South China Sea Raid 1945: Halsey’s Hunt for Japan’s Supply Ships

On January 12, 1945, U.S. carrier aircraft struck Japanese convoys, tankers, and ports along the coast of French Indochina. Why had Admiral William Halsey brought Task Force 38 into the South China Sea, and what happened when the Japanese capital ships he hoped to find were absent? This World War II naval history follows the operation from its connection to the Lingayen Gulf landings to the devastating attacks around Saigon and Cam Ranh Bay. Explore how carrier aviation, reconnaissance, and difficult weather shaped a raid against Japan’s maritime supply routes-and why merchant shipping became such a consequential target in the Pacific War. Sources: https://www.history.navy.mil/research... https://www.history.navy.mil/content/... https://www.history.navy.mil/content/... #WWII #WorldWarII #PacificWar #SouthChinaSeaRaid #TaskForce38 #AdmiralHalsey #USNavy #NavalHistory #CarrierAviation #MilitaryHistory