The Great Marianas Turkey Shoot occurred in which battle that effectively destroyed Japan's carrier airpower?

• A. Battle of Midway
• B. Battle of Leyte Gulf
• C. Battle of Coral Sea
• D. Battle of the Philippine Sea

Answer: (D)

The main idea here is understanding how air superiority at sea can cripple an opponent’s ability to fight from carriers. In the Battle of the Philippine Sea, the United States built a decisive advantage in air power during a vast carrier operation in the Marianas in June 1944. The battle earned its nickname, the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot, because Japanese fighter aircraft and pilots were shot down in extraordinarily high numbers while American fighters, aided by improved radar, long-range escort fighters, and coordinated strike control, suffered far lighter losses. With their air arm effectively decimated, Japan’s carrier fleets could no longer contest American air operations at sea, removing Japan’s ability to project carrier-based airpower in future battles.

By contrast, battles like Midway and Coral Sea occurred earlier and did not represent the final destruction of Japan’s carrier air forces; and Leyte Gulf, while a monumental defeat for Japan, is not the engagement most associated with wiping out their carrier airpower.