renrich
Chief Master Sergeant
Sweb, I have read all but Gay's book and I agree with you.
Your favorite Pacific battle / campaign to study?
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syscom3
Pacific Historian
In this context, favorite = "most interest in".
renrich
Chief Master Sergeant
Sys, of course you are right. The weakness of books that contain more human interest stories is that the historical accuracy is sometimes compromised by personal opinions. I like Lundstrom's books about the Pacific War because they are exhaustively researched and seemingly very authoritative but they sometimes spend a little time on the people involved and their personalities. One anecdote in his books was about John McCain's grandfather who, in 1942, was the Commander of all Pacific Air. He was boarding either Lexington or Saratoga while under way at sea for a conference of all the big wigs. The Lex and Sara were apparently notorious rollers and he had just stepped onto a landing near the water line when the ship did one of it's capricious rolls and he was soaked to the waist. Had to attend the meeting in a sodden state.
RabidAlien
1st Lieutenant
Yeah...I love the personal accounts as well. Thanks for those titles, I'm headin over to Amazon to look em up! I have a hard time keeping units and numbers from gettin all mixed up (or forgotten) in my noggin, but its nice to have at least a general overview of various battles/campaigns/theaters-of-operations...keeps the individual stories in context.
renrich
Chief Master Sergeant
RA, while you are at it, if you would like to read probably the foremost writer on the early Pacific War, get John Lundstrom's "The First Team." I have read it twice and there is info in there that will give you a new perspective about that portion of WW2.
ToughOmbre
Senior Master Sergeant
Favorite Pacific battle to discuss/debate is the Pearl Harbor attack with the conspiracy theorists who still believe "FDR knew".
Of course these "experts" also believe in the Bermuda Triangle, Big Foot, the Loch Ness Monster, the Area 51 aliens and September 11th was an "inside job".
TO
Of course these "experts" also believe in the Bermuda Triangle, Big Foot, the Loch Ness Monster, the Area 51 aliens and September 11th was an "inside job".
TO
RabidAlien
1st Lieutenant
Ferdinand Foch
Staff Sergeant
Just to throw my opinion in, I had to go with the Battle of Midway. Personally, the US Navy was outnumbered and outclassed in several areas compared to the Japanese (more carriers, faster fighters, etc.), yet they still managed to win through some cleverness and a bit of sheer luck (though I was kinda sad when I read about the Yorktown being sunk at the end of the battle).
Though, I wouldn't mine learning more about the Burma and Indian Theatre. Personally, I would take William Slim over Bernard Montgomery anyday.
Though, I wouldn't mine learning more about the Burma and Indian Theatre. Personally, I would take William Slim over Bernard Montgomery anyday.
syscom3
Pacific Historian
Its the subject of many other threads, but the USN wasnt as outnumbered as you think. Even though we had three carriers, the total number of aircraft was about the same. Plus we had the advantage of surprise.
unless you already moved may want to wait on moving becuase of that mountin up there
It is a volcano and Alaska is full of them. If I were worried about them, I would not move there...
Lucky13
Forum Mascot
Remember the first time that I read that Yorktown was sunk at Midway, very sad indeed! Then, when I noticed they kept writing about a Yorktown, I was confused....took a while before I realized that it was the CV-10 that they were writing about...young, innocent and all that stuff! 
Always had a huge affection for the Yorktown, CV-5 and 10, don't know why!
Always had a huge affection for the Yorktown, CV-5 and 10, don't know why!
ToughOmbre
Senior Master Sergeant
Remember the first time that I read that Yorktown was sunk at Midway, very sad indeed! Then, when I noticed they kept writing about a Yorktown, I was confused....took a while before I realized that it was the CV-10 that they were writing about...young, innocent and all that stuff!
Always had a huge affection for the Yorktown, CV-5 and 10, don't know why!
Lucky, you gotta get to Charleston, SC and go aboard CV-10. Lot's of nice exhibits and warbirds to see. (didn't mean to get off topic, sorry)
TO
Attachments
Ferdinand Foch
Staff Sergeant
Oh right, thanks syscom. Man, I'm gonna have to read up on Midway again.
Ah been there many times. I used to live in Columbia, SC. Whenever we would go to Charleston I would make a stop and check her out.
Lucky13
Forum Mascot
You lucky sods! If I ever get there, I'll take her with me when I leave!
If I ever get there, I'll take her with me when I leave! 
Vassili Zaitzev
Master Sergeant
Yeah Lucky, I've been to CV-10 a few times, it's really worth it. I too was sad when Yorktown was sunk at Midway.
Hollywood
Airman
Battle(s) of Leyte Gulf...........
renrich
Chief Master Sergeant
Rough count at Midway according to Morison: IJN-seven BBs, four CVAs, ten CAs, thirty DDs, two CVLs, a lot of subs and oilers. 105 VFs, 97 VBs, 101 VTs.
USN-three CVAs, seven CAs, one CL, seventeen DDs,several oilers and subs. 79 VFs, 112 VBs and 42 VTs.
On Midway-27VFs, 27VBs, 6 VTs plus 4 B26s, 20 B17s. All of the aircraft in the IJN fleet were effective. Actually only the 79 VFs, 112 VBs of the USN carriers were effective and a few Wildcats and the six new TBFs on Midway were first line.
USN-three CVAs, seven CAs, one CL, seventeen DDs,several oilers and subs. 79 VFs, 112 VBs and 42 VTs.
On Midway-27VFs, 27VBs, 6 VTs plus 4 B26s, 20 B17s. All of the aircraft in the IJN fleet were effective. Actually only the 79 VFs, 112 VBs of the USN carriers were effective and a few Wildcats and the six new TBFs on Midway were first line.
syscom3
Pacific Historian
Here are the IJN totals as per Steve Parsall.
Akagi:50 24VF 18VB 18VT
Kaga: 72 27VF 18VB 27VT
Soryu: 55 21VF 16VB 18VT
Hiryu: 57 21VF 18VB 18VT
234 Carrier Aircraft
The following carriers were not gong to be in the battle untill June 6th at the earliest.
Hosho: 8 Obsolete Fighters
Zuiho: 8 VF and 8 Obsolete VF 12VT
16 Usable Carrier Aircraft.
From my sources:
US
Yorktown:75 25VF 37VB 13VT
Hornet:80 27VF 38VB 15VT
Enterpise:79 27VF 38VB 14VT
234 Carrier Aircraft
Midway Atoll: 7VF 6VT 17 VT and 31 PBY's, 4 B26's and 17 B17's
82 Aircraft
Thus we see that although the Japanese had more carriers, the US had just as many aircraft. Even if we were to allow for decided inferiority of the US TBD's, that's offset by the superiority of the Dauntless over the Val.
Akagi:50 24VF 18VB 18VT
Kaga: 72 27VF 18VB 27VT
Soryu: 55 21VF 16VB 18VT
Hiryu: 57 21VF 18VB 18VT
234 Carrier Aircraft
The following carriers were not gong to be in the battle untill June 6th at the earliest.
Hosho: 8 Obsolete Fighters
Zuiho: 8 VF and 8 Obsolete VF 12VT
16 Usable Carrier Aircraft.
From my sources:
US
Yorktown:75 25VF 37VB 13VT
Hornet:80 27VF 38VB 15VT
Enterpise:79 27VF 38VB 14VT
234 Carrier Aircraft
Midway Atoll: 7VF 6VT 17 VT and 31 PBY's, 4 B26's and 17 B17's
82 Aircraft
Thus we see that although the Japanese had more carriers, the US had just as many aircraft. Even if we were to allow for decided inferiority of the US TBD's, that's offset by the superiority of the Dauntless over the Val.
