140

UNITED STATES NAVAL AVIATION 1910-1995

1944-Contin ued

4 June Off Cape Blanco, Africa, a hunter-killer

group (Captain Daniel V. Gallery), composed of the

escort carrier Guadalcanal, with VC-8 aboard, and

five destroyer escorts, carried out a determined attack

on the German submarine U-505, forcing it to surface.

Boats from the destroyer escort Pillsbury (DD 133)

and the carrier reached the submarine before scuttling

charges could accomplish their purpose and the U.S.

Navy found itself with a prize of war.

5 June The Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Air)

reported that Aviation Safety Boards, established in

one large command, had in one-quarter of operation

reduced the fatal accident rate by 47 percent. He

directed the establishment of similar boards in other

commands outside of advanced combat areas and the

appointment of a flight safety officer in each

squadron.

6 June Allied Invasion of Normandy-Seventeen

Naval Aviators taken from aviation units on battleships

and cruisers were assigned to bombardment duty as

part of VCS-7. They operated with units of the British

Fleet Air Arm and Royal Air Force, flying gunfire spot-

ting missions in RAF Spitfires over the Normandy

beaches from D-Day until 26 June.

11 June-10 August Occupation of the Marianas-

Task Force 58 (Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher), built

around seven heavy and eight light carriers, opened

the campaign to occupy the Marianas Islands with a

late afternoon fighter sweep (11 Jun) that destroyed

one-third of the defending air force. In bombing and

strafing attacks on shore installations and on shipping

in the immediate area on succeeding days, this force

prepared the way for the amphibious assault of Saipan

(15 Jun), supported operations ashore with daily

offensive missions, kept the area isolated with attacks

on airfields and shipping in the Bonin and Volcano

Islands to the north (15-16, 24 Jun, 3-4 Jul, 4-5 Aug),

and successfully defended the operation against an

attack by major fleet forces in the Battle of the

Philippine Sea (19-20 Jun). On the first day (19 Jun)

TF 58 repelled a day-long air attack from carriers and

shore bases, destroying 402 enemy planes, and the

next day (20 Jun) launched an air attack late in the

afternoon on the retreating Japanese Fleet, sinking the

carrier Hiyo and two fleet oilers.

Air cover for assault and close air support for opera-

tions ashore was provided by aircraft from an initial

force of 11 escort carriers attached to Attack Forces. A

Navy seaplane squadron VP-16, moved into the area

(16 Jun) and began operations from the open sea.

Garrison aircraft were ferried in by escort carriers to

operate from captured airfields. First to arrive were

Marine observation planes of VMO-4 (17 Jun), AAF P-

47's (22 Jun), and Marine Corps Night Fighter

Squadron 532 (12 Jul). After organized resistance

ended on Saipan (9 Jul), troops landed on Guam (21

Jul) and on Tinian (24 Jul).

As the campaign neared successful completion,

three groups of Task Force 58 left the area temporarily

for strikes on the Western Carolines (25-28 Jul). Palau,

Yap, Ulithi and other islands were taken under attack

A Japanese plane shot

down during an attack

on the escort canjer

Kitkun Bay, Marianas

Campaign 238363