The midland journal., 1945-09-21
l33 w Warships in
Ninitz Armada
Million Tons Of Fighting
Steel in the Fleet That
Wrecked Jap Navy.

GUAM.--Admiral Nimitz revealed
that more than a million tons of
fighting steel - 1873 combat ships in
cluding 9 fast and powerful battle
ships and 20 great aircraft carriers
- comprised the great Allied ar
mada that destroyed Japan's once
proud navy and 1900 Of her planes,
according to the Associated Press.
For the first time the admiral
identified the ships of the line which
under Admiral Halsey ranged UP
and down Japan's coast, lombard
ing her cities, leveling her factories
and blasting her air fields with 500
planes from its fiattops.
Americas newest and most pow
erful men o. war-105 of them-and
20 British combat vessels made up
the fighting line.
More than 1900 Japanese planes
were destroyed or damaged in the
final weeks this great 3rd fleet
also known as task force 38-har-
ried the enemy's seaboard. It also
took a toll Of nearly 1000 Nip
ponese ships and small craft -
sunk, beached, burned, or dam
aged. Immense damage was done to
war plants, industrial areas, air
fields, and other targets.
Praises Service Forces.
A light American surface unit was
the only vessel damaged in the 81
days of operations, broken at times
by raging typhoons.
In all, there were 8 American
and British battleships in Halsey's
armada, 16 American and 4 British
aircraft carriers, 10 American and
6 British cruisers, and 81 American
and II British destroyers. In the
fleets train were scores of tankers,
ammunition ships, escort carriers,
destroyer escorts, and miscellaneous
supply vessels. In addition, subma-
rines Of the Pacific fleet gave sup
port with their offensive opera
tions, search patrols, and rescue
actions
In statement accompanying the
honor roll, the admiral Of the fleet
paid tribute to the tire1ess service
forces which moved supplies across
the Pacific and delivered them at
sea to the fighting craft.
Topping the roll of fighting craft
so proudly announced were such
mighty battle wagons as the Iowa,
Missouri and Wisconsin - biggest
and most powerful of the American
navy. With the New Jersey, which
was not with Halsey at this time,
they form the $4,000 ton Iowa class.
Their 16 inch rifles helped to lay
waste military targets near the Jap
aneSe coast.
Other American battleships were
the Massachusetts, Indiana, South
Dakota, North Carolina, and Ala
bama. The British battleship in this
bombardment force was H. M. S.
King George V.
16 United States Carriers.
American carriers from whose
decks man made typhoons swept
against the enemy homeland in
cluded 10 of the $1,000 ton Essex
class and 6 of the independence
class. Illustrious names of battle
fame, in this and other wars, are
in the list = the Lexington, Essex,
Bennington, Hancock, Randolph, Ii
conderoga, Yorktown, Shangri-La,
Bon Homme Richard, Wasp, San
Jacinto, independence, Belleau
Wood, Monterey, Bataan and Cow
pens.
British carriers were the H. M. S.
Formidable, H. M. S. Implacable,
H. M. S. Victorious, and H. M. S.
Indefatigable.
The American cruiser column in
cluded the heavy type Quincy, Chi
cago, Boston and st. Paul = hard
hitting vessels of $4,000 tons, 80 knot
speed, and 9 eight-inch rifles each.
Eleven others were of the 10000
ton class and four of 5000 tons each
but capable of speeds greater than
38 knots. They are the Springfield,
Topeka, Atlanta, Dayton, Oklahoma
City, Flint, Pasadena, Astoria,
Wilkes Barre D,,1tIfh and Anncfar