Hancock (CVA 19) - Naval Cruise Book

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Again t The Empire The still-gleaming, and as yet untested, 33,000- ton Essex-class carrier joined Admiral William F. Bull Halsey's Third Fleet at Ulithi in the Western Carolinas in early October, 1944. She was soon dispatched to send her planes against Japanese positions on Okinawa and Formosa in support ofthe Philippine campaign. She scored heavily against the enemy and, after a brief rest, was back at sea again under orders to proceed to Leyte Gulf where a Japanese task force had been cornered. I-lancock's aircraft were credited with sinking two Japanese battleships and two cruisers in action there on October Z5 in what became known as the big shoot at the Surigao Straits. The retreating survivors of that battle were caught again in the Jintotola Channel and Hancock sank three more ships.

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M. i qmvym. . 1:--H .,,, if :Sf iii E' if ii t r I r w f I l . i 1 1 r U i I i P I L i 41 F 1, ! J 1 I I 153558 '31 ! 1 r '. f'T7:.F 1 ff, : G-iightj Dive bombers wait their turn to leave Hancock's deck on a strike mission. QTop Righty A formation of Hancock dive bombers return from a mission against the Japanese. fTopJ Pilots discuss how best to attack a target. fAboveJ Hancock's entire strike group readies for a heavy thrust against Japan. 1 X . a- S. 3 h :rf , e W eis t e' ' f

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Hanna's Pilots Take A Heavy Japanese Toll Flushed with the confidence that only success can bring, Hancock and her air wing continued to hit Japanese airfields and shipping lanes from the Philippines to Southeast Asia as part of powerful carrier task forces. Already, her planes had accounted for 97 enemy planes, four large warships, and 12 merchant ships sunk. And her successful combat record would only improve as the Allies began pointing their strength at the Japanese home islands. Coordinated carrier strikes were carried out against Japanese airfields in the Empire's inner defense ring despite reinforced and stiffened resistence. Early in January, l945, Hancock turned west and then north, striking at Japanese ports in Siam, Hong Kong and Kowloon, and finally in the home islands themselves. Hancock pilots found themselves in dog fights overToky0 in early February. ln six days of air raids against the Japanese capital, a record 83 confirmed aircraft kills were recorded and many more probables added to the list. American planes were literally controlling Japanese sky lanes.