----------------------------------------------------------------- NAVY & MARINE CORPS WORLD WAR II COMMEMORATIVE COMMITTEE A service of Navy Chief of Information Office (703)695-3161/DSN 225-3161 ----------------------------------------------------------------- TWO OCEAN VICTORY: THE U.S. NAVY IN WORLD WAR II By L.C. Kukral WWII Committee The United States formally entered World War II on Dec. 8, 1941, one day after Japan's devastating surprise attack on the Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. When war was declared, the Navy faced formidable foes on two ocean "fronts." Allied leaders ranked the war against Germany, in which the U.S. Atlantic Fleet was engaged, as the top priority. This decision affected the number of men, ships, aircraft, armaments and other supplies the Pacific Fleet would have to prosecute the war against Japan. Control of the Atlantic Ocean was essential for the liberation of Europe and the defeat of Germany and the Axis. The U.S. and Allied navies succeeded in gaining that control, then assisted with amphibious operations in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, Normandy and Southern France. Convoy escort and protection, anti-submarine warfare, naval bombardment and gunnery, troop and supply transport, and harbor salvage operations were some of the U.S. Navyžs activities in the Atlantic theater. In the Pacific theater, Japan advanced quickly in the first six months of the war, expanding its defensive perimeter to include the Philippines, the East Indies, Guam and Wake Island. Then, beginning with the Battle of Midway, U.S. carrier victories turned the tide of war against Japan. As the war progressed, amphibious operations and submarine attacks led to defeat after defeat for the Japanese, paving the road to the U.S. victory. With its merchant and military fleets destroyed, its air power lost and the home islands threatened with destruction after atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan admitted defeat. The Navyžs role in the Pacific war climaxed with Japanžs formal surrender, which took place Sept. 2, 1945, on board the battleship Missouri, at anchor in Tokyo Bay. MAJOR U.S. NAVAL BATTLES Battle of the Atlantic (Sept. 1939 - May 1945) This battle was the longest naval conflict of the war, and the most costly. Germany mounted a powerful sea and air campaign to prevent arms and other supplies from reaching Great Britain and her European allies. The United States stepped in even before its official entry into the war to escort convoys of supplies from Canada and the East coast to open-ocean handoff points and key Allied ports. German submarines took a heavy toll on Allied merchant and war shipping before U.S. anti-submarine efforts and British tactics and technology combined to turn the tide against the Germans. Battle of the Coral Sea (May 4-8, 1942) Coral Sea was the first carrier-against-carrier battle in history. No shots were exchanged by the surface ships involved, which did not even see one another. The Japanese wanted to take Port Moresby in New Guinea, thereby cutting sea and air routes from the United States to Australia and New Zealand. Although the U.S. Navy lost more ships than the Japanese, the battle was an American strategic victory, because both sides had to withdraw. Battle of Midway (June 2-6, 1942) The turning point of the Pacific naval war, Midway pitted a superior Japanese force against the American advantage of surprise gained through Navy intelligence successes in deciphering Japanese code. The Japanese planned to disable the American fleet and establish a base on Midway that would threaten Hawaii. By sinking Japan's carriers, which were the most important striking element of the Japanese fleet, carrier-based American planes forced a Japanese retreat. Battle of the Philippine Sea (June 19-20, 1944) Forces involved in the Battle of the Philippine Sea were three to four times the number engaged at Midway. Eight hours of action in the air demonstrated the skill and courage of American carrier-based pilots. The heart of the battle was "The Great Marianas Turkey Shoot," in which 370 Japanese planes went down. Japanese losses, including aircraft destroyed on the ground, numbered over 400 planes; U.S. losses amounted to 26 planes. The U.S. victory was so decisive that the Japanese never again took the offensive in the air, except through kamikaze, or suicide, missions. Battle for Leyte Gulf (Oct. 23-26, 1944) This battle actually included for decisive naval actions: that of the Sibuyan Sea, Oct. 24; the Battle of Surigao Strait, Oct. 24-25; the Battle off Samar, Oct. 25; and the Battle off Cape Engano, Oct. 25-26. Of particular note: at Surigao Strait, U.S. ships, in a faultless display of a classic battle line tactic, "crossed the T" of the approaching enemy column. Only one Japanese destroyer and one damaged cruiser escaped the blazing guns of West Virginia, Tennessee and California, backed by Maryland, Pennsylvania and Mississippi (the latter the only battleship of the six not a Pearl Harbor veteran). Surigao Strait was the last battle in which the line-of-battle tactics that had marked three centuries of naval warfare were used. MAJOR COMBAT VESSELS Aircraft carriers In World War II, the fleet aircraft carrier became the task forcežs principal offensive weapon. Carriers are ocean-going air bases with the job of controlling the airspace in an assigned area through the aircraft they carry: fighters, bombers and reconnaissance planes. In World War II there were fleet, escort and light carriers. They were used to attack enemy shore bases, ships and aircraft; to protect convoys; and to provide air support for amphibious landings. Fleet and light carriers were named after famous Navy ships that were no longer on the Navy List, and after famous battles; escort carriers were named for bays or sounds, and for battles. Battleships Until World War II when air power became the decisive weapon, battleships, outgunning and outmaneuvering their ocean-going enemies, were queen of the ocean. Although their job changed to that of naval bombardment and protection of the fleet against air and surface attack, their importance to the success of the naval task force did not diminish. Battleships were named for states. Cruisers Cruisers conducted raids, protected other members of the task force from enemy ships and supported troop landings with naval gunfire and bombardment. There were two types: heavy and light; the difference between them was in strength of armor and caliber of weapons. Cruisers were named for territories, islands, cities and towns. Destroyers Destroyers and destroyer escorts were used primarily to protect merchant convoys and Navy task forces, conduct anti-submarine and anti-aircraft operations, and bombard shore bases. Small, highly maneuverable and lightly armored (thus the nickname "tin can"), these ships were perhaps the most versatile in the Navyžs surface arsenal. Destroyers and destroyer escorts were named for deceased Navy and Marine Corps personnel, or distinguished civilians. Submarines Submarines, prowling the ocean depths alone or in small numbers, hunted and sank enemy shipping. Reconnaissance, search and rescue for downed aviators, and special missions such as landing and removing small numbers of troops were also jobs of "the silent service." Subs, properly referred to as "boats" rather than "ships," were named for fish and sea creatures. Minelayers These ships placed mines designed to damage or destroy enemy ships in rivers, harbors, channels and other shallow waters. They also provided escort and screening for the task force. Minelayers were named for old Navy warships, distinguished people, counties or desirable characteristics. Minesweepers Minesweepers detected and destroyed mines that the enemy placed in waters where U.S. ships had to operate. They were especially important in the shallow waters where amphibious landings were conducted. Minesweepers were named for birds or for desirable characteristics. Patrol torpedo boats These fast, maneuverable small boats operated in coastal waters as raiders, attacking enemy craft and ships; rescued or evacuated personnel (it was a PT boat that evacuated General Douglas MacArthur from Corregidor in the Philippines); and landed small numbers of troops for special operations. Navy PT boats were assigned numbers rather than names. Auxiliary ships Ships in this category included noncombatant vessels with specialized fleet support missions. Examples are oilers; gasoline tankers; salvage vessels; repair ships; hospital ships; and submarine, destroyer and seaplane tenders. NAVAL AVIATION In partnership with the aircraft carrier, World War II naval aviation changed the way ocean war had been fought for the previous 300 years. Aircraft design improvements, rapid and sustained aircraft production, the development of radar, and the increasing standards of pilot training quickly made U.S. pilots predominant in the Pacific, where the great naval battles were fought. In the Atlantic theater, Navy pilots protected convoys and flew anti-submarine and coastal patrol missions. The Navy and Marine Corps had their own aircraft, apart from the Army Air Corps, because of special operational requirements. For example, the wings of Navy planes had to fold to allow for storage aboard aircraft carriers, and landing gear needed increased strength to withstand arrested landings. The Navyžs air assets increased elevenfold between July 1, 1941, and June 30, 1945, from 3,406 serviceable aircraft to 40,417. Aviation personnel strength rose from 10,923 at the beginning of the war to 437,524 at its end. Navy Aircraft Types F6F Hellcat single-engine fighter F4F Wildcat single-engine fighter F4U Corsair single-engine fighter F7F Tigercat two-engine fighter SB2C Helldiver single-engine scout bomber SBD Dauntless single-engine scout bomber TBF Avenger single-engine torpedo bomber SC Seahawk single-engine observation scout SOC Seagull single-engine observation scout OS2U Kingfisher single-engine observation scout OY Sentinel single-engine observation scout PB4Y-2 Privateer four-engine, land-based patrol bomber PB4Y-1 Liberator four-engine, land-based patrol bomber PV-2 Harpoon two-engine, land-based patrol bomber PV-1 Ventura two-engine, land-based patrol bomber PBJ-1J Mitchell two-engine, land-based patrol bomber PB2Y-5 Coronado four-engine bomber (seaplane) PBY Catalina two-engine patrol bomber (seaplane) PBN Nomad two-engine patrol bomber (seaplane) PBM Mariner two-engine patrol bomber (seaplane) R5D-4 Skymaster four-engine, land-based transport RY-3 Liberator four-engine, land-based transport R4D Skytrain two-engine, land-based transport R5O Lodestar two-engine, land-based transport R5C Commando two-engine, land-based transport JRM Mars four-engine transport (seaplane) JRF Goose two-engine utility J4F Widgeon two-engine utility JM Marauder two-engine utility JRB Expeditor two-engine utility JRC Bobcat two-engine utility J2F Duck single-engine utility GB Traveler single-engine utility GH Nightingale single-engine utility AE Grasshopper single-engine utility PERSONNEL STRENGTH July 1, 1940: 13,604 officers; 144,824 enlisted; 2,569 officer candidates; 160,997 total. Dec. 31, 1941: 39,424 officers; 332,274 enlisted; 11,452 officer candidates; 383,150 total. Dec. 31, 1942: 120,945 officers; 1,102,218 enlisted; 36,004 officer candidates; 1,259,167 total. Dec. 31, 1943: 226,301 officers; 2,034,343 enlisted; 120,472 officer candidates; 2,381,116 total. Dec. 31, 1944: 308,994 officers; 2,808,134 enlisted; 84,627 officer candidates; 3,201,755 total. Aug. 31, 1945: 336,042 officers; 3,009,353 enlisted; 62,925 officer candidates; 3,408,320 total. Minority Service in the Navy World War II brought marked changes not only in the numbers of Navy personnel on active duty, but in the sex and race of the individuals accepted for service. These changes reflected the social changes occurring on the home front. Both in the Navy and in U.S. society as a whole, the broadening of opportunities for women and blacks was driven by the countryžs urgent need for fighting forces. As the chart above shows, the number of active duty personnel increased dramatically from a pre-war 160,997 to 3,408,320 at the end of August 1945, just before the Japanese surrender. No women other than those in the Navy Nurse Corps served in World War II before 1942. On July 30, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Navy Womenžs Reserve Act into law. The act created the WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service). By the waržs end, women filled 18 percent of shore duty billets in the continental United States. Over the course of the war, their service released an estimated 50,500 men for duty overseas and afloat. When the war began, the Navy accepted black men in only one rating, that of messman. On April 7, 1942, Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox announced that black volunteers would be accepted for general service. The Navy, in segregated training facilities, prepared new black recruits for such jobs as machinist, metalsmith, electrician, carpenter, gunner, radioman, and more, opening the way to opportunities in naval service that had been closed for most of U.S. history. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Navy & Marine Corps World War II Commemorative Committee Navy Office of Information (CHINFO) The Pentagon, Room 2E352 Washington, DC 20350-1200 -----------------------------------------------------------------