Gilbert Islands naval order of battle
# 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

## Command structure

### 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.

## Forces afloat

### 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
       Yorktown (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
       Lexington (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
       Cowpens (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): Washington
          2 South Dakota-class (9 × 16-in. main battery): South Dakota, Alabama
    Screen (Lr. Cmdr. A. J. Hill)
       6 destroyers
          All Fletcher-class (5 × 5-in. main battery): La Vallette, Nicholas, Taylor, Charrette, Conner, Izard

**Northern Carrier Group (Task Group 50.2)**

Rear Admiral Arthur W. Radford in fleet carrier Enterprise

    1 fleet carrier
       Enterprise (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
       Belleau Wood (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
       Monterey (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): North Carolina
          2 South Dakota-class (9 × 16-in. main battery): Indiana, Massachusetts
    Screen (Cmdr. H. F. Miller)
       6 destroyers
          All Fletcher-class (5 × 5-in. main battery): Fletcher, Radford, Jenkins, Boyd, Bradford, Brown

**Southern Carrier Group (Task Group 50.3)**

Rear Admiral Alfred E. Montgomery in fleet carrier Essex

    2 fleet carriers
       Essex (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
       Bunker Hill (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
       Independence (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): Pensacola
          2 Northampton-class (9 × 8-in. main battery): Salt Lake City, Chester
       1 anti-aircraft light cruiser
          1 Atlanta-class (12 × 5-in. main battery): Oakland
    Screen (Capt. J. T. Bottom):
       5 destroyers
          All Fletcher-class (5 × 5-in. main battery): Erben, Hale, Bullard, Kidd, Chauncey

**Relief Carrier Group (Task Group 50.4)**

Rear Admiral Frederick C. Sherman in fleet carrier Saratoga

    1 fleet carrier
       Saratoga (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
       Princeton (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): San Diego, San Juan
    Screen
       4 destroyers
          3 Benham-class (4 × 5-in. main battery): Stack, Sterett, Wilson
          1 Benson-class (4 × 5-in. main battery): Edwards

### 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: Neville, Leonard Wood, Calvert, Pierce
    1 attack cargo ship: Alcyone
    1 landing ship dock: Belle Grove
    Screen
       4 destroyers
          2 Fletcher-class (4 × 5-in. main battery): Kimberly, Burns
          1 Farragut-class (4 × 5-in. main battery): Dale
          1 Sims-class (4 × 5-in. main battery): Mustin

**Fire Support Group (Task Group 52.2)**

Rear Admiral Robert M. Griffin in fast battleship New Mexico

    Unit 1
       2 old battleships
          1 Pennsylvania-class (12 × 14-in. main battery): Pennsylvania
          1 New Mexico-class (12 × 14-in. main battery): New Mexico
       2 heavy cruisers
          Both New Orleans-class (9 × 8-in. main battery): Minneapolis, San Francisco
       2 destroyers
          Both Farragut-class (4 × 5-in. main battery): Dewey, Hull
    Unit 2
       2 old battleships
          Both New Mexico-class (12 × 14-in. main battery): Mississippi, Idaho
       2 heavy cruisers
          1 Baltimore-class (9 × 8-in. main battery): Baltimore
          1 New Orleans-class (9 × 8-in. main battery): New Orleans
       2 destroyers
          Both Gridley-class (4 × 5-in. main battery): Gridley, Maury
    Unit 3
       2 destroyers
          1 Porter-class (8 × 5-in. main battery): Phelps
          1 Farragut-class (4 × 5-in. main battery): MacDonough

**Air Support Group (Task Group 52.3)**

Rear Admiral Henry M. Mullinnix (killed 24 Nov) in escort carrier Liscome Bay

    3 escort carriers
       Liscome Bay (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
       Coral Sea (Capt. H. W. Taylor)
          Air Group (Lt. Cmdr. J. J. Lynch)
             16 Grumman FM-1 Wildcat fighters
             12 Grumman TBF Avenger torpedo bombers
       Corregidor (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): Hughes, Morris
          2 Fletcher-class (5 × 5-in. main battery): Hoel, Franks
       1 minesweeper
          1 Auk-class (1 × 3-in. main battery): Revenge

**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): Dale

### 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: Zeilin, Heywood, William P. Biddle, Harry Lee, Arthur Middleton
    Transport Division 6 (Capt. T. B. Brittain):
       4 attack transports: Harris, Feland, J. Franklin Bell, Ormsby
    Transport Division 18 (Capt. Knowles):
       3 attack transports: Doyen, Monrovia, Sheridan
       3 attack cargo ships: Bellatrix, Thuban, Virgo
       1 landing ship dock: Ashland
       1 transport: La Salle
    Screen (Capt. E. M. Thompson):
       7 destroyers
          All Fletcher-class (5 × 5-in. main battery): Sigsbee, Hazelwood, Heermann, Harrison, John Rodgers, McKee, Murray

**Minesweeper Group (Task Group 53.2)**

Lieutenant Commander H. R. Peirce

    2 minesweepers
       Both Auk-class (1 × 3-in. main battery): Pursuit, Requisite

**Fire Support Group (Task Group 53.4)**

Rear Admiral Howard F. Kingman

    Section 1
       1 Tennessee-class old battleship (12 × 14-in. main battery): Tennessee
       1 Cleveland-class light cruiser (12 × 6-in. main battery): Mobile
       2 Benson-class destroyers (5 × 5-in. main battery): Bailey, Frazier
    Section 2
       1 Colorado-class old battleship] (8 × 16-in. main battery): Maryland
       1 Cleveland-class light cruiser (12 × 6-in. main battery): Santa Fe
       2 Benson-class destroyers (5 × 5-in. main battery): Meade, Gansevoort
    Section 3
       1 Colorado-class old battleship] (8 × 16-in. main battery): Colorado
       1 Portland-class heavy cruiser (9 × 8-in. main battery): Portland
       2 Sims-class destroyers (5 × 5-in. main battery): Anderson, Russell
    Section 4
       2 Fletcher-class destroyers (5 × 5-in. main battery): Ringgold, Dashiell
    Section 5
       1 Portland-class heavy cruiser (9 × 8-in. main battery): Indianapolis
       1 Fletcher-class destroyer (5 × 5-in. main battery): Schroeder

**Air Support Group (Task Group 53.6)**

Rear Admiral V. H. Ragsdale

    5 escort carriers
       Sangamon (Capt. E. P. Moore)
          12 Grumman F6F Hellcat fighters
          9 Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers
          9 Grumman TBF Avenger torpedo bombers
       Suwanee (Capt. F. W. McMahon)
          12 Grumman F6F Hellcat fighters
          9 Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers
          9 Grumman TBF Avenger torpedo bombers
       Chenango (Capt. D. Ketcham)
          12 Grumman F6F Hellcat fighters
          9 Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers
          9 Grumman TBF Avenger torpedo bombers
       Nassau (Capt. S. J. Michael)
          12 Grumman F6F Hellcat fighters
       Barnes (Capt. G. A. Dussault)
          12 Grumman F6F Hellcat fighters
    Screen
       5 destroyers
          2 Fletcher-class (5 × 5-in. main battery): Cowell, Cotten
          3 Farragut-class (4 × 5-in. main battery): Farragut, Monaghan, Aylwin

**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): Bancroft
