USS New Jersey (BB-62): Difference between revisions

Revision as of 16:45, 24 March 2007

Revision as of 16:53, 24 March 2007

Line 31:

== World War II ==

''New Jersey'' completed fitting out and trained her initial crew in the Western [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic]] and [[Caribbean]]. On [[7 January]] [[1944]] she passed through the [[Panama Canal]] war-bound for [[Funafuti]], [[Ellice Islands]]. She reported there [[22 January]] for duty with the [[United States Navy 5th Fleet|5th Fleet]], and three days later rendezvoused with [[Task Group 58.2]] for the [[Marshall Islands campaign|assault on the Marshall Islands]]. ''New Jersey'' screened the [[aircraft carrier]]s from enemy attack as their planes flew strikes against [[Kwajalein]] and [[Eniwetok]] [[29 January]]–[[2 February]], softening up the latter for its invasion and supporting the troops who landed [[31 January]].{{citation needed}}

''New Jersey'' began her career as a [[flagship]] [[4 February]] in [[Majuro]] Lagoon when Admiral [[Raymond A. Spruance]], commanding the 5th Fleet, broke his flag from her main. Her first action as a flagship was a bold two-day surface and air strike by her task force against the supposedly impregnable [[Japan]]ese fleet base on [[Truk]] in the [[Caroline Islands|Carolines]]. This blow was coordinated with the assault on Kwajalein, and effectively interdicted Japanese naval retaliation to the conquest of the Marshalls. On [[17 February]] and [[18 February]], the task force accounted for two Japanese [[light cruiser]]s, four [[destroyer]]s, three [[auxiliary cruiser]]s, two [[submarine tender]]s, two [[submarine chaser]]s, an armed [[trawler]], a [[plane ferry]], and 23 other auxiliaries, not including small craft. ''New Jersey'' destroyed a trawler and, with other ships, sank destroyer [[Japanese destroyer Maikaze|''Maikaze'']], as well as firing on an enemy plane which attacked her formation. The task force returned to the Marshalls [[19 February]].{{citation needed}}

Between [[17 March]] and [[10 April]], ''New Jersey'' first sailed with Rear Admiral [[Marc A. Mitscher]]'s flagship [[USS Lexington (CV-16)|USS ''Lexington'']] (CV-16) for an air and surface bombardment of [[Mille]], then rejoined Task Group 58.2 for a strike against shipping in the [[Palaus]], and bombarded [[Woleai]]. Upon his return to Majuro, Admiral Spruance transferred his flag to [[USS Indianapolis (CA-35)|USS ''Indianapolis'']] (CA-35).{{citation needed}}

''New Jersey'''s next war cruise, [[13 April]]–[[4 May]] [[1944]], began and ended at Majuro. She screened the carrier striking force which gave air support to the invasion of [[Aitape]], [[Tanahmerah Bay]] and [[Teluk Yos Sudarso|Humboldt Bay]], [[New Guinea]], [[22 April]], then bombed shipping and shore installations at Truk [[29 April]]–[[30 April]]. ''New Jersey'' and her formation splashed two enemy [[torpedo bomber]]s at Truk. Her 16 inch salvos pounded [[Ponape]] [[1 May]], destroying fuel tanks, badly damaging the airfield, and demolishing a headquarters building.{{citation needed}}

After rehearsing in the Marshalls for the invasion of the [[Marianas]], ''New Jersey'' put to sea [[6 June]] in the screening and bombardment group of Admiral Mitscher's Task Force. On the second day of preinvasion air strikes, [[12 June]], ''New Jersey'' downed an enemy torpedo bomber, and during the next two days her heavy guns battered [[Saipan]] and [[Tinian]], throwing steel against the beaches the marines would charge [[15 June]].{{citation needed}}

The Japanese response to the Marianas operation was an order to its [[Mobile Fleet]]; it must attack and annihilate the American invasion force. Shadowing American [[submarine]]s tracked the Japanese fleet into the [[Philippine Sea]] as Admiral Spruance joined his task force with Admiral Mitscher's to meet the enemy. ''New Jersey'' took station in the protective screen around the carriers on [[19 June]] [[1944]] as American and Japanese pilots dueled in the [[Battle of the Philippine Sea]]. That day and the next were to pronounce the doom of Japanese naval aviation; in this "[[Marianas Turkey Shoot]]", the Japanese lost some 400 planes. This loss of trained pilots and aircraft was equaled in disaster by the sinking of three Japanese carriers by submarines and aircraft, and the damaging of two carriers and a battleship. The anti-aircraft fire of ''New Jersey'' and the other screening ships proved virtually impenetrable. Only two American ships were damaged, and those but slightly. In this overwhelming victory but 17 American planes were lost to combat.{{citation needed}}

''New Jersey'''s final contribution to the conquest of the Marianas was in strikes on [[Guam]] and the [[Palaus]] from which she sailed for [[Pearl Harbor]], arriving [[9 August]]. Here she broke the flag of Admiral [[William F. Halsey, Jr.]], [[24 August]], becoming flagship of the [[U.S. 3rd Fleet|3rd Fleet]]. For the eight months after she sailed from Pearl Harbor ([[30 August]]), ''New Jersey'' was based at [[Ulithi]]. In this climactic span of the Pacific War, fast carrier task forces ranged the waters off the Philippines, [[Okinawa]], and [[Taiwan|Formosa]], striking again and again at airfields, shipping, shore bases, invasion beaches. {{citation needed}}

In September the targets were in the [[Visayas]] and the southern Philippines, then [[Manila]] and [[Cavite]], [[Panay Island|Panay]], [[Negros]], [[Leyte (island)|Leyte]], and [[Cebu Island|Cebu]]. Early in October raids to destroy enemy air power based on Okinawa and Formosa were begun in preparation for the Leyte landings of [[20 October]] [[1944]].{{citation needed}}

This invasion brought on the desperate, almost suicidal, last great [[sortie]] of the [[Imperial Japanese Navy]]. Its plan for the [[Battle of Leyte Gulf]] included a feint by a northern force of planeless heavy attack carriers to draw away the battleships, cruisers and fast carriers with which Admiral Halsey was protecting the landings. This was to allow the [[Japanese Center Force]] to enter the gulf through [[San Bernardino Strait]]. At the opening of the battle planes from the carriers guarded by ''New Jersey'' struck hard at both the Japanese Southern and Center Forces, sinking a battleship [[23 October]]. The next day Halsey shaped his course north after the decoy force had been spotted. Planes from his carriers sank four of the Japanese carriers, as well as a destroyer and a cruiser, while ''New Jersey'' steamed south at [[flank speed]] to meet the newly developed threat of the Center force. It had been turned back in a stunning defeat when she arrived.

[[Image:USS Intrepid (CV-11) kamikaze strike.jpg|thumb|right|250px|A crewman assigned to one of ''New Jersey''’s anti-aircraft guns watches helplessly as a Japanese kamikaze pilot prepares to strike [[USS Intrepid (CV-11)|''Intrepid'']].]]{{citation needed}}

''New Jersey'' rejoined her fast carriers near San Bernardino [[27 October]] [[1944]] for strikes on central and southern [[Luzon]]. Two days later, the force was under suicide attack. In a melee of anti-aircraft fire from the ships and combat air patrol, ''New Jersey'' shot down a plane whose pilot maneuvered it into the port gun galleries of [[USS Intrepid (CV-11)|USS ''Intrepid'']] (CV-11), while machine gun fire from ''Intrepid'' wounded three of ''New Jersey's'' men. During a similar action [[25 November]] three Japanese planes were splashed by the combined fire of the force, part of one flaming onto the flight deck of [[USS Hancock (CV-19)|USS ''Hancock'']] (CV-19). ''Intrepid'' was again attacked, shot down one would-be suicide, but was crashed by another despite hits scored on the attacker by ''New Jersey'' gunners. ''New Jersey'' shot down a plane diving on [[USS Cabot (CVL-28)|USS ''Cabot'']] (CVL-28) and hit another which smashed into ''Cabot''’s port bow.{{citation needed}}

In December, ''New Jersey'' sailed with the ''Lexington'' (CV-16) task group for air attacks on Luzon [[14 December]]–[[16 December]]; then found herself in the furious [[typhoon]] which sank three destroyers. Skillful seamanship brought her through undamaged. She returned to Ulithi on Christmas Eve to be met by Fleet Admiral [[Chester Nimitz]].{{citation needed}}

''New Jersey'' ranged far and wide from [[30 December]] [[1944]] to [[25 January]] [[1945]] on her last cruise as Admiral Halsey's flagship. She guarded the carriers in their strikes on Formosa, Okinawa, and Luzon, on the coast of [[Indo-China]], [[Hong Kong]], [[Shantou|Swatow]] and [[Amoy]], and again on Formosa and Okinawa. At Ulithi [[27 January]] Admiral Halsey lowered his flag in ''New Jersey'', but it was replaced two days later by that of Rear Admiral [[Oscar Badger]] commanding [[Battleship Division Seven]].{{citation needed}}

In support of the assault on [[Iwo Jima]], ''New Jersey'' screened the [[USS Essex (CV-9)|USS ''Essex'']] (CV-9) group in air attacks on the island [[19 February]]–[[21 February]], and gave the same crucial service for the first major carrier raid on [[Tokyo]] [[25 February]], a raid aimed specifically at aircraft production. During the next two days, Okinawa was attacked from the air by the same striking force.{{citation needed}}

''New Jersey'' was directly engaged in the conquest of [[Okinawa]] from [[14 March]] until [[16 April]]. As the carriers prepared for the invasion with strikes there and on [[Honshū]], ''New Jersey'' fought off air raids, used her [[seaplane]]s to rescue downed pilots, defended the carriers from suicide planes, shooting down at least three and assisting in the destruction of others. On [[24 March]] [[1945]] she again carried out the vital battleship role of heavy bombardment, preparing the invasion beaches for the assault a week later.{{citation needed}}

During the final months of the war, ''New Jersey'' was overhauled at [[Puget Sound Naval Shipyard]], from which she sailed [[4 July]] for [[San Pedro, California|San Pedro]], Pearl Harbor, and Eniwetok bound for Guam. Here on [[14 August]] she once again became flagship of the 5th Fleet under Admiral Spruance. Brief stays at Manila and Okinawa preceded her arrival in [[Tokyo Bay]] [[17 September]], where she served as flagship for the successive commanders of Naval Forces in Japanese waters until relieved [[28 January]] [[1946]] by [[USS Iowa (BB-61)|USS ''Iowa'']] (BB-61). ''New Jersey'' took aboard nearly a thousand homeward-bound troops with whom she arrived at San Francisco [[10 February]].{{citation needed}}

== Post WWII (1946–1950) ==