Admiral Spruance - Saipan to Okinawa

[@Drachinifel]

Pinned post for Q&A :)

[@bkjeong4302]

Aside from the Second Pacific Squadron having a trail of sharks and the time the Brazilian navy attacked dolphins by mistake, can you think of any cases where larger marine animals got involved in navy operations?

[@rhedosaurus2251]

Considering how Yamashiro took enough punishment at Suriago Striat that would have sunk Musashi twice, how did it not go down with one of its sides completely blown off as if it got hit by Godzilla's death ray, let alone avoid exploding?

[@WarrantOfficerWill22]

You mentioned in a previous Drydock that Java wood was incredible in all but the fact that it was a pain to machine (near impossible once hardened) but with the British Emprie being the British empire, they had the resources (and exclusive access) so did they try anyway for to build any kind of warship out of Java?

[@admiral5113]

How was drednought so larger than it’s predecessor

[@fennicfox4600]

Speaking of USS Texas, Her new home is in Galveston. And she has two neighbors USS Stewart and USS Cavalla. My question is did Texas ever serve with Stewart? I know Texas and Cavalla were involved in at least one of the Pacific landing operations together but idk if Texas and Stewart ever escorted ships together.

[@khaelamensha3624]

All hail Drach for these great biographies!

[@anumeon]

A Drach video a wednesday keeps the tedium of mundane workweeks away. Nothing beats your videos for entertainment and informative content. :)

[@leftyo9589]

you should do one on admiral Turner. the alligator was an amphibious warfare guru. from being the main man behind the big landings in WWII pacific, to being the guy who foresaw, and bailed everyone's butt out of the fire in the korean chosin debacle.

[@maryholder3795]

Yes please to a video about Admiral Turner Drach. He is another US Admiral I know of but not much more. I could look him up on the internet but you do it so much better. 😊😊

[@jannarkiewicz633]

You are killing me. I've been waiting for this and work just started. I gotta wait all day :-( First world problem. Thanks Drach and great to see you on James Hanson History Undone. You so deserve it

[@maryholder3795]

@jannarkiewic633 which program was that on the BBC please.

[@jannarkiewicz633]

@@maryholder3795 As a know nothing American I correct my comment. James Hanson is on Times Radio and he does a series on History Undone which near professional in production (hence my saying BBC). Drach, Jon Parshall, Robert Bartlet, etc. An A-list. I just assumed it was TV. Nope, KZbin.

[@Barwasser]

Just finished the last Spruance video and was looking for the next one. Perfect timing!

[@kevinagnew1519]

Totally love this series

[@Foster-hm2sh]

Thank you Drach for this video!! You are always through and I learn something new with each one.

[@NigelDeForrest-Pearce-cv6ek]

Brilliant Biographical Series of Our Greatest Admiral!!! Thank You!!!!

[@johnmoore8599]

Thanks for the vid about Spruance! An admiral who mans a fire hose has his priorities right!

[@dogloversrule8476]

39:48 Drach, can you please do a video or two on the make up of the 3rd/5th fleet over the course of the war?

[@ARose-ik2mi]

THIS!

[@DaremoKamen]

When my grandfather went into the service he went into the paratroops because of the higher pay. The other enlistees told him it was too dangerous. But because airborne training takes longer he didn't arrive as a replacement until spring 1945. The other enlistees were infantry in the battle of Okinawa. War can be a funny thing, you never know what will happen.

[@jameslovas9464]

The 27th infantry division commander, Ralph C. Smith, learned to fly with Orville Wright and chased Pancho Villa, then lived all the way till 1998. Must have been an interesting guy!

[@richardherbert5216]

Been a bit critical in the past; this series on Spruance is simply brilliant. Thanks.

[@ph89787]

Here's a fun fact about Spruance's new chief of staff, Arthur C Davis. Was that he was supposed to relieve Elliot Buckmaster of Yorktown after Midway. But he relieved George Murray of commanding the Enterprise when Yorktown was lost. Later, he would lead Enterprise in opening the Guadalcanal Campaign and the Battle of the Eastern Solomons. Between Enterprise completing her repairs and redeploying to Guadalcanal, he would be relieved in turn by Osborne B Hardison

[@tomdolan9761]

I think the problem with the 27th Division was its deployment in the middle between two Marine Divisions. The Army had reorganized their divisions early in the wars as triangular divisions whose standard tactic was for one third would advance to contact and the use one of the other third to flank either left or right. The Marines were organized as traditional so called square divisions with larger in terms of manpower and with traditional frontal assault. The army and marines were mismatched tactically especially complicated by placing the 27th in the middle

[@thebashar]

It also doesn’t help that Holland Smith refused to believe or even investigate the strength of Japanese resistance that the 27th faced. The moment they started falling behind his schedule he immediately accused them of cowardice. All while he avoided going to the front by any means necessary

[@tomdolan9761]

@ By Marine standards the much smaller triangular army division used tactics which were contrary to the Marine ethos. Howland Smith plugged them into the line not recognizing the difference and predictably they were unable to duplicate what a square 18,000 man Marine division would have been expected to accomplish

[@thebashar]

@@tomdolan9761 Holland Smith was not nearly as good of a commander as he thought he was. He got good men, marines and army soldiers alike, killed with his mediocrity.

[@paulbishop251]

I thought that a triangle division had TWO regiments/brigades on the frontline with a third in reserve? The reserve unit would then be used to support whichever of the front two were making progress, and hopefully be able to exploit a breakthrough. Or is this the Soviet model that I'm thinking off?

[@leftyo9589]

@@paulbishop251 youve got it right, 2 up, 1 back.

[@HeedTheLorax]

Oh hell yeah! It's been a twisted morning for me today and here's something to distract me from it that's informative and enjoyable. Thanks Drac!

[@jayterry8551]

You should be able to claim a college credit if you have watched as many of Drach's videos as I have.

[@Augur21]

Babe wake up, Drach just posted

[@gow1044]

Why is this what happened to me this morning

[@smallBrainsPeckersEgos]

Babe I know, babe babe babe babe babe

[@jimtalbott9535]

@@gow1044The mysteries of the universe. You’re just lucky!

[@gow1044]

@@jimtalbott9535 lol

[@MarcusAgrippa390]

WOW! That's not cliche at all!....

[@Everywhere2]

Tremendous series!

[@Davidsladky135]

I'm happy the ADM was pitching in with damage control ❤

[@kemarisite]

Yes, that's one of my favorite anecdotes about him.

[@davidg3944]

These are gripping retellings of the stages of invasion, and fill me with awe at the combination of luck, skill, and determination that led to success of the USN and RN fleets. The sacrifice of the marines, soldiers, and sailors is astonishing, and one hopes will not be repeated in our time. But history has its way, and some leaders are happy to discard others lives without concern. Russia and China, I'm looking at you...

[@OutsideTheTargetDemographic]

@36:54 Four men, each with a series of glass lenses in a metal tube, aligning themselves and therefor their vision, to see the same thing at the same time. Idk why, but this really got me thinking about just how low tech those who served had to deal with, but how innovative and skilled the people were.

[@davidlavigne207]

About 11:13 there is footage of one of the little known ships of the Patrol Craft (PC) class, essentially an all steel Subchaser firing her 3"/50 main armament. Crew compliment: 65 These were one of the many little remembered vessels of the "Donald Duck Navy" that performed the inshore tasks of Control Ships leading Landing craft, etc. to the beach. They also performed ASW/AA screening as well as convoy escort and patrol missions. My late grandfather served on one in the Atlantic. Unfortunately he was killed on March 9th, 1945 in the hardly known Granville Raid. I am writing a book about him and his ship PC 564. I was just amazed to see footage of this vessel. A good book to read about them in the Pacific is "Peter Charlie-The Cruise of the PC 477 written by one of her Commanders. I realize that this has little to do with this great video, but I love the rare films and photographs that Drach seems to find.

[@jimtalbott9535]

38:00 - The Poetry competition makes a lot of sense, IMO. I’ve had some stressful work situations that can be nicely smoothed out by writing some biting Haiku, for example.

[@markxfarmer6830]

Good piece. Greetings from Saipan (10 islands in the Marianas counting Guam).

[@ph89787]

4:47. Enterprise!

[@miguelcabrera5814]

Dude, great work, like always. When will you drop a multi part series (Like the Guadalcanal) about the ENTIRE Battle of Leyte Gulf? Work on it, give it to us for Christmas? Think about it. Keep up the awesome work.

[@michaelsullo3698]

Well done, concise and to the point!

[@w.osterberg9385]

Another awesome Drach product, thank you sir.

[@huskergator9479]

Excellent as always. Thanks Drach!

[@markwilliams4264]

One of your best videos.

[@patrickglenn4038]

Love this account of internal military diplomacy and politics.

[@philliprandle9075]

Great video!! Keep up the amazing work

[@bigsarge2085]

Fascinating!

[@thomas_stromberg]

World War Two channel has excellent episode about the 27th division. "Smith Versus Smith: US Army/Marine Relations in 1944 - WW2 Documentary Special"

[@SA-xf1eb]

Spruance was a true Chad. Told the Joint Chiefs that he wants those orders in writing. 😂

[@Exstellisvenimus]

This really is well researched quality content, keep it up sir!

[@billbrockman779]

Great use of varied video.

[@dashtilldawn9532]

Woah, I just finished watching the series up to this point! Did you post this just for me???

[@silverdrillpickle7596]

Interesting topic; great video!

[@thebashar]

Understand that I am a navy man, but your description of what happened with the 27th is to hard on General Ralph Smith and not hard enough on General Holland Smith. H. Smith was a detriment to the the marine corps.

[@JohnSmith-rg1ie]

Great video i love the biographys

[@tomdolan9761]

High altitude bombing of Japan was thwarted by the airstream across Japan which often exceeded 100 mph. Lemay, who commanded the B29s 20th AirForce, elected to strip the bombers of most of their defensive machine guns and bomb from low altitude at.night with incendiaries starting with a massive raid on Tokyo

[@elcastorgrande]

History as she should be taught.

[@CT-1255]

Wonderful video!

[@timandellenmoran1213]

Drach strikes again!

[@vanvan-oc4nj]

Very interesting, thx man !!!

[@neilwilson5785]

The binocular posse at 36:58 just made radar obsolete!

[@antoninuspius1747]

The best part of waking up, is Drachinifel in your cup. Only us old farts get that one...

[@legolite45]

Yes, because after 1995, all references to popular culture are reset and young people on the internet have no way of knowing what you’re talking about.

[@antoninuspius1747]

@@legolite45 I like it that way, cause I have no idea what they're talking about most of the time!

[@WALTERBROADDUS]

🤦🏽‍♂️☕

[@DaremoKamen]

The 27th had been hurriedly deployed to the Pacific before they had completed retraining and General Smith never had the opportunity to work the division as a whole. As a result they had a number of officers and men who should have been returned stateside, and the units that made up the 27th weren't fully coordinated.

[@questionmark05]

The first admiral Spruce video title already described it perfectly. Quite but deadly leader. Get in, get it done, ok thats finshed what next?

[@indomitus]

Quite

[@davidlavigne207]

Taking a second look at about 11:27 I see that this was the even smaller Wooden hulled SC class as her main armament is actually a 40mm Bofors AA. These vessels were only 110 ft. long as apposed to the 173 ft. of the PC class. Crew compliment: 27 Amazing still. At 13:52 a view of a PC can bee seen escorting an LCA Assault Craft in. She is just forward of the LCA and one can see the greater length and the extended superstructure abaft the bridge and pilot house. One can see the similarities though. Both vessels are performing the same mission of control, escort and fire support that they were called upon to do. I would love to have Drach do a video about them. I have a couple of presentations available if he would be interested.

[@reginaldpasao8390]

Awesome

[@chrismaverick9828]

The best sign of a great leader is that they will come down from on-high and do the trench work when needed. Halsey likely would have just stormed his way through another route. Spruance manning the hose shows his teamwork character and that's the kind of thing men will follow someone to Hell and back for.

[@leftyo9589]

they each had their strengths, and weaknesses.

[@kurohone]

Halsey strikes me more as the kind of guy to go straight through the fire in order to get to the SOB who put it there.

[@keith6706]

It's more than that. It's someone who has enough confidence in his subordinates that he knows they can do without him for a bit while he attends to another pressing issue.

[@mellon4251]

Whats the video at 27:47? A pilot going for a duck hunt in a navi fighter?😄

[@billistefansson5309]

Thank you Sir, excellent work as always. Loads of intresting films as well. Billi. P.S. how about a video on the career of HMS Ashanti? And a video about Fred T. Jane?

[@BalshazzarWastebasket]

imagine what would have happened, if Drachinifel was in command of 3rd/5th fleet....

[@MinhNguyen-cn8kx]

Fantastico saipan.... Respect from Vietnam... Allahu akhbar

[@jamesfee1966]

The relief of Major General Smith seriously poisoned Army-Marine Corps relationship.

[@johnnash5118]

Tinian was the US’ check-mate over Japan; but they didn’t know at the time until the B-29s unchecked fire bombings and “a most cruel bomb.” What a bitter-sweet victory.

[@e.k.bellinger9496]

See Episodes 310-312 of The Unauthorized History of the Pacific War, KZbin or podcast. These cover the Marianas campaign. These presentations are very thorough. On the subject of the conflict between Marine Gen. Holland M Smith and Army General Ralph Smith: historians Seth Paridon, Capt. Bill Toti, and Jonathan Parshall are of the opinion that Marine Gen. Holland M. "Howlin' Mad" Smith was a blight on the landscape. Among other failures, he did not visit the front, and was oblivious to a catastrophic Banzai charge only a mile from his position.

[@austingoss2468]

Last time I was this early the us navy was a bunch of privateers

[@petestorz172]

Re the Tinian invasion backing-and-forthing, when a subordinate asks for something to be put in writing, that's an unsubtle hint that what is being demanded is not a good idea.

[@Garfield.Farkle]

There were Japanese soldiers on those islands who were unaware the war was over. They hid in the bush and trickled in over the years The last was a soldier in the Philippines who surrendered in the 1970s.

[@xgford94]

5:40 ah yes the 77th Marine Division aka Dads Army or the Grumpy old men. The Rotund Sparky has entered the chat 😂

[@Paludion]

5:30 Amusing (and frustrating) how much can be done when you force people to be held accountable.

[@washingtonradio]

Howlin' Mad Smith actually created most of the problems the 27th Infantry Division faced by his manglement of the battle. He should have been relieved of command as incompetent.

[@khaelamensha3624]

Amazing how sometimes these men, commanding tens of thousands, act like toddlers 😂 Just finish a book about Torch operation and how pride of some French and despite of some allies cost thousands souls lost.

[@Niftynorm1]

Spruance was a sailor through and through. Not many admirals would grab a firehose.

[@erichammond9308]

According to the sworn testimony of the Regimental S-2 (intelligence officer) of the 105th Infantry (27th Division) on Saipan. 1)The 27th was tasked with taking an open valley surrounded on 3 sides by heavily fortified high ground and covered by pre-registered artillery without allowing time for adequate pre-assault bombardment. (Anyone who wants to see how that situation ends need look no further than Balaclava, or Malvern Hill and Gettysburg.) 2) USMC General Holland Smith had not surveyed, and never did, the ground the 27th was facing. 3) General H. Smith ordered the 27th ashore without critical support units such as artillery, tanks and supply units, and worse, refused to provide any support for the 27th or to land the US Army support units despite repeated requests to do so. 4) The aforementioned US Army support units were only landed 24 hours before the relief of General Ralph Smith, and were still catching up with the front line units, and were still being positioned when Ralph Smith was (wrongfully) relieved. 5) The 27th (once properly supported, and using the exact plan of attack devised by Gen. Ralph Smith) took all of the ground it was tasked to take within a single day. Thus, it was the refusal of support and the failure of Gen. H. Smith, and his staff, to land the entire 27th Division that caused high casualties and lack of progress by the 27th. As a result of the incompetence of USMC General Holland Smith (along with his staff) the US Army refused to allow a single US Army soldier to ever serve in combat under his command. Which is why, no US Army troops were at Iwo Jima, and US Army General Simon Bolivar Buckner was in command on Okinawa.

[@nomar5spaulding]

Can you imagine having to keep Holland Smith and Kelly Turner from killing random subordinates for like 2 years worth of *hard* campaigning? I think Admiral is the wrong title. Nimitz and Spruance should be saints.

[@roo72]

So what was the winning poem?!

[@joselitostotomas8114]

Moore was passed over as admiral at the start of the war, due to his stranding of his command, the cruiser Philadelphia. Nimitz had endorsed the promotion, but King refused. A sad thing if you ask me.

[@timwaycaster7538]

I really enjoy your videos, but each installment of your series are too far apart. It’s been 2 months since the last Spruance video. I can’t remember what I had for breakfast yesterday much less what was in the Spruance video from 2 months ago. Could you prerecord some these and then release them within a week or two of each other? Thanks for considering. Again, I appreciate all the work you put into the videos.

[@HGShurtugal]

👍

[@gregedmand9939]

By early 1945 the Japanese were adept at mass production of aircraft and their hidden storage, while under siege. As the Germans were. What they could not achieve was training enough pilots to fly them on anything but "one-way" trips.

[@EK-gr9gd]

Not quite: Spruance covered the September, 2nd surrender, just in case.

[@ronhudson3730]

I wonder, that given the number of casualties incurred in the various Pacific island assaults, if any consideration was given to the use of gas, to eliminate the defence without undue allied loss. The arguments against are obvious but what if any were the arguments for and did a discussion take place?

[@Drachinifel]

There actually was serious talk about using gas, Spruance was broadly in favour of using it on the Japanese but not if it would also cause mass civilian casualties. By the time the possibility was really on the table most of the islands being attacked also had large civilian populations and so Spruance was against it in those cases.

[@benvandermerwe4934]

For the algorithm.

[@timetounwind9205]

The algorithm cares not whence the comment comes, only that they do.

[@khaelamensha3624]

Drachism of the day: The British are coming.... Just brilliant Sir 🤣😂🤣

[@rackstraw]

10:00 Poking R K Turner is never advised...

[@xgford94]

Smith v Smith aka stuffed if you do, stuffed if you don’t

[@thewaterlord27]

1775 “The British are coming!” Militia commander: Oh god no! 1944 “The British are coming!” Navel commander: Oh thank god!

[@hushpuppy2u]

Ahoy

[@Jayne22]

Sorry, laughing too much to type. That was interesting and at times frightening and amusing. An admiral Manning a fire hose. 😅😅😅, but it was his ship, part of his fleet.

[@merlinwizard1000]

89th, 15 January 2025

[@bonose12]

Poetry…why the heck not.

[@davewolfy2906]

"stalling out", or "stalling"? English?

[@timetounwind9205]

It's an acceptable use in English. To Stall out is to come to a halt or stop, _stalling out_ would be the present participle

[@davewolfy2906]

@timetounwind9205 no, it is not acceptable. It is however, common. Very common. "Load out" - load. "Those ones" - those. "Anytime soon" - .......

[@davewolfy2906]

@timetounwind9205 whose English? Ah, you mean American.

[@Jayne22]

And propmtleyfiled it o er the side of the ship. 😂😅😂😅😂😅😂😅