User Guide

seizure of the Gilbert Islands, a group of coral atolls lying about 2,000 miles west-
southwest of Pearl, and far to the east of Truk. Of the numerous bits of coral reef
protruding above the ocean in the Gilberts, Tarawa, Makin, and Apamama were
the main atolls to be taken. Of these, the primary objective was Tarawa. Fifth
Fleet struck all three atolls on D-day, November 20, 1943. By that time Japanese
defense forces in the Central Pacific had been greatly weakened by both ship and
aircraft losses in the South Pacific. Consequently, reinforcement from there and
from Truk were unavailable. Makin, the northernmost atoll was taken in two days
by the Army’s 27th Division following air attacks and bombardment by battleships
of the invading force. Similar attacks were made on the islets of Tarawa, and that
atoll was taken after bitter fighting by our marines on Betio islet. Within ten days
all Galvanic objectives had been achieved.
Ten submarines participated in Galvanic. Of these, nine were placed along the
route east of Truk to intercept reinforcements proceeding to the attack area.
Nautilus, however, was more directly involved. She performed reconnaissance
and lifeguard duties off Tarawa immediately prior to the attack, and then trans-
ported eight officers and 70 marines to assist in the taking of Apamama. In a case
of mistaken identity during darkness while enroute with her marine detachment,
her conning tower plating was holed by a five inch shell from a less-than-friendly
destroyer. Nevertheless, she was able to dive to escape and carry out her mission.
An assessment of Galvanic’s complete and rapid success proved the validity of the
new coordinated carrier and land based air, surface ship, amphibious and support
team strategy. With success in hand and a force in being, plans were made to
accelerate the planned capture of the chain of Marshall Islands extending some
350 to 750 miles to the north-northwest, and closer to Truk. The date set for the
new operation, Flintlock, was late January of the new year. While major segments
of the fleet were being readied, minor harassing strikes were made against the
Marshalls and as far west as Nauru, 350 miles beyond the Gilberts.
With activity heating up in the Central Pacific, more submarine operations were
planned for that area. Skate departed Midway November 15, 1943 to conduct her
second patrol in the area to the north of Truk. She arrived on station a week later
and commenced reconnaissance and a search for targets. It was during this patrol
that Skate began to earn her reputation as the “Big Game Hunter of World War II.”
A number of distant ship contacts were made off the north entrance to the atoll,
but could not be approached close enough to permit an attack until mid-morning
of the 30th. While patrolling on the surface, a task group was detected. Course
was changed to intercept what was soon identified as a converted aircraft carrier
escorted by two destroyers with heavy air cover. Two additional destroyers and
two large carriers were soon seen to be following the first carrier. When the range
to the large carriers had closed to about 9,000 yards, Skate submerged and
headed in for a bow shot. Coming to periscope depth at 1106, it was observed that
SILENT
HUNTER
62 APPENDIX A — U.S.S. SKATE AND THE FIFTH FLEET
passed 110 feet she escaped damage. Early on the night of the 14th, Skate
departed for a newly assigned patrol station. She encountered no significant
action there and left for refit at Midway on the evening of the 23rd, and arrived
five days later.
Altogether, Skate had plucked six aviators from the sea during the strike on
Wake. She also vectored one of our dive bomber squadrons to its target. In the
process she was bombed three times, fired on by shore batteries three times,
strafed twice, and lost one very fine young officer to the initial strafing. Skate’s
persistence in searching for downed airmen in the midst of bombs, shells and bul-
lets required great courage, coolness and determination on the part of the entire
crew. In acknowledging Skate’s accomplishments, the Commanding Officer of
Lexington radioed, “Anything on Lexington is yours for the asking. If it is too big
to carry away, we will cut it up in small parts.”
Although other submarines had previously stood by to rescue airmen during
strikes, it was Skate’s successful performance that opened a new chapter in sub-
marine operations. From that day until the end of the war, no important carrier
strike was made without one or more lifeguard submarines on station. By the end
of the war our submarines had rescued 504 airmen from the sea.
On to the Gilberts
While Skate was engaged in performing life-guard duties, the Pacific Fleet staff
was busy preparing plans and assembling resources for the next step across the
Pacific. In planning an offensive to drive the Japanese from their islands, two
major problems confronted the planners. First, was the fact that over the years
the Japanese had taken or fallen heir to island groups which gave them control of
the Central Pacific. The keystone to that control was Truk, their fleet’s main base.
Providing a defense in depth were strategically located bases on island groups
throughout the Central Pacific. A related problem was the manner in which land
was distributed throughout the vast expanse of the Central Pacific. Approximate
distances between some of these bases are: Pearl Harbor to Midway Islands 1150
nm; to Wake 2050 nm; to Johnston Island 780 nm; to Kwajalein and Tarawa 2050
nm,; and to Truk 3050 nm. The distance from Wake to Truk is about 1100 nm
and from Kwajalein to Truk about the same. It was clear to the planners that if
the Japanese bases were to be taken, attacks would have to be made by carrier
based aircraft and surface ship bombardment, followed by amphibious landings.
By the time Skate returned to Midway for refit in late October 1943, the fleet had
been reorganized. Vice Admiral Raymond A. Spruance had been given command
of Fifth Fleet. It was composed of 118 warships, including 13 battleships, 19
carriers, a large number of lesser combatants, plus transports, supply ships and
auxiliaries. Its first major operation was Operation Galvanic. The objective was
SILENT
HUNTER
61 APPENDIX A — U.S.S. SKATE AND THE FIFTH FLEET