Today in the Second World War

Today, June 19, transports us back to 1944 in the heat of the Pacific War, marking the pivotal "Marianas Turkey Shoot," or the Battle of the Philippine Sea. This day is etched in history as one of the most decisive confrontations of World War II, where valor and strategic brilliance drastically tilted the odds in favor of the Allies. Today's edition will journey through this high-stakes battle, illuminating the indomitable courage, tactical masterstrokes, and the vital shifts that occurred in this theater of war. Prepare for an insightful exploration into the strategies, commanders, and brave soldiers who shaped this remarkable day in world history.

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Wolf Beneath the Waves

In the morning, Italian submarine Galileo Galilei was laying immobile on the seabed in the Gulf of Aden, hiding from British attackers. The first mild symptoms of methylchloride poisoning appeared in some crew members. Meanwhile, the submarine had been detected again by HMS Moonstone who launched another depth-charge attack. Captain Corrado Nardi ordered the submarine to periscope depth, examined his adversary and noted their single 4-inch cannon and a pair of machine guns. Considering possible effects of methylchloride poisoning if the submarine continued staying submerged, and the modesty of trawler's armament, he decided to face HMS Moonstone on the surface with his two 100-millimeter guns and two machine guns. As the fight began, the bow gun's sighting mechanism on the Galileo Galilei failed, greatly affecting the accuracy of shooting. Moonstone also moved too fast for the submarine's crew to aim their cannons effectively. After about ten minutes Galileo Galilei was hit for the first time, wounding Nardi and killing several people around him. Shortly thereafter, the bow cannon was hit killing the gun crew including second in command. The cannon continued shooting, however, under command of Ensign Mazzucchi. The aft cannon soon jammed, and then another salvo from Moonstone killed all those on the conning tower including Nardi. The bow cannon continued shooting until HMS Kandahar arrived at the scene and Mazucchi, as the most senior on board the submarine, ordered Galileo Galilei to stop shooting and surrender. The submarine had lost 5 officers, 7 non-commissioned officers, and 4 sailors. The submarine was then towed into Aden by Kandahar. Though the British side claimed that the submarine's codebooks and operational documents were captured intact by the Royal Navy, and revealed the exact position of other Italian naval units, Italian survivors (including Ensign Mazzucchi) reported that every document was destroyed before surrender, and that no written operational orders were issued to Italian units, only an oral briefing between captains and the submarine command in Massawa before every mission. The claim was reported only to cover the British intelligence activities in Italian East Africa. In British service, Galileo Galilei was renamed X 2 and would be used for training purposes.

First POW

Oberleutnant Joachim von Arnim, of German Luftwaffe Kampfeschwader 4, was reported to have been the first member of the German armed forces to have been captured by British Local Defence Volunteers, forerunners of the Home Guard. His Heinkel III bomber tasked to attack railway goods yards near Cambridge, England, United Kingdom, but was shot down at Fulbourne (five miles from Cambridge) by a Spitfire fighter from No. 19 Squadron and Squadron Leader O'Brien in a Blenheim bomber of No. 23 Squadron. Both of the British aircraft involved were also shot down by return fire; from the Blenheim, O'Brien survived, but his navigator and his gunner were both killed. Parachuting into a potato field, Arnim and two other members of the four-man crew were arrested by LDV member Ron Barnes, a farm labourer, and handed over to a nearby searchlight post from where they were escorted under guard to barracks in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England. These Germans were the first airmen to be captured by the LDV.

The Marianas Turkey Shoot

On June 19, 1944, American carrier aircraft shot down an estimated 300-400 Japanese aircraft, leading to the battle's nickname, the "Great Marianas Turkey Shoot." The U.S. forces lost about 20 to 30 aircraft in the battle. The second part of the battle, on June 20, involved the U.S. Navy in a surface and submarine attack on the Japanese fleet.

The battle was a decisive victory for the United States and effectively marked the end of the Japanese Empire's ability to move large numbers of aircraft and ships into the Pacific theatre. After the battle, the Imperial Japanese Navy was left with only a handful of carriers and a small number of aircraft, significantly reducing its capacity to wage war.

Another Massive Loss

At dawn, Shokaku launched 17 A6M fighters for combat air patrol duties. At 1100 hours, she recovered 10 fighters; while still recovering fighters, at 1122, she was hit by three torpedoes from USS Cavalla on the starboard side; two forward near the switchboard and generator room, one aft of amidships. Large fuel fires were ignited in the hangar and No. 1 boiler room went offline. Shokaku remained underway, but began to list to starboard. Counterflooding over-compensated, giving her a port list. Meanwhile flooding and heat of the fires forced shutting down of the boiler rooms. She continued to settle forward. Though damage control initially hoped to save her, the flooding forward and the fires intensify in the following hours. By 1210 hours she had come to a halt when fires detonate an aerial bomb on the hangar, setting off volatile gases from a cracked forward tank. Large induced explosions wrecked the carrier, and hope began to fade. The list to port and bow trim both increased. At 1350 hours, her strike planes returned, but were ordered away, having to be directed to Zuikaku and Taiho. At this time Captain Matsubara had ordered abandon ship and the crew mustered on the flight deck for flag lowering. However, before the evacuation can proceed far, the bow dipped under and water pours into No. 1 elevator well, causing the carrier to corkscew to port and up-end. She went down by the bow at 1401 hours, stern raised high. Between 1408 and 1411, four underwater explosions were registered. 58 officers, 830 petty officers and men, 376 members of Air Group 601, and 8 civilians were killed, totalling 1,272 deaths. Light cruiser Yahagi and destroyers Urakaze and Hatsuzuki rescued Captain Hiroshi Matsubara among 570 other survivors.

Bloody Okinawa

On June 19, 1945, the 82-day-long battle for Okinawa came to a close.

The battle was critical for the United States, as Okinawa was seen as a necessary precursor to a ground invasion of the Japanese mainland. Okinawa was located just 350 miles south of the Japanese mainland, so capturing it would provide an excellent base for launching an invasion.

After a long and bloody battle, U.S. Army and Marine forces, backed by the British Pacific Fleet, eventually captured Okinawa. However, the victory came at a high cost. The U.S. suffered over 50,000 casualties. It was also the deadliest conflict for the local Okinawan people, with estimates of civilian deaths ranging from 42,000 to 150,000.

The intense combat and high casualties of the Battle of Okinawa significantly influenced the decision of U.S. leadership to use atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in an attempt to force a Japanese surrender without a mainland invasion. The war officially ended on August 15, 1945, after the atomic bombings and the Soviet Union's declaration of war against Japan.

Photo of the Day

Aircraft trails above Task Force 58 during the Battle of the Philippine Sea, 19 June 1944; photographed aboard light cruiser Birmingham.

As we wrap up today's edition, we honor the indomitable spirits who fought in the Battle of the Philippine Sea. Their courage, sacrifice, and the profound impact of this event resonate through history, teaching us invaluable lessons. We hope today's chronicle of the "Marianas Turkey Shoot" has offered you a deeper understanding of the complexities of the Second World War and the brave souls who shaped its outcome. Join us again tomorrow as we journey through another significant day in the annals of the war. Until then, let's remember to learn from our past as we strive for a peaceful and unified future.

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Have a great week :)

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