Essex (CVS 9) - Naval Cruise Book

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- t- -Q-vw-.-' . . -,. W ...-.A-mv-f-..: -.1,..z-111: ss-.eff-fe,-.w-ffrfwlaiz'-If-uvffl :PSe1i?E:EiF2.2f55,EIlfffftfiT2-i'2'11 12:2?f'?ffF5'fi WF or extraordinary heroism in action against enemy Japanese forces in the air, ashore and afloat in the Pacific W ar Area from August 31, 1943 to August 15, 1945. o 1942 . . .the world was gripped in the demonic clutches of two devastating and bitter wars. Around the globe, battles were waged countries were lost empires grew America rushed to its own defense and to the and of its Allies on all fronts while at home the attempt to mobilize the country into a great fight mg machine picked up speed It was a time of sacrifice time of hard work It was the beginning of long years of per sonal hardships of rationing and long lmes of endless separa tions, and goodbyes that were forever It was a time of war bonds and women in factories and a nation suddenly seized with the need to fill the seas with mighty warships and darken the skies with planes to carry supplies to our forces around the world to build and build and raise more money lt was a time of blackouts and sirens and blood donations and uniforms on every street lt was a time of news paper headlines that shouted with outrage and shuddered with despair lt was the morning of the war when the light suddenly broke over a world gone insane and madness lay revealed in death and agony and struggle This was our nation facing one of its great tests France had fallen . . . London lay in flames. ln the Pacific, our own Pearl Harbor, still dazed and broken from the surprise attack that catapulted the United States into war mapped up the ruins and assessed the damage to our fleet And to bolster these battered naval forces a huge new powerful aircraft carrier was rushed to completion This new carrier was USS ESSEX bearing an illustrious name in naval history a name which was to find new meaning and greater fame inthe heroic efforts of the long and exhausting war which lay ahead Captain D B Duncan was given command of the new carrier at the commissioning ceremonies on 31 December 1942 In Nor folk Virginia and shortly thereafter with preliminary sea trials air group qualifications and shakedown completed ESSEX departed Norfolk She transltted the Panama Canal and by 8 June she arrived at Pearl Harbor where preparations for active duty with the Pacific Fleet were to be completed ESSEX was ready to play her part in the thrilling story of offensive action and striking power which was to progress relentlessly on to Japan itself But first Marcus Island 0 s I I u g 1 I - 1 . . . . . . , . . . . , I ' I I I . . . . . . . . . . . . . O , . , . . . . . . . 0 - I I . . . . . . . . 1 1 , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ' - - 1 1 r . . . . . . . . . . , , . . - , . . . . . . - ' 1 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . - I . . . . . . I . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . 'jr ,W , l, 'A M ' .W ff 1, ,. ,, , ' , -: f ' f , V '7 'r: -3, , f 1, ' 'Iii -f , f . ,, , ?Mi.,V,L4, gg It I A , V . ' ,,,, TW ' A it f ,ls I, ,,,f,,f,,,,,W , 2 W, qu, ,ft .4 .5 ,M I .,v ,,,,,, 22 August 1943 . . . ESSEX departed Pearl Harbor to ioin Task Force 15 for the attack on Marcus lsland.

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, O ' gf , A, ,fp.aff:7 5915-:fi flfji S pearheaoling the concentrated carrier warfare in the forward areas, ESSEX and her air groups struck crashing blows towards annihilating japanese righting power - The Marcus raid was the proving ground for the new car- rier and her air group. Marcus was surprised by the most formidable naval force that had yet been assembled in the Pacific. In the early morning darkness of 31 August 1943, the ESSEX air group was launched and roared in over the target, just before the first light of dawn broke over the horizon. For ten hours, the island came under incessant attack, as Japanese planes were caught and burnedhon the runways, followed by complete destruction of air facilities and other major installa- tions. At Wake Island, ESSEX was the flagship of the larger carrier task force which again surprised the Japanese forces at dawn on 5 October. The approach was made without detection, and a large number of planes were destroyed or damaged on the ground. The strikes persisted throughout the day, and were resumed at sunrise on the following day. When the last plane returned to the decks of the ESSEX, Wake Island was left in destruction. Fully seasoned at Marcus and Wake, the fighting air groups aboard ESSEX scored even greater glory in the raid ESSEX departed Maiuro Atoll 12 Febru- ary 1944 for strikes on Truk in company with TF 58.1 and TG 58.3. on Rabaul. Word had been received that a large number of Japanese ships were concentrating in Rabaul Harbor, a poten- tial threat to our recently-established beach head on Bougain- ville. At dawn on 11 November, nearly every plane of the ESSEX air group was on its way with enemy combatant ships the primary target. Their attack was successful, but when they returned to the ship to re-arm, an enemy attack on the ship be- gan, in which enemy fighters, dive bombers and torpedo planes participated. When the smoke of battle had cleared, it was found that the Japanese attacking force had been virtually destroyed, with ESSEX planes alone destroying forty-two enemy planes in the air during this raid, in addition to the twenty shot down over the target area. Except for minor damage to the hull, and a few men wounded, ESSEX came through virtually unscathed. The occupation of the Gilberts was a continuation of initial amphibious operations in the Central Pacific, and this was of particular importance as the Gilberts were occupied by the Japanese, and were known to be strongly fortified. As fiagship, ESSEX was one of several carrier task force leaders which sup- 1 Q-,Zi ' l '!ll',g'!M If ,u ww f, M M, ...Q -rw 7 my It ,, fra-1-ef: W C ya. -. V I M I 35 -.113 ' A, W alma 'r 1, ,kg , , F xxavqw A Y 1' iw 'War ?q,,'-h.' f,2,,.,,n 'V ,Q K ,,ff or