US NAVY
PACIFIC—Carrier Enterprise (CV‑6) sails for Wake
Island in TF 8 (Vice Admiral William F. Halsey, Jr.) to ferry USMC F4Fs (VMF
211) to the atoll. Occasioned by the "war warning" of the previous
day, the deployment is part of eleventh‑hour augmentation of defenses at
outlying Pacific bases. Halsey approves "Battle Order No. 1" (28
November) that declares that Enterprise is operating "under war
conditions." "Steady nerves and stout hearts," the carrier's
captain concludes, "are needed now." Supporting PBY operations will
be carried out from advanced bases at Wake and Midway.
Seaplane
tender Wright (AV‑1), arrives at Wake Island, with Marine Aircraft Group
21 people to establish an advance aviation base.
U.S.
passenger liner President Harrison, chartered for the purpose, sails
from Shanghai, China, with the 1st Battalion,4th Marine Regiment (Lieutenant
Colonel Curtis T. Beecher, USMC) and regimental staff (Colonel Samuel L. Howard,
USMC) embarked, bound for the Philippines. "Stirring scenes of
farewell," U.S. Consul Edwin F. Stanton reports to Secretary of State
Hull, accompany the marines' departure.
During
their storm‑fraught passage to rendezvous with the river gunboats proceeding
from Shanghai to Manila, submarine rescue vessel Pigeon (ASR‑6)
experiences steering casualty; minesweeper Finch (AM‑9), which loses
both anchors in the tempest, stands by to render assistance, and eventually,
after three tries, manages to take the crippled ship in tow the following day.
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