ship was abandoned.
NAMUW2_110206_487.JPG: Hat Band: Chitose was one of the Japanese light carriers that formed the northern decoy force during the Battle for Leyte Gulf. The hat band identified a sailor from that ship.
NAMUW2_110206_491.JPG: Ensign: American destroyers and destroyer escorts entered the battle with torpedo attacks. .... Heerman, the only surviving destroyer to make direct attacks on Japanese battleships and cruisers in the Battle off Samar, flew this ensign.
NAMUW2_110206_497.JPG: USS Abercrombie (DE 343): Destroyer escorts, like Abercrombie, were small ships heavily armed for combat against submarines. They mounted 3-inch or 5-inch, 40mm and 20mm guns, torpedoes, depth charges and the hedgehog which fired a pattern of small depth charges ahead of the ship. While Abercrombie did not operate in the Atlantic during World War II, many of her sister ships escorted convoys, served in hunter-killer groups, and sank German submarines.
NAMUW2_110206_502.JPG: PT Boat: Thirty-nine PT boats, similar to this model, initiated the battle with the Japanese in the Surigao Strait.
NAMUW2_110206_507.JPG: UN Yamato (1941-1945): The Yamato and her shister [sic] ship Musashi were by far the largest battleships ever built. Their nine 18.1-inch main battery guns were the biggest guns ever employed at sea, and their armor protection was second to none. Commissioned in December 1941, Yamato served as the flagship of the Japanese Combined Fleet at the Battles of Coral Sea and Midway in 1942. She was torpedoed by USS Skate in December 1943 and spent the following five months under repair, the [sic] participated in the Battles of the Philippine Sea and Leyte Gulf. On 7 April 1945, she was discovered and sunk by American carrier planes during the Battle for Okinawa.
NAMUW2_110206_521.JPG: USS Kidd (DD 601) The destroyer, named for Isaac Campbell Kidd who, as Commander of Battleship Division 1 on board USS Arizona, was killed during the attack on Pearl Harbor and posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, was commissioned 23 April 1943. Kidd saw action in the Solomons, the Central Pacific, and the Philippines. On 11 April 1945, the destroyer was on picket station off Okinawa when she was crashed by a kamikaze. The destroyer returned to the United States for repairs and inactivation. The Kidd was recommissioned for service in the Korean War. The destroyer is now a museum ship in Louisiana.
NAMUW2_110206_526.JPG: Kamikaze Fragment: A fragment from one of the hundreds of kamikazes that attacked the American fleet off Okinawa. This plane crashed into the forward smoke stack of the destroyer Newcomb on 6 April 1945. Kamikaze: The Okinawa operation was the deadliest of the war for the US Navy. In just under three months of combat, the Japanese launched more than 1,450 kamikazes. The pickets, destroyers and small craft the surrounded the island to warn the large ships of incoming aircraft, became convenient targets. Attack formations called "kikusui" sank thirty ships and heavily damaged another 368; more than 4,900 sailors were killed or missing. On 12 April 1945, the battleship USS Tennessee was steaming in an air-defense formation when she was attacked by a half-dozen planes. Five were shot down, but the sixth crashed into the ship and its bomb detonated. Twenty-men were killed, 107 wounded. The USS Laffey was attacked by 25 Japanese aircraft at Okinawa. Four bombs and five kamikazes hit the destroyer, killing 32 men. Despite the damage, the ship survived for many more years of service. Destroyer minelayer USS Aaron Ward was hit by at least seven kamikazes and two bombs on the afternoon of 3 May 1944. Amazingly, the ship stayed afloat and was towed to safety. The Final Thrust: With the reoccupation of the Philippines underway, and long-range bomber bases secured in the Marianas, victory was in sight. But how to secure the capitulation of a foe that resisted in the face of fire bombings of its cities and submarine blockade of its country. Planned envisioned an invasion of Japan. Critical was securing a staging point. Okinawa seemed ideal. While MacArthur's troops spread out over the Philippines, the Central Pacific Command focused again on the invasion of the Japanese mainland. Two islands south of Japan, Iwo Jima and Okinawa, became the next targets. Iwo Jima -- 19 February 1945: The Army Air Force wanted Iwo Jima. Under Japanese control, it was a deadly nuisance, as fighter aircraft from the island harassed American B-29s. Under Allied control, it would be an asset, an unsinkable carrier for damaged bombers or those low on fuel. After 74 days of aerial bombardment from Air Force planes, ships blasted the island for an hour and a half, pausing only to let more than 100 Navy planes bomb the beaches. The relentless fire ceased just before the Marines landed. Okinawa Secured: Americans landing on Okinawa encountered fierce fire as they fanned out from their initial beachhead. The Fifth Fleet, which supported of [sic] land operations, sustained kamikaze attacks. The Japanese sank 36 American ships, and damaged 368 ships. In the end, overwhelming superiority in men and material gave United States forces staying power. By the campaign's conclusion, Turner's Army-Marine amphibious forces totaled more than 200,000 men. When Okinawa was secured in July of 1945, the Allies had total losses of 12,000 men (7,613 ashore) and 31,800 wounded. Of the 77,000 defenders on Okinawa, all but 7.400 Japanese were killed. Franklin's Ordeal: On March 19, 1945, the USS Franklin was a mere fifty miles off the coast of Japan -- the closest distance to the mainland reached [by] any Allied aircraft carrier. A lone Japanese plane spotted the carrier; two of the plane's bombs found their mark. Franklin suffered 724 men killed and 265 wounded that day, but more might have died had it not [been] for the exceptional courage of the entire crew. Two among them stand out: Chaplain O'Callahan and Lt Jg Gary, both of whom were awarded the Medal of Honor. Joseph T. O'Callahan (1905-1964): Father O'Callahan, Franklin's chaplain, administered last rites to dying men, organized and directed firefighting efforts and rescue parties. He also led an effort to wet down magazines that threatened to explode. For his outstanding efforts, he was awarded the Medal of Honor. Donald Gary (1901-1977): Gary discovered three hundred men trapped in a mess compartment. He located an escape route and repeatedly returned to the compartment to lead the men to safety. For the disregard of his own safety, Gary received the Medal of Honor.
NAMUW2_110206_532.JPG: Speedometer: Speedometer from a Japanese kamikaze aircraft
NAMUW2_110206_536.JPG: Design Model of Iwo Jima Memorial: No image captures the valor, determination and teamwork essential to a successful landing on a hostile shore as does the Iwo Jima Memorial, an imposing monument adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, DC. The Memorial's bronze figures are modeled on a 23 February 1943 photo taken atop Mount Suribachi. Two flags were raised that day. When the first flag was judged too small, a larger flag was donated by the crew of a Navy tank landing ship.
NAMUW2_110206_544.JPG: Dog Tag: A Japanese soldier's identification, or "dog tag," found on Okinawa after the American occupation of the island.
NAMUW2_110206_551.JPG: Medal of Honor to Richard Miles McCool, Jr.
NAMUW2_110206_561.JPG: United States Marines on Iwo Jima 23 February 1945 Presented in comradeship to United States Naval Academy by the Officers and Men of the United States Marine Corps General A A Andegrift The Commandant 28 June, 1946 -- by Felix Deweldon
NAMUW2_110206_569.JPG: Adm Mitscher Ball Cap: Vice Adm Marc Mitscher commanded the fast carriers throughout most of the war in the Pacific. The day-long air battle for the Marianas on 19 June 1944, in which Mitscher commanded the American carriers, cost the Japanese navy 315 aircraft along with most of their crews. The Americans lost 30 aircraft. Mitscher was often photographed wearing his long-billed ball cap.
NAMUW2_110206_578.JPG: Cap, Shirt and Trousers: This is the uniform, including the cap, worn by Fleet Admiral Nimitz at the ceremony on board the USS Missouri bringing to an end the war in the Pacific against Japan. Surrender in the Pacific: After almost four years of war, Japan had lost its fleet, was nearly strangled by submarines and air attack, had endured the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and now faced impending invasion. The nation was forced to sue for peace. The fact the Japan would lose the war had been generally recognized for at least a year. Admiral Yamamoto's prophecy -- that he could run rampant for a year, but Japan would lose if the war lasted longer -- had come true. In a precedent-making move, Japan's Emperor Hirohito delivered a national radio address urging his subjects to cease fighting and lay down their arms. It was the first time most Japanese had heard the emperor's voice, and almost without exception they followed his lead.
NAMUW2_110206_590.JPG: England's Scoreboard: England after recording her battle record on the pilothouse bulkhead. USS England (DE-635): In the Bismarck Archipelago, the destroyer escort England experienced a phenomenal string of successes, sinking six Japanese submarines in twelve days. Commanded by Lt Cmdr Walton B Pendleton, England's battle record is unmatched by any American warship. Japanese intelligence intercepted the loss of their scout submarines as an indication of a major American naval drive to bypass the Marianas, and decided -- disastrously -- to reduce defenses at the strategically important islands of Saipan, Tinian, and Guam.
NAMUW2_110206_597.JPG: SBD Dauntless: Lt Cmdr James Ramage flew the SBD-5 Dauntless from the Enterprise. The Dauntless was a rugged, dependable, and well-liked aircraft. It struck the decisive blows at Midway, claiming four Japanese carriers. The Aircraft: By summer of 1944, the United States Navy possessed a new generation of carrier-based aircraft. Manned by well-trained pilots, ... they were critical to Allied victory in the Pacific. This case includes three examples of naval aircraft that participated in the Battle of the Philippine Sea.
NAMUW2_110206_604.JPG: F6F Hellcat: Cmdr David McCampbell, commander of the Essex air group, flew this F6F Hellcat during the Battle of the Philippine Sea. He shot down nine Japanese and went onto become the Navy's top ace. Designed in 1941-42, the Hellcat reached a maximum speed of 375 miles per hour and had six .50-caliber machine guns.
NAMUW2_110206_610.JPG: TBF Avenger: The Avenger was the Navy's principal carrier aircraft for much of the war. Lt Jg George Brown flew this TBF Avenger from the Belleau Wood, making one of two torpedo hits on the Japanese carrier Hiyo. The plane was damaged during the attack, so Brown ordered his radioman and gunner to bail out. He perished, but his crew was rescued.

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