The 19th of June 1944, as the sun set over the Philippine Sea, witnessed the final hours of JN Ho, one of the aircraft carriers that had once been the backbone of the Imperial Japanese Navy’s carrier aviation force. Flames burned fiercely, the ship’s hull tilted dangerously, and hundreds of sailors fought for the survival of their vessel.
This was not merely the end of a warship, but a symbol of the collapse of Japanese carrier power in the Pacific. I JN Ho had a special origin. Initially laid down as a luxury passenger liner named Izumo Maru, but when war broke out, the design was changed to convert her into an aircraft carrier. Launched in 1941 and commissioned in July 1942, HEO measured 219 meters in length, had a standard displacement of 24,140 tons, and could carry approximately 53 combat aircraft.
Unlike aircraft carriers designed from the outset for military purposes such as Shokaku or Zuikaku, Hio carried within her technical limitations from her civilian origins. The propulsion system was unstable with a maximum speed of only 25 knots, lower than Japan’s first rate carriers.
However, in the context of carrier scarcity following heavy losses at Midway, HYO remained a valuable asset. During her two years of service, Hio participated in many important campaigns. The ship was present at the Battle of Santa Cruz in October 1942, supported operations in the Solomon Islands, [music] and participated in defensive campaigns in the Central Pacific.
Each time she launched aircraft, pilots from Ho’s [music] deck fought bravely. But gradually, the Japanese Naval Air Force was being worn down by irreplaceable losses. In June 1944, the Pacific War had entered a critical phase. American forces were attacking the Marana Islands. An important chain of islands within Japan’s inner defense perimeter.
If the Maranas fell, American B29 bombers could directly attack Japan’s home islands. This was a red line that Tokyo could not afford to lose. Admiral Suimu Toyota, commander and chief of the combined fleet, activated plan Ago, a decisive campaign aimed at destroying the American carrier force. This mission was assigned [music] to Admiral Jisaburo Ozawa, commander of the first mobile fleet.
Ozawa assembled a considerable force. Nine aircraft carriers carrying a total of 473 aircraft along with five battleships, 13 cruisers, [music] and 28 destroyers. However, this number concealed a painful reality. The quality of Japanese pilots had declined severely. The experienced aces from Pearl Harbor and Coral Sea had mostly perished.
In their place [music] were young pilots hastily trained with few training flight hours and lacking real combat experience. Many of them had only a few dozen flight hours before boarding carriers. Facing them was Task Force 58 under Vice Admiral Mark Mitcher, the most powerful force ever assembled in the Pacific. 15 aircraft carriers carrying nearly 1,000 aircraft escorted by seven new battleships.
21 cruisers and 69 destroyers. American pilots were well trained, their aircraft more modern, especially the F6F Hellcat, the Zero Killer. The American radar and air defense command system had developed to the point of being nearly impenetrable. Within Ozawa’s formation, HiO belonged to carrier fleet C, also known as car div 2, commanded by Admiral Takaji Jooshima.
Alongside HiO were the carrier Juno and the light carrier Ryuo. This was the weakest force among Ozawa’s three carrier groups deployed at the rear of the formation about 100 nautical miles north of the main force. On the morning of the 19th of June 1944, [music] HEO carried 27 aircraft, zero fighters, Judy dive bombers, and Jill torpedo bombers.
This number reflected the decline of Japanese naval aviation. Previously, Hyo could carry over 50 aircraft, but Ozawa no longer had enough aircraft and pilots to fill his carrier decks. Ozawa’s plan relied on one important advantage, range. Japanese aircraft could attack from greater distances than American planes. Ozawa hoped to attack the American fleet while remaining outside counterattack range.
Moreover, Japanese aircraft after attacking could land at airfields on Guam and other Mariana’s islands to refuel, then attack again when returning to carriers. Theoretically, this was a clever plan, but reality would prove it a deadly illusion. At dawn on the 19th of June, tension aboard Ho was thick enough to cut with a knife.
The crew prepared aircraft, loaded ammunition, filled fuel tanks. Young pilots checked their equipment, many unable to hide their anxiety. They knew they were facing the most powerful enemy yet. At 0830, American radar detected the first attack wave from Ozawa’s fleet. 69 Japanese aircraft were heading toward Task Force 58.
This attack originated from carriers in fleets A and B, not from Ho, but their fate would foreshadow tragedy for the entire Japanese naval air force that day. The American response was swift and deadly. The radar-based combat direction system allowed them to launch interceptors from long range. Dozens of F6F Hellcats were launched, guided precisely to the Japanese aircraft positions.
American pilots had trained in tactics to counter the zero. They didn’t enter old style dog fights, but used the Hellcat’s advantages in speed and durability. Dive down, fire, then accelerate away. The result was disaster. In the first attack wave, only 20 Japanese aircraft survived to return. The others fell into the sea in droves, shot down by Hellcats or destroyed by anti-aircraft fire from the American fleet.
But Ozawa didn’t recognize the scale of the disaster. Poor communications systems and false reports from surviving pilots led him to believe the attack had damaged the Americans. He ordered continued attacks. At 0900, a second attack wave with 130 aircraft was launched. This time, aircraft from HO and other ships in Cardiv 2 participated.
Young pilots from Ho’s deck flew in formation, heading south where the American fleet waited. Once again, American radar detected them early. Once again, Hellcats were launched to intercept. In the air, inexperienced Japanese pilots faced veteran American warriors, obsolete [music] tactics, inferior aircraft, weaker skills, all converged [music] into a predetermined outcome.
American pilots later described that day’s air battle as a turkey shoot. Japanese aircraft fell in waves. The cumbersome Jill torpedo bombers moving slowly were easy targets. The Judy bombers didn’t even reach the American fleet. The Zero, once king of the skies, was now prey for the Hellcat.
The second attack wave lost 98 of 130 aircraft. Survivors flew to Guam to land as planned, but there they were intercepted by Hellcats from carriers and land-based American aircraft. There was no safe haven. At midday on the 19th of June, Ozawa launched a third attack wave with 47 aircraft. Once again, they met the steel wall of Hellcats and anti-aircraft fire.
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Only a few returned. The fourth and final attack wave was launched in the late afternoon. 82 aircraft, primarily from Cardiff 2, including Ho. But this time, due to poor coordination, many aircraft became lost. Some didn’t even find the American fleet. Those that did were intercepted. Only half returned. When darkness fell on the 19th of June, Ozawa had lost approximately 350 aircraft in one day, nearly 3/4 of his air strength.
Meanwhile, America lost only about 30 aircraft, mostly due to operational accidents. Not a single American warship was sunk or seriously damaged. Aboard HiO. The atmosphere was frighteningly silent. Many aircraft didn’t return. Many pilots, friends, comrades were missing. The ship remained intact, not yet directly attacked, but her air strength had been severely depleted.
The crew worked through the night repairing damaged aircraft, refueling, preparing for tomorrow. [snorts] But in everyone’s hearts, they knew they were losing. What Ozawa didn’t yet know was that while his aircraft were being slaughtered in the air, two of his other Tigers had fallen beneath the waves. The carrier Taihaho, Japan’s newest and largest carrier, was torpedoed by the submarine USS Albaore early in the morning.
Initially, the damage seemed minor, but gasoline vapor accumulated, and in the evening, a massive explosion tore the ship apart. Taihaho sank with 1,650 sailors. The carrier Shokaku, one of the veterans from Pearl Harbor, was also attacked by the submarine USS Cavala. Three torpedoes hit their mark. Fire and explosions spread throughout the ship.
A few hours later, Shokaku also sank, taking more than 1,200 men with her. Ozawa had lost three carriers and more than 2/3 of his aircraft in just one day, but he still hadn’t withdrawn. He still believed he had damaged the Americans and victory could still be achieved. >> It was a fatal mistake.
Dawn on the 20th of June 1944 broke over the Philippine Sea with an eerie calm. Aboard HiO. The crew was exhausted after a night of non-stop work. The remaining aircraft had been prepared, but everyone knew their air strength had been devastated. Ozawa finally recognized the scale of the previous day’s disaster and was considering withdrawing to the Northwest, but he hadn’t completely abandoned hope.
Meanwhile, on the American side, Admiral Spruent, commander of the fifth fleet, had not permitted Mitch to pursue the Japanese fleet during the night. >> Spruent [music] worried this might be a trap, and his priority was protecting the landing force at [music] Saipan. This decision was controversial. Many believed that if permitted, Mitcher could have completely destroyed the Japanese fleet during the night.
But on the morning of the 20th of June, scout planes from Task Force 58 were launched, sweeping for traces of Ozawa’s fleet. For hours, they found nothing. Ozawa was farther to the northwest than predicted, and the American scout plane’s operational range was nearing [music] its limit.
At 15:40 in the afternoon, an Avenger scout finally discovered the Japanese fleet. Coordinates were immediately sent back to TF58. >> Mitcher faced a difficult decision. The Japanese fleet was 275 nautical miles away near the operational limit of American aircraft. If they attacked now, aircraft would have to return in darkness with fuel running low.
Many pilots would have to land at night. An extremely dangerous operation even under ideal conditions. Casualty rates from accidents could be very high. But this was the only chance to destroy the Japanese fleet. If they missed it, Ozawa would escape into darkness and they might never find him again.
Mitcher made the decision, attack. At 1621, 216 aircraft from TF-58 carriers were launched. 95 F6F Hellcat fighters, 54 SB2C Helldiver dive bombers, and 51 TBF Avenger torpedo bombers along with some aircraft from smaller squadrons. They flew northwest, chasing the setting sun, knowing they would have to return in darkness.
>> Aboard Ho, air raid warnings sounded at approximately 1730. Ships in Ozawa’s fleet immediately increased speed, changed course, created smoke screens to disrupt targeting. Air defense systems were placed on highest alert. But after the previous day’s losses, Ozawa no longer had enough fighters to form an effective air defense screen.
Only a few dozen zeros could take off, and they were quickly overwhelmed by escorting Hellcats. Around 1720 to 1740 in the evening, American aircraft arrived over the Japanese fleet. The sun was setting, staining the sky orange red. It was a beautiful but deadly scene. The hell divers began diving at steep angles, targeting the carriers.
Anti-aircraft guns roared like a storm. Black clouds of flack filled the sky. Surrounding destroyers and cruisers concentrated fire trying to create a steel wall. Hi was executing violent evasive maneuvers, turning the rudder left and right, trying to avoid falling bombs. Several bombs exploded near the ship’s side, creating giant water columns.
But up to this point, Hio had not yet taken a direct hit. After the Hell Diver attack, it was the TBF Avengers turn. These cumbersome aircraft carried the most lethal weapon against warships, the Mark1 13 torpedo. They flew low, skimming the water surface, advancing toward the carriers. This was a suicide mission, flying straight into dense anti-aircraft fire.
But the American pilots were well trained and determined. A TBF Avenger from the carrier USS Bellow Wood, piloted by Lieutenant George Brown, broke through the wall of fire and dropped his torpedo from close range. The torpedo streaked through the water, leaving a white wake, heading straight for Ho’s starboard side.
On the bridge, they saw the torpedo wake approaching. Orders to turn the rudder were given, but it was too late. With a mass of over 24,000 tons, Ho couldn’t turn fast enough. The torpedo struck the starboard side near the middle of the hull in the worst possible location, right at the aviation fuel storage area and near the ammunition magazine.
The terrible explosion shook the entire ship. An orange red fireball erupted, blowing away thin armor plates, tearing open the hull. The shock waves spread throughout the decks, knocking down standing sailors. But that was only the beginning of the tragedy. Aviation fuel began to burn. Flames spread with horrifying speed, fed by gasoline and lubricating oil.
Thick black smoke began rising from inside the ship. Temperatures soared, turning the below deck compartments into hell. The electrical system was heavily damaged. Lights went out in many areas. Fire pumps lost power. Internal communications were interrupted. In darkness and smoke, the crew tried to orient themselves, seeking ways to fight the spreading flames.
The ship’s speed decreased sharply. The propulsion system was affected by the explosion and fire. From 25 knots, Hio gradually slowed to 15. then 10 knots. The ship began losing maneuverability, becoming an easier target. On deck, firefighting teams sprang into action. They pulled hoses trying to spray water on the fire.
But without electricity, water pressure was weak. Some brave men carrying handheld fire extinguishers rushed down to below deck compartments trying to reach the fire’s epicenter. Temperature and toxic smoke made this nearly impossible. Meanwhile, American aircraft continued attacking the fleet.
Other ships were also hit. The carriers Zuikaku, Chioda, and Ryuo all took bomb hits, but damage wasn’t severe. Other warships were also attacked. But Hio was that day’s worst casualty. By approximately 1,800 hours, it was clear the situation aboard Ho was dire. The fire wasn’t being controlled, but was spreading further.
Firefighting teams had tried their utmost, but it wasn’t enough. The flames were now creeping toward the main ammunition magazine. If fire reached there, the entire ship would be torn apart. Admiral Jooshima, commanding Cardiv 2, was aboard the nearby Yunyo, watching Hio burning. He ordered destroyers to move closer to prepare for rescue.
But with battle still ongoing, this was extremely dangerous. On Hio’s bridge, Captain Toshiuki Yokoy, the ship’s commanding officer, faced the most difficult decision of his career. The ship was listing more and more toward the torpedoed side. Seaater was flooding in through the large hole. Pumping efforts couldn’t keep pace.
>> The ship was slowly capsizing. Around 1900 hours, fire had reached near the ammunition magazine area. Extreme heat was causing metal bulkheads to glow red. Ammunition in the magazine began sensing the heat. These were the final moments. Yokoy gave the order. All crew, abandon ship. The order was passed throughout the ship from mouth to mouth in compartments without electricity.
The crew began moving to the deck. Many helped wounded comrades. In smoke and darkness, they found their way out. Life jackets were distributed. Life rafts were lowered into the water. The crew began jumping into the sea. The night water was ice cold, but still better than the burning hell aboard ship. The destroyers Akishimo, Shigur, Mishio, Hamakazi, Samidare, and Hayashimo risked moving close, lowering boats to pick up survivors. This was dangerous work.
At any moment, Hio could explode, and the destroyers could be caught up in it. 1932 hours. About 2 hours after being hit by the torpedo, the inevitable occurred. Fire reached the main ammunition magazine or accumulated gasoline vapor caused a massive internal explosion. The terrible explosion tore out Ho’s heart.
A giant fireball rose hundreds of meters high, illuminating the entire sea. The shock wave could be felt from ships kilome away. Metal fragments flew everywhere. The entire midsection of the ship seemed lifted above the water, then collapsed. After the massive explosion, Ho broke in too, or was damaged so severely she lost all structural integrity.
Bow and stern sections began flooding rapidly. The ship rolled to one side. The wide flight deck that had once been the landing place for dozens of aircraft now tilted at a grotesque angle. Those still aboard the ship, those trapped, too severely wounded to move, or those who had chosen to remain until the end, now had no chance of survival.
Seawater rushed in with terrifying force, filling compartments, corridors, dragging the ship downward. Within a few minutes after the massive explosion, Ho disappeared beneath the surface. The flight deck slid down for the last time, creating a large whirlpool, pulling debris and final smoke columns with it.
Then nothing remained but ocean waves and survivors swimming in darkness. I JN Ho had sunk to the bottom of the Philippine Sea at approximately 15° 30 minutes north, 135° 15 minutes east, along with 247 crew members, 35 officers, and 212 sailors. Approximately 1,400 people were rescued by Japanese destroyers that night and the following morning.
Captain Yokoy, although wounded and intending to go down with his ship, was swept away by the water and rescued by the destroyer Mishio. The battle of the Philippine Sea ended with a complete defeat for Japan. Besides Hio, they also lost Taiho and Shokaku. Two oilers, Hayasui and Geno Maru, were sunk. More importantly, they had lost over 600 aircraft and approximately 445 pilots and air crew, a loss the Japanese naval air force could never recover from.
Ozawa withdrew with his crippled fleet to Okinawa. His remaining carriers had virtually no aircraft. The Japanese Navy would never again be able to organize a large-scale carrier campaign. For America, this was an overwhelming victory. They lost only 130 aircraft, mostly due to running out of fuel or accidents during night landings on the 20th of June.
49 pilots and air crew perished, but many were rescued. No warships were sunk. The Maranas fell in the following weeks. From airfields on Saipan, Tinian, and Guam, B-29 bombers began [music] strategic bombing campaigns against Japanese cities. The path to the war’s end had been opened. Hio, a ship born from a civilian design, had served the Japanese fleet for two turbulent years.
She was not the strongest or most famous carrier, but she had fought in every major battle after Midway. Her pilots and crew had fulfilled their duty until the final moment. Today, Hi Yo’s wreck still lies silent on the bottom of the Philippine Sea, more than 3,000 m below the surface. A quiet memorial to those who sacrificed on her decks, and a symbol of an era that had closed when Japanese carrier power, which had once shaken the Pacific, was finally extinguished in fire and seawater.
Disclaimer : This content may be created by AI for entertainment purposes. Any resemblance to real persons, events, or places is coincidental.
