The Battle of Kwajalein, April 14-16, 1942
Posted: Sat Nov 27, 2004 6:17 pm
Timeline, the Battle of Kwajalein, April 14-16, 1942
April 11, 1942
Imperial Japanese submarine I-2 reports four American carriers with accompanying cruisers and destroyers approximately 100 miles south of Midway Island, proceeding rapidly southwesterly towards the Japanese base on Kwajalein Island. Rear Admiral Tamon Yamaguchi, commanding Carrier Strike Force East (carriers Shokaku, Zuikaku, Taiyo, and Junyo) is ordered to proceed east from patrol position west of Kwajalein to intercept.
April 12-13, 1942
No contact. Forces continue approaching each other.
April 14, 1942
Approximiately 200 miles NE of Kwajalein, scout aircraft from the American carriers locate the Taiyo and Junyo. Shortly afterward, the American carriers are sighted by float planes from the escorting cruiser Tone, leading the two Japanese ships to launch a strike of their own. A massive American strike including 30 torpedo aircraft, over 80 divebombers, and 40 escorting fighters hits the two Japanese carriers. The Taiyo takes three torpedoes and six bomb hits, the escort carrier sinking within an hour. Torpedo attacks on the Junyo are unsuccessful, but the new carrier (commissioned just last month) takes three bomb hits, one of which sets off the aviation fuel tanks. The ship explodes with the loss of over 800 crewmen. The airstrike launched from Taiyo and Junyo finds the American carriers Yorktown and Enterprise, but no bomb hits or torpedo hits are scored. The aircraft proceed to land at Kwajalein.
Miraculously for the Japanese, the Americans do not sight the Zuikaku and Shokaku, the two Japanese carriers covered by a rainsquall. Admiral Yamaguchi plots his revenge for the next day.
April 15, 1942
The two forces sight each other shortly before noon, both launching large strikes. Divebombers from the Enterprise, Hornet, Yorktown, and Lexington find the Shokaku and Zuikaku, putting three bombs in the former and two in the latter. Fires break out but the two large ships prove much more resistant to damage than the two converted carriers lost the previous day. The Japanese strike, meanwhile, overwhelms the American CAP, over 20 Wildcat fighters being shot down. Enterprise takes two bomb hits, Yorktown one, Hornet three bombs plus a torpedo.
Both sides launch second, though weaker, strikes, in the afternoon. Shokaku takes two additional bomb hits, but Zuikaku escapes damage. Hornet and Yorktown, meanwhile, take two more bombs each, forcing the suspension of flight operations. The Americans begin retiring to the southeast, while Yamaguchi continues to prowl.
April 16, 1942
A weak morning strike launched by the Lexington and Enterprise is swiped away by strong CAP from the Japanese carriers. A retaliatory strike launched by Yamaguchi lands two additional bombs on Enterprise. All the American carriers begin retreating southeasterly. Only Lexington remains capable of launching flight operations.
In the afternoon, land-baesd air from Kwajalein gets in on the action. 40 Betty bombers press the attack. American CAP shoots down six Bettys, but the remainder get through and launch a devastating torpedo attack. Hornet takes five torpedoes, causing the ship to founder and sink in the late afternoon. Lexington escapes damage, but both Yorktown and Enterprise take an additional torpedo. The American cruiser Indianapolis takes three torpedo hits and sinks during the night.
April 17, 1942
The battle ends, both sides withdrawing towards their respective fleet bases for repair. The conflict is the first carrier vs. carrier battle in history. The Japanese lose the escort carrier Taiyo and the newly-commissioned fleet carrier Junyo. Both Shokaku and Zuikaku are damaged and will require at least a month in the shipyard, possibly three months in the case of the Shokaku. The Americans lose the carrier Hornet and the cruiser Indianapolis, and both Yorktown and Enterprise are badly damaged and will require substantial repair.
Post-battle carrier strength in the Pacific, April 18, 1942
Americans: Lexington and Saratoga undamaged, Yorktown and Enterprise badly damaged, Hornet sunk 4/16/42.
Japanese: Akagi, Kaga, Soryu, Hiryu, Zuiho, Unyo, Hiyo undamaged. Shokaku badly damaged, Zuikaku damaged. Shoho undergoing repair from submarine torpedo strike suffered 3/1/42. Hosho sunk 2/14/42 (land-based air from Singapore), Ryujo sunk 3/18/42 (torpedoed by American submarine), Taiyo and Junyo sunk 4/14/42.
April 11, 1942
Imperial Japanese submarine I-2 reports four American carriers with accompanying cruisers and destroyers approximately 100 miles south of Midway Island, proceeding rapidly southwesterly towards the Japanese base on Kwajalein Island. Rear Admiral Tamon Yamaguchi, commanding Carrier Strike Force East (carriers Shokaku, Zuikaku, Taiyo, and Junyo) is ordered to proceed east from patrol position west of Kwajalein to intercept.
April 12-13, 1942
No contact. Forces continue approaching each other.
April 14, 1942
Approximiately 200 miles NE of Kwajalein, scout aircraft from the American carriers locate the Taiyo and Junyo. Shortly afterward, the American carriers are sighted by float planes from the escorting cruiser Tone, leading the two Japanese ships to launch a strike of their own. A massive American strike including 30 torpedo aircraft, over 80 divebombers, and 40 escorting fighters hits the two Japanese carriers. The Taiyo takes three torpedoes and six bomb hits, the escort carrier sinking within an hour. Torpedo attacks on the Junyo are unsuccessful, but the new carrier (commissioned just last month) takes three bomb hits, one of which sets off the aviation fuel tanks. The ship explodes with the loss of over 800 crewmen. The airstrike launched from Taiyo and Junyo finds the American carriers Yorktown and Enterprise, but no bomb hits or torpedo hits are scored. The aircraft proceed to land at Kwajalein.
Miraculously for the Japanese, the Americans do not sight the Zuikaku and Shokaku, the two Japanese carriers covered by a rainsquall. Admiral Yamaguchi plots his revenge for the next day.
April 15, 1942
The two forces sight each other shortly before noon, both launching large strikes. Divebombers from the Enterprise, Hornet, Yorktown, and Lexington find the Shokaku and Zuikaku, putting three bombs in the former and two in the latter. Fires break out but the two large ships prove much more resistant to damage than the two converted carriers lost the previous day. The Japanese strike, meanwhile, overwhelms the American CAP, over 20 Wildcat fighters being shot down. Enterprise takes two bomb hits, Yorktown one, Hornet three bombs plus a torpedo.
Both sides launch second, though weaker, strikes, in the afternoon. Shokaku takes two additional bomb hits, but Zuikaku escapes damage. Hornet and Yorktown, meanwhile, take two more bombs each, forcing the suspension of flight operations. The Americans begin retiring to the southeast, while Yamaguchi continues to prowl.
April 16, 1942
A weak morning strike launched by the Lexington and Enterprise is swiped away by strong CAP from the Japanese carriers. A retaliatory strike launched by Yamaguchi lands two additional bombs on Enterprise. All the American carriers begin retreating southeasterly. Only Lexington remains capable of launching flight operations.
In the afternoon, land-baesd air from Kwajalein gets in on the action. 40 Betty bombers press the attack. American CAP shoots down six Bettys, but the remainder get through and launch a devastating torpedo attack. Hornet takes five torpedoes, causing the ship to founder and sink in the late afternoon. Lexington escapes damage, but both Yorktown and Enterprise take an additional torpedo. The American cruiser Indianapolis takes three torpedo hits and sinks during the night.
April 17, 1942
The battle ends, both sides withdrawing towards their respective fleet bases for repair. The conflict is the first carrier vs. carrier battle in history. The Japanese lose the escort carrier Taiyo and the newly-commissioned fleet carrier Junyo. Both Shokaku and Zuikaku are damaged and will require at least a month in the shipyard, possibly three months in the case of the Shokaku. The Americans lose the carrier Hornet and the cruiser Indianapolis, and both Yorktown and Enterprise are badly damaged and will require substantial repair.
Post-battle carrier strength in the Pacific, April 18, 1942
Americans: Lexington and Saratoga undamaged, Yorktown and Enterprise badly damaged, Hornet sunk 4/16/42.
Japanese: Akagi, Kaga, Soryu, Hiryu, Zuiho, Unyo, Hiyo undamaged. Shokaku badly damaged, Zuikaku damaged. Shoho undergoing repair from submarine torpedo strike suffered 3/1/42. Hosho sunk 2/14/42 (land-based air from Singapore), Ryujo sunk 3/18/42 (torpedoed by American submarine), Taiyo and Junyo sunk 4/14/42.
