Ships Moving to the Western Pacific
On 1 August 1945, in preparation for Operation OLYMPIC, a number of major units of the Pacific Fleet were returning to Pearl Harbor after being repaired and/or refit at Westcoast shipyards. In addition there were several newly constructed units in motion to Pearl Harbor as well as numerous destroyer types with wartime Atlantic Fleet service. All of these were gathered at Pearl Harbor for an additional training period and then dispatched as Task Groups to the Western Pacific, many raiding Wake Is enroute.
According to Clark G. Reynolds, The Fast Carries, “Following these operations (THIRD Fleet’s July/August 1945 raids on Japan) Task Force 38 would retire in mid August to Eniwetok to replenish, reorganize, and change commanders.” As a consequence, the ships below that were to be assigned to the Fast Carrier Force were being assembled at Eniwetok in preparation for the second round of strikes in preparation for Operation OLYMPIC. This second round was also described in Reynold’s book: “Throughout late August and September 1945 Task Force 38 would again strike Japan, with the British launching diversionary strikes against Hong Kong and Canton late in September.”
TASK GROUP 12.3 RAID WAKE 1 August 1945
TASK UNIT 12.3.1 – AIR UNIT
CVL 28 CABOT Hunter’s Point refit complete 22 Jun 45
DDR 805 CHEVALIER New DDR, arrived Pearl Harbor 7 Jul 45
DDR 874 DUNCAN New DDR, arrived Pearl Harbor 8 Jul 45
TASK UNIT 12.3.2 – BOMBARDMENT UNIT
BB 38 PENNSYLVANIA Hunter’s Point refit complete 18 Jun 45
DD 600 BOYLE Atlantic DD, Arrive Pearl Harbor 30 Jun 45
DD 601 CHAMPLIN Atlantic DD, Arrive Pearl Harbor 10 Jul 45
DD 617 ORDRONAUX Atlantic DD, Arrive Pearl Harbor 30 Jun 45
TASK UNIT 12.5.5 RAID WAKE 6 August 1945
CV 11 INTREPID Hunter’s Point, kamikaze damage repair complete 21 Jun 45
DD 563 ROSS Mare Island, mine damage repair complete 26 Jun 45
DD 669 COTTEN Hunter’s Point refit complete 23 Jun 45, DesDiv 99
TASK UNIT 12.5.6 BOMBARD WAKE 8 August 1945
BB 62 NEW JERSEY Puget Sound, refit complete 4 Jul 45
CL 80 BILOXI Bethlehem San Francisco, refit complete 6 Jul 45
DD 668 C. K. BRONSON Mare Island, refit complete 21 Jun 45, DesDiv 99
DD 670 DORTCH Hunter’s Point refit complete 24 Jun 45, DesDiv 99
DD 671 GATLING Mare Island, refit complete 20 Jun 45, DesDiv 99
DD 672 HEALY Bethlehem San Francisco, refit complete 9 Jun 45, DesDiv 99
Task Unit 12.5.9 Depart 10 Aug 45 for Eniwetok
DD 521 KIMBERLY Mare Island Navy Yard repair complete 26 Jun 45 assigned to DesDiv 49
DD 868 HALSEY POWEL Terminal Island Navy Yard repair and refit complete 8 Jul 45, DesDiv 105
DD 541 YARNALL Mare Island Navy Yard refit completed 17 Jun 45, DesDiv 106
DD 554 FRANKS Puget Sound Navy Yard refit completed 30 Jun 45, DesDiv 94
TASK GROUP 12.3 DEPT 12 AUG FOR ENIWETOK
CV 36 ANTIETAM New CV, arrived Pearl Harbor 19 Jun 45 requiring additional 40mm
CL 60 SANTA FE Terminal Island refit complete 13 Jul 45
CL 62 BIRMINGHAM Pearl Harbor, kamikaze damage repair complete 22 Jul 45
DD 725 O’BRIEN Mare Island, battle damage repair and refit complete 2 Jul 45
DDR 873 HAWKINS New DDR, arrived Pearl Harbor 8 Jul 45
DD 782 ROWAN New DD, arrived Pearl Harbor 26 Jul 45
DD 753 JOHN R. PIERCE New DD, arrived Pearl Harbor 6 Jul 45
DD 692 ALLEN M. SUMNER Relieved as a training ship, arrived Pearl Harbor 23 Jul 45
DDR 829 MYLES O. FOX New DD, arrived Pearl Harbor 28 Jul 45
DD 606 COGHLAN Mare Island, refit complete 4 Jul 45, DesDiv 105
This flow of ships was not a one way street. Ships returned the west coast when due refit. Some of these ships are listed below with yard assigned to perform the refit.
TASK GROUP 30.3, THIRD Fleet to the West Coast
CV 9 ESSEX Puget Sound Navy Yard
CVL 30 SAN JACINTO Hunter’s Point Navy Yard
BB 59 MASSACHUSETTS Puget Sound Navy Yard
CL 90 ASTORIA Terminal Island Navy Yard
CLAA 53 SAN DIEGO Mare Island Navy Yard
DD 450 O’BANNON Hunter’s Point Navy Yard
DD 644 STEMBEL Puget Sound Navy Yard
Task Group 71.1, SEVENTH Fleet to West Coast and Atlantic Fleet
CL 46 PHOENIX Terminal Island Navy Yard, changed to Philadelphia Navy Yard post war
DD 366 DRAYTON Pre-war Destroyer reassigned to Atlantic Fleet
Additional reinforcements planned for Operation OLYMPIC
Fast Carriers, Battleships, and Cruisers that were scheduled to join the fleet in the Western Pacific in time for Operation OLYMPIC are listed below with their 1 Aug 45 location:
CV 21 BOXER Transited the Panama Canal 27 Jul 45, enroute to San Diego
CVN 6 ENTERPRISE Puget Sound Navy Yard thru 1 Sep 45
CV 12 HORNET Hunters Point Navy Yard thru 18 Sep 45—First CV equipped with F8F
CV 39 LAKE CHAMPLAIN Guantanamo, then Norfolk Navy Yard—Available for late October sortie
CV 17 BUNKER HILL Puget Sound Navy Yard thru 27 Sep 45—Available for late October sortie i
BB 46 MARYLAND Puget Sound Navy Yard thru 15 Aug 45
BB 34 NEW YORK Pearl Harbor Navy Yard thru 2 Sep 45
BB 56 WASHINGTON Puget Sound Navy Yard thru 14 Sep 45
CA 35 INIDANAPOLIS Sunk enroute to Leyte 28 Jul after delivering the Atomic Bombs to Guam.
CA 36 MINNEAPOLS Enroute to Leyte after Puget Sound refit.
CA 28 LOUISVILLE Pearl Harbor Navy Yard thru 4 Aug 45
CA 68 BALTIMORE Pearl Harbor Navy Yard thru 21 Aug 45
CA 72 PITTSBURGH Puget Sound Navy Yard thru 26 Sep 45—Available for late October sortie
CA 74 COLUMBUS Boston Navy Yard, Ready for Sea 29 Aug 45—Available for late October sortie
CL 47 BOISE Terminal Island Navy Yard thru 14 Sep 45
CL 64 VINCENNES Mare Island Navy Yard
CL 89 MIAMI Terminal Island Navy Yard thru 2 Aug 45
CL 82 PROVIDENCE Boston Navy Yard, Ready for Sea 12 Aug 1945, then Task Force 69
CL 92 LITTLE ROCK Guantanamo, then Philadelphia Navy Yard