Admiral William Halsey’s Third Fleet had tangled with a typhoon named Cobra in December 1944 east of Luzon with disastrous results. One of the recommendations of a court of inquiry was to establish regular aircraft reconnaissance flights to patrol for signs of developing tropical cyclones. This practice still had not been implemented seven months later as Halsey’s fleet was near Okinawa on June 2, 1945.
Navy forecasters reported that a developing typhoon would pass directly over Okinawa. So Halsey sailed east, out of harm’s way, he believed. Halsey’s fleet was now accompanied by a command ship with radar. The Ancon’s radar located the typhoon, but its’ center was not west of the fleet, but rather to the east and heading right toward them. The Ancon issued a warning, but messages had to be coded, and this cost the fleet five hours!
The typhoon, with wind gusts to 150 mph struck the U.S. Third Fleet in the Pacific west in open seas for the second time in seven months. Seas were as high as 60 feet. Winds were sustained at 115 mph with gusts to 150 mph. Thirty three ships were destroyed along with 76 airplanes. Six U.S. sailors died.
Admiral Nimitz ordered a second court of inquiry, which actually recommended that Halsey be relieved of command, but because of his stature as a hero, this was not done. The incidents became known as “Halsey’s Typhoons.â€
