NORPAC

In late July 1945 the United States Navy began to send significant reinforcements to Vice Admiral Fletcher in the North Pacific Area (NORPAC).  What began as a mission to secure the sea lane between Alaska and Russia in support of Russia’s invasion of Manchuria continued as a mission to secure the surrender of northern Japan.

This page describes the assembly of the ships that reinforced NORPAC and provides some insight into the practical issues associated with addressing an important, largely unanticipated, mission on short notice. 

This operation would have detracted from OLYMPIC as the six CVEs and 3 CAs involved in this operation had been included in earlier stages of OLYMPIC planning.  

TASK FORCE 92, Rear Admiral John H. Brown

‍CruDiv 1

CL 9  RICHMOND          ADAK, AK

CL 10  CONCORD        ATTU, AK

DesDiv 114

DD 654  BEARSS          ATTU, AK

DD 655  JOHN HOOD    ATTU, AK

DD 799  JARVIS           ATTU, AK

DD 410  HUGHES                  ATTU, AK

DD 411 ANDERSON           ADAK, AK

On August 15, 1945 Commander, CruDiv 5 reported to TASK FORCE 92

CruDiv 5

CA 24  PENSACOLA          SAN FRANCISCO—TO BE DIRECTED TO ALASKA

CA 25  SALT LAKE CITY       DEPART OKINAWA FOR ALASKA

CA 27  CHESTER                  DEPART OKINAWA FOR ALASKA

PENSACOLA had recently completed a refit at Mare Island Navy Yard.  She left San Francisco 3 August with destroyer IZARD and arrived at ADAK on 9 Aug 1945.

SALT LAKE CITY and CHESTER had been assigned to TASK GROUP 95.3.  On 1 August they departed Okinawa for Alaska arriving at Saipan 5 Aug.  There they formed TASK UNIT 12.6.1, with destroyers KILLEN and RICHARD P. LEARY, departing 6 Aug and arriving at ADAK 14 Aug.

DesRon 54

DesDiv 107

DD 688 REMEY (F) TASK GROUP 38.4

DD 691 MERTZ TASK GROUP 38.4

DD 798 MONSSEN TASK GROUP 38.4

DesDiv 108

DD 677 MCDERMUT TASK GROUP 38.4

DD 678 MCGOWAN TASK GROUP 38.4

DD 679 MCNAIR TASK GROUP 38.4

DD 680 MELVIN TASK GROUP 38.4

On 1 Aug, Destroyer Squadron 54 was a part of the THIRD FLEET’s TASK GROUP 38.4.  On 10 Aug 1945 the squadron less WADLEIGH and NORMAN SCOTT was detached from TASK GROUP 38.4 and ordered to report to TASK FORCE 92, perform an anti-shipping sweep enroute to Adak, and then steam to San Francisco for a Navy Yard overhaul.  On 12 Aug 1945 CINCPAC ordered the squadron to report to COMNORPAC for duty, pending the end of the war.  DesRon 54 arrived at Adak 14 Aug 1945, reported to NORPAC and then to TASK FORCE 92.

Refrigerator cargo ship, AF 29 GRAFFIAS, was at Pearl Harbor on 1 Aug 1945 loading provisions and undergoing repairs.  On 10 Aug 1945 she departed for Adak, arriving 18 Aug 1945.

Oiler, AO 36 KENNEBEC, transited the Panama Canal on 26 Jul 1945 bound for Pearl Harbor.  She arrived 9 Aug 1945 and departed 12 Aug 1945 bound for Alaska.  She arrived at Adak 19 Aug 1945.

Command ship, AGC 13 PANAMINT, was at Pearl Harbor with Rear Admiral L.F. REIFSNIDER, Commander Amphibious Group 4 on board, planning for Operation OLYMPIC.  On 12 Aug 1945 the Admiral hauled down his flag and the ship headed for Alaska, escorted by destroyer HOWORTH.  They arrived at Adak on 18 Aug 1945.  Vice Admiral Fletcher hoisted his flag on PANAMINT on 29 Aug 1945.

TASK FORCE 49, Rear Admiral H.M. Martin

GATHERING CVEs AT ENIWETOK

CarDiv 23

CVE 75 HOGGAT BAY   LEYTE TO ENIWETOK, THEN ALASKA

CVE 71 KITKUN BAY          TASK GROUP 30.8; SERVICE SQUADRON 6

CVE 74 NEHENTA BAY   TASK GROUP 30.8; SERVICE SQUADRON 6

CVE 101 MATANIKAU           SAN DIEGO TO ROI, CARRIER TRANSPORT SQUADRON

On 28 Jul 1945 Admiral Martin in HOGGAT BAY was ordered to form TASK FORCE 49 at Eniwetok and then proceed to Adak.  HOGGAT BAY departed Leyte on that date and arrived at Eniwetok on 3 Aug 1945.

On 1 Aug 1945 KITKUN BAY and NEHENTA BAY were providing air cover for the THIRD FLEET’s fleet train, TASK GROUP 30.8.  They were relived by CHENANGO and GILBERT ISLANDS on 4 Aug 1945 and proceeded to Eniwetok, arriving 9 Aug 1945.

MATANIKAU was assigned to the CARRIER TRANSPORT SQUADRON on 1 Aug.  It completed its mission 16 Aug 1945.  After a training period at Pearl Harbor and assignment of VC-65, on 31 Aug 1945, MATANKIAU headed for the NORPAC to relieve SAVO ISLAND.  She reported to TASK FORCE 44 on 10 Sep 1945.

CarDiv 26

CVE 70 FANSHAW BAY       OKINAWA TO GUAM & ENIWETOK

CVE 61 MANILA BAY            ENIWETOK

CVE 78 SAVO ISLAND      NAVAL AIR STATION, ALAMEDA

FANSHAW BAY, with Rear Admiral E. W. Litch, Commander Carrier Division 26 departed Okinawa for Guam on 29 Jul 1945.  She arrived 3 Aug 1945, landed VOC 2, boarded VC 10 and departed 6 Aug 1945, arriving at Eniwetok on 9 Aug 1945.

MANILA BAY had recently undergone an availability period at Guam.  She was ordered to Eniwetok on 27 July 1945, arriving on 30 July 1945.

On 1 Aug 1945, SAVO ISLAND was at Alameda, CA.  She loaded VC 3 and cold weather gear for the assembling fleet.  She departed Alameda on 6 Aug 1945 and arrived at Adak 14 Aug 1945. On 28 Jul 45 VC 3 was ordered to move from Puunene, TH to Alameda CA to join SAVO ISLAND 4 Aug 1945.

DesRon 45

DD 474  FULLAM (F)            ENIWETOK

DD 475  HUDSON                ENIWETOK

DD 472  GUEST                    ENIWETOK

DD 480  HALFORD               ENIWETOK

DD 419  WAINWRIGHT     ENIWETOK

DD 592  HOWORTH         PEARL HARBOR

In late July 1945 a much-reduced Destroyer Squadron Forty Five was at Eniwetok as TASK GROUP 96.3, engaged in training and rehabilitation following the Okinawa campaign.  On 1 August FULLAM was on keel blocks in ARD 1; HUDSON was enroute to a radar picket station near Eniwetok; GUEST fueled at Eniwetok; HALFORD was steaming singly from Ulithi to Eniwetok on orders issued 30 July; WAINWRIGHT was at Eniwetok after escorting CVE CARD between Guam and Eniwetok.  WAINRIGHT attached to DesRon 45 because of STANLY’s engineering casualty.

HOWORTH escorted PANAMINT between Pearl Harbor and Adak, departing 12 Aug and arriving 18 Aug 1945.

DesRon 56

DesDiv 111

DD 662  BENNION           GUAM

DD 663  H. L. EDWARDS   LEYTE GULF

DD 664  R. P. LEARY         LEYTE GULF

DesDiv 112

DD 593  KILLEN                    SUBIC BAY TO ENIWETOK

DD 649  A. W. GRANT         SUBIC BAY TO ENIWETOK

DD 589  IZARD                    SAN FRANCISCO

IZARD escorted PENSACOLA from San Francisco to Adak, arriving 9 Aug 1945.

BENNION escorted CVE WHITE PLAINS between Guam and Eniwetok, departing 3 Aug 1945 and arriving 6 Aug 1945.

H.L. EDWARDS and R.P. LEARY departed Leyte on 2 Aug and arrived at Saipan 5 Aug 1945 after rendezvous with SALT LAKE CITY and CHESTER.  H.L. EDWARDS was ordered to Guam in order to be re-gunned.

On 28 Jul 1945, KILLEN and A.W. GRANT were ordered to steam from Subic Bay in the Philippines to Eniwetok, arriving 3 Aug 1945.  KILLEN returned to Saipan between 5 Aug and 7 Aug 1945.  KILLEN and R. P. LEARY escorted SALT LAKE CITY and CHESTER directly from Saipan to Adak between 8 Aug and 14 Aug 1945.

H.L. EDWARDS departed Guam on 16 Aug 1945 escorting AP PRESIDENT POLK to Eniwetok, arriving 19 Aug 1945.  H.L. EDWARDS departed Eniwetok 29 Aug, escorting AV CHANDELEUR to NORPAC, arriving 6 Sep 1945.

ENIWETOK to ADAK

On 11 Aug 1945 Admiral Martin led TASK GROUP 49.1 out of Eniwetok.  The force consisted of CVEs HOGGAT BAY, MANILA BAY, and NAHENTA BAY escorted by Destroyer Squadron 45, FULLAM, HUDSON, GUEST, HALFORD and WAINWRIGHT.  The ships arrived at Adak 18 Aug 1945.

When the remaining ships were ready for sea, 16 Aug 1945, Admiral Litch followed with TASK GROUP 49.2.  The group including CVEs FANSHAW BAY and KITKUN BAY escorted by destroyers A.W. GRANT and BENNION arrived at Adak 24 Aug 1945.

On 31 Aug 1945 TASK FORCE 49 became TASK FORCE 44 and TASK FORCE 92 became TASK FORCE 42.  They were organized as follows.

TASK FORCE 42                            Rear Admiral J. H. Brown, Jr.

CruDiv 1                                            Rear Admiral J. H. Brown, Jr.

CL 9  RICHMOND(FF)

CL 10  CONCORD

CruDiv 5                                            Rear Admiral F. C. Denebrink

CA 27  CHESTER(F)

CA 24  PENSACOLA

CA 25  SALT LAKE CITY

DesRon 54

DesDiv 107

DD 688 REMEY (F)

DD 691 MERTZ

DD 798 MONSSEN

DesDiv 108

DD 677 MCDERMUT

DD 678 MCGOWAN

DD 679 MCNAIR

DD 680 MELVIN

DesDiv 114 

DD 654  BEARSS

DD 655  JOHN HOOD

DD 799  JARVIS

DesDiv 112

DD 593  KILLEN

DD 589  IZARD

TASK FORCE 40 (in company with TF 42)                   Vice Admiral F. J. Fletcher

TASK GROUP 40.1                                                   Vice Admiral F. J. Fletcher

AGC 13 PANAMINT

DD 410  HUGHES

DD 411  ANDERSON

TASK GROUP 40.2

AF 29 GRAFFIAS

AO 36 KENNEBEC

TASK FORCE 44                                 Rear Admiral H. A. Martin

TASK GROUP 44.1                              Rear Admiral H. A. Martin

CarDiv 23                                            Rear Admiral H. A. Martin

CVE 75 HOGGAT BAY(FF)

CVE 71 KITKUN BAY

CVE 74 NEHENTA BAY

TASK GROUP 44.2                                Rear Admiral E. W. Litch

CarDiv 26                                      Rear Admiral E. W. Litch

CVE 70 FANSHAW BAY

CVE 61 MANILA BAY

CVE 78 SAVO ISLAND

TASK GROUP 44.11

DesRon 45

DD 474  FULLAM (F)

DD 475  HUDSON

DD 472  GUEST

DD 480  HALFORD

DD 419  WAINWRIGHT

DD 592  HOWORTH

DD 649  ALBERT W. GRANT