153-542: Carrier Strike Group 2 ( CSG-2 or COMCARSTRKGRU 2 ) is a U.S. Navy carrier strike group , tracing its history originally to 1931. The aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower is the strike group's current flagship. As of Aug 2020, other units assigned to Carrier Strike Group 2 included the nine squadrons of Carrier Air Wing Three ; the Ticonderoga -class cruisers USS Philippine Sea (CG-58) ; USS Monterey (CG-61) , USS Vella Gulf (CG-72) and
306-511: A CSG's destroyer squadron are under the administrative control of Commander, Naval Surface Forces Atlantic or Commander, Naval Surface Forces Pacific . The Strike Group comprises several commands, all of which reside under the authority of the Commander of the CSG (CCSG or COMCARSTRKGRU). The CCSG is typically a rear admiral (lower half) , who often promotes to rear admiral (upper half) while in
459-717: A Russian naval task group led by the aircraft carrier Kuznetsov . Carrier Strike Group Two entered the Suez Canal on 18 March 2014, exiting the Mediterranean Sea. With the annexation of Crimea unfolding, on 6 March 2014, the guided-missile destroyer Truxtun ( pictured ) departed Souda Bay , Greece, for operations in the Black Sea with units of the Romanian and Bulgarian navies. The official U.S. Navy news release noted that " Truxtun ' s operations in
612-464: A crew of 2,150, 1,650 officers and men were lost. TF 58 sailed west during the night to attack the Japanese at dawn. Search patrols were put up at first light. Ozawa had transferred to the destroyer Wakatsuki , but the radio gear on board was incapable of sending the number of messages needed, so he transferred again, to the carrier Zuikaku , at 13:00. He then learned of the disastrous results of
765-404: A debriefing after the first two air battles, a pilot from USS Lexington remarked "Why, hell, it was just like an old-time turkey shoot down home!" The outcome is generally attributed to a wealth of highly trained American pilots with superior tactics and numerical superiority, and new anti-aircraft ship defensive technology (including the top-secret anti-aircraft proximity fuze ), versus
918-416: A destroyer squadron of at least two destroyers or frigates , and a carrier air wing of 65 to 70 aircraft. A carrier strike group also, on occasion, includes submarines , attached logistics ships and a supply ship . The carrier strike group commander operationally reports to the commander of the numbered fleet , who is operationally responsible for the area of waters in which the carrier strike group
1071-405: A few carrying torpedoes, the rest four 500-pound bombs) and 77 dive bombers (51 Helldivers and 26 Dauntlesses ). The TF 58 aircraft arrived over the Japanese fleet just before sunset. The 35 or so fighters Ozawa was able to put up were overwhelmed by the 226 incoming aircraft of Mitscher's attack. While the few Japanese aircraft were often skillfully handled and the Japanese anti-aircraft fire
1224-587: A finance center, as well as supply trucks and armed vehicles. Prior to the launch of the air campaign, a total of 47 land-attack Tomahawk cruise missiles were fired against ISIL military targets from the destroyer Arleigh Burke and the cruiser Philippine Sea ( pictured ) operating from international waters in the Red Sea and Persian Gulf . These missile strikes also included Khorasan Group targets located west of Aleppo . Finally, F/A-18 Hornets and EA-6B Prowlers ( pictured ) from Carrier Air Wing 8 executed
1377-857: A foreign European power while maintaining sufficient naval strength to protect vital American interests in the Pacific. In December 1941, on the eve of the United States' entry into the Second World War , Carrier Division Two was under the command of Vice Admiral William Halsey Jr. , who was also the Commander Aircraft Battle Force in the Pacific Ocean. During the Second World War, aircraft carriers assigned to Carrier Division Two participated in
1530-472: A four-year Refueling and Complex Overhaul (RCOH). On 1 August 2011, the Navy announced that Carrier Strike Group Nine would change its permanent duty station from Naval Station Everett to Naval Base San Diego effective 14 December 2012. Carrier Strike Group Four was redesignated alongside the other groups in 2004, but has since been redesignated Commander Strike Force Training Atlantic . In 2014, CSFTLANT
1683-476: A hangar deck full of aircraft vulnerable to a Japanese bomb attack. The recall had been ordered after several ships in TF 58 picked up radar contacts 150 miles (240 km) to the west around 10:00. This was the first of the raids from the Japanese carrier forces, with 68 aircraft. TF 58 started launching every fighter it could; by the time they were in the air the Japanese had closed to 70 miles (110 km). However,
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#17327931890101836-643: A milestone when the Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler ( pictured ) made its final overseas deployment with Carrier Strike Group Two, retiring after 42 years of operations with the United States Navy. On 31 January 2015, The George H.W. Bush departed Naval Station Norfolk , Virginia for a six-day underway to conduct Carrier Qualifications with the Carrier Air Wing Eight and off-loaded ammunition offload with
1989-488: A naval aviation pioneer and Deputy Commander-in-Chief Pacific Fleet, demanded that Spruance be relieved. The request was denied by Nimitz. Moreover, Spruance was supported in his decision by Admiral Kelly Turner and Admiral Ernest King , Chief of Naval Operations. Spruance's caution (in particular, his suspicion of a diversionary force) can be compared with Admiral William Halsey's headlong pursuit of an actual diversionary force at Leyte Gulf four months later. Halsey left
2142-535: A part of the second raid when Albacore fired the torpedo spread. Of the six torpedoes fired, four veered off-target. Japanese pilot Sakio Komatsu had recently launched and from his aircraft sighted one of the two torpedoes which were heading for Taihō . Komatsu dived into the path of the torpedo which then detonated. The sixth torpedo struck the carrier on her starboard side and ruptured two aviation fuel tanks. The carrier's escorting destroyers made depth charge attacks but caused only minor damage to Albacore . Initially,
2295-423: A regular rotation of strike groups overseas, typically for six-eight months, based on the needs of Unified Combatant Commands that request strike group capabilities in their respective area of responsibility (AOR). The ships in the group often "disaggregate" from the carrier, performing missions hundreds or even thousands of miles away. The missions of the carrier strike groups include: CSGs are not restricted to
2448-538: A six-month Planned Incremental Availability (PIA) refit and upkeep period. The cruiser Philippine Sea and the destroyers Truxtun and Roosevelt are also scheduled to undergo maintenance and refit during 2015. Carrier strike group A carrier strike group ( CSG ) is a type of carrier battle group of the United States Navy . It is an operational formation composed of roughly 7,500 personnel, usually an aircraft carrier , at least one cruiser ,
2601-456: A specific composition and can be modified depending on expected threats, roles, or missions during a deployment, and one may be different from another. The Navy states that "there really is no real definition of a strike group. Strike groups are formed and disestablished on an as-needed basis, and one may be different from another. However, they all are comprised of similar types of ships." A U.S. Navy carrier strike group typically includes: While
2754-569: A subsequent underway period, between 24–25 April 2015, the Bush off-loaded its ammunition to the dry cargo ship USNS William McLean (T-AKE-12) in preparation for the carrier's planned incremental availability (PIA) refit. The Bush conducted a final carrier qualification operation between 6–9 May 2015. On 16 June 2015, the carrier George H.W. Bush moored at Super Pier 5 at Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, Virginia , to begin
2907-756: A third was able to put out fires and get underway. The carrier Hiyō was attacked and hit by bombs and aerial torpedoes from four Grumman TBF Avengers from Belleau Wood . Hiyō was set afire after a tremendous blast from leaking aviation fuel. Dead in the water, she sank stern first, with the loss of 250 officers and men. The rest of her crew, about one thousand, were rescued by Japanese destroyers. The carriers Zuikaku , Junyō and Chiyoda were damaged by bombs. Returning American strike pilots generally assessed these carriers as more crippled than they actually were, mistaking for devastating direct hits what Japanese post-war records revealed to have actually been huge geysers caused by near misses. The battleship Haruna
3060-672: A vulnerable position, and the low visibility coupled with radar confusion let a Japanese bomber slip through and severely damage USS Franklin . Although the American carrier aircraft strikes caused less destruction to enemy naval vessels than earlier battles, American submarines made up for it by sinking two of the three Japanese fleet carriers, which left Zuikaku as the only remaining operational IJN fleet carrier. The American F6F Hellcat fighter proved its worth, as its powerful engine generated superior speed, while its heavier armor and firepower made it rugged and deadly. The Japanese on
3213-453: Is a graded 48-hour training evolution that evaluated how effectively the strike group operated together. These exercises were the first time that the George H.W. Bush and Carrier Air Wing Eight had operated together since 2011. On 20 November 2013, Carrier Strike Group Two began its 29-day Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX). This series of training exercises were designed to certify
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#17327931890103366-525: Is operating, and will have a task force or task group designator, for example, Task Group 50 in the Fifth Fleet area. Group commanders since 2004 have included: On 1 October 2004, Carrier Group 2 was re-designated as Carrier Strike Group 2. Theodore Roosevelt underwent sea trials 11–15 December 2004, and the carrier was officially delivered back to the Navy on 17 December 2004. Joint Task Force Exercise 05-2 (JTFEX 05-2, or Operation Brewing Storm 2005)
3519-437: Is operating. Strike groups comprise a principal element of U.S. power projection capability; a single supercarrier holds enough firepower to rival the air forces of entire nations. Previously referred to as carrier battle groups (a term still used by other nations), they are often referred to by the carrier they are associated with (e.g., Enterprise Strike Group). As of March 2023 there are 11 carrier strike groups in
3672-407: Is responsible for unit-level training, integrated training, and material readiness for the group's ships and aviation squadrons. When not deployed, the strike group is part of the U.S. Fleet Forces Command , and its commander reports to Commander, U.S. SECOND Fleet . When deployed overseas, the group comes under command of the numbered fleet (Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, or Seventh) in whose area it
3825-463: The Arleigh Burke -class destroyers USS Mitscher (DDG-57) , USS Laboon (DDG 58) , USS Mahan (DDG-72) , and USS Thomas Hudner (DDG-116) from Destroyer Squadron 22 . The group traces its history to the creation of Carrier Division 2 on 1 April 1931. The group took its current form on 1 October 2004. On 29 July 2010, Rear Admiral Nora W. Tyson assumed command of the group, becoming
3978-580: The Battle of Midway . The single-carrier battle group was born with the military drawdown that followed World War II. Carrier Division 1 was redesignated Carrier Group 1 on 30 June 1973, and seemingly all Carrier Divisions were redesignated Carrier Groups on that date. Throughout the 1990s, the U.S. Navy's aircraft carrier groups were officially referred to as Carrier Battle Groups (CVBGs), and were commanded by either flag officers called Cruiser-Destroyer Group (CRUDESGRU) or Carrier Group (CARGRU) commanders. In
4131-740: The Bush and Truxtun . During 2011, the carrier George H.W. Bush and Carrier Air Wing Eight logged more than 250 days underway, 30,000 flight hours, and 14,000 sorties launched, which included 11,000 catapults shot, 15,000 aircraft recoveries, and no operational mishaps. The Bush also received the Battenberg Cup , Battle Effectiveness Award , and the Flatley Award for 2011. On 25 July 2012, George H.W. Bush , began its four-month overhaul at Norfolk Naval Shipyard at Portsmouth, Virginia , which included scheduled short-term technical upgrades. Also undergoing maintenance during 2012 were
4284-962: The Doolittle Raid , the Battle of Midway , the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands , Operation Hailstone , the Battle of the Philippine Sea , and the Battle of Leyte Gulf , as well as the Solomon Islands campaign , the Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign , the Hollandia and Western New Guinea campaign , the Philippines Campaign , the Mariana and Palau Islands campaign , the Iwo Jima campaign , and
4437-914: The Enterprise group. Many others did not press home their attacks. This raid therefore suffered less than the others, and 40 of its aircraft managed to return to their carriers. A fourth Japanese raid was launched between 11:00 and 11:30, but pilots had been given an incorrect position for the U.S. fleet and could not locate it. They broke into two loose groups and turned for Guam and Rota to refuel. One group flying toward Rota stumbled upon Montgomery's task group. Eighteen aircraft joined battle with American fighters and lost half their number. A smaller group of nine Japanese dive bombers of this force evaded U.S. aircraft and attacked Wasp and Bunker Hill but scored no hits; eight were shot down. The larger group of Japanese aircraft had flown to Guam and were intercepted over Orote Field by 27 Hellcats while landing. Thirty of
4590-678: The Gulf of Aden ( pictured ). Operating in the North Arabian Sea , Carrier Air Wing Eight launched its first combat sorties in support of coalition forces in Afghanistan on 26 March 2014. In addition to close air mission in support of coalition ground forces, Carrier Strike Group Two launched air mission in conjunction with the Afghan run-off elections. On 18 October 2014, Carrier Strike Group One relieved Carrier Strike Group Two in
4743-487: The Kennedy battle group flew large numbers of Operation Deny Flight no-fly zone missions over Bosnia-Herzegovina . The battle group also saw service with the U.S. Fifth Fleet in support Operation Southern Watch , the enforcement of a no-fly zone over southern Iraq. Commander Carrier Group Two also served as Commander Joint Task Force 120 during Operation Uphold Democracy , the 1994–1995 intervention designed to remove
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4896-634: The Marianas , convincing Admiral Soemu Toyoda that the U.S. was preparing to invade. This move came as a surprise; the Japanese had expected the next U.S. target to be farther to the south, either the Carolines or the Palaus , and had protected the Marianas with only 50 land-based aircraft. On 13–15 June, American carriers made additional airstrikes while surface forces bombarded the Marianas. On June 15,
5049-585: The Okinawan campaign , as part of the Navy's Fast Carrier Task Force . Rear Admiral Frederick C. Sherman commanded the division in 1943 while it was operating with the Fast Carrier Task Force. On 1 August 1955 the division was made up of USS Bennington (Newport) and USS Lake Champlain (flagship) at Mayport . Ranger sailed as the flagship of Rear Admiral H. H. Caldwell , Commander, Carrier Division 2, from Hawaii to join
5202-579: The Romanian and Bulgarian navies while showing the flag in the Black Sea amid the ongoing annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation . The destroyer Roosevelt served as the mother ship for the re-capture of the hijacked oil tanker Morning Glory from Libyan terrorists. Also, destroyer Arleigh Burke and the cruiser Philippine Sea launched 47 Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles against Syrian targets in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. Finally, naval aviation history reached
5355-577: The Royal Jordanian Air Force and the Royal Saudi Air Force . After departing Djibouti on 1 July 2011, Anzio conducted counter-piracy and maritime security operations as a unit of Combined Task Force 151 before paying a goodwill visit to Victoria, Seychelles on 18 August 2011. On 13 August 2011, while with Combined Task Force 150 operating in the Gulf of Aden , the destroyer Mitscher provided assistance to
5508-694: The Seventh Fleet in February 1959. Air operations off Okinawa were followed by maneuvers with naval units from U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay . A special weapons warfare exercise and a patrol along the southern seaboard of Japan followed. During this deployment, Ranger launched more than 7,000 sorties. After the war, division aircraft carriers were involved in the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Vietnam War . USS Enterprise flew
5661-819: The U.S. Fifth Fleet in Southwest Asia on rotation basis and one on permanent basis in the U.S. Seventh Fleet in the Western Pacific at all times. CSGs operate in the U.S. Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean, and U.S. Fourth Fleet around the South American continent as they transit to and from other areas. CSG Commanders report to their respective numbered-fleet commander, depending on where they are operating. When not deployed overseas west coast CSGs report to U.S. Third Fleet . USS Theodore Roosevelt did not have an embarked CSG while
5814-635: The USS ; Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) , returning to Norfolk on 6 February 2015. Between 10–18 February, the Bush was underway for Fleet Replacement Squadron carrier qualifications. On 1 April 2015, the Bush departed Norfolk for a 10-day underway for carrier qualification (CQ) operations for members of the Carrier Strike Group Ten and Carrier Air Wing Seven in the Atlantic Ocean, returning on 11 April 2015. During
5967-862: The United States Central Command officially designated the U.S.-led air campaign against ISIL in Iraq and Syria as Operation Inherent Resolve . Carrier Strike Group Two concluded its final offensive operations against ISIL on 18 October 2014. Carrier Strike Group Two transited the Suez Canal on 27 October 2014. Following port visits, the strike group transited the Strait of Gibraltar on 6 November 2014. Carrier Strike Group Two concluded its nine-month-long deployment when it arrived in Norfolf, Virginia, on 15 November 2014. The strike group
6120-674: The United States Navy 's Fifth Fleet against ships and aircraft of the Imperial Japanese Navy's Mobile Fleet and nearby island garrisons. This was the largest carrier-to-carrier battle in history, involving 24 aircraft carriers , deploying roughly 1,350 carrier-based aircraft . The aerial part of the battle was nicknamed the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot by American aviators for the severely disproportional loss ratio inflicted upon Japanese aircraft by American pilots and anti-aircraft gunners. During
6273-478: The territorial claims of Libya to that body of water. Subsequently, the Coral Sea carrier battle group and the rest of Task Force 60 carried out Operation El Dorado Canyon , a series of punitive air-strikes against Libya in retaliations to the 1986 Berlin discotheque bombing . On 15 August 1990, the group staff embarked in USS John F. Kennedy for a no-notification combat deployment in response to
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6426-431: The "single decisive battle" in early 1944. On 31 March 1944 Koga was killed when his aircraft (a Kawanishi H8K ) flew into a typhoon and crashed. Koga's chief of staff, Vice Admiral Shigeru Fukudome , was flying in an accompanying plane and carrying the Z Plan documents, and also crashed. Fukudome survived, but the Z Plan briefcase did not sink with the destroyed aircraft and was recovered by Filipino guerillas who over
6579-466: The 1920s and was initially based on previous experience grouping battleships and other major surface combatants. In World War II , administratively, aircraft carriers were assigned to carrier divisions (CARDIVs). Operationally they were assigned to Task Forces, of which Task Force 11 , Task Force 16 and Task Force 17 perhaps gained the most fame for their roles in the Battle of the Coral Sea and
6732-571: The 1929 Fleet Problem IX and the 1930 Fleet Problem X , demonstrating the potential of aircraft carriers and their embarked air groups in naval offensive operations. Aircraft carriers from Carrier Division 2 became the first to embark U.S. Marine Corps aviation units when, on 2 November 1931, squadron VS-14M joined the Saratoga and squadron VS-15M joined the Lexington . In 1933, Saratoga and Langley were assigned to Carrier Division 2, which
6885-492: The 25,675-ton carrier Shōkaku by about noon. The submarine fired a spread of six torpedoes, three of which struck Shōkaku on her starboard side. Badly damaged, the carrier came to a halt. One torpedo had hit the forward aviation fuel tanks near the main hangar, and aircraft that had just landed and were being refueled exploded into flames. Ammunition and exploding bombs added to the conflagration, as did burning fuel spewing from shattered fuel pipes. With her bows subsiding into
7038-441: The 27 aircraft which remained, some made attacks on the picket destroyers USS Yarnall and Stockham but caused no damage. Between three and six bombers broke through to Lee's battleship group and attacked; one bomb hit the main deck of USS South Dakota , killing or injuring over 50 men but failing to disable her. South Dakota was the only American ship damaged in this attack. No aircraft of Ozawa's first wave got through to
7191-480: The 50 aircraft stationed on Guam, and at 05:50 one of these, a Mitsubishi A6M Zero , found TF-58. After radioing his sighting of U.S. ships, the bomb-carrying Zero attacked picket destroyer Stockham but was shot down by the destroyer Yarnall . Alerted, the Japanese began launching their Guam-based aircraft for an attack. These were spotted on radar by U.S. ships. A group of thirty Grumman F6F Hellcats were dispatched from USS Belleau Wood to deal with
7344-770: The Allies was it greatly benefited General MacArthur's invasion of Biak in Dutch New Guinea which started weeks before the Mariana Islands operations started. The Japanese military had designated Biak as its most important island of defense in the Southwest Pacific theater . 13 June was the original starting date of a massive operation, spearheaded by the battleships Yamato and Musashi , to challenge MacArthur's paltry naval forces , which had no aircraft carriers or battleships and consisted of only
7497-494: The American carriers. At 11:07, radar detected another, larger attack. This second wave consisted of 107 aircraft. They were met while still 60 miles (97 km) out, and at least 70 of these aircraft were shot down before reaching the ships. Six attacked Rear Admiral Alfred E. Montgomery 's group, nearly hitting two of the carriers and causing casualties on each. Four of the six were shot down. A small group of torpedo aircraft attacked Enterprise , with one torpedo exploding in
7650-621: The American government would be convinced to sue for peace and allow Japan to keep its conquests . Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto had grown wary of this strategy, but he was killed in Operation Vengeance on 18 April 1943. The following day, Admiral Mineichi Koga succeeded Yamamoto as commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet , and Koga wanted the Imperial Japanese Navy to engage the American fleet in
7803-440: The American invasion fleet weakly protected during the Battle off Samar , nearly resulting in a devastating attack on the landing force by Japanese heavy surface units. It was prevented only by the heroic and desperate attack of 5 small American surface ships, which put up such an intense fight that the 23-ship-strong Japanese fleet thought they were engaging a much larger force and withdrew. In addition, by focusing on defense first,
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#17327931890107956-540: The Black Sea were scheduled well in advance of her departure from the United States." The U.S. Department of Defense also announced that Carrier Strike Group Two's deployment to the U.S. Fifth Fleet would be temporarily delayed, and the carrier group held in the Mediterranean Sea because of the ongoing crisis in the Crimea. In the early morning hours of 17 March 2014, a team of United States Navy SEALs team operating from
8109-578: The French nuclear-powered submarine Émeraude and the Colombian diesel-electric submarine Tayrona . On 8 September 2008, the strike group departed for a regularly scheduled deployment under the command of Rear Admiral Frank Craig Pandolfe. During its 2008 deployment, group aircraft flew more than 3,100 sorties into Afghanistan and dropped 59,500 pounds (27 t) of ordnance while providing vital close air support to coalition forces operating as part of
8262-661: The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. On 9 October 2008, Theodore Roosevelt and the guided missile cruiser Monterey participated in a one-day theater security cooperation exercise with three South African warships and one French Navy warship in the Indian Ocean following a 3-day port visit to Cape Town , the first by a U.S. aircraft carrier since 1967. Between 5–14 March 2009, Theodore Roosevelt ,
8415-488: The Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. The battle group deployed for Operation Desert Storm only five days after notification, even though she had dispersed her air wing throughout the continental United States for training and just off-loaded stores and material in preparation for a routine yard period. Rear Admiral Riley Mixson, Commander, Carrier Group Two, acted as Commander, Battle Force Yankee of Naval Forces Central Command during
8568-412: The Japanese acknowledged by using them as sacrificial decoys at Leyte Gulf. With the effective crippling of her best striking arm, Japan chose to rely increasingly on land-based kamikaze suicide aircraft in a last-ditch effort to make the war so costly that the U.S. would offer peace terms better than unconditional surrender. Spruance was heavily criticized after the battle by many officers, particularly
8721-443: The Japanese began circling to regroup their formations for the attack. This 10-minute delay proved critical, and the first group of Hellcats met the raid, still at 70 miles (110 km), at 10:36. They were quickly joined by additional groups. Within minutes, 25 Japanese aircraft had been shot down, against the loss of only one U.S. aircraft. The Japanese aircraft that survived were met by other fighters, and 16 more were shot down. Of
8874-399: The Japanese naval aviation forces by killing most of the remaining trained pilots and destroying their operational reserves of naval aircraft, a blow that effectively shattered the Japanese naval air arm, from which it never recovered. Without the time or resources to build sufficient aircraft and train new pilots, the surviving Japanese carriers were almost useless in an offensive role, a fact
9027-647: The Japanese plans known as Plan A-Go or Operation A-Go. Operation A-go did not change much from the Z Plan, so the U.S. Navy knew exactly what was going to happen during the upcoming naval battle. The plan was adopted in early June 1944. Within weeks, an opportunity arose to engage the American fleet now detected heading for Saipan . The Japanese had some advantages they hoped would turn the battle in their favor. Though outnumbered in ships and aircraft, they planned to supplement their carrier airpower with land-based aircraft. Meanwhile, IJN aircrew losses, suffered during earlier carrier battles at Coral Sea , Midway , and
9180-526: The Japanese use of replacement pilots with not enough flight hours in training and little or no combat experience. Furthermore the Japanese defensive plans were directly obtained by the Allies from the plane wreckage of the commander-in-chief of the Imperial Japanese Navy's Combined Fleet , Admiral Mineichi Koga , in March 1944. During the course of the battle, American submarines torpedoed and sank two of
9333-1064: The Netherlands, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The exercise focused on increasing allied interoperability during major combat operations. STRIKFORNATO's interest in JTFEX training cycle dates back to 2008, and this is the first time that STRIKFORNATO had participated as a component commander in a carrier strike group certification. During its 2011 deployment, the group's aircraft completed nearly 12,000 sorties, made over 9,000 arrested landings, and logged almost 31,000 flight hours. This included 2,216 combat sorties supporting U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan . Over 20 tons of ordnance were delivered in support of coalition ground forces, consisting of laser-guided bombs , GPS munitions , and 20-mm ammunition . Carrier Air Wing Eight also participated in joint air operations with
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#17327931890109486-596: The Persian Gulf ( pictured ). As of that date, Carrier Strike Group Two and its embarked Carrier Air Wing Eight had amassed 32,611 flight hours, 12,548 total sorties, and 9,752 arrested landings on board the carrier George H.W. Bush . This included 3,245 combat sorties in support Operation Inherent Resolve ( see below ) in Iraq and Syria, as well as coalition ground forces in Afghanistan, with 18,333 combat flight hours flown and more than 120,000 lb (54,000 kg) of ordnance expended. Carrier Strike Group Two depart
9639-609: The Philippine Sea The Battle of the Philippine Sea was a major naval battle of World War II on 19–20 June 1944 that eliminated the Imperial Japanese Navy 's ability to conduct large-scale carrier actions . It took place during the United States' amphibious invasion of the Mariana Islands during the Pacific War . The battle was the last of five major "carrier-versus-carrier" engagements between American and Japanese naval forces, and pitted elements of
9792-460: The Solomons), assumed that battle line commander Willis Lee would welcome the opportunity. But Lee strongly opposed such an encounter. Having personally experienced a confused night action off Guadalcanal , Lee was not enthusiastic about a night engagement with Japanese surface forces, believing that his crews were not adequately trained for it. Shortly after learning Lee's opinion, Mitscher requested permission from Spruance to move TF 58 west during
9945-430: The Sri Lankan cargo vessel Al Habib which was experiencing engineering problems and running low on water. Mitscher ' s boarding party transported supplies to the Al Habib via rigid-hulled inflatable boat ( pictured ). Also during this deployment, the group participated in: Exercise Saxon Warrior '11, an eight-day NATO military exercise in the Western Approaches . Saxon Warrior '11 included naval forces from
10098-562: The U.S. Fifth Fleet on 27 October 2014, concluding a seven-month-long deployment. With the ISIL military invasion of Iraq intensifying, Carrier Strike Group Two entered the Persian Gulf on 14 June 2014. Joining the carrier George HW Bush , the cruiser Philippine Sea , and the destroyer Truxtun were the destroyers Arleigh Burke and O'Kane which had been operating in the Persian Gulf. CVW-8 aircraft began flying combat air patrols over Iraq on 19 June 2014. On 8 August 2014, Carrier Strike Group Two conducted air-strikes directed to stop
10251-579: The U.S. Navy announced that USS Theodore Roosevelt would shift its home-port to Naval Base San Diego , California, becoming part of the U.S. Third Fleet . As such, Theodore Roosevelt and its assigned carrier strike group would also deploy to the U.S. Seventh Fleet 's operating area in the western Pacific. As of January 2012 the U.S. Navy was committed to maintaining 11 carriers, but only had 10 active until USS Gerald R. Ford went into service in 2017. On 4 August 2017, George Washington entered dry dock in Newport News, Virginia , for
10404-411: The U.S. Navy. The carrier strike group is a flexible naval force that can operate in confined waters or in the open ocean, during day and night, in all weather conditions. The principal role of the carrier and its air wing within the carrier strike group is to provide the primary offensive firepower, while the other ships provide defense and support. These roles are not exclusive, however. Other ships in
10557-414: The U.S. fleet continued its advance in a steady progression across the islands of the central Pacific. While U.S. commanders, particularly Admiral Spruance , were concerned about the Japanese trying to attack U.S. transports and newly landed forces, the Japanese objective was actually to engage and defeat the Fast Carrier Task Force in a decisive battle. On 12 June 1944 U.S. carriers made air strikes on
10710-420: The USS Roosevelt successfully retook the hijacked North Korean-flagged oil tanker Morning Glory from Libyan terrorists while steaming in international waters off the southeast coast of Cyprus . The Morning Glory had been seized "earlier in the month" by an armed group in the Libyan port of As-Sidra . The hijackers unsuccessfully attempted to sell the ship's oil cargo illegally on the black market , with
10863-471: The United Kingdom. Forty-six observers from naval forces of 27 countries monitored the exercise. In early 2010, more than 172 sailors from Carrier Strike Group Two took part in Operation Unified Response , the relief effort for earthquaked-ravaged Haiti . Rear Admiral David M. Thomas and his command staff managed the movement of U.S. food, water, medical supplies and relief personnel to Haiti from Naval Station Guantanamo Bay , Cuba, and ships operating off
11016-610: The United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Sweden, Canada, and Spain under the overall direction of Flag Officer Sea Training . As part of Saxon Warrior '11, on 21 May 2011, the group's destroyers Truxtun and Mitscher joined the U.S. replenishment tanker Leroy Grumman and the Spanish frigate Almirante Juan de Borbón in conducting a transit exercise, with the British destroyer Gloucester and frigate Westminster acting as hostile forces during this exercise. Also,
11169-601: The advancement of ISIS forces into Erbil . These air strikes marked the return of U.S. air combat forces to Iraq since the end of the U.S. military operations in 2011. By 20 August 2014, the strike group had launched 30 airstrikes against ISIS targets although the majority of the sorties have been devoted to surveillance missions. Beginning 22 September 2014, a multi-lateral air campaign attacked ISIL military positions in Syria. The targets included training compounds, headquarters and command and control facilities, storage facilities,
11322-432: The aviators, for his decision to fight the battle cautiously rather than exploiting his superior forces and intelligence data with a more aggressive posture. By failing to close on the enemy earlier and more forcefully, his critics argue, he squandered an opportunity to destroy the entire Japanese Mobile Fleet. "This is what comes of placing a non-aviator in command over carriers" was the common refrain. Admiral John Towers ,
11475-574: The better part of a year (following the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands ) reconstituting their depleted carrier air groups, and the American Fast Carrier Task Force had destroyed 90% of it in two days. The Japanese had only enough pilots left to form the air group for one of their light carriers. As a consequence, during the Battle of Leyte Gulf four months later, they sent out a decoy carrier group with only 108 aircraft, across six carriers (two were hybrid-carriers ), that
11628-546: The bulk of its carrier air strength and would never recover. This battle, along with the Battle of Leyte Gulf four months later, marked the end of Japanese aircraft carrier operations. The few surviving carriers remained mostly in port thereafter. From the very start of the conflict in December 1941, the Japanese war plan had been to inflict such severe and painful losses on the US military that its public would become war weary and
11781-427: The carrier Ronald Reagan , was reassigned to Carrier Strike Group Seven. Commander, Strike Force Training Pacific was subsequently redesignated as Carrier Strike Group Fifteen in 2014. The deactivation of Carrier Strike Group Seven effective 30 December 2011 reflects the U.S. Navy's future budgetary reductions and the reduced availability of its operational carrier fleet and carrier air wings. Battle of
11934-536: The carrier George H.W. Bush while Aquilino's next assignment was operations director of the U.S. Pacific Fleet . On 24 February 2014, Carrier Strike Group Two entered the U.S. Sixth Fleet 's area of responsibility. On 27 February 2014, the group transited the Straits of Gibraltar and entered the Mediterranean Sea . During its transit across the Mediterranean, the strike group encountered and monitored
12087-755: The carrier due to its superior command and control capabilities. In addition, supporting the CWC and the subordinate warfare commanders are coordinators who manage force sensors and assets within the strike group. The United States Navy maintains 9 carrier strike groups, 8 of which are based in the United States and one that is forward deployed to Japan. They were all redesignations of former Carrier Groups (CarGrus) and Cruiser-Destroyer Groups (CCDGs). The Fleet Response Plan requires that six CSGs be deployed or ready for deployment within 30 days at any given time, while two additional groups must be ready for deployment within 90 days. The Navy typically maintains at least one CSG in
12240-489: The carrier forces under Spruance at Philippine Sea suffered no significant harm. This was in contrast to Leyte Gulf when Halsey's carriers were trying to neutralize the enemy airfields and attack the enemy fleet simultaneously, such that a Japanese bomber managed to evade the Combat Air Patrols to fatally cripple the light carrier USS Princeton . Likewise, during the carrier-based air raids , U.S. carriers were in
12393-407: The carrier strike group is the various components' operational superior, administratively the ships and the carrier air wing are assigned to different U.S. Navy type commands (TYCOMs). Aircraft carriers and carrier air wings are under the administrative control of Commander, Naval Air Force U.S. Atlantic Fleet , or Commander, Naval Air Forces , Pacific. Escorts, including guided-missile cruisers and
12546-604: The carrier strike group's deployment readiness by testing its capability to react to real-world scenarios as an integrated naval combat formation. This included CVW-8 aircraft flying live bombing runs at the U.S. Navy's Pinecastle Bombing Range in Ocala National Forest , Florida between 18–18 December 2013. At the start of 2014, Carrier Strike Group Two was in port and not underway. On 15 February 2014, Carrier Strike Group Two began its 2014 Mediterranean and Indian Ocean deployment. The carrier George H.W. Bush and
12699-467: The carrier was going through its four-year-long Refueling and Complex Overhaul (RCOH) which was expected to be completed by August 2013. Theodore Roosevelt was assigned to Carrier Strike Group Twelve subsequent to deactivation of USS Enterprise on 1 December 2012. USS Abraham Lincoln was shifted to Newport News, Virginia , for its Refueling and Complex Overhaul, in August 2012 which
12852-492: The carrier's commanding officer, Captain Hiroshi Matsubara . Destroyer Urakaze attacked the submarine, but Cavalla escaped with relatively minor damage despite near misses from depth charges. Meanwhile, Taihō was falling victim to poor damage control. Hoping to clear the explosive fumes, an inexperienced damage-control officer ordered her ventilation system to operate at full blast. This action instead spread
13005-519: The change acknowledged cognizance that post war scenario of fleet action battles like the one at Battle of Midway were becoming increasingly unlikely. Carrier strike groups are tasked to accomplish a variety of wartime missions, as well as a wide variety of functions in situations short of war. The peacetime mission is to conduct forward presence operations, to help shape the strategic environment, deter conflict, build interoperability with allies, and respond to crises when necessary. The U.S. Navy provides
13158-448: The closest carrier as his target, which happened to be Taihō , the largest and newest carrier in the Japanese fleet and Ozawa's flagship. As Albacore was about to fire, however, her fire-control computer failed, and the torpedoes had to be fired "by eye". Determined to go ahead with the attack, Blanchard ordered all six torpedoes to be fired in a single spread to increase the chances of a hit. Taihō had just launched 42 aircraft as
13311-467: The coast. Thomas assumed command of Task Force 41, the U.S. Navy's sea-based element supporting Joint Task Force Haiti , on 1 February 2010, after Carl Vinson 's Carrier Strike Group One departed the area. The group staff alternated between being embarked aboard the amphibious assault ship Bataan and living in tents outside of the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince until late March. Most of
13464-461: The command of Rear Admiral James A. Winnefeld . On 6 October 2005, the group began air operations over Iraq, with fighter squadrons VF-213 and VF-31 , along with the strike fighter squadrons VFA-87 and VFA-15 , attacking insurgent targets. Electronic Attack Squadron 141 (VAQ-141) operated from Al Asad , Iraq, from 24 September to 6 October 2005, flying 37 combat sorties. VAW-124, VS-24, and HS-3 aircraft flew maritime security missions. Throughout
13617-637: The cruiser Lake Champlain , and the Coast Guard cutter Boutwell participated in the international naval exercise Aman 2009 off the coast of Pakistan ( pictured ). The exercise was sponsored by the Pakistani Navy , and it included surface exercises, air-defense training, explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) exercises, and participation in foreign officer exchanges. Aman 2009 include participants from Australia, Bangladesh, China, France, Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Nigeria, Turkey, United States, and
13770-399: The damage to Taihō seemed minor; the flooding was quickly contained and the carrier's propulsion and navigation were unaffected. Taihō quickly resumed regular operations, but gasoline vapor from the ruptured fuel tanks began to fill the hangar decks, creating an increasingly dangerous situation on board. Another submarine, USS Cavalla , was able to maneuver to an attack position on
13923-542: The damaged South Dakota was able to remain in formation to continue her anti-aircraft duties. Throughout the day, American scout aircraft had been unable to locate the Japanese fleet. However, two American submarines had already spotted Ozawa's carriers early that morning and were about to provide important assistance to the Fast Carrier Task Force. At 08:16 the submarine USS Albacore , which had sighted Ozawa's carrier group, had maneuvered into an ideal attack position; Lieutenant Commander James W. Blanchard selected
14076-568: The destroyer Truxtun departed Naval Station Norfolk , Virginia, to rendezvous with the cruiser Philippine Sea and destroyer Roosevelt that departed Naval Station Mayport , Florida, on 15 February 2014. Also on that date, the destroyer Arleigh Burke departed Norfolk for an independent eight-month Ballistic Missile Defense deployment with the U.S. Fifth Fleet. On 17 February 2014, Rear Admiral DeWolfe H. Miller, III relieved Rear Admiral John C. Aquilino as Commander, Carrier Strike Group Two. A naval aviator , Miller had previously commanded
14229-539: The disasters was withheld. Losses on the U.S. side on the first day were 23 aircraft. The second day's airstrike against the Japanese fleet saw most of the aircraft losses for the U.S.; of the 226 aircraft launched on the strike, 115 returned; 20 were lost to enemy action in the attack, and 80 were lost when they ran out of fuel returning to their carriers and had to ditch into the sea, or crashed attempting to land at night. Spruance's conservative battle plan for TF 58, while sinking just one light carrier, severely weakened
14382-461: The earnings going to their separatist group and not the Libyan interim central government's National Oil Corporation . On 19 March 2014, Carrier Strike Group Two transited the Suez Canal and joined the U.S. Fifth Fleet. The destroyer Truxtun rejoined the carrier group after departing the Black Sea on 21 March 2014. On 22 March 2014, Carrier Strike Group Two relieved Carrier Strike Group Ten in
14535-479: The first American troops went ashore on Saipan . Since control of the Marianas would bring American strategic bombers within range of the Japanese home islands, the IJN decided it was time for the long-awaited Kantai Kessen (decisive battle). Toyoda immediately ordered a fleet-based counterattack, committing nearly all of the Japanese navy's serviceable ships. The main portions of the fleet rendezvoused on 16 June in
14688-586: The first attack group had launched, a third message arrived, indicating the Japanese fleet were 60 miles (97 km) farther out than previously indicated. The first launch would be at their limits of fuel and would have to attempt landing at night. Mitscher canceled the second launch of aircraft but chose not to recall the first launch. Of the 240 planes that were launched for the strike, 14 aborted for various reasons and returned to their ships. The 226 planes that continued consisted of 95 Hellcat fighters (some carrying 500-pound bombs), 54 Avenger torpedo bombers (only
14841-464: The first carrier division commander in the U.S. Navy. Reeves was also designated as Commander Aircraft U.S. Fleet . Carrier Division 2 initially consisted of the U.S. Navy's first true fast aircraft carriers, Lexington and Saratoga , as well as former minesweeper Gannet which acted as an aircraft tender and guardship for the two carriers. Under Reeves' leadership, both carriers had previously distinguished themselves in two major naval exercises,
14994-646: The first woman to command a U.S. Navy carrier task group. The group's 2011 Mediterranean deployment marked the maiden deployment for the carrier USS George H.W. Bush and the guided-missile destroyer Truxtun . The group's units were the first U.S. naval forces to participate in Operation Inherent Resolve , the 2014 U.S.-led multi-lateral air campaign against the Islamic State group. On 1 April 1931, Rear Admiral Joseph M. Reeves took command of Carrier Division 2 (CarDiv 2), becoming
15147-512: The flag of Commander Carrier Division 2 in 1963. Rear Admiral Bernard M. Strean, as division commander, led Enterprise , Long Beach , and Bainbridge around the world in Operation Sea Orbit from July to October 1964. 'Sea Orbit' was a successful test of the first all-nuclear-powered task force. On 25 September 1965, Rear Admiral J. O. Cobb broke his flag as Commander, Carrier Division 2, aboard USS America . The division
15300-402: The fleet's contact-fused bombs had been largely used up in the earlier strikes, and Mitscher was left with only the armor-piercing bombs needed to combat the Japanese fleet, so he informed Spruance he could not launch such strikes. As the morning broke, TF 58 launched search aircraft, combat air patrols (CAP) and anti-submarine patrols and then turned the fleet west to gain maneuvering room from
15453-420: The fleet. Mitscher said to Burke, "Get those fighters back from Guam." The call " Hey, Rube! " was sent out. The fleet held steady until 10:23, when Mitscher ordered TF 58 to turn into the wind on course east-southeast, and ordered all fighter aircraft aloft, deployed in several layers of CAP to await the Japanese. He then sent his bomber aircraft aloft to orbit open waters to the east rather than leaving them in
15606-412: The forty-nine Japanese aircraft were shot down, and the rest were damaged beyond repair. Aboard the Lexington afterward, a pilot was heard to remark "Hell, this is like an old-time turkey shoot!" Including the continued aerial slaughter over Orote Field, Japanese losses exceeded 350 planes on the first day of battle. About 30 American planes were lost, and there was little damage to American ships; even
15759-586: The group. In battle, the CCSG is also known as the Composite Warfare Commander (CWC), who acts as the central command authority for the entire strike group. The CWC designates subordinate warfare commanders for various missions: SUWC and USWC responsibilities are often combined into Sea Combat Commander (SCC), usually delegated to the DESRON commander. The SCC performs these duties from aboard
15912-423: The guided-missile cruiser Gettysburg and the British destroyer Dauntless conducted joint air defense exercises ( pictured ). On 8 December 2011, Gettysburg returned to Naval Station Mayport , Florida, and was greeted by Vice President Joe Biden . On 10 December 2011, George H.W. Bush , Anzio , Mitscher , Truxtun returned to Naval Station Norfolk , Virginia, completing the first overseas deployment for
16065-443: The guided-missile destroyers Bainbridge , Mason , Bulkeley , Ross , and Barry , as well as the guided-missile frigate Kauffman . On 1 December 2012, the George H.W. Bush completed its maintenance cycle and began sea trials on 3 December 2012. After completing its sea trials on 4 December 2012, the Bush began its training and qualification cycle in preparation for the 2014 deployment of Carrier Strike Group Two. This included
16218-411: The invasion fleet and provide air support for the landings. Shortly before midnight on 18 June Nimitz radioed Spruance that a Japanese vessel had broken radio silence. The message intercepted was an apparent dispatch from Ozawa to his land-based air forces on Guam . Radio direction-finding placed the sender approximately 355 miles (571 km) west-southwest of TF 58. Mitscher considered whether
16371-540: The islands. The U.S. Navy had developed a sophisticated air control system, which vectored CAP fighters by radar to intercept enemy bombers well before they reached the fleet. Any attackers that got through the CAP would then face a "gun line" of screening battleships and cruisers that would put up devastating barrages of VT-fuzed anti-aircraft fire before the attackers reached the aircraft carriers. The Japanese had already launched their morning search patrols, using some of
16524-532: The job. The CCSG is the Immediate Superior in Command (ISIC) to the carrier, air wing, destroyer squadron, and cruiser commanding officers assigned to the strike group. As such, the CCSG is responsible for unit-level training, integrated training, and readiness for assigned ships and units, as well as maintaining administrative functions and material readiness tracking for ships and squadrons assigned to
16677-429: The largest Japanese fleet carriers taking part in the battle. The American carriers launched a protracted strike, sinking one light carrier and damaging other ships, but most of the American aircraft returning to their carriers ran low on fuel as night fell. Eighty American planes were lost. Although at the time the battle appeared to be a missed opportunity to destroy the Japanese fleet, the Imperial Japanese Navy had lost
16830-544: The long Solomon Islands campaign of 1942–43, had greatly weakened the Japanese Navy's ability to project force with its carriers. Losses suffered in the Solomons drastically reduced the number of skilled carrier pilots available to fill the carrier air groups . It took nearly a year for the Japanese to reconstitute their groups following the Solomons campaign. Japan no longer had enough oil tankers to transport
16983-471: The majority of the third wave of airstrikes against ISIL positions in Raqqa , Dayr az Zawr , Abu Kamal , and Al Hasakah . On 6 October 2014, the anti-ISIL air campaign entered its ninth week of operation in Iraq and its fourth week in Syria. As of that date, units of Carrier Strike Group Two contributed 20 percent of the total munitions used at an overall cost of $ 62 million (USD). Effective 15 October 2014,
17136-549: The military regime in Haiti installed by the 1991 Haitian coup d'état . It appears that Kennedy transferred to another carrier group in 1995, as the announced 31 August 1995, listing of Carrier Group Two's composition included USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) and USS San Jacinto (CG-56) . In addition, USS Monterey (CG-61) was intended to join the group in 1996–97. In September 1995, USS Hue City (CG-66) joined Carrier Group Two. Hue City
17289-717: The next few weeks transported the documents to General Douglas MacArthur's Military Intelligence Service (MIS) in Brisbane , Australia. MIS forwarded the translated Z Plan to Admiral Chester Nimitz in Honolulu, and the Japanese plans were quickly dispatched to the fleet commanders in the Philippine Sea in June. A new commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet, Admiral Soemu Toyoda , was appointed, and he finalized
17442-508: The night, despite the risk of attack from Japanese submarines and night-flying aircraft. Mitscher backed up the decision, and soon every ship in Task Force 58 was lit up, in spite of the risks involved. Picket destroyers fired starshells to help the aircraft find the task groups. Planes were given clearance to land on any available flight deck (not just their home carriers, as usual), and many did land on other carriers. Despite this, 80 of
17595-417: The night, to reach a launch position at dawn that would allow for a maximum aerial assault on the enemy force. Spruance considered for an hour, then refused Mitscher's request. Mitscher's staff was disappointed with Spruance's decision. Burke later commented: "We knew we were going to have hell slugged out of us in the morning. We knew we couldn't reach them. We knew they could reach us." Spruance's decision
17748-425: The on-loading of munitions in anticipation of the upcoming overseas deployment of Carrier Strike Group Two. The pre-deployment training cycle for Carrier Strike Group Two began with the successful completion of its Tailored Ship's Training Availability/Final Evaluation Problem (TSTA/FEP) training exercises on 23 August 2013. TSTA integrated individual units of Carrier Strike Group Two into a single formation while FEP
17901-594: The other hand were still flying the A6M Zero which, though highly maneuverable and revolutionary during the early stages of the Pacific War, was now underpowered, fragile and essentially obsolete by 1944. In addition, the D4Y "Judy" , though fast, was also fragile and easily set on fire. The Japanese naval airmen were also inadequately trained. The Japanese training programs could not replace the quality aviators lost during
18054-521: The past two years of the Pacific Campaign. Flying against the well-trained and often veteran U.S. aviators, it was a one-sided contest. The Americans lost fewer than two dozen Hellcats in air-to-air combat. Naval aviation and anti-aircraft fire shot down nearly 480 Japanese aircraft, 346 of those carrier aircraft on 19 June alone. A very fortunate result of the Battle of the Philippine Sea for
18207-420: The previous day and that he had about 150 aircraft left. Nevertheless, he decided to continue the attacks, thinking there were still hundreds of aircraft on Guam and Rota and started planning new raids for 21 June. The main problem for TF 58 was locating the enemy, who had been operating at a great distance. Early-morning American searches on 20 June found nothing. An extra mid-day search by Hellcat fighter pilots
18360-410: The protracted strike, it became clear that most of the aircraft returning to their carriers were running dangerously low on fuel, and to worsen matters, night had fallen. At 20:45, the first returning U.S. aircraft reached TF 58. Knowing his aviators would have difficulty finding their carriers, Admiral Joseph J. Clark of Hornet decided to illuminate his carrier, shining searchlights directly up into
18513-412: The radio messages were a Japanese deception, as the Japanese were known to send a single vessel off to break radio silence, to mislead their adversaries about the actual location of the main force. Mitscher realized that there was a chance of a night surface encounter with Ozawa's forces. Arleigh Burke , Mitscher's chief of staff (a former destroyer squadron commander who had won several night battles in
18666-516: The required volume of petroleum from the Dutch East Indies to Japanese refineries. Without adequate supplies of refined residual fuel oil, Japanese aircraft carriers refueled with unrefined Tarakan petroleum in June 1944. This un desalted petroleum damaged boiler tubes, and the unremoved naphtha fraction volatilized the fuel to form explosive atmospheres incompatible with aircraft carrier damage control procedures. In early 1944
18819-423: The returning aircraft were lost. Some crashed on flight decks, but the majority ditched into the sea. Some pilots intentionally went down in groups to facilitate rescue, and more ditched individually either in a controlled landing with a few gallons of fuel left or in a crash after their engines ran dry. Approximately three-quarters of the crews were rescued from the sea, either that night from crash locations within
18972-422: The sea and fires out of control, the captain gave orders to abandon ship. Within minutes, there was a catastrophic explosion of aviation fuel vapor which had built up between decks, which blew the ship apart. The carrier rolled over and sank about 140 miles (230 km) north of the island of Yap . 887 crew and 376 men of the 601st Naval Air Group , 1,263 men in all, were killed. There were 570 survivors, including
19125-517: The second day of the battle, losses totaled three carriers, more than 350 carrier aircraft, and around 200 land-based aircraft. In the five major "carrier-on-carrier" battles, from the Battle of the Coral Sea to the Battle of the Philippine Sea, the IJN had lost nine carriers, while the USN had lost four. The aircraft and trained pilots lost at Philippine Sea were an irreplaceable blow to the already outnumbered Japanese fleet air arm. The Japanese had spent
19278-598: The second week of November aircraft supported Operation Steel Curtain flying five consecutive days of close air support for troops in Iraq. The deployment was the final one for the F-14 Tomcat. It was also the final deployment of the Lockheed S-3 Viking ASW aircraft of squadron VS-24. The group transited the Suez Canal on 15 February 2006. It returned to Norfolk on 11 March 2006. Codenamed Operation Bold Step, Joint Task Force Exercise 06-2 (JTFEX 06-2)
19431-442: The strike group sometimes undertake offensive operations (launching cruise missiles , for instance) and the carrier's air wing contributes to the strike group's defense (through combat air patrols and airborne anti-submarine efforts). Thus, from a command and control perspective, carrier strike groups are combat organized by mission rather than by platform. The development of the U.S. Navy carrier battle group can be traced to
19584-505: The strike group staff returned to Naval Station Norfolk by 25 March 2010 after a 70-day tour of duty, with Rear Admiral Thomas returning on 1 April 2010. The group departed from Naval Station Mayport , Florida, for its Joint Task Force Exercise pre-deployment training exercise on 14 February 2011 prior to its deployment. The exercise was supported by personnel from Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (STRIKFORNATO), with representatives from Canada, Denmark, Greece, Germany, France, Italy,
19737-465: The submarine USS Flying Fish sighted a Japanese carrier and battleship force coming out of San Bernardino Strait . An hour later USS Seahorse spotted a battleship and cruiser force steaming up from the south, 200 miles (320 km) east of Mindanao . The submarines were under orders to report sightings before attempting to attack, so Flying Fish waited until nightfall, then surfaced to radio in its report. Fifth Fleet commander Spruance
19890-651: The summer of 1992, the U.S. Navy instituted a concept that mandated greater task group integration of naval air and surface warfare assets into a more permanent carrier battle group structure. Each of the Navy's 12 existing carrier battle groups consisted of an aircraft carrier; an embarked carrier air wing; cruisers, destroyer, and frigate units; and two nuclear-powered attack submarines . On 1 October 2004, carrier groups and cruiser-destroyer groups were redesignated carrier strike groups. The change in nomenclature from 'Battle' to 'Strike' appears to have been in connection with an increasing emphasis on projecting air power ashore;
20043-459: The task forces, or over the next few days for those further out, as search planes and destroyers criss-crossed the ocean looking for them. That night, Toyoda ordered Ozawa to withdraw from the Philippine Sea. U.S. forces gave chase, but the battle was over. The four Japanese air strikes involved 373 carrier aircraft, of which 243 were lost and 130 returned to the carriers; many of them were subsequently lost when Taiho and Shōkaku were sunk. After
20196-466: The threat. The Hellcats arrived while aircraft were still launching from Orote Field . Minutes later, additional radar contacts were seen, which were later discovered to be the additional forces being sent north from the other islands. A battle broke out in which 35 Japanese aircraft were shot down for the loss of a single Hellcat. It was a pattern that would be repeated throughout the day. At 09:57 large numbers of Japanese aircraft were picked up approaching
20349-443: The vapors throughout Taihō , putting the entire vessel at risk. At approximately 14:30, a spark from an electric generator on the hangar deck ignited the accumulated fumes, triggering a series of catastrophic explosions. After the first explosions, it was clear that Taihō was doomed, and Ozawa and his staff transferred to the nearby destroyer Wakatsuki . Soon thereafter, Taihō suffered a second series of explosions and sank. From
20502-426: The wake of the ship. Three other torpedo aircraft attacked the light carrier Princeton and were shot down. In all, 97 of the 107 attacking aircraft were destroyed. A third raid, consisting of 47 aircraft, came in from the north. It was intercepted by 40 fighters at 13:00, while 50 miles (80 km) out from the task force. Seven Japanese aircraft were shot down. A few broke through and made an ineffective attack on
20655-425: The war. Battle Force Yankee included Saratoga and probably John F. Kennedy, and operated in the Red Sea . In the middle of 1992, the U.S. Navy instituted a concept which mandated greater task group integration of naval air and surface warfare assets into a more permanent carrier battle group structure. Instead of routinely changing the cruisers, destroyers, and frigates assigned to each carrier battle group, there
20808-421: The western part of the Philippine Sea and completed refueling on 17 June. Admiral Jisaburō Ozawa commanded this force from his newly commissioned flagship , Taihō . In addition to extensive command facilities, reinforced torpedo blisters and a large air group, Taihō was the first Japanese carrier with an armor-plated flight deck , designed to withstand bomb hits with minimal damage. At 18:35 on 15 June
20961-462: Was acting appropriately to the Japanese plans that called for a diversion to draw the fleet far away so there would be a great opportunity for land-based Japanese planes to also augment the carrier aircraft to attack Spruance's fleet. Before daybreak, Spruance suggested that if the daybreak searches revealed no targets, the bombers could be sent to crater the airfields on Rota and Guam . However,
21114-410: Was again redesignated as Carrier Strike Group 4, retaining its role as the training and certification command for all US Fleet Forces assigned warships. Carrier Strike Group Six was established from Carrier Group Six with USS John F. Kennedy at Naval Station Mayport in 2004, but seems to have since been disestablished. Carrier Strike Group Fifteen has been disestablished, and its flagship,
21267-418: Was also hit by two bombs, including one directly on a main battery turret. Damage was contained, and she was able to keep station because her captain promptly called to flood the turret's magazine to avoid the possibility of an explosion. Twenty American aircraft in the strike were destroyed by Japanese fighters and anti-aircraft fire that made up for a relative lack of accuracy with high volume of fire. After
21420-422: Was also unsuccessful. Finally at 15:12 a garbled message from an Enterprise search plane indicated a sighting. At 15:40 the sighting was verified, along with distance, course, and speed. The Japanese fleet was 275 miles (443 km) out, moving due west at a speed of 20 knots. The Japanese were at the limit of TF 58's strike range, and daylight was slipping away. Mitscher decided to launch an all-out strike. After
21573-450: Was an attempt made to affiliate certain escorts more permanently with the carriers they escorted. Each of the Navy's 12 existing carrier battle groups was planned to consist of an aircraft carrier; an embarked carrier air wing; cruiser, destroyer, and frigate units; and two nuclear-powered attack submarines. For details regarding this re-alignments as it pertained to Carrier Group Two, see the chart below. During its Mediterranean deployments,
21726-524: Was convinced that a major battle was at hand. After consulting with Nimitz at Pacific Fleet Headquarters in Hawaii, he ordered Rear Admiral Marc Mitscher , commander of the Fast Carrier Task Force (Task Force 58), who had sent two carrier task groups north to intercept aircraft reinforcements from Japan, to reform and move west of Saipan into the Philippine Sea. TF 52's battleships, cruisers and escort carrier groups were ordered to remain near Saipan to protect
21879-449: Was delayed until March 2013. On 14 January 2014, the U.S. Navy announced that USS Ronald Reagan would replace USS George Washington as the flagship of Carrier Strike Group Five , the only forward-based carrier strike group home-ported at Yokosuka , Japan, as part of the U.S. Seventh Fleet . George Washington was scheduled to shift to Newport News for its mid-life Refueling and Complex Overhaul. On 14 January 2014,
22032-455: Was held between 14–22 July 2005. It included Carrier Strike Group 2, Carrier Strike Group Ten , the Spanish frigate Álvaro de Bazán , and the Peruvian submarine Antofagasta . The group received its Combat Operations Efficiency certification following the completion of its Composite Training Unit Exercise on 17 July 2005. The strike group departed from Norfolk on 1 September 2005 under
22185-551: Was held off the U.S. eastern coast between 21–31 July 2006 under the overall command of Vice Admiral Mark P. Fitzgerald , the commander of the U.S. Second Fleet . Carrier Strike Group 2, Carrier Strike Group 8 , and the USS Bataan Expeditionary Strike Group were the major U.S. naval formations participating in Operation Bold Step which served as a major pre-deployment training exercise. Other allied naval units that participated in Operation Bold Step included
22338-411: Was influenced by his orders from Nimitz, who had made it clear that the protection of the invasion fleet was the primary mission of TF 58. Spruance had concerns that the Japanese would attempt to draw his main fleet away from the Marianas with a diversionary force while slipping an attack force in to destroy the landing fleet. Locating and destroying the Japanese fleet was not his primary objective, and he
22491-416: Was intense, the U.S. planes were able to press in on the attack. The first ships sighted by the U.S. strike were oilers, 30 miles (48 km) before the carrier groups. The strike group from Wasp , more concerned with their low fuel levels than with finding the more important Japanese carriers and battleships, dived on the tankers. Two of these were damaged so severely that they were later scuttled, while
22644-654: Was preceded by the return of the destroyer Arleigh Burke from its eight-month-long independent deployment to the U.S. Fifth Fleet on 17 October 2014. During its 2014 deployment, the strike group's aviation units flew 12,774 sorties for a total of 34,831 flight hours. This included 3,245 combat sorties with 18,333 combat flight hours flown. Aircraft delivered 232 precision guided bombs and fired more than 2,400 rounds of 20mm ammunition. The aircraft also made 10,003 catapult launches and arrested landings (traps). Surface units of Carrier Strike Group Two were also active during this 2014 deployment. The destroyer Truxtun operated with
22797-538: Was re-designated as Commander Carrier Group 2 (ComCarGru 2) in 1973. In 1986, while commanding Carrier Group Two, Rear Admiral Jerry C. Breast commanded the Coral Sea carrier battle group and Task Group 60.1 of the U.S. Sixth Fleet during a series of naval maneuvers code-named Attain Document . These naval maneuvers were intended to assert the freedom of navigation in the Gulf of Sidra as well as to challenge
22950-410: Was sacrificed in an attempt to draw the American fleet away from protecting the troops and supplies being landed for the Battle of Leyte . The Japanese military, which had hidden the extent of their previous losses from the Japanese public, continued this policy. Though the occurrence of the simultaneous Battle of the Philippine Sea and the Battle of Saipan were made known to the public, the extent of
23103-657: Was transferred from Carrier Group 2 to the Western Hemisphere Group on 1 August 1998. The group deployed in 2000–01 led by Harry S. Truman (CVN-75). Theodore Roosevelt was reassigned to the group effective 1 February 2004, and the carrier underwent its Docked Planned Incremental Availability overhaul at the Newport Naval Yard in Virginia between 10 August to 10 December 2004. Commander Carrier Strike Group 2 (COMCARSTRKGRU 2 or CCSG 2)
23256-534: Was under the Commander Aircraft, Battle Force , while Lexington was reassigned to Carrier Division One under Commander Aircraft, Scouting Force . In February 1939, Carrier Division Two, now consisting of Yorktown and Enterprise , participated in the war game Fleet Problem XX . The scenario for the exercise called for one fleet to control the sea lanes in the Caribbean against the incursion of
23409-495: Was unwilling to allow the main strike force of the Pacific Fleet to be drawn westward, away from the amphibious forces. Mitscher accepted the decision without comment. Spruance's decision in this matter, although subsequently criticized, was certainly justified; by this point in the war, it was well known that Japanese operational plans frequently relied on the use of decoys and diversionary forces. Spruance, as it turned out,
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