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Unfortunately for Ozawa, the American fleet quickly devastated the Japanese airfields in the area, meaning that Ozawa's flyers would be walking into a buzzsaw when they tried to land. Few of them had a chance to do so, however, as the majority were destroyed attempting to attack the American task forces. Spruance had arranged his warships such that any Japanese aircraft had first to evade a very effective radar-vectored combat air patrol (the US Navy flew more defensive CAP sorties than the Japanese launched in total sorties of all kinds), and then fly directly through the immensely powerful anti-aircraft fire of the screening battleships and cruisers, which had been deployed across the front of the formation in a Gun Line. American technological and pilot superiority were telling, and exacted hideous losses from the Japanese attackers.
Meanwhile, Ozawa was having difficulties with American submarines. Carrier Taiho was torpedoed, and though she took only a single hit, poor damage control technique led to a catastrophic gasoline-fumes explosion which destroyed her. That same afternoon, veteran Shokaku had been sunk by another US sub. Follow-up strikes by American aircraft would also add carrier Hiyo to the list of victims, with several other major warships damaged. The Japanese carrier arm, its carefully rebuilt air groups slaughtered almost to a man, had virtually ceased to exist as an implement of war.
| Battle of the Phillipine Sea | Japan | Allied |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Forces |
 x3 x6 x5 x11 x2 x27 x245 tankers  x1,661 (approx. 1,200 land-based, 473 on board First Mobile Fleet)
|
 x7 x8 x7 x8 x13 x62 x25 x956
|
| Losses |
x2 sunk (Shokaku, Taiho) x1 heavily damaged (Zuikaku) x1 sunk (Hiyo) x2 damaged (Junyo, Chiyoda) x1 damaged (Haruna) x1 damaged (Maya) x1 damaged (Shigure) 2 tankers also sunk. x750 (approx.)(500 land-based + 250 Mobile Force) destroyed
|
x1 moderately damaged (South Dakota) x130 (approx.) lost, including non-combat losses
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Links From Related Partner Sites
WW2DB article on Mariana Islands Campaign and the Great Turkey Shoot
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| Map of the Philippine Sea from Japan to the Carolines | A Marine on Saipan was transferred to an R5C-1 Commando aircraft from a Dodge WC54 3/4-ton field ambulance for transfer to Hawaii, 1944; note the Jeep in between | SB2C Helldivers of Bombing Squadron VB-2 flying from USS Hornet above Saipan, early 1944. | A Roman Catholic chaplain performing mass on the deck of USS Iowa as they closed on the Mariana Islands, Jun 1944. Note the colors of the ship’s paint and the 40mm and 20mm anti-aircraft mounts. | Early production Willys Jeep heavily field modified into a litter Jeep carrying wounded soldiers and medics on Saipan, Mariana Islands, Jun 1944. |
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| Indianapolis under Japanese shore bombardment off Saipan, Jun 1944 | TBM-1C Avenger bombers prepared to take off from Monterey to attack targets on Tinian, Jun 1944 | Zuikaku and two destroyers at the Battle of the Philippine Sea, Jun 1944 | Carriers San Jacinto and Lexington off the Mariana Islands, 13 Jun 1944 | Photo from an SBD Dauntless moments after taking off from the USS Lexington (Essex-class) for strikes against Saipan in the Mariana Islands, 13 Jun 1944 |
See all photos of Mariana Islands Campaign and the Great Turkey Shoot on WW2DB
