Task Force 58: The US Navy's Fast Carrier Strike Force that Won the War in the Pacific

The fast carriers were a revolution in naval warfare, allowing America to move from defense to offense in the Pacific. Task Force 58, also known as the Fast Carrier Task Force, comprised more than 100 ships and 100,000 men and could launch 1,000-combat aircraft in under an hour. This book covers the birth of naval aviation, the appearance of the first modern carriers, and the US successes in 1942 and 1943.

\n Format: Hardback
\n Length: 336 pages
\n Publication date: 30 October 2021
\n Publisher: Pen & Sword Books Ltd
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The new breed of American fast aircraft carriers, known as Task Force 58 or the Fast Carrier Task Force, revolutionized naval warfare during World War II. These sleek vessels could reach speeds of thirty-three knots and carried almost 100 strike aircraft. Formed by a formidable armada of over 100 ships carrying over 100,000 men afloat, Task Force 58 was a force to be reckoned with. By 1945, this remarkable fleet could launch over 1,000 combat aircraft, including fighters, dive-and-torpedo bombers, and fighters, in under an hour. The fast carriers marked a significant shift in naval power, moving away from the traditional battleship-dominated era towards air power projection at sea. Battleships, once the dominant vessels, were subordinated to supporting and protecting the fast carriers, with Task Force 58 commanding a total of seventeen at its peak. This book delves into the birth of naval aviation, the emergence of the first modern carriers in the 1920s, and the subsequent US successes in 1942 at the Battles of the Coral Sea and Midway. Task Force 58 played a pivotal role in these battles, sweeping west and north from the Solomon Islands to the Gilbert and Marshall Islands, neutralizing Truk in Micronesia and Palau in the Caroline islands. The Mariana Islands operations, including the Battle of Saipan, the first battle of the Philippine Sea, and the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot, were crucial in paving the way. The strikes by Task Force 58 took Allied forces across the Pacific, to the controversial Battle of Leyte Gulf and to Iwo Jima and Okinawa. By opening the door to the Japanese home islands, Task Force 58 allowed US bombers to finally get close enough to launch the devastating atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, bringing an end to the war. The fast carriers were a testament to the technological advancements and strategic brilliance of the United States Navy during World War II, and their legacy continues to shape the modern naval landscape.

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Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9781399007573\n \n