Philippine Sea, Battle of the, was fought between Japanese and United States forces during World War II (1939-1945). The naval battle took place on June 19 and 20, 1944, and ended in a decisive U.S. victory. The Philippine Sea, part of the Pacific Ocean , spans some 1,600 miles (2,570 kilometers) east of the Philippines to the Northern Mariana Islands . Because of the lopsided nature of the American victory, some people called the battle the “Great Marianas Turkey Shoot.” 
Background.
On June 15, 1944, the United States began an invasion of Saipan , a Japanese-held island in the Northern Marianas. Japan sent a naval force to destroy the U.S. fleet that was supporting the invasion. The Japanese force included 9 aircraft carriers with about 430 warplanes. Japan also had 43 seaplanes and about 100 warplanes on nearby islands. The U.S. naval force included 15 carriers with 956 warplanes. The goal of both fleets was to destroy the enemy aircraft carriers.
The Americans entered the Battle of the Philippine Sea with a great advantage over the Japanese in air power. Their planes were better and more numerous. Nearly all the U.S. Navy fighter planes in the battle were Grumman F6F Hellcats. The Hellcat, introduced in 1943, was designed specifically to defeat Japan’s best fighter plane, the Zero . The Hellcat was faster than the Zero, and it carried vastly more armor and firepower.
American pilots also had advantages in skill and experience. Many of Japan’s veteran pilots had been killed in earlier battles. By June 1944, most Japanese pilots had relatively little training. Many of the American pilots facing them were experienced veterans. Even new U.S. pilots had up to two years of training.
The battle.
On June 19, 1944, about 330 Japanese warplanes attacked the U.S. fleet west of Saipan . American Hellcats and antiaircraft fire destroyed or severely damaged more than 250 of the attacking planes. Just 30 U.S. planes were lost. American submarines sank the Japanese carriers Shokaku and Taiho, killing nearly 3,000 Japanese sailors. One Japanese bomb hit the U.S. battleship South Dakota, killing 27 sailors.
On the evening of June 20, U.S. Navy Hellcats, dive bombers , and torpedo bombers attacked the remaining Japanese ships. They sank the carrier Hiyo and severely damaged the carriers Chiyoda, Junyo, and Zuikaku. Another 80 defending Japanese planes were destroyed. Just 20 U.S. planes were shot down. Low on fuel, about 80 U.S. planes ditched in the ocean or crashed during dangerous nighttime carrier landings. All but 49 U.S. pilots and aircrew survived.
Aftermath.
In the two great carrier battles and surrounding action, 5 Japanese ships were sunk, including 3 aircraft carriers. Thousands of Japanese sailors died. The Japanese lost some 480 warplanes, along with 445 pilots and aircrew. The U.S. Navy lost 130 warplanes, but just 50 in combat. Most of their crews survived. The Navy lost no warships.
