September 2, 1942 - Wednesday - 80 years ago today

Status - John Skinner - USS O'Brien:  

Task Force 17 merged into Task Force 61 on August 29th. At that point, Task Force 61 had three carriers again.

Operation Watchtower

On the 30th, just after Task Force 17 had merged into the Task Force 61 carrier force, a torpedo attack damaged the Saratoga.  Saratoga was drifting, and then under tow, before regaining power several hours later.  Saratoga, only recently back in service after repairs for a previous torpedoing, was ordered to Pearl Harbor, and continued to grow a reputation as an unlucky ship.

Admiral Fletcher went to Pearl Harbor also, and then was called to Washington; Admiral King was not approving of his actions in the various Pacific battles so far.  Fletcher was reassigned and eventually commanded in the North Pacific and Alaska, but never did command a carrier force again, despite his battle experience, mostly due to King's opposition.

Saratoga's planes were divided between Wasp, the newly named Cactus Air Force on Guadalcanal, and other land bases.  (The Navy had taken to code-naming its bases after flowering plants, and Cactus seems appropriate for the rough and tumble existence at Henderson Field).

Task Force 61 continued to patrol in the Coral Sea.  The remainder of Task Force 11 (Saratoga's remaining escorts) were formed into a new surface task force, to confront Japanese surface ships, especially the destroyers delivering men and supplies to Guadalcanal.

U. S. Navy Task Forces:

• Task Force 16 (Enterprise) was returning to Pearl Harbor to repair battle damage to Enterprise.
• Task Force 11 was disbanded.  Saratoga returned to Pearl Harbor for repairs.
  
• Combined Task Force 61 remained on patrol in the Coral Sea near Guadalcanal.
  
• Task Force 17 (Hornet) -> TF 61
• Task Force 18 (Wasp) -> TF 61
  

More Information:

• Official Navy Chronology, pp. 246-248.
  
•  The First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign,  John B. Lundstrom, pp 164-177.
• The Struggle for Guadalcanal, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 104-117.
• Neptune's Inferno, The U.S. Navy at Guadalcanal, James D. Hornfischer, pp. 118-126.
  

 

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