NOTES
USSBS: U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey (Pacific).
PART I 9 “Try to avoid shooting down our fighters.” W. D. Dickson, Battle of the Philippine Sea, 116.
18 “I believe ...” Thomas B. Buell, The Quiet Warrior, 268.
19 “had his own convictions . . .” Steve Ewing, Thach Weave, 168.
19 “You can train . . .” Theodore Taylor, The Magnificent Mitscher, 242.
21 “they came out of the blue . . . tail gunner in a TBF . . .” E. B. Potter, Admiral Arleigh Burke, 110.
21 “It’s a job . . .” Taylor, 194.
24 “You came up . . .” Kenneth M. Glass and Harold L. Buell, The Hornets and Their Heroic Men, 19.
25 “I have orders . . .” Potter, 139.
27 “Ozawa was probably . . .” Toshiyuki Yokoi, Ukiyo: Stories of the “Floating World” of Postwar Japan, 9.
31 Japan’s thirty-five hundred naval aviators: Mark Peattie, Sunburst, 166.
31 Imperial Navy losses April 43-February 44: Paul S. Dull, Battle History of the Imperial Japanese Navy, 312.
32 “key to the situation ...” Samuel Eliot Morison, History of United States Naval Operations in World War II, 5.
35 Tojo’s “feverish” attitude: Masatake Okumiya, Zero, 316.
36 Operation Z orders: Morison, 12.
36 Fukodome capture: John Toland, The Rising Sun, 605.
37 Toyoda’s personality: Ibid., 605.
38 “Realizing the gravity . . .” USSBS, 233.
39 Tarakan crude oil: Dull, 315.
41 Ozawa’s units “expendable”: William T. Y’Blood, Red Sun Setting, 25.
42 Plague vials embarked for Saipan: Tom Mangold and Jeff Goldberg, Plague Wars, 24.
43 “There’ll always . . .” Morison, 228.
43 Japanese submarine losses: Morison, 230.
45 U.S. submarine commanders: Clay Blair, Silent Victory, Vol. 2 data.
47 U.S. submarine claims: Ibid.
48 “. . . hollering like hell . . .” Ibid., 576.
49 Hogan evaded: Ibid., 598-99.
PART II 53 “Thank God . . .” Wheatley correspondence, May 2004.
53 “It was all over . . .” Ibid.
55 “To hell with that.” Clark G. Reynolds, The Fighting Lady, 141.
55 “Cut their damned throats.” Edward P. Stafford, The Big E, 344.
58 “I had more use ...” James D. Ramage, Naval Institute oral history.
58 “It was a losing battle ...” Okumiya, 317.
60 “Heads up.” Barrett Tillman, Hellcat, 72.
61 “I knew . . .” Ibid, 73.
62 Japanese pilot losses: Ikuhiko Hata and Yasuho Izawa, Japanese Naval Aces and Fighter Units in WW II, 390.
62 “On D - 3 . . .” Enterprise action report, June 12, 1944.
63 “The Japs had . . .” Reynolds, Fighting Lady, 142.
65 Clark’s long-range strike: Ibid., 143.
67 “. . . getting damn disgusted . . .” Y’Blood, 54.
69 Preinvasion ammunition expenditure: Morison, 347.
69 Over 40 percent: Ibid., 343.
69 “There was nothing . . .” Morison, Vol. VII, 103.
70 “. . . a very difficult . . .” Reynolds, Fast Carriers, 177.
72 “We all know ...” Thomas Wildenberg, Gray Steel and Black Oil, 182-83.
75 “If you do not join me ...” Reynolds, Fast Carriers, 178.
75 “Get the shootin’ irons ...” Reynolds, Fighting Lady, 143.
77 “When you brag ...” Captain Clayton Fisher, USN (ret), e-mail, May 2004.
77 “Welcome, Air Group Nineteen ...” Commander W. E. Copeland, USN (ret), c. 1995.
77 “The Jap fleet ...” Commander Alex Vraciu, USN (ret), c. 1990.
78 “... part Cherokee ...” Morison, 239.
79 June 15 Japanese losses: Hata and Izawa, 188, 190.
79 “. . . all the mistakes . . .” Reynolds, Fighting Lady, 145.
80 “. . . erratic and disorganized . . .” VF-2 action report, June 15, 1944.
80 “I’m a fighter pilot . . .” Captain George C. Duncan, USN (ret), c. 1990.
81 Harrill’s distress: Reynolds, Fast Carriers, 178.
82 “I would have had . . .” Vice Admiral E. P. Aurand, USN (ret), “Quonset Point to Combat: The Hard Way.” The Hook, Summer 1989, 20.
82 “. . . convoy and task force . . .” USSBS, 254-55.
84 “. . . plenty of battleships . . .” Blair, 624.
88 Major action annex: Buell, 264.
88 “Our air . . .” Ibid., 264.
89 “The . . . list . . .” Y’Blood, 75.
90 “. . . listed heavily . . .” USSBS, 255.
90 “... a faint, fading pip . . .” Captain Ernest Zellmer, USN (ret), e-mail, August 2004.
92 “. . . 660 miles west . . .” Taylor, 218.
92 “Do not, repeat not . . .” Taylor, ibid.
93 “. . . which apparently is Sunday . . .” Busch, op. cit.
94 “Suddenly there was a Jake . . .” Tillman, TBF-TBM Avenger at War, 115-16.
97 “. . . ‘regular’ Saratoga-class . . .” Y’Blood, 84.
99 “I will pound . . .” Gluck, 9.
99 “We had never assembled . . .” Okumiya, 318-19.
99 “In only . . .” Okumiya, 322.
100 “We were completely undetected . . .” Gluck, 9.
100 “Their attitude . . .” Buell, 267.
100 “The way Togo waited . . .” Ibid, 268.
100 “We knew . . .” Potter, 151.
PART III 108 End run: Y’Blood, 93.
108 Gardner’s cap: Stafford, 361.
109 Carriers sunk by U.S. subs: Nautilus was erroneously credited with a share of Soryu at Midway. Sailfish sank CVE Chuyo in December 1943.
111 “Airborne radar . . .” Peattie, 341.
111-12 Japanese naval aviators: Osamu Tagaya, Imperial Japanese Naval Aviator, 27.
112 Flight class attrition: analysis of Hata and Izawa, 419-23.
113 “This unbelievable situation . . .” Zenji Abe correspondence, July 1993.
113 “. . . to my amazement . . .” Gluck, 10.
113 “The degree of training . . .” USSBS, 264.
114 “. . . totally unusable . . .” Ibid.
115 Fujita comments: Hunters in the Sky, video, 1992.
115 Voris comments: Ibid.
116 “The Marianas defense . . .” Okumiya, 315-16.
118 Ishin denshin: Peattie, 137.
118 Evidence indicates: W. D. Dickson, e-mail, June 2004.
118-19 Land-based air: Morison, 261.
121 “The American tactics . . .” Tsunoda, Hunters in the Sky.
121 “I respected the Japanese . . .” McCuskey, ibid.
122 Service to service: Author study based on Olynyk sources for World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.
123 “I can’t take this . . .” Vraciu, c. 1980.
123 “I grabbed ...” Captain David McCampbell, USN (ret), interview, June 1991.
123 Task Force 58 radios: Morison, 261.
126 “One of the things . . .” Richard Morland, correspondence, August 13, 1993.
128 Assistant FDO: USS Lexington roster, June 1, 1944, supplied by Alex Vraciu.
130-31 Search aircraft losses: Morison, 265, and Olynyk, 55-56. Morison says that Langley searchers accounted for most of the enemy scouts, but Air Group 32 claimed only three kills during the day.
132-34 Carrier dimensions: Roger Chesneau, Aircraft Carriers of the World, 157, 198.
137 Ebata’s vow: Dickson, 151, places Ebata aboard Taiho but he was Air Group 653’s fighter-bomber leader on Chiyoda.
138 “Hey, rube!” Tillman, Hellcat, 78.
139 “Back in time . . .” Otis Kight, e-mail, June 2004.
141 TF-58 bomber sorties: Analysis of Pacific Air Operations, June 1944. ComAirPac, September 20, 1944.
142 “The day was so clear . . .” Morland, op. cit.
144 “We had shoe clerks . . .” Ralph Clark interview, 1978.
148 “I remember . . .” Vice Admiral Frederick A. Bardshar, USN (ret), correspondence, March 1977.
149 “Air and communication . . .” Ibid.
151 “. . . an attractive, lethal target . . .” Captain Donald Gordon, USN (ret), ms., 1991.
151 South Dakota casualties: Morison, 269, reverses the figures, but the ship’s roster lists twenty-three KIA this date. Y’Blood, 112, cites 27 and 24.
151 “. . . my most memorable scene . . .” Gordon, op. cit.
153 “. . . definitely scored hits . . .” U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey, 244.
153 7 I, 15 Ri, and 3 Ri contacts: Morison, 271-72, and Dickson, 111. The 7 I contact obviously matched the northerly U.S. groups, but still contained an error. At the time of the report, Mitscher’s flagship was a good fifty miles to the southeast, placing Harrill’s 58.4 about thirty-five miles southeast of the reported position.
Though Morison and Dickson attribute the 15 Ri contact southwest of Guam to uncorrected magnetic variation, in 1944 Guam’s variation was barely one degree east. Some commentators speculate that the Japanese aircrews lacked navigation experience, but a 120-mile error strains credulity. The Nakajima B6N2-R was the number fifteen scout in the number fifteen sector and clearly went where assigned. It is far more likely that the scouts observed American ships and saw what they expected: carriers where there were none.
Unaccountably, Morison describes 3 Ri as “correct” when it was forty-five miles farther north than 7 I.
157 “The battle . . .” Dickson, 129.
157 Blanchard’s commendation: Blair, 628.
157 “There was the rising sun . . .” Morison, 281.
158 “On the last observation . . .” Zellmer, e-mail, August 2004.
159 Zellmer counted fifty-six depth charges: Ibid.
160 “It was necessary . . .” Zellmer, e-mail, August 2004.
161 “For the next . . .” Ibid.
163 “I practiced . . .” McCampbell interview, June 1991.
164 Birkholm narrative: Air Group 16 ACA, June 19, 1944.
164-65 Vraciu narrative: Alexander Vraciu, “Battle Off Saipan.” The Hook, Summer 1994; correspondence, September 2004.
165 “That was my payback . . .” Vraciu correspondence, September 2004.
166-67 Rehm narrative: Daniel Rehm correspondence, July 2003.
167 “. . . fighting off numerous attacks . . .” Morison, 270.
169 “That this should come to pass . . .” Glass, 17.
170 Wasp account: VF-14 history, 1944.
170 Two of the six: Dickson, 121.
171 “Torpedo planes (bearing) 270 . . .” Ibid., 121-22.
171 “Look out for torpedoes . . .” TG-58.3 radio log: Ibid., 122.
171 “. . . disregarding the Princeton . . .” Enterprise AA action report, June 19, 1944.
172 “. . . put the kill . . .” Ibid.
173-74 Raid II losses: USSBS, 245-53.
176 “The big-deck squadrons . . .” Commander Richard H. May, USN (ret), c. 1990.
176 Japanese lost seven versus fifteen. The history of Air Group 652 is specific: Losses were two fighters, four fighter-bombers, and one torpedo plane. Hata and Izawa, 81.
177 CarDiv Three’s canceled launch: The composition of this portion of Raid III is usually cited as sixteen Zekes. Hata and Izawa, 84.
178 “. . . as if I were flying . . .” Abe correspondence, op. cit.
178 “I really wondered . . .” Ibid.
178 “Every Navy pilot . . .” Ibid.
179 “Sir! Big enemy formation,” Ibid.
180 “That was dreadful . . .” Ibid.
181 “. . . a wild ride . . .” Y’Blood, 134.
181 Wasp casualties: Ibid., 133.
181 “I never saw so many Grummans!” Abe interview, 1994.
182
Taiho casualties:
www.combinedfleet.com/taiho.html; Morison, 282. The usual figure for
Taiho’s personnel loss is 1,650, cited by Minoru Genda to the distinguished naval historian Norman Polmar. But the authoritative compilations at
Combinedfleet.com cite specific sources as 660. The fact that
Taiho sank slowly, on an even keel, may offer support for the lower figure.
183 “Forty enemy planes . . .” Morison, 273.
184 “It was so perfect . . .” VF-15 action report, June 19, 1944.
184 “. . . a wild character . . .” Hata and Izawa, 265.
185 “Any American fighter pilot . . .” Webb interview, 1994.
185 “We spent . . .” Captain Russell L. Reiserer, USN (ret), e-mail, September 2004.
185 “. . . it wasn’t as crowded . . .” Ibid.
185 “. . . a large number . . .” VF-2/VFN-76 action report, June 19, 1944.
186 “Spider and I . . .” Reiserer, op. cit.
186 “. . . for bringing back . . .” Ibid.
187 “They got one of our guys!” Peter Mersky, Grim Reapers, 112-13. 187 Ozaki’s fate: Shores, Duel for the Sky, 202.
189 “. . . and be extra cautious . . .” McCampbell correspondence, 1978.
189 “No indeed!” Morison, 274. It has been theorized that the strike coordinator was Lieutenant Commander Akira Tarui, CarDiv One’s torpedo unit commander. But he was killed early in the action and in any case could not have remained airborne throughout the day. Mitscher’s eaves-droppers apparently mistook two or more commanders for one.
191 “. . . ten feet off the water . . .” VF-16 action report, June 19, 1944.
194 “Desire to attack . . .” Taylor, 229.
195 “I was snatched . . .” Abe, op. cit.
195 “They never stood a chance . . .” Okumiya, 318.
195 Japanese fighter losses and claims: Hata and Izawa, 391-92; USSBS, 245.
195 Guam aircraft losses: Morison, 320.
195 Missing Japanese aircraft: James Sawruk, e-mail, July 2004.
197 “Tomorrow I’m going to get a haircut.” Taylor, 229.
197 “. . . mopping-up . . .” Dickson, 139.
PART IV 201 Tokyo’s claims: Morison, 287.
202 “. . . drinking coffee . . .” VF-16 action report, June 20, 1944.
202 “I am certain . . .” Edwin P. Hoyt, McCampbell’s Heroes, 80.
204 “. . . as soon as possible . . .” Dickson, 140.
204 “Desire to push . . .” Ibid.
204 “. . . damaged Zuikaku . . .” Potter, 163.
205 “Chances are . . .” Taylor, 230.
206 “Would like to . . .” Dickson, 145.
206 “Indication that . . .” Ibid.
207 “Enemy fleet sighted . . .” Stafford, 371.
207 “Many ships . . .” Ibid.
207 “My most vivid recollections . . .” Robert R. Nelson correspondence, 1993.
208 Widhelm’s bet: Potter, 165.
209 “Expect to launch . . .” Joseph Bryan, Mission Beyond Darkness, 149.
209 “We can make it . . .” Dickson, 146.
209 “We’re going to be . . .” Ramage oral history.
210 “I had four five-hundred-pound bombs . . .” Harry Lewis interview, May 2004.
211 U.S. torpedo tests: Blair, 252.
212 VT-10 results: Tillman, Avenger at War, 6.
212 “. . . a very aggressive aviator . . .” Captain Benjamin Tate, USN (ret), correspondence, May 1978.
213 “Give ’em hell . . .” Morison, 291.
216-17 “Strike groups . . . fighting Navy . . .” Ramage oral history, U.S. Naval Institute.
217 “Who wasn’t?” Ibid.
217 “. . . explode and disintegrate . . .” VF-14 history, 1944.
218 Radio calls: Ramage oral history and Dickson, 150.
219-20 Buell account: Dauntless Helldivers, 298-99.
221 “. . . a large hole . . .” Reynolds, Fighting Lady, 159.
221 “The . . . strafing planes . . .” Morison, 298.
222 “. . . bubble extinguishing equipment . . .” Dickson, 151.
223 Japanese AA results: compiled from Y’Blood, 234-35.
224 “. . . the southern Hayataka . . .” Bryan, 34.
224 “I don’t see . . .” Alex Vraciu, telecon, July 2004.
225 McClellan account: Bryan, 51-52.
231 “No guts.” Ramage oral history.
231 “It forces you . . .” Lieutenant Commander Richard H. Best, USN (ret), interview, 1993.
231 “. . . about fifteen feet . . .” Ibid.
232 “. . . slight damage . . .” USSBS, 246.
233 “Brownie, Ben . . .” Tate correspondence, May 1978.
233 “We came in . . .” Warren Omark correspondence, 1993.
234 “He held up . . .” Tate, op. cit.
234 “He acted stunned . . .” Omark, op. cit.
235 Air Group 652 losses: Hata and Izawa, 82; USN Air Operations Analysis.
235 Air Group 653 losses: Dickson, 157.
237-38 Japanese estimates of U.S. attackers: USSBS, 243.
239 Mobile Fleet claims: USSBS, ibid.
239 Japanese ships damaged: USSBS, 246.
240 Mobile Fleet aircraft on June 21: Morison, 321.
240 “After a long . . .” Tillman, Avenger at War, 116.
PART V 243 Task group flagships: Potter, 166-67.
244 Blitch account: Tillman, Helldiver Units, 37-38.
244 - 45 “Now began . . .” VF-14 history, 1944.
245 “I particularly remember . . .” Morland, op. cit.
245- 46 “. . . nothing but pitch-black . . .” Omark telecon, August 22, 2004.
246 “We may have . . .” Ibid.
246 “I’m out of gas . . .” Reynolds, Fighting Lady, 164.
247 Fanning account: Y’Blood, 179.
247 “. . . combined Hollywood premiere . . .” Aurand, op. cit.
248 “Land on any base.” Reynolds, Fighting Lady, 163.
249 “Our radar was still on . . .” Commander David Cawley, USN (ret), “Review of the Philippine Sea.” The Hook, special issue, 1990.
250 “I think we got . . .” Ramage, May 2004.
250-52 Harper narrative: Harper, Paddles, 222-25.
252 “Man your battle stations!” Ibid.
253 Ford narrative: Gerald R. Ford correspondence, November 1993.
254 Rogers narrative: “The View from TorpRon 28.” The Hook, August 1990.
255 “. . . like an airport . . .” Ewing, 118.
256 “With no power . . .” Buell, 306.
256 “Gentlemen . . .” Ibid.
256 “Everybody else ran out . . .” Stafford, 385.
256-58
Enterprise landings:
Enterprise action report,
www.cv-6.org.
257 “. . . forgave a lot . . .” Stafford, 380.
258 “There was a line . . .” Ibid., 382.
258 “We’ve got to push . . .” Bryan, 96.
258 “Fighter pilots . . .” Vraciu, telecon, June 20, 2004.
258 “It was a mess . . .” Ibid.; correspondence, September 2004.
259 “This water landing . . .” Y’Blood, 97.
259 “This is an SBD . . .” Bryan, 98.
260 “. . . a Mardi Gras . . .” Morison, 303.
260 “You know . . .” Reynolds, Fighting Lady, 165.
261 “I have been . . .” Glass, 19.
261 “They liquored him up . . .” Reynolds, Fighting Lady, 165.
263 A few diehards: Toland, 630.
263 “. . . a great sigh . . .” Gluck, 14.
264 “To an old-fashioned . . .” Ibid., 15.
264 “Some of you . . .” Glass, 19.
265 PBM loss: Morison, 242.
267 “. . . unless performing . . .” Potter, 170.
268 “It’s a beautiful day . . .” Y’Blood, 197.
268 “Our striking planes . . .” Ibid.
270 “If the tactical situation . . .” Buell, 278.
270 “. . . distances are great . . .” Robert J. Cressman, A Source of Great Satisfaction: The Rescue of American Aircrew after the Battle of the Philippine Sea. Unpublished manuscript.
270 “. . . to have a plan . . .” Ibid.
272 “Want a lift?” Bryan, 125.
272 “I am more responsible . . .” Dickson, 165.
272 “It is not possible . . .” USSBS, 244.
274 “. . . a great column . . .” Cressman, op. cit.
274 “Look at that!” Lieutenant Colonel J. D. Cooper, USMC, interview, August 2004.
274 755 Kokutai report: Tagaya, e-mail, August 2004.
275 June 23 claims and June losses: USSBS, 255.
276 “This was a source . . .” Cressman manuscript.
277 “. . . Jocko Jimas . . .” Morison, 311.
277 By one reckoning: Ibid.
280 “I flew over . . .” Henry Sakaida, Winged Samurai, 115.
281 “Cut it out . . .” Reynolds, Fighting Lady, 171.
281 “CAP is authorized . . .” Ibid.
282 Ridgway and Wilding bet: Ibid.
PART VI 286-87 IJN overall losses: Morison, 321.
286-87 IJN land-based losses: Hata and Izawa, 393, 431.
287 Evacuation by sub: Sakaida, Imperial Japanese Navy Aces, 101.
287 Combat Sutra: USSBS, 264.