17 February,
Thu. --
Pacific
TF 58 (Vice Admiral Raymond A. Spruance), which includes nine
carriers and six battleships, strikes Japanese installations and
shipping at Truk, in Operation HAILSTONE inflicting massive damage;
enemy air attacks in response succeed in only damaging carrier
Intrepid (CV-11) with an aerial torpedo, 07°23'N,
153°32'E.
SB2Cs and TBFs from carrier Bunker Hill (CV-17) and TBFs from
small carrier Cowpens (CVL-25) sink Japanese light cruiser Naka
35 miles west of Truk, 07°15'N, 151°15'E,
while battleships New Jersey (BB-62) and Iowa (BB-61), heavy cruisers
Minneapolis (CA-36) and New Orleans (CA-32) and destroyers Radford
(DD-446) and Burns (DD-588) sink training cruiser Katori northwest
of Truk, 07°45'N, 151°20'E, after she had been damaged
by planes from carriers Yorktown (CV-10), Intrepid (CV- 11) and
Bunker Hill (CV-17) and small carrier Cowpens. TG 50.3 gunfire
sinks destroyer Maikaze 40 miles northwest of Truk, 07°45'N,
151°20'E.
Destroyer Burns (DD-588), detached from TG 50.9, sinks Japanese
submarine chaser Ch 24 west of Truk, 07°24'N, 150°30'E.
TF 58 planes
sink Japanese destroyer Oite (carrying survivors of light cruiser
Agano sunk the day before), 07°40'N, 151°45'E;
destroyer Tachikaze, 07°40'N, 151°55'E;
armed merchant cruiser Akagi Maru, 07°54'N, 151°25'E;
auxiliary submarine depot ship Heian Maru; aircraft transport
Fujikawa Maru; transports Rio de Janeiro Maru, Kiyozumi Maru,
Aikoku Maru, Gosei Maru, Hanakawa Maru, Hokuyo Maru, Amagisan
Maru, and Kensho Maru; Matsutani Maru, 07°23'N,
151°05'E;
Momokawa Maru, 07°20'N, 151°53'E;
Reiyo Maru, 07°25'N, 151°45'E;
San Francisco Maru, 07°22'N, 151°54'E;
Seiko Maru, 07°22'N, 151°45'E;
Taiho Maru, 07°22'N, 151°34'E;
Zukai Maru,07°46'N, 150°27'E; No.6 Unkai Maru; Yamagiri
Maru, 07°23'N, 151°51'E; fleet tankers Fujisan Maru,
Hoyo Maru (damaged on 4 November 1943 by submarine Scorpion),
Shinkoku Maru, and No.3 Tonan Maru; water carrier Nippo Maru,
07°20'N,
151°40'E;
auxiliary vessel Yamakisan Maru, 07°25'N, 151°45'E;
army cargo ships Nagano Maru and Yubai Maru; merchant cargo ship
Taikichi Maru; and motor torpedo boat Gyoraitei No.10, 07°31'N,
151°59'E.
18 February,
Fri. --
TF 58 (Vice
Admiral Raymond A. Spruance) repeats strike on Japanese installations
and vessels at Truk; TF 58 planes sink destroyer Fumizuki, 07°24'N,
151°44'E; submarine chaser Ch 29, 07°25'N, 151°45'E; and motor
torpedo boat Gyoraitei No.10, 07°31'N, 151°59'E.
