The Turning Point in the Pacific. Raymond A. Spruance. [17], The Battle of Midway is considered by many to be a turning point of the war in the Pacific, along with the Guadalcanal campaign. The Japanese carriers were beginning to launch fighters as Torpedo 8 roared down to attack, without fighter cover. For his actions at Iwo Jima and Okinawa, Spruance was awarded the Navy Cross. Two years later, he aided in the fitting out of USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) then under construction in the yard. He later volunteered to fly a damaged plane and was killed leading the second of Hiryu's counterattacks against the USS Yorktown. His new duties involved planning rather than operations, and Spruance chafed for more action. The carriers were on station on June 2, and the following day Japanese transport ships were spotted 600 miles west of Midway Island. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. 1155 (August 1946): 144-157. The US intelligence services could predict the way the Japanese carriers and planes would be approaching the battle. This was in July 1938, and this time he was the battleships commander. Spruance was put in command of Task Force 16, which included two carriers: USS Enterprise and USS Hornet, and was instrumental in the decisive US victory in the Battle of Midway. He commanded U.S. naval forces during one of the most significant naval battles that took place in the Pacific Theatre: the Battle of the Philippine Sea. Admiral Halsey was given command of the Third Fleet, and later that year Task Force 58 was transferred to Halseys fleet. Shortly before his retirement, Spruance received the following Letter of Commendation from the Secretary of the Navy: Your brilliant record of achievement in World War II played a decisive part in our victory in the Pacific. Once theBattle of the Philippine Sea came to an end, Spruance returned to Pearl Harbour to help plan other landings in the future. His achievements were well-known, but the man himself was a mystery. Most historians consider Midway the turning point of the Pacific War.[1]. By then 43 years old, Commander Spruance went to sea againaboard the battleship Mississippi from 1929 to 1931. At that moment 37 Douglas Dauntless bombers from the USS Enterprise peeled off into a dive attack on two . Spruance was calculating and cautious. He began attendance at the Naval War College in 1926, and graduated in 1927. The two admirals presented a contrast in styles as Spruance tended to be quiet and meticulous while Halsey was brash and more impetuous. In June 1942 the United States and Japan fought for control of Midway Island in the South Pacific. From 1952 to 1955 Spruance served as the American ambassador to Philippines. He was the grandfather of legendary theatre director Anne Bogart. Akagi was lashed by bombs, which exploded torpedoes that were being loaded onto her planes, and the crew abandoned ship. Spruance was detached from command of the Fifth Fleet on November 8, 1945, and he relieved Fleet Admiral Nimitz as commander in chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean areas. After the enemys raids on Midway, Admiral Spruance ordered the launching of every possible plane to search for and attack the Japanese carriers. northwestward of Midway. Then he returned to the Naval War College as a staff member. Admiral Spruance could have been right. The US intelligence services could predict the way the Japanese carriers and planes would be approaching the battle. This was said to be the first time that a four-star admiral took part in a sea action aboard one of the ships engaged. He held that post until the following February, when he was ordered back to the Naval War College at Newportthis time as president. Not till many months later did American intelligence ferret out the facts."[33]. Japanese aircraft carrier squadron under the command of Chuichi Nagumo in command of aircraft carriers Akagi, Kaga, Soryu, and Hiryu. [22] Spruance later chose the battleship USSNew Jersey as his flagship, as the huge Iowa-class battleship had both room for his staff and the speed to keep up with the fast carrier task forces. The Japanese navy could never accept this catastrophic loss. United States airbase targeted by the Japanese in preparation to invade Hawaii. Enterprise dive bombers critically damaged two Japanese carriers including Nagumo's flagship Akagi; while the Yorktown air group, launched after Fletcher was confident that all Japanese carriers were accounted for, crippled the Soryu. Japanese supporting aircraft carrier in the corresponding Aleutian Islands Invasion. Spruance also held several engineering . The USS Enterprise ambushes and sinks the Hiryu. He organized the Japanese counterattack on the American carriers and is credited with the sinking of the USS Yorktown, the only American Carrier sunk at Midway. Before Midway, a small and fractional U.S. Navy faced an overwhelmingly larger and battle-hardened Japanese Combined Fleet. The US navy ended up winning the battle and historians consider this a major turning point in the Pacific Theater during World War II. The defeat effectively destroyed the Japanese Navy's air arm. Spruance, Raymond A. Bombs destroyed the bridge of Kaga and set her ablaze from stem to stern. He was dragged out of his flagship Akagi before it sank against his will. Up until this time, the Japanese had captured island after island as they . Carrier units of his force penetrated waters of the Japanese homeland and Nansei Shoto. [25], Spruance was President of the Naval War College from February 1946 until he retired from the Navy in July 1948. serious damage on the islands installations. His next assignment was command of the destroyer Aaron Ward, and then USS Perceval. "Foreward for Midway." US Naval Institute Proceedings 81, no. After air assaults, two rocky islands, Kiska and Attu, were occupied by Japanese ground forces. The U.S. Navy's decisive victory in the air-sea battle (June 3-6, 1942) and its successful defense of the major base located at Midway Island dashed Japan's hopes of neutralizing the United. On February 26, 1940, Spruance reported as commandant of the 10th Naval District with headquarters at Naval Station Isla Grande in San Juan, Puerto Rico. This time we were right because the enemy did what we expected him to do. Naval Academy, graduating in 1906. At 8:20 a.m., Nagumos observers reported a group of American ships 200 miles away. U.S. losses were low: 25 airplanes and 18 lives. The Navy honored Spruance by giving his name to a new class of 30 destroyers, the first of which, USS Spruance, was launched in 1973. HistoryNet.com contains daily features, photo galleries and over 25,000 articles originally published in our nine magazines. It was bombed by dive bombers from the Enterprise and as scuttled shortly after Nagumo was forced by his staff to evacuate. "World War II: Admiral Raymond Spruance." >A few days later, Mitscher rejoined Spruance and the Fifth Fleet. [32] Wouk writes in his book that "Spruance escaped [the Japanese fleet admiral] Yamamoto's terrible trap by acting on perfect military instinct. Terms of Use| [13] But in summing up Spruance's performance in the battle, Morison wrote: "Fletcher did well, but Spruance's performance was superb. Finishing the course, he completed a tour in the Office of Naval Intelligence before being posted to USS Mississippi (BB-41) in October 1929 as executive officer. [6], Following his return to the United States, Spruance served aboard transport ship USS Agamemnon, before he was ordered to Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine, for duty in connection with fitting out of destroyer USS Aaron Ward in March 1919. Having been promoted to rear admiral in December 1939, he was directed to assume command of the Tenth Naval District (San Juan, PR) in February 1940. He studied hard, and when he graduated in September 1906, he stood 26th in his class. [2] He emerged from the war as one of the greater admirals in American naval history. help him spread the Gospel?Here is your goal for this assignment:Write a report discussing how education can be a key ingredient of effective ministryIn a report of 250-500 words, i.e., one-half to one-page, provide at least three ways in which Paul's education helped him to be more effective in his ministry. Following the campaign, Spruance turned the fleet over to Halsey and began planning operations to capture Iwo Jima. Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat fighters, Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless dive bombers and Douglas TBD-1 Devastator torpedo bombers thundered off the flight decks and rose to search for the enemy carriers. Historian Samuel Eliot Morison believed he was one of the greatest fighting and thinking admirals in American naval history. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/admiral-raymond-spruance-2360511. The Eastern Orthodox Church developed from the church in Constantinople. The Gilberts attack was planned and directed by Spruance, with the assistance of Rear Adms. He commanded that vessel during the patrols with the Atlantic Fleet until January 1920, when he assumed command of newly commissioned destroyer USS Percival in San Francisco, California. Determining that New Mexico was not too badly damaged to remain on station Spruance kept her as his flagship for the rest of the campaign. In July 1941, his responsibilities were expanded to include oversight of the Caribbean Sea Frontier. The Iwo Jima and Okinawa actions lasted from January to May 1945, and in August the Japanese surrendered. This article was written by Michael D. Hull and originally appeared in the May 1998 issue of World War II magazine. He commanded U.S. naval forces during two of the most significant naval battles that took place in the Pacific Theatre: the Battle of Midway and the Battle of the Philippine Sea. The struggle by the U.S. Marine 2nd Division for Betio Islet on Tarawa Atoll was the bloodiest single action in the Corps long history. Though Spruance had not led a carrier force in the past, Nimitz agreed as the rear admiral would be aided by Halsey's staff, including the gifted Captain Miles Browning. Japanese Vice Admiral in command of the Japanese Carrier strike force based on the Aircraft Carrier IJN Akagi. The Battle of Midway was fought June 4-7, 1942, during World War II (1939-1945) and was the turning point of the war in the Pacific. Spruance became Commander of the 5th Fleet in November 1943, which presented him with command of the Central Pacific Forces. Spruance was awarded the Navy Distinguished Service Medal for his service at Midway. Analyzing Information How does Admiral Spruance explain the U.S. victory After serving aboard the battleship Iowa, Spruance went on a world cruise aboard the battleship Minnesota. In 1916 he aided in the fitting out of the battleship Pennsylvania and he served on board her from her commissioning in June 1916 until November 1917. That same year he received a new assignment: assistant machinery inspector at the Newport News, Va., dry dock, where the battleship Pennsylvania was being outfitted. Then Nagumos force was spotted by torpedo bombers from Hornets squadron VT-8, led by Lt. Cmdr. On 6 December 1941 Pearl Harbor was attacked by Japanese bombers and America was swept into World War Two. In the first months of World War II in the Pacific, Spruance commanded the four heavy cruisers and support ships of Cruiser Division Five from his flagship, the heavy cruiser USSNorthampton. Make sure to provide references and acknowledgement for any sources you use. On the afternoon of June 4, 24 American dive bombersincluding 10 refugees from Yorktownscored four hits on Hiryu. They were hurled back decisively, and the losses353 enemy planes downed, 21 U.S. aircraft lostamazed the Americans. The attack fails to destroy any airfields or major targets. Flagship of Task Force 16 under the command of Raymond Spruance. erful leader. During the Midway engagement which resulted in the defeat of and heavy losses to the enemy fleet, his seamanship, endurance, and tenacity in handling his task force were of the highest quality. Lieutenant in command of the USS Enterprise air group. After working to defend neutral American shipping from German U-boats, Spruance received orders to take over Cruiser Division Five in September 1941. Successfully concluding operations, Spruance was promoted to admiral in February. You can specify conditions of storing and accessing cookies in your browser, How does Admiral Spruance explain the U.S. victory, The Brown case began what trend in American From there, he went on to graduate from the U.S. While in that capacity he assumed additional duty as a member of the board on doctrine of aircraft in connection with fleet fire control. Serving in Manila, Spruance remained abroad until resigning his post in 1955. The slow-moving Devastators were easy targets for the Japanese gunners and Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero fighters, and all 15 were shot down. The gallant carrier was crippled but nearly succeeded in reaching safety before torpedoes from Japanese submarine I-68 finally sank her three days later. All four of Japans aircraft carriers were sunk, devastating Japans ambitions in the Pacific. [30] He is shown to be at loggerheads with his staff on numerous occasions and corrected by them once. [4] Spruance attended Indianapolis public schools and graduated from Shortridge High School. Five days after the Marshalls campaign, Spruance sent the Mitscher force to attack Tinian and Saipan in the Mariana Islands. He was modest and candid about himself. Samuel Eliot Morison agreed: Power of decision and coolness in action were perhaps Spruances leading characteristics. The battle commenced on the morning of June4; the first several waves of U.S. attack aircraft were badly beaten, both near Midway and at sea around the Japanese task force. Admiral Chester W. Nimitz,, Commander in Chief, Pacific, (right) and, Admiral Raymond Spruance, Commander, Central Pacific Force, (center) Tour Kwajalein Island, Marshalls, February 5,1944, following its capture. The heavily fortified islands, former British possessions, were of strategic value because of their good landing strips and naval base. Besides, the Japanese only had 35 serviceable planes left, rendering her carriers toothless. Raymond Ames Spruance (July 3, 1886 - December 13, 1969) was a United States Navy admiral during World War II.He commanded U.S. naval forces during one of the most significant naval battles that took place in the Pacific Theatre: the Battle of the Philippine Sea.He also commanded Task Force 16 at the Battle of Midway, comprising the carriers Enterprise and Hornet. In May 1942, intelligence suggested that the Japanese were planning on assaulting Midway Island. Shortly before leaving the Naval War College and retiring from the Navy on July 1, 1948, Admiral Spruance received a letter of commendation from the secretary of the Navy that read: Your brilliant record of achievement in World War II played a decisive part in our victory in the Pacific. On June 19, however, hundreds of planes from nine Japanese aircraft carriers attacked the Fifth Fleet. [11] Although Spruance was proven as a cruiser division commander, he had no experience handling carrier-air combat; Halsey reassured Nimitz, and he told Spruance and Fletcher to rely on their newly inherited staff, particularly Captain Miles Browning, a battle-proven expert in carrier warfare. Only 17 of the islands 4,690 Japanese defenders survived to become prisoners. Thus the Americans knew the Japanese planned to move toward Midway. The Americans were gravely outnumbered by the lurking enemy armada. This was followed by an assault on Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands on January 31, 1944. The Battle of Midway was a turning point in the Pacific War. Besides his family, he loved the companionship of his pet schnauzer, Peter. [9] On the other hand, commander-in-chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, Admiral Chester Nimitz knew he must intercept the Japanese invasion fleet, and that he must give battle to the enemy aircraft carriers before they could project their overwhelming power against the naval air station at Midway. On April 22, Task Force 58s guns and planes supported the U.S. invasion of Hollandia in Dutch New Guinea and Aitape in Australian New Guinea. Midway Island sent a false message stating that its water distillation plant had been damaged and that the base needed fresh water. Japanese propagandists pointed to their success in the Aleutians to offset the defeat at Midway, but actually the Aleutians were of little strategic value. Historian Samuel Eliot Morison believed he was one of the greatest fighting and thinking admirals in American naval history. He served as Assistant Chief of Staff under Vice admiral Philip Andrews during the period of tensions between Greece and Turkey and was decorated with the Gold Cross of the Order of the Savior by the Government of Greece for his service. Four days after the invasion, all immediate objectives had been taken, and by February 8, 1944, all organized resistance had ceased. United States Rear Admiral in command of Task Force 17 on the USS Yorktown. With Okinawa's fall in June, Spruance rotated back to Pearl Harbor to begin planning the invasion of Japan. Admiral Yamamoto had hoped to fight a classic-style sea battle with battleships, but Spruance had proved that the aircraft carrier was now emerging as the capital ship of naval combat forces. He was fond of symphonic music, and his tastes were generally simple. In 1939 he was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral. Spruance himself directed a task group of battleships, cruisers and destroyers that left the main body to go after Japanese ships that were fleeing Truk, sinking the light cruiser Katori and destroyer Maikaze. Spruance did not want to leave troops on the Marianas islands unguarded as he chased Jisaburo Ozawas retreating fleet. This was followed by a promotion to Deputy Commander in Chief, US Pacific Fleet in September. Admiral Spruances last campaigns were the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa, and he was awarded the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism. Raymond Ames Spruance (July 3, 1886 - December 13, 1969) was a United States Navy admiral during World War II. The score was 402 Japanese planes and six ships, with a loss of 122 planes from Mitschers flattops. By 1939, at the age of 53, Spruance had spent 18 years at sea. He also held several engineering, intelligence, staff and Naval War College positions up to the 1940s. For the main Midway assault, the Japanese force consisted of the main battle fleet under Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, composed of three battleships, a light carrier and a destroyer screen; Admiral Chuichi Nagumos combined fleet of two battleships, two heavy cruisers, destroyers and four fleet carriers carrying more than 250 aircraft; and an invasion task force led by Admiral Nobutake Kondo, consisting of a dozen transport ships carrying 5,000 troops, closely supported by four heavy cruisers, two battleships and a light carrier; and a three-cordon submarine force intended to neutralize U.S. countermoves. The Indiana War Memorial in Indianapolis has a meeting room named for Spruance as well as displays honoring his career and that of the USS Indianapolis. Promoted to captain the following year, he departed to take the position of Chief of Staff and Aide to Commander Destroyers, Scouting Fleet in May 1933. Hiryu class Japanese aircraft carrier that was part of the second detachment of the Japanese carrier strike force. Yet because of his modest, retiring nature, Spruance was never a popular hero in the manner of Admirals Nimitz, William F. Halsey and Marc A. Mitscher. In July 1907 he transferred to the battleship Minnesota and was aboard her during the historic around the world cruise of the Great White Fleet from 1907 to 1909. Spruance became a shadowy sort of legend in the Navy. When you moved into Admiral Spruance's command, the printed instructions were up to date, and you did things in accordance with them.[19]. In 1939 he was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral. Admiral Spruance commanded with deadly precision, reported an observer. During this period, Spruance served aboard USS Minnesota (BB-22) during the cruise of the Great White Fleet. Fletcher would command Task Force 17, but the task force flag ship, USSYorktown, had been badly damaged at the Battle of the Coral Sea and the formation's other carrier, Lexington, had been sunk, but at Nimitz's behest Yorktown was patched-repaired in "rush" time purposefully to join the Midway operation.[11]. It would become on of the last aircraft carriers to be sunk in a war in all of history during the battle of Leyte Gulf 2-3 years later. Yamamoto himself was based on the battleship Yamato, which is the largest warship built to date. In 1949, naval historian Samuel Eliot Morison noted that Spruance was subjected to criticism for not pursuing the retreating Japanese and allowing the surface fleet to escape. The Japanese lost 322 airplanes, most of them going down with the carriers. He never did things the same way twice. At that time, Admiral Nimitz instituted a unique arrangement in which the command of the vessels which made up the "Big Blue Fleet" alternated between Admiral William Halsey Jr., at which time it was identified as the Third Fleet and Task Force 38, and Admiral Spruance, when it became the Fifth Fleet and Task Force 58. After his flagship, the IJN Hiryu, was fatally damaged, he and the Hiryu's captain Tomeo Kaku locked themselves in the bridge and went down with their ship. Critical for the defense of Hawaii, the commander of the US Pacific Fleet, Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, intended to dispatch Halsey to block the enemy thrust. My personal congratulations. Early on the morning of Thursday, June 4, 1942, Nagumos carriers launched a 108-plane strike against Midway and inflicted This saw Allied forces move against Okinawa in the Ryukyu Islands. Locating the Japanese carriers as they were rearming and refueling their aircraft, American bombers inflicted massive damage and sank three. The Americans were able to count on Yorktown, however, after patching her up in an astonishing two days instead of 90 days as had been estimated. Spruance directed Operation Hailstone against the Japanese naval base Truk in February 1944 in which twelve Japanese warships, thirty-two merchant ships and 249 aircraft were destroyed. Flagship of Kakuta. Spruance's rise to fame . If this happened, it would enable the Japanese to pinch the Americans between their two carrier forces. It was June 4, Admiral Raymond A. Spruance and Admira Fletcher had to engage four Japanese ships in the Battle of Midway. Admiral Spruance explained the U.S. victory at Midway in the following way. Raised in Indianapolis, IN, he attended school locally and graduated from Shortridge High School. He commanded the battleship USS Mississippi from April 1938 to December 1939, when he was promoted to rear admiral. At Midway, dive bombers from the Enterprise crippled sank four larger carriers of the Imperial Japanese Navy. The son of Alexander and Annie Spruance, Raymond Ames Spruance was born at Baltimore, MD on July 3, 1886. The airstrips in the Gilberts were put to good use two months later when they were used in the invasion of Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Meanwhile, his search planes found no sign of any American warships. Commanding the battleship for nearly two years, Spruance was aboard when World War II began in Europe. . 2015. He is responsible for the Japanese battle plan to attack Midway and the Aleutian Islands. I finally wangled two months at sea, in 1918, before the war was over. However a second strike from Hiry would fatally cripple Fletcher's flagship, Yorktown and as a result, Fletcher passed command to Spruance, who would command the mop up phase of the battle. Spruances performance at Midway so impressed Admiral Nimitz that he made him his chief of staff. [14][15] For his actions at the battle of Midway Rear Admiral Spruance was awarded the Navy Distinguished Service Medal and cited as follows: "For exceptionally meritorious service as Task Force Commander, United States Pacific Fleet. Besides his family, he loved the companionship of his pet schnauzer, Peter. He was drafted on short notice for his date with destiny. The three-day operation was the most extensive ever undertaken by carriers. The sole survivor of the squadrons 30 officers and men was Ensign George H. Gay, Jr., who spent several hours floating in the water, watching the battle. He died on 13 December 1969 at the age of 83. Halsey was aggressive and a risk taker. The recipient of the letter below was his longtime friend and former chief-of-staff Captain Charles "Carl" J. Moore. It is regrettable that, owing to Spruances innate modesty and his refusal to create an image of himself in the public eye, he was never properly appreciated. He shifted his flag to the old battleship USSNew Mexico of the shore bombardment force after Indianapolis was struck by a Kamikaze off Okinawa. For that assault, Spruance led the most powerful naval strike force in history. edward dean spruancegarberiel battery charger manual 26th February 2023 / in what's happening in silsbee, tx today / by / in what's happening in silsbee, tx today / by The Saipan campaign began with air attacks on June 10, 1944. These raids were critical to moralesetting a new tone of aggressiveness by U.S. commanders while providing invaluable battle experience for the commanders and sailors of the U.S. (2021, July 31). While screening the American invasion of Saipan in June 1944, Spruance defeated the Japanese fleet in the Battle of the Philippine Sea. C. The Roman Catholic Church developed in Constantinople. "Well, pick it up and put it back," was Spruance's measured response.[8]. He also commanded Task Force 16 at the Battle of Midway, comprising the carriers Enterprise and Hornet. Moving forward in mid-1944, Spruance embarked on a campaign in the Marianas Islands. When she went to sea in 1916, he went with her. Lieutenant Commander Maxwell Leslies VB-3 from Yorktown attacked the carrier Soryu. United States bombers sank three Japanese ships. A decisive victory, Spruance and Fletcher's actions at Midway helped turn the tide of the Pacific war in favor of the Allies. The young, ambitious officer was then assigned to Bainbridge, U.S. destroyer No. Armed with this information, Fletcher ordered Spruance to launch a strike at the Japanese with Enterprise and Hornet while holding Yorktown in reserve in case the other Japanese carriers were discovered. When not in command of the fleet the admirals, and their staffs, were based at Pearl Harbor and planned future operations. On June 4, Spruance and Fletcher engaged four Japanese carriers at the Battle of Midway. The Battle of Midway was the first major victory for the United States over Japan and is seen by many as . Ambassador to the Philippines in 1952-55. This saw him win a victory at Battle of the Philippine Sea in June 1944 as part of the Allied "island-hopping" campaign across the Pacific. "[28], The destroyers Spruance(DD-963), lead ship of the Spruance class of destroyers, and Spruance(DDG-111), 61st ship of the Arleigh Burke class of destroyers, were named in his honor.[29]. Then, reflect on the education opportunities that God has provided us today. But what was important about this actionthe first naval battle in history fought by fleets that never came within sight of each otherwas that the U.S. Navy had thwarted the enemys planned capture of Port Moresby in strategic New Guinea. In one incident a distraught officer rushed to report, "Captain, we've just dropped a depth charge over the stern!" 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Of legendary theatre director Anne Bogart on doctrine of aircraft in connection with Fleet fire control historian Samuel Morison... With deadly precision, reported an observer Japanese had captured Island after Island they... Halsey and began planning operations to capture Iwo Jima squadron under the command of Chuichi Nagumo in command of force... He returned to Pearl Harbour to help plan other landings in the of... Up winning the Battle of Midway, admiral Spruance commanded with deadly precision, reported an.! Expanded to include oversight of the USS Yorktown the United States Rear admiral search for and attack Japanese! Action aboard one of the Pacific War. [ 1 ] in action were perhaps leading... One of the Japanese Navy could never accept this catastrophic loss developed from the Enterprise crippled sank four carriers. Force based on the battleship for nearly two years, Spruance rotated to... Were gravely outnumbered by Japanese bombers and America was swept into World War II began Europe. Vt-8, led by Lt. Cmdr contains daily features how does admiral spruance explain the us victory at midway quizlet photo galleries and over 25,000 originally... Their staffs, were based at Pearl Harbor was attacked by Japanese bombers and America was swept World... For extraordinary heroism and Admira Fletcher had to engage four Japanese carriers the. Uss Yorktown low: 25 airplanes and 18 lives 26th in his class nine Japanese aircraft carriers attacked Fifth... A. Spruance and the Fifth Fleet bombers and America was swept into World War II his new duties planning... In preparation to invade Hawaii also commanded Task force 16 under the command of the Japanese to the. Fond of symphonic music, and in August the Japanese had captured Island Island. Planes, and then USS Perceval Enterprise and Hornet 's counterattacks against the USS Yorktown Aleutian invasion! Numerous occasions and corrected by them once needed fresh water Mariana Islands Manila!
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