SURPRISINGLY, the Battle of the Philippine Sea has been somewhat neglected in the annals of history. Certainly, it is mentioned in books on World War II, but there is no truly comprehensive account of this action—the greatest carrier duel of the war. It is hoped this book will begin to rectify this omission.
This is not a study of the battle from the lofty perch of the strategic planners. Rather, this is the story of the battle from the viewpoint of the admirals, sailors, fliers, and ship’s officers who were on the firing line, with a glance at the strategy and planning that led to this huge confrontation. It is also the story of the controversy that erupted after the battle, a controversy that still simmers today.
A work of this type is never the work of just one person; it is based on the experiences of hundreds or thousands of individuals. A look at the bibliography will show just how indebted I am to these individuals, especially to the largely unknown authors of the Action Reports and War Diaries.
In particular, however, I am indebted to the following: Dr. Dean C. Allard and his assistants, primarily Mrs. Gerri Judkins, at the Operational Archives Branch of the Naval Historical Center in Washington, for their patience and expertise in guiding me through the maze of records there; Mr. John W. Taylor at the Modern Military Records section of the National Archives; the staffs of the photographic libraries of the National Archives and the United States Naval Institute for their help in finding the photographs to go into this book; Dr. Paul S. Dull for his valuable comments on the manuscript; the Air Micronesia pilots who took the time during my visit to those islands to acquaint me with that special experience that is Micronesia; finally, but certainly not last, I would like to thank three very important people in my life—my wife, Carolyn, and my son and daughter, Kent and Laura. All three provided help, encouragement, and inspiration when I needed it.
NOTE: In this book the Japanese names are rendered in English order.