USN Submarine vs IJN Aircraft Carrier: The Pacific 1942-44

80 pages

Kevin Billings

Mark Lardas’ USN Submarine vs IJN Aircraft Carrier examines the pivotal confrontations between U.S. Navy submarines and Imperial Japanese Navy carriers during World War II. Part of Osprey’s Duel series, the book adopts a structured approach, dissecting design, tactics, and key engagements through a lens focused on technological and operational evolution.

Lardas meticulously contrasts the technological trajectories of US Gato-class submarines and Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) Shōkaku-class carriers. He highlights the US transition from flawed Mark 14 torpedoes to effective undersea predators, juxtaposed with Japan’s emphasis on carrier speed and air group size, often at the cost of damage control and anti-submarine defences.

The book delves into the training and doctrine of both forces. U.S. submariners, initially hampered by conservative tactics, embraced aggressive ‘wolfpack’ strategies post-1943. Japanese carriers, reliant on escort screens and evasive manoeuvres, struggled against submerged threats due to inadequate sonar and depth-charge technology.

Case studies like the sinking of Taihō which was torpedoed by USS Albacore SS-218 and Shinano sunk by USS Archerfish SS-311 illustrate the submarines’ growing lethality. Lardas emphasises the role of Ultra intelligence in directing subs to high-value targets, underscoring a symbiotic relationship between code-breakers and frontline forces.

True to Osprey’s style, the book is enriched with period photographs, tactical diagrams, and colour plates depicting submarine attacks and carrier layouts. These visuals enhance understanding of spatial dynamics, such as torpedo spread angles and carrier vulnerability zones.

The book’s strengths are its technical clarity as Lardas excels in explaining complex naval engineering, for example submarine descriptions of pressure hulls and carrier flight deck armour without overwhelming readers.  Lardas creates a cinematic-like tension, particularly Archerfish’s stalking of Shinano, balancing detail with pacing. Moreover, the integration of intelligence breakthroughs and strategic shifts such as the U.S. shifting to unrestricted submarine warfare helps contextualise tactical decisions throughout the narrative

Lardas could have done a better job providing a broader IJN perspective. While US archival sources shine, Japanese viewpoints—particularly carrier crew experiences—are sparse, likely due to source availability.  Also, the narrow ‘duel’ focus occasionally sidelines the broader Pacific War, for example, the submarine campaigns against merchant shipping. Equally, personal accounts from submariners or carrier survivors are minimal, prioritising hardware over human stories.

Lardas’ work is ideal for military history enthusiasts and modelers seeking a concise, technically rigorous analysis of subsurface vs. carrier warfare. While not a comprehensive strategic history, it brilliantly captures the cat-and-mouse dynamics that shaped the Pacific’s naval balance.

USN Submarine vs IJN Aircraft Carrier is a compelling addition to the Duel series, offering a lucid exploration of a critical WWII theatre. Despite minor gaps in perspective, Lardas’ synthesis of technology, tactics, and clandestine intelligence underscores the decisive role of US submarines in neutralising Japan’s carrier supremacy.