The Battle of the Philippine Sea (fought June 19–20, 1944, between U.S. and Japanese fleets in the Pacific) was the largest carrier-to-carrier battle of World War II and a major victory for the United States.
With the American invasion of Saipan creating a direct threat to the Japanese home islands, Japan decided to force the American fleet into a decisive naval battle to prevent American control of the Marianas. However, over the two-day battle, the Japanese lost more than 400 carrier aircraft, in addition to three carriers, essentially ending Japan’s ability to carry out any more major carrier actions for the remainder of the war.
Learn more about the Battle of the Philippine Sea through historical newspapers from our archives. Explore newspaper articles, headlines, images, and other primary sources below.