Admiral Marc Mitscher

Ship formation used during daylight of Task Force 58. In a round circle the carrier flag ship is at the center. To its port and starboard are two other carriers, with a light carrier behind it. Surrounding them are battleships, cruisers and destroyers. This formation, called 5-VD, is used when the probability of air attack is high and that of submarine attack is low.

US Navy Task Force 58 Ship Formations

February 21, 2024

Readers familiar with the US Pacific Fleet in World War II know that the US carriers would sail into harm’s...

Map of the Pacific Theater from the book, "Carrier War."

Who Says Admirals Don’t Have A Sense of Humor?

July 15, 2022

I’ve been immersing myself in “all things Task Force 58,” which means reading books such as “The Fast Carriers: The...