Battle of the Philippine Sea, Part 2: Sinking the Shokaku

[@OpusXtr]

I served on the USS Cavalla (SSN684) named for the SS244. Most people don’t the effectiveness of the US submarine fleet in the Pacific. We (I wore dolphins, I think I can use “we”) sank over half of the Japanese tonnage lost in the war and made up less than 2% of combat forces. The price was that we lost almost 20% of our boats. Here is to those still on patrol.

[@tnarggrant9711]

I went and visited her recently. She looks to be in good condition and well looked after.

[@Glen.Danielsen]

Sir, thank you mammothly much for your service. Cheers to you and to all of our warriors from the Greatest Generation. 💛🙏🏼

[@robertway5756]

Much respect fellow "Bubblehead". My father served on the USS Brill, SS-330, in 44-45.. I was on the USS Sturgeon, SSN-637.

[@greggolson6453]

Thank you for your service to our country and to the world!

[@johnmcmickle5685]

Only after the Navy fixed the torpedoes.

[@Glen.Danielsen]

The sister who is narrator does marvelous job. She is perfect choice for voice! 💛🙏🏼

[@Neilistic1001]

One of the things I take away from this excellent mini-documentary is that the skipper of the USS Cavalla ABSOLUTELY had his priorities/duties straight, e.g., try to prosecute an attack on VERY tempting targets . . . but when it became clear that he could not get his boat into a firing position, he surfaced and sent off very detailed contact reports. That's a man, and a crew, that knows their job. That they got the IJN Shokaku in the end was just . . . well . . karma. N.

[@CFarnwide]

Absolutely! And closing to 1200 yards on Shokaku??? That would take nerves of steel!

[@bbb8182]

I liked that too. He used logic and ration to guide his actions and it paid off. Excellent character.

[@db4858]

MOSTLY ACCURATE. Blanchard in Albacore actually targeted Shokaku FIRST. Then Blanchard saw Taiho coming on a better track and let Shokaku go "down to Cavalla". Read the War Patrol Reports. Uncle Charlie had set up a picket line of which Cavalla was one of the six subs re-positioned to intercept the TF heading for Saipan. [I am grandson of JW Blanchard}

[@ThePrader]

Great video. The US "silent service" has never been given the recognition they earned. They , almost alone, sank the entire Japanese merchant fleet, in addition to the warships they sent to the bottom. They rescued thousands of our downed pilots and airmen. Our submarines also provided priceless intelligence, and conducted numerous covert missions. They, alone, probably shortened the war by 2 years.

[@tamarajohnson1257]

Thank you so much for this well done documentary. My father was on the Cavalla during this event.

[@StonyRC]

What a truly WONDERFUL mini-documentary. First-class production and narration. Many Thanks.

[@racketyjack7621]

The valor and persistence of the sub force in WW2 was above reproach. Despite great difficulties and loss, they overcame and rebounded with fearsome tenacity. They were both a strategic and tactical weapon as this video demonstrated. And they did more than their share in taking the war to Japan and defeating her. Great respect to the officers and men of the silent service. Thank you for a well narrated video. Thumbs up and subscribed.

[@blakefrazier9991]

They knocked out around 60% of Japanese merchant shipping. Without them the war would’ve dragged on much longer

[@christopherfranklin972]

Narration is absolutely first class.

[@davidbenner2289]

Saipan was a great place for a three to seven year old to play and explore back in 1956 to 1960.

[@ianando9459]

Wonderful story and good delivery by the young lady narrator . Australia played it's part for SUBPAC in providing an unsinkable base for US subs in Fremantle WA ie Western Australia our biggest State. From an Aussie admirer of the mighty USA.

[@db4858]

Love you Aussies too! North Africa, jungles of the Pacific, Viet Nam, all warriors! And I served with your fine troops in Afghanistan.

[@robertway5756]

My dads boat was stationed in Freemantle in 44-45.

[@garymcaleer6112]

Great post. Amazing how often products go to market before they're ready. My father-in-law alway said, "Never buy the first version of a new product. Let them work the bugs out first."

[@allgood6760]

Thanks for this.. very interesting 👍🇳🇿

[@martinmiller1087]

Shokaku was 1 of 6 IJN fleet carriers at Pearl Harbor. She was 1 of 2 IJN fleet carriers at Coral Sea. She and her sister ship Zuikaku missed Midway because of battle damage and/or loss of aircraft and pilots at Coral Sea.

[@secretagent86]

well done, great narration. i hit like and subscribe and the bell

[@pwnerdowner]

Very well done. It's interesting to think about how the early months of the war may have gone if submarines had operational torpedoes. I don't think they necessarily would have decisively swung any engagements but it's clear that they were an irreplaceable asset when fully operational.

[@HRNavalMuseum]

Thank you so much!

[@Draconisrex1]

Everyone talks about the Battle of the Atlantic regarding submarine warfare. But the US submarine fleet in the Pacific was, despite the bad torpedoes, the most effective submarine force in the war and strangled the Japanese war machine.

[@ericmichaud1273]

@@Draconisrex1 that was only once the Mark 14 torpedo problem was solved. in 1942 our subs paled in comparison to the German U-Boat campaign.

[@kevinkleinhenz6511]

Those defective torpedos were depressing and hindered a lot of positive gains for the U.S. early on.

[@patrickmccrann991]

​@Marc Lemieux The Germans built 1100 subs (most of their Navy), the U.S. built 250. The Atlantic Ocean is 1/6 the size of the Pacific. The Germans did not sink 60% of the Allies Navies or Merchant Marine.

[@secretagent86]

two real standout points here (for me). 1) the incredible inability to create a working torpedo. couldn't they have simply borrowed from a British design? 2) the raw courage of the Japanese pilot targeting that torpedo at the cost of his life (also the skill to accomplish the interception). brave warrior deserves respect

[@pietervaness3229]

Great story , and great tribute to our guys ! 2 FLEET CARRIERS wow !

[@kewlshopper]

Great coverage of the submarines role in this battle.

[@ianando9459]

Great story . The mighty US sub fleet had an important base is the then far flung Western Australia State of WA at Fremantle . Our own sub fleet can look towards the heroes of Midway as inspiration

[@mjc8281]

Take nothing away from any other serviceman, I was in the RAF myself, but submariners are in a league of their own

[@williamkennedy5492]

A well put together video thank you, cheshire UK

[@glenbirbeck4098]

At 40 seconds in don't miss one of the Allied wonder weapons, the Proximity fuse. A little radar unit in each round senses the ground and explodes above it. Designed for AA use they proved very handy for taking out dug in troops. About the time this film was shot in the Pacific the future author of sci fi, Kurt Vonnegut, watched these type shells explode over German troops in Europe. Radio Amateurs (Hams) were much involved in the development of the Prox fuse. The Germans thought such a shell was not possible. They were nearly right.

[@DOUGLAS55ish]

There were two 637 class Fast Attack boats named Cavalla and Flying Fish built in the sixties. They were named well.

[@SteveSamillano]

A very enjoyable video. Well done.

[@martinwilczenski8666]

My uncle was a sailor on the flying fish.

[@petejoseph8257]

Great story, great narration, thank you.

[@joed1901]

105 depth charges. 😳. Glad they made it back to the surface.

[@mythos5809]

Well narrated, kept my attention. War is a terrible thing.

[@merhimaq1011]

Beautiful. I love this video

[@George_M_]

The necessary Cavalla hesitation to fire does show how the originally envisioned sub concept of taking direct, relatively close part in major fleet battles would've been a disaster. The high possibility of friendly fire from disoriented subs.

[@geraldmiller5232]

just added to my knowledge of the philipine sea battle. good video, very informative.

[@UltradogMN]

Great history and video. Superb narration.

[@HRNavalMuseum]

Glad you enjoyed it. Thank you!

[@MarvinJBush]

Wow, those submarine guys had some nerves of steel.

[@dennisfordii9737]

Excellent video , excellent narrator with a pleasant voice - thank you . Seldom have I ran into women interested in military history and I'm curious if narrating is simply a job or ? No judgement - just curious about those I listen to.

[@HRNavalMuseum]

We're very glad to hear you enjoyed the video! We have a few World War II series that we've created (Santa Cruz, Midway, Philippine Sea, and V-J Day), so hope you'll check all of those out on our channel. We've really enjoyed making them. I am actually the narrator--my name is Laura Lawfer Orr, and I'm the Director of Education at the Hampton Roads Naval Museum. Video narration isn't my job--just a fun thing to do while teaching naval history to the public! Thanks for watching!

[@williamallencrowder361]

American Submarines were manned by heroes everyone

[@avalonrainstryder2005]

This is also a good representation of Us naval doctrine in the use of submarines. They were the eyes and ears of the fleet. The information they gave the admiralty was vital on how to engage the enemy. Unlike the ijn, who thought scouting wasnt as necessary.

[@Wayne.J]

All the Japanese subs were meant to be used for was scouting for the main fleet!!!!!! In 1942, when Intel was close to even between the two nations, the Japanese well and truly outplayed the US Subs sinking a lot US ships vs Japanese ships. After 1943, the US had better torpedoes and better intel (right spot and right time all time from intercepting and decrypting Japanese fleet code JN-25D) and starting hitting warships especially late 1943. In 1944, the Americans employed ASW Hunter killer groups that decimated the IJN subs in April and May around Truk and Marianas as the Japanese patrol picket line of subs were eliminated one by one, usually by USS England. US only in March 1944, did they start targeting IJN 20 oil tankers, while also attacking IJN 80 or so destroyers that were left. Eliminating these meant IJN couldn't sortie at all as they lacked protection and /or have the legs to stand in a fight with the US. Japanese built 20 or so subs in 1944 for transporting supplies for bypassed garrisons while the used bigger and older I boats as a makeshift supply force for Guadalcanal and New Guinea with mixed and limited results. But after their one off missions of supplies, they return to missions of scouting the US Fleet. That US could manoeuvre their fleets away from these scouting subs using decrypted JN25 shouldn't be dismissed as easy as remark like "how to engage the enemy" and scouting "wasn't necessary".

[@berges104]

Just give us some damn TORPEDOES THAT WORK

[@robertnegron9706]

Yep the subs had faulty torpedoes. Most of time.

[@paulorchard7960]

The pacific war is mostly forgotten! European battles against Hitler get most of the glory but the biggest threat on our side of the world needed to be fought as well!

[@SeattlePioneer]

Oh, I don't think so. The greatest naval war in world history and several of the greatest naval battles in world history. Extraordinary bravery and sacrifice on both sides. I think the names "King" and "Nimitz" will be remembered in American and world history for a long time.

[@PaulHigginbothamSr]

Had not heard a female commentary on the best first submarine mission for a boat in ww2. Was touching a female was telling the tale of a highly technical operation where men's lives hung by a thread and thousands of others breathed sea water. A major win for my country in ww2. Cavallo

[@jonathanleonard1152]

The IJN code was also broken and readable. Though US forces did not always forward this info properly.

[@martinmiller1087]

The IJN used multiple codes in WWII.

[@brianholly3555]

Simon Oakland in a submarine movie? Cool.

[@astolatpere11]

What a story!

[@timsindt5245]

Destroyers and jeep carriers saved MacArthur, as Halsey completely swallowed the bait and left Leyte unguarded

[@charlesmanering7746]

Halsey should of been sacked.

[@patrickmccrann991]

It wasn't Halsey's job to guard Leyte. You research his orders and find out he did exactly what he was suppose to do. Halsey's 3rd Fleet didn't answer to MacArthur, his boss was Admiral Nimitz. Blame MacArthur for no direct communication between 3rd and 7th Fleets; he wanted it that way.

[@jimbiddle8646]

That was the battle of Leyte Gulf not Phillipine sea.

[@Awesomes007]

@@patrickmccrann991s. If I remember correctly, his orders were more along the line of, “protect the landing force unless you want to sink their carriers.” Feel free to correct me. And, I’ll do some research to see if I can read the actual orders. (My guess is that we would have sacrificed the whole landing force if it meant we got the carriers).

[@seventhson27]

This demonstrated the fatal flaw in the "decisive battle" doctrine. They Japanese got their "decisive battle," but it didn't work out to their favor.

[@robertnegron9706]

Look at the battle of midway. The Japanese outgunned the US forces. Yet the US Navy scored a decisive hit on the Japanese navy advance.

[@martinmiller1087]

All the navies in the world were profoundly influenced by the research and publications of Alfred Thayer Mahan.

[@bluejackgirlyx]

ty for fleet composition of ijn brilliant. ty

[@bbb8182]

As long as there are large ships, subs can have a huge effect on the enemy

[@syahrulazrai1039]

Japanese Navy fire/damage control team was doom from the start

[@billboth4814]

Didn't they also have decoded intercepts from the Japanese warning of their intentions in advance?

[@PelicanIslandLabs]

@1:25 "The Japanese were optimistic of success.........." As it was throughout the entire war. 🤣

[@kevinjarchow8812]

Actually, "ComSubPac."

[@HRNavalMuseum]

Good morning, you're right, it is COMSUBPAC now, and has been for a long time. The name seems to have changed during World War II. It was Submarine Command Pacific (SUBCOMPAC) for most of the war, and then changed to Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet (COMSUBPAC) at the end of the war...just to be confusing for everyone! We used the lesser-known name for the command since that was correct at the time of the Battle of the Philippine Sea.

[@SCGATOR2001]

My ears hurt when SUBCOMPAC was repeatedly said It's now COMSUBPAC

[@HRNavalMuseum]

Hello! It is COMSUBPAC now, and has been for a long time; you're very right. What we found is that the name seems to have changed during World War II. It was Submarine Command Pacific (SUBCOMPAC) for most of the war, and then changed to Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet (COMSUBPAC) at the end of the war...just to be confusing for everyone! We used the lesser-known name for the command since that was correct at the time of the Battle of the Philippine Sea.

[@leoamery]

Should be COMSUBPAC not SUBCOMPAC I think.

[@HRNavalMuseum]

Hello! It is COMSUBPAC now, and has been for a long time. What we found is that the name seems to have changed during World War II. It was Submarine Command Pacific (SUBCOMPAC) for most of the war, and then changed to Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet (COMSUBPAC) at the end of the war...just to be confusing for everyone! We used the lesser-known name for the command since that was correct at the time of the Battle of the Philippine Sea.

[@leoamery]

@@HRNavalMuseum Thanks for the tip!

[@richpontone1]

By 1944, the cadre of trained and experienced Japanese pilots had dwindled to nothing. The American Victory at thr Battle of Midway was mostly to blame for that. So, any aircraft carrier with Japanese aircraft was just a showboat, a toothless tiger. Even their Kamikaze attacks were mostly amateurishly done as their attacks were done singularly. If they had attacked in groups at one time, they could have done greater damage to our fleets. again the result of inexperienced Japanese pilots. Also, the US with the British had just developed proximity anti-craft shells that exploded in the close vicinity of attacking aircraft producing more destruction of enemy aircraft.

[@SeattlePioneer]

Most of the Kamikaze attacks WERE coordinated attacks by large units, and in a number of cases, escorted by fighters to improve the chances that the bombing planes got through. And they were hugely damaging to the American fleet, although they did not succeed in causing the US fleet to withdraw or significantly modify it's plans to attack.