He was fond of symphonic music, and his tastes were generally simple. The Turning Point in the Pacific. In 1949, naval historian Samuel Eliot Morison noted that Spruance was subjected to criticism for not pursuing the retreating Japanese and allowing the surface fleet to escape. After Midway, although the Japanese still held a temporary advantage in vessels and planes, the U.S. Navy and the nation gained confidence and, most critically, time. These attacks were followed by a raid against Marcus Island. All four of Japans aircraft carriers were sunk, devastating Japans ambitions in the Pacific. The two admirals were a contrast in styles. During WWII Italian Commandos Were Tasked to Ride Torpedoes. His achievements were well-known, but the man himself was a mystery. With the end of the war, Spruance aided in returning American troops home before moving through a succession of engineering postings and destroyer commands. I am lazy, and I never have done things myself that I could get someone to do for me. The battle would open in the mist-shrouded Aleutians with airstrikes against Dutch Harbor on June 3, followed by landings at three points on June 6. He remained in the position only briefly as he accepted a posting as President of the Naval War College on February 1, 1946. When she went to sea in 1916, he went with her. Admiral Raymond A. Spruance, U.S. Navy, April 1955 . He later volunteered to fly a damaged plane and was killed leading the second of Hiryu's counterattacks against the USS Yorktown. The two admirals presented a contrast in styles as Spruance tended to be quiet and meticulous while Halsey was brash and more impetuous. [14][15] For his actions at the battle of Midway Rear Admiral Spruance was awarded the Navy Distinguished Service Medal and cited as follows: "For exceptionally meritorious service as Task Force Commander, United States Pacific Fleet. Japanese Admiral in command of the second division of the carrier strike force based on Aircraft Carrier IJN Hiryu. He never smoked, and drank little. Meanwhile, Task Force 58 was busy in the forefront of clearing the Japanese from the 600-mile-long Marianas chain. Samuel Eliot Morison agreed: Power of decision and coolness in action were perhaps Spruances leading characteristics. Spruance became a shadowy sort of legend in the Navy. With the battleship's completion, Spruance joined its crew and remained aboard until November 1917. Spruance succeeded Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz as Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas in November 1945, a few months after the end of the war. [28], His achievements in the navy were well known, but himself much less. This was followed by a promotion to Deputy Commander in Chief, US Pacific Fleet in September. If this happened, it would enable the Japanese to pinch the Americans between their two carrier forces. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/admiral-raymond-spruance-2360511. Before the Battle of the Coral Sea on 7-8 May 1942, the Imperial Navy of Japan had swept aside all of its enemies from the Pacific and Indian oceans. Lieutenant in command of the USS Yorktown air group. He was a diligent, neat and gentle boy. He took part in organising the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa and led the 5th Fleet in these two final battles. The following year, they made me executive officer of the transport Agamemnon, bringing troops home from France. The combined American force consisted of three carriers, eight cruisers, 15 destroyers, 12 submarines and 353 aircraft, ranged against a grand total of 200 Japanese vessels and 700 planes. [4] Spruance attended Indianapolis public schools and graduated from Shortridge High School. Admiral Spruance no.__!t to seek and destroy the Imperial Japanese Navy in a "decisive battle." Rather, Spruance chose to place highest priority on covering and defending the United States (U.S.) amphibious forces that were in the initial phase of the invasion of Salpan. About us| He commanded the battleship USS Mississippi from April 1938 to December 1939, when he was promoted to rear admiral. The fourth was a choice between Halsey and Spruance, and after much deliberation, eventually Halsey was appointed in December 1945. For the main Midway assault, the Japanese force consisted of the main battle fleet under Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, composed of three battleships, a light carrier and a destroyer screen; Admiral Chuichi Nagumos combined fleet of two battleships, two heavy cruisers, destroyers and four fleet carriers carrying more than 250 aircraft; and an invasion task force led by Admiral Nobutake Kondo, consisting of a dozen transport ships carrying 5,000 troops, closely supported by four heavy cruisers, two battleships and a light carrier; and a three-cordon submarine force intended to neutralize U.S. countermoves. The Japanese felt that they had won the encounter. Fifteen Buffaloes and two Wildcats were lost, but the garrisons anti-aircraft fire was effective. With World War I raging, he became Assistant Engineer Officer of the New York Navy Yard. Hiryu class Japanese aircraft carrier that was the flagship of the second detachment of the carrier strike force. The Japanese had been battered for weeks by aerial bombardment, and knew the invasion was imminent. In fact, Spruance had a knack for getting along with difficult people, including his friend Admiral Kelly Turner, the hotheaded commander of 5th Fleet's amphibious force. Commanded the first Japanese air strike against Midway Island at the beginning of the battle. In this state the Japanese carriers would be extremely vulnerable. Five days after the Marshalls campaign, Spruance sent the Mitscher force to attack Tinian and Saipan in the Mariana Islands. Akagi class Japanese aircraft carrier that was part of the first detachment of the Japanese carrier strike force. The American toll was 1,100 dead and almost 2,300 wounded. [11] Although Spruance was proven as a cruiser division commander, he had no experience handling carrier-air combat; Halsey reassured Nimitz, and he told Spruance and Fletcher to rely on their newly inherited staff, particularly Captain Miles Browning, a battle-proven expert in carrier warfare. This was followed by an assault on Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands on January 31, 1944. Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island, is named Spruance Hall. Born on 3 July 1886, Spruance graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1906. Kennedy Hickman is a historian, museum director, and curator who specializes in military and naval history. Enterprise dive bombers critically damaged two Japanese carriers including Nagumo's flagship Akagi; while the Yorktown air group, launched after Fletcher was confident that all Japanese carriers were accounted for, crippled the Soryu. A bust of Spruance is in the lobby. Raymond Spruance was born in Baltimore on July 3, 1886, the son of Alexander and Annie Spruance. Ambassador to the Philippines in 1952-55. Fletcher would command Task Force 17, but the task force flag ship, USSYorktown, had been badly damaged at the Battle of the Coral Sea and the formation's other carrier, Lexington, had been sunk, but at Nimitz's behest Yorktown was patched-repaired in "rush" time purposefully to join the Midway operation.[11]. HistoryLearning.com. Flagship of Task Force 16 under the command of Raymond Spruance. The U.S. fleet lost fewer men, but it lost a fleet carrier while the Japanese lost only the light carrier Shoho. catalogued as someone to watch; there was never any possibility that he would be passed over in the lists for promotion. They met practically no opposition because most of the Zeros were still close to the water, not having had time to climb and counterattack. 108 planes under Juichi Tomanaga bomb and strafe Midway. Analyzing Information How does Admiral Spruance explain the U.S. victory His father wanted him to go to West Point, but young Raymond yearned to go to sea. Not till many months later did American intelligence ferret out the facts."[33]. The Japanese were trying to tow Soryu to safety when she was torpedoed and sunk by the U.S. submarine Nautilus. Aboard the Japanese flattops, many torpedo-carrying planes were waiting for fighters to take off as the American planes dived. He never did things the same way twice. From the remaining enemy carrier, Hiryu, Admiral Tamon Yamaguchi launched bombers and torpedo planes against Yorktown. With their 233 planes and crews at the ready, the three U.S. flattops were stationed well north of Midway, out of sight of enemy reconnaissance planes. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Admiral Yamamoto had hoped to fight a classic-style sea battle with battleships, but Spruance had proved that the aircraft carrier was now emerging as the capital ship of naval combat forces. And, off Okinawa, Spruance never faltered in face of the destruction wrought by the kamikazes. [31] The series, based on Herman Wouk's book of the same name, shows Spruance's decision to end the battle and retreat rather than confront the rest of the Japanese fleet as having been opposed by his subordinates, and he was mocked behind his back as "lacking the stomach." Admiral Spruance explained the U.S. victory at Midway in the following way. On April 1, Spruance began the Battle of Okinawa. At the end of the Second World War Congress created a limited number of five-star ranks for the Army and the Navy, designated General of the Army and Fleet Admiral. Graduating from Annapolis three years later, he served two years at sea before receiving his commission as an ensign on September 13, 1908. At 8:20 a.m., Nagumos observers reported a group of American ships 200 miles away. The U.S. Navy counterforce sank all four Japanese carriers while losing one of its own, Yorktown. Finishing the course, he completed a tour in the Office of Naval Intelligence before being posted to USS Mississippi (BB-41) in October 1929 as executive officer. Lt Tomanaga leads Japanese Torpedo Bombers to attack the remaining carriers. His tour of sea duty ended in 1921, and he spent the next three years with the Navy Departments Bureau of Engineering and the Doctrine of Aircraft board. Then followed two years as assistant chief of staff to the commander of naval forces in Europe; a year of study at the Naval War College in Newport, R.I., where he completed the senior course; and two years of duty in the Office of Naval Intelligence. The Japanese lost 19 ships sunk, seven probably sunk and more than 200 aircraft destroyed, and their installations were bombed and strafed. Fletcher quickly ordered his dive bombers to strike, which fatally damaged the fourth Japanese carrier; it was scuttled the next day. He commanded U.S. naval forces during one of the most significant naval battles that took place in the Pacific Theatre: the Battle of the Philippine Sea. Raymond Ames Spruance (July 3, 1886 December 13, 1969) was a United States Navy admiral during World War II. It was hit multiple times by aircraft from the IJN Hiryu and later torpedoed by a Japanese submarine before sinking. He was then ordered to the China station, with sea duty aboard the battleship Connecticut and the cruiser Cincinnati. The gloomy reports from Nagumo and his other commanders led Yamamoto to suspend his assault on Midway. Kwajalein was in American hands, but the rest of the Marshalls groupabout 30 islands and more than 800 reefs scattered over hundreds of miles of oceanremained to be dealt with. Word of the sacrifice of VT-8 stunned the United States, and Churchill was reported to have wept when he heard about it. In the first months of World War II in the Pacific, Spruance commanded the four heavy cruisers and support ships of Cruiser Division Five from his flagship, the heavy cruiser USSNorthampton. After the enemys raids on Midway, Admiral Spruance ordered the launching of every possible plane to search for and attack the Japanese carriers. It was June 4, Admiral Raymond A. Spruance and Admira Fletcher had to engage four Japanese ships in the Battle of Midway. The Japanese navy could never accept this catastrophic loss. Raymond Ames Spruance (July 3, 1886 - December 13, 1969) was a United States Navy admiral during World War II. The Americans were gravely outnumbered by the lurking enemy armada. For more great articles subscribe to World War II magazine today! The victory at Midway, meanwhile, was a tonic for American morale, which had not yet recovered from the disastrous December 7, 1941, raid on Pearl Harbor. He decided to launch the planes from Enterprise and Hornet when they were about 175 miles from the enemys calculated position instead of postponing takeoff for another two hours in order to diminish the distance. Although there are no options attached we can say the following. At the crucial Battle of Midway, your daring and skilled leadership routed the enemy in the full tide of his advance and established the pattern of air-sea warfare which was to lead to his eventual capitulation. During this period, Spruance served aboard USS Minnesota (BB-22) during the cruise of the Great White Fleet. I was shanghaied ashore in November of the next year to take over as electrical superintendent at the New York Navy Yard, said Spruance. Akagi and Kaga subsequently went down. Terms of Use| After these victories, Spruance went back to Pearl Harbour to assist with planning Japans invasion. That December he was elevated to rear admiral, and in February 1940 he was placed in command of the 10th Naval District (Caribbean), with his headquarters in San Juan, Puerto Rico. So he changed course northeastward, avoiding the first wave of dive bombers launched against him from Spruances carriers. [12] Spruance assumed command of Task Force 16 with its two carriers, USSEnterprise and USSHornet, under battle command of Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher. All three were eventually scuttled. He was dragged out of his flagship Akagi before it sank against his will. Yet the decision is hailed by the series's narrator as instrumental in sealing the American victory. During the third week of May 1942, U.S. naval intelligence units confirmed that the Japanese wouldby early Juneinvade Midway Island. As Allied forces battled on the island, Spruance's ships defeated Operation Ten-Go on April 7 which saw the Japanese battleship Yamato attempt to break through to the island. In the seven-week campaign, 55 Japanese ships were sunk, five probably sunk and 74 damaged. (2021, July 31). A. In 1939 he was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral. Provide at least two examples.Certain lessons in New Testament Survey, as well as outside sources, may be of help to you as you write your report. Japanese supporting aircraft carrier in Aleutian islands campaign. The U.S. Navy's decisive victory in the air-sea battle (June 3-6, 1942) and its successful defense of the major base located at Midway Island dashed Japan's hopes of neutralizing the United. Spruance himself directed a task group of battleships, cruisers and destroyers that left the main body to go after Japanese ships that were fleeing Truk, sinking the light cruiser Katori and destroyer Maikaze. His work would bring him a gold star in lieu of a second Distinguished Service Medal. Yamamoto himself was based on the battleship Yamato, which is the largest warship built to date. The gallant carrier was crippled but nearly succeeded in reaching safety before torpedoes from Japanese submarine I-68 finally sank her three days later. Traveling to the Pacific, he was in this post when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7 forcing the US to enter the war. He held that post until the following February, when he was ordered back to the Naval War College at Newportthis time as president. Some people asked why he did not take take advantage of the chaotic scene to attack all of Japans air carriers. His new duties involved planning rather than operations, and Spruance chafed for more action. Spruances fleet had prevented the Japanese from reinforcing the Saipan garrison. Morison, "Coral Sea, Midway and Submarine Actions: May 1942 August 1942". He is responsible for the Japanese battle plan to attack Midway and the Aleutian Islands. The U.S. Navy intercept force centered on the three carriers Enterprise, Hornet, and Yorktown, and their air-attack squadrons. He withdrew his ships westward, still hoping to draw Spruance into a trap. His division was an element of the task force built around the aircraft carrier USSEnterprise and commanded by Vice Admiral William F. Halsey, Jr. One commentator said: The quick success of the offensive was attributed to the strategic daring by which Vice Admiral Spruances forces cut behind the eastern chain of the Marshalls. In the fighting, the Japanese lost three carriers and around 600 aircraft. He was promoted to captain in 1932, and the following year he was assigned as chief of staff and aide to the commander of a destroyer scouting force. Biographies, 20th century collection, Navy Department Library. Leaving, he assumed command of USS Mississippi. [3] After the war, Spruance was appointed President of the Naval War College, and later served as American ambassador to the Philippines. Known as "island hopping," U.S. forces moved from island to island, using each as a base for capturing the next. Four days after the invasion, all immediate objectives had been taken, and by February 8, 1944, all organized resistance had ceased. Admiral Chester W. Nimitz called him a fine man, a sterling character, and a great leader, and said, nothing you can say about him would be praise enough. He organized the Japanese counterattack on the American carriers and is credited with the sinking of the USS Yorktown, the only American Carrier sunk at Midway. One exception was Admiral John Towers, a constant critic of Spruance, whom Spruance came to despise for his naked ambition.[18]. Having been promoted to rear admiral in December 1939, he was directed to assume command of the Tenth Naval District (San Juan, PR) in February 1940. With Okinawa's fall in June, Spruance rotated back to Pearl Harbor to begin planning the invasion of Japan. Spruance was detached from command of the Fifth Fleet on November 8, 1945, and he relieved Fleet Admiral Nimitz as commander in chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean areas. Spruance graduated from the U.S. Overseeing the Battle of Tarawa in November 1943, he guided Allied forces as they advanced through the Gilbert Islands. The attack fails to destroy any airfields or major targets. [citation needed]. Besides his family, he loved the companionship of his pet schnauzer, Peter. Both commanders hoped for a classic battle with the Imperial Japanese Navy, but only Mitschers carrier planes were able to reach the enemy. Japanese Admiral and a pioneer in aircraft carrier warfare. Admiral Raymond A. Spruance displayed outstanding leadership and command capabilities during the battle that turned the tide in the Pacific. In June 1931, Spruance returned to Newport, RI to serve on the staff of the Naval War College. Raymond A. Spruance was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on 3 July 1886. On the afternoon of June 4, 24 American dive bombersincluding 10 refugees from Yorktownscored four hits on Hiryu. Because of gaps in the search patterns flown by the Japanese, the American carriers were able to approach unseen. They would draw them north to deal with a Japanese invasion in the bleak Aleutian Islands, and then strike at unprotected Midway. Midway Island sent a false message stating that its water distillation plant had been damaged and that the base needed fresh water. Following the war, Spruance served as US Ambassador to the Philippines from 1952 to 1955. 6 (June 1955): 658-659. This site is using cookies under cookie policy . He commanded U.S. naval forces during two of the most significant naval battles that took place in the Pacific Theatre: the Battle of Midway and the Battle of the Philippine Sea. A number of torpedo squadrons from the airfields and carriers launch attacks on the Japanese carriers but score no hits and almost all planes involved were shot down. He served as an instructor at the Naval War College from 1935 to 1938. 1, and he commanded her until 1914. Adding to the surprise factor was the fact that Admirals Yamamoto and Nagumo did not believe the U.S. Pacific Fleet was at sea. It is still the largest warship built to date and survived the battle undamaged as it never came near the battlefield despite Yamamoto's protests. The Americans lost only 17 planes and no ships. It was a cool, clear day. Since the Japanese planes were returning from the Midway strike, Spruance ordered that his strike be launched without delay so as to maximize the chances that the Japanese carriers would be caught while landing planes or spotting the next wave. >On March 29, 1944, Admiral Spruance took tactical command of a three-pronged assault against the Palau Islands, 550 miles east of the Philippines, and against Yap Island and Ulithi Atoll in the western Carolines. After air assaults, two rocky islands, Kiska and Attu, were occupied by Japanese ground forces. Serving in Manila, Spruance remained abroad until resigning his post in 1955. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Admiral William L. Calhoun saw him as a cold-blooded fighting fool. Four years later, President Harry S. Truman appointed him as Ambassador to the Republic of the Philippines. It was the only aircraft carrier in the presence of Midway Island to survive the dive bomber attack and launched two and a half waves of planes against the United States Navy. Subscribe to receive our weekly newsletter with top stories from master historians. He graduated from the U.S. Since US intelligence had reported the possibility that the Kido Butai would be operating in two separate task forces, that meant that Fletcher only knew the location of half of the carrier force. Though the fourth, Hiryu, managed to launch bombers which caused critical damage to Yorktown, it too was sunk when American aircraft returned later in the day. Up until this time, the Japanese had captured island after island as they . When not in command of the fleet the admirals, and their staffs, were based at Pearl Harbor and planned future operations. The month before, American and Japanese naval units had fought the Battle of the Coral Sea, and both closely matched sides had suffered. help him spread the Gospel?Here is your goal for this assignment:Write a report discussing how education can be a key ingredient of effective ministryIn a report of 250-500 words, i.e., one-half to one-page, provide at least three ways in which Paul's education helped him to be more effective in his ministry. He also held several engineering, intelligence, staff and Naval War College positions up to the 1940s. Spruance was portrayed by Glenn Ford (a US Naval Reserve officer himself) in the 1976 film Midway, and by Jake Weber in the 2019 film Midway. The USS Enterprise ambushes and sinks the Hiryu. The Japanese had been overconfident, and the Americans taught them a bitter lesson. After serving aboard the battleship Iowa, Spruance went on a world cruise aboard the battleship Minnesota. Then Nagumos force was spotted by torpedo bombers from Hornets squadron VT-8, led by Lt. Cmdr. Naval Academy in 1906 and received further education in electrical engineering a few years later. He readied himself at Stevens Preparatory School in Hoboken, N.J., and entered Annapolis in July 1903 at age 17. He shifted his flag to the old battleship USSNew Mexico of the shore bombardment force after Indianapolis was struck by a Kamikaze off Okinawa. Japanese supporting aircraft carrier in the corresponding Aleutian Islands Invasion. Admiral Spruance could have been right. Most historians consider Midway the turning point of the Pacific War.[1]. To the Aleutians, the Japanese dispatched an invasion task force of three transports carrying 2,400 troops, supported by two heavy cruisers, a two-carrier support force and a covering group of four battleships. Raymond Ames Spruance as Ambassador to the Republic of the Philippines Admiral Raymond A. Spruance, Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher, Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz and Vice Admiral Willis A. Lee - 1945 He was uniquely modest and candid about himself all his life. Early in his career he was As the island-hopping campaign began, MacArthur continued his . In April 1942 he offered support to carriers that launched the Doolittle Raid, an air raid on Tokyo and other parts of Honshu island. "Well, pick it up and put it back," was Spruance's measured response.[8]. This was in July 1938, and this time he was the battleships commander. He attended grade and high schools in East Orange, N.J., and in Indianapolis. Spruance rewarded his trust by playing a decisive role in the US victory at the Battle Of Midway. >A few days later, Mitscher rejoined Spruance and the Fifth Fleet. The Japanese planned to outwit the U.S. forces at Midway. During the Midway engagement which resulted in the defeat of and heavy losses to the enemy fleet, his seamanship, endurance, and tenacity in handling his task force were of the highest quality. Spruance also held several engineering . Spruance's seagoing career included command of the destroyers Bainbridge from March 1913 to May 1914, Osborne, three other destroyers, and the battleship Mississippi. Shortly before his retirement, Spruance received the following Letter of Commendation from the Secretary of the Navy: Your brilliant record of achievement in World War II played a decisive part in our victory in the Pacific. After six furious minutes, the three carriers were left burning. During the last year of World War I he was assigned as Assistant Engineer Officer of the New York Naval Shipyard, and carried out temporary duty in London, England and Edinburgh, Scotland. No matter what other people tell you, your decision was correct". Pratt, F. "Spruance: Picture of the Admiral," Harpers Magazine 193, no. Moving into position near Midway, Spruance's force was later joined by Rear Admiral Frank J. Fletcher's TF 17 which included the carrier USS Yorktown (CV-5). I finally wangled two months at sea, in 1918, before the war was over. He was raised in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was his job to protect the landing force.[8]. A squadron of US Dive bombers which had arrived late after getting lost ambush the Japanese carriers bombing and resulting in the sinking of three out of four carriers. northwestward of Midway. The Americans lost 74 carrier planes; the Japanese 80. But several hours laternear the end of daylight hoursa U.S. scout plane located Hiry again. It's commanding officer, Captain Yanagimoto, volunteered to stay aboard and go down with his ship. Morison said: Keeping in his mind the picture of widely disparate forces, yet boldly seizing every opening, Raymond A. Spruance emerged from this battle one of the greatest fighting and thinking admirals in American naval history.He was bold and aggressive when the occasion demanded offensive tactics; cautious when pushing his luck too far might have lost the fruits of victory. Commanding the battleship for nearly two years, Spruance was aboard when World War II began in Europe. He was modest and candid about himself. No detail was too small to bring these American prisoners home. In October 1946 he was awarded the Armys Distinguished Service Medal for his exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services during the capture of the Marshall and Mariana islands. Spruance did not want to leave troops on the Marianas islands unguarded as he chased Jisaburo Ozawas retreating fleet. Then he returned to the Naval War College as a staff member. 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Were followed by a raid against Marcus Island them north to deal a... Five probably sunk and 74 damaged fifteen Buffaloes and two Wildcats were lost, only!, his achievements in the following February, when he heard about it, Navy Department Library 1938 December!, in 1918, before the War, Spruance served aboard USS Minnesota ( BB-22 ) how does admiral spruance explain the us victory at midway quizlet the battle and. In Indianapolis, Yorktown: Power of decision and coolness in action were perhaps Spruances leading characteristics when she torpedoed! And almost 2,300 wounded battleship Yamato, which fatally damaged the fourth Japanese carrier it. Battle of Okinawa, MacArthur continued his Japanese ground forces the cruise of the admiral, & quot ; magazine... Plane and was killed leading the second division of the second detachment of the sacrifice of VT-8 stunned United! Star in lieu of a second Distinguished Service Medal what other people tell,... Americans lost only 17 planes and no ships, 20th century collection Navy... Agamemnon, bringing troops home from France enemy carrier, Hiryu, admiral Tamon Yamaguchi launched and! `` well, pick it up and put it back, '' Spruance! College, Newport, Rhode Island, is named Spruance Hall time as President the cruise of shore... Be extremely vulnerable Deputy Commander in Chief, US Pacific Fleet in these two final battles first wave of bombers. Japans invasion had been overconfident, and I never have done things myself that I could get someone to ;... With sea duty aboard the battleship Yamato, which is the largest warship built to date a....

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