USS Yorktown Hellcat Combat Debut (South Carolina)
Task Force 15 approached Marcus Island before dawn on August 31, 1943.
Aboard USS Yorktown, VF-5 pilots climbed into their untested F6F Hellcats for the type’s first combat mission iton the Pacific Theatre.
The results were devastating. Four air strikes pounded the atoll into rubble. The Hellcat had announced its arrival with authority.
Here’s what happened that day, and how you can walk the deck of USS Yorktown at Patriots Point Naval Museum.
The F6F Hellcat’s Rapid Development
The Navy needed a better fighter to beat the Japanese Zero.
The older Wildcat fighters struggled against the Zero’s quick turning and climbing skills. Grumman built the Hellcat with a powerful 2,000 horsepower engine.
The first test model flew in June 1942, with production models ready by October. The Hellcat went from drawing board to combat in just 18 months.
Task Force 15 Under Admiral Nimitz
Admiral Nimitz created Task Force 15 in August 1943 to attack Japanese territory, after nearly two years of defensive fighting.
The task force combined three powerful ships: USS Essex, USS Yorktown, and the smaller USS Independence, grouping the carriers.
Rear Admiral Charles Pownall led this force from Pearl Harbor on August 22, heading straight for Marcus Island.
VF-5 Prepares to Introduce the Hellcat to Combat
Fighter Squadron 5 got the job of taking the Hellcat into battle first which flew from the USS Yorktown under Commander James “Jimmy” Flatley.
Flatley had already shot down many Japanese planes in earlier battles at Coral Sea and the Solomon Islands.
His pilots trained hard to master the new Hellcat before its first real test.
Marcus Island: Target for the Hellcat’s Combat Debut
The Navy picked Marcus Island for the first Hellcat mission. This small Japanese base sat 1,000 miles from Tokyo and 1,200 miles from Wake Island.
Marcus had an airstrip, weather station, and harbor. About 2,700 Japanese troops defended this remote outpost.
Task Force 15 stopped 128 miles from Marcus on August 31, 1943. The ships stayed far enough away to avoid being spotted while preparing their attack.
The First Hellcat Mission Launches at Dawn
Pilots woke before dawn on August 31. At 4:15 a.m., aircraft engines started across all three carriers as the attack began.
Commander Flatley flew one of the first Hellcats into combat. His plane carried extra fuel tanks under both wings so he could lead the attack.
The pilots flew through darkness toward their target. When the sun rose, they reached Marcus Island and caught the Japanese off guard.
Hellcats Destroy Japanese Aircraft on the Ground
American pilots found all Japanese planes parked on the airfield and destroyed them before they could take off by surprise.
Task Force planes flew six attacks throughout the day, making 275 combat flights. They hit many targets, including several large Betty bombers.
The Hellcats’ six machine guns tore through ground targets. By evening, the raid had met all its goals, proving the new fighter worked well in combat.
Combat Losses During the First Mission
Despite the success, the mission cost American lives. Three Hellcat fighters and one Avenger bomber went down during the attacks.
Admiral Pownall had to decide about search and rescue. Worried about Japanese counterattacks, he ordered the ships to leave right away.
This meant giving up the search for downed pilots.
Four pilots and several crew members were left behind. This decision instantly created anger among the other officers.
Command Controversy Clouds Success
Captain Joseph “Jocko” Clark, who commanded the Yorktown, strongly opposed leaving without searching for survivors.
He confronted Admiral Pownall, stating he had the widest yellow streak up your back of any admiral he’d ever seen.
Pownall defended his choice, citing fears of submarines and possible air attacks from nearby Japanese bases.
The Aftermath and Lessons Learned
After the raid, Admiral Pownall praised his pilots: “You have marked Marcus’ face so badly, Tojo won’t recognize him for a long time.”
The mission proved that combining carriers into one force worked well. More planes meant stronger, longer attacks against enemy targets.
Pownall’s career suffered from his cautious leadership. After another disputed decision in December 1943, the Navy removed him from combat command.
The Hellcat Proves Superior to the Zero
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum records confirm that the Hellcat was designed specifically to counter the Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero.
The Hellcat was faster and could climb better above 14,000 feet. At speeds over 235 miles per hour, it could roll more quickly.
The Zero could still turn tighter at slow speeds, but the Hellcat was credited with roughly 75% of all aerial kills by the Navy during WWII.
Visiting The August 1943 USS Yorktown Hellcat
Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum houses the USS Yorktown at 40 Patriots Point Road in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.
The museum opens daily from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. with adult tickets at $29.95 and child tickets (ages 6-11) at $19.95 as of 2025.
The F6F Hellcat display appears on the hangar deck along with other historic aircraft. The self-guided tour takes about 3-4 hours to complete.
The museum offers special guided tours on World War II naval aviation. The Medal of Honor Museum inside the carrier tells stories of naval aviation heroes.
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