Off the Coast of Guam
The Battle of the Philippine Sea, which took place on June 19-20, 1944, during the landings on Saipan in the Marianas, was the largest carrier battle in history. On the Japanese side, nine aircraft carriers participated, while the Americans fielded fifteen
#82216BOXART STORY
The Battle of the Philippine Sea, which took
place on June 19-20, 1944, during the landings
on Saipan in the Marianas, was the largest
carrier battle in history. On the Japanese side,
nine aircraft carriers participated, while the
Americans fielded fifteen.
The IJN carrier air groups underwent a major
reorganization, being divided into three Kōkūtai.
Bombers, fighters, and reconnaissance planes
aboard Taihō, Shōkaku, and Zuikaku fell under
Kōkūtai 601. From the decks of Jun’yō, Hiyō, and
Ryūjō operated Kōkūtai 652, and the aviators
of Kōkūtai 653 were assigned to the carriers
Chiyoda, Chitose, and Zuihō. Among the new
aircraft of these carrier units were fighter-
bombers, whose mission was to attack escorting
vessels, damage or sink them, and draw part of
the defensive fire. For this purpose, seven of the
above-mentioned ships had dedicated squadrons
of A6M2 Type 21 fighter-bombers.
Several newly organized naval fighter units
were also based on islands in this region. Some
were supposed to be equipped with the new
“George” and “Jack” fighters, but in the end, all
operated A6M Zero, primarily Type 52 and 21s.
Before the battle for the Marianas, the following
units were deployed in the area: Kōkūtai 261 on
Saipan and Meleyon, Kōkūtai 263 and 265 on
Guam, Kōkūtai 343 on Tinian, Kōkūtai 202 on
Moen and Truk, and Kōkūtai 253 on Eten.
In this battle, however, the Japanese lost more
than 600 aircraft and three carriers. The lack of
experience among newly trained pilots was fully
revealed. Contributing to the defeat was also
the fact that compared to engagements in 1942,
many of the Japanese ship commanders were
a decade younger, in term of service, than their
predecessors, and a large portion of them had no
experience in aviation at all.
Although the strikes by American carrier
aircraft inflicted less damage on enemy warships
than in earlier battles, U.S. submarines made up
for it by sinking two (Taihō and Shōkaku) of the
three Japanese fleet carriers, leaving Zuikaku as
the only operational large carrier of the Imperial
Navy.
On the American side, Japan’s defeat was
largely due to the radar and air operations
control system, fighter cover, and effective anti-
aircraft fire. The Japanese had anticipated some
of these defensive measures and, in at least
one instance, a Japanese crew successfully
employed aluminum foil to confuse American
radar operators.
During the two-day battle, the Americans
lost 130 aircraft and 76 pilots or crew members.
In many cases, downed airmen were rescued
near enemy bases or ships - support that the
Japanese did not have available for their crews.
Piotr Forkasiewicz’s box art depicts one such
rescue operation. On June 19, a SOC biplane from
the light cruiser USS Montpelier recovered two
aviators just a few miles off Guam’s western
coast.
The aircraft, overloaded, was taxiing on
the water when it was spotted by night fighter
Lt. Russell L. Reisener of VF(N)-76 from USS
Hornet. A daytime mission was unusual for him,
and he observed not only the American biplane
but also Japanese aircraft preparing to land at
a nearby airfield. Protection of the floatplane
was taken over by two pairs of night fighter
pilots from USS Enterprise. One pair consisted
of Corsairs, while the other was a mixed team:
LtCdr. Richard E. Harmer in a Corsair and
Lt. Henry C. Clem of VF-10 in a Hellcat. This mixed
pair located the SOC at 16:00, just as its crew was
desperately calling for help, being attacked by
a Zero.
Clem immediately attacked the Zero and
began climbing, but as he slowed during the
climb, the Japanese pilot got on his tail and
fatally hit him. The Hellcat crashed into the
sea, and Harmer pursued the Japanese pilot.
He failed to catch up but attempted a long-range
shot. Smoke streamed from the Japanese plane,
but it did not slow down. Disappointed, Harmer
broke off the pursuit and did not claim a victory.
The experienced Japanese pilot was Lt. Shinya
Ozaki, commander of the Kōkūtai 343 fighter unit.
Harmer’s fire not only hit his aircraft but mortally
wounded him as well. Ozaki died shortly after
making a forced landing. You can learn more
about this pilot in the kit’s text section.
Following this defeat, the Japanese command
sought urgently for ways to overcome the well-
developed defenses of American task forces,
which, thanks to radar integration, fighter
cover, and heavy anti-aircraft protection, were
extremely difficult to attack. Thus was born the
tactic of the Kamikaze pilots.
The American capture of Saipan also created
the conditions for establishing a base for B-29
strategic bombers, bringing Japan within range
of this new airfield.
Text: Jan Bobek
Illustration: Piotr Forkasiewicz
Off the Coast of Guam
INFO Eduard36
October 2025