HMS Indomitable, Okinawa campaign

In Memory of

LEADING AIR MECHANIC MAURICE C WHITEING, 1917-2009

...... and FLEET AIRCRAFT CARRIER HMS INDOMITABLE in the INDIAN and PACIFIC OCEANS, 1944-1945, part 4 of 4

Maurice Whiteing on right (click to enlarge)

The US Invasion of Okinawa - British Pacific Fleet and Operation Iceberg

(Australian, British and New Zealand Navies in the Pacific - Campaign Summary)


April 1945
	1st	Damaged in KAMIKAZE attack during operations off Sakashima Gunto group. 14 men were killed and 16 wounded. Extensive damage to Island structure and some fires were started. Flight deck was cleared and fires extinguished with an hour.
	9th	Flying operations transferred to targets in Formosa (Operation ICEBERG OOLONG).
	11th	With HMS INDEFATIGABLE carried attacks on Schinchiku and Matsugama.
	16th	Transferred with TF57 to renew attacks on airfields in Ishigaki and Miyako in Sakishimas.
	20th	Returned to Leyte.

May
	1st	Sailed from Leyte to resume attacks on Sakishima Gunto group.

	4th	After replenishing with ships of TG57 launched first of a series of air attacks with HMS VICTORIOUS and HMS FORMIDABLE on airfields at Hiara, Nobara, Miyako and Ishigaki.
		Hit by KAMIKAZE aircraft but remained operational.
	9th	Damaged in another KAMIKAZE attack but continued flying operations with gaps for replenishment until 23rd May.
	20th	In collision with HM Destroyer QUILLIAM which was seriously damaged.
	25th	Sailed for Manus on completion of operation requirement for TF57.

Possibly April/May 1945 - bombs on deck

Results of airfield and runway attacks, possibly on Ishigaki Island, Sakishima Gunto, southernmost of the three island groups making up the Okinawa archipelago

Avenger returns from Sakishima Gunto with u/c (undercarriage) shot up, approaching for emergency landing - "steady"

..... "catches" safe on deck - "one more night of work"

Hellcat back from combat but only just

Pilot badly injured, undercarriage damaged

Twin 4.5's in action during Kamikaze attack on Indomitable. Japanese suicide aircraft dived, hit deck and "bounced" off

"HMS Indefatigable under attack" - and following
(Identity is uncertain and the following photographs are all believed to be of HMS Formidable)

Corsair fighter

Corsair

possibly Corsair

Another Corsair


June 1945		Relieved by HM Aircraft Carrier IMPLACABLE and refitted in Sydney.

July		On completion remained at Sydney.

August
	15th	Transferred to RN control after Japan surrendered.
		Took passage to Subic Bay, Philippines with HM Aircraft Carrier VENERABLE, HM Cruisers EURYALUS and SWIFTSURE screened by three Fleet Destroyers
	27th	Sailed with HMS VENERABLE, HMS SWIFTSURE, HMS BLACK PRINCE, HMS EURYALUS screened by HM Destroyers KEMPENFELT, URSA, QUADRANT and WHIRLWIND as Task Group 111.2 to re-occupy Hong Kong.
	29th	Met HM Battleship ANSON and HM Aircraft Carrier VENGEANCE prior to entry into the Colony of Hong Kong after minesweeping completed.
	30th	Carried out air attacks with HMS VENERABLE on Japanese explosive boats in Lamma Bay. Entered Hong Kong on completion.

HMS INDOMITABLE was deployed with the BPF in the Far East until 12th November 1945 and returned to the United Kingdom on 12th December. The ship was reduced to Reserve in 1946.

Photograph taken on Okinawa by one of the crew of an Avenger from Indomitable while the fighting for Okinawa was still in progress - possibly June 1945