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`WORLD WARII
HISTORY
Page 6  Shown on the map
above are the name, date and number for each campaign
that USS Oakland participated in from November 1943-VJ Day 1945.  This web page
was created for my shipmates the entire page is in black text for easy
reading in case you are color blind in your older age. It is so you may
understand what medals and stars that you should have been awarded. The
image and criteria for each medal is shown in page 5, they are shown in
the order that they should appear in a medal or ribbon set. The final
count for the entire period November 1943 to VJ Day 1945 is ten battle
stars.
What you personally are authorized will depend when you severed aboard the Oakland or when you left the Navy. This comment is for all the medals and battle stars shown below. The information
that appears was taken from an original document that I have which is
very yellow with age. I am sure that many of you have the same document
in your cache somewhere about the house.
It reads as follows: Now to get back to some of our operations in the past two years. We jointed the fleet in the fall of 1943 just in time to take part in the Gilbert Island operation. After that we took part in the following operations which permit those of us who have been aboard all along to wear one bronze star on our Asiatic-Pacific Area Campaign ribbon for each operation. 1. (including the) Gilbert Island Operation 2. Marshall Islands operation 3. Bismarck Archipelago operation 4. Western New Guinea operation 5. Asiatic-Pacific Raids 1944 6. Marianas Island, including the famous Battle of the Philippine Sea 7. Western Caroline Islands 8. Philippine Islands, including the Battle for Leyte Gulf End of document This covered the period of 3 November 1943 to 25 December 1944. On 26 December 1944 we started our return to UNCLE SUGAR for much needed overhaul and leaves, this Christmas will be our 60th anniversary. Back then we were happy just to see the next day and most of us would never have given it a thought that we would ever be around to enjoy this special event.  List of the
operations.
November1943-VJ Day 1945 Gilbert Islands operation - 13 Nov to 8 Dec 1943 Marshall Island operation - 29 Jan to 8 Feb 1945 Bismarck Archipelago operation - 15-27 Mar 1944 Supported landings at Emirau Island - 20-27 Mar 1944 Palau, Yap, Ulithi, Woleai Raid - 30 Mar to 1 Apr 1944 New Guinea Operations Hollandia Invasion - 22-24 Apr 1944 Truk, Satawan, Ponape Raid - 29 Apr to 1 May 1944 Asiatic-Pacific Raids - 1944 Truk Attack - 16-17 Feb 1944 Marianas Attack - 21-22 Feb 1944 Marianas Islands operation - 11 Jun to 5 Aug 1944 Capture and Occupation of Saipan - 11 Jun to 10 Aug 1944 First Bonins Raid - 15-16 Jun 1944 Battle of the Philippine Sea - 19-20 Jun 1944 Second Bonins Raid - 24 Jun 1944 Third Bonins Raid - 3-4 Jul 1944 Capture and Occupation of Guam - 12 Jul to 15 Aug 1944 Palau, Yap, Ulithi Raid - 25-27 Jul 1944 Fourth Bonins Raid - 4-5 Aug 1944 Western Caroline Islands - 6 Sep to 14 Oct 1944 Raids on Volcano-Bonin Islands and Yap Island - 31 Aug-8 Sep 44 Capture and occupation of Palau Islands - 6 Sep to 14 Oct 1944 Assault on the Philippine Islands - 9-24 Sep 1944 Leyte operation - 10-26 Oct 1944 Third Fleet supporting operations Okinawa Attack - 10 Oct 1944 Northern Luzon and Formosa Attacks - 11-14 Oct 1944 Luzon Attacks -15, 17-19 Oct; 4, 5-6, 13-14, 19-25 Nov 44; 14-16 Dec 44 Battle of Leyte Gulf - 24-26 Oct 44 Okinawa Gunto operation - 17 Mar to 11 Jun 1945 Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto - 24 Mar-30 Jun 45 5th & 3d Fleet raids in support of Okinawa Gunto operation - 17 Mar-11 Jun 45 Third Fleet Operations against Japan - 10 Jul to 15 Aug 1945 At Last
30
Aug 1945 – Commander THIRD Fleet directed the Oakland to proceed to
Toyka Bay and report to Commander Task Force 31, Commander Naval
Landing Force, Yokosuka.
31 Aug 1945 – Oakland at in Tokyo Bay outside the breakwater of the Yokosuka Naval Base. 2 Sep 1945 – Surrender ceremonies aboard the Missouri were witnessed by the officers and men of the Oakland from their berth nearby. USS
OAKLAND's
Service ribbons with battle stars. 17 July 1943 to VJ Day 1945
All Ribbons are
shown in order of Order of Precedence in the
ribbons charts and the criteria for each medal as shown in History page 5. Medals awarded
to the Commanding
Officers
Captain William
K. Phillips, USN
(Plank owner) Commanding Officer 17 July 44 to 8 August 1945   Letter of
Commendation with ribbon, from
Commander-In-Chief of the Pacific Fleet  "Down Moon"
picket station
Night of 4-5 December 1943 – Attack launched against the Marshall Islands after high speed run-in from the northeast. The Oakland was assigned “down moon” picket station, detached temporarily from her group. While driving off raids, the ship possibly shot down one attacker. Gift to our Captain from the webmaster Captain Kendall
S. Reed,USN
Commanding Officer U.S.S. OAKLAND 8 August 1944 to 27 August 1945  Medals and
Citations
Captain William
K. Phillips, USN
(Plank owner) Commanding Officer 17 July 44 to 8 August 1945 First
taste of action for the U.S.S. OAKLAND, after being commissioned 17
July
1943, at the Bethlehem shipyards in San Francisco, was to the capture
of the
Gilbert Islands from the Japs last 18 to 26 November.
Then, from 27 November to 10 December the U.S.S. OAKLAND aggressively and effectively fought the enemy during a raid on Kwajalein and Majuro atolls in the Marshall Islands. Again the U.S.S. OAKLAND fought gallantly in action during operations against the Japs at Tinian, Saipan and Guam in the Marianas which began last 22 February and continued for six days. For command and leadership of the U.S.S. OAKLAND in these victorious battles her commander, Captain William K. Phillips, a native of Tullahoma, Tennessee, whose family is in Atlanta, GA., has been awarded a silver star medal, gold star medal and commendation ribbon.  The
citation reads:
"For
distinguished service in the line of profession while
in command of the U.S.S. OAKLAND during the action for occupation of
the Gilbert Islands 18 to 29 November 1943."
"The task group of which the U.S.S. OAKLAND was a part, maintained its position within easy bombing range of the enemy bases for eight days and was twice under attack by enemy torpedo planes. One of these attacks was pressed home to close quarters in the face of heavy anti-aircraft fire from our ships, but only one of our vessels was damaged. His courage and intelligent leadership not only brought his own ship through safely, but materially contributed to the defense of the entire task group and the success of its mission." "His actions were in accordance with the highest traditions of the naval service," Captain
William K. Phillips,
commander sound screen of a carrier task group, and as commanding officer of the U.S.S. OAKLAND was awarded a Gold Star in lieu of a second Silver Star medal. 27 November to 10 December 1943. The
citation reads:
"For gallantry and intrepidity in action as commander sound screen of a carrier task group, and as commanding officer of the U.S.S. OAKLAND during the period from of 27 November to 10 December 1943." "On the night of 4-5 December, subsequent to air attacks by United States Naval aircraft on Kwajalein, his ship was ordered to take station to destroy enemy aircraft attempting to trail the task group. For seven hours Jap aircraft were in the vicinity and for more than five hours persistent aerial torpedo attacks were made against our forces." "Throughout this period, his ship repeatedly and effectively fired upon attacking aircraft causing them to withdraw." "Theaggressiveness and effectiveness with which the gunfire of the OAKLAND was employed was an inspiration to our forces." "The efficiency and determination of the personnel under his leadership were indicative of the ability and devotion to duty of the commanding officer." Letter
of Commendation with ribbon
Commander-In-Chief of the Pacific Fleet The citation reads: "For distinguished
service in the line of his profession
and for gallantry in action during the operations against the Japanese
bases at Tinian, Saipan and Guam in the Marianas on 22 February 1944."
"In this action for the first time in the war in the Pacific, a carrier task force was discovered by the enemy and obliged to fight its way to its objective." "Throughout these operations he at all times fought his ship with courage and skill. During the night of 21-22 February the screen of which his ship was a part of shot down at least eight enemy planes in flames and drove off all others before they could inflict damage upon the task force." "The excellence of his performance in the execution of his duties contributed greatly to the success of our mission and was in keeping with the highest traditions of the naval service." Captain
Kendall S. Reed, USN
Commanding Officer U.S.S. OAKLAND 8 August 1944 to 27 August 1945 Was awarded a Silver for the period of 1 September to 1 November 1944. "Although the
medal was awarded to me as an individual,"
Captain Reed said, "I regard it as a decoration belonging to the ship and its personnel. I merely accepted on their behalf." I don't have the citation or it would appear here. The webmaster
This
Web Page was created by and
is maintained by Paul D. Henriott Lastupdated 31 March 2005 |
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