By Captain Lawrence B. Brennan, U.S. Navy (Ret.) - New Jersey ...

Lawrence B. Brennan NJ-Built Aircraft Carriers Page 7
Lawrence Brennan~NJ-BUILT U.S. FAST AIRCRAFT CARRIERS: Part I
On 11 January 1942, when heading towards a rendezvous with ENTERPRISE, 500 miles
southwest of Oahu, SARATOGA was hit by a torpedo fired by the Japanese submarine, I-16.
Although six men were killed and three fire rooms were flooded, the carrier reached Oahu under
her own power. The carrier proceeded to the Bremerton Navy Yard for permanent repairs and
installation of a modern anti-aircraft battery.
After the Battle of Coral Sea, SARATOGA departed Puget Sound on 22 May arriving on
25 May at San Diego. The carrier was unable to sail until 1 June and arrived at Pearl Harbor
after the Battle of Midway. She departed Pearl Harbor the following day, 7 June, after fueling;
and, on 11 June, transferred 34 aircraft to USS HORNET (CV-8) and ENTERPRISE to replenish
their depleted air groups. The three carriers then turned north to counter Japanese activity in the
Aleutians, but the operation was canceled and SARATOGA returned to Pearl Harbor on 13 June.
Fig. 6: Interesting view of SARATOGA in camouflage. National Archives photo.
As flagship of Vice Admiral F. J. Fletcher, SARATOGA opened the Guadalcanal assault
early on 7 August. The carrier force withdrew on the afternoon of 8 August to refuel. Thus, it
was too far away when four Allied cruisers [USS ASTORIA, QUINCY and VINCENNES and
HMAS CANBERRA] were sunk that night in the Battle of Savo Island.
On 23 August 1942, SARATOGA launched a strike against a Japanese transport force.
Her aircraft were unable to find the enemy, however, and spent the night on Guadalcanal. As
they were returning on board the next day, the first contact report on enemy carriers was
received. Two hours later, SARATOGA launched a strike which sank the Japanese carrier
RYUJO. Later in the afternoon, SARATOGA launched her aircraft again and damaged the
Japanese seaplane tender CHITOSE. SARATOGA escaped detection while the Japanese aircraft
damaged ENTERPRISE. For the second time in seven months SARATOGA was torpedoed by a
Japanese submarine. The impact caused short circuits which damaged SARATOGA’s turboelectric
propulsion system and left her dead in the water. The crew jury-rigged her propulsion
plant and after repairs at Tongatabu from 6 to 12 September, SARATOGA arrived at Pearl
Harbor on 21 September for permanent repairs.
Vol. 36/No. 3
133
NJPH
Whole No. 171 August 2008
Published by the New Jersey Postal History Society
Originally published in the pages of NJPH