| Original caption: “A burning Japanese torpedo-bomber falls after being knocked down by artillery from American warships.” On November 22, USS Yorktown (CV-10)’s air group concentrated upon installations and planes at Mili once again. Before returning to Pearl Harbor, the aircraft carrier made passing raids on the installations at Wotje and Kwajalein Atolls. That morning, December 4, the carriers started to launch their planes against the targets. Shortly after noon, Japanese aerial activity increased; and, at 1250 Hours, San Francisco came under attack. 3 torpedo planes closed her on the port bow. Her guns splashed 2. The 3rd was shot down by Yorktown. But the cruiser had been strafed several times. 1 man had been killed; 22 were wounded. After dark, the Japanese returned; and, on that night, Lexington was torpedoed. The force moved north and west. Shortly after 0130 Hours the next day, December 5, Japanese planes faded from the radar screens. The day after that, December 6, the ships headed back to Pearl Harbor. USS Yorktown reentered Pearl Harbor on December 9 and began a month of air training operations in the Hawaiian Islands. United States Navy Lieutenant Commander Edward Steichen (March 27, 1879 – March 25, 1973) was due to be removed from proximity to active combat duty due to his age – he was in his mid-sixties. He successfully appealed that decision and instead boarded the USS Lexington (CV-16) with Lieutenant Victor Jorgensen (July 8, 1913 – June 14, 1994) to journey from Hawaii to the Gilbert Islands for Operation Galvanic – the invasion of the Gilbert Islands and air operations to support the Battle of Tarawa. This assignment would lead to some of Steichen’s most memorable images of World War II. After the war, he compiled his photographs and written reflections from this period into “The Blue Ghost,” a photographic log documenting his tour of duty on the Lexington. Steichen was appointed director of the newly established Naval Photographic Institute 6 months before the end of the war. He oversaw approximately 4,000 combat crew photographers in addition to his original unit. Following the declaration of Allied victory, the unit was swiftly demobilized, and Steichen concluded his active service on October 22, 1945. He was awarded the Navy’s Distinguished Service Medal. His work with the Navy formally ended the following year with the release of United States Navy War Photographs, a collection of a 100 images from his Naval Aviation Unit. | |
| Image Filename | wwii1643.jpg |
| Image Size | 1.13 MB |
| Image Dimensions | 2656 x 2053 |
| Photographer | Edward Steichen |
| Photographer Title | United States Navy |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | December 4, 1943 |
| Location | |
| City | |
| State or Province | Kwajalein |
| Country | Marshalls |
| Archive | National Archives and Records Administration |
| Record Number | NWDNS-80-G-476250 |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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