air coverage for the ships until their entry into Pearl was canpleted.
CTG 7.5 and
the vessels of the task unit arrived Pearl on the morning
of 7 March.
CJTF 7 and staff immediately began the transfer of the
JTF 7 staff and headquarters to MT. MCKINLEY.
the ships departed on 8 March for Eniwetok.
This was completed and
Desdiv 11 was directed
to remain under the operational control of CIG 7.3 and to accampany
the ships to Eniwetok, providing escort en route.
Accordingly, CIG 7.3
in MT. MCKINLEY, with CJTG 7 embarked, departed Pearl with ALBEMARLE ,
CURTISS, BAIROKO, ROGERS, PARKS, CRAIG, BRINKLEY BASS, AND ORLECK.
After departing from Pearl, the task unit proceed to Bniwetok along a
track approximately 25 miles to the northward of the regular track and
sigzagged during daylight and moonlight to minimize danger from a possible submarine attack.
ComFairWing Two provided anti-submarine plane
coverage utilizing two (2) planes where practicable and at least 1 plane
at all times, for the entire passage from Pearl to Eniwetok.
These
ships arrived Eniwetok on 16 March ELD without incident.
2.
ae
Because of the special nature of the mission on which this
group of vessels was engeged, the Commander Naval Task Group considered
that normal peace time cruising readiness conditions would be inadequate.
Hostile submarine surveillance, trailing, and attack without
warning were a possibility which had to be approached realistically.
Therefore, every precaution was initiated to insure:
(1)
That an efficient anti-submarine screen be maintained
et all times, utilizing the 5 destroyers assigned,
56
Seotion VII