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MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. - In 1945, Okinawa was a battered and rugged place. Its hilly terrain provided cover for Japanese defenders intent on fighting to the last man. Tunnel networks and camouflaged positions made the enemy incredibly difficult to root out. From above, the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing flew such fierce sorties against the defenses that the Battle of Okinawa would later be likened to a “typhoon of steel” by survivors.
Okinawa was the largest battle of the World War II for Americans, having involved more men, ships and aircraft than the invasion of Normandy. In the heat of the fight, 15 2nd MAW squadrons provided the heart of the Tactical Air Force responsible for providing close-air support for ground troops and defense for ships off shore. For their actions, the wing would receive a presidential unit citation citing their skill, bravery and crucial role in the battle.
April 1 was L-Day. Marines and soldiers landed ashore to no resistance. The enemy commander was simply waiting for American forces to come into harder terrain before fighting. The Japanese general, Mitsuri Ushijima, had no intention of winning or surviving. Their mission was to inflict so many casualties that the invasion of Japan may be delayed.
The enemy’s strategy actually helped 2nd MAW do its job. American troops captured two Okinawan airfields without much resistance and TAF assets were immediately brought in from other islands as soon as they were operational. From their new bases, Marine pilots flew combat air patrol missions and close-air support.
Due to Okinawa’s intricate defense system, air support was a very important factor. Napalm was used to burn away enemy camouflage and expose enemy positions. Rockets and bombs destroyed fortified positions with such effectiveness the ground troops wanted more aircraft available for sorties.
Marine pilots of 2nd MAW flew 33,510 sorties over the course of three months. In April and May, they fired more than 6,500 rockets and dropped 292 tons of general-purpose bombs.
The TAF’s main challenge was the kamikazes. They would attack in swarms, hundreds at a time. On more than one occasion, Marine aircraft would follow a suicide aircraft straight into an American ship’s defensive fire to shoot down the enemy fighter and prevent its strike. There is at least one instance of a Marine pilot receiving the Navy Cross for such an action. Marine aircraft, when out of ammunition, would literally play chicken with the Japanese pilots, forcing them to turn away from their intended target or crash into the water.
Commander Baron J. Mullaney, captain of the USS Hadley, which fought against kamikazes with the help of Marine pilots, said, “I am willing to take my ship to the shores of Japan if I could take these Marines with me.”
The skill and daring of 2nd MAW pilots may have been personified by Lt. Robert R. Klingman, a pilot of a fighter plane in Marine Fighting Squadron 312 in aerial combat against enemy Japanese forces. His patrol spotted an enemy spotter plane flying high above the battlefield. They rose to meet it, but it went higher to fly above the ceiling of the armored fighters. Firing his .50-caliber machine guns to lighten his load, Klingman caught up to the enemy at 45,000 feet. Without guns, he used his fighter’s propeller to cut parts of the enemy’s tail section off until it lost control and fell out of the sky. For his actions, Klingman was awarded the Navy Cross.
The skill, efforts and bravery of these 2nd MAW pilots resulted in 495 enemy aircraft being shot down in the Okinawan skies and helped ensure victory in the bloodiest Pacific battle of World War II.
The presidential unit citation reads, “A gallant fighting unit, complemented by skilled officers and men, the Second Marine Aircraft Wing played a major role in achieving the air superiority essential to our success in the Okinawa operation.”
A special thanks to retired Maj. Gen. Michael P. Sullivan and Annette Amerman whose resources were vital to understanding the Battle of Okinawa.
| Date Taken: | 09.01.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 09.02.2011 13:15 |
| Story ID: | 76354 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, NC, US |
| Web Views: | 573 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, 2nd MAW controlled skies during bloodiest WWII battle, by Cpl Scott L. Tomaszycki, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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