| The grand strategy in the Pacific involved the coordination of two Allied forces. A land force with naval support led by General Douglas MacArthur would fight its way through the islands of the southeast Pacific north towards the Philippines. The fast carrier task force commanded by Admiral Chester Nimitz woulf capture various island chains as it swept across the central Pacific. The both battle groups would meet at the Philippines, and then move north towards Japan. The new Essex class carriers would become the core of Nimitz's naval task force. The task force was designated by the number TF 58 while under the command of Admiral Marc Mitschner in 1944, later Admiral Raymond Spruance in 1945, and TF 38 when under the command of Admiral William "Bull" Halsey. It was divided into four task groups. TF 38.1, TF 38.2, TF 38.3, TF 38.4. The center core of each made up of two or three large aircraft carriers (CVs) and three to five smaller aircraft carriers (CVLs and CVEs). Surrounding the carriers was a circle of battleships (BB). The next encircling defense were the cruisers (CC). Next were the destroyers (DD) and finally the submarines. At sea one Task group would measure 38 miles wide and 95 miles long - a massive amount of naval power. |
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| May 3 | Left Pearl. Destination unknown. Have 400 sailor passengers aboard. Ships with us are: Wasp1, San Jacinto2, Henley3, Reno4, Dyson5, Patterson6, San Diego7. | 1. U.S.S. Wasp CV-18 2. U.S.S. San Jacinto CVL-30 3. U.S.S. Henley DD-553 4. U.S.S. Reno CL-96 5. U.S.S. Dyson DD-572 6. U.S.S. Patterson DD-392 7. U.S.S. San Diego CL-53 |
| Nay 7 | Four more ships joined us. Converse1, Ausburne2, Wadleigh3, Spence4. | 1. U.S.S. Converse DD-509 2. U.S.S. Ausburne DD-570 3. U.S.S. Wadleigh DD-689 4. U.S.S. Spence DD-512 |
| May 8 | Arrived Majuro 2:30 PM | * Birth X-11 Atoll, Majuro, Marshall Island. |
| May 13 | Held Capts. inspection. Part of old air group were awarded medals. | |
| May 15 | Left Majuro to hit Marianas and Wake. Ships with us now: Hunt1, Hancock2, Marshall3, Brown4, Sullivan5, Miller6, Patterson7, Hickox8, Bradford9, Caldwell10, Tingey11, Owens12, Reno13, Boston14, San Diego15, Baltimore16, Canberra17, San Jacinto18, Wasp19. San Jacinto will hit the Jap pickets north of Marcus.  |
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U.S.S. Hunt DD-674 2. U.S.S. Hancock DD-675 3. U.S.S. Marshall DD-676 4. U.S.S. Brown DD-546 5. U.S.S. Sullivans DD-537 6. U.S.S. Miller DD-535 7. U.S.S. Patterson DD-392 8. U.S.S. Owen DD-536 9. U.S.S. Hickox DD-673 10. U.S.S. Reno CL-96 11. U.S.S. Bradford DD-545 12. U.S.S. Boston CA-69 13. U.S.S. Caldwell DD-605 14. U.S.S. Tingey DD-539 15. U.S.S. San Diego CL-53 16. U.S.S. Baltimore CA-68 17. U.S.S. Canberra CA-70 18. U.S.S. San Jacinto CVL-30 19. U.S.S. Wasp CV-18 |
| May 19-20 | Hit Marcus. Launched five attacks on 19th and the 20th. San Jacinto1 sank picket - We (Essex)2 lost two VF3 and two VB4. San Jacinto joined us on the 21st. Lost two pilots and two air crewman. Sub picked up 1 pilot and crewman from VB. | 1. U.S.S. San Jacinto CVL-30 2. U.S.S. Essex CV-9 3. VF - U.S Fighter Aircraft 4. VB - U.S Bomber Aircraft |
| May 26 | Hit Wake - Launched 5 attacks. One VB1 crashed in water. British pilot and crewman picked up by us. | 1. fish - torpedo 2. U.S.S. Reno CL-96 |
| May 31 | Went out for gunnery and night fighter practice. | |
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