June 19
U.S. Navy Launches Battle of the Philippine Sea
In the largest carrier-versus-carrier battle of World War II, U.S. forces crushed Japanese naval aviation near the Mariana Islands, ending Japan's ability to mount major carrier operations.
Summary
In the Pacific Theater of World War II, American forces advanced toward the Mariana Islands to establish bases for bombing Japan. Japanese Admiral Jisaburo Ozawa sought to halt the invasion by committing the Imperial Navy's carrier fleet in a decisive engagement. On June 19, 1944, the Battle of the Philippine Sea commenced as Japanese aircraft launched multiple waves against U.S. Fifth Fleet carriers under Admiral Raymond Spruance near the Mariana Islands. American pilots and anti-aircraft defenses, benefiting from superior training, radar, and numbers, downed over 200 Japanese planes in what became known as the "Marianas Turkey Shoot." The U.S. lost relatively few aircraft while Japanese carrier air power was devastated. The battle continued into June 20 with further Japanese losses, including three carriers sunk.
Context
By mid-1944 the United States had seized the initiative across the central Pacific, advancing island by island toward Japan. Control of the Mariana Islands, including Saipan, would place American B-29 bombers within striking distance of the Japanese home islands for the first time. Japanese planners had long counted on a single decisive naval battle to reverse their fortunes, but repeated losses of experienced pilots in earlier campaigns at Coral Sea, Midway, and the Solomons had left their carrier air groups critically weakened.
What Happened
On 15 June 1944 U.S. Marines landed on Saipan, prompting Imperial Japanese Navy commander Soemu Toyoda to order Operation A-Go, committing nearly the entire remaining carrier fleet under Admiral Jisaburō Ozawa. The opposing forces met in the Philippine Sea on 19 June. Ozawa launched four waves of aircraft from carriers including Taihō, Shōkaku, and Zuikaku against the U.S. Fifth Fleet under Admiral Raymond Spruance, whose Task Force 58 included fifteen carriers. American radar, superior pilot training, and effective anti-aircraft fire, including proximity-fused shells, destroyed more than two hundred Japanese planes in what pilots soon called the “Marianas Turkey Shoot.” U.S. submarines USS Albacore and USS Cavalla torpedoed and sank Taihō and Shōkaku that same day.
Aftermath
On 20 June Spruance authorized a long-range strike that sank the light carrier Hiyō and damaged other ships, though many American aircraft were lost returning at night. Japanese losses totaled three carriers sunk, hundreds of aircraft destroyed, and thousands of aircrew killed. The U.S. suffered only light damage to one battleship and the loss of about 120 aircraft, most to fuel exhaustion rather than enemy action.
Legacy
The battle permanently eliminated Japan’s capacity for large-scale carrier warfare, leaving its surviving carriers largely confined to port. With the Marianas secured, the United States gained forward bases that accelerated the island-hopping campaign and brought Japan under sustained strategic bombing. The engagement confirmed the primacy of carrier air power in modern naval warfare and shaped postwar fleet design around the world.
Why It Matters
The engagement eliminated Japan's capacity for large-scale carrier operations, shifting naval air superiority permanently to the United States and enabling the capture of the Marianas. It accelerated the Allied island-hopping campaign toward Japan and demonstrated the decisive role of carrier aviation in modern warfare. The victory shortened the Pacific War's timeline and influenced postwar naval strategy worldwide.
Related Questions
Why was the battle called the “Marianas Turkey Shoot”?
American pilots used the term to describe the one-sided destruction of inexperienced Japanese aircrews by superior U.S. fighters, radar direction, and shipboard gunfire.
How did U.S. submarines contribute to the victory?
USS Albacore and USS Cavalla sank the carriers Taihō and Shōkaku, removing two of Japan’s most powerful fleet carriers early in the battle.
What strategic advantage did capturing the Marianas provide?
The islands offered bases from which B-29 bombers could reach Japan directly, accelerating the strategic air campaign against the home islands.
Did the battle end Japanese carrier operations entirely?
It ended large-scale carrier actions; surviving Japanese carriers were kept mostly in port and played only minor roles in later fighting.
How did pilot training differences affect the outcome?
U.S. pilots benefited from extensive training and combat experience, while most Japanese replacement pilots had far fewer flight hours and little preparation.
Related Portfolio Site
US Military Atlas: Major U.S. naval victory and turning point in the Pacific War carrier battles.
Explore More
Related Events
Sources
- Battle of the Philippine Sea, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-07-12.
- In Battle of the Philippine Sea, U.S. cripples Japanese naval air power, History.com. Accessed 2026-07-12.