Off the Coast of Guam
Text: Jan Bobek
Illustration: Piotr Forkasiewicz
Cat. No. 82216
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.