bigpigeon.us webpage WW II - Japan > Naval War with Japan, updated by RAC 17 Aug '19.
Pearl Harbor, attacked by the Japanese on December 7, 1941, was headquarters of the massive American Pacific Fleet. The much-smaller Asiatic Fleet was based at Cavite near Manila in the Philippine Islands.
Japan in 1941 was a leading naval power. The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) was well-equipped and well-trained. However, as the war progressed and Japanese losses increased, Japan's relatively-small industrial base was unable to replace losses. By the time World War II ended, the IJN lay in ruins.
Links:
Japan in 1941 was a leading naval power. The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) was well-equipped and well-trained. However, as the war progressed and Japanese losses increased, Japan's relatively-small industrial base was unable to replace losses. By the time World War II ended, the IJN lay in ruins.
Links:
- My chronological report WW II Maritime Losses - The Japanese War summarizes naval combat in the War with Japan, including a list of all major American ship losses.
The Imperial Japanese Navy suffered especially grevious losses during the following battles and campaigns:
The United States also lost heavily during the naval war with Japan. However, the massive industrial base of the United States helped the United States Navy grow dramatically during World War II despite its losses. Major losses were:
- June '42 - the Battle of Midway - major Japanese loss.
- Aug '42 - Feb '43 - Solomon Islands sea battles associated with the land battle on Guadalcanal - major losses on both sides.
- Jun '44 - Battle of the Philippine Sea - overwhelming Japanese loss.
- Oct '44 - Battle of Leyte Gulf - major Japanese loss.
The United States also lost heavily during the naval war with Japan. However, the massive industrial base of the United States helped the United States Navy grow dramatically during World War II despite its losses. Major losses were:
- Dec '41 - Surprise attack on Pearl Harbor.
- Feb-Mar '42 - Dutch East Indies sea battles resulting in destruction of much of the Allies' Asiatic fleets.
- Aug '42 - Feb '43 - Solomon Islands sea battles.
- Mar-Jun '45 - Kamikaze attacks off Okinawa.
Slide Show - Selected Maps Showing World War II Maritime Conflict in the War With Japan
Sources for the Naval War with Japan webpage
- The header image, USS Arizona - Pearl Harbor, is found at en.wikipedia.org.
- The Naval War in the Pacific map is courtesy of combinedfleet.com.
- The Naval Battles in the Solomon Sea area map is courtesy of frisian.com.
- The Iron Bound Sound map is courtesy of imhedrick.com.
- The Battle of Leyte Gulf map is found at en.wikipedia.org
- http://combinedfleet.com/battles/ - This excellent treatment summarizes in more detail the WW II naval war with Japan.
Pottawattamie County, Iowa Deaths - the Naval War with Japan (updated 17 Aug '19)
World Wars > WW II > Pott. Co. Deaths has parental and spousal information.
World Wars > WW II > Pott. Co. Deaths has parental and spousal information.
Combat Related Shipboard Losses:
USAAF deaths in support of Navy operations are found elsewhere, listed by location or battle.
- Adler, Marvin S, US Navy; destroyer USS Anderson; d. 4 Nov ’44 off Leyte Gulf, Kamikaze (ship survived).
- Beckendorf, Orville L., US Navy; destroyer USS Laffey; d. 13/14 Nov ’42, Naval Battle of Guadalcanal.
- Blizzard, Howard L., US Army; Signal Air Warning Co., Philippines; POW d. of friendly fire 9 Jan ’45 on Japanese Hell Ship Enoura Maru, Takao Harbor, Formosa.
- Booton, Charles V., US Navy; battleship USS West Virginia; d 10 Dec ‘41 from wound incurred in Pearl Harbor attack (ship raised and repaired).
- Bradley, Donald J., US Navy; Attack Transport USS McCawley; d. 30 Jun ’43 off Rendova, Solomon Islands; disabled by Japanese aircraft & scuttled.
- Christensen, Darwin A., US Navy; carrier USS Bunker HIll; d. 11 May ’45 off Okinawa, kamikaze (ship survived).
- Cody, Claude L., US Navy; cruiser USS Houston; d. 17 Oct ’44, hit by aerial torpedo (ship survived).
- Colwell, Carl L., US Navy; minesweeper YMS-19; d. 24 Sep ’44 off Anguar, Palau Islands; ship hit mine.
- Daughtrey, Gilbert P., US Navy; submarine USS Growler; d. 8 Nov ’44 off Manila Bay, Philippines; likely hit by Japanese depth charge.
- Denton, Claude B., US Navy; destroyer USS Comy; d. 27 Oct ’43 off Treasury Islands, Solomons, Japanese air attack (ship survived).
- Ellsworth, Dale F., US Navy; Liberty ship SS M. H. De Young; d. 14 Aug ’43 off Fiji, South Pacific, sunk by Japanese submarine I-19.
- Fox, Louis W. Jr., US Navy; escort carrier USS St. Lo; d. 25 Oct ’44 during Battle off Samar phase of the Battle of Leyte Gulf, kamikaze.
- Hansen, Hans Folmer Jr., US Navy; evacuation transport USS Pickney; d. 28 Apr ’45 off Okinawa, kamikaze (ship survived).
- Henderson, Harry G., US Navy; destroyer USS Halligan; d. 26 May ’45 off Tokashika Island, near Okinawa, ship hit a naval mine and was abandoned.
- Knapp, Rex J., US Navy; cruiser USS Minneapolis; d. 30 Nov ’42, Battle of Tassafaronga off Guadalcanal, torpedoed (ship survived)
- Koebel, Kenneth L., USAAF; 13th or 33rd Pursuit Sqdn.; d. 1 Mar ’42 on destroyer USS Edsall south of Java, Dutch East Indies.
- Lueth, Walter A., Avoca, IA, US Navy; cruiser USS Juneau; d. 13 Nov ’42, Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-26.
- McKeeman, Burt E., US Navy; battleship USS Oklahoma; d. 7 Dec ’41 from Pearl Harbor attack.
- Nelson, Herbert S., US Navy; escort carrier USS Liscombe Bay, d. 24 Nov ’43 off Tarawa, Gilbert Islands, torpedoed by Japanese submaine I-175.
- Newman, Shelby F., Avoca, IA, US Army; 12th Regt., 11th Philippine Army Div.; d. 15 Dec ’44 escaping from Japanese Hell Ship Oryoku Maru off Subic Bay, Luzon, Philippines.
- Nugent, Donald D., US Army; 75th Ordnance Co., Philippines; d. of friendly fire 7 Sep ’44 on Japanese Hell Ship Shinyo Maru, Pacific
- O’Dell, Charles H., US Navy; carrier USS Lexington; d. 8 May ’42, Battle of the Coral Sea.
- Rhoads, Guy B., US Navy; submarine USS Seawolf; d. 3 Oct ’44; sunk by friendly fire off Morotai, Dutch East Indies.
- Sales, Orville W., US Navy; destroyer USS Gwin; d. 13 Jul ’43, battle of Kolombangara, Sula Gulf, Solomon Islands, hit by destroyer torpedo & scuttled.
- Sterns, Kirk C., US Navy; submarine USS Tullibee; d. 26 Mar ’44 off Palau Islands, ship sunk by own torpedo.
- Wall, Vernon P., US Navy; submarine USS Seawolf; d. 3 Oct ’44; sunk by friendly fire off Morotai, Dutch East Indies.
- Wunder, Edmund E., destroyer USS Laffey; d. 13/14 Nov ’42, Naval Battle of Guadalcanal.
- Alter, Earl C., Persia, IA; US Naval Aviation; Patrol Sqdn. VP-52; PBY-5A co-pilot , d. 18 May ’43, failed to return from mission from Adak, AK.
- Edmundson, William T., US Naval Aviation, , Patrol Sqdn. VP-24; PBY-5A, d. 13 Dec ’42 off Makapuu Pt., HI, plane lost control and crashed.
- Fisher, Harlan R., US Naval Aviation; escort carrier USS Nehenta Bay; d. 22 Aug ’44 near Marshall Is., failed carrier landing.
- Garner, Wiliam F., US Naval Aviation; Fighter Sqdn. VBF-83 on USS Essex; F4U Corsair pilot, d. 18 Mar ’45 over Kyushu, Japan.
- Hough, Charles R., US Naval Aviation; Torpedo Sqdn. VT-20 on USS Enterprise; TBM Avenger radioman, d. 13 Nov ’44 over Manila Bay, Philippines, AA fire.
- Welty, Robert L., US Naval Aviation; Fighter Sqdn. VF-12 on USS Randolph; F6F Hellcat pilot, d. 14 May ’45 over Kyushu, Japan.
- Mowrey, Robert E., USMC Aviation; fighter squadron VMF-221; ground crew; d. 4 Jun ’42 on Midway Island when Japanese bomb hit his rearming station.
- Wagner, Egbert V., USMC Aviation; fighter squadron VMF-112, Marine Air Group 11; F4F Wildcat pilot, d. 26 Jan ’43 near Henderson Field, Guadalcanal in mid-air collision after takeoff.
- Field, John H., US Navy; destroyer tender USS Black Hawk; d. 17 Jan ’42 at Darwin, Australia from malaria.
- Pettie, Vernon G., US Navy; Fleet Hospital #114; d. 8 Apr ’45 on Samar, Philippines from drowning.
USAAF deaths in support of Navy operations are found elsewhere, listed by location or battle.