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Operation Hailstone
Operation Hailstone was a large-scale United States Navy air and surface attack on Truk Lagoon on 17–18 February 1944, conducted as part of the American offensive drive against the Imperial Japanese Navy in the Pacific Ocean theatre of World War II. Background Japanese troops occupied Micronesia, including the Caroline Islands, in 1914 and established Truk as a base as early as 1939. The lagoon was first built up as an anchorage for the Imperial Japanese Navy's 4th Fleet, its "South Seas Force". After the outbreak of war with the United States, the 4th Fleet was put under the command of the Combined Fleet, which continued to use Truk as a forward operating base into 1944. In addition to anchorages for warships and port facilities for shipping between the home islands and the Southern Resources Area, five airfields and a seaplane base were constructed at Truk, making it the only major Japanese airfield within flying range of the Marshall Islands. Despite the impressions ...
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Gilbert And Marshall Islands Campaign
The Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign was a series of engagements fought from August 1942 to February 1944, in the Pacific War, Pacific theatre of World War II between the United States and Empire of Japan, Japan. They were the first battles of a large-scale offensive across the Central Pacific by the United States Pacific Fleet and United States Marine Corps, Marine Corps. The goal of the campaign was to establish airfields and naval bases that would allow American air and naval assets to support future operations across the Central Pacific. Operation ''Galvanic'' and Operation ''Kourbash'' were the codenames for the Gilbert Islands, Gilberts campaign (in modern Kiribati), and included the seizures of Tarawa and Butaritari, Makin, which took place during the Battle of Tarawa on 20–23 November 1943 and the Battle of Makin on 20–24 November 1943. Operation ''Flintlock'' and Operation ''Catchpole'' had the goal of capturing Japanese bases at Kwajalein Atoll, Kwajalein, Ene ...
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Raymond Spruance
Raymond Ames Spruance (July 3, 1886 – December 13, 1969) was a United States Navy admiral during World War II. He commanded U.S. naval forces during the Battle of the Philippine Sea, one of the most significant naval battles of the Pacific Theatre. He also commanded Task Force 16 at the Battle of Midway, comprising the carriers and . At Midway, dive bombers from ''Enterprise'' sank four fleet carriers of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Most historians consider Midway the turning point of the Pacific War. Official Navy historian Samuel Eliot Morison characterized Spruance's performance as "superb", and he was nicknamed "electric brain" for his calmness even in moments of supreme crisis, a reputation enhanced by his successful tactics. He emerged from the war as one of the greater admirals in American history. After the war, Spruance was appointed President of the Naval War College, and later served as American ambassador to the Philippines. Early life Spruance was born in Balti ...
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Weno
Weno, formerly Moen, is an island municipality of Chuuk State of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). It is the largest town in the FSM and the capital of Chuuk. It has an estimated area of 20 square kilometers. Population The population was 13,856 at the census taken in 2010. Geography It is located in the Chuuk Lagoon. Its villages are on the coast (Sapuk, Penia, Peniesene, Tunnuk, Mechitiw, Iras, Nantaku, Nepukos, Mwan, Neiwe, and Wichap, Epinup) and serve as the center of commerce. Weno is the state capital and the second-most populous island of the FSM (if the complex of Tol/Wonei, Polle and Patta is counted as one island), with a population of 13,856 at the 2010 census. The highest point is Mount Teroken, elevation 364 m (1,214 ft). Transportation Weno has the only airport in the state, Chuuk International Airport. The road system is not well established in some parts of the island. No public transportation exists, but visitors can use a small taxi ...
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Eten Island
Etten is an island in Chuuk Lagoon (previously known as Truk Lagoon), in the Federated States of Micronesia. It is located 620 meters to the south of Dublon Island and has an area of 52 hectares. It is part of Tonoas (Dublon) municipality, and forms one of Dublon's 19 historical districts. This small island was bulldozed extensively by Japanese forces — who called it Takeshima — during World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ... to turn it into an airstrip. There are remains of military buildings and wrecked aircraft on the island. Visitors can also climb Mount Uinku, which reaches a height of 61 meters. References Islands of Chuuk State {{Micronesia-geo-stub ...
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Grumman TBF Avenger
The Grumman TBF Avenger (designated TBM for aircraft manufactured by General Motors) is an American World War II-era torpedo bomber developed initially for the United States Navy and Marine Corps, and eventually used by several air and naval aviation services around the world. The Avenger entered U.S. service in 1942, and first saw action during the Battle of Midway. Despite the loss of five of the six Avengers on its combat debut, it survived in service to become the most effective submarine killer and most widely-used torpedo bomber of World War II, sharing credit for sinking the super-battleships and and being credited for sinking 30 submarines. Greatly modified after the war, it remained in use until the 1960s.Wheeler 1992, p. 53. From 1942-on, production of the Avenger (in fact nearly three quarters of its the total production) was subcontracted to a purposely established division of General Motors: the Eastern Aircraft Division. Design and development The Dougl ...
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Dive Bomber
A dive bomber is a bomber aircraft that dives directly at its targets in order to provide greater accuracy for the bomb it drops. Diving towards the target simplifies the bomb's trajectory and allows the pilot to keep visual contact throughout the bomb run. This allows attacks on point targets and ships, which were difficult to attack with conventional level bombers, even ''en masse''. Dive bombing was especially effective against vehicles when integrated into early instances of Blitzkrieg. After World War II, the rise of precision-guided munitions and improved anti-aircraft defences—both fixed gunnery positions and fighter interception—led to a fundamental change in dive bombing. New weapons, such as rockets, allowed for better accuracy from smaller dive angles and from greater distances. They could be fitted to almost any aircraft, including fighters, improving their effectiveness without the inherent vulnerabilities of dive bombers, which needed air superiority to ...
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Torpedo Bomber
A torpedo bomber is a military aircraft designed primarily to attack ships with aerial torpedoes. Torpedo bombers came into existence just before the World War I, First World War almost as soon as aircraft were built that were capable of carrying the weight of a torpedo, and remained an important aircraft type until they were rendered obsolete by anti-ship missiles. They were an important element in many famous World War II, Second World War battles, notably the United Kingdom, British Battle of Taranto, attack at Taranto, the sinking of the German battleship German battleship Bismarck, ''Bismarck'', the sinking of the British battleship ''HMS Prince of Wales (53), HMS Prince Of Wales'' and the British battlecruiser ''HMS Repulse (1916), HMS Repulse'' and the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Types Torpedo bombers first appeared immediately prior to the First World War. Generally, they carried torpedo, torpedoes specifically designed for air launch, which were smaller and lighte ...
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Mitsubishi A6M Zero
The Mitsubishi A6M "Zero" is a long-range carrier-capable fighter aircraft formerly manufactured by Mitsubishi Aircraft Company, a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. It was operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) from 1940 to 1945. The A6M was designated as the , or the Mitsubishi A6M Rei-sen. The A6M was usually referred to by its pilots as the ''Reisen'' (, zero fighter), "0" being the last digit of the imperial year 2600 (1940) when it entered service with the IJN. The official Allied reporting name was "Zeke", although the name "Zero" was used more commonly. The Zero is considered to have been the most capable carrier-based fighter in the world when it was introduced early in World War II, combining excellent maneuverability, high airspeed, strong firepower and very long range.Hawks, Chuck"The Best Fighter Planes of World War II" chuckhawks.com. Retrieved: 18 January 2007. The Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service also frequently used it as a land-based fighter. In ...
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Grumman F6F Hellcat
The Grumman F6F Hellcat is an American Carrier-based aircraft, carrier-based fighter aircraft of World War II. Designed to replace the earlier Grumman F4F Wildcat, F4F Wildcat and to counter the Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero, it was the United States Navy's dominant fighter in the second half of the Pacific War. In gaining that role, it prevailed over its faster competitor, the Vought F4U Corsair, which initially had problems with visibility and carrier landings. Powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp, the same powerplant used for both the Corsair and the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighters, the F6F was an entirely new design, but it still resembled the Wildcat in many ways. Some military observers tagged the Hellcat as the "Wildcat's big brother".Sullivan 1979, p. 4. The F6F made its combat debut in September 1943. It subsequently established itself as a rugged, well-designed carrier fighter, which was able to outperform the A6M Zer ...
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Imperial Japanese Army Air Service
The Imperial Japanese Army Air Service (IJAAS) or Imperial Japanese Army Air Force (IJAAF; ) was the Military aviation, aviation force of the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA). Its primary mission was to provide tactical close air support for ground forces, as well as a limited air interdiction capability. The IJAAS also provided aerial reconnaissance to other branches of the IJA. While the IJAAS engaged in Strategic bombing during World War II, strategic bombing of cities such as Shanghai, Battle of Nanking#Aerial bombardment of Nanking, Nanjing, Guangzhou, Canton, Bombing of Chongqing, Chongqing, Bombing of Rangoon in World War II, Rangoon, and Bombing of Mandalay (1942), Mandalay, this was not the primary mission of the IJAAS, and it lacked a heavy bomber force. It did not usually control artillery spotter/observer aircraft; artillery battalions controlled the light aircraft and observation balloon, balloons that operated in these roles. The Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service was ...
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Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service
The (IJNAS) was the air arm of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN). The organization was responsible for the operation of naval aircraft and the conduct of aerial warfare in the Pacific War. The Japanese military acquired its first aircraft in 1910 and followed the development of air combat during World War I with great interest. Japan initially built European aircraft under license, but by the early 1930s Japanese factories were producing domestic designs. The Japanese also embarked on an ambitious aircraft carrier building program, launching the world's first purpose-built aircraft carrier, , in 1922. Several excess battlecruisers and battleships were converted into aircraft carriers as well. As the organization assigned to the IJN's aircraft carriers, the Navy Air Service was tasked with the missions of national air defence, deep strike, naval warfare, and so forth. It retained this mission until its dissolution at the end of the Second World War. The Japanese pilot training ...
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Yanks Smash Truk
''Yanks'' is a 1979 drama film directed by John Schlesinger, and produced by Joseph Janni and Lester Persky, and is written by Colin Welland and Walter Bernstein. It stars Richard Gere, Lisa Eichhorn, Vanessa Redgrave, William Devane, Chick Vennera, Wendy Morgan, Rachel Roberts and Tony Melody. The film is set during the Second World War in Northern England and features no combat scenes. The film depicts the relationships between American soldiers stationed in semi-rural England and the local population during the build-up to Operation Overlord in 1944. In particular, three romances between US service personnel and local women are shown, in order to explore the effects of the cultural differences between the brash GIs or "Yanks" and the more reserved British population. The world premiere was held on 1 June 1979 at a cinema in Bournemouth, England. Lisa Eichhorn was present at the premiere, which had invited returning D-Day veterans from many American divisions - most notably ...
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