Philippines 1944: Third Fleet's first victory over Japanese land-based airpower (Air Campaign, 50) Paperback – November 26, 2024

thank you

Part of Osprey's AIR CAMPAIGN series, Edward Young's PHILIPPINES 1944 recounts the various air attacks launched against Japanese air and naval bases in the Philippines in September 1944 by TF 58 Helldivers, Avengers and Hellcats. The campaign was the first of its kind, pitting carrier air power verses land-based air power. Quite successful, the Americans claimed to have destroyed over 800 Japanese aircraft in the air or on the ground and sunk 150 ships. Whatever the actual results, the most important impact of those attacks was to advance the invasion of Leyte by two months! Young does a good job of providing the rationale for the attacks and summarizing the subsequent air action. Recommended.

I really enjoyed the narrative on the operations of Task Force 38 in the Philippines.