To answer your question about our turn around time, I'm not certain, but it seems to me we were in dry dock for about 2 weeks at Pearl Harbor. I think that was the time we had quite a fire on the Quarter Deck. The ship had been freshly painted and had to be redone in that area. We were back into the war within a month. We had been in New Caldonea where emergency repairs were made. The Engineering Officer managed to transfer balast from side to side in order for some welding to be done below the water line.
How did you like last night's segment? I do not agree with the film however. I do not think any plane crashed aboard the Hornet. As I remember they took a bomb down the stack that went off in the boiler room and destroyed all power. Yes, the Northampton had her in tow. We had a very large cable strung out along the hangar deck for such an emergency, but we did not ever have to use it during my tour aboard. Also, I have always thought that our own ships sunk the Hornet to keep her from possibly falling into enemy hands.
When we launched the entire air group, approximately 90 aircraft, it was fighters first, dive bomber, 2 squadrons, and the torpedo planes. It was all based on take off distance with the torpedo planes needing the longest run. Time wise, is difficult for me to remember, but around 90 minutes. We did not launch all planes because an attack was eminent. Most planes we being prepared for the next mission or were already off the ship. There was always a Combat Air Patrol over the Task Force, ranging from 4 to 6 fighters. They were releaved on station and the others would return for fuel etc. The morning operation was usually at dawn to launch the CAP and the SBD's. The SBD's were assigned search sectors. Most of the time there was a morning and afternoon search. Radar was not the best in those days and not the most reliable. However, it sure helped in many cases.
This next segment I believe will be us against troop ships trying to unload their troops at Guadalcanal.
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