"Naval Tactics - World War II" Topic

My interest in naval warfare during WWII has just been piqued. I'm looking for book suggestions that discuss naval tactics? I'm interested in the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Pacific.

I'm hoping to understand the different formations used by the different fleets. I'd also like to understand what maneuver was used when two groups of ships met in combat. I'm sure tactics were different for carrier task force engagements in the pacific vs. convoys meeting destroyer groups in the Mediterranean.

I'm planning on using my new knowledge to try out some naval rules. It's always good to have some background!

Thanks for the help.

Lead

Battle History of the Imperial Japanese Navy by Paul S. Dull gives good detail for the Japanese in the Pacific.

History of US Naval Operations in WW2 by Samuel Eliot Morison has a lot of detail for the US in all theaters. But it's 15 volumes.

Second the Morison recommendation. You can find it
in many public libraries, or probably inter-library
loan.

The volumes on the Solomon campaign, Mariana's,
Aleutians, and Bismarck's (Vols. V, VI, VII, and VIII)
are useful for what you're seeking. Japanese
dispositions and fleet formations are given also, as
much as Morison could determine them at the time.

Later scholarship has revealed differences to Morison
in some actions, for the Japanese.

Dull is a sound recommendation as well.

For the Mediterranean, Morison Vol. IX covers the USN
quite well. Unfortunately, there's a LOT more to that
theater than just US involvement, about which Morison
is, if not totally silent, very uninformative.

For the rest of the Mediterranean, there are any number
of excellent works published primarily in the UK.
I don't recall the title of the multi-volume work
published in the UK, but (from the two books I've seen
and read) it would be perhaps better a reference for
RN,Commonwealth and the Italians than Morison is for the
US.

Royal Navy's tactics was usually to attack anything and everything…The Italians was usually to run like hell!!!!!! ;)

Each naval engagement would be different and although there were 'fighting regulations' in war there are so many circumstances!! What sort of ships are you looking to fight with? Big battle wagons, cruisers, destroyers or really light stuff like PT Boats or Trawlers??

Ah, well so long as I can get this from just 4 of the 14 volumes….

Actually I had the same question about WW1. I think an Osprey on the subject would be great! I was looking for something that would orient me to the thinking of the time about the use of destroyers vs. armored cruisers, etc.

The basic tactical formation for surface combat remained what it had been for the previous 200 years: the Line Ahead. Lots of variations and exceptions, of course, but by far the most common method was one or more single-file lines of ships maneuvering to bring the maximum firepower against the opposing enemy lines.

EC, 'an Osprey on the subject' wouldn't begin to
explain much.

Lead Pile's original question seemed to indicate an
interest in formations. For that, the referenced
Morison's (5 volumes, not 4, and the balance of the 15
are not dealing with task force versus task force,
but other issues) and British works seem to fill the
bill.

If the question is really 'How were (insert ship type)
used ?', well, there are many many works addressing that,
and the classification of a 'type' varied by nationality.
French 'Fantasque' class DD's, for example, were viewed
as flotilla leaders by the French, and as a sort of
'junior light cruiser' by some other navies.

Get radar fix. Shoot, shoot, shoot. Tactics.

Well, for a full listing of Morison's works, go to our website and type in Morison (one "r" and one "s").

Highlights:

1-70900 Morison, Samuel EliotHISTORY OF US NAVAL OPERATIONS IN WORLD WAR II Classical work that covers all operations.15 vol, 5500 pgs 2001 EDISON, BOOKSALES INC
NEW-dj ……$195.00

1-70901 Morison, Samuel Eliot BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC, THE: 1939-1943 History of U. S. Naval Operation in WWII, Vol #1 Index, many maps, very detailed 15 volume set.1 vol, 432 pgs 2001 EDISON, BOOKSALES INC NEW-dj ……$13.00

1-70902 Morison, Samuel Eliot OPERATIONS IN NORTH AFRICAN WATERS: 10/42-6/43 History of U. S. Naval Operation in WWII, Vol #2,Index, many maps, very detailed 15 volume set.1 vol, 297 pgs 2001 EDISON, BOOKSALES INC NEW-dj ……$13.00

And so on…

Dennis from OMM
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