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SECOND REPORT
TO THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY
Covering combat operations 1 March 1944 to 1 March 1945
By
FLEET ADMIRAL ERNEST J. KING
COMMANDER IN CHIEF,
UNITED STATES FLEET,
AND CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS
(Issued 27 March 1945)
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UNITED STATES FLEET
HEADQUARTERS OF THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF
NAVY DEPARTMENT
Washington 25, D. C.
12 March 1945
TO:
The Honorable James
Forrestal Secretary of the Navy,
Washington, D.C.
Dear Mr. Secretary:
Twelve months ago I presented to the late Secretary Knox a report
of the
progress of our naval operations and the expansion of our naval
establishment since the beginning of the war.
Long before the war Frank Knox saw clearly and supported strongly
the
necessity for arming the United States against her enemies. He
knew that
a powerful Navy is essential to the welfare of our country, and
fought
with all his energies to build a Navy that could carry the attack
to the
enemy. How well he succeeded is now a matter of history.
The manner in which the Navy has carried the attack to the enemy
during
the twelve months from 1 March 1944 to 1 March 1945 is the
subject of
the report which I present to you at this time.
In reading this report, attention is especially invited to the
significant role of amphibious operations during the entire
period. In
fact, amphibious operations have initiated practically all of the
Allied
successes during the past three years.
Fleet Admiral Commander in Chief,
United States Fleet
and Chief of Naval Operations
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Introduction:
My previous report presented an account of the development of the
Navy
and of combat operations up to 1 March 1944. This report covers
the
twelve months from 1 March 1944 until 1 March 1945. Within this
period
the battle of the Pacific has been carried more than three
thousand
miles to the westward-from the Marshall Islands into the South
China Sea
beyond the Philippines-and to the Tokyo approaches. Within this
same
period the invasion of the continent of Europe has been
accomplished.
These successes have been made possible only by the strength and
resolution of our amphibious forces, acting in conjunction with
the
fleet.
During these twelve months, there occurred the following actions
with
the enemy in which the United States Navy took part
20 March 1944 Landings on Emirau Island, St. Matthias Group, Northeast
of New Guinea
Bombardment of Kavieng, New Ireland
30 March- Carrier Task Force Attacks on Western Carolines 1 April
1944
22 April 1944 Landings in Hollandia Area, New Guinea
29 April- Carrier Task Force Attacks on Central and Eastern 1 May
1944 Carolines
17 May 1944 Landings in Wakde Island Area, New Guinea
19-20 May 1944 Carrier Task Force Attach on Marcus Island
23 May 1944 Carrier Task Force Attack on Wake Island
27 May 1944 Landings on Biak Island, Dutch New Guinea
6 June 1944 Invasion 0f Normandy
11-14 June 1944 Preliminary Carrier Task Force Attacks on
Marianas Islands
13 June 1944 Bombardment of Matsuwa Island, Kurile Islands
15 June 1944 Landings on Saipan, Marianas Islands
15-16 June 1944 Carrier Task Force Attacks on Iwo Jima and Chichi
Jima, Volcano and Bonin Islands
17 June 1944 Capture of Elba, Italy
19-20 June 1944 Battle of the Philippine Sea
23-24 June 1944 Carrier Task Force Attacks on Pagan Island,
Marianas Islands
24 June 1944 Carrier Task Force Attack on Iwo Jima, Volcano
Islands
25 June 1944 Bombardment of Cherbourg, France
26 June 1944 Bombardment of Kurabu Zaki, Paramushiru,Kurile
Islands
2 July 1944 Landings on Noemfoor Island, Dutch New Guinea
4 July 1944 Carrier Task Force Attacks on Iwo Jima, Chichi Jima
and Haha Jima, Volcano and
Bonin Islands
21 July 1944 Landings on Guam, Marianas Islands
24 July 1944 Landings on Tinian, Marianas Islands
30 July 1944 Landings in Cape Sansapor Area, Dutch New Guinea
4-5 August 1944 Carrier Task Force Attacks on Iwo Jima and
Chichi Jima Volcano and Bonin Islands
15 August 1944 Invasion of Southern France
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31 August- Carrier Task Force Attacks on Iwo Jima, 2 Sept. 1944
Chichi Jima and Haha Jima, Volcano and
Bonin Islands
6-14 Sept. 1944 Preliminary Carrier Task Force Attack on Palau
Islands
7-8 Sept. 1944 Carrier Task Force Attacks on Yap
9-10 Sept. 1944 Carrier Task Force Attacks on Mindanao,Philippine
Islands
12-14 Sept. 1944 Carrier Task Force Attacks on the
Visayas,Philippine Islands
14-15 Sept. 1944 Carrier Task Force Attacks on Mindanao, Celebes
and Talaud
15 Sept. 1944 Landings on Peleliu, Palau Islands Landings on
Morotai
17 Sept. 1944 Landings on Angaur, Palau Islands
21-22 Sept. 1944 Carrier Task Force Attacks on Manila, Philippine
Islands
23 Sept. 1944 Landing on Ulithi
24 Sept. 1944 Carrier Task Force Attacks on the Visayas,
Philippine Islands
28 Sept. 1944 Landings on Ngesebus, Palau Islands
9 Oct. 1944 Bombardment of Marcus Island
10 Oct. 1944 Carrier Task Force Attack on Okinawa Island, Nansei
Shoto
11 Oct. 1944 Carrier Task Force Attack on Aparri, Luzon,
Philippine Islands
12-15 Oct. 1944 Carrier Task Force Attacks on Formosa and Luzon
18-19 Oct. 1944 Carrier Task Force Attacks on Northern and
Central Philippines
20 Oct. 1944 Landings on Leyte, Philippine Islands
21 Oct. 1944 Carrier Task Force Attacks on Luzon and the Visayas,
Philippine Islands
23-26 Oct. 1944 Battle for Leyte Gulf
5,6,13,14,19, Carrier Task Force Attacks on Luzon, Philippine 25
Nov. 1944 Islands
11 Nov. 1944 Carrier Task Force Attack on Ormoc Bay, Leyte,
Philippine Islands
11-12 Nov. 1944 Bombardment of Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands
21 Nov. 1944 Bombardment of Matsuwa Island, Kurile Islands
7 Dec. 1944 Landings at Ormoc Bay, Philippine Islands
8, 24, 27 Air-surface Attack on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands Dec.
1944
14, 15,16 Carrier Task Force Attack on Luzon, Dec. 1944
Philippine Islands
15 Dec. 1944 Landings on Mindoro, Philippine Islands
3-4 Jan. 1945 Carrier Task Force Attacks on Formosa
5 Jan. 1945 Bombardment of Suribachi Wan, off Paramushiru, Kurile
Island
Air-surface Attack on Iwo Jima, Chichi Jima and Haha Jima,
Volcano and Bonin Islands
6-7 Jan. 1945 Carrier Task Force Attacks on Luzon, Philippine
Islands
9 Jan. 1945 Landings at Lingayen Gulf, Luzon, Philippine Islands
Carrier Task Force Attack on Formosa
12 Jan. 1945 Carrier Task Force Attack on French Indo-China Coast
15 Jan. 1945 Carrier Task Force Attack on Formosa
16 Jan. 1945 Carrier Task Force Attack on Hong Kong, Canton and
Hainan, China
21-22 Jan. 1945 Carrier Task Force Attack on Formosa and Nansei
Shoto
24 Jan. 1945 Air-surface Attack on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands
29-30 Jan. 1945 Landings in Subic Bay Area, Luzon, Philippine
Islands
31 Jan. 1945 Landing at Nasugbu, Luzon, Philippine Islands
13-15 Feb. 1945 Bombardment of Manila Bay Defenses,Philippine
Islands
14 Feb. 1945 Landings at Mariveles, Luzon, Philippine Islands
16 Feb. 1945 Landings on Corregidor Island, Luzon,Philippine
Islands
16-17 Feb. 1945 Carrier Task Force Attack on Tokyo
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19 Feb. 1945 Landings on Iwo Jima, Volcano islandsBombardment of
Kurabu Zaki, Paramushiru,
Kurile Island
25-26 Feb. 1945 Carrier Task Force Attack on Tokyo and Hachijo
Jima
28 Feb. 1945 Landings on Palawan, Philippine Islands