Soemu Toyoda
On 13 June 1944, Admiral Soemu Toyoda activated "Operation A-GO" for the defense of the Mariana Islands. "Chikuma" was assigned to Force "C" Vice Admiral Jisaburo Ozawa's Mobile Fleet, which proceeded through the Visayan Sea to the Philippine Sea headed towards Saipan. On 20 June, after the battleships , and carrier were attacked by aircraft from the American carriers , and and the bulk of the Japanese air cover was destroyed in the "Great Marianas Turkey Shoot", "Chikuma" retired with the Mobile Fleet to Okinawa.