On 03 June 1945, the ships of Task Group (TG) 38.1, built around aircraft carriers USS Hornet (CV-12), USS Bennington (CV-20) and USS Belleau Wood (CVL-24), and the oilers in Task Group 30.8 were operating east of Okinawa, TG 38.1 having just completed two weeks of air attacks against Japanese airfields on Okinawa and Kyushu. Although a tropical disturbance had been reported forming east of the Philippines, confused sighting reports and communications delays deprived Third Fleet of timely and accurate location information. Contradictory weather reports did not help the situation.

On 05 June, the small and tight typhoon overtook TG 38.1, which passed through the eye of the storm at 0700 that morning. Hurricane force winds of 70 knots (80.5 miles per hour), with gusts up to 100 knots (115 miles per hour), damaging almost every ship in TG 38.1 and TG 30.8.

In the former, (TG 38.1), heavy cruiser USS Pittsburgh (CA-72) lost her bow and two other cruisers suffered frame damage. All the fleet carriers suffered flight deck damage, while USS Belleau Wood (CV-24) also lost an elevator. The destroyers rode out the storm rather well, only USS Samuel N. Moore (DD-747) suffering major superstructure damage.

In the refueling group, (TG 30.8), escort carriers USS Windham Bay (CVE-92) and USS Salamaua (CVE-96) lost part of their flight decks and tanker USS Millicoma (AO-73) suffered severe topside damage. One officer and five men were lost or killed, with another four seriously injured. Storm damage wrecked 43 planes and another 33 were washed overboard.

After continued strong recommendations, the Pacific Fleet established uncoded plain language typhoon advisory dispatch procedures on 10 June and, two days later, began flying B-29 aircraft on storm reconnaissance missions.

NAME                                        DAMAGE SUSTAINED

TASK GROUP 30.8
Attu (CVE 102)                   Minor damage flight deck. Major and minor damage to 20MM and 40MM.
Salamaua (CVE 96)             Flight deck out. Catapult supports ruptured. Considerable minor damage.
Windham Bay (CVE 92)      Fwd 20 ft. flight deck collapsed on forecastle. Catapult damaged. 2 40MM mounts lost. Fwd elevator temporarily out.
Bougainville (CVE 100)       Flight deck supports dam. Considerable superficial damage.
Millicoma (AO 73)               Extensive damage to masts and booms.
Lackawana (AO 40)            Damage to booms.
Sebec (AO 87)                    Two AvGas pumps out.
Caliente (AO 53)                 Two winches out.
Conklin (DE 439)                 Heavy damage, one engine and one boiler available. No communications, no chronometers.
Donaldson (DE 44)              Gyro out.
Hilbert (DE 742)                  Small crack in hull.
 

TASK GROUP 38.1
Pittsburgh (CA 72)               Lost Bow frame #26.
Hornet (CV 12)                   25 ft. flight deck carried away. 25 ft. too weak to support aircraft. Catapult inoperational.
Bennington (CV 20)             25 ft. flight deck carried away. 25 ft. too weak to support aircraft. Catapult inoperational.
Belleau Wood (CVL 24)      Extensive superficial damage.
Duluth (CL 87)                     Bow buckled upward at frame #21. Shell plating & several 2nd deck longitudinal stringers ruptured. Maximum calm sea speed 25 knots.
John Rodgers (DD 574)       After main generator out.
Blue (DD 744)                     Both steering engines out of order.
Indiana (BB 58)                   Minor damage to 40MM mounts.
Alabama (BB 60)                 1 40MM damaged, 1 catapult out.
Baltimore (CA 68)               Bow structure damaged.
Quincy (CA 71)                   Superficial damage to guns and electrical circuits.
Atlanta (CL 104)                  Minor electrical damage.
San Juan (CL 54)                 Minor electrical damage, minor cracks in deck plating.
De Haven (DD 727)             Stbd. 40MM Quad power train out.
Stockham (DD 683)             Bad knock in Stbd. reduction gear.
Maddox (DD 731)               Break in shell plating.
McKee (DD 575)                Twist in bow between frame 29 & 30 and wrinkle port side main deck between frames 38 & 39. Damage to Antennas.
Schroeder (DD 501)            Slight buckle main deck from #30. 3 radio antennas carried away.
Brush (DD 745)                   Port bulwark main deck between frames 81 & 100 carried away.
Taussig (DD 740)                 Electrical damage.
Twining (DD 540)                One receiving antenna carried away.
Moore, S.M. (DD 747)        Extensive superficial damage.

Source:
Extract from Third Fleet report serial 00228 of 14 July 1945. Original held by Modern Military Branch, National Archives and Records Administration, College Park, MD.
 

Last Updated 10 May 2005