Japanese Air Attacks on Task Force 38, October 14, 1944

[JacksonsGhost]

On the advice of forum contributors I am re-posting this question here, having already posted it in the WW2 Pacific forum.

On October 14, 1944, the Japanese launched scattered air attacks against US Navy Task Force 38 in retaliation for US Navy strikes against Formosa.

It seems one of these attacks was by about 20-40 single-engine bombers, mostly said to be Judys (Yokosuka D4Y Suisei), which made it to the vicinity of Task Group 38.2 in the Philippine Sea around 1515 hours according to US reports. They were intercepted by F6F Hellcats of VF-18 from U.S.S. Intrepid, claiming 23 aircraft destroyed. US reports suggest only one bomber penetrated the defences, putting a bomb just wide of the carrier U.S.S. Hancock.

Experience tells me that the Japanese records might add some interesting differences to the story. However, I can't find anything from the Japanese side on this. Is anyone able to enlighten me as to the details of this Japanese strike. Were they all D4Y Judys? How many were there, how many were actually lost, and from which units? I realize this detail may not be available, but any detail offered is much appreciated.

Note there was also an attack around 1500 hours made mainly by twin-engine bombers which was intercepted by VF-27, but it is the group intercepted by VF-18 that I'm really interested in. There were also other strikes that went in from around 1600 and later which are outside my area of focus here.

I'm also posting a link below to an interview with VF-18 pilot Anthony Denman as it is an interesting account and serves to further identify the action concerned. It offers one veteran's account of the initial intercept by the Combat Air Patrol Hellcats of VF-18, which were later reinforced by more VF-18 Hellcats to engage this strike.

Link to interview:

https://digitalcollections.museumofflig ... show/33159

[fontessa]

Hello JacksonsGhost,

The third attack was carried out on October 14 following October 12 and October 13.
The following are the twin-engine airplane units (T-Attack Unit) that were deployed in this attack: There were another land-based units including carrier-based units (units in the 600s were carrier-based units.) which was moved to the ground in opposition to the Combined Fleet HQ. In previous attacks, T-Attack Unit had suffered considerable damage.

T-Attack Unit:
708th Attack Squadron: Betty x 7 (Lighting x 2, Torpedo Attack x 5)
501st Attack Squadron: Frances x 10 (Bomb Attack x 2, Torpedo Attack x 8)
703nd Attack Squadron: Betty x 8 (All Torpedo Attack)
98th Flight Regiment: Peggy x 15 (All Torpedo Attack)

What was T-Attack Unit?
Normal air strikes have become more difficult as the war situation has become disadvantaged. It was considered possible to attack at night or in bad weather, which would make US intercept difficult. A T-Attack Unit was formed as an executing unit for this. T is the T of Typhoon. In the case of night attacks, lighting planes were assigned in addition to torpedo bombers.

98th Flight Regiment:
Both 98th and 7th Flight Regiments of IJA Air Force were placed under Navy command. They received naval-style torpedo bombing attack training with Peggy. 98th Flight Regiment was incorporated into T-Attack Unit.

Land Based Units:
The ground troops were apparently large troops, but they were gathered from various places and had no joint training. 653 Naval Air Group attempted to search-bombig but landed on Miyakojima and Taiwan because it was unable to find its targets due to engagement with interceptors and bad weather. Judy of 141st Naval Air Group and Jill of 252 found their target and attacked, but failed and lost many.

1st Wave:
<Reconnaissance>
141st Naval Air Group: Judy x 4
634th Naval Air Group: Jill x 8
<Air superiority>
221st Naval Air Group: Zeke x 29
203rd Naval Air Group: Zeke x 8
341st Naval Air Group: Zeke x 8, George x 16
634thNaval Air Group: Zeke x 32
<Bombing>
762nd Naval Air Group: Judy x 24
752nd Naval Air Group: Judy x 6
634th Naval Air Group: Judy x 9
<Torpedo Bombing>
763rd Naval Air Group: Frances x 24+
2nd Wave
<Reconnaissance>
653rd Naval Air Group: Judy x 4, Jill x 4
<Guidance>
653rd Naval Air Group: Jill x 4
<Air superiority>
203rd Naval Air Group: Zeke x 30
341st Naval Air Group: George x 16
653rd Naval Air Group: Zeke x 31+
<Direct escort>
252nd Naval Air Group: Zeke x 24
<Bombing>
701st Naval Air Group: Val x 56
<Torpedo bombing>
751st Naval Air Group: Jill x 16
701st Naval Air Group: Jill x 17
653rd Naval Air Group: Jill x 14

fontessa

[JacksonsGhost]

Judy of 141st Naval Air Group and Jill of 252 found their target and attacked, but failed and lost many.

1st Wave:
<Reconnaissance>
141st Naval Air Group: Judy x 4
634th Naval Air Group: Jill x 8
<Air superiority>
221st Naval Air Group: Zeke x 29
203rd Naval Air Group: Zeke x 8
341st Naval Air Group: Zeke x 8, George x 16
634thNaval Air Group: Zeke x 32
<Bombing>
762nd Naval Air Group: Judy x 24
752nd Naval Air Group: Judy x 6
634th Naval Air Group: Judy x 9
<Torpedo Bombing>
763rd Naval Air Group: Frances x 24+
2nd Wave
<Reconnaissance>
653rd Naval Air Group: Judy x 4, Jill x 4
<Guidance>
653rd Naval Air Group: Jill x 4
<Air superiority>
203rd Naval Air Group: Zeke x 30
341st Naval Air Group: George x 16
653rd Naval Air Group: Zeke x 31+
<Direct escort>
252nd Naval Air Group: Zeke x 24
<Bombing>
701st Naval Air Group: Val x 56
<Torpedo bombing>
751st Naval Air Group: Jill x 16
701st Naval Air Group: Jill x 17
653rd Naval Air Group: Jill x 14

fontessa

Thank you very much for your detailed reply fontessa! I was just about ready to give up on this!

The quoted sentence refers to Judys of 141st NAG and Jills of 252nd NAG finding their targets, but unfortunately I'm a bit confused by these unit references. When I cross-reference these to your listings I get 4 Judys, 24 Zekes and no Jills! Something not quite right there. Are you able to check and share any details you have regarding those Judys and Jills that found their targets?

[fontessa]

Hello JacksonsGhost,

Thanks for the comment.
I was a little confused.

I would like to correct it as follows.
752nd Naval Air Group's Judy (belonged to 5th Attack Squad) encounters the 762nd Naval Air Group's Judy (belonged to the 3rd Attack Squad) attacking a Task Force at 15:25 and dive bombed on the aircraft carrier. Judy of the 762nd Naval Air Group has almost disappeared, and Judy of the 752nd Naval Air Group has lost two aircraft.
At 17:04, Jill of the 252nd Attack Air Squad (of the 752nd Naval Air Group) found a Task Force and torpedo bomed. The squad lost 16 non-command aircraft. One hit CLAA RENO.

752nd Naval Air Group - 5th Attack Squad: Judy
752nd Naval Air Group - 252nd Attack Squad: Jill
762nd Naval Air Group - 3rd Attack Squad: Judy

fontessa

[JacksonsGhost]

... I would like to correct it as follows.

752nd Naval Air Group's Judy (belonged to 5th Attack Squad) encounters the 762nd Naval Air Group's Judy (belonged to the 3rd Attack Squad) attacking a Task Force at 15:25 and dive bombed on the aircraft carrier. Judy of the 762nd Naval Air Group has almost disappeared, and Judy of the 752nd Naval Air Group has lost two aircraft.
At 17:04, Jill of the 252nd Attack Air Squad (of the 752nd Naval Air Group) found a Task Force and torpedo bomed. The squad lost 16 non-command aircraft. One hit CLAA RENO.

752nd Naval Air Group - 5th Attack Squad: Judy
752nd Naval Air Group - 252nd Attack Squad: Jill
762nd Naval Air Group - 3rd Attack Squad: Judy

fontessa

Thanks very much again fontessa.

So Judys from two Air Groups went in around 1525. This fits with the VF-18 victory claims (mainly claiming Judys) between 1515 and 1545.

So (from your earlier quoted figures) would I be right in saying that the Judy attack around 1525 was made up of the following?
762nd Naval Air Group: Judy x 24 (almost all lost)
752nd Naval Air Group: Judy x 6 (2 lost)
Or was the 5th Attack Squad only a part of the 762nd Naval Air Group figure of 24 Judys?

And were these involved also?
634th Naval Air Group: Judy x 9

It looks safe to say the Jills were not a part of the 1515-1545 action, as their stated action time is over an hour and a half later than the Judys, and this also fits with a few claims by other US squadrons for Jills between 1630 and 1730.

[fontessa]

Hello JacksonsGhost,

So (from your earlier quoted figures) would I be right in saying that the Judy attack around 1525 was made up of the following?
762nd Naval Air Group: Judy x 24 (almost all lost)
752nd Naval Air Group: Judy x 6 (2 lost)
Or was the 5th Attack Squad only a part of the 762nd Naval Air Group figure of 24 Judys?

No. Both 5th Attack Squad and 252nd Attack Squad belonged to 752nd Naval Air Group.
752nd Naval Air Group - 5th Attack Squad: Judy x 6
752nd Naval Air Group - 252nd Attack Squad: Jill x 16
762nd Naval Air Group - 3rd Attack Squad: Judy x 24

And were these involved also?
634th Naval Air Group: Judy x 9

No. Navy units including 634th Naval Air Group couldn’t find US carrier group.

fontessa

[JacksonsGhost]

Thanks fontessa,

Sorry, it was my turn to confuse things with the wrong units! That clarifies the numbers and units well enough for my purposes.

There is one more thing I'm unclear on. Are you able to tell me where 3rd and 5th Attack Squads flew from that day, and where they landed? I've read that some units actually permanently changed bases on this day by flying from one base and landing at another after their attacks.

Oh ... and I've noticed that the Denman interview link I gave in my first post is incomplete. Here is the correct link:

https://digitalcollections.museumofflig ... show/33159 (relevant part from 04:02 onward)

It seems the mention of Tonys in this interview and VF-18 reports is likely to be incorrect as you list no Tonys in the area. Two of VF-18's claims were listed as "Tony or Judy". I guess an inline engined Judy is of similar appearance to a Tony, especially in such a poor weather engagement. And the Judys were likely a mix of inline and radial engined versions at this stage of the war, so the confusion would be understandable.

[fontessa]

Hello JacksonsGhost,

I'm sorry for my poor English skills. Are you saying that the US pilots witnessed Tony? It is not possible. Army aircraft cannot perform dead reckoning at sea. As for Army Air Force, only 98th Flight Regiment7s Peggy participated in the Battle of Taiwan off. They were thoroughly trained in dead reckoning during naval training.

fontessa

[JacksonsGhost]

Hello JacksonsGhost,

I'm sorry for my poor English skills. Are you saying that the US pilots witnessed Tony? It is not possible. Army aircraft cannot perform dead reckoning at sea. As for Army Air Force, only 98th Flight Regiment7s Peggy participated in the Battle of Taiwan off. They were thoroughly trained in dead reckoning during naval training.

fontessa

Your English is quite good fontessa, so I forgot to keep it simple.

Yes the US reported possible Tonys, but as you say, this seems wrong.

The only other question I had was:
Do you know where 3rd and 5th Attack Squads came from that day, and where they landed?

[fontessa]

Hello JacksonsGhost,

The only other question I had was:
Do you know where 3rd and 5th Attack Squads came from that day, and where they landed?

Including 3rd and 5th Attack Squads, all land-based air units sortie from Okinawa airbases and returned there.

fontessa

[JacksonsGhost]

... Including 3rd and 5th Attack Squads, all land-based air units sortie from Okinawa airbases and returned there.

fontessa

Thanks for the help fontessa. Very much appreciated.

Are you able to tell me your sources for this information?

[fontessa]

Hello JacksonsGhost,

[Are you able to tell me your sources for this information?

台湾沖航空戦 Taiwan Offshore Air Battle 神野正美 Written by Kamino Masami
https://www.amazon.co.jp/%E5%8F%B0%E6%B ... H7WYN53RH0

fontessa

[JacksonsGhost]

Hello JacksonsGhost,

[Are you able to tell me your sources for this information?

台湾沖航空戦 Taiwan Offshore Air Battle 神野正美 Written by Kamino Masami

fontessa

Thanks again fontessa