Clifton Sprague - World War II

World War II

At Oakland, California, Sprague took command of the cargo ship Tangier (AV-8) which was being converted into a seaplane tender in July 1940. Tangier was commissioned on August 25, 1941 and shortly thereafter transited to Bremerton, Washington to load torpedoes. At her homeport in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Tangier was mated with Fleet Patrol Wing Two. Tangier was berthed at F-10 on the Northwest side of Ford Island on the morning of December 7, 1941. She was one of the first ships in the harbor to open fire and engaged several Japanese aircraft throughout the morning. Tangier was credited with downing three aircraft. As a result of his leadership at Pearl Harbor, Sprague was promoted to captain on January 3, 1942. In early 1942 Tangier saw service at New Caledonia.

Sprague was assigned as Air Officer of Gulf Sea Frontier, Miami, Florida in June 1942. His duties involved improving defenses, keeping the sea lanes open, and countering the German U-boats on the Southeast coast of the United States. Upon achieving his goals he was transferred in March 1943. In April 1943, Sprague was transferred to Naval Air Center, Seattle, Washington, where he served as Commander of the base and nearby Naval Air Station Sand Point. This duty ended abruptly when he was assigned as the Commanding Officer of the newly constructed fast fleet carrier Wasp (CV-18) in October 1943.

Arriving at Bethlehem Steel Company Fore River Yard near Boston, Massachusetts, Sprague took command of Wasp where she was commissioned on November 24, 1943. The carrier was quickly sent to the Pacific where she joined the war against the Japanese. Her first combat missions were to destroy enemy aircraft, installations, and surface craft on Marcus and Wake Islands in May 1944. In June 1944 Wasp participated in the invasion of Saipan and the Battle of the Philippine Sea. On July 9, 1944, shortly before leaving Wasp, Sprague was promoted to rear admiral at age 48.

Sprague was designated as Commander Carrier Division 25 on July 23, 1944 with his flag in Fanshaw Bay (CVE-70), replacing Rear Admiral Gerald F. Bogan. In September 1944 his Task Unit supported the Morotai landing.

Sprague's greatest achievement came on October 25, 1944 when his Task Unit 77.4.3 (Taffy III) consisting of 6 escort carriers, 3 destroyers, and 4 destroyer escorts fought off the vastly superior Japanese Center Force at the Battle off Samar. The Japanese force consisted of 4 battleships, 6 heavy cruisers, 2 light cruisers, and 11 destroyers off the Samar Island in the Philippines. The Taffy CVE pilots bombed, strafed, and made dry runs on the battleships and cruisers of Center Force. For the leadership he displayed in this incident, he received the Navy Cross.

On February 19, 1945, Sprague assumed command of Carrier Division 26 embarked on Natoma Bay (CVE-62) for the invasion of Iwo Jima where his unit provided close air support for the Marines ashore. The next month he moved his flag back to Fanshaw Bay for the invasion of Okinawa. In April 1945, Sprague was given command of Carrier Division 2, a fast carrier Task Group and moved his flag to Ticonderoga (CV-14) on June 1, 1945. His Task Group operated against the Japanese home islands of Kyūshū, Honshū, and Hokkaidō. Sprague received the notification of the end of hostilities while steaming 151 miles off the eastern coast of Honshū on August 15, 1945. Four days after the Japanese surrender, Sprague and Ticonderoga entered Tokyo Bay.