U.S. Navy at War
1941 - 1945

Official Reports to
The Secretary of the Navy
by
Fleet Admiral Ernest J. King, U.S. Navy

Commander in Chief, United States Fleet
and Chief of Naval Operations

 

 

Washington
United States Navy Department
1946


Table of Contents

FIRST REPORT
Letter of Transmittal 2
Introduction 3
I The Peacetime Navy 4
Prior to the War in Europe 4
As Affected by the War in Europe 5
II The Wartime Navy 12
Fighting Strength 12
Personnel 20
The Marine Corps 26
The Coast Guard 27
The Seabees 29
The WAVES 29
III Combat Operations 31
General 31
Strategy 37
The Pacific Theater 39
    The Defensive 39
The Defensive-Offensive 47
The Offensive-Defensive 49
The Offensive 70
Supporting Operations 74
The Atlantic Theater 77
The Mediterranean Theater 82
Landings in North Africa 82
Landings in Sicily 86
Landings in Italy 88
IV Teamwork 89
The Navy Team 89
The Army and Navy Team 89
The Allied Team 90
V Conclusion 92
SECOND REPORT
Letter of Transmittal 96
I Introduction 97
II Command and Fleet Organization 100
United States Fleet 100
Organization of United States Naval Forces in the Pacific 100
Organization of United States Naval Forces in the Atlantic-Mediterranean 101
III Combat Operations: Pacific 103
Hollandia and Fast Carrier Task Force Covering Operations 104
Marianas Operations 106
Progress along New Guinea Coast 112
Western Carolines Operations 114
Reoccupation of Philippine Islands 117
Assault on Inner Defenses of Japan 129
Continuing Operations 132
IV Combat Operations: Atlantic-Mediterranean 134
United States Atlantic Fleet 134
United States Naval Forces in Europe--The Normandy Invasion 135
Eighth Fleet--Italy 143
Eighth Fleet--Invasion of Southern France 143
V Fighting Strength 146
Ships, Planes and Ordnance 146
Personnel 152
Supply 155
Health 157
The Marine Corps 159
The Coast Guard 159
VI Conclusion 161
THIRD REPORT
Letter of Transmittal 166
I Introduction 167
II Combat Operations: Pacific 173
The Capture of Iwo Jima 173
Assault on Okinawa and its Capture 175
Fast Carrier Force Operations in Support of Okinawa Invasion 180
Joint Operations in the Philippines and Borneo 183
Fast Carrier Force Pre-Invasion Operations against Japan 188
Contributory Operations 190
The Surrender and Occupation of Japan 192
III Logistics and Bases--Pacific 192
IV Submarine Operations 201
Attacks on Merchant Shipping 201
Attacks on Naval Vessels 202
Special Missions 203
V Atlantic Operations 205
Antisubmarine Operations 205
Tenth Fleet 206
U.S. Naval Forces in Europe 207
U.S. Atlantic Fleet 211
VI Ships, Aircraft and Personnel 213
Shipbuilding Program 213
Aircraft 214
Personnel 216
Health 219
The Marine Corps 221
The Coast Guard 222
VII Naval Research and Development during World War II 225
VIII Conclusion 231
Appendices
A Status of major combatant ships of Japanese Navy at the conclusion of hostilities 233
B Major combatant ships added to United States Fleet, 7 December 1941-1 October 1945 252
C Losses of United States naval vessels from all causes, 7 December 1941-1 October 1945 287


Transcribed and formatted for HTML by Patrick Clancey, HyperWar Foundation