Operation Shoestring 2 During Operation Shoestring 2, the Saratoga worked with the U.S.S. Princeton in Task Force 38 to raid Japanese airfields on Buka and Bonis Islands just off the northern end of Bougainville, the largest island of the Solomon Islands, to cover Operation Cherry Blossom landings in Cape Torokina and Empress Augusta Bay. On November 3, 1943, Admiral Halsey ordered Task Force 38 to move to a point north of Vella Lavella Island as Japanese forces flocked Rabaul’s Simpson Harbor to counteract the Allied landing forces closing in on Bougainville. The Rabaul Raids: First Strike – November 5, 1943 Led by Lieutenant Commander Henry H. Caldwell, the Saratoga’s Air Group 12, accompanied by 19 Hellcats and 7 Avengers from the U.S.S. Princeton for a total of 97 planes, headed to the sky, and according to Lieutenant Commander “Jumping Joe” Joseph J. Clifton said, “The main idea of the orders was to cripple as many of them as we could rather than concentrate on sinking a few.” As the aircrews flew towards Simpson Harbor in the clear weather, squadron and group commanders concocted a detailed plan of attack for the strike while enroute.
Soon, the aircrews were met with anti-aircraft fire and 59 enemy A6M3 Zeros. The Japanese had expected the American pilots to split-up, but Lt. Commander Caldwell directed to maintain a large formation through the anti-aircraft fire, only to allow forces to branch off at the final moment to attack. The Japanese Zeros refused to infiltrate the American’s group formation, leaving them exposed for the 52 Hellcats of the force to attack with a vengeance.
While a group of Avengers went down low to start firing torpedoes at enemy ships, Lt. Commander Caldwell then lead a group of Douglas SBD Dauntless planes to fire directly at Japanese ships trying to evade enemy fire from above. Surprisingly, only seven pilots and eight crewmen were killed or missing from this attack. After being chased by eight enemy Zeros, Lt. Commander Caldwell landed his Avenger on the U.S.S. Saratoga “with one wheel, no flaps, no aileron and no radio.”
While the attack did not sink any ships, it succeeded in its mission to cripple as many as 12 ships, and so, this attack was recorded as one of the most brilliant air strikes of the war. Three days after the attack, Admiral Halsey boarded the Saratoga and said, “Your strike was another shot heard 'round the world. The Saratoga, when given the chance can be deadly.”
The Rabaul Raids: Second Strike – November 11, 1943 In preparation for Operation Galvin, the U.S.S. Saratoga, U.S.S. Princeton, U.S.S. Essex, U.S.S. Bunker Hill, and U.S.S. Independence joined forces with two land-based Navy squadrons from New Georgia to launch a second attack on Rabaul. From a point 225 miles southeast of Rabaul near the Green Islands, the Saratoga and the Princeton launched their attacks. 148 Hellcats, 24 Corsairs, 58 Dauntless, 33 Helldivers, and 69 Avengers worked together as a group of 332 planes total to split the hull of the destroyer Suzunami, which was loading torpedoes at the time of the attack, and damaged six other enemy ships. In doing this, the Allied forces ended any remaining threat that the Imperial Japanese Fleet imposed on the Solomon Islands.
Operation Galvin During Operation Galvin, also known as the Gilbert Islands offensive, the Saratoga and the Princeton were designated as the Relief Carrier Group. After striking Nauru Island, a small island northeast of the Solomon Islands, on November 19, 1943, the carriers met with transports carrying the post invasion garrison troops for Makin and Tawara Atolls on November 23, 1943. The carriers provided cover for the transports throughout their journey to their destination, and they also provided combat air patrols over Tawara Atolls for the remainder of the operation.
On November 30, 1943, the U.S.S. Saratoga dispatched for dry dock at Hunter’s Point, San Francisco and arrived there in early December 1943 after going nineteen months without repair. The Saratoga stayed in San Francisco until January 3, 1944, when it set sail for Pearl Harbor.
Operation Flintlock After arriving in Pearl Harbor on January 7, 1944, the Saratoga went through a brief training period before heading to the Marshall Islands with the U.S.S Princeton and the U.S.S. Langley on January 19, 1944. The carriers struck Wotje, Taroa, Utirik, and Rongelap Atolls from January 29 to January 31, 1944 (3 days). They then attacked Eniwetok Atoll’s main island of Engebi for a total of seven days. On February 15, 1944, the carriers’ air groups delivered final blows on the Japanese defenses on the invasion beaches of the next day’s landings. They then proceeded to provide close air support for the landing forces and a combat air patrol over the island until February 28, 1944.
On March 4, 1944, the Secretary of the Navy presented a Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon to the U.S.S. Saratoga and all other craft in Task Force 38. The Saratoga’s crew also received an additional 127 awards for their actions in Rabaul and the Marshall Islands.
Operation Cockpit – Indian Ocean Offensive On March 4, 1944, the U.S.S. Saratoga and three escorting destroyers departed Majuro Atoll for Ceylon to join the British Far Eastern Fleet after American resources allowed for a U.S. carrier to make good on President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s agreement during the Casablanca Conference of 1943 to “cut the pipeline” of Japanese oil. After facing 69 mph winds that slightly damaged the carrier during a storm in the Tasman Sea, the Saratoga finally met with the British Far Eastern Fleet on March 27, 1944. By April 12, 1944, the British and American forces were joined by Australian, Dutch, and French ships. For the next two weeks, the group underwent intensive training where the American forces shared their strategies and experience with British pilots. On April 19, 1944, the group attacked the port of Sabang on the northwestern tip of Sumatra in the Dutch East Indies. The Japanese were caught by surprise as their oil refineries, huge storage tanks, and transportation facilities were destroyed by the Allied forces. The Allies also sank Japanese minelayer Hatsutaka and transports Kunitsu Maru and Haruno Maru.
Operation Transom – Indian Ocean Offensive On May 17, 1944, the second strike of the offensive occurred was launched on former Dutch naval base at Soerabaja, Java, to destroy Japanese shipping, harbor facilities, installations, and refineries. Within one hour, the Allied forces were able to destroy 10% of the Japanese high-octane gasoline supply. They were also able to sink four Japanese ships, including tanker Yusei Maru.
The next day, the U.S.S. Saratoga set sail for the United States with honors and cheers from the other Allied ships. As the Saratoga made its way to Puget Sound, it made stops at Fremantle and Sydney, Australia, Noumea, and Pearl Harbor. On June 10, 1944, the Saratoga made it to Bremerton, Washington, where the CVG-12 took its first break for relaxation after nine months of combat, but then train night fighter squadrons in Pearl Harbor in September 1944 through January 1945.
Iwo Jima On January 26, 1945, the Saratoga set sail for Iwo Jima from Pearl Harbor, and on February 12, the carrier began practice landings with the Marine aircraft off Tinian. Then, from February 16 to 17, the Saratoga’s aircraft launched attacks on Iwo Jima and Chichi Jima. Then, on February 21, six Japanese aircraft landed five hit on the Saratoga, damaging the flight deck and starting several fires on board. Two hours later, a second wave came through and landed another hit, but by 20:15 that evening, the fires were under control and the flight deck was already being mended. In March, the Saratoga made its voyage back to Bremerton, Washington, for repairs. It was in this battle that Harry died.