GUAM

June, 1944

In early June, the Mobile headed westward to the Marianas Islands, providing support first for heavy air strikes on Saipan, Tinian and Guam.

As Joe mentions in his notes, they covered the landings on Saipan June 15th and the air strike on Guam on the 19th. This fight later became known as the First Battle of the Philippine Sea and was the largest carrier battle of the war. At Guam, Joe claims they were under coastal air attack all day, while the official record says the attack was "carrier-based" not coastal.

Apparently at least two Japanese carriers launched planes that first flew toward Guam before turning toward the American fleet, and this was likely what Joe saw--planes coming from the direction of the island.

In fact, the Mobile was the first ship to open fire, after one of her Marine lookouts spied the first Judy coming in. The Moe was credited with shooting down one plane that day. Photos shows ships following evasive patterns to avoid being hit.


Judy = nickname given to the Aichi dive bomber

Account of this battle taken from Morison's History of United States Naval Operations in World War II, Volume 8.
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From the Data Section of Joe's Journal:


14 - Marianas Is. ____________ June 11 to 15
Saipan __ } ___ Japs lost 402 planes
Tinian __ } ___ 23 ships sunk &
Guam ____ } ___ 26 more damaged

We landed troops on Saipan on June 15. We launc[h]ed air strike on Guam on June 19 _ we were in coastal air attack all day long _ we knock down more than 200 planes that day with our forces.