November 22, 1944 - Wednesday - 80 years ago today

Status - John Skinner - USS Daly: 

USS Daly (DD-519) - En route to Pearl Harbor

November 19th: Daly en route from Majuro Atoll to Pearl Harbor.  Temperatures 70s, strong breezes.

November 20th:  Continuing to Pearl Harbor.  Temperatures 70s, strong breezes.

November 21st:  Continuing to Pearl Harbor.  Temperatures 70s, strong breezes.

November 22nd:  Still at sea, moving toward Pearl Harbor.   Temperatures 70s-80s, moderate to strong breezes all day. 

-------------------------- 

The Nazi command center known as the Wolf's Lair on the eastern front must be abandoned as Soviet forces approach.   The Allies capture Gielenkirchen on the western front.

US submarine Sealion sinks Japanese battleship Kongo and destroyer Urwakaze with a single spread of torpedoes in the South China Sea.

-------------------------

More Information:

• Official Navy Chronology, pp. 580-582.
• Leyte, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 356-357.
  
• Events of November, 1944
  
• Logbooks of the US Navy at the National Archives, USS Daly, DD-519, November 1944

 

NEXT POST: NOVEMBER 26TH

November 18, 1944 - Saturday - 80 years ago today

Status - John Skinner - USS Daly: 

USS Daly (DD-519) - Seeadler Harbor

November 15th: Arrived at Majuro Atoll, Marshall Islands in the evening and anchored for the rest of the day.  Temperatures 70s-80s, moderate breezes.

November 16th:  In port at Majuro Atoll.  Fueling in the afternoon.  Temperatures 70s-80s, moderate breezes.

November 17th:  Left Majuro at 2 PM, destination Pearl Harbor.  Temperatures 70s-80s, moderate breezes.

November 18th:  Continuing to Pearl Harbor.  Time change at 1 PM.  Temperatures 70s-80s, moderate to strong breezes all day. 

-------------------------- 

Allied troops advanced to the Siegfried Line in western Germany.  The Allies also entered Metz, France.

Japanese carrier Shinyo was torpedoed and sunk.

-------------------------

More Information:

• Official Navy Chronology, pp. 577-580.
• Leyte, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 356-357.
  
• Events of November, 1944
  
• Logbooks of the US Navy at the National Archives, USS Daly, DD-519, November 1944

 

NEXT POST: NOVEMBER 22ND

November 14, 1944 - Tuesday - 80 years ago today

Status - John Skinner - USS Daly: 

USS Daly (DD-519) - Seeadler Harbor

November 11th: At sea all day en route to Pearl Harbor.  Clock change at noon, received mail in the afternoon. Temperatures 70s-80s, moderate breezes.

November 12th:  Continuing to Pearl Harbor. Temperatures 70s-80s, moderate breezes.

November 13th:  Another day at sea. Temperatures 70s-80s, moderate breezes.

November 14th:  Continuing on to Pearl Harbor, fueling in afternoon.  Temperatures 70s-80s, light to moderate breezes.  

-------------------------- 

The Navy continues air attacks in the Philippines and is able to sink a cruiser and 8 destroyers during this time.  Kamikaze attacks become more frequent.

-------------------------

More Information:

• Official Navy Chronology, pp. 574-577.
• Leyte, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 354-356.
  
• Events of November, 1944
  
• Logbooks of the US Navy at the National Archives, USS Daly, DD-519, November 1944

 

NEXT POST: NOVEMBER 18TH

December 14, 1943 - Tuesday - 80 years ago today

Status - John Skinner - USS Daly: 

USS Daly (DD-519) - Pacific Ocean, destination New Guinea

December 11th: At sea all day, temperatures 80s, light winds.  At noon, approximately 1120 miles southwest of Pearl Harbor.

December 12th: At sea all day, temperatures 80s, light winds.  Near equator at noon, about 500 miles north of Funafuti; crossed  equator in the afternoon.

December 13th: Reached Funafuti (now Tuvalu) at 4 PM; changed to time zone GMT +11.  In port the rest of the day.  Temperatures 80s, light to moderate winds.

December 14th:  At sea at 7 AM.  At noon, about 130 mile SE of Funafuti.  Temperatures 80s. light winds.  Next destination is Espiritu Santo (now Vanuatu),

Daly now sailing for the New Guinea/Solomons theater. 

-------------------------

On December 5th, Kwajalein Atoll is designated as the main target for the invasion of the Marshall Islands.  Preparations for the invasion will take several weeks and the invasion will happen at the end of January. 

In the Solomons, fighting continues on Bougainville Island.

Soviet forces captured Cherkasy, Ukraine, which is about 90 miles SE of Kiev.

More Information:

• Official Navy Chronology, pp. 417-418. 
• Aleutians, Gilberts and Marshalls, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 187-206.
• Breaking the Bismarcks Barrier, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 350-360.
• War at the End of the World, James P. Duffy, pp, 1-275.
  
• Events of December, 1943 
  
• Logbooks of the US Navy at the National Archives, USS Daly, DD-519, December 1943

NEXT POST:  DECEMBER 18TH

December 10, 1943 - Friday - 80 years ago today

Status - John Skinner - USS Daly: 

USS Daly (DD-519) - Pearl Harbor until 12/9, then in Pacific Ocean, destination New Guinea

December 7th: Moored all day, shifted berths, temperatures 70s, light breezes.

December 8th: Moored all day, temperatures 70s, light breezes.  Several men reported aboard for duty.  Fueling and ammunition loading in afternoon.  Changed berths again, a few men transferred ashore for other assignments.

December 9th: Finished loading ammunition.  Leaving port at 11 AM, destination New Guinea.  Temperatures 70s, light to moderate breezes.  Steaming with Hutchins, Beale, and Ammen.  Changed time zone.

December 10th:  At sea all day.  Lat/Long positions not recorded.  Temperatures 70s-80s, light to moderate breezes.  Initial destination Funafuti (Tuvalu).

Daly has begun sailing for the New Guinea/Solomons theater. 

-------------------------

US Navy forces raid the island of Nauru in the South Pacific.

In the Solomons, fighting continues on Bougainville Island.  A US airstrip became operational on the island on the 10th.

Fighting intensified in Italy and continued on the eastern front in Belorussia (Belarus).  President Roosevelt completed the Cairo conference and began his return to the US on battleship Iowa.

More Information:

• Official Navy Chronology, p. 417. 
• Aleutians, Gilberts and Marshalls, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 187-203.
• Breaking the Bismarcks Barrier, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 350-360.
• Events of December, 1943 
  
• Logbooks of the US Navy at the National Archives, USS Daly, DD-519, December 1943

NEXT POST:  DECEMBER 14TH

December 6, 1943 - Monday - 80 years ago today

Status - John Skinner - USS Daly: 

USS Daly (DD-519) - Pearl Harbor

December 3rd: Underway 8 AM to 2 PM, otherwise moored.  Safety drills while at sea.  Temperatures 70s, light to moderate winds.

December 4th: Underway 8 AM to 2 PM, otherwise moored.  Anti-submarine drills at sea.  Temperatures 70s, light winds.

December 5th: At sea from 8 AM for the rest of the day.  Torpedo and radar drills.  Temperatures 70s, light winds.

December 6th:  Returned to port at 11 AM, moored rest of day.  Gunnery and tracking exercises.  Temperatures 70s, light to moderate winds.

Daly will be at Pearl Harbor until December 9th before sailing for the New Guinea/Solomons theater. 

-------------------------

Planning was already in progress for the next advance in the Central Pacific into the Marshall Islands, with Kwajalein Island as the focus.  Carriers attack Kwajalein on the 4th, sinking some support ships and damaging two Japanese cruisers.

In the Solomons, fighting continues on Bougainville Island.  A Navy destroyer force (including John's old ship, the Fullam) fought of an air attack from the Japanese.  On land, the perimeter was expanding, but it was slow going.

General Eisenhower is named commander for the Allied Expeditionary Force for the invasion of Europe.  In Italy, fighting continued with an Allied attack along the Moro River.  Soviet troops continued to advance in Belorussia (Belarus). 

More Information:

• Official Navy Chronology, pp. 415-416. 
• Aleutians, Gilberts and Marshalls, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 187-203.
• Breaking the Bismarcks Barrier, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 350-360.
• Events of December, 1943 
  
• Logbooks of the US Navy at the National Archives, USS Daly, DD-519, December 1943

NEXT POST:  DECEMBER 10TH

December 2, 1943 - Thursday - 80 years ago today

Status - John Skinner - USS Daly: 

USS Daly (DD-519) - Pearl Harbor

November 29th: In port all day.  Temperatures 70s-80s, light winds.

November 30th:  In Port all day.  Temperatures 70s-80s, light winds.

December 1st: In port all day.  Temperatures 70s, light winds. 

December 2nd:  Underway 8 AM to 8 PM, otherwise moored.  Executed maneuvering and gunnery drills outside of port. Temperatures 70s, light winds.

Daly will be at Pearl Harbor for just over two weeks before sailing for the New Guinea/Solomons theater.  Mild temperatures and calm winds prevailed for these 4 days.

-------------------------

John F. Skinner. Jr. was advanced in rank from Coxswain to Boatswain's Mate 2nd Class as of December 1st.  BM2c is the 3rd grade rating, and so by the 1942-46 pay charts John would be receiving $100.80 per month after his promotion.

Planning was already in progress for the next advance in the Central Pacific into the Marshall Islands, with Kwajalein Island as the focus. The invasion date was set for mid-January.  This was a bold decision as several islands occupied by the Japanese would be bypassed, or "leap-frogged" in the terminology of the time.

In the Solomons, fighting continues on Bougainville Island. 

President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill met with Stalin at Tehran, Iran, and then returned to Cairo.  The Declaration from the Cairo conference for the first time demanded unconditional surrender from the Axis powers.

More Information:

• Official Navy Chronology, pp. 413-415. 
• Aleutians, Gilberts and Marshalls, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 120-186.
• Breaking the Bismarcks Barrier, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 350-360.
• Events of November, 1943
• Events of December, 1943 
  
• Logbooks of the US Navy at the National Archives, USS Daly, DD-519, November, 1943 
• Logbooks of the US Navy at the National Archives, USS Daly, DD-519, December 1943

NEXT POST:  DECEMBER 6TH

November 28, 1943 - Sunday - 80 years ago today

Status - John Skinner - USS Daly: 

USS Daly (DD-519) - Pearl Harbor

November 25th: In port all day.

November 26th:  In Port all day.  Numerous men transferred out for reassignment to new destroyers or training.  24 new sailors reported for duty on Daly.

November 27th: In port all day.  Numerous men transferred out for reassignment to new destroyers or training.

November 28th:  In port all day.

Daly will be at Pearl Harbor for just over two weeks before sailing for the New Guinea/Solomons theater.  Mild temperatures and calm winds prevailed for these 4 days.

-------------------------

Japanese submarine I-19, author of the devastating attack in September of 1942 that sank the US carrier Wasp and destroyer O'Brien, was sunk by depth charges from destroyer USS Radford near Makin Island in the Gilberts.  Japanese planes made several attacks on the US ships in the Gilberts; no US ships were damaged.  Most US ships would soon leave the area, the target islands having been secured.

In the Solomons, fighting continues on Bougainville Island.  On the night of November 25th, at the north end of Bougainville, the naval Battle of Cape St. George was fought.  The Navy sank 3 Japanese destroyers and had no losses.

President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill, having finished the conference in Cairo, arrived in Tehran on the 28th to meet with Stalin.  Discussions included the plans for a second front in Western Europe, and the plans for Eastern Europe after the war.

More Information:

• Official Navy Chronology, pp. 411-413. 
• Aleutians, Gilberts and Marshalls, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 120-186.
• Breaking the Bismarcks Barrier, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 350-360.
• Events of November, 1943
  
• Logbooks of the US Navy at the National Archives, USS Daly, DD-519, November, 1943
  

NEXT POST:  DECEMBER 2ND

December 7, 1942 - Monday - 80 years ago today

Status - John Skinner: 

John had probably begun, or was about to begin, his trip to Boston to return to the service.  He had been assigned to a Fletcher-class destroyer, the Fullam.  This destroyer was being finished at the Charlestown Navy Yard, and would be commissioned in the late winter.

Home Front

Of course the 7th marked one year since the surprise attack at Pearl Harbor and the country's entry into the war. 

In the book The Darkest Year, in the Epilogue, William Klingaman describes the situation on the 7th.  There was little in the way of commemoration of the anniversary of the attack, and most everyone was working, as the ambitious production goals set by the government were not yet being met but needed to be caught up. Despite some victories, the war front news had been mostly bad, and bloody and inconclusive fighting was still continuing in the South Pacific and North Africa.  A real turn in the tide seemed very far off.  

News had been censored heavily and in general, the public had some mistrust in the government because of this.  Rationing of goods (gas rationing having just begun) and other wartime sacrifices had begun to wear on the citizens at home.  Big business was making profits, but smaller businesses, farmers and other independent workers were suffering.  The government was undeterred in exerting control; it would now decide who went to war and who working in industry at home, and it would exert even tighter control of the flow of all goods, including foodstuffs.  

All of these things, and other issues besides, contributed to tensions on the home front.  Only war victories could in the end relieve the tensions.

See The Darkest Year, The American Home Front, 1941-1942, William K. Kligaman.  The entire book gives an interesting description of the happenings in the US during the first year of war.

------------------------

More Information:

• Official Navy Chronology, pp. 286-287.
  
• The Struggle for Guadalcanal, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 283-373.
• Neptune's Inferno, The U.S. Navy at Guadalcanal, James D. Hornfischer, pp. 378-429.
• The Darkest Year, The American Home Front, 1941-1942, William K. Klingaman

 

NEXT POST: DECEMBER 11TH

August 13, 1942 - Thursday - 80 years ago today

 Status - John Skinner - USS O'Brien: 

O'Brien had joined Task Force 17 at  Pearl Harbor. Admiral Nimitz ordered Task Force 17 to prepare to depart for the South Pacific on August 17th.

Operation Watchtower  .

The marines had established themselves on Guadalcanal and Tulagi, but still needed to fully unload troops and provisions for maintaining their positions on the islands.  However, Admiral Fletcher moved to withdraw the three carriers, and their air cover, even earlier than the proposed time that had caused so much controversy in the pre-invasion meetings.  This left the landing beaches uncovered as troops and supplies came onboard.  Fletcher, however, was determined to preserve the carriers, as the 4 current active carriers would be all the Navy would have for at least the next year.

Battle of Savo Island

Savo Island is a nearly-round, small island that is north of the western side of Guadalcanal.  This gives two natural approaches toward Guadalcanal from the west, one north of Savo island and one south.  Two US Navy cruiser forces were patrolling on the north and south sides of the island on the evening of August 9th. 

The Japanese had thought the US carriers were still in the area and not withdrawing, and so determined to send a cruiser force at night to bombard the landing zones.  This force was not detected by the US cruiser force in time; being taken by surprise, the Allied cruisers suffered heavy losses.  Four heavy cruisers, 3 US and one Australian, were sunk, another cruiser was damaged, and a destroyer was also lost,  

The Navy now had little to cover the Marines in the Solomons.  Transports would continue to bring supplies but this would be dangerous work for now.

U. S. Navy Task Forces:

• Task Force 17 (Hornet) was at Pearl Harbor.  Extensive training was being done during this time.
  
• Combined Task Force 61 supported the invasion of the Solomon Islands beginning on August 7th.
  
• Task Force 16 (Enterprise) -> TF 61
  
• Task Force 11 (Saratoga) -> TF 61
• Task Force 18 (Wasp) -> TF 61

More Information:

• Official Navy Chronology, pp. 239-241.
  
•  The First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign,  John B. Lundstrom, pp 30-33.
• Coral Sea, Midway and Submarine Actions, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 280-282.
• Neptune's Inferno, The U.S. Navy at Guadalcanal, James D. Hornfischer, pp. 32-43.
  

 

NEXT POST: AUGUST 17TH

August 9, 1942 - Sunday - 80 years ago today

Status - John Skinner - USS O'Brien: 

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

Operation Watchtower  .

The US Navy forces approached the southern Solomon Islands and landed forces there on August 7th.  Landings on Guadalcanal went well, and the Marines captured the airfield and set up a perimeter.  On Tulagi there was more difficulty, and Tulagi and 2 nearby islands were captured after some intense fighting over the next two days.  Land-based Japanese air forces attacked several times in the first days, but with little success.

Guadalcanal did not seem to be a critical strategic point, but  it drew in large forces on both sides for many months, and so had an outsized effect on how the war progressed.

U. S. Navy Task Forces:

• Task Force 17 (Hornet) was at Pearl Harbor.  Extensive training was being done during this time.
  
• Combined Task Force 61 supported the invasion of the Solomon Islands beginning on August 7th.
  
• Task Force 16 (Enterprise) -> TF 61
  
• Task Force 11 (Saratoga) -> TF 61
• Task Force 18 (Wasp) -> TF 61

More Information:

• Official Navy Chronology, pp. 237-238.
  
•  The First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign,  John B. Lundstrom, pp 30-33.
• Coral Sea, Midway and Submarine Actions, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 280-282.
• Neptune's Inferno, The U.S. Navy at Guadalcanal, James D. Hornfischer, pp. 32-43.
  

 

NEXT POST: AUGUST 13TH

 

 

The invasion force (now Task Force 61) moved toward the Solomons from the 1st to the 5th, and on August 5th, were about 400 miles from Guadalcanal and Tulagi.  The next day the task force would come within the normal search range of Japanese land-based planes.  

August 5, 1942 - Wednesday - 80 years ago today

 Status - John Skinner - USS O'Brien: 

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

Operation Watchtower  .

The invasion force (now Task Force 61) moved toward the Solomons from the 1st to the 5th, and on August 5th, were about 400 miles from Guadalcanal and Tulagi.  The next day the task force would come within the normal search range of Japanese land-based planes. 

U. S. Navy Task Forces:

• Task Force 17 (Hornet) was at Pearl Harbor.  Extensive training was being done during this time.
  
• Combined Task Force 61 was approaching the Solomon Islands to carry out the planned invasion on August 7th.
  
• Task Force 16 (Enterprise) -> TF 61
  
• Task Force 11 (Saratoga) -> TF 61
• Task Force 18 (Wasp) -> TF 61

More Information:

• Official Navy Chronology, pp. 237-238.
  
•  The First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign,  John B. Lundstrom, pp 30-33.
• Coral Sea, Midway and Submarine Actions, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 280-282.
• Neptune's Inferno, The U.S. Navy at Guadalcanal, James D. Hornfischer, pp. 32-43.
  

 

NEXT POST: AUGUST 9TH

August 1, 1942 - Saturday - 80 years ago today

 Status - John Skinner - USS O'Brien: 

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

Operation Watchtower  .

 Invasion practice continues at Koro Island.  Useful practice is conducted for all operations except landings, as the island's coral reef prevents almost all landing boats from getting ashore.  Commanders are continuing to plan the details of the invasion operations.  Admiral Ghormley, in overall command, reaches the area on August 1st and enters his flagship, USS Argonne.

U. S. Navy Task Forces:

• Task Force 17 (Hornet) was at Pearl Harbor.  Extensive training was being done during this time.
  
• Combined Task Force 61 was at Koro Island near Fiji, practicing for the invasion of the southern Solomon Islands.
  
• Task Force 16 (Enterprise) -> TF 61
  
• Task Force 11 (Saratoga) -> TF 61
• Task Force 18 (Wasp) -> TF 61

More Information:

• Official Navy Chronology, pp. 236-237.
  
•  The First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign,  John B. Lundstrom, pp 27-30.
• Coral Sea, Midway and Submarine Actions, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 280-282.
• Neptune's Inferno, The U.S. Navy at Guadalcanal, James D. Hornfischer, pp. 32-39.
  

 

NEXT POST: AUGUST 5TH

 

 

July 28, 1942 - Tuesday - 80 years ago today

 Status - John Skinner - USS O'Brien:

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

Operation Watchtower  .

On July 26th, the three carrier task forces, along with an allied cruiser task force escorting troop transports, met south of Fiji.  All the task forces were now merged into a new Task Force 61 for the duration of this initial invasion of the Solomon Islands.

Naval officers met the next day to see the full plan for the invasion operation; some had not yet seen any of the plan, and most had not seen the full plan.  Landings and disembarking of troops was expected to last 2 days, and cargo ships would remain for five days to fully unload.  As the islands were almost all tropical jungle, initial supplies had to be brough with the invasion force.  Controversy erupted when Admiral Fletcher, commanding the carriers, would not agree to cover the cargo ships unloading after the first two days.  He felt that the carriers would be vulnerable to attack due to staying in a confined area.

Invasion practice started on the 29th and continued for the next few days on Koro Island near Fiji before Task Force 61 re-formed.

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) joined with other task forces at the meeting point and then participated in practice landings for the upcoming invasion.
  
• Task Force 11 (Saratoga) joined with other task forces at the meeting point and then participated in practice landings for the upcoming invasion.
• Task Force 18 (Wasp) joined with other task forces at the meeting point and then participated in practice landings for the upcoming invasion.

More Information:

• Official Navy Chronology, pp. 235-236.
  
•  The First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign,  John B. Lundstrom, pp 27-30.
• Coral Sea, Midway and Submarine Actions, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 278-280.
• Neptune's Inferno, The U.S. Navy at Guadalcanal, James D. Hornfischer, pp. 32-36.
  

 

NEXT POST: AUGUST 1ST

July 24, 1942 - Friday - 80 years ago today

Status - John Skinner - USS O'Brien:

O'Brien had joined Task Force 17 at  Pearl Harbor.  Although Task Force 17 was not supporting the Solomons invasion, it was still on high alert.  Admiral Nimitz was concerned about another attack on Hawaii while most of the fleet was in the South Pacific.  A single carrier task force was stretched very thin to protect the North Pacific

The Task Force 17 complement was:

• Carrier: Hornet
• Heavy Cruisers: Northampton, Salt Lake City, and Pensacola
• Light Cruiser: San Diego
• Destroyers: Destroyer Division 2

Nearly all of the remaining Sims-class destroyers in the Pacific were in the Hornet's destroyer screen, including Hughes, Anderson, Russell, O'Brien. and Mustin.  The lead ship of the class, Sims, had been lost at the Battle of the Coral Sea when attacked by most of the Japanese fleet, and Hammann was torpedoed after the Battle of Midway while escorting Yorktown; both Hammann and Yorktown were sunk.  Walke and Morris were in port for repairs.

With the plan for regular relief for carriers in the South Pacific, and Saratoga already having had engine repairs enroute, action in the South Pacific would soon be a reality for Task Force 17.

Operation Watchtower  .

Several task forces are moving toward the 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) was continuing 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. 234-235.
  
•  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. 25-32.
  

 

NEXT POST: JULY 28TH

 

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
  

 

NEXT POST: JULY 24TH 

 

 

July 16, 1942 - Thursday - 80 years ago today

Status - John Skinner - USS O'Brien:

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

Operation Watchtower

On the 16th, there was a delay of the Solomons invasion from August 1st to August 7th.  More time was required to assemble and coordinate the invasion forces.

U. S. Navy Task Forces:

• Task Force 17 (Hornet) was at Pearl Harbor and sailed out to conducted intense training exercises for the entire task force from the 13th to the 16th..
  
• Task Force 16 (Enterprise) sailed on July 15th for the South Pacific.
  
• Task Force 11 (Saratoga) was nearing Samoa enroute to rendezvous with Task Force 18.
  
• Task Force 18 (Wasp) was nearing Tongatabu on the 13th when Wasp began to have engine trouble and slowed markedly.  Repairs were done to fix the problem but a future overhaul of the right engine would be needed.
  

More Information:

• Official Navy Chronology, pp. 231-233.
  
•  The First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign,  John B. Lundstrom, pp 19-27.
• Coral Sea, Midway and Submarine Actions, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 261-267.
  

 

NEXT POST: JULY 20TH

July 12, 1942 - Sunday - 80 years ago today

Status - John Skinner - USS O'Brien:

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

Operation Watchtower

There was frenzied activity going on to assemble the invasion force for the Solomons.  The Army had no troops available as all its resources were being absorbed into Operation Torch (the initial invasion of North Africa).  Marine forces would have to be gathered from various South Pacific locations.  These marines would need replacements soon, and those needed to be found as well.  Ground based air forces from MacArthur would need to be coordinated.  The scramble to find forces would lead to the operation being informally known as "Operation Shoestring".

U. S. Navy Task Forces:

• Task Force 17 (Hornet) was at Pearl Harbor (until July 13).  Hornet was having some refitting done, mostly radar installations.
  
• Task Force 16 (Enterprise) would sail on July 15th for the South Pacific.
  
• Task Force 11 (Saratoga) sailed on July 7th for the South Pacific and a rendezvous with Wasp.
  
• Task Force 18 (Wasp) was heading for the South Pacific (initial destination Tonga), escorting transports with Marine forces that would  be part of the invasion of Guadalcanal (Operation Watchtower).
  

More Information:

• Official Navy Chronology, pp. 229-231.
  
•  The First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign,  John B. Lundstrom, pp 19-27-.
• Coral Sea, Midway and Submarine Actions, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 261-266.
  

 

NEXT POST: JULY 16TH

July 8, 1942 - Wednesday - 80 years ago today

 Status - John Skinner - USS O'Brien:

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

Operation Watchtower

The discovery of the beginnings of a Japanese airfield on the island of Guadalcanal raised the urgency of the planned invasion of the Solomons.  If the airfield was completed, it would endanger the new base at Espiritu Santo, and deter US movements between there and the Solomons, thus making the American advance much more difficult. Planning was continued for an August 1st invasion date.

U. S. Navy Task Forces:

• Task Force 17 (Hornet) was at Pearl Harbor (until July 13).  Hornet was having some refitting done, mostly radar installations.
  
• Task Force 16 (Enterprise) would sail on July 15th for the South Pacific.
  
• Task Force 11 (Saratoga) sailed on July 7th for the South Pacific and a rendezvous with Wasp.
  
• Task Force 18 (Wasp) was heading for the South Pacific (initial destination Tonga), escorting transports with Marine forces that would  be part of the invasion of Guadalcanal (Operation Watchtower).
  

More Information:

• Official Navy Chronology, pp. 226-229.
  
•  The First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign,  John B. Lundstrom, pp 18-19.
• Coral Sea, Midway and Submarine Actions, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 260-261.
  

 

NEXT POST: JULY 12TH

July 4, 1942 - Saturday - 80 years ago today

Status - John Skinner - USS O'Brien:

O'Brien had returned to Pearl Harbor from Pago Pago, to join Task Force 17.

Operation Watchtower

Navy command had settled on the invasion of the Solomon Islands as the new direction for the Pacific War.  The intent was to move up the Solomons chain, to then attack and capture the Japanese naval base at Rabaul.  MacArthur would move into New Guinea and be available for the attack on Rabaul when the time came.

The initial invasion of the Solomons was to be covered by three of the US Navy fleet carriers; Task Force 17 (Hornet), with the O'Brien, was retained at Pearl Harbor as the other 3 carries went to the South Pacific.

U. S. Navy Task Forces:

• Task Force 17 (Hornet) was at Pearl Harbor (until July 13).  Hornet was having some refitting done, mostly radar installations.
  
• Task Force 16 (Enterprise) was at Pearl Harbor (until July 15).  Enterprise also had some refitting, mainly anti-aircraft batteries.
  
• Task Force 11 (Saratoga) was at Pearl Harbor (until July 7).
  
• Task Force 18 (Wasp) was heading for the South Pacific (initial destination Tonga), escorting transports with Marine forces that would  be part of the invasion of the Solomons (Operation Watchtower).
  

More Information:

• Official Navy Chronology, pp. 224-226.
  
•  The First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign,  John B. Lundstrom, pp 18-19.
• Coral Sea, Midway and Submarine Actions, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 260-261.
  

 

NEXT POST: JULY 8TH