July 20, 1942 - Monday - 80 years ago today

Status - John Skinner - USS O'Brien:

O'Brien had joined Task Force 17 at  Pearl Harbor.

Operation Watchtower

Amphibious Force, South Pacific Area, is established on July 19th, Admiral Turner commanding.  This will be the command that coordinates the invasions to be conducted in the Solomons.

Several task forces are moving toward the designated meeting point south of Fiji, and will then proceed for landing practice in the Fiji Islands.

U. S. Navy Task Forces:

• Task Force 17 (Hornet) was at Pearl Harbor.  Extensive training was being done during this time.
  
• Task Force 16 (Enterprise) crossed the equator on July 19th and continued toward the South Pacific meeting point.
  
• Task Force 11 (Saratoga) was enroute to rendezvous with Task Force 18.
  
• Task Force 18 (Wasp) with Wasp temporary repairs done, continued towards the meeting point.
  

More Information:

• Official Navy Chronology, pp. 233-234.
  
•  The First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign,  John B. Lundstrom, pp 19-27.
• Coral Sea, Midway and Submarine Actions, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 261-277.
• Neptune's Inferno, The U.S. Navy at Guadalcanal, James D. Hornfischer, pp. 1-25
  

 

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