3/28/44: Formation maneuvers, onward to Palau

28 MAR 44

As I read the entry for March 28th I could not help but be in awe after reading what at first blush appears to be this rather benign entry:

"At 0630 USS LEXINGTON left formation to conduct flight operations, completing at 0655. At 0645 sighted Task Group 58.1 bearing 000˚, distant 12 miles. At 0710 sighted Task Group 58.2 bearing 065˚, distant 16 miles. At 0740 destroyers commenced fueling from battleships. Heavy ships not engaged in fueling destroyers commenced zigzagging independently on fueling course 275˚ at sufficient speed to maintain approximate stations. At 0850 USS FRAZIER went alongside USS YORKTOWN for official mail, clearing side at 0900. ... At 0905 USS CALDWELL went alongside USS YORKTOWN for official mail, clearing side at 0910. USS FRAZIER and USS CALDWELL then commenced effecting delivery of mail to various ships of the task group."

At this point Task Groups 58.1, 58.2 and 58.3 consisted of over 40 vessels, all working in concert with each other as they make their way west towards the Carolines. When I went to Aviation Officer Candidate School in Pensacola for what was Naval Aviation's equivalent to "basic training," it took our Marine Corps Drill Instructor 8 weeks to get our class — 98 started, 48 graduated — to not look like the Afghan Army:

These three Task Groups are sailing, launching and recovering aircraft, refueling while underway and delivering mail. 79 years on when we see old black and white photos like this in a documentary or a book...

Task Force 58, late March 1944 operating east of the Palau Islands, several months prior to Operation Desecrate 1. Photo from the book "Steichen at War."

...we likely don't give it a second thought. But it is astonishing.

Imagine a fleet this size underway when this happens:

"At 1443 an unidentified aircraft was reported bearing 315˚, distant 34 miles; formation executed emergency turn right to course 335˚ at 1445. At 1446 went to Torpedo Defense Quarters. At 1447 executed emergency turn right to course 005˚, at 1449 left to 275˚. At 1450 an unidentified aircraft was reported bearing 300˚, distant 35 miles; formation executed emergency turn right to course 325˚. At 1455 executed emergency turn right to 035˚, and at 1458 left to 250˚. At 1500 the unidentified aircraft was identified as friendly."

With the sun approaching the horizon off the bow, the War Diary referenced Princeton's position in satisfyingly plain English:

"The fleet course, which had been paralleling the northern coast of New Guinea, was now directed to the northwest toward the PALAU ISLANDS. Although the Japanese air bases at Wewak, Aitepe, Hollandia, and Wakde Island had been within easy flying range of this force over a considerable period of time, no aircraft were contacted."

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