What was the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot?

As the world found itself embroiled in the second global conflict of the twentieth century, the Pacific theater became a fierce battleground between the forces of the Allied nations and the Empire of Japan.

The year was 1944, and by this stage, the United States and its allies had initiated a decisive counter-offensive strategy famously known as the "island hopping" campaign, designed to regain the territories occupied by Japanese forces.

The Mariana Islands were of significant strategic importance to both sides. For the United States, capturing these islands would provide a launch point for a direct assault on Japan’s main islands.

Their geographical position was ideally suited for hosting the long-range B-29 Superfortress bombers, which could reach Japan's industrial heartland.

For the Japanese, on the other hand, the Marianas were a vital outpost for their defensive perimeter.

As the U.S. forces pushed further into the Pacific, the Japanese Combined Fleet, under the command of Admiral Soemu Toyoda, initiated "Operation A-Go" to repel the incoming invasion.

The plan called for a decisive, all-out attack on the enemy's naval forces in a "decisive battle area" west of the Marianas.

Meanwhile, Admiral Raymond A. Spruance, commander of the U.S. 5th Fleet, had been entrusted with the Marianas operation.

The U.S. forces were emboldened by previous victories in the Pacific, including the Solomon Islands and Marshall Islands campaigns, and were determined to carry this momentum forward.

On the Allied side, meticulous planning was in full swing for the invasion of the Mariana Islands.

The high command understood that a successful operation would require not only land forces but also a decisive naval presence and air superiority.

This operation was under the aegis of Admiral Raymond A. Spruance and Admiral Marc A. Mitscher, commander of Task Force 58, the fast carrier force of the U.S. Pacific Fleet.

Their strategy involved leveraging superior resources and intelligence to engage and decimate the Japanese forces.

Admiral Mitscher's carriers were primarily tasked with providing air cover for the invasion forces, neutralizing the Japanese airfields in the Marianas, and engaging any counterattacking forces.

The fleet was divided into four carrier task groups, each consisting of several carriers and their escorts.

These task groups could operate independently or converge to deliver a concentrated attack, a strategy that would prove pivotal in the upcoming battle.

Meanwhile, on the Japanese side, Operation A-Go was being prepared. Admiral Soemu Toyoda, commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet, was hoping for a decisive, all-or-nothing engagement with the American fleet.

The plan, crafted by Admiral Jisaburo Ozawa, involved the entire Japanese Mobile Fleet.

Despite being significantly outnumbered and outgunned, they hoped to use their aircraft, along with land-based planes from the Marianas, to whittle down the American forces.

One crucial component of their strategy was the utilization of their newest carrier aircraft, the Aichi B7A "Ryusei" and the Nakajima C6N "Myrt", along with older models like the A6M "Zero".

Despite facing several setbacks in their war production, they hoped the quality of their aircraft, coupled with the skill of their pilots, would help level the playing field.

The United States entered the fray with a vast and superior force that significantly outnumbered the Japanese.

The U.S. 5th Fleet, led by Admiral Raymond A. Spruance, was a formidable assembly.

The spearhead of the operation, Task Force 58, was under the capable command of Admiral Marc A. Mitscher and comprised of 15 aircraft carriers, 7 battleships, 21 cruisers, and 69 destroyers.

These units brought an estimated total of over 900 aircraft to the battle, representing the main bulk of the U.S. naval air power in the Pacific.

The carriers were divided into four separate task groups, each with their own complement of fighters, bombers, and torpedo planes.

The aircraft at their disposal were some of the best the U.S. had to offer, including the fast and maneuverable F6F Hellcat fighters, the sturdy SBD Dauntless dive-bombers, and the TBF Avenger torpedo bombers.

The fighter pilots, in particular, were highly trained and ready to take on the Japanese air forces.

On the Japanese side, the Mobile Fleet commanded by Admiral Jisaburo Ozawa was significantly smaller and less technologically advanced.

It consisted of 9 carriers, 5 battleships, 13 cruisers, and 28 destroyers. These forces brought approximately 750 aircraft into the battle, many of which were outdated compared to their American counterparts.

The Japanese fighter squadron was primarily made up of the A6M "Zero," a once formidable fighter that was beginning to show its age against the newer American aircraft.

Additionally, they had limited numbers of more advanced aircraft, such as the Aichi B7A "Ryusei" and the Nakajima C6N "Myrt".

Their naval aviators and aircrew were also less experienced due to heavy losses in previous battles and a lack of time for adequate training, which would prove to be a critical disadvantage in the upcoming engagement.

On June 15, 1944, the invasion of the Marianas began as U.S. forces landed on the islands of Saipan and Tinian.

The American amphibious assault, backed by an impressive armada of naval ships, was met with staunch resistance from the Japanese defenders on the islands.

On June 19, the Battle of the Philippine Sea - later to become known as the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot - began in earnest. Admiral Ozawa, who believed that the U.S. carrier strength was divided between the Marianas and the invasion of Biak Island near New Guinea, saw a window of opportunity to strike a significant blow.

The Japanese launched the first wave of planes from their carriers about 300 miles out, a distance that stretched their aircraft to their operational limits.

Simultaneously, American submarines discovered and torpedoed two Japanese carriers, the Taihō and Shōkaku, inflicting the first significant blows of the engagement.

Alerted to the presence of the Japanese fleet by these submarine attacks and long-range reconnaissance, Admiral Mitscher's Task Force 58 prepared to face the incoming wave of Japanese aircraft.

The U.S. forces, armed with advanced radar technology, had a crucial advantage. They detected the incoming Japanese strike force long before they could reach the American fleet.

The U.S. carriers launched their Hellcat fighters to intercept the approaching enemy. The ensuing clash marked the beginning of the fierce air battle known as the "Turkey Shoot".

The U.S. fighters, better-trained and flying superior aircraft, inflicted devastating losses on the Japanese strike force.

Meanwhile, Japanese air operations were plagued by communication issues, poor coordination, and navigational errors, with many planes running out of fuel before reaching their targets or on the return journey.

The loss of the Taihō and Shōkaku, combined with the failure of the initial strike, began to turn the tide decidedly in the Allies' favor.

The second day of the Battle of the Philippine Sea, June 20, 1944, witnessed the full fury of what would become known as the "Turkey Shoot."

The term was coined by American sailors and pilots to describe the one-sided aerial engagement that unfolded above the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean.

With the advantage of superior radar, the U.S. carriers spotted the approaching Japanese aircraft formations well in advance.

The American fighter aircraft, consisting primarily of F6F Hellcats, took to the skies to intercept the enemy planes.

The Hellcats were faster, more maneuverable, and better armed than the Japanese fighters they encountered, most notably the A6M "Zero."

As the two opposing forces clashed in the skies, the skill and training of the American pilots became evident.

They executed textbook-perfect combat maneuvers, utilizing superior tactics and teamwork to gain the upper hand.

The Hellcats dove upon the Japanese aircraft formations, expertly engaging in dogfights and dispatching their adversaries with lethal accuracy.

The overwhelmed Japanese pilots found themselves outmatched and outgunned. Their once-feared A6M Zeros, although legendary in the early stages of the war, were now struggling against the technologically advanced American fighters.

The numerical superiority of the U.S. forces further exacerbated the situation for the Japanese.

The aerial battles raged throughout the day, with the American fighters relentlessly pursuing and engaging the retreating Japanese planes.

The result was a massacre in the skies. Estimates suggest that the Japanese lost over 300 aircraft, with some sources indicating figures as high as 450 planes, compared to minimal losses on the American side.

The disparity in losses was a testament to the effectiveness of the U.S. pilots and their aircraft.

The "Turkey Shoot" not only resulted in the destruction of a significant portion of the Japanese airpower but also shattered the morale of the remaining Japanese forces.

It marked a turning point in the battle, as the Japanese carrier aviation units were severely crippled, rendering them unable to mount any further meaningful resistance.

The lopsided victory in the skies had a profound impact on the outcome of the overall battle.

It effectively ensured that the U.S. naval forces maintained air superiority, enabling them to continue their operations in the Marianas with minimal interference from Japanese air attacks.

First and foremost, the battle resulted in a devastating blow to the Japanese naval aviation units.

The loss of hundreds of aircraft, coupled with the sinking of two carriers, dealt a severe blow to Japan's carrier fleet.

The Japanese navy had already been experiencing a decline in experienced pilots and a shortage of replacement aircraft, and the Turkey Shoot further exacerbated these challenges.

The decimation of their air power in the Marianas limited their ability to contest future naval engagements and defend against Allied air attacks.

With the Japanese carrier aviation significantly weakened, the U.S. Navy gained uncontested air superiority in the Pacific theater.

This air dominance allowed the American forces to continue their operations in the Marianas and beyond without significant interference from Japanese air attacks.

It also provided a strategic advantage for future offensives, including the subsequent assaults on the Philippines and ultimately the bombing campaign against the Japanese home islands.

The battle had a demoralizing effect on the Japanese military and civilian population.

The loss of so many aircraft and the failure to halt the U.S. invasion of the Marianas shattered the myth of Japanese invincibility.

The defeat further eroded the morale and confidence of the Japanese people, who had been led to believe in the superiority of their armed forces.

The psychological impact of the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot contributed to a growing sense of desperation within Japan and added to the determination of the Allied forces to continue their relentless advance.

Strategically, the battle marked a turning point in the Pacific War. The U.S. victory in the Marianas solidified their position in the Pacific and brought them closer to the Japanese home islands.

The establishment of air bases on the captured islands, especially Tinian, enabled the U.S. to launch devastating bombing raids against Japan, including the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

The success of the Marianas operation, propelled in part by the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot, ultimately set the stage for the final defeat of Japan and the end of World War II in the Pacific.