Philippines 1944: Third Fleet's first victory over Japanese land-based airpower (Air Campaign, 50) - Softcover

Young, Edward M.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1472860438 ISBN 13: 9781472860439

Publisher: Osprey Publishing, 2024

Synopsis

The US Navy's 1944 Philippines raids were the first time naval aircraft had challenged and beaten a land-based air force. With artwork and rare photos, this is the first book to study them.

During September 1944, the US Navy's Task Force 38 launched a series of huge airstrikes against Japanese forces in the Philippines. Seventeen carriers, wielding over 1,000 combat aircraft, made up the most powerful naval fleet assembled to date. It was the first time aircraft carriers had dared to confront a major land-based air force. Over a period of two weeks, TF 38 demonstrated the power and mobility of the Fast Carrier Task Force. The strike forces claimed 368 Japanese aircraft shot down and 446 destroyed on the ground, with over a hundred ships destroyed and significant damage to ground installations.

This book is the first to focus on the campaign, and is illustrated with archive photos, original artwork, maps and 3D diagrams. Renowned Pacific War historian Edward M. Young draws upon after-action reports and other primary sources to explain how these September strikes impacted the reeling forces of Imperial Japan. Soon overshadowed by the invasion of Leyte and the enormous Battle of Leyte Gulf, few detailed accounts of this campaign exist. But it was an important stage in the Pacific War, for the relative ease of these raids prompted the planned invasion of Leyte to be brought forwards by two months.

About this title

About the Authors

Edward M. Young is a retired financial executive with a BA degree in Political Science from Harvard University and an MA from the University of Washington. In 2015 he received an MA in the History of Warfare from King's College, London and in 2020 completed a PhD in History at King's College. During his career he had assignments in New York, London, Tokyo, and Hong Kong. He is the author of numerous books and articles on aviation history. He lives with his wife in Seattle, Washington.

Jim Laurier is a native of New England and lives in New Hampshire. He attended Paier School of Art in Hamden, Connecticut, from 1974–78, and since graduating with Honours, he has been working professionally in the field of Fine Art and Illustration. He has been commissioned to paint for the US Air Force and has aviation paintings on permanent display at the Pentagon.

Edition details

• Publisher: Osprey Publishing
• Publication date: 2024
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1472860438
• ISBN 13: 9781472860439
• Binding: Paperback
• Illustrator: Laurier Jim
• Number of pages: 96