For the April 1945 invasion of Okinawa (Allied codename: Operation Iceberg), the Allies assembled the most powerful naval force in history. Since the few remaining capital ships of the Imperial Japanese Combined Fleet had been sunk or otherwise put out of action at the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the Allies were effectively unopposed in terms of major surface vessels; a single mission consisting of the superbattleship and a few escorts was undertaken, but the task force did not get within of the invasion area. The main Japanese naval opposition within the invasion area came from hundreds of Imperial Japanese Navy s and Maru-Ni Imperial Japanese Army attack boats.
Since the Japanese air arm had been equally decimated by this point in the war, the lack of trained and experienced pilots led them to deploy the kamikaze extensively in the waters off Okinawa.
US Navy combat ships: 11 fleet carriers, 6 light carriers, 22 escort carriers, 8 fast battleships, 10 old battleships, 2 large cruisers, 13 heavy cruisers, 13 light cruisers, 4 anti-aircraft light cruisers, 132 destroyers, 45 destroyer escorts
Amphibious assault vessels: 84 attack transports, 29 attack cargo ships, LCIs, LSMs, LSTs, LSVs, etc.
Auxiliaries: 52 submarine chasers, 23 fast minesweepers, 69 minesweepers, 11 minelayers, 49 oilers, etc.
Royal Navy combat ships: 5 fleet carriers, 2 battleships, 7 light cruisers, 14 destroyers
Losses The smaller ships were least able to withstand damage from kamikaze attacks. 12 to kamikaze: , , , , , , , , , , , 2 to mines: , 1 to collision:
Allied command structure
Naval The roles of Commander in Chief, Pacific Ocean Areas (CINCPOA) and Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet (CINCPAC) were both exercised by Admiral Chester W. Nimitz from his headquarters at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
Since the "Big Blue Fleet" was at this time under the command of Admiral Raymond Spruance aboard his flagship , the force was designated Fifth Fleet. (It had been Third Fleet until Spruance relieved Admiral William Halsey in January, as part of the "alternating command" system).
The ships and troops of Operation Iceberg were under direct operational command of Rear Admiral Richmond Kelly Turner aboard amphibious command ship .
Ground troops Lt. Gen. Simon Bolivar Buckner, Jr. was killed on 18 June while visiting a forward observation post. A Japanese artillery shell struck a coral outcropping, fragments of which struck Buckner in the chest. Command of Tenth Army passed to Marine Maj. Gen. Roy S. Geiger.
United States Tenth Army (Lt. Gen. Simon Bolivar Buckner, Jr. ()) III Amphibious Corps (Maj. Gen. Roy S. Geiger) Left beaches: 6th Marine Division (Maj. Gen. Lemuel C. Shepherd, Jr.) Right beaches: 1st Marine Division (Maj. Gen. Pedro A. del Valle) XXIV Army Corps (Maj. Gen. John R. Hodge) Left beaches: 7th Infantry ("Bayonet") Division (Maj. Gen. A.V. Arnold) Right beaches: 96th Infantry ("Deadeye") Division (Maj. Gen. J.L. Bradley) Landed L+8: 27th Infantry ("New York") Division (Maj. Gen. G.W. Griner, Jr.) Tactical Air Force, Tenth Army (Maj. Gen. Francis P. Mulcahy, USMC; Maj. Gen. Louis E. Woods, USMC)
Allied amphibious forces
Joint Expeditionary Force (Task Force 51)
Vice Admiral Richmond Kelly Turner in amphibious command ship Eldorado
Western Islands Attack Group (Task Group 51.1)
Rear Admiral I.N. Kiland in amphibious command ship Mount McKinley Embarking 77th Infantry ("Statue of Liberty") Division and one Marine BLT (Maj. Gen. Andrew D. Bruce, USA) Transport Group "Fox" Commodore T.B. Brittain Transport Division 49 4 attack transports: Chilton, LaGrange, Tazewell, St. Mary's 2 attack cargos: Oberon, Torrance Transport Division 50 4 attack transports: Henrico, Pitt, Natrona, Drew 1 attack cargo: Tate 1 evacuation transport: Rixey Transport Division 51 5 attack transports: Goodhue, Eastland, Telfair, Mountrail, Montrose 2 attack cargos: Wyandot, Suffolk Reconnaissance section 2 destroyer transports: Scribner, Kinzer Western Islands Tractor Flotilla: 18 LSTs Western Islands Reserve Tractor Group: 10 LSTs Western Islands LSM Group: 11 LSMs Western Islands Control Unit: 7 submarine chasers: (3 steel hull, 4 wooden hull) Western Islands Support Craft Flotilla Mortar support divisions 6, 7, 8 RCM and Rocket Division 3 Gunboat Support Divisions 1, 3, 4, 5 LSM(R) Group Western Islands Hydrographic Survey Group: 4 submarine chasers (steel hull) Western Island Service & Salvage Unit 1 salvage vessel: Clamp 1 landing craft repair ship: Egeria 2 fleet tugs: Yuma, Tekesta 2 LCI(L)s 1 LCT
Screen Captain Frederick Moosbrugger in amphibious command ship Biscayne 8 destroyers 8 (5 × 5-in. main battery): Picking, Sproston, Wickes, William D. Porter (sunk by kamikaze 10 Jun) Isherwood, Kimberly, Luce, Charles J. Badger 6 destroyer escorts 3 (2 × 5-in. main battery): Richard W. Suesens, Abercrombie, Oberrender 3 (3 × 3-in. main battery): Riddle, Swearer, Stern 3 destroyer transports: Humphreys, Herbert, Dickerson (scuttled 4 April following kamikaze attack on 2 Apr)
Demonstration Group "Charlie" (Task Group 51.2) Rear Admiral Jerauld Wright Embarking Demonstration Landing Force (2nd Marine Division), Major General Thomas E. Watson, USMC Transport Squadron 15 5 attack transports: Bayfield, Mellette, Hendry, Sibley, Berrien 3 attack cargos: Shoshone, Theenim, Southampton 1 evacuation transport: Pinkney
Northern Attack Force (Task Force 53)
Rear Admiral Lawrence F. Reifsnider in amphibious command ship Panamint Embarking III Amphibious Corps (Maj. Gen. Roy S. Geiger, USMC)
Transport Group "Able" (Task Group 53.1) Commodore H.B. Knowles Embarking 6th Marine Division (Maj. Gen. Lemuel C. Shepherd, Jr., USMC) Transport Division 34 6 attack transports: Cambria, Marvin H. McIntyre, Adair, Gage, Noble, Gilliam 2 attack cargos: Sheliak, Hydrus Transport Division 35 5 attack transports: Clay, Leon, George Clymer, Arthur Middleton, Catron 2 attack cargos: Caswell, Devosa Transport Division 36 5 attack transports: Monrovia, Wayne, Sumter, Menifee, Fuller 3 attack cargos: Aquarius, Circe, Casa Grande 1 vehicle landing ship: Catskill
Transport Group "Baker" (Task Group 53.2) Commodore J. G. Moyer Embarking 1st Marine Division (Maj. Gen. Pedro A. del Valle, USMC) Transport Division 52 8 attack transports: Burleigh, McCracken, Thomas Jefferson, Charles Carroll, Barnett, Andromeda, Cepheus, Oak Hill 1 vehicle landing ship: Monitor Transport Division 53 5 attack transports: Marathon, Rawlins, Renville, New Kent, Burleson 2 attack cargos: Centaurus, Arcturus Transport Division 54 5 attack transports: Dade, Magoffin, Navarro, Effingham, Joseph T. Dickman 3 attack cargos: Betelgeuse, Procyon, White Marsh
Northern Tractor Flotilla (Task Group 53.3) Capt. J. S. Laidlaw Tractor Group "Able": 16 LSTs carrying 6 LCTs, 22 pontoon barges and 6 pontoon causeways; 7 LSMs Tractor Group "Baker": 16 LSTs carrying 10 LCTs, 16 pontoon barges and 6 pontoon causeways Tractor Group "Charlie": 14 LSTs carrying 20 pontoon barges; 8 LSMs Northern Control Group: 18 submarine chasers (4 steel hull, 9 wooden hull, 5 sweeper type), Northern Beach Party
Northern Attack Force Screen (Task Group 53.6) Captain J. H. Wellings
13 destroyers 2 (6 × 5-in. main battery): Massey, Hugh W. Hadley 4 (5 × 5-in. main battery): Pringle (), Hutchins, Stanly, Howorth 4 (4 × 5-in. main battery): Lang, Stack, Sterett, Wilson 3 (5 × 5-in. main battery): Morris, Mustin, Russell 5 destroyer escorts 4 (3 × 3-in. main battery): Gendreau, Fieberling, William C. Cole, Paul G. Baker 1 (3 × 3-in. main battery): Bebas 2 destroyer transports: Charles Lawrence, Roper 3 submarine chasers (2 escort type, 1 wooden hull)
Northern Defense Group (Task Group 53.7) Capt. W. W. Weeden Embarking Marine Corps support units and high priority cargo: 21 LSTs carrying LCT and pontoon causeways 2 oil storage ships: Elk, Camel 1 (3 × 3-in. main battery) destroyer escort: Fair 2 submarine chasers (wooden hull), 7 motor minesweepers
Southern Attack Force (Task Force 55)
Rear Admiral John L. Hall in amphibious command ship Teton
Embarking XXIV Army Corps (Maj. Gen. John R. Hodge)
Transport Group "Dog" (Task Group 55.1) (Commodore M.O. Carlson)
Embarking 7th Infantry ("Bayonet") Division (Maj. Gen. Archibald V. Arnold, USA)
Transport Division 37 4 attack transports: Harris, Lamar, Sheridan, Pierce 1 attack cargo: Algorab Transport Division 38 4 attack transports: Barnstable, Elmore, Alpine, Lycoming 1 attack cargo: Alshain 1 landing ship dock: Epping Forest Transport Division 39 4 attack transports: Custer, Freestone, Kittson, Baxter 2 attack cargos: Algol, Arneb Transport Division 13 4 attack transports: Appling, Butte, Audrain, Laurens 2 attack cargos: Aurelia, Corvus 1 vehicle landing ship: Ozark Tractor Group "Dog" 16 landing ship tank (LST), 12 landing ship medium (LSM), 2 landing craft infantry (LCI) Tractor Group "Fox" 14 LSTs carrying LCTs and pontoon barges, 10 LSM
Transport Group "Easy" (Task Group 55.2) (Commodore C.G. Richardson)
Embarking 96th Infantry ("Deadeye") Division (Maj. Gen. James L. Bradley, USA) Transport Division 40 4 attack transports: Mendocino, Sarasota, Haskell, Oconto 2 attack cargos: Capricornus, Chara 1 landing ship dock: Lindenwald Transport Division 41 4 attack transports: Olmstead, La Porte, Fond du Lac, Banner 2 attack cargos: Diphda, Uvalde Transport Division 42 4 attack transports: Neshoba, Oxford, Latimer, Edgecombe 1 attack cargo: Virgo 1 landing ship dock: Gunston Hall Transport Division 14 4 attack transports: Allendale, Meriwether, Menard, Kenton 1 attack cargo: Achernar Tractor Group "Easy": 23 LSTs, 5 LSMs Beach Party "Easy", Southern Beach Party 15 submarine chasers: 4 steel hull, 7 wooden hull, 4 sweeper type 17 Landing Craft Support (large) [LCS(L)], 6 Landing Ship Medium (rocket) [LSM(R)s]
Screen (Task Group 55.6) (Captain E.W. Young) Destroyers (13) 4 (6 × 5-in. main battery): Hyman, Purdy, Wadsworth, Putnam 9 (5 × 5-in. main battery): Anthony, Bache, Bush, Mullany, Bennett, Hudson, Beale, Ammen, Rooks Destroyer escorts (6) 2 (3 × 3-in. main battery): Crouter, Carlson, 2 (3 × 3-in. main battery): Damon M. Cummings, Vammen 1 (3 × 3-in. main battery): O'Neill 1 (2 × 5-in. main battery): Walter C. Wann 1 destroyer transport Sims
Southern Defense Group (Task Group 55.7) (Commander B.T. Zelenka) 1 destroyer escort: Manlove 1 destroyer transport: Stringham 34 LSTs, 14 LSMs, 6 motor minesweepers, 2 LCIs 1 oil storage ship: Grumium
Expeditionary Troops (Task Force 56)
Lieutenant General Simon Bolivar Buckner, Jr., USA (KIA 18 June) Consisting of United States Tenth Army Northern Landing Area III Amphibious Corps (Embarked in Task Force 53) Maj. Gen. Roy S. Geiger, USMC Left beaches: 6th Marine Division (Maj. Gen. Lemuel C. Shepherd, Jr., USMC) Right beaches: 1st Marine Division (Maj. Gen. Pedro A. del Valle, USMC) Southern Landing Area XXIV Army Corps (Embarked in Task Force 55) Maj. Gen. John R. Hodge, USA Left beaches: 7th Infantry ("Bayonet") Division (Maj. Gen. Archibald V. Arnold, USA) Right beaches: 96th Infantry ("Deadeye") Division (Maj. Gen. James L. Bradley, USA) Landed L+8: 27th Infantry ("New York") Division (Maj. Gen. George W. Griner, Jr., USA) Western Islands Landed L+26: 77th Infantry ("Statue of Liberty") Division and one Marine BLT (Maj. Gen. Andrew D. Bruce, USA)
Allied combat ships
Amphibious Support Forces (Task Force 52)
Rear Admiral William H.P. Blandy in amphibious command ship Estes
Support Carrier Group (Task Group 52.1) Rear Admiral Calvin T. Durgin
Unit One Rear Admiral Clifton Sprague 7 escort carriers Makin Island (Capts. W.B. Whaley and I.E. Hobbs) VC-84 (Lt. D.K. English, USNR), 27 aircraft 16 FM-2 Wildcat fighters 11 TBM Avenger torpedo bombers Fanshaw Bay (Capt. M.E. Arnold)