The Conquering Tide (114 page)

Pacific Crucible
(Toll), xiv

Pacific Fleet submarines, 460

Pacific War:

bulldozers as weapons in, 190

central Pacific offensive in,
see
central Pacific offensive

as gold rush for Hawaii, 293–94

Guadalcanal as decisive campaign in, 120

initial Japanese air superiority in, xxi–xxiii

interservice rivalries in, 5–9, 40, 227, 433–34, 437

Japanese advances in, xxi–xxxi, 114, 119

Japanese brutality in, 204

Japanese motives for launching, 282

Japanese-U.S. imbalance of technology in, 426–27

life on rear bases of, 190–93

morale issues in, 192–93

overestimation of enemy losses in, 67

as primarily naval and air campaign, xiii–xiv

as primary focus of U.S. Navy, 128

Pacific War, air war in, 416

and disrepair of Japanese aircraft and airfields, 425–27

inadequate training of Japanese pilots in, 428–32

Japanese losses in, 419

mismatch between Japanese and U.S. technology in, 417

Palapao, Guadalcanal, xxviii, xxix

Palau, 405, 418, 419, 423, 441, 449, 454, 456, 459

Palmyra Island, 124

Paradise of the Pacific
, 293, 296

Paria, Gulf of, 330, 331

Parker, Ralph, 298

Patch, Alexander, 183, 185

Patterson, Cissy, 87

Patterson
, USS, 45, 46, 51

Patton, George S., 445

Pawnee
, USS, 161, 165

Pearl Harbor, 124

ammunition-loading accident at, 458

distance from Marshall Islands of, 385

expanding naval facilities at, 288–89

Japanese attack on, xiv, xxi, 7, 52, 55, 59, 117, 118–19, 142, 180, 195, 246, 253, 288, 306, 324, 419, 429, 459

natural setting of, 287–88

as Pacific Fleet home port, 287

salvage operations at, 289–90

Peck, DeWitt, 197, 198

Peleliu Island, U.S. assault on, 8

Pennsylvania
, USS, 339

Pensacola
, USS, 177–78

Pentagon, 89–90

Percival, Arthur, xxiii

PESTILENCE
, Operation,
see
Solomons offensive

Pétain, Philippe, 93

Phelps
, 392

Philippine Clipper
, 279

Philippines, 235, 242, 306, 405, 454, 456

Japanese conquest of, xxi, 7, 254–55

Philippines campaign, 440

Philippine Sea, as site of planned Japanese decisive fleet battle, 419

Philippine Sea, Battle of the, 153–54, 477–97,
481
,
493
, 516, 530

Phillips, John C., 374, 375, 376, 377

Phillips, Sol, 381

Pickett's charge, 366

“pidgin,” xviii

pilot fatigue, 125, 130, 136–37, 430

Japanese, 156, 238

Plant, Frank W. J., 338, 340, 347, 349, 350, 356–57, 358

Poha River, 156

Point Cruz, 66, 155, 189

Polhemus, Alan, 256

Popomanaseu, Mount, xviii

Porapora, Bougainville, 37, 38, 99

Portal, Charles, 309, 310–11

Porter
, USS, 154

Portland
, USS, 163

Port Moresby, New Guinea,
13
, 19, 20, 68, 120, 126, 203, 220, 224

Pownall, Charles A. “Baldy,” 368, 369, 372, 380, 418

Clark and, 341

in Kwajalein raid, 377–78

in refusal to order second strike on Kwajalein, 378–79, 381, 382–83

relieved of Task Force 50 command, 383

President Polk
, USS, 360–61

Preston
, USS, 169–70

Prince of Wales
, HMS, xxii, 324

Princeton
, USS, 237, 301, 399, 484

propaganda, Japanese, 114, 116, 180, 187, 196, 443–45, 507–8, 526, 527, 529, 532, 538

prospective commanding officers (PCOs), 260

Psalm 23, 3

Puffer
, USS, 453

Pyle, Ernie, 192, 519

Quebec Conference (1943), 235

Quincy
, USS, 25, 44, 46, 48

Quonset huts, 15, 518–19

Rabaul, New Britain, xxi, xxvi, 9,
13
, 16, 20, 29, 33, 38, 40, 53, 59, 62, 76, 78, 98, 99, 100, 101, 121, 122, 156, 157, 179, 181, 182, 202, 205, 222, 224, 311, 340, 368, 401, 408, 412, 419

Japanese evacuation of, 242

Japanese morale problems at, 238–39

U.S. bombing of, 236, 237–38, 240, 420–21

U.S. bypassing of, 232, 235, 240

Rabi, 68

racism, in British Empire, xx

Radar Plot, 233

radar systems:

night attacks and, 412

U.S. superiority in, 233

see also
fire control systems

radio packs, 515

Radio Tokyo, 107, 520

Rainbow, War Plan, 436

Raines, James Orvill, 518

Ralph Talbot
, USS, 43, 45, 49, 60, 234

Ramage, James D., 404, 407, 408, 410, 411, 489, 495

Ramsey, DeWitt C., 56–57

Rand, Hazen, 374, 375

Rau, Pappy, 272

Raymer, Edward C., 290

Read, W. J. “Jack,” 30, 37, 38, 39, 99–100, 157

RECKLESS
, Operation, 242

Red Army, 94–95, 308

Redman, John R., 198

Reeves, John W. “Black Jack,” 477

Reminiscences
(MacArthur), 232

Rendova Island, U.S. landing on, 231

Republican National Committee, 87

Republicans, 88

Repulse
, HMS, xxii, 324

Rhoades, F. Ashton “Snowy,” xxvi, xxvii, xxviii, 183

Richardson, Robert C., 321, 434, 440

Riefkohl, Frederick Lois, 48–49, 50

Ries, Robert E., Jr., 140

Riley, Herbert D., 305

Riley, Marion, 82

Ringgold
, USS, 344

Ring of Fire, xvii–xviii

Rochefort, Joseph, 75, 203

Rocky Mount
, USS, 465

Rogal, William, 24–25, 61, 64, 344, 347–48, 353, 354, 508

Roi-Namur Islands, 378, 389, 390, 393, 397, 398, 400, 401

airfield at, 381, 382

landings on, 390–95

Rommel, Erwin, 97

Roosevelt, Eleanor, 94, 328

Roosevelt, Franklin D., 6, 196, 217, 235, 311, 434, 437, 439, 457, 514

as assistant navy secretary, 91

and Battle of Savo Island, 56

chaotic leadership style of, 85–86

as commander in chief, 90–97

Ghormley and, 143

Guadalcanal campaign and, 158–59

Navy given personal attention by, 91

Nimitz and, 297

TORCH
and, 97

wartime critics of, 87–88

Rosenblatt, Herman, 382

Rota Island, 461, 462, 470, 474

ROUNDUP
, Operation, 95, 308–9

Royal Air Force (RAF), xxii

Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), xxvi

Royal Australian Navy (RAN), 20

coastwatching service of, xxiv–xxv, xxvi, xxvii, 37–38, 66, 99–100, 157

Royal Hawaiian Hotel, 259, 287

Royal New Zealand Air Force, 222

Royal New Zealand Army, 8th Infantry Brigade Group of, 236

Russell, Jim, 301–2

Russell Islands,
27
, 183, 203

U.S. forces on, 220–21

Russo-Japanese War (1904–5), 204, 536

Ryan, Michael P., 355, 357

Ryujo
, 69, 76–77

S-38 (U.S. submarine), 41, 42

Sado Maru
, 105

St. Louis Post-Dispatch
, 87

Saipan, Battle of, 362, 462–65, 500, 530, 532

civilians in, 506–7, 508–9

ground campaign in, 470–76, 497–98, 499, 500–503, 515

landings in, 465–69,
467

mass civilian suicides in, 534–35

surrender leaflets in, 509–10

U.S. casualties in, 466–67, 474–75, 510

Saipan Island, 412, 437, 438, 449, 456, 458, 459–60, 461–62, 516, 531

civilians on, 459

defensive works on, 460

Japanese troops on, 459–60, 466

Saito, Yoshitsugu, 449, 459, 460, 466, 467–68, 503–4, 505, 506, 530

Sakai, Saburo, 115–16, 426, 429, 430–31, 432

in dogfight with Southerland, 32–33

Sakonju, Naomasa, 454–55

Salamaua, New Guinea, 222, 239

Salt Lake City
, USS, 135, 228–29

Samoa, 11, 190

Sampson, William, 69

Samurai
(Sakai), 32

Sanada, Joichiro, 181, 182

San Bernandino Strait, 456, 469, 471

San Cristobal,
13
, 107, 148, 160

San Diego, Calif., 287

San Francisco, Calif.:

African Americans in, 247–48

defense industry in, 246–49

as key supply center for Pacific War, 244

naval facilities in, 246

servicemen in, 244–46

San Francisco
, USS, 155, 161, 379, 380

in Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, 162–65

San Francisco Bay, 252, 287

San Juan
, USS, 25, 35–36, 43, 154

Santa Cruz Islands,
13
, 16, 22, 76, 107, 133, 146, 190

Santa Cruz Islands, Battle of the, 59, 148–54,
148
, 160, 416, 419

Santa Isabel,
27
, 57, 182

Saratoga
, USS, 17, 20, 22, 30, 31, 37, 59, 60, 76–77, 78, 103, 105, 107, 143, 154, 237, 340, 387, 399

in Battle of Eastern Solomons, 79–80

torpedo attack on, 108

Sato, Kenryo, 181

Savo Island,
13
, 24,
27
, 31, 35, 38, 42, 134, 166, 168, 169, 170, 178

Savo Island, Battle of, 41, 43–51,
47
, 56

Hepburn's report on, 56–57

U.S. losses in, 55, 124

U.S. losses in, Japanese exaggeration of, 67

Savo Sound,
see
Ironbottom Sound (Savo Sound)

SB2C Helldivers, shortcomings of, 304–5, 331, 424–25

SBD dive-bombers, 304

Schmidt, Harry, 391, 398, 401

Schwartz, Harry, 87–88

Scott, Norman, 134–35, 160

Seabees, 70, 103, 190, 192, 426, 517, 518

and Espiritu Santo base, 14–15

in Guadalcanal campaign, 70, 103, 135, 190

in Solomons offensive, 221

Seahorse
, USS, 471

Sealark Channel, 38, 43, 51, 52–53, 161, 165

Sea of Japan, 284

Searaven
, USS, 410

2nd Marine Division, 457, 468, 498–99, 508, 510

in Tarawa campaign,
see
Tarawa, Battle of

2nd Marine Regiment, 133–34

in Guadalcanal campaign, 53

Second Amphibious Brigade, Japanese, 454

Second Division, Japanese, 184, 465, 500

Second Fleet, Japanese, 188, 447, 448, 531

First Battleship Division of, 450

Second Infantry Division, Japanese, 184

Seeadler Harbor, Manus, 242

Segond Channel, 15, 129

Selfridge
, USS, 234–35

Senken Butai
, 41–42

Senshin
(warrior spirit), 430

seppuku
, 504

Service Forces, Pacific Fleet (SERVPAC), 333

Service Squadron Four, 333

Service Squadron Ten, 385, 387, 398, 516

708th Provisional Amphibian Tractor Battalion, U.S. Army, 400

Seventeenth Army, Japanese, 40, 41, 122, 176, 183, 224

7th Infantry Division, U.S. Army, 229, 390, 444

in Kwajalein battle, 390, 395–96

7th Marine Regiment, 107, 109, 133

Seventh Air Force, U.S., 342

Seventh Amphibious Force, U.S., 239

Seventh Army, Japanese, 155

Seventh Fleet, U.S., 242

as “MacArthur's Navy,” 218

Seventh Sasebo Special Naval Landing Force, Japanese, 345

77th Infantry Division, U.S. Army, 511, 512

SG search radars, 168, 177

see also
fire control systems

Sheeks, Robert B., 466, 509–10

Sheridan
, USS, 338

Sherman, Forrest P., 314, 325, 383

Sherman, Frank P., 109, 111

Sherman, Frederick “Ted” C., 389, 399, 411, 474

Sherman tanks, 351

Sherrod, Robert, 344, 349, 351, 354, 358

Shibasaki, Keiji, in battle for Tarawa, 345–46, 352–53

Shigemitsu, Mamoru, 536

Shima, Kiyohide, 531

Shimada, Shigetaro, 423, 449, 451, 530, 531, 533, 534

Shinyo
, 531

shipbuilding industry, Kaiser and, 248–49

Shokaku
, 69, 78–79, 82, 147, 149, 150, 155, 419, 423, 473, 485–86

Shortland Island, xxv, 105, 178, 203, 235

U.S. air strikes on, 178–79

Shoup, David M., 352, 357, 358

in Tarawa battle, 349–50, 354, 356, 359

“shuttle-bombing” tactics, 451–52, 470

Singapore, xxii, 447, 448

Japanese capture of, xxiii

Sio, New Guinea, 239

Sixth Division, Japanese, 179

6th Marine Regiment, 352, 357, 359

67th Fighter Squadron (USAAF), 102

SJ radar, 258, 263

Skate
, USS, 413, 452

Skon, Andy, 374, 375, 376

SLEDGEHAMMER
, Operation, 95–96

Slonim, Gil, 471

“Slot, the,” 38, 42, 43, 57, 83, 103–4, 133, 161, 166, 167, 174, 176, 183, 236

Smith, Harold, 85

Smith, Holland M. “Howlin' Mad,” 8, 229, 321, 334, 335, 352, 386, 390, 398, 401, 434, 458, 466, 467, 468, 469, 475, 497, 498, 499, 500, 510, 511

Army's methodical pace criticized by, 396

as Fifth Amphibious Corps commander, 317

in
GALVANIC
chain-of-command dispute, 318–19

Kwajalein landing opposed by, 384–85

and Makin battle, 361–62

as passed over for promotion, 433–34

Tarawa battle criticisms of, 362–63, 365–66, 367

touchiness of, 317–18

Turner and, 318, 339–40, 433–34

Smith, John L., 70, 100

Smith, Julian C., 320, 322, 352, 354, 357, 359, 360, 362

in Tarawa battle, 334, 335, 336, 338, 366–67

Smith, Ralph C., 320, 321, 362, 364, 458, 498, 499, 500

Smoot, Roland, 23, 24