May 17, 1942 - Sunday - 80 years ago today

Status - John Skinner - USS O'Brien:

On May 17th, O'Brien was based at Pago Pago, and would remain there for several weeks doing local escort duty.

Strategy

The Japanese high command had formed a new plan for further operations; first, the Midway operation that Admiral Yamamoto had planned for some time, after that, a new attempt at the capture of Port Moresby, and then a thrust toward the south Pacific (New Caledonia, Fiji, Samoa, and other islands) to cut the connection between Hawaii and Australia.  

With their six fleet carriers and a few smaller ones, this seemed realistic to them.  The US Navy had only two fully operational carriers (Enterprise and Hornet) plus the damaged Yorktown.  Carrier USS Saratoga would finish repairs in early June.  Also, carrier USS Wasp would be coming from the Atlantic later in June or in July.

The Navy was having some trouble getting airplanes and troops from the Army for the island bases being established between Hawaii and Australia.  The priority remained with the war in Europe, and materiel and men were being sent to England in the hope of soon opening a second front in western Europe.  An invasion of North Africa was also under consideration.

Task Force 16, with its two carriers, was attempting to attack a Japanese invasion force at Ocean and Nauru islands near the Gilberts.  On the 16th, Admiral Halsey was attempting to get Task Force 16 through the intervening search areas when he got a message from Admiral Nimitz to come to Pearl Harbor as quickly as possible.  The Yorktown task force received the same orders. 

The Navy code breakers had manged to interpret the partially decrypted Japanese fleet messages and had concluded that the next attack would be in the central Pacific.  The exact target wasn't known yet; it could be Midway, or a direct attack on Hawaii.  Hawaii was the most critical location for the Navy and had to be protected, whatever else might be lost.  Thus the gathering of all operational carriers near Hawaii.

U. S. Navy Task Forces:

• Task Force 17 (Yorktown)  was ordered to Pearl Harbor for repairs.
  
• Task Force 16 (Enterprise and Hornet), was also ordered to Pearl Harbor to meet the expected Japanese attack in the central Pacific.
  

More Information:

• Official Navy Chronology, pp. 195-197.
  
•  The First South Pacific Campaign, John B. Lundstrom, pp. 121-164.
  

NEXT POST: MAY 21ST