Marshalls–Gilberts raids
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (January 2011) |
Marshalls–Gilberts raids | |||||||
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Part of the SBD-2 Dauntless dive bomber prepares to take off from the U.S. carrier Enterprise during the raids on February 1. | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
United States Gilbert and Ellice Islands | Japan | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
William Halsey, Jr. Frank Jack Fletcher |
Shigeyoshi Inoue Eiji Gotō | ||||||
Units involved | |||||||
Task Force 17 |
4th Fleet 24th Air Flotilla | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
2 replenishment oilers | 51 aircraft | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
1 cruiser damaged, 14 aircraft destroyed |
3 auxiliary ships sunk, 1 minelayer, 1 light cruiser damaged, 4 transports, 2 auxiliary ships damaged, 18 aircraft destroyed |
The Marshalls–Gilberts raids were tactical airstrikes and naval artillery attacks by United States Navy aircraft carrier and other warship forces against Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) garrisons in the Marshall and Gilbert Islands on 1 February 1942. It was the first of six American raids against Japanese-held territories conducted in the first half of 1942 as part of the undertaken strategy.
Units and commanders
The Japanese garrisons were under the overall command of Vice Admiral Shigeyoshi Inoue, commander of the 4th Fleet. Japanese aircraft in the islands belonged to the IJN's 24th Air Flotilla under Rear Admiral Eiji Gotō. The U.S. warship forces were under the overall command of Vice Admiral William Halsey Jr.
Raids
The raids were carried out by two separate U.S. carrier
Aircraft from TF 8, commanded by Halsey and centered on the carrier
Aftermath and significance
The raids had little long-term strategic impact. The IJN briefly sent two aircraft carriers to chase TF 8 and TF 17 but quickly abandoned the pursuit and continued their support for the ongoing successful conquests of the
For their part the Japanese apparently did not realize that their concept of a perimeter defense using dispersed island garrisons had serious flaws in that the garrisons were too far apart to be sufficiently mutually supporting to prevent penetration by enemy carrier forces. Nevertheless the raids, along with the Doolittle Raid in April 1942, helped convince the IJN's Combined Fleet commander, Isoroku Yamamoto, that he needed to draw the American carriers into battle as soon as possible in order to destroy them. Yamamoto's plan to do so resulted in the Battle of Midway.
Notes
- ^ "Marshalls-Gilbert Raid After Action Report". ibibio.org. Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
- ISBN 1-57488-923-0.
Further reading
- Cressman, Robert (2000). That Gallant Ship U.S.S. Yorktown (CV-5). Missoula, Montana, U.S.A.: Pictorial Histories Publishing Company. ISBN 0-933126-57-3.
- Lundstrom, John B. (2005). The First Team: Pacific Naval Air Combat from Pearl Harbor to Midway (New ed.). Annapolis, Maryland, U.S.A.: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-471-X.
- Lundstrom, John B. (2006). Black Shoe Carrier Admiral: Frank Jack Fletcher at Coral Seas, Midway & Guadalcanal. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-475-2.
- ISBN 0-7858-1304-7.
- Stafford, Edward P. (2002). The Big E: The Story of the USS Enterprise (reissue ed.). Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-998-0.
- Willmott, H. P. (1982). Empires in the Balance: Japanese and Allied Pacific Strategies to April 1942. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-535-3.
- Willmott, H. P. (1983). The Barrier and the Javelin: Japanese and Allied Pacific Strategies February to June 1942. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-535-3.
External links
- Hackett, Bob, and Sander Kingsepp (1998–2007). "IJN Katori: Tabular Record of Movement". Junyokan!. Combinedfleet.com.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - United States Navy, Office of Naval Intelligence (1943). "Early Raids in the Pacific Ocean: February 1 to March 10, 1942". Combat Narrative. Publication Section, Combat Intelligence Branch.
- USS Enterprise photo archive of the raid