We recently received an inquiry about some well known photographs from World War II. The images (see below) depict a vast fleet of U.S. Navy warships at anchor at Ulithi Atoll, on 8 December 1944, nicknamed “Murderer’s Row.” A group of model builders is working to recreate the images in question, using 1/2400 scale ship models. The aircraft carriers in the top image (National Archives photo 80-G-294131) are clearly identifiable: from the front, Wasp (CV 18), Yorktown (CV 10), Hornet (CV 12), Hancock (CV 19) and Ticonderoga (CV 14). In the bottom photo (National Archives photo 80-G-294129), taken just seconds apart from the first, carrier Lexington (CV 16) is also visible.
Aside from those ships, none of the names of the others in the photos are provided in the National Archives captions. There are destroyers, oilers, hospital ships, and possibly a battleship or two in the haze. We’re looking for assistance from naval historians or researchers who may have information on some of the smaller, hazier ships in the background. Please feel free to comment on this story below with further information, or email the Foundation at nhfwny@navyhistory.org.
According to Wikipedia these ships were part of Task Force 38:
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fast_Carrier_Task_Force
The article provides the following external link:
http://pacific.valka.cz/forces/tf38.htm#love3
The date of the photographs would suggest they were taken before the ‘LOVE III’ operation.
This web site shows two other photos presumably from the same time.
http://www.navsource.org/archives/02/27.htm
It remarks on two photos (NS022712 and NS015655)
Task Group 38.3 beginning to reform a column formation after making a simultaneous turn to port. The ships are entering Ulithi Anchorage on December 12, 1944 [see Note below] after strikes against the Japanese in the Philippines. Ships visible in this photo are: Langley (CVL-27); Ticonderoga (CV-14); Washington (BB-56); North Carolina (BB-55); South Dakota (BB-57); Santa Fe (CL-60); Biloxi (CL-80); Mobile (CL-63) and Oakland (CL-95).
Task Group 38.3 enters Ulithi anchorage in column, 12 December 1944 [see Note below], while returning from strikes on targets in the Philippines. Ships are (from front): Langley (CVL-27); Ticonderoga (CV-14); Washington (BB-56); North Carolina (BB-55); South Dakota (BB-57); Santa Fe (CL-60); Biloxi (CL-80); Mobile (CL-63) and Oakland (CL-95).
Note: There is a problem with the official date of the photos above (NS022712 and NS015655): Task Group 38.3 arrived in Ulithi on December 2, 1944 after strikes against the Philippines; departed Ulithi again on December 11 to support General MacArthur’s landings on Mindoro Island; was at sea, en route to the Philippines, on December 12; launched strikes against Japanese targets, December 14–16; endured Typhoon “Cobra,” December 17–18; refueled and picked up survivors until December 21; and returned to Ulithi on December 24.
While date might be hard to pinpoint, this site provides some useful “other ships known to be in the area when the carriers were there” information. Each of the carriers has its own page of photos and a timeline of where they were when…
I found this website that pinpoints the dates of the photographs (perhaps) and names some ships thought to be nearby.
http://www.mighty90.com/Operation_LOVE_III.html
Thanks so much Stephen and Karl, we will make sure to pass these links along to the model builders. And if you uncover anything more, please do share it with us.
5 Essex class carriers.
My comments stem from the VERY little that my older brother, William ZIPF, EM3, shared with me about his WWII service, etc., and Ulithi. He served in the USS CROWLEY(DE 303), and she apparently operated out of Ulithi frequently, escorting AO’s out to various rendezvous’s with CV’s, etc, for task force refuelling. He also mentioned seeing a Japanese kamikazi crash into an AH anchored in Ulithi atoll. You can set someone to do some deck log research to get some ship names, etc.