Bad torpedoes doesn’t cover it. Criminally bad is closer

Part of the reason Taiho blew up and sank was that the hit cracked an AVIATION fuel line which leaked into the machinery gallery space for the forward elevator, making a pool several feet deep.  They started to pump the fuel overboard (the pumps were not rated for fuel/oil and over-heated forcing the Japanese to leave a pool 12 inches deep in the elevator cellar), in order to disperse the noxious fuel vapors the ventilation was switched on.

“The gargoyle” lol

Wonderful Piece. I especially love the detail on the Admirals. Also is wasn't so much that the Light Carrier class was retired in the Cold War. The 9 US Light Carriers were never meant to be a long term solution. Much like the Japanese Conversions they were built on already in the pipeline Cruiser hulls to save time and resources due to the long build time for Essex's. The Indecencies were all scrapped. (they honestly had lousy seakeeping properties) But many other Light Carriers evolved to form the backbone of the new concept of Helicopter Carriers or Amphibious Assault ships in the 1950's. The British Light Carriers saw conversion to this role.

thank you for posting.....................

Excellent. Simply excellent.

18:00 not a Jill but a Myrt.

Hindsight is 20-20. Spruance primary orders were to protect the invasion Saipan invasion forces period.  Could you imagine how he would have been vilified and raked over the coals if he allowed the likes of Jocko Smith and Mark Mitchner to go freewheeling off chasing portions of the Japanese fleet while Ozawa snuck a southern strike force into the invasion area.  Admiral Halsey nearly got the U.S. Philippines Islands invasion fleet whipsawed by running off glory seeking the same way Smith and Mitchner wanted, but weren’t allowed to do.

I got this book a couple of years ago. It was used and to my delight it was an original print and a pilot from the 'Hell's Kittens' squadron actually signed it. They were an F6F squadron that took part in this. This battle contained so much drama it deserves a movie; flying late in the day at extreme range and having to fly back in pitch black darkness over an empty ocean with everyone constantly looking at fuel gauges. The insanity of desperate pilots trying to force a landing while running on fumes was only capped by a lost Japanese pilot that actually tried landing on a US carrier.

great work m8

Excellent! Thanks!!

no more forgotten battles left after this compendium.

nice homemade documentary ! good job ;-)

Your posts give the best commentary I've ever heard. They always include the personal side of both commanders and soldiers which is more heartening than those who just give cold statistics that are never remembered without repetition. Happy New Year, 2022!

My dad was a Radioman and Gunner in a SBD.  He served from September of 1943 to September of 1945.  In Jacksonville FL in 1944 he was in a Training Exercise and after they made a Bomb Training Run, he said the Engine Conked Out and the Pilot had to make an emergency landing.  After finding an emergency landing field upon touching down without power the plane broke into 2 pieces between he and the pilot.  Both had to be cut out of the plane.  

He was in the hospital for a few months and some Officers came to visit him and asked if he would fly again.  He told them “If I can be put into a plane with more than one engine”.

Due to his injuries, he was placed into PBYs and served the rest of his Service Time doing Patrol Duties on the East Coast of the Southern U S States.  

Hard for me to think what would have happened if he had continued his service in SBDs. Would he have seen Combat and survived the War?  Would I be here?  Thanks to all that Served past and present!!!

not bad kid. i like you. keep up the assiduos analysis...you are going places... shine on!

ALL pilots overstated enemy losses, especially of opposing planes.

One thing I would like to say: Nimitz actually backed Spruance. When Admiral John Towers demanded that Spruance be relieved of his command, Nimitz refused. Halsey's aggression in the Philippines on the other hand, was heavily criticized by Nimitz.

A further point- while Mitscher's original plan called for a night engagement Adm Willis Lee who commanded the battle fleet recommended against it because the battleships had not enough practice, And while turning on the lights was commendable it was far less risky than when Spruance had done it at Midway (for some reason it is still maintained that Spruance hated pilots).

The Japanese seemed undisciplined.