Skip to content
Home/ Fabled Fifteen: The Pacific War Saga of Carrier Air Group 15
Fabled Fifteen: The Pacific War Saga of Carrier Air Group 15

Fabled Fifteen: The Pacific War Saga of Carrier Air Group 15

by McKelvey Cleaver, Thomas
No customer reviews yet ISBN 9781612002576

The record of Carrier Air Group 15 in World War II is astonishing by any measure: it scored 312 enemy aircraft destroyed, 33 probably destroyed, and 65 damaged in aerial combat, plus 348 destroyed, 161 probably destroyed, and 129 damaged in ground attacks. Twenty-six Fighting 15 pilots became aces, including their leader, Commander David McCampbell, who became the U.S. Navy's "Ace of Aces." Twenty-one squadron pilots were killed in action and one in an operational accident aboard the carrier Essex.

The fighter squadron's partners, Bombing Squadron 15 and Torpedo Squadron 15, scored 174,300 tons of enemy shipping, including 37 cargo vessels sunk, 10 probably sunk, and 39 damaged. As well, Musashi, the world's largest battleship, was sunk, along with a light aircraft carrier, a destroyer, destroyer escort, two minesweepers and other craft--plus the Zuikaku, the last surviving carrier that participated in the Pearl Harbor attack. Incredibly, every pilot of Torpedo 15 was awarded the Navy Cross, the highest award for bravery after the Medal of Honor.

All of this took place between May and November, 1944. No other American combat unit in any service came close to a similar score in such a short time period. Air Group 15 participated in the two greatest naval battles in history, the Philippine Sea--also known as the Marianas Turkey Shoot--and Leyte Gulf, which saw the end of Japanese naval power. On June 19, 1944, Fighting 15 shot down 68.5 attacking Japanese aircraft, a one-day record unmatched by any other U.S. fighter squadron.

In documenting the saga of Air Group 15's momentous six months at war, the author provides an intimate and insightful view of the group's fabled combat tour, including details of daily life and human interactions aboard the fleet carrier USS Essex during the busiest phase of the Pacific War.

About the author

Product details

Pub dateOct 6, 2014
ISBN-101612002579
ISBN-139781612002576
LanguageEnglish
Last updated 2026-03-15 09:15
$23.14 $32.95 29% off
You save $9.81 · list price $32.95
In stock soon — order now to reserve your copy
Delivery by Thursday, September 10, 2026
Qty
Sign in to Add to Saved list
Free delivery on orders over $35.
15-day returns. Any reason.
Secure checkout. We never store card details.

Readers who bought this also bought

More from History | Wars & Conflicts | World War II - Pacific Theater
See all
Burma Road: The Epic Story of the China-Burma-India Theater in World War II
Webster, Donovan
$15.82
Lost in Shangri-La: A True Story of Survival, Adventure, and the Most Incredible Rescue Mission of W
Zuckoff, Mitchell
$14.16
Lost in Shangri-La: A True Story of Survival, Adventure, and the Most Incredible Rescue Mission of W
Zuckoff, Mitchell
$21.00
Rescue at Los Baños: The Most Daring Prison Camp Raid of World War II
Henderson, Bruce
$11.39
Frozen in Time: An Epic Story of Survival and a Modern Quest for Lost Heroes of World War II
<p><strong>#1 <em>New York Times </em>bestseller!</strong></p><p><em>Frozen in Time</em> is a gripping true story of survival, bravery, and honor in the vast Arctic wilderness during World War II, from the author of <em>New York Times </em>bestseller <em>Lost in Shangri-La</em>.</p><p>On November 5, 1942, a US cargo plane slammed into the Greenland Ice Cap. Four days later, the B-17 assigned to the search-and-rescue mission became lost in a blinding storm and also crashed. Miraculously, all nine men on board survived, and the US military launched a daring rescue operation. But after picking up one man, the Grumman Duck amphibious plane flew into a severe storm and vanished.</p><p><em>Frozen in Time </em>tells the story of these crashes and the fate of the survivors, bringing vividly to life their battle to endure 148 days of the brutal Arctic winter, until an expedition headed by famed Arctic explorer Bernt Balchen brought them to safety. Mitchell Zuckoff takes the reader deep into the most hostile environment on earth, through hurricane-force winds, vicious blizzards, and subzero temperatures.</p><p>Moving forward to today, he recounts the efforts of the Coast Guard and North South Polar Inc. - led by indefatigable dreamer Lou Sapienza - who worked for years to solve the mystery of the Duck's last flight and recover the remains of its crew.</p><p>A breathtaking blend of mystery and adventure Mitchell Zuckoff's <em>Frozen in Time: An Epic Story of Survival and a Modern Quest for Lost Heroes of World War II </em>is also a poignant reminder of the sacrifices of our military personnel and a tribute to the everyday heroism of the US Coast Guard.</p>
$13.00
Midnight in Broad Daylight: A Japanese American Family Caught Between Two Worlds
Sakamoto, Pamela Rotner
$14.16