The point: at sea, in the middle of the Pacific, even a “turkey shoot” has its nervous moments, its gut-wrenching changes of fortune. Armament: six .50-caliber machine guns. Succeeded Grumman’s F4F Wildcat in 1943 as the US Navy’s primary fighter plane. Marianas Turkey Shoot: Battle of the Philippine Sea. Fighter plane contrails mark the sky over Task Force 58, during the "Great Marianas Turkey Shoot" phase of the Battle of the Philippine Sea, June 29, 1944. Walter T. Fitzpatrick and his USS Monterey division, which shot down two Judy scout bombers 30 miles west of their ship. A shipmate of Vraciu’s soon gave the highly one-sided battle its nickname, “The Great Marianas Turkey Shoot,” after wistfully exclaiming, “It was just like an old-time turkey shoot.” 3 Despite being picked off by better-trained F6F Hellcats from the CAP, a few Judy dive bombers broke through to strike battleship South Dakota (BB-57). Grumman F6F Hellcat Single-seat monoplane. U.S. The Battle of the Philippine Sea (nicknamed the "Great Marianas Turkey Shoot" by American pilots) was the Japanese Navy's attempt to hold the Marianas Islands. It marked the five and final large-scale carrier-versus-carrier battle of the Pacific and resulted in heavy losses on the part of the Japanese - in men, planes and carriers. Battle of the Philippine Sea, June 1944. The first day, in the Marianas Turkey Shoot, we broke the backbone of the Japanese carrier air strength. The two-day engagement that was fought west of Guam, in the direction of the Philippine Islands, became known as the Battle of the Philippine Sea and thus gave a name to the area. The first kill of the air massacre that came to be known as the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot went to Lieutenant (j.g.)

At 5:15, the Americans picked out their first bogies, and the carriers scrambled their F6F combat air patrols. Naval History and Heritage Command A third Japanese attack of 47 aircraft was met at 1:00 PM with seven aircraft being downed. In mid June, 1944, the ships of Task Force 58 were carrying out Operation Forager – the retaking the Mariana Islands from Japan. Compiled by Brian John Murphy United States. Key Warplanes of the Marianas Turkey Shoot. Top speed: 375 mph.