Where Were the Carriers?
7-8 DECEMBER 1941
WHERE WERE THE CARRIERS?
Most everyone will recall that one significant shortcoming of the Pearl Harbor raid from the Japanese perspective was its failure to destroy the American Navy’s aircraft carriers. Yamamoto had targeted them in particular, appreciating as he did, the importance of naval air power. It was with some disappointment that the airstrike launched knowing the carriers were not in port. But just where were our carriers at 0755, 7 December 1941?
For the past year, US attentions had focused on the Atlantic where four of our seven carriers were based. German U-boats had already attacked US warships escorting freighters on Roosevelt’s “Neutrality Patrol.” In fact, REUBEN JAMES (DD-245) had been sunk in September 1941 on just such a mission. Dawn on December 7th found YORKTOWN (CV-5) in Norfolk and RANGER (CV-4) a day out, both having just finished Neutrality Patrols. Brand new HORNET (CV-8), just 2 months in commission, was also readying herself in Norfolk. WASP (CV-7) was serving as our training carrier and lay at anchor in Grassy Bay, Bermuda, observing the usual Sunday morning routine between Caribbean cruises.
In the Pacific, SARATOGA (CV-3) was fresh out of dry-dock in Bremerton. The morning of December 7th found her pulling into San Diego to embark Marine Corps aircraft intended for Wake. After hearing the news from Hawaii, SARATOGA got underway immediately, hoping to reinforce the besieged garrison at Wake. She reached Pearl Harbor on the 15th, stopping only for fuel. But the tiny island outpost at Wake fell before SARATOGA could arrive.
Two carriers were in the waters around Hawaii. ENTERPRISE (CV-6) was returning from an aircraft ferrying assignment, having delivered VMF-211 to Wake Island. She had planned to make Pearl that day, in fact, her scout planes arrived over the harbor in the midst of the Japanese attack and joined the defense. She pulled in on this day, pausing briefly to refuel, then departed to hunt down the Japanese. Though she did not locate the enemy strike force, her aircraft did sink the sub I-170 on the 10th. Our oldest flattop in service, LEXINGTON (CV-2), was returning from Midway, having likewise delivered a squadron of Marine fighters. Upon learning of the Pearl Harbor attack she promptly launched search planes in an unsuccessful attempt to locate the Japanese fleet, then diverted south to rendezvous with ENTERPRISE and INDIANAPOLIS (CA-35).
After today’s disaster, YORKTOWN cast off for Hawaii on December 16th. HORNET was readied for Doolittle’s Tokyo raid, departing Norfolk on 4 March 1942. WASP was pulled from training duties and eventually transferred to the Pacific after the loss of YORKTOWN at Midway in June 1942. RANGER remained in the Atlantic.
Watch for more “Today in Naval History” 13 DEC 25
Department of the Navy, Naval History Division. Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Vol 2 “C-F”. Washington, DC: GPO, 1977, p. 356.
Department of the Navy, Naval History Division. Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Vol 3 “G-K”. Washington, DC: GPO, 1977, pp. 368, 434.
Department of the Navy, Naval History Division. Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Vol 4 “L-M”. Washington, DC: GPO, 1969, pp. 47, 104.
Department of the Navy, Naval History Division. Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Vol 6 “R-S”. Washington, DC: GPO, 1976, pp. 31, 85, 340.
Department of the Navy, Naval History Division. Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Vol 8 “W-Z”. Washington, DC: GPO, 1981, pp. 144, 534.
ADDITIONAL NOTES: RANGER is perhaps the least well-remembered of our seven pre-WWII carriers. She remained in the Atlantic and Mediterranean until August 1944, when she also transferred to the Pacific. Here she was relegated to pilot training duties off the California coast.
Our first carrier, the former LANGLEY (CV-1), was still in service, but had been converted to a seaplane tender (AV-3) in the 1930s. She was operating with the Asiatic Fleet at the war’s outbreak and was sunk by Japanese planes in late February 1942.