dscody:
This is in response to your request for information about the USS Makin Island, CVE-93. First, let me put things in perspective:
Prior to, and following, the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa Task Force 52 – Amphibious Support Force – was commanded by Admiral William Blandy aboard his command ship USS Estes. Task Force 52 arrived at Iwo Jima three days before D-Day (February 16, 1945) and arrived at Okinawa eight days before D-Day (March 24, 1945) for the purpose of softening up the islands and preparing for the upcoming amphibious landings.
One of the eight commands under Admiral Blandy was an escort aircraft carrier group under the command of Rear Admiral Calvin Durgin (Task Group 52.1) aboard his flagship USS Makin Island. Just for the record I was an NCO staff member of Blandy’s Task Group 52.10 Air Support Control Unit that directed aircraft and pilots from the carriers from aboard Blandy’s command ship and, after the invasion, from the ground.
Task Force 52 at Iwo Jima included 1 comand ship, 6 battleships, 5 cruisers, 11 escort carriers, a number of destroyers, minesweepers and other small gunboats – plus an underwater demolition group.
Task Force 52 at Okinawa included 1 command ship, 10 battleships, 8 heavy cruisers, 3 light cruisers, minesweepers, underwater demolition teams and small gunboats.
Prior to each of the two compaigns Makin Island would have joined the gathering fleet at Ulithi Atoll in the Caroline Islands. Pilots and ship’s officers would have gone ashore on Mog Mog Island for a few beers, relaxation, and maybe a pick-up softball game.
During the pre-invasion periods (both campaigns) Makin Island and the other carriers would have provided cover for Task Force 52, would have flown combat air patrol and anti-submarine patrol and possibly some photographic flights. Their main asignments, however, would have been bombing, strafing, napalming specific targets on the ground. Following D-Day carrier aircraft would have mostly performed either general air suport or close air support for the combat troops. When a flight of aircraft took off from the Makin Island it would come under the direction of an Air Support Control Unit aboard the command ship. The flight leader would be instructed to proceed to an orbit point (usually a prominent landmark) to circle and await a specific target assignment.
When their services were needed they would be contacted by Air Support and given a specific target assignment. If the target was close to the front lines they would be turned over to a flight coordinator aloft. The flight coordinator and the flight leader would then work with an ALP (Air Liaison Party) on the ground to locate and identify the target to be bombed, strafed or napalmed… The ALP group could usualy see both the target and the coordinator leading the flight in and it was their job to put the two together. This was accomplished through the use of topographic maps, voice communication and “dummy” runs.
There were seven escort carriers (CVE’s) like the Makin Island damaged at Okinawa, plus six of the big carriers (CV’s), I had three occasions to be transported aboard escort carriers during and following the war: (1) When I went overseas from San Diego to Hawaii, (2) From Leyte in the Philippines back to Pearl Harbor, and (3) From Hawaii bo San Francisco – and home.
The last was the best !!!
PS: I remember the Wildcat during World War Two as being designated as F4F – not VC-84
VCS-ww2
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