29 MAR 44
Noon of March 29th found Princeton approximately 325 miles east and slightly south of the Palau Island group.
So it was not a surprise that at 1305 the Combat Air Patrol from USS ENTERPRISE, lead carrier of Task Group 58.1, reported having downed a Japanese "Betty" type bomber just 40 miles north of Princeton's position. "It was believed that this plane probably reported the presence of this Task Force."
Hostilities, it seems, were resuming for The Peerless P.
"At 1715 the Combat Air Patrol from the USS LANGLEY reported having shot down one Japanese medium bomber, type "BETTY", bearing 300˚, distant 40 miles from this formation."
I imagine there was some teeth-clenching in Air Group 23's fighter squadron ready room because...
"At 1758 received orders from ComTaskGroup 58.3 that this group will be prepared to provide spotting aircraft for ComFifthFleet Major Action Plan "BAKER", familiarizing target observers with procedures, frequencies, and use of grids."
Fighter pilots, generally speaking, want to do fighter pilot things. That is, they have a deep and abiding desire to shoot down other fighter pilots. Which is understandable. Admirable even. But, generally speaking, shooting down other fighter pilots is not how you win wars.
The A-6 Intruder "Medium Attack" community in which I was raised had an "air-to-mud" ethos into which we were enthusiastically indoctrinated and which was codified in a single page document titled "The Mission: Attack." It was a manifestly immodest list of principles, virtues and boasts which explained how and why our All-Weather Attack community was far superior to any other carrier aircraft or mission, which of course we were. It began with a fundamental truth:
1. The mission of the aircraft carrier is to put ordnance on target...everything else, including anything starting with an "F" is simply support for the attack mission.
Fast on the heels of this perhaps not-so-subtle, kinda sorta tongue-in-cheek jab at our fighter brethren, came another not-so-subtle truth:
2. You win the war by killing the bastards by the thousands, not one at a time at twenty thousand feet.
So ya, I'm guessing Princeton's fighter pilots might have been a bit miffed at being temporarily denied the opportunity of aerial glory-seeking, but by filling an incredibly important air-to-ground role, they would be — even though the amphibious landing was several months in the future — helping young Marines who would be asked to storm the beaches of yet another infernal, enemy-infested island they otherwise would never have known existed. And by doing that, Air Group 23 would be helping every American in the Pacific Theater get home sooner.
All was not lost for the fighter pilots however, as the opportunity for mano a mano sky combat still existed:
"At 1911 OTC directed this vessel to launch 4 VF immediately, a group of unidentified aircraft having been reported bearing 295˚, distant 90 miles, closing this formation."
Huzzah!...but wait...after turning into the wind and increasing speed to 23 knots... "At 1916 OTC cancelled order to launch fighters."
Boo!
I assume the cancelled launch was because Princeton did not have night fighter qualified crews or aircraft.
Over the next 3 hours and 19 minutes, Princeton and the Task Groups would face a constantly changing threat situation, exacerbated by the growing darkness. The War Diary describes what could easily have become a chaotic situation, but one that seems to have been handled professionally by the entire fleet, particularly the anti-aircraft gun crews.
"At 1931 went to General Quarters. ... At 1943 lookouts on this vessel sighted five enemy aircraft flying very low on the horizon, dipping beneath the horizon at times, and crossing ahead of the formation."
The Task Groups were ordered into specific Cruising Dispositions for defense of aerial attack. "Local sunset was to occur at 2001 and it was believed that, having located this force, the enemy aircraft would wait until after sunset to deliver their attack."
At 1955 Langley began recovering her CAP aircraft at which time they reported shooting down one Betty, smoke from which could be seen north of The P near the horizon.
Behold the chaos and awesomeness of the following couple hours:
After reading the above, imagine yourself as say...a 25 year old LT(jg) Dental Officer on a ship 4,000 miles from your homeland. By 2250, you have been at your General Quarters duty station in the third deck medical spaces for 3 hours and 19 minutes. During that time, enclosed in an artificially lit, below-the-waterline, ventilated metal box...
...you are aware of the ship's maneuvering because your inner ear is doing its job, but also because any gear that has been left adrift — coffee mugs, medical records, pencils — is moving without human intervention. You ears are also accomplishing their other function and recording the rapid but muffled staccato of the 20 mm. mounts, as well as the rhythmic "poom, poom, poom" of the 40's. You assume the battle raging above is going well because...what other choice you do you have, absent any information indicating otherwise.
You hope it stays that way.
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