021 - Ghosts of the Pacific

…but where, exactly, are the American Aircraft Carriers?”

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It is likely that question ran through Admiral Yamamoto's mind after the attack. Indeed, it may haven been on the minds of the folks back in the States, too

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 For the sailors aboard the American carriers, they were out to sea, unable to help their fellow midshipmen. However, that may have been a stroke of luck. The mere fact they weren’t at Pearl Harbor that morning meant they avoided the fate of the midshipmen aboard the West Virginia, Maryland, Oklahoma, Arizona, along with the rest that perished.

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Only three ships were assigned to the Pacific Fleet, and of those, only two within a day's sailing from Hawaii. The Lexington was delivering 18 dive-bombers to Midway Island. Midway was thought to be one of the first places the Japanese might attack. In fact, the Battle of Midway would have to wait six long months. After the attack on Pearl, the Kido Butai was feared to be lurking in the Pacific. The Lexington was called to run Combat Air Patrol just north of Hawaii,

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Husband Kimmel, Commander of the Pacific Fleet, believed that Wake Island's proximity to Japan made it a vital wartime location. He sent the Enterprise to Wake just a week earlier. The Enterprise delivered 6 F4F Wildcats (six of the same eight destroyed by “Nell” bombers) and a squadron of U.S. Marine Pilots of VMF-211 to Wake Island. Among those were the heroes responsible for the first sunken Japanese ships, a pair of destroyers, named Yubari and Hayate.  As soon as the commanders from the Enterprise heard the calls from Pearl, they returned to Pearl to refuel and reequip the Enterprise for escort duty in the Western Pacific .

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At the time of the attack on Pearl, the Saratoga was moored at Naval Base San Diego, Fighter Squadron 3 and its collection of 11 F4F Wildcats as well as the 43 SBD Dauntless planes that comprised Bombing Squadron 3 and Scouting Squadron 3 were training at Naval Air Station San Diego. Soon, they’d embark and deliver 14 fighter planes to Pearl Harbor before leading a relief effort to Wake Island as the flagship of Task Force 14.

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Likewise, the Yorktown and Hornet, famous for their contributions to the Battle of Midway Island, had been at port on the East Cost, receiving an upgrade to their anti-aircraft batteries with the new 20mm Oerlikon Cannons. The Yorktown was in Newport News in Rhode Island and the Hornet was at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia. 

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Meanwhile, the Ranger and Wasp, two of the oldest carriers in the American Fleet, were both assigned to duty in the Atlantic.

Although the Americans suffered heavy losses at Pearl, Admiral Yamamoto knew that if he couldn’t find and sink the American Carriers, not finding them at Pearl Harbor could be the Japanese Navy’s greatest mistake of all.

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