By Jack McKillop
In preparation for the invasion of Saipan Island on 15 June, the USN's Task Force 58 dispatches 208 F6F Hellcats and eight TBM Avenger and SB2C Helldivers to fly fighter sweeps over Guam, Saipan, Pagan, Rota and Tinian Islands in the Mariana Islands at 1430 hours local. (The TBMs and SB2Cs are command aircraft to lead the fighters to the target and return to the ships.) The Japanese are completely surprised and the fighters quickly gain air superiority by destroying 100-150 Japanese aircraft on the ground at a cost of eleven F6Fs and eight pilots.
The seven fleet carriers, eight light carriers and thirteen escort carriers participating in the invasion of the Marianas are:
TASK GROUP 50.17 (the Fueling Group)
USS Breton (CVE-23) with Fighting Squadron Thirty Three (VF-33)
USS Copahee (CVE-12) as an aircraft transport
TASK FORCE 52 (Marianas Attack Force Carrier Support Group)
Task Group 52.11
Task Unit 52.11.1
USS Gambier Bay (CVE-73) with Composite Squadron Ten (VC-10)
USS Kitkun Bay (CVE-71) with VC-5
Task Unit 52.11.2
USS Coral Sea (CVE-57) with VC-33
USS Corregidor (CVE-58) with VC-41
Task Group 52.14
USS Fanshaw Bay (CVE-70) with VC-68
USS Kalinin Bay (CVE-68) with VC-3
USS Midway (CVE-63) with VC-65
USS White Plains (CVE-66) with VC-4)
TASK GROUP 53.7 (Southern Carrier Support Group)
USS Chenango (CVE-28) with Escort Carrier Air Group Thirty Five (CVEG-35)
USS Sangamon (CVE-26) with CVEG-37
USS Suwanee (CVE-27) with CVEG-60
TASK FORCE 58 (Fast Carrier Task Force)
Task Group 58.1
USS Bataan (CVL-29) with Light Carrier Air Group Fifty (CVLG-50)
USS Belleau Wood (CVL-24) with CVLG-24
USS Hornet (CV-12) with Carrier Air Group Two (CVG-2)
USS Yorktown (CV-10) with CVG-1
Task Group 58.2
USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) with CVG-8
USS Cabot (CVL-28) with CVLG-31
USS Monterey (CVL-26) with CVLG-31
USS Wasp (CV-18) with CVG-14
Task Group 58.3
USS Enterprise (CV-6) with CVG-10
USS Lexington (CV-16) with CVG-16
USS Princeton (CVL-23) with CVLG-27
USS Jacinto (CVL-30) with CVLG-51
Task Group 58.4
USS Cowpens (CVL-25) with CVLG-22
USS Essex (CV-9) with CVG-15
USS Langley (CVL-27) with CVLG-32