27 APR 44
After yesterday's excitement things seemed to relax a bit. An indication that something was in the wind came when USS Miller (DD-535) began visiting the carriers of the Task Groups to "transfer official mail."
And sure enough, Admiral Nimitz's Graybook entry for this day confirmed that Task Group 58 had "plans for strikes against TRUK, PONAPE, and SATAWAN during its return trip to the MARSHALLS...the force will strike TRUK from the southwest for 2 days starting at dawn 29 April."
At mid-morning the War Dairy noted that "At 1046 received information from ComTaskForce 58 that five enemy search planes shot down yesterday but that no significance attached to this as Task Force is at convergence of search areas from GUAM, PALAU, and BIAK ISLAND."
Princeton "commenced recovery of remaining aircraft at 1811 and completed recovery of 4 VF and 4 VT at 1816. Local sunset was at 1824."
In my day we referred to the event that landed as the sun was setting as a "pinkie recovery." And they were glorious:
USS Constellation somewhere in the Pacific. Photo taken during my first cruise in 1988/89.
Gorgeous sunsets weren't exclusive to being at sea:
LT Scott "Rhino" Reinhold flying a VFA-137 Kestrels F/A-18C. Photo taken in 1999, returning to NAS Lemoore, CA. Every now and then you get lucky with timing.
After the final aircraft had trapped, Princeton regained station and by 1835 had "resumed zigzagging in accordance with Plan 8 on fleet course 100˚. Task Force is now retiring from operating area to rendezvous with fueling units before proceeding on operations against enemy installations in the CAROLINE ISLANDS."
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