Join us this Saturday!
Special Presentation:
Battle of the Philippine Sea – the Death of Japanese Naval Airpower
Followed by (weather permitting) a Flight of Our Brewster F3A Corsair!
Saturday, May 20, 2023
Museum opens 8 a.m.
Presentation 9 a.m.
Corsair Flight 10 a.m.
The Battle of the Philippine Sea, June 19-20, 1944, was the last great aircraft carrier battle of World War II in the Pacific. It pitted elements of the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet against ships and aircraft of the Japanese Navy's Mobile Fleet and nearby island garrisons, and resulted in elimination of the Japanese Navy’s ability to conduct large-scale offensive carrier actions.
This was the largest carrier-to-carrier battle in history, involving 24 aircraft carriers deploying roughly 1,350 carrier-based planes. The aerial part of the battle was nicknamed "The Great Marianas Turkey Shoot" by American aviators because of the large losses inflicted on Japanese aircraft by American pilots and anti-aircraft gunners. The victory was primarily due to highly trained American pilots with superior tactics and greater numbers.
On Saturday, May 20, Museum lead docent and retired USAF fighter pilot Ashby Taylor will present the complete story of this important battle. The Museum will open at 8:00 a.m. and the presentation will begin at 9:00 a.m. Weather permitting, the presentation will be followed at 10 a.m. by a flying demonstration of the Museum’s Brewster-built F3A-1 Corsair, the only example existing in the world today ... and it's airworthy!
