US Carrier War by Kev Darling

Author:Kev Darling
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781783033393
Publisher: Pen and Sword
Published: 2013-05-28T16:00:00+00:00

Fire crews fight the flames aboard the USS Intrepid after the carrier has been hit by a kamikaze. Once the fire had been dealt with the carrier was quickly made ready for operations again.

(US Navy/NARA via Dennis R. Jenkins)

On 11 April sixty-four kamikazes were dispatched to attack TF.58, and the carrier Enterprise, the battleship Missouri and two destroyers were hit. The following day a further 140 kamikazes were launched as Operation Kikusi 2. Flying with the attackers was a strong fighter escort, the kamikazes gaining their first success against three destroyers, which were sunk. Damage was caused to the Essex and the battleships Tennessee and Idaho, while another twenty-two smaller vessels were also damaged, although many of the attackers were shot down by the defending fighters. Two days later another kamikaze attack damaged the battleship New York and four smaller vessels. TF.58 and its four carrier groups continued their operations around Okinawa during 15 and 16 April. These missions involved fighter sweeps over Kyushu, followed by bombing raids on the same area. Over the next ten days the carrier groups continued a rolling assault on the island, with a minimum of two groups being in operation at any one time. These rolling sorties were disrupted on 16 April when the Japanese launched Operation Kikusi 3 with 126 aircraft, followed by a further forty-nine; they hit the carrier USS Intrepid, the battleship USS Missouri and a destroyer. The Intrepid suffered severe fire damage to the hangar deck and the flight deck, which saw the carrier withdrawn from the battle for major repair work. With the Intrepid withdrawn, the remaining carriers were redistributed, and so TG.58.2 was disbanded, leaving TG.58.1, 58.3 and 58.4.

While much of TF.58 was concentrating on Okinawa, an amphibious group commanded by Rear Admiral Reifsnider would land the 77th Infantry Division on the small island of Ie Shima. Although the defenders resisted strongly, they were defeated, and so the 77th was quickly redeployed to Okinawa. While the 77th waited its chance, the TF.58 carrier groups would undertake attacks on the Japanese Divisions defending the Shuri defensive line on Okinawa. Over the period 18/19 April, over 650 missions were flown against these positions. Assisting in the breaking of this line were the battleships Texas, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico and New York, which laid down an intensive barrage, assisted by six cruisers and eight destroyers. By 23 April the Japanese had pulled back from this first line of defence after suffering heavy losses. Assisting the main fleet in destroying the Japanese strongholds was TG.52.1, which included the escort carriers Suwanee, Sangamon, Chenango and Santee, whose assigned task was to attack the Ryuku Islands and northern Formosa, after which they would switch their attention to the Olin, Diato and Shima Island group to the east of Okinawa.

With TG.58.2 no longer in action, only TG.58.3 and 58.4 continued their rolling attacks over Okinawa, relieving each other for refuelling. As for TG.58.1, it had returned to Ulithi for a period of rest and recuperation, arriving there on 28 April and remaining until 8 May.

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