Gilbert Islands naval order of battle



On 20 November 1943, simultaneous landings were made by United States Marine Corps forces on Tarawa and United States Army forces on Makin, two coral atolls located in the Gilbert Islands chain in the South-Central Pacific.

Unlike at the Allied landings on Guadalcanal the previous fall, the Japanese chose to violently oppose the Marines on the beach at Betio, the principal island of the Tarawa Atoll. These extremely well-planned defenses, combined with unexpected tidal conditions, made the fight for Tarawa one of the most difficult for the Marine Corps of the entire Pacific Theater.

Makin was declared secure on 25 November, Tarawa on 27 November.

The naval forces assigned to capture the Gilberts formed the largest armada yet assembled by either side in the Pacific, considerably larger than the Allied force that mounted the invasion of Guadalcanal and dwarfing the Japanese force that attacked Pearl Harbor.

TF 50 – Carrier Force (Task Force 50):
 * 6 fleet carriers, 5 light carriers, 6 fast battleships, 3 heavy cruisers, 3 anti-aircraft light cruisers, 21 destroyers

TF 52 – Northern Attack Force (Makin) (Task Force 52):
 * 3 escort carriers, 4 old battleships, 4 heavy cruisers, 15 destroyers, 1 minesweeper, 5 transports, 4 landing ships

TF 53 – Southern Attack Force (Tarawa) (Task Force 53):
 * 5 escort carriers, 3 old battleships, 2 heavy cruisers, 2 light cruisers, 22 destroyers, 2 minesweepers, 16 transports, 4 landing ships

Naval
The roles of Commander in Chief, Pacific Ocean Areas (CINCPOA) and Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet (CINCPAC), were both exercised by Admiral Chester W. Nimitz from his headquarters at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Since the Gilberts and Marshalls lie in the Central Pacific, their capture was the responsibility of the U.S. Fifth Fleet, led by Vice Admiral Raymond A. Spruance from aboard his flagship, heavy cruiser Indianapolis.

The ships and troops of Operations Galvanic (landings on Tarawa Atoll) and Kourbash (landings on Makin Atoll) were under direct operational command of Rear Admiral Richmond Kelly Turner aboard old battleship Pennsylvania.

In case Admiral Mineichi Koga attempted to disrupt Fifth Fleet's operations, Spruance was to strip all combat ships not needed to cover the landings, join with the fast carrier forces and engage the Japanese. In the event, Koga's Combined Fleet never stirred from its anchorage at Truk Lagoon in the Carolines.

Ground troops
V Amphibious Corps (Maj. Gen. Holland M. Smith)
 * Tarawa: 2nd Marine Division (Maj. Gen. Julian C. Smith)
 * Makin: 27th Infantry Division (Army) (Maj. Gen. Ralph C. Smith)

Both Admiral Turner and General Holland Smith sailed with the Northern Attack Force even though it was obvious that Tarawa would be the scene of the main ground action. If the Japanese mounted a counterattack, it was most likely to come from the Marshalls since the closest Japanese bases to the Gilberts were located there. Nimitz and Spruance wanted the two highest-ranking officers to sail with the forces that would be the first to encounter any such enemy response. Unbeknownst to the Americans, the Japanese had stripped almost all their naval and air assets from the Marshalls in an attempt to resist the Allied effort in the Central Solomons. Thus, no counterattack materialized.

Carrier Force (Task Force 50)
Rear Admiral Charles A. Pownall in fleet carrier Yorktown

Carrier Interceptor Group (Task Group 50.1)
Rear Admiral Pownall in Yorktown


 * 2 fleet carriers
 * USS Yorktown (CV-10) (Capt. J. J. Clark)
 * Air Group 5 (Lt. Cmdr. C. L. Crommelin)
 * VF-5: 36 Grumman F6F Hellcat fighters
 * VB-5: 36 Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers
 * VT-5: 18 Grumman TBF Avenger torpedo bombers
 * USS Lexington (CV-16) (Capt. F. B. Stump)
 * Air Group 16 (Lt. Cmdr. E. M. Snowden)
 * VF-16: 36 Grumman F6F Hellcat fighters
 * VB-16: 36 Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers
 * VT-16: 18 Grumman TBF Avenger torpedo bombers
 * 1 light carrier
 * USS Cowpens (CVL-25) (Capt. R. P. McConnell)
 * Air Group 25 (Lt. R. H. Price)
 * VF-25: 24 Grumman F6F Hellcat fighters
 * VF-6: 12 Grumman F6F Hellcat fighters
 * VC-25: 10 Grumman TBF Avenger torpedo bombers
 * Battleship Division 6 (Rear Adm. E. W. Hanson)
 * 3 fast battleships
 * 1 North Carolina-class (9 × 16-in. main battery): USS Washington (BB-56)
 * 2 South Dakota-class (9 × 16-in. main battery): USS South Dakota (BB-57), USS Alabama (BB-60)
 * Screen (Lr. Cmdr. A. J. Hill)
 * 6 destroyers
 * All Fletcher-class (5 × 5-in. main battery): USS La Vallette (DD-448), USS Nicholas (DD-449), USS Taylor (DD-468), USS Charrette (DD-581), USS Conner (DD-582), USS Izard (DD-589)

Northern Carrier Group (Task Group 50.2)
Rear Admiral Arthur W. Radford in fleet carrier Enterprise
 * 1 fleet carrier
 * USS Enterprise (CV-6) (Capt. S. P. Ginder)
 * Air Group 6 (Lt. Cmdr. E. H. O'Hare) (killed 26 Nov)
 * VF-2: 36 Grumman F6F Hellcat fighters
 * VB-6: 36 Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers
 * VT-6: 18 Grumman TBF Avenger torpedo bombers
 * 2 light carriers
 * USS Belleau Wood (CVL-24) (Capt. A. M. Pride)
 * Air Group 24 (Cmdr. R. H. Dale)
 * VF-24: 26 Grumman F6F Hellcat fighters
 * VF-6: 12 Grumman F6F Hellcat fighters
 * VC-22B: 9 Grumman TBF Avenger torpedo bombers
 * USS Monterey (CVL-26) (Capt. L. T. Hundt)
 * Air Group 30 (Lt. Cmdr. J. G. Sliney, USNR)
 * VF-30: 24 Grumman F6F Hellcat fighters
 * VC-30: 9 Grumman TBF Avenger torpedo bombers
 * Battleship Division 6 (Rear Adm. G. B. Davis)
 * 3 fast battleships
 * 1 North Carolina-class (9 × 16-in. main battery): USS North Carolina (BB-55)
 * 2 South Dakota-class (9 × 16-in. main battery): USS Indiana (BB-58), USS Massachusetts (BB-59)
 * Screen (Cmdr. H. F. Miller)
 * 6 destroyers
 * All Fletcher-class (5 × 5-in. main battery): USS Fletcher (DD-445), USS Radford (DD-446), USS Jenkins (DD-447), USS Boyd (DD-544), USS Bradford (DD-545), USS Brown (DD-546)

Southern Carrier Group (Task Group 50.3)
Rear Admiral Alfred E. Montgomery in fleet carrier Essex


 * 2 fleet carriers
 * USS Essex (CV-9) (Capt. D. B. Duncan)
 * Air Group 9 (Cmdr. J. Raby)
 * VF-9: 36 Grumman F6F Hellcat fighters
 * VB-9: 36 Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers
 * VT-9: 18 Grumman TBF Avenger torpedo bombers
 * USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) (Capt. J. J. Ballentine)
 * Air Group 17 (Cmdr. M. P. Bagdanovitch)
 * VF-18: 36 Grumman F6F Hellcat fighters
 * VB-17: 32 Curtiss SB2C Helldiver dive bombers
 * 1 light carrier
 * USS Independence (CVL-22) (Capt. R. L. Johnson)
 * Air Group 22 (Cmdr. J. M. Peters)
 * VF-22: 16 Grumman F6F Hellcat fighters
 * VF-6: 12 Grumman F6F Hellcat fighters
 * VC-22: 9 Grumman TBF Avenger torpedo bombers
 * Cruiser Division 5 (Rear Adm. E. G. Small):
 * 3 heavy cruisers
 * 1 Pensacola-class (10 × 8-in. main battery): USS Pensacola (CA-24)
 * 2 Northampton-class (9 × 8-in. main battery): USS Salt Lake City (CA-25), USS Chester (CA-27)
 * 1 anti-aircraft light cruiser
 * 1 Atlanta-class (12 × 5-in. main battery): USS Oakland (CL-95)
 * Screen (Capt. J. T. Bottom):
 * 5 destroyers
 * All Fletcher-class (5 × 5-in. main battery): USS Erben (DD-631), USS Hale (DD-642), USS Bullard (DD-660), USS Kidd (DD-661), USS Chauncey (DD-667)

Relief Carrier Group (Task Group 50.4)


Rear Admiral Frederick C. Sherman in fleet carrier Saratoga
 * 1 fleet carrier
 * USS Saratoga (CV-3) (Capt. J. H. Cassady)
 * Air Group 3 (Cmdr. H. H. Caldwell)
 * VF-12: 37 Grumman F6F Hellcat fighters
 * VB-12: 24 Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers
 * VT-12: 18 Grumman TBF Avenger torpedo bombers
 * 1 light carrier
 * USS Princeton (CVL-23) (Capt. G. R. Henderson)
 * Air Group 23 (Lt. Cmdr. H. L. Miller)
 * VF-23: 24 Grumman F6F Hellcat fighters
 * VT-23:  9 Grumman TBF Avenger torpedo bombers
 * Cruiser Division 2 (Rear Adm. L. J. Wiltse)
 * 2 anti-aircraft light cruisers
 * Both Atlanta-class (12 × 5-in. main battery): USS San Diego (CL-53), USS San Juan (CL-54)
 * Screen
 * 4 destroyers
 * 3 Benham-class (4 × 5-in. main battery): USS Stack (DD-406), USS Sterett (DD-407), USS Wilson (DD-408)
 * 1 Benson-class (4 × 5-in. main battery): USS Edwards (DD-619)

Northern Attack Force (Makin) (Task Group 52)
Rear Admiral Richmond Kelly Turner in old battleship Pennsylvania

Transport Group (Task Group 52.1)
Captain D. W. Loomis

Embarking 165th Regimental Combat Team and 105th Battalion Landing Team of the 27th Infantry Division
 * 4 attack transports: USS Neville (APA-9), USS Leonard Wood (APA-12), USS Calvert (APA-32), USS Pierce (APA-50)
 * 1 attack cargo ship: USS Alcyone (AKA-7)
 * 1 landing ship dock: USS Belle Grove (LSD-2)
 * Screen
 * 4 destroyers
 * 2 Fletcher-class (4 × 5-in. main battery): USS Kimberly (DD-521), USS Burns (DD-588)
 * 1 Farragut-class (4 × 5-in. main battery): USS Dale (DD-353)
 * 1 Sims-class (4 × 5-in. main battery): USS Mustin (DD-413)

Fire Support Group (Task Group 52.2)
Rear Admiral Robert M. Griffin in battleship New Mexico


 * Unit 1
 * 2 old battleships
 * 1 Pennsylvania-class (12 × 14-in. main battery): USS Pennsylvania (BB-38)
 * 1 New Mexico-class (12 × 14-in. main battery): USS New Mexico (BB-40)
 * 2 heavy cruisers
 * Both New Orleans-class (9 × 8-in. main battery): USS Minneapolis (CA-36), USS San Francisco (CA-38)
 * 2 destroyers
 * Both Farragut-class (4 × 5-in. main battery): USS Dewey (DD-349), USS Hull (DD-350)
 * Unit 2
 * 2 old battleships
 * Both New Mexico-class (12 × 14-in. main battery): USS Mississippi (BB-41), USS Idaho (BB-42)
 * 2 heavy cruisers
 * 1 Baltimore-class (9 × 8-in. main battery): USS Baltimore (CA-68)
 * 1 New Orleans-class (9 × 8-in. main battery): USS New Orleans (CA-32)
 * 2 destroyers
 * Both Gridley-class (4 × 5-in. main battery): USS Gridley (DD-380), USS Maury (DD-401)
 * Unit 3
 * 2 destroyers
 * 1 Porter-class (8 × 5-in. main battery): USS Phelps (DD-360)
 * 1 Farragut-class (4 × 5-in. main battery): USS MacDonough (DD-351)

Air Support Group (Task Group 52.3)


Rear Admiral Henry M. Mullinnix (killed 24 Nov) in escort carrier Liscome Bay
 * 3 escort carriers
 * USS Liscome Bay (CVE-56) (sunk by submarine 24 Nov) (Capt. I. D. Wiltsie killed 24 Nov)
 * Air Group (Lt. Cmdr. M. U. Beebe)
 * 16 Grumman FM-1 Wildcat fighters
 * 12 TBM Avenger torpedo bombers
 * USS Coral Sea (CVE-57) (Capt. H. W. Taylor)
 * Air Group (Lt. Cmdr. J. J. Lynch)
 * 16 Grumman FM-1 Wildcat fighters
 * 12 Grumman TBF Avenger torpedo bombers
 * USS Corregidor (CVE-58) (Capt. R. L. Bowman)
 * Air Group (Lt. Cmdr. G. M. Clifford)
 * 16 Grumman FM-1 Wildcat fighters
 * 12 Grumman TBF Avenger torpedo bombers
 * Screen
 * 4 destroyers
 * 2 Sims-class (4 × 5-in. main battery): USS Hughes (DD-410), USS Morris (DD-417)
 * 2 Fletcher-class (5 × 5-in. main battery): USS Hoel (DD-533), USS Franks (DD-554)
 * 1 minesweeper
 * 1 Auk-class (1 × 3-in. main battery): USS Revenge (AM-110)

Makin LST Group No. 1 (Task Group 54.4)
Commander A. M. Hurst
 * 3 landing ship tanks: 31, 78, 178, each carrying an LCT
 * 1 Farragut-class destroyer (4 × 5-in. main battery): USS Dale (DD-353)

TF 53 Southern Attack Force (Tarawa)
Rear Admiral Harry W. Hill in old battleship Maryland

Transport Group (Task Group 53.1)
Captain H. B. Knowles in attack transport Monrovia

Embarking 2nd Marine Division, reinforced
 * Transport Division 4 (Capt. J. B. McGovern):
 * 5 attack transports: USS Zeilin (APA-3), USS Heywood (APA-6), USS William P. Biddle (APA-8), USS Harry Lee (APA-10), USS Arthur Middleton (APA-25)
 * Transport Division 6 (Capt. T. B. Brittain):
 * 4 attack transports: USS Harris (APA-2), USS Feland (APA-11), USS J. Franklin Bell (APA-16), USS Ormsby (APA-49)
 * Transport Division 18 (Capt. Knowles):
 * 3 attack transports: USS Doyen (APA-1), USS Monrovia (APA-31), USS Sheridan (APA-51)
 * 3 attack cargo ships: USS Bellatrix (AKA-3), USS Thuban (AKA-19), USS Virgo (AKA-20)
 * 1 landing ship dock: USS Ashland (LSD-1)
 * 1 transport: USS La Salle (AP-102)
 * Screen (Capt. E. M. Thompson):
 * 7 destroyers
 * All Fletcher-class (5 × 5-in. main battery): USS Sigsbee (DD-502), USS Hazelwood (DD-531), USS Heermann (DD-532), USS Harrison (DD-573), USS John Rodgers (DD-574), USS McKee (DD-575), USS Murray (DD-576)

Minesweeper Group (Task Group 53.2)
Lieutenant Commander H. R. Peirce
 * 2 minesweepers
 * Both Auk-class (1 × 3-in. main battery): USS Pursuit (AM-108), USS Requisite (AM-109)

Fire Support Group (Task Group 53.4)


Rear Admiral Howard F. Kingman
 * Section 1
 * 1 Tennessee-class old battleship (12 × 14-in. main battery): USS Tennessee (BB-43)
 * 1 Cleveland-class light cruiser (12 × 6-in. main battery): USS Mobile (CL-63)
 * 2 Benson-class destroyers (5 × 5-in. main battery): USS Bailey (DD-492), USS Frazier (DD-607)
 * Section 2
 * 1 Colorado-class old battleship] (8 × 16-in. main battery): USS Maryland (BB-46)
 * 1 Cleveland-class light cruiser (12 × 6-in. main battery): USS Santa Fe (CL-60)
 * 2 Benson-class destroyers (5 × 5-in. main battery): USS Meade (DD-602), USS Gansevoort (DD-608)
 * Section 3
 * 1 Colorado-class old battleship] (8 × 16-in. main battery): USS Colorado (BB-45)
 * 1 Portland-class heavy cruiser (9 × 8-in. main battery): USS Portland (CA-33)
 * 2 Sims-class destroyers (5 × 5-in. main battery): USS Anderson (DD-411), USS Russell (DD-414)
 * Section 4
 * 2 Fletcher-class destroyers (5 × 5-in. main battery): USS Ringgold (DD-500), USS Dashiell (DD-659)
 * Section 5
 * 1 Portland-class heavy cruiser (9 × 8-in. main battery): USS Indianapolis (CA-35)
 * 1 Fletcher-class destroyer (5 × 5-in. main battery): USS Schroeder (DD-501)

Air Support Group (Task Group 53.6)


Rear Admiral V. H. Ragsdale
 * 5 escort carriers
 * USS Sangamon (CVE-26) (Capt. E. P. Moore)
 * 12 Grumman F6F Hellcat fighters
 * 9 Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers
 * 9 Grumman TBF Avenger torpedo bombers
 * USS Suwanee (CVE-27) (Capt. F. W. McMahon)
 * 12 Grumman F6F Hellcat fighters
 * 9 Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers
 * 9 Grumman TBF Avenger torpedo bombers
 * USS Chenango (CVE-28) (Capt. D. Ketcham)
 * 12 Grumman F6F Hellcat fighters
 * 9 Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers
 * 9 Grumman TBF Avenger torpedo bombers
 * USS Nassau (CVE-16) (Capt. S. J. Michael)
 * 12 Grumman F6F Hellcat fighters
 * USS Barnes (CVE-20) (Capt. G. A. Dussault)
 * 12 Grumman F6F Hellcat fighters
 * Screen
 * 5 destroyers
 * 2 Fletcher-class (5 × 5-in. main battery): USS Cowell (DD-547), USS Cotten (DD-669)
 * 3 Farragut-class (4 × 5-in. main battery): USS Farragut (DD-348), USS Monaghan (DD-354), USS Aylwin (DD-355)

Tarawa LST Group No. 1 (Task Group 54.5)
Lieutenant Commander R. M. Pits
 * 3 landing ship tanks: 34, 242, 243, each carrying an LCT
 * 1 Benson-class destroyer (4 ×x 5-in. main battery): USS Bancroft (DD-598)