Evening star., 1942-09-15
large extent, our success or failure

a large extent, our success or fallure
hinges.
When an unidentified plane was
sighted we went to general quarters
for half an hour and Vice Admiral
Frank Jack Fletcher appeared on
his bridge and scanned the lowering
skies together with Col. Melvin j.
Mas, U. S. M c., who was wearing
a steel helmet and smoking his in
evitable cigar. Like Drake with
his bowls, Admiral Fletcher has his
favorite games-darts and solitaire.
We've decided that just as Drake
had to finish his bowls, Admiral
Fletcher has to win his solitaire
game before we get into action.
It's late in the afternoon now and
the sky is starting to clear up ahead,
which is ideal for U.S. It's too late for
japanese patrol planes to spot us
and we need good weather for our
operations tomorrow.
Preparations Made.
On deck, plane crews are gassing
planes, loading guns and attaching
bombs to the racks. Enough bombs
are stacked on the decks to blow
up Yamamoto's entire fleet II 1t
comes out to challenge us. The easy
familiarity with which the crews
handle the bombs startles me, but
they seem confident they won't go
off prematurely.
Deck crews have a back-breaking
Job. They'll never get their names in
the headlines. but on their Drawn
and knowledge depends the efficiency
of air operations, They'll be up all
night getting the planes ready.
There's tremendous amount OF
work aboard carrier, much of At
requiring strong muscles for what
seems to be a never-ending job OF
pushing planes into position for
takeoffs and landings. Space is at a
premium, and every plane must be
accurately spotted within fractions
! of a foot
Efficiency of the Navy's training is
proved by the smoothness OF op-
erations now in progress. Each plane
is in charge Of plane captain, an
enlisted man whose job Is to keep 1t
in perfect running order. Special
lists know every inch of plane, and
below the flight deck are shops
where trained mechanics do every
thing but build new planes. Spe-
cially instructed men handle guns
bombs, torpedoes. Work of the deck
crews is highly hazardous, for they
have to operate at times within 6
few inches of whirling propellers
We've already had one burial at see
this trip OF a sailor hit by prop
Until this morning our voyage ha'
been like a peacetime cruise un.
der simulated war conditions. We've
been test-f1ring guns, practiclng ma
neuvers and operations, but chance'
of meeting the enemy have been re-
mote until now.
Ship "Buttoned Up"
Now We are under battle condi
tions. I realized 1t this mornini
when my roommate, 1t. Gordol
Sherwood, got me up for genera
quarters several hours before dawn
Mattresses have been taken of
beds and placed away from bulk
heads to prevent the spread of firt
There are no more substantial meal
|. served at comfortable tables. 1t
catch as catch can for an occasiona
sandwich and cup Of coffee. Th
ship is "buttoned up" tightly witt
> It's bulkheads and companionway
closed to confine damage in tn
event Of bomb or torpedo hits.
, Some plane crews have been give
, few minutes off and are openin
cans Of fruit on deck with bi
, knives. Others, tired, are sprawle
on deck, listening to the ships ban
playing martial ars. The program
this evening is straight march music
minus the usual jitterbug piece
which have everybody witAin hear
ing stepping in time to the tune.
Everybody aboard seemed littl
o keyed up today. Operations clicke
. smoother than at anytime sine
q we left port.
Plane pushers have been working
little easier Pilots come aboard an
:, take off swiftly without waste mt
:. tions. When orders were given I
~ start engines" all started simul
taneously.
Dive bomber pilots flying past tt
J, ship to be recognized zoomed steep
" upward and looked as if they'd lih
= to have done slow rolls and stun
- Just because of the excitement .
prospective action.
More Chatter Than Usual.
. 7 listen to conversation in tt
Il fighter pilots ready room. The
is much more chatter than usus
- Many times sentences are starte
,r and never finished. People WI
have never before exchanged mo
=, than a few words suddenly fir
=. ~ something to discuss.
~ 1t is as If several thousand m,
49, with their varying jobs and II
~ terests have realized all at on
i that they are all in the same bos
oi I make few small bets Wi
ar pilots that If our first blows t
morrow are as hard as we are plal
lt ming the Jap troops will take
to their heels and Hirohito's hero
lie will turn into scared sprinters. \
In confidence is based on knowled
Id of how bombing and straflng affe
to ground troops. Hee was with t
sc United States troops on Bata