w• · the nor~ coopoeition of a carrier tr.ek cro~ ie 1 cv, ... low vi•ibility, etc.,...
TRANSCRIPT
• SECRET .... , 11, 1941.
DB IIICU!AJil OP tD IUft
Ia n .. or tM lateat dnUc>PMDU 1D tile lolatbna\ hoUS..' I atwl• liM to ba'll a ltul7 ude 1D HIU'Il \o '" , ... 1 t botll nlaU.C to Mak ron .. IDI&&lDI 1D • lilll\M ob1eoUn openU••
1. ltoald a. .. .,. ocaaue~ uallll, t.n part o~ Ia 'llbol.e, 5 of tile ... a,ooo tea Jl.De. 1Jl plaoo et 1 c.A. •~ c.L.? tbia pntl• would .... , of ...,,,, ~ v•• of C.YI. ~ oar own foroee ut ~ ODMIIr foro•• u .. u. J. lbat 11 -. nl.aU'IO IIDU-.lnran total rue et 5 or taa. ... Jl.s.., •Ub t1&U uu.u.nn .. ,ter, .. , .. ···w• tote to\al uu.u.nn t1H b)' - of tho la'"' t)'po c • .u. • c .... t
Copies to : Adoi:ral Leahy Admiral King
P. Do llo
• i tl
..
Regraded Unclassified
-
Septembe~ 16 , 1942.
IIEI.IOIWfDU¥ FOR
I do not know who in the lila't)' Depa~tment p~epa~ed thia reply, but when :you read H IUid re-~aad it :you will !1n4 it ia no reply at au.
the~e ia one exception t o this. J.t the end or the aacond pa&a and the top or t ho third page the compariaoo between ~ea c~ae~• and 9 2100-ton deat~o:ye~a be&1Da to look !aYorabl:y to the dea~:r•~• ·
Even that ia not a wholly f air piot~ because on a tonnage basis three C.la or CLa would be equal to twelve or thirteen DDa. In the laat analyJia, the~•
a r e only ho advantagea tlla. t three C.U or t.lu'ea CLa have over twelve DDa:
(a) 8 inch or 6 inch guna, to be uaed against ene~ surface orart.
(b) G~ea ter ability to IIUiintaln speed 1n aeawa:y.
I atill reel that if I were 1n ca..and of a ca~~iar I would rather be protected by !r011 e1c.bteen to twenty modem DDe than I would bJ two or ~· C.la or CLa and with th• a1x to ten eodern DDa.
:you? I th.ink this should r e.:a1 Ye further a twly -- don 't
F. D. R.
I
~------------------------------------------------~· i i I Regraded Unclassified
• NAVY DEPARTMENT
WASHINGTON
• ·-~'tT'O
TNII. ~Ain" 01' TN& NAVV .......... ...,..,. --(SC).l&-1 (OS6eooA/GRC)
SECRET ~;ust 16 , 1943
Vio.: J.dmro.l Leclly.
Subject : Co~oo!tion of Carri er Task Or~• - Cruioora vo ?100- ton Des'troycra .
Ref er ence : Your cemo of Aueu&t 12th.
1 . C~ioa of the roferenco were ecnt by your office to ~ral Kl.nr; ~nd to .Admirol Locl>.y , the 1.<>tter then diacUAsinc the mtter dirncUy with .Admircl Kinr; . ':!hie reply """ p repucd in the HeadqUArter& of the U. S. ?l.eot .
3. The nor~ coopoeition of a carrier tr.ek cro~ ie 1 CV, 2-3 CAs or new CLo, and 6-10 oodern DDs . T~~. compositio~ ie based o.n the promiso that eire=ote.neee are 111<o1;r to eriee whore the carrier io oubjected to:
(a) cir attack b;r boub or torpedo , aa from lend- onoed or •hlp- based plane ;
(b) torpedo att~ek by eub3ar1no;
( c) surface ntt~ck by gunfi re . as froc c~F,err or other G"J.T! n.ce ehipe .
3. 'i'ho OV heroolf c.nn, to &otto derreo, \'t..l"d off eir c.ttnck: 'by u.oe of hor own :gl o..nos and bet tory , but require a uaistt"..nce in counter ing sub;;w.rine and eurte.co ntto.ck. ':'he enUaera (CAs or new OLe) p r ovide , rotection ncBinst rurfcee o.tto.ck C.'td ocoinot air ttttnek. Tbe destroyer• provide p r otection aeainct ·~b~ne end oi~ nttnek nnd, to $Omo doe-roe, against &W"t'a.eo nttnctc .
4 . Tho concept - tlnd t ho effect - of tho eompoeition of tho norPnl carrio~ taak groun ia therefore one of te~work , offonai vo na well ns defensive , pnd eo i s not to be viewed !rom onti- aircraft eonei~erations clone , &a anti - suboerine rn~ ~ti-cruiaer eonaidorn tiona must enter intO 1 ta COtJ:;~Oai tion, rutbrr, cor.r1dorcti ona Of ~'01\ther,
I I . I
••
Regraded Unclassified
• NAVY DEPARTMENT
SliGRET WASHINGTON
l!l:l!ORAllDU!! J'OR ~li!l PP.ESIDP!r.'r:
Via : Admiral Loeh;r.
• ~~·'IV T'H& -..::MT.UW Otr TH& NAVY
AHD_...l'O~ --(SC)AZ-l (OS6600A/GRC)
SubJect : Comoei tion of Oc..rrier 'la.ak Groupe - Cruieerc va 2100-ton Deairoyera .
oea conditions . low vi•ibility , etc., "-Mat be ineluAod in order thnt we m.o:t be reuone:oly 're!)sred for eventUC'.lltice .
5 . I n the carrier c;rou, , the cruir.er!: tt.re disposed r elative to tho CD.r·rier so ns t o eovc r ~:Dovn or suspect ed "dar.r·er bear1.n.&t 11 of cnoey eu.rfc..ee or eir forces . Destro;.rera are diS"")oacd so ,_, to counter oubcnrine nnd/or cir nttnok ; their diS?o•iti on ia ~lexiblo end their ,oaitiona are diversified aa necaeeary to counter th~ ~;pe of ntteck rnoet likaly to be expected. 'ihon the nU::lber o! destroyera per curier tc.ak crou:> cnn bo increased. or ia es laree re 8-10. it ~v be .,.,rtl.ctice.blo to uu !rom 3 to 5 of then acninst our!ece r1ttnck.
6 . Th& now 2100- ton DDs n.re erJect ed. to 'be e~loyed in curler tnGl: (;l"OU,s na thc:.r becott<! avo.ilc.ble and as a,cr atine noedt end circur..stanceu -veroi t . ~he crl:'lQ.i.'lent of these shipa . and that of the CAs Md "'"' CLs is:
S\U"!'nce:
Anti-air:
?l.OO ton l>D
5 5 inch
Toryedoee
5 5 inch
9 B inch
B 5 inch (llo te :l)
16 40 ""
CL (ney)
12 6 inch
1 2 5 inch
B to 16 40 "'"
lL B. - (1) ZO = · AA GWlJI <U"e eontidored uoe:l'ul priPnril;r :or Ol"ft ahi? defenso .
( : ) llev OAo luwe AA bnttecy of 12 5 inch lllld 16 40 ""· i n 4 O.lll'-dru:>l e Moun to .
? . The aompe.rieon botwoon 3 CAs or n<• CLo t.nd 9 ZLOO- ton DDs . ~r to r~ti-aircraft fire rlone 1 1~ :
lio. o' -un ~letfor~a (or r.un >:1'01.."!'8 )
' .
I i ·· /I
Regraded Unclassified
Jl 0 • •
NAVY DEPARTMENT
---~~YT'O
TMC e.a.TAIW 01' THC NAvY .... _._ 1'01MfnM.lt --(SC).U-1
(036600A/GRC)
&l&CRET 'IVASIIINCTON
Vio:
SubJoce:
Admiral LoaJl:r.
Cor.moa~ tion of Carrier '!r11k OrOU!)I - CruiserR ve 21.00-ton Oceir oye!'a .
- - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - -- - - - - - - -- - - - - -- -
l:otal 5 inch
o:'otal 40"""
CpUaer
Z4 !or CA; :sf !or CL (!loto l)
D""'tro·n;:r
Secretr~ of the ~erJ .
I
I
Regraded Unclassified
/ • ~,l4i•/ THE SECRETARY or THE NAVY
~s:-c ~ ET W AIO HINCOTON
"gT~~ l · I 1 llt:!D't'-11DU11 for 1'be Prell 1111t .
Via: OCT 23 1942
Subjec t : COIO;<>aitt"" of C•n-i er T"..U Groupe .
Rerere.neee: l our a -ra d Au?USt 12 and S. tA-ober 16.
1. 1'be uesti ono prnsentod i n your m•ol"Mdum of .t.ugu·t 12 wor r oferr ed to the Genel"'\1 Board for etudy Md re)'Or t . For )'<>Ur conveni ence, tll• non of the Board are di~oated h"r c1n.
2 . 1'bo explicit replJ' to tho oc01 1 u••ti"" in 'fO'JJ" '"""'or..ndwo of Au~at 12 11 u foll001e :
Pe1At 1ve M T· t 1 Fi.re of 5ll'la YS let.\ r GL
8• CA or
Tvne ~ 6 • CL ~ 1,0 .... 20 = · CA - "SALTI>IORE" 1 9 12 I, QUilda . 13
CL - •c~F~·o• 1 12 12 2 ~lunda 17 2 Tdina
DD 2050 too 5 '5 10 ':'>ina 20
'nl •• ti;;ur•~ :.r• w-.d olelJ' Clll nu:a'> r o!' "".lM tr • .ta:.l"<! . ~ .. ac tual fire o er 'Nal1 ed thM"fl!"~ i -- or. •u:: ~ :':laa o..s i1 . oa1ti<"n r antra 1n f """t1CIIl , '*'r1nc • tY"<' c.f trrgct (hcr1· • tal bomber, din b""'"er, t<.r~o J·l.Me)
.) . 111" fir t ue t1"1l in your .,.,.,or ·lum of AUCU-'' 1 , in apite of th• foct that , ton fo"r" ton , u .. odon> clutr o:· can -ut ur a hODvi•,r AA fire th1.J\ t'.ny ot1-l r t~ e , is n -.r~;d in t'"'f" nef" t1V'l , f"r t r o th t. t!\o qu• ti.,., ""' no1 be YlO'ied ·r""' antit>ircrlft ct 1.rle t.i'll'te 1 "" · The t~t r c :x: sirferatJ. r • o!" iv r e r..1.ture , trh1e.J ,.- , 1n t ·r.-~te , of ~-e. , rro1.t r wet.-. AA fire er r..:"t!l :
(a) Corrlore o.ra .• L ly "U.ln n'blo t<> hell rtn :m t r:IN<t nttAe~, • e • r 1 <>f cno:· • ecnd1Uonn 1n th air, '" y nr:a -ro1 c 1 ' frAt 1·. '! "et au f c• o."1lea . T i t.a led to t rc ..... t\on or •eo.rrl.•r n-oupe• . &l1 1t 1 ~· C<":rrl. ~ ~ron 1 t\l't:: r tbt; thu <: ·t--ier !Llone, t..h~t fOl"!U :l unit of n t.a I< force .
- 1 -
'1 I _,
Regraded Unclassified
• • N"VY T~SECRET"RY OF THE
SEC R E I w-.•o. oN <> ,.o N
1i 1!.£ .B lH
IIF.IIO!WIIl!]M for Tho Preoi dent .
ViA: A<kliral Lenhy.
Subject : COI!lposition of Carris r Tnsk Gr oupo .
(b) Taok forces , of which n carrier group moro often ~~nn not fc>nns a }'U't, must be V'U"i ed i n caoposition according t o tho task to ~}e 1 orformed . In sme casas an n.1l destroyer escort ·.ould btt BUitable. In others it r.ould l e unouitablc .
(c) A carrier ' s defenses against llir attack, in ordo1· of thUr effectiveness are:
(l) her o•m planes ( 2) her own AA bcltt&ry (3) AA fi1·e froo shi ps i:> COlll)lanY
(d) The compe.rnti vo vnJ.uo of cruiser and destr oyer protoctiO!'l a.gainct mLrface o.nd sul::ma.rine attack can not be o.ccu.retoly cvn.luatod . Tbe former, for obvious reaf'cns , are incomparably su~rior against surf~>ce attack and their planes s.r<> of great a : s i otunce at times against oith<>r . The latter nave tho ad\'llntaao ntnin..t subm-u-ino attack .
(e) Commonders of high echelons should heve nt t heir di sposal any and all types or ships which 00\7 G.idst t t o permit mc.ximum f'lexibili ty in Mkiil!l up task forces to ceet th~ Tfide range of r e. ·uir.,ont9 . To do tnis o£foct1vely they are likely to nc ed destroyers , eruisors of All cl(lssos , anci even _"net battleships , i n various co~binations .
4 · The present ~hortnge of cruisers i s critical . As nore can·irr s becooe ava.ilabl~ , tho situo.tion in thi s reerect \"dll grovt rorse instead or better . The General BoaJ-d t.'-lerefore reeom:nonds af"ainst c.ny chonr,o in the building progrwn which wouJ.<; reduce the n=ber of cruiser s neTt pr oject ed or delay the cocopletion of t hose wuler cons truction .
FIWIK KNOX
. I
Regraded Unclassified