bigpigeon.us webpage WWII-Japan > US Naval War w/ Japan, © 2023 by Robert A. Christiansen, updated by RAC 3 Jan 2023.
Pearl Harbor, attacked by the Japanese on December 7, 1941, was headquarters of the US Navy's massive Pacific Fleet. The much-smaller US Asiatic Fleet was based at Cavite near Manila in the Philippine Islands.
Japan in 1941 was a leading naval power, arguably third behind Great Britain and the United States. 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 entered its last phase, the IJN lay in ruins.
Links to Big Pigeon's Naval War with Japan subpages:
Japan in 1941 was a leading naval power, arguably third behind Great Britain and the United States. 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 entered its last phase, the IJN lay in ruins.
Links to Big Pigeon's Naval War with Japan subpages:
- US Submarine Force
- Third & Fifth Fleets - the main battle component of the US Pacific Fleet.
- My chronological report WWII Maritime Losses - The Japanese War summarizes naval combat in the War with Japan and includes a list of all major American ship losses.
The Imperial Japanese Navy suffered especially grevious losses during the following battles and campaigns:
- June '42 - the Battle of Midway - major Japanese losses.
- 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 - major Japanese losses.
- Oct '44 - Battle of Leyte Gulf - major Japanese losses.
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The United States also lost heavily during the naval war with Japan. However, the massive industrial base of the United States helped the US Navy grow dramatically during WWII despite its losses. Major losses were:
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US Navy Growth During World War II
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Slide Show - Selected Maps Showing World War II Maritime Conflict in the War With Japan
Sources for the Naval War with Japan webpage:
Pottawattamie Area WWII Dead Roster US Navy Deaths in the War with Japan appear on the following webpages:
- The page header image, USS Arizona - Pearl Harbor, is found at en.wikipedia.org.
- US Navy Growth During World War II is courtesy of https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/us-ship-force-levels.html.
- 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 WWII naval war with Japan.
Pottawattamie Area WWII Dead Roster US Navy Deaths in the War with Japan appear on the following webpages:
- US Submarine Services - 9 dead
- Third & Fifth Fleets - 13 dead
- Pearl Harbor - 3 dead
- The Dutch Indies Lost - 4 dead
- The Philippines Lost - 3 dead
- The Battle of the Coral Sea - 1 dead
- The Solomons Naval War - 14 dead
- Guadalcanal - 1 dead
- Alaska - 1 dead
- Palau Islands - 1 dead
- Pacific Communications Zone - 4 dead
- Leyte - 1 dead
- Battle of Leyte Gulf - 2 dead
- Philippines Naval War - 3 dead
- Naval Battle of Okinawa - 4 dead