 The Japanese response to the Marianas operation was an order to its main surface fleet to attack and annihilate the American invasion force . Shadowing American submarines tracked the Japanese fleet into the Philippine Sea as Admiral Spruance joined his task force with Admiral Mitscher 's to meet the enemy . New Jersey took station in the protective screen around the carriers on 19 June 1944 as American and Japanese pilots dueled in the Battle of the Philippine Sea . That day and the next would cripple Japanese naval aviation ; in what would become known as the " Marianas Turkey Shoot " , the Japanese lost some 400 planes for less than two dozen American aircraft in return . This loss of trained pilots and aircraft was equaled in disaster by the sinking of the Japanese aircraft carriers Taihō and Shōkaku by the submarines Albacore and Cavalla , respectively , and the loss of Hiyō to aircraft launched from the light aircraft carrier Belleau Wood . In addition to these losses , Allied forces succeeded in damaging two Japanese carriers and a battleship . The anti @-@ aircraft fire of New Jersey and the other screening ships proved virtually impenetrable ; two American ships were slightly damaged during the battle . Only 17 American planes were lost in combat . 
