As the sun rose on Truk the F6Fs again raced across the lagoon looking for hostile aircraft, but the Japanese was unable to mount a serious defense. The airfields on Moen, Param and Eten were effectively out of commission and airborne resistance was negligible. Antiaircraft fire was partially neutralized from bombing strikes on the previous day, and also because there were fewer ships left afloat with antiaircraft weapons. The fighter pilots turned their attention to surface targets.
Hellcats in formation.
National Archives photo.
Combat Air Patrol
On day two it became obvious that any threat to the task force would be minor. Truk was unable to defend its bases, much less mount a serious attack. Therefore, CAP was sometimes partially diverted to scout for targets.
Strike A
With no warships to target, the attacking planes were loaded with general purpose and incendiary ordinance effective against soft targets. Also, torpedoes were carried by the SB2Cs flying off the flight deck of Bunker Hill. The armor piercing bombs necessary to sink hardened warships stayed in the carrier's magazines.
The first strike of the day was intended to put any remaining shipping on the bottom of the lagoon, as well as knocking out service facilities at the airfields and submarine base.
Flight Director attempting the rescue of an F6F pilot after a crash. Note his use of the belly tank as a stepladder.
Photo courtesy of the National Archives.
Strike B
The second strike was intended to destroy Japanese assets in Truk, neutralizing the base on a long term basis. Fuel bunkers and ammunition dumps were targeted. It seems that these targets were reserved until last because the smoke from the fires would obscure other targets.
During this strike the Japanese destroyer Oite steamed into the lagoon. She had been escorting the cruiser Agano in her retreat from Truk when the USS Skate put a spread of torpedoes into Agano, sending her to the bottom. Oite rescued the survivors, about 400 of them, and resumed retirement to Siapan. Then new orders came: Make best time back to Truk to assist in defending the base. With her normal complement of 148, plus the 400 survivors from Agano, Oite cleared North Pass and entered the battle.
Planes from Bunker Hill attacked Otie, first by strafing then via a highly effective torpedo drop from the Avengers. Oite defended herself with antiaircraft fire, but without air cover she was doomed. The torpedoes were aimed so that Oite could not avoid them, regardless of her maneuvering. At least one torpedo struk Oite aft of her bridge and an impressive explosion followed. She broke in two and sank immediately. Exact casualties are unknown, but hundreds went down with her.
Avenger TBFs en route to Truk.
Strike C
The third strike was called off after planes from Bunker Hill were over target. They jettisoned their payloads and returned to the carrier. Task Force 58 then retired to the east.
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