| 29May44 |
2000 posit: 09-20.9N/175-17.6E. |
| 30May44 |
1321 Anchored in Berth X-8, Majuro Harbor. Rejoined TG58.3. |
| 31May44 |
Moored as before. |
| 01-05Jun44 |
NORTH CAROLINA attached to TG58.3. Units: ENTERPRISE (CV 6)(RADM
Reeves - CTG), LEXINGTON (CV 16)(VADM Mitscher - CTF), SAN JACINTO (CVL
30), PRINCETON (CVL 23), NORTH CAROLINA, WASHINGTON (BB 56)(VADM Lee), INDIANA
(BB 58)(RADM Davis), SOUTH DAKOTA (BB 57)(RADM Hanson), ALABAMA (BB 60),
plus screening destroyers. TF58 now to four TG''s. |
| 06Jun44 |
0830 Underway in accordance with CTF58 dispatch. In accordance
with COMFIFTHFLT Oplan 10-44, TF58 to conduct operations to assault and
occupy Guam, Tinian, and Saipan in the Marianas. NORTH CAROLINA operating
in TG58.7 which is temporarily composed of supporting ships of the carrier
TG''s. Units: INDIANA (VADM Lee - CTG), WASHINGTON (BB 56), NORTH CAROLINA
(BB 55), SOUTH DAKOTA (BB 57), ALABAMA (BB 58), IOWA (BB 61), and NEW JERSEY
(BB 62), NEW ORLEANS (CA 32), WICHITA (CA 45), MINNEAPOLIS (CA 36), SAN
FRANCISCO (CA 38), and fourteen destroyers. 1630 Cruising formation formed;
TF enroute. 2000 posit: 07-17.0N/169-59.0E. |
| 07Jun44 |
2000 posit: 09-1.0N/164-24.0E. |
| 08Jun44 |
TG58.7 dissolved. NORTH CAROLINA rejoined TG58.3. 2000 posit:
13-01.0N/160-34.3E. |
| 09Jun44 |
INDIANAPOLIS (CL 35) with COMFIFTHFLT, ADM Spruance, embarked
joined TG58.3. 2000 posit: 15-34.0N/159-08.5E. |
| 10Jun44 |
2000 posit: 14-18.1N/152-15.2E. |
| 11Jun44 |
1300 Carriers commenced strikes on Guam, Saipan and Tinian.
TG58.1 against Guam, TG58.2/58.3/58.4 against Saipan and Tinian. 2000 posit:
14-56.2N/148-48.9E. 2005 Strikes completed. TG58.4 proceeding to vicinity
of Pagan for strikes tomorrow. |
| 12Jun44 |
0415 Aircraft carriers commences air strikes which continued
all day. 2000 posit: 15-23.8N/145.46.9E. |
| 13Jun44 |
0700 Formed bombardment group TG58.7. Proceeding toward Saipan.
IOWA, NEW JERSEY to bombard southern part of Saipan and Tinian; NORTH CAROLINA,
WASHINGTON, INDIANA southern and central part of Saipan, SOUTH DAKOTA and
ALABAMA to northern part of island. Central group also covered minesweeping
operations in Saipan Harbor. 1100 Commenced bombardment. 1700 bombardment/minesweeping
ops completed. Ammunition expended: 360 - 16"/45, 2,096 - 5"/38.
2000 posit: 15-23.9N/145-46.9E. 2200 NORTH CAROLINA rejoined TG58.3. |
| 14Jun44 |
Operating west of Saipan. TG58.2/58.3 conducting air strikes
on Saipan and Tinian. TG58.1/58.4 refueling after which TG''s will proceed
north to conduct air strikes in the Bonins. 2000 posit: 15-24.3N/145-05.8E. |
| 15Jun44 |
TG58.3 to west of Saipan providing air support. 2ND and 4TH
MARDIVS landed on the west coast of Saipan. 1907 NORTH CAROLINA had one
confirmed aircraft kill in an evening engagement. 2000 posit: 14-14.9N/145-09.8E.
Ammunition expended: 446 - 5"/38, 2,133 - 40mm, 20mm not reported. |
| 16Jun44 |
TG58.3 to west of Saipan providing air support. Refueled from
oiler CIMARRON. TG58.2 conducting air strikes on Guam and Rota Islands.
TG58.1 and 58.4 conducting air strikes on Chichi Jima and Iwo Jima, respectively.
TG58.3 also refueled during the day. 2000 posit: 14-26.0N/145-51.0E. |
| 17Jun44 |
TG58.2 and 58.3 west of Saipan providing air support. In afternoon
the fast battleships in TF58 were reformed into TG58.7 under the command
of VADM W. A. Lee, Jr., Battleships Pacific embarked in INDIANA. TG58.7
units: NORTH CAROLINA, WASHINGTON, SOUTH DAKOTA, ALABAMA, INDIANA, IOWA,
NEW JERSEY. TG58.1 and 58.4 ordered to return from strikes on Chichi Jima
and Iwo Jima and reform to counter Japanese Main Force sortie into the Philippine
Sea. 2000 posit: 15-00.0N/143.50E. |
| 18Jun44 |
TG58.7, along with TG58.2 and 58.3 operating west of Saipan.
2000 posit: 13.59.3N/144-03.3E. |
| 19Jun44 |
TG''s 58.1 and 58.4 rejoined in early morning hours. 1004 Large
group of bogies 265/100NM from TF. TF under continuous attack from Japanese
Combined Fleet aircraft until about 1530. This first day of the Battle of
the Philippine Sea. NORTH CAROLINA confirmed two aircraft shot down. SOUTH
DAKOTA (BB 57) and BUNKER HILL (CV 17) received bomb damage. Ammunition
expended: 753 - 5"/38, 1,821 - 40mm, 458 - 20mm. 2000 posit: 13-59.3N/144-03.2E. |
| 20Jun44 |
TG58.7 and three of four carrier TG''s proceeding west to close
enemy forces. About 1550, based on aircraft report, launched strike against
Japanese Combined Fleet units. Results of two-day battle in which Japanese
Mobile Fleet aircraft losses approached 291 cause it to be named "The
Marianas Turkey Shoot". Most of the U.S. aircraft losses, approximately
80 of 130, were due to fuel exhaustion from late strike against Japanese
force on 20 Jun. 2000 posit: 13-50.6N/138-45.1E. |
| 21Jun44 |
TG58.7 continued northwest to engage enemy cripples and search
for down U.S. pilots. No Japanese vessels found, but destroyers picked up
many pilots. TG retiring eastward toward Saipan. 2000 posit: 15-56.5N/133-54.5E. |
| 22Jun44 |
TG58.7 continuing east toward Saipan. 2000 posit: 15-43.4N/139-57.1E. |
| 23Jun44 |
TG58.7 refueled. SOUTH DAKOTA detached to rejoin TG58.2. TG58.7
operating southwest of Saipan. 2000 posit: 15-07.0N/144-13.6E. |
| 24Jun44 |
TG58.7 operating southwest of Saipan. TG58.3 and 58.4 in vicinity
supporting Marines on Saipan. NORTH CAROLINA refueled from ENOREE (AO 69)
and rejoined TG58.3. 2000 posit: 15-27.0N/143-21.3E. |
| 25Jun44 |
Operating with TG58.3 southwest of Saipan. In afternoon carriers
launched strikes on Guam and Rota. 2000 posit: 14-40.7N/144-15.3E. |
| 26Jun44 |
Carriers launched strikes on Pagan. 2000 posit: 16-45.0N/144-35.9E. |
| 27Jun44 |
Carriers launched strikes on Guam. 2000 posit: 13-05.0N/143-37.5E. |
| 28Jun44 |
Carriers launched strikes on Guam. 2000 posit: 13-14.9N/143-30.2E. |
| 29Jun44 |
Carriers launched strikes on Guam. 2000 posit: 12-48.8N/145-23.8E. |
| 30Jun44 |
Operating with TG58.3 east of Guam. Launched strikes on Guam
in afternoon. Posit: 12-18.8N/144-39.0E. |
| 01Jul44 |
Operating with TG58.3 in the Marianas during the occupation
of Saipan. Status of TF58. TG58.1 and 58.2 departed for Eniwetok for upkeep.
TG58.3 and 58.4 remain on station, conducting strikes on Guam and Rota.
TG58.3 Units: ENTERPRISE (CV 6)(RADM Reeves, CTG), LEXINGTON (CV 16)(VADM
Mitscher, CTF), SAN JACINTO (CVL 30), PRINCETON (CVL 23), NORTH CAROLINA,
WASHINGTON (BB 56)(VADM Lee), SOUTH DAKOTA (BB 57), INDIANA (BB 58), ALABAMA
(BB60), IOWA (BB 61), NEW JERSEY (BB 62), plus screening destroyers. Refueled
from MANATEE (AO 58). 2000 posit: 13-06.0N/146-07.0E. |
