Other Memories
On 1 September 1945, Ralph Talbot escorted the USS Portland, sister ship of the Indianapolis and the lead of its class, from Guam to Truk and on the 2nd stood by as the Japanese formally surrendered that island fortress during ceremonies aboard the cruiser. Returning to Guam on the 3rd, the destroyer sailed for Saipan, Okinawa, and Japan on the 5th and, into October, operated off southern Japan and Okinawa, getting underway for the United States on 29 October. The war was finally over.
Ralph Smith returned to civilian life at the end of 1945 and joined the City of Pueblo Fire Department, where he retired as captain after 32 years of service.
Criteria The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal was awarded for for qualifying service within the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946, under any of the following condi... The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal was awarded for for qualifying service within the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946, under any of the following conditions: On permanent assignment within the Asiatic-Pacific Theater; or, For service in a passenger status or on temporary duty for 30 consecutive days or 60 non-consecutive days; or, For service in active combat in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations against the enemy and awarded a combat decoration or furnished a certificate by the commanding general of a corps, higher unit, or independent force that the individual actually participated in combat. MoreHide
Description USS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included:
1. Pearl Harbor-Midway
2. Pacific Raids - 1942
3. Midway - 3/6 June 1942
4. Guadalcanal-Tulagi Landing including First Savo... USS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included:
1. Pearl Harbor-Midway
2. Pacific Raids - 1942
3. Midway - 3/6 June 1942
4. Guadalcanal-Tulagi Landing including First Savo Island
5. East New Guinea Operations
6. Consolidation of Solomon Islands
7. New Georgia Operations
8. Bismarck Archipelago Operations
9. Marianas Operation
10. West Caroline Operation
11. Leyte Operation
12. Luzon Operation
13. Iwo Jima Operation
14. Okinawa Operation MoreHide
Criteria
The World War II Victory Medal commemorates military service during the Second World War.
Description
He was awarded seven battle stars; the American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, WWII Victory Medal and the Navy Good Conduct Medal.
Description The Battle of Iwo Jima (19 February – 26 March 1945), or Operation Detachment, was a major battle in which the United States Armed Forces fought for and captured the island of Iwo Jima from the JapaneThe Battle of Iwo Jima (19 February – 26 March 1945), or Operation Detachment, was a major battle in which the United States Armed Forces fought for and captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Japanese Empire. The American invasion had the goal of capturing the entire island, including its three airfields (including South Field and Central Field), to provide a staging area for attacks on the Japanese main islands. This five-week battle comprised some of the fiercest and bloodiest fighting of the War in the Pacific of World War II.
After the heavy losses incurred in the battle, the strategic value of the island became controversial. It was useless to the U.S. Army as a staging base and useless to the U.S. Navy as a fleet base. However, Navy SEABEES rebuilt the landing strips, which were used as emergency landing strips for USAAF B-29s.
The Imperial Japanese Army positions on the island were heavily fortified, with a dense network of bunkers, hidden artillery positions, and 18 km (11 mi) of underground tunnels. The Americans on the ground were supported by extensive naval artillery and complete air supremacy over Iwo Jima from the beginning of the battle by U.S. Navy and Marine Corps aviators.
Iwo Jima was the only battle by the U.S. Marine Corps in which the Japanese combat deaths were thrice those of the Americans throughout the battle. Of the 22,000 Japanese soldiers on Iwo Jima at the beginning of the battle, only 216 were taken prisoner, some of whom were captured because they had been knocked unconscious or otherwise disabled. The majority of the remainder were killed in action, although it has been estimated that as many as 3,000 continued to resist within the various cave systems for many days afterwards, eventually succumbing to their injuries or surrendering weeks later.
Despite the bloody fighting and severe casualties on both sides, the Japanese defeat was assured from the start. Overwhelming American superiority in arms and numbers as well as complete control of air power — coupled with the impossibility of Japanese retreat or reinforcement — permitted no plausible circumstance in which the Americans could have lost the battle.
The battle was immortalized by Joe Rosenthal's photograph of the raising of the U.S. flag on top of the 166 m (545 ft) Mount Suribachi by five U.S. Marines and one U.S. Navy battlefield Hospital Corpsman. The photograph records the second flag-raising on the mountain, both of which took place on the fifth day of the 35-day battle. Rosenthal's photograph promptly became an indelible icon — of that battle, of that war in the Pacific, and of the Marine Corps itself — and has been widely reproduced. ... More
Memories USS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included: 1. Pearl Harbor-MidwUSS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included: 1. Pearl Harbor-Midway 2. Pacific Raids - 1942 3. Midway - 3/6 June 1942 4. Guadalcanal-Tulagi Landing including First Savo Island 5. East New Guinea Operations 6. Consolidation of Solomon Islands 7. New Georgia Operations 8. Bismarck Archipelago Operations 9. Marianas Operation 10. West Caroline Operation 11. Leyte Operation 12. Luzon Operation 13. Iwo Jima Operation 14. Okinawa Operation... More
Description The Battle of Okinawa, codenamed Operation Iceberg. was fought on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa and was the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific War of World War II. The 82-day-long battle lastedThe Battle of Okinawa, codenamed Operation Iceberg. was fought on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa and was the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific War of World War II. The 82-day-long battle lasted from early April until mid-June 1945. After a long campaign of island hopping, the Allies were approaching Japan, and planned to use Okinawa, a large island only 340 mi (550 km) away from mainland Japan, as a base for air operations on the planned invasion of Japanese mainland (coded Operation Downfall). Four divisions of the U.S. 10th Army (the 7th, 27th, 77th, and 96th) and two Marine Divisions (the 1st and 6th) fought on the island. Their invasion was supported by naval, amphibious, and tactical air forces.
The battle has been referred to as the "typhoon of steel" in English, and tetsu no ame ("rain of steel") or ("violent wind of steel") in Japanese. The nicknames refer to the ferocity of the fighting, the intensity of kamikaze attacks from the Japanese defenders, and to the sheer numbers of Allied ships and armored vehicles that assaulted the island. The battle resulted in the highest number of casualties in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Based on Okinawan government sources, mainland Japan lost 77,166 soldiers, who were either killed or committed suicide, and the Allies suffered 14,009 deaths (with an estimated total of more than 65,000 casualties of all kinds). Simultaneously, 42,000–150,000 local civilians were killed or committed suicide, a significant proportion of the local population. The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki together with the Soviet invasion of Manchuria caused Japan to surrender less than two months after the end of the fighting on Okinawa.... More
Memories USS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included: 1. Pearl Harbor-MidwUSS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included: 1. Pearl Harbor-Midway 2. Pacific Raids - 1942 3. Midway - 3/6 June 1942 4. Guadalcanal-Tulagi Landing including First Savo Island 5. East New Guinea Operations 6. Consolidation of Solomon Islands 7. New Georgia Operations 8. Bismarck Archipelago Operations 9. Marianas Operation 10. West Caroline Operation 11. Leyte Operation 12. Luzon Operation 13. Iwo Jima Operation 14. Okinawa Operation... More
Description The surrender of the Empire of Japan was announced by Imperial Japan on August 15 and formally signed on September 2, 1945, bringing the hostilities of World War II to a close. By the end of July 1945The surrender of the Empire of Japan was announced by Imperial Japan on August 15 and formally signed on September 2, 1945, bringing the hostilities of World War II to a close. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy was incapable of conducting major operations and an Allied invasion of Japan was imminent. Together with the United Kingdom and China, the United States called for the unconditional surrender of the Japanese armed forces in the Potsdam Declaration on July 26, 1945—the alternative being "prompt and utter destruction". While publicly stating their intent to fight on to the bitter end, Japan's leaders (the Supreme Council for the Direction of the War, also known as the "Big Six") were privately making entreaties to the still-neutral Soviet Union to mediate peace on terms more favorable to the Japanese. Meanwhile, the Soviets were preparing to attack Japanese forces in Manchuria and Korea (in addition to southern Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands) in fulfillment of promises they had secretly made to the United States and the United Kingdom at the Tehran and Yalta Conferences.
... More
Memories On 1 September 1945, Ralph Talbot escorted the USS Portland, sister ship of the Indianapolis and theOn 1 September 1945, Ralph Talbot escorted the USS Portland, sister ship of the Indianapolis and the lead of its class, from Guam to Truk and on the 2nd stood by as the Japanese formally surrendered that island fortress during ceremonies aboard the cruiser. Returning to Guam on the 3rd, the destroyer sailed for Saipan, Okinawa, and Japan on the 5th and, into October, operated off southern Japan and Okinawa, getting underway for the United States on 29 October.... More
Description On December 15, 1944, landings against minimal resistance were made on the southern beaches of the island of Mindoro, a key location in the planned Lingayen Gulf operations, in support of major landinOn December 15, 1944, landings against minimal resistance were made on the southern beaches of the island of Mindoro, a key location in the planned Lingayen Gulf operations, in support of major landings scheduled on Luzon. On January 9, 1945, on the south shore of Lingayen Gulf on the western coast of Luzon, General Krueger's Sixth Army landed his first units. Almost 175,000 men followed across the twenty-mile (32 km) beachhead within a few days. With heavy air support, Army units pushed inland, taking Clark Field, 40 miles (64 km) northwest of Manila, in the last week of January.
Two more major landings followed, one to cut off the Bataan Peninsula, and another, that included a parachute drop, south of Manila. Pincers closed on the city and, on February 3, 1945, elements of the U.S. 1st Cavalry Division pushed into the northern outskirts of Manila and the 8th Cavalry Regiment (organized as infantry) passed through the northern suburbs and into the city itself.
As the advance on Manila continued from the north and the south, the Bataan Peninsula was rapidly secured. On February 16, paratroopers and amphibious units simultaneously assaulted the islet of Corregidor. It was necessary to take this stronghold because troops there can block the entrance of Manila Bay. The Americans needed to establish a major harbor base at Manila Bay to support the expected invasion of Japan, planned to begin on November 1, 1945. Resistance on Corregidor ended on February 27, and then all resistance by the Japanese Empire ceased on August 15, 1945, obviating the need for an invasion of the Japanese Home Islands.
Despite initial optimism, fighting in Manila was harsh. It took until March 3 to clear the city of all Japanese troops, and the Japanese Marines, who fought on stubbornly and refused to either surrender or to evacuate as the Japanese Army had done. Fort Drum, a fortified island in Manila Bay near Corregidor, held out until 13 April, when a team of Army troops went ashore and pumped 3,000 gallons of diesel fuel into the fort, then set off incendiary charges. No Japanese soldiers in Fort Drum survived the blast and fire.
In all, ten U.S. divisions and five independent regiments battled on Luzon, making it the largest American campaign of the Pacific war, involving more troops than the United States had used in North Africa, Italy, or southern France.... More
Memories USS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included: 1. Pearl Harbor-MidwUSS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included: 1. Pearl Harbor-Midway 2. Pacific Raids - 1942 3. Midway - 3/6 June 1942 4. Guadalcanal-Tulagi Landing including First Savo Island 5. East New Guinea Operations 6. Consolidation of Solomon Islands 7. New Georgia Operations 8. Bismarck Archipelago Operations 9. Marianas Operation 10. West Caroline Operation 11. Leyte Operation 12. Luzon Operation 13. Iwo Jima Operation 14. Okinawa Operation... More
Description On December 15, 1944, landings against minimal resistance were made on the southern beaches of the island of Mindoro, a key location in the planned Lingayen Gulf operations, in support of major landinOn December 15, 1944, landings against minimal resistance were made on the southern beaches of the island of Mindoro, a key location in the planned Lingayen Gulf operations, in support of major landings scheduled on Luzon. On January 9, 1945, on the south shore of Lingayen Gulf on the western coast of Luzon, General Krueger's Sixth Army landed his first units. Almost 175,000 men followed across the twenty-mile (32 km) beachhead within a few days. With heavy air support, Army units pushed inland, taking Clark Field, 40 miles (64 km) northwest of Manila, in the last week of January.
Two more major landings followed, one to cut off the Bataan Peninsula, and another, that included a parachute drop, south of Manila. Pincers closed on the city and, on February 3, 1945, elements of the U.S. 1st Cavalry Division pushed into the northern outskirts of Manila and the 8th Cavalry Regiment (organized as infantry) passed through the northern suburbs and into the city itself.
As the advance on Manila continued from the north and the south, the Bataan Peninsula was rapidly secured. On February 16, paratroopers and amphibious units simultaneously assaulted the islet of Corregidor. It was necessary to take this stronghold because troops there can block the entrance of Manila Bay. The Americans needed to establish a major harbor base at Manila Bay to support the expected invasion of Japan, planned to begin on November 1, 1945. Resistance on Corregidor ended on February 27, and then all resistance by the Japanese Empire ceased on August 15, 1945, obviating the need for an invasion of the Japanese Home Islands.
Despite initial optimism, fighting in Manila was harsh. It took until March 3 to clear the city of all Japanese troops, and the Japanese Marines, who fought on stubbornly and refused to either surrender or to evacuate as the Japanese Army had done. Fort Drum, a fortified island in Manila Bay near Corregidor, held out until 13 April, when a team of Army troops went ashore and pumped 3,000 gallons of diesel fuel into the fort, then set off incendiary charges. No Japanese soldiers in Fort Drum survived the blast and fire.
In all, ten U.S. divisions and five independent regiments battled on Luzon, making it the largest American campaign of the Pacific war, involving more troops than the United States had used in North Africa, Italy, or southern France.... More
Memories USS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included: 1. Pearl Harbor-MidwUSS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included: 1. Pearl Harbor-Midway 2. Pacific Raids - 1942 3. Midway - 3/6 June 1942 4. Guadalcanal-Tulagi Landing including First Savo Island 5. East New Guinea Operations 6. Consolidation of Solomon Islands 7. New Georgia Operations 8. Bismarck Archipelago Operations 9. Marianas Operation 10. West Caroline Operation 11. Leyte Operation 12. Luzon Operation 13. Iwo Jima Operation 14. Okinawa Operation... More
Criteria The Good Conduct Medal was initially awarded to enlisted men of the Navy who completed a second (or subsequent) enlistment of three years under Continuous Service; obtained a general average of 4.5 on... The Good Conduct Medal was initially awarded to enlisted men of the Navy who completed a second (or subsequent) enlistment of three years under Continuous Service; obtained a general average of 4.5 on their Conduct Records, and who were recommended by their commanding officer. In time it came to be awarded for the honorable completion of a fixed term of service. MoreHide
Comments
He was awarded seven battle stars; the American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, WWII Victory Medal and the Navy Good Conduct Medal.
Criteria The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal was awarded for for qualifying service within the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946, under any of the following condi... The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal was awarded for for qualifying service within the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946, under any of the following conditions: On permanent assignment within the Asiatic-Pacific Theater; or, For service in a passenger status or on temporary duty for 30 consecutive days or 60 non-consecutive days; or, For service in active combat in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations against the enemy and awarded a combat decoration or furnished a certificate by the commanding general of a corps, higher unit, or independent force that the individual actually participated in combat. MoreHide
Description USS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included:
1. Pearl Harbor-Midway
2. Pacific Raids - 1942
3. Midway - 3/6 June 1942
4. Guadalcanal-Tulagi Landing including First Savo... USS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included:
1. Pearl Harbor-Midway
2. Pacific Raids - 1942
3. Midway - 3/6 June 1942
4. Guadalcanal-Tulagi Landing including First Savo Island
5. East New Guinea Operations
6. Consolidation of Solomon Islands
7. New Georgia Operations
8. Bismarck Archipelago Operations
9. Marianas Operation
10. West Caroline Operation
11. Leyte Operation
12. Luzon Operation
13. Iwo Jima Operation
14. Okinawa Operation MoreHide
Criteria The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal was awarded for for qualifying service within the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946, under any of the following condi... The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal was awarded for for qualifying service within the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946, under any of the following conditions: On permanent assignment within the Asiatic-Pacific Theater; or, For service in a passenger status or on temporary duty for 30 consecutive days or 60 non-consecutive days; or, For service in active combat in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations against the enemy and awarded a combat decoration or furnished a certificate by the commanding general of a corps, higher unit, or independent force that the individual actually participated in combat. MoreHide
Description USS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included:
1. Pearl Harbor-Midway
2. Pacific Raids - 1942
3. Midway - 3/6 June 1942
4. Guadalcanal-Tulagi Landing including First Savo... USS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included:
1. Pearl Harbor-Midway
2. Pacific Raids - 1942
3. Midway - 3/6 June 1942
4. Guadalcanal-Tulagi Landing including First Savo Island
5. East New Guinea Operations
6. Consolidation of Solomon Islands
7. New Georgia Operations
8. Bismarck Archipelago Operations
9. Marianas Operation
10. West Caroline Operation
11. Leyte Operation
12. Luzon Operation
13. Iwo Jima Operation
14. Okinawa Operation MoreHide
Description The Mariana and Palau Islands campaign, also known as Operation Forager, was an offensive launched by United States forces against Imperial Japanese forces in the Mariana Islands and Palau in the PaciThe Mariana and Palau Islands campaign, also known as Operation Forager, was an offensive launched by United States forces against Imperial Japanese forces in the Mariana Islands and Palau in the Pacific Ocean between June and November, 1944 during the Pacific War. The United States offensive, under the overall command of Chester Nimitz, followed the Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign and was intended to neutralize Japanese bases in the central Pacific, support the Allied drive to retake the Philippines, and provide bases for a strategic bombing campaign against Japan.
Beginning the offensive, United States Marine Corps and United States Army forces, with support from the United States Navy, executed landings on Saipan in June, 1944. In response, the Imperial Japanese Navy's combined fleet sortied to attack the U.S. Navy fleet supporting the landings. In the resulting aircraft carrier Battle of the Philippine Sea (the so-called “Great Marianas Turkey Shoot”) on 19–20 June, the Japanese naval forces were decisively defeated with heavy and irreplaceable losses to their carrier-borne and land-based aircraft.
Thereafter, U.S. forces executed landings on Guam and Tinian in July, 1944. After heavy fighting, Saipan was secured in July and Guam and Tinian in August, 1944. The U.S. then constructed airfields on Saipan and Tinian where B-29s were based to conduct strategic bombing missions against the Japanese mainland until the end of World War II, including the nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
In the meantime, in order to secure the flank for U.S. forces preparing to attack Japanese forces in the Philippines, in September, 1944, U.S. Marine and Army forces landed on the islands of Peleliu and Angaur in Palau. After heavy and intense combat on Peleliu, the island was finally secured by U.S. forces in November, 1944.
Following their landings in the Mariana and Palau Islands, Allied forces continued their ultimately successful campaign against Japan by landing in the Philippines in October, 1944 and the Volcano and Ryukyu Islands beginning in January, 1945.... More
Memories USS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included: 1. Pearl Harbor-MidwUSS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included: 1. Pearl Harbor-Midway 2. Pacific Raids - 1942 3. Midway - 3/6 June 1942 4. Guadalcanal-Tulagi Landing including First Savo Island 5. East New Guinea Operations 6. Consolidation of Solomon Islands 7. New Georgia Operations 8. Bismarck Archipelago Operations 9. Marianas Operation 10. West Caroline Operation 11. Leyte Operation 12. Luzon Operation 13. Iwo Jima Operation 14. Okinawa Operation... More
Description The Japanese had established several strongholds in the Carolines. These included Truk, Yap, Pelelui, Anguar, and Ulithi. The Carolina Islands were the next objective for the United States Navy. With The Japanese had established several strongholds in the Carolines. These included Truk, Yap, Pelelui, Anguar, and Ulithi. The Carolina Islands were the next objective for the United States Navy. With the Gilberts, Marshalls, and the Marianas in U.S. hands, the removal of Japanese bases in the Carolinas would clear the Japs out of the central Pacific, and open the doors for attacks on the Philippines, the Ryukyu Islands, and Japan proper.... More
Memories USS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included: 1. Pearl Harbor-MidwUSS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included: 1. Pearl Harbor-Midway 2. Pacific Raids - 1942 3. Midway - 3/6 June 1942 4. Guadalcanal-Tulagi Landing including First Savo Island 5. East New Guinea Operations 6. Consolidation of Solomon Islands 7. New Georgia Operations 8. Bismarck Archipelago Operations 9. Marianas Operation 10. West Caroline Operation 11. Leyte Operation 12. Luzon Operation 13. Iwo Jima Operation 14. Okinawa Operation... More
Description The last obstacle in liberating all of New Guinea island was the Vogelkop Peninsula in Dutch New Guinea. The Japanese resistance on the peninsula gathered at Manokwari, and MacArthur did not wish to cThe last obstacle in liberating all of New Guinea island was the Vogelkop Peninsula in Dutch New Guinea. The Japanese resistance on the peninsula gathered at Manokwari, and MacArthur did not wish to contest with this force. Instead, his "hit 'em where they ain't" strategy took the Allied forces to a number of undefended beaches near Cape Opmaria and Sansapor. Like Rabaul, the 25,000 men at Manokwari were now stranded, frustratingly idling uselessly.
In Sep 1944, Allied troops occupied the Halmahera Islands, concluding the New Guinea Campaign. MacArthur was now only several hundred miles from the Philippines. In his memoir, MacArthur attributed to the Allied victory over New Guinea to mobility and the ability to achieve surprise at key confrontations. Additionally, he also insisted that his refusal to deploy military governors over conquered regions helped his command focus on the task at hand. Instead, he brought in Dutch and Australian civil administrators immediately after the area had been deemed secure. "The success of this method was reflected in the complete lack of friction between the various governments concerned", he noted.
Although Allied attention would move toward the Philippine Islands by this time, small pockets of Japanese resistance would continue to fight until late May 1945.... More
Memories USS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included: 1. Pearl Harbor-MidwUSS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included: 1. Pearl Harbor-Midway 2. Pacific Raids - 1942 3. Midway - 3/6 June 1942 4. Guadalcanal-Tulagi Landing including First Savo Island 5. East New Guinea Operations 6. Consolidation of Solomon Islands 7. New Georgia Operations 8. Bismarck Archipelago Operations 9. Marianas Operation 10. West Caroline Operation 11. Leyte Operation 12. Luzon Operation 13. Iwo Jima Operation 14. Okinawa Operation... More
Description Rabaul was the strategic key to the Bismarcks. The Japanese recognized the value of the port, and seized it with forces staged from Truk early in the Pacific War. Air attacks began on 4 January 1942 Rabaul was the strategic key to the Bismarcks. The Japanese recognized the value of the port, and seized it with forces staged from Truk early in the Pacific War. Air attacks began on 4 January 1942 and elements of the South Seas Detachment began their landings on 23 January, rapidly driving back the 1390 men of the defending Australian 22 Battalion ("Lark Force") and taking the town and airfields. With Rabaul secured, the Japanese occupied the remainder of the Bismarcks more or less at their leisure. Kavieng was taken the same day as Rabaul, Bougainville was occuped on 30-31 March, and the Admiralties were occupied on 8 April 1942.
Allied strategy in the Southwest Pacific was initially focused on recapturing Rabaul. MacArthur envisioned a two-pronged counteroffensive (CARTWHEEL) with one prong coming up the Solomons and the other across the Dampier and Vitiaz Straits from New Guinea to New Britain. These operations began with the operations to secure Guadalcanal in the Solomons (7 August 1942) and to clear the northeast coast of New Guinea around Buna (19 November 1942.) Both tasks proved far more difficult than anticipated, becoming battles of attrition that lasted for months. The Buna area was not secured until 22 January 1943 and Guadalcanal was not secured until 9 February 1943.
At at the Pacific Military Conference of March 1943 in Washington, D.C., MacArthur's representative, Richard Sutherland, presented a revised plan for taking Rabaul (ELKTON III). This envisioned the capture of the Huon Peninsula in New Guinea and Munda on New Georgia, followed by the seizure of points in western New Britain and Bougainville. The Allies could then take Kavieng, if necessary, before the final assault on Rabaul. Japanese forces in the area were estimated at around 85,000 men and 383 aircraft, with another 11,000 men, 250 aircraft, and the main strength of Combined Fleet available for immediate reinforcement. In the longer term, the Japanese could dispatch another 615 aircraft and 10 to 15 divisions to the area if shipping could be found. (Japanese records show that this estimate was quite good, and that shipping available was about 300,000 tons to which perhaps another 100,000 tons could be added.) MacArthur demanded another five divisions and a tripling of the air strength in the theater in order to carry out his plan.
The Washington planners rejected any reinforcements beyond two or three divisions and a small number of aircraft, and the plan was scaled back accordingly. The final directive, issued 28 March 1943, called for Allied forces to advance as far as the Huon peninsula, western New Britain, and Bougainville by the end of 1943. Overall command would be given to MacArthur, with whom Halsey in the South Pacific would be expected to cooperate. Fortunately, there was enough mutual respect between the two men to make the plan work.... More
Memories USS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included: 1. Pearl Harbor-MidwUSS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included: 1. Pearl Harbor-Midway 2. Pacific Raids - 1942 3. Midway - 3/6 June 1942 4. Guadalcanal-Tulagi Landing including First Savo Island 5. East New Guinea Operations 6. Consolidation of Solomon Islands 7. New Georgia Operations 8. Bismarck Archipelago Operations 9. Marianas Operation 10. West Caroline Operation 11. Leyte Operation 12. Luzon Operation 13. Iwo Jima Operation 14. Okinawa Operation... More
Criteria The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal was awarded for for qualifying service within the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946, under any of the following condi... The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal was awarded for for qualifying service within the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946, under any of the following conditions: On permanent assignment within the Asiatic-Pacific Theater; or, For service in a passenger status or on temporary duty for 30 consecutive days or 60 non-consecutive days; or, For service in active combat in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations against the enemy and awarded a combat decoration or furnished a certificate by the commanding general of a corps, higher unit, or independent force that the individual actually participated in combat. MoreHide
Description USS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included:
1. Pearl Harbor-Midway
2. Pacific Raids - 1942
3. Midway - 3/6 June 1942
4. Guadalcanal-Tulagi Landing including First Savo... USS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included:
1. Pearl Harbor-Midway
2. Pacific Raids - 1942
3. Midway - 3/6 June 1942
4. Guadalcanal-Tulagi Landing including First Savo Island
5. East New Guinea Operations
6. Consolidation of Solomon Islands
7. New Georgia Operations
8. Bismarck Archipelago Operations
9. Marianas Operation
10. West Caroline Operation
11. Leyte Operation
12. Luzon Operation
13. Iwo Jima Operation
14. Okinawa Operation MoreHide
Criteria The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal was awarded for for qualifying service within the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946, under any of the following condi... The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal was awarded for for qualifying service within the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946, under any of the following conditions: On permanent assignment within the Asiatic-Pacific Theater; or, For service in a passenger status or on temporary duty for 30 consecutive days or 60 non-consecutive days; or, For service in active combat in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations against the enemy and awarded a combat decoration or furnished a certificate by the commanding general of a corps, higher unit, or independent force that the individual actually participated in combat. MoreHide
Description USS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included:
1. Pearl Harbor-Midway
2. Pacific Raids - 1942
3. Midway - 3/6 June 1942
4. Guadalcanal-Tulagi Landing including First Savo... USS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included:
1. Pearl Harbor-Midway
2. Pacific Raids - 1942
3. Midway - 3/6 June 1942
4. Guadalcanal-Tulagi Landing including First Savo Island
5. East New Guinea Operations
6. Consolidation of Solomon Islands
7. New Georgia Operations
8. Bismarck Archipelago Operations
9. Marianas Operation
10. West Caroline Operation
11. Leyte Operation
12. Luzon Operation
13. Iwo Jima Operation
14. Okinawa Operation MoreHide
Criteria The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal was awarded for for qualifying service within the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946, under any of the following condi... The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal was awarded for for qualifying service within the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946, under any of the following conditions: On permanent assignment within the Asiatic-Pacific Theater; or, For service in a passenger status or on temporary duty for 30 consecutive days or 60 non-consecutive days; or, For service in active combat in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations against the enemy and awarded a combat decoration or furnished a certificate by the commanding general of a corps, higher unit, or independent force that the individual actually participated in combat. MoreHide
Description USS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included:
1. Pearl Harbor-Midway
2. Pacific Raids - 1942
3. Midway - 3/6 June 1942
4. Guadalcanal-Tulagi Landing including First Savo... USS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included:
1. Pearl Harbor-Midway
2. Pacific Raids - 1942
3. Midway - 3/6 June 1942
4. Guadalcanal-Tulagi Landing including First Savo Island
5. East New Guinea Operations
6. Consolidation of Solomon Islands
7. New Georgia Operations
8. Bismarck Archipelago Operations
9. Marianas Operation
10. West Caroline Operation
11. Leyte Operation
12. Luzon Operation
13. Iwo Jima Operation
14. Okinawa Operation MoreHide
Description The plan of the Pacific subseries was determined by the geography, strategy, and the military organization of a theater largely oceanic. Two independent, coordinate commands, one in the Southwest PaciThe plan of the Pacific subseries was determined by the geography, strategy, and the military organization of a theater largely oceanic. Two independent, coordinate commands, one in the Southwest Pacific under General of the Army Douglas MacArthur and the other in the Central, South, and North Pacific (Pacific Ocean Areas) under Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, were created early in the war. Except in the South and Southwest Pacific, each conducted its own operations with its own ground, air, and naval forces in widely separated areas. These operations required at first only a relatively small number of troops whose efforts often yielded strategic gains which cannot be measured by the size of the forces involved. Indeed, the nature of the objectivesùsmall islands, coral atolls, and jungle-bound harbors and airstrips, made the employment of large ground forces impossible and highlighted the importance of air and naval operations. Thus, until 1945, the war in the Pacific progressed by a double series of amphibious operations each of which fitted into a strategic pattern developed in Washington.... More
Memories USS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included: 1. Pearl Harbor-MidwUSS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included: 1. Pearl Harbor-Midway 2. Pacific Raids - 1942 3. Midway - 3/6 June 1942 4. Guadalcanal-Tulagi Landing including First Savo Island 5. East New Guinea Operations 6. Consolidation of Solomon Islands 7. New Georgia Operations 8. Bismarck Archipelago Operations 9. Marianas Operation 10. West Caroline Operation 11. Leyte Operation 12. Luzon Operation 13. Iwo Jima Operation 14. Okinawa Operation... More
Description This operation was fought during the Pacific war on this group of islands situated in the central Solomons. US forces invaded them as part of an American offensive (CARTWHEEL) to isolate and neutralizThis operation was fought during the Pacific war on this group of islands situated in the central Solomons. US forces invaded them as part of an American offensive (CARTWHEEL) to isolate and neutralize Rabaul, the main Japanese base in their South-East Area.
On 20 June 1943 a Raider battalion (, 5(f)) landed at Segi Point on the main island, New Georgia, and during the next two weeks there were other landings by US Marines and 43rd US Division on Rendova and Vangunu islands, and on western New Georgia, to seize a Japanese airstrip at Munda point. Despite the US Navy's intervention, which resulted in the battles of Kula Gulf and Kolombangara, 4,000 reinforcements were successfully dispatched to the commander of the 10,500-strong Japanese garrison, Maj-General Sasaki Noboru. Most reinforced Munda, which became the focus of Japanese resistance, and their night infiltration tactics unnerved the inexperienced US troops. Non-battle casualties, caused by exhaustion and ‘war neuroses’, increased alarmingly, and when the commander of 14th Corps, Maj-General Oscar Griswold, arrived on 11 July he reported the division was ‘about to fold up’. The 37th US Division was brought in, Griswold replaced the worst affected units, and he then launched a corps attack on 25 July. Fierce fighting followed but by 1August the Japanese, outnumbered and outgunned, had withdrawn inland. This time US Navy destroyers prevented more reinforcements reaching them when, on the night of 6/7August, they sank three Japanese transports (battle of Vella Gulf).
Munda now became the base of Marine Corps squadrons which supported landings on Vella Lavella on 15 August. These bypassed and isolated Sasaki's garrison now gathering on Kolombangara after further US reinforcements, elements of 25th US Division, had failed to destroy them on New Georgia. On 15 September Sasaki was ordered to withdraw. In a brilliantly organized evacuation 9,400 men out of the 12,500 on Kolombangara were rescued by landing craft, and the following month those on Vella Lavella were also evacuated.
The campaign proved costly for the Americans who had 1,094 killed and 3,873 wounded with thousands more becoming non-battle casualties. Excluding the fighting on Vella Lavella, 2,483 Japanese bodies were counted. Planned as a one-division operation, the Japanese garrison's ‘skill, tenacity, and valor’—to quote the campaign's official US historian—eventually made it one where elements of four had to be used. ‘The obstinate General Sasaki,’ the same historian concludes, ‘deserved his country's gratitude for his gallant and able conduct.’... More
Memories USS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included: 1. Pearl Harbor-MidwUSS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included: 1. Pearl Harbor-Midway 2. Pacific Raids - 1942 3. Midway - 3/6 June 1942 4. Guadalcanal-Tulagi Landing including First Savo Island 5. East New Guinea Operations 6. Consolidation of Solomon Islands 7. New Georgia Operations 8. Bismarck Archipelago Operations 9. Marianas Operation 10. West Caroline Operation 11. Leyte Operation 12. Luzon Operation 13. Iwo Jima Operation 14. Okinawa Operation... More
Description The Guadalcanal Campaign, also known as the Battle of Guadalcanal and codenamed Operation Watchtower by Allied forces, was a military campaign fought between 7 August 1942 and 9 February 1943 on and aThe Guadalcanal Campaign, also known as the Battle of Guadalcanal and codenamed Operation Watchtower by Allied forces, was a military campaign fought between 7 August 1942 and 9 February 1943 on and around the island of Guadalcanal in the Pacific theatre of World War II. It was the first major offensive by Allied forces against the Empire of Japan.
On 7 August 1942, Allied forces, predominantly American, landed on the islands of Guadalcanal, Tulagi, and Florida in the southern Solomon Islands with the objective of denying their use by the Japanese to threaten the supply and communication routes between the US, Australia, and New Zealand. The Allies also intended to use Guadalcanal and Tulagi as bases to support a campaign to eventually capture or neutralize the major Japanese base at Rabaul on New Britain. The Allies overwhelmed the outnumbered Japanese defenders, who had occupied the islands since May 1942, and captured Tulagi and Florida, as well as an airfield (later named Henderson Field) that was under construction on Guadalcanal. Powerful US naval forces supported the landings.
Surprised by the Allied offensive, the Japanese made several attempts between August and November 1942 to retake Henderson Field. Three major land battles, seven large naval battles (five nighttime surface actions and two carrier battles), and continual, almost daily aerial battles culminated in the decisive Naval Battle of Guadalcanal in early November 1942, in which the last Japanese attempt to bombard Henderson Field from the sea and land with enough troops to retake it was defeated. In December 1942, the Japanese abandoned further efforts to retake Guadalcanal and evacuated their remaining forces by 7 February 1943 in the face of an offensive by the US Army's XIV Corps, conceding the island to the Allies.
The Guadalcanal campaign was a significant strategic combined arms victory by Allied forces over the Japanese in the Pacific theatre. The Japanese had reached the high-water mark of their conquests in the Pacific, and Guadalcanal marked the transition by the Allies from defensive operations to the strategic offensive in that theatre and the beginning of offensive operations, including the Solomon Islands, New Guinea, and Central Pacific campaigns, that resulted in Japan's eventual surrender and the end of World War II.... More
Memories USS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included: 1. Pearl Harbor-MidwUSS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included: 1. Pearl Harbor-Midway 2. Pacific Raids - 1942 3. Midway - 3/6 June 1942 4. Guadalcanal-Tulagi Landing including First Savo Island 5. East New Guinea Operations 6. Consolidation of Solomon Islands 7. New Georgia Operations 8. Bismarck Archipelago Operations 9. Marianas Operation 10. West Caroline Operation 11. Leyte Operation 12. Luzon Operation 13. Iwo Jima Operation 14. Okinawa Operation... More
Criteria The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal was awarded for for qualifying service within the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946, under any of the following condi... The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal was awarded for for qualifying service within the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946, under any of the following conditions: On permanent assignment within the Asiatic-Pacific Theater; or, For service in a passenger status or on temporary duty for 30 consecutive days or 60 non-consecutive days; or, For service in active combat in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations against the enemy and awarded a combat decoration or furnished a certificate by the commanding general of a corps, higher unit, or independent force that the individual actually participated in combat. MoreHide
Description USS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included:
1. Pearl Harbor-Midway
2. Pacific Raids - 1942
3. Midway - 3/6 June 1942
4. Guadalcanal-Tulagi Landing including First Savo... USS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included:
1. Pearl Harbor-Midway
2. Pacific Raids - 1942
3. Midway - 3/6 June 1942
4. Guadalcanal-Tulagi Landing including First Savo Island
5. East New Guinea Operations
6. Consolidation of Solomon Islands
7. New Georgia Operations
8. Bismarck Archipelago Operations
9. Marianas Operation
10. West Caroline Operation
11. Leyte Operation
12. Luzon Operation
13. Iwo Jima Operation
14. Okinawa Operation MoreHide
Description The Battle of Midway in the Pacific Theater of Operations was one of the most important naval battles of World War II. Between 4 and 7 June 1942, only six months after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, The Battle of Midway in the Pacific Theater of Operations was one of the most important naval battles of World War II. Between 4 and 7 June 1942, only six months after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, and one month after the Battle of the Coral Sea, the United States Navy (USN), under Admirals Chester W. Nimitz, Frank Jack Fletcher, and Raymond A. Spruance decisively defeated an attack by the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), under Admirals Isoroku Yamamoto, Chuichi Nagumo, and Nobutake Kondo on Midway Atoll, inflicting irreparable damage on the Japanese fleet. Military historian John Keegan called it "the most stunning and decisive blow in the history of naval warfare." It was Japan's first naval defeat since the Battle of Shimonoseki Straits in 1863.
The Japanese operation, like the earlier attack on Pearl Harbor, sought to eliminate the United States as a strategic power in the Pacific, thereby giving Japan a free hand in establishing its Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere. The Japanese hoped that another demoralizing defeat would force the U.S. to capitulate in the Pacific War and thus ensure Japanese dominance in the Pacific.
The Japanese plan was to lure the United States' aircraft carriers into a trap. The Japanese also intended to occupy Midway as part of an overall plan to extend their defensive perimeter in response to the Doolittle air raid on Tokyo. This operation was also considered preparatory for further attacks against Fiji, Samoa, and Hawaii itself.
The plan was handicapped by faulty Japanese assumptions of the American reaction and poor initial dispositions.Most significantly, American codebreakers were able to determine the date and location of the attack, enabling the forewarned U.S. Navy to set up an ambush of its own. Four Japanese aircraft carriers—Akagi, Kaga, Soryu and Hiryu, all part of the six-carrier force that had attacked Pearl Harbor six months earlier—and a heavy cruiser were sunk at a cost of one American aircraft carrier and a destroyer. After Midway and the exhausting attrition of the Solomon Islands campaign, Japan's shipbuilding and pilot training programs were unable to keep pace in replacing their losses, while the U.S. steadily increased its output in both areas.... More
Memories USS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included: 1. Pearl Harbor-MidwUSS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included: 1. Pearl Harbor-Midway 2. Pacific Raids - 1942 3. Midway - 3/6 June 1942 4. Guadalcanal-Tulagi Landing including First Savo Island 5. East New Guinea Operations 6. Consolidation of Solomon Islands 7. New Georgia Operations 8. Bismarck Archipelago Operations 9. Marianas Operation 10. West Caroline Operation 11. Leyte Operation 12. Luzon Operation 13. Iwo Jima Operation 14. Okinawa Operation... More
Description The Battle of Tulagi and Gavutu–Tanambogo was a land battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II, between the forces of the Imperial Japanese Navy and Allied (mainly United States (U.S.) Marine) grThe Battle of Tulagi and Gavutu–Tanambogo was a land battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II, between the forces of the Imperial Japanese Navy and Allied (mainly United States (U.S.) Marine) ground forces. It took place from 7–9 August 1942 on the Solomon Islands, during the initial Allied landings in the Guadalcanal campaign.
In the battle, U.S. Marines, under the overall command of U.S. Major General Alexander Vandegrift, successfully landed and captured the islands of Tulagi, Gavutu, and Tanambogo among which the Japanese Navy had constructed a naval and seaplane base. The landings were fiercely resisted by the Japanese Navy troops who, outnumbered and outgunned by the Allied forces, fought and died almost to the last man.
At the same time that the landings on Tulagi and Gavutu–Tanambogo were taking place, Allied troops were also landing on nearby Guadalcanal, with the objective of capturing an airfield under construction by Japanese forces. In contrast to the intense fighting on Tulagi and Gavutu, the landings on Guadalcanal were essentially unopposed. The landings on both Tulagi and Guadalcanal initiated the six-month long Guadalcanal campaign and a series of combined-arms battles between Allied and Japanese forces in the Solomon Islands area.... More
Memories USS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included: 1. Pearl Harbor-MidwUSS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included: 1. Pearl Harbor-Midway 2. Pacific Raids - 1942 3. Midway - 3/6 June 1942 4. Guadalcanal-Tulagi Landing including First Savo Island 5. East New Guinea Operations 6. Consolidation of Solomon Islands 7. New Georgia Operations 8. Bismarck Archipelago Operations 9. Marianas Operation 10. West Caroline Operation 11. Leyte Operation 12. Luzon Operation 13. Iwo Jima Operation 14. Okinawa Operation... More
Description The naval Battle of the Eastern Solomons (also known as the Battle of the Stewart Islands and, in Japanese sources, as the Second Battle of the Solomon Sea took place on 24–25 August 1942, and was thThe naval Battle of the Eastern Solomons (also known as the Battle of the Stewart Islands and, in Japanese sources, as the Second Battle of the Solomon Sea took place on 24–25 August 1942, and was the third carrier battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II and the second major engagement fought between the United States Navy and the Imperial Japanese Navy during the Guadalcanal Campaign. As at the Battle of the Coral Sea and the Battle of Midway, the ships of the two adversaries were never within sight of each other. Instead, all attacks were carried out by carrier-based or land-based aircraft.
After several damaging air attacks, the naval surface combatants from both America and Japan withdrew from the battle area without either side securing a clear victory. However, the U.S. and its allies gained tactical and strategic advantage. Japan's losses were greater and included dozens of aircraft and their experienced aircrews. Also, Japanese reinforcements intended for Guadalcanal were delayed and eventually delivered by warships rather than transport ships, giving the Allies more time to prepare for the Japanese counteroffensive and preventing the Japanese from landing heavy artillery, ammunition, and other supplies.... More
Memories USS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included: 1. Pearl Harbor-MidwUSS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included: 1. Pearl Harbor-Midway 2. Pacific Raids - 1942 3. Midway - 3/6 June 1942 4. Guadalcanal-Tulagi Landing including First Savo Island 5. East New Guinea Operations 6. Consolidation of Solomon Islands 7. New Georgia Operations 8. Bismarck Archipelago Operations 9. Marianas Operation 10. West Caroline Operation 11. Leyte Operation 12. Luzon Operation 13. Iwo Jima Operation 14. Okinawa Operation... More
Criteria The Combat Action Ribbon is a personal decoration awarded to members of the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard (when operating under the control of the Navy) in the grade of captain (or colonel in th... The Combat Action Ribbon is a personal decoration awarded to members of the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard (when operating under the control of the Navy) in the grade of captain (or colonel in the Marine Corps) and below who have actively participated in ground or surface combat. MoreHide
Description USS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included: 1. Pearl Harbor-Midway
2. Pacific Raids - 1942
3. Midway - 3/6 June 1942
4. Guadalcanal-Tulagi Landing including First Savo... USS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included: 1. Pearl Harbor-Midway
2. Pacific Raids - 1942
3. Midway - 3/6 June 1942
4. Guadalcanal-Tulagi Landing including First Savo Island
5. East New Guinea Operations
6. Consolidation of Solomon Islands
7. New Georgia Operations
8. Bismarck Archipelago Operations
9. Marianas Operation
10. West Caroline Operation
11. Leyte Operation
12. Luzon Operation
13. Iwo Jima Operation
14. Okinawa Operation MoreHide
Criteria The American Campaign Medal was awarded for For thirty days service outside the Continental United States but within the American Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946; or,... The American Campaign Medal was awarded for For thirty days service outside the Continental United States but within the American Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946; or, an aggregate service of one year within the Continental United States during the same period under the following circumstances: On permanent assignment outside the continental limits of the United States; or, On permanent assignment as a member of a crew of a vessel sailing ocean waters for a period of 30 consecutive days or 60 non-consecutive days; or, For service outside the continental limits of the United States in a passenger status or on temporary duty for 30 consecutive days or 60 non consecutive days; or, For service in active combat against the enemy and awarded a combat decoration or furnished a certificate by the commanding general of a corps, higher unit, or independent force that the individual actually participated in combat; or, For service within the continental limits of the United States for an aggregate period of one year. MoreHide
Description
He was awarded seven battle stars; the American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, WWII Victory Medal and the Navy Good Conduct Medal.
Criteria The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal was awarded for for qualifying service within the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946, under any of the following condi... The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal was awarded for for qualifying service within the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946, under any of the following conditions: On permanent assignment within the Asiatic-Pacific Theater; or, For service in a passenger status or on temporary duty for 30 consecutive days or 60 non-consecutive days; or, For service in active combat in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations against the enemy and awarded a combat decoration or furnished a certificate by the commanding general of a corps, higher unit, or independent force that the individual actually participated in combat. MoreHide
Description USS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included:
1. Pearl Harbor-Midway
2. Pacific Raids - 1942
3. Midway - 3/6 June 1942
4. Guadalcanal-Tulagi Landing including First Savo... USS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included:
1. Pearl Harbor-Midway
2. Pacific Raids - 1942
3. Midway - 3/6 June 1942
4. Guadalcanal-Tulagi Landing including First Savo Island
5. East New Guinea Operations
6. Consolidation of Solomon Islands
7. New Georgia Operations
8. Bismarck Archipelago Operations
9. Marianas Operation
10. West Caroline Operation
11. Leyte Operation
12. Luzon Operation
13. Iwo Jima Operation
14. Okinawa Operation MoreHide
Description The attack on Pearl Harbor, also known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor, the Hawaii Operation or Operation AI by the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters, and Operation Z during planning, was a surpriThe attack on Pearl Harbor, also known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor, the Hawaii Operation or Operation AI by the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters, and Operation Z during planning, was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Territory, on the morning of December 7, 1941. The attack led to the United States' entry into World War II.
Japan intended the attack as a preventive action to keep the U.S. Pacific Fleet from interfering with military actions the Empire of Japan planned in Southeast Asia against overseas territories of the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and the United States. Over the next seven hours there were coordinated Japanese attacks on the U.S.-held Philippines, Guam and Wake Island and on the British Empire in Malaya, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
The attack commenced at 7:48 a.m. Hawaiian Time. The base was attacked by 353 Imperial Japanese fighter planes, bombers, and torpedo planes in two waves, launched from six aircraft carriers. All eight U.S. Navy battleships were damaged, with four sunk. All but Arizona were later raised, and six were returned to service and went on to fight in the war. The Japanese also sank or damaged three cruisers, three destroyers, an anti-aircraft training ship, and one minelayer. 188 U.S. aircraft were destroyed; 2,403 Americans were killed and 1,178 others were wounded. Important base installations such as the power station, shipyard, maintenance, and fuel and torpedo storage facilities, as well as the submarine piers and headquarters building (also home of the intelligence section) were not attacked. Japanese losses were light: 29 aircraft and five midget submarines lost, and 64 servicemen killed. One Japanese sailor, Kazuo Sakamaki, was captured.
The attack came as a profound shock to the American people and led directly to the American entry into World War II in both the Pacific and European theaters. The following day, December 8, the United States declared war on Japan. Domestic support for non-interventionism, which had been fading since the Fall of France in 1940,[19] disappeared. Clandestine support of the United Kingdom (e.g., the Neutrality Patrol) was replaced by active alliance. Subsequent operations by the U.S. prompted Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy to declare war on the U.S. on December 11, which was reciprocated by the U.S. the same day.
From the 1950s, several writers alleged that parties high in the U.S. and British governments knew of the attack in advance and may have let it happen (or even encouraged it) with the aim of bringing the U.S. into war. However, this advance-knowledge conspiracy theory is rejected by mainstream historians.
There were numerous historical precedents for unannounced military action by Japan. However, the lack of any formal warning, particularly while negotiations were still apparently ongoing, led President Franklin D. Roosevelt to proclaim December 7, 1941, "a date which will live in infamy". Because the attack happened without a declaration of war and without explicit warning, the attack on Pearl Harbor was judged by the Tokyo Trials to be a war crime.... More
Memories USS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included: 1. Pearl Harbor-MidwUSS Ralph Talbot DD-390 at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Engagements included: 1. Pearl Harbor-Midway 2. Pacific Raids - 1942 3. Midway - 3/6 June 1942 4. Guadalcanal-Tulagi Landing including First Savo Island 5. East New Guinea Operations 6. Consolidation of Solomon Islands 7. New Georgia Operations 8. Bismarck Archipelago Operations 9. Marianas Operation 10. West Caroline Operation 11. Leyte Operation 12. Luzon Operation 13. Iwo Jima Operation 14. Okinawa Operation... More
Chain of Command
Machinists Mate School, Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, Ill.
Other Memories
At 17, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was assigned duty on the USS Ralph Talbot DD-390, where he obtained the rank of machinist mate second class (MM2). The destroyer was assigned to the Pacific Theater and engaged in several major battles in WWII in the South Pacific, including Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, and the Battle of Midway on June 3, 1942. He was awarded seven battle stars; the American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, WWII Victory Medal and the Navy Good Conduct Medal. He returned to civilian life in 1945 and joined the City of Pueblo Fire Department, where he retired as captain after 32 years of service.
Other Memories
At 17, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was assigned duty on the USS Ralph Talbot DD-390, where he obtained the rank of machinist mate second class (MM2). The destroyer was assigned to the Pacific Theater and engaged in several major battles in WWII in the South Pacific, including Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, and the Battle of Midway on June 3, 1942. He was awarded seven battle stars; the American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, WWII Victory Medal and the Navy Good Conduct Medal. He returned to civilian life in 1945 and joined the City of Pueblo Fire Department, where he retired as captain after 32 years of service.
Chain of Command
Machinists Mate School, Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, Ill.
Other Memories
At 17, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was assigned duty on the USS Ralph Talbot DD-390, where he obtained the rank of machinist mate second class (MM2). The destroyer was assigned to the Pacific Theater and engaged in several major battles in WWII in the South Pacific, including Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, and the Battle of Midway on June 3, 1942. He was awarded seven battle stars; the American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, WWII Victory Medal and the Navy Good Conduct Medal. He returned to civilian life in 1945 and joined the City of Pueblo Fire Department, where he retired as captain after 32 years of service.
Criteria The American Defense Service Medal was awarded for service in the Armed Forces between September 8, 1939, and December 7, 1941. Army members had to serve 12 months to be eligible, but Navy and Marine ... The American Defense Service Medal was awarded for service in the Armed Forces between September 8, 1939, and December 7, 1941. Army members had to serve 12 months to be eligible, but Navy and Marine Corps members were eligible based on any length of service. MoreHide
Description
At 17, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was assigned duty on the USS Ralph Talbot DD-390, where he obtained the rank of machinist mate second class (MM2).
On 1 September 1945, Ralph Talbot escorted the USS Portland, sister ship of the Indianapolis and the lead of its class, from Guam to Truk and on the 2nd stood by as the Japanese formally surrendered that island fortress during ceremonies aboard the cruiser. Returning to Guam on the 3rd, the destroyer sailed for Saipan, Okinawa, and Japan on the 5th and, into October, operated off southern Japan and Okinawa, getting underway for the United States on 29 October. The war was finally over.
Ralph Smith returned to civilian life at the end of 1945 and joined the City of Pueblo Fire Department, where he retired as captain after 32 years of service.