History of United States Naval Operations in World War II

by Morison, Samuel Eliot

• ISBN13: 9780252069956
• ISBN10: 0252069951
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-06-28
• Publisher: Univ of Illinois Pr

Summary

Volume 4: Coral Sea, Midway and Submarine Actions, May 1942-August 1942 details the American victory in the Coral Sea and the U.S. Navy's stunning defeat of a far superior Japanese force at Midway, as well as the events leading up to the six-month struggle at Guadalcanal. This volume also provides a richly detailed look at the first-year exploits of the "Silent Service": the fledgling American submarine corps in the Pacific. Morison supplements his firsthand experience of American operations and access to Allied documents with critical information from the Japanese side.

Table of Contents

Preface	ix
Abbreviations	xxi
PART I CORAL SEA, MIDWAY, ALEUTIANS
South from Rabaul, March--April 1942	3	(18)
Delusions of Grandeur	3	(7)
Plans and Aspirations	10	(7)
Composition of Forces	17	(4)
Japanese
Allied
Into the Coral Sea, 1--6 May 1942	21	(12)
Preliminary Moves	21	(4)
Tulagi Strike, 4 May	25	(3)
Interlude, 5--6 May	28	(5)
Coral Sea: Actions of 7 May	33	(13)
Loss of Neosho and Sims	33	(4)
Crace's Chase	37	(2)
``Scratch One Flattop''	39	(4)
Twilight Tangles and Night Thoughts	43	(3)
Carrier Battle of 8 May	46	(19)
Attack on Shokaku and Zuikaku	46	(6)
Attack on Yorktown and Lexington	52	(5)
Loss of ``Lady Lex''	57	(3)
Retirement and Conclusion, 8--11 May	60	(5)
``Battle of Sydney,'' 31 May--1 June 1942	65	(4)
Midway Preliminaries, May 1942	69	(32)
The Hawaiian Sentry	69	(5)
Japanese Strategy and Plans	74	(5)
American Strategy and Preparations	79	(8)
Composition of Forces	87	(6)
Japanese
United States
Movements of Forces, 10 May--3 June 1942	93	(8)
The Battle of the Fourth of June	101	(40)
Fast Carrier Forces Converge	101	(3)
Battle over Midway	104	(1)
Midway Counterattacks, Nagumo Vacilates	105	(7)
Forenoon Battle of the Carrier Planes	112	(20)
Launching and Tactics
Slaughter of the Torpedo-bombers
Dive-bombers Sink Three
Attacks on Yorktown; sinking of Hiryu	132	(9)
Midway: The Pursuit Phase, 5--7 June	141	(19)
Contact Lost, 5 June	141	(3)
Pursuit of Mogami and Misuma, 5--6 June	144	(9)
Last of Yorktown, 5--7 June	153	(3)
Conclusion	156	(4)
The Aleutians, January -- June 1942	160	(27)
Background and Preparations	160	(12)
Task Organizations	172	(3)
Japanese
United States
Strikes on Dutch Harbor, 3--4 June	175	(5)
Occupation of Attu and Kiska, 7--14 June	180	(7)
PART II SUBMARINE ACTIONS
Submarine Patrols, 1 April 1942--1 February 1943	187	(48)
The Silent Service
American Submarines
Japanese Submarines	187	(11)
Central Pacific Patrols	198	(16)
North Pacific	214	(5)
South and Southwest Pacific	219	(11)
Sub Summary for 1942	230	(5)
The Makin Raid, 16--18 August 1942	235	(10)
PART III THE FIRST AMERICAN OFFENSIVE 10 July--8 August 1942
Strategic Decisions, March--July 1942	245	(19)
Plans and Prepararions, June--July 1942	264	(14)
Operation ``Shoestring''	264	(6)
Task Organization	270	(8)
The Landings, 7--8 August 1942	278	(19)
Rendezvous, Rehearsal and Approach	278	(5)
Landings at Guadalcanal	283	(4)
Landings Tulagi-side	287	(5)
Air Counterattacks, 7--8 August	292	(5)
Index	297