USS Enterprise CV-6
The Most Decorated Ship of the Second World War

General Directive: Condition Watches; General Quarters; Air Operations; Prepare Ship for War Operations.

Routine except:
0505	Call Pilots and flying personnel.
0515	Call Air Department and Squadrons.
0515	Early breakfast for Air Department and Squadron Officers (80). Early breakfast for flying personnel (40).
0525	Blow tubes.
0530	Air plot personnel, ready room talkers, and elevator operators man stations. (This word will not be passed over the general announcing system).
0540	Flight Quarters.
0541	Alert the Watch.
0615	Launch First Intermediate Air Patrol (10 VF).
0645	Up late bunks. Early breakfast for Watch 2.
0650	Early breakfast for Air Department and Squadrons.
0800	Breakfast for Watch 1.
0830	Turn to. Prepare ship for action.
0845	Flight Quarters.
0915	Launch Second Intermediate Air Patrol (10 VF). Launch Second Inner Air Patrol (4 VSB).
0955	Land First Intermediate Air Patrol.
1050	Early dinner for Air Department and Squadrons. (one-half)
1100	Early dinner for Watch 1.
1115	Early lunch for Watch 1 Officers.
1130	Flight Quarters.
1200	Dinner for Watch 2. Lunch for Watch 2 Officers. Launch Third Inner Air Patrol (4 VSB).
1210	Launch Second Intermediate Air Patrol. Land Second Inner Air Patrol.
1300	Turn to. Continue to prepare ship for action. Late dinner for one-half Air Department and Squadrons.
1455	Flight Quarters.
1515	Land Third Inner Air Patrol.
1605	Early supper for Watch 1.
1625	Early dinner for Watch 1 Officers.
1700	Set Condition of Readiness II, Watch 1.
1705	Supper for Watch 2.
1715	Supper for Air Department and Squadrons Dinner for Watch 2 Officers.
1818	(about) General Quarters and darken ship at sunset.
1918	(about) Set Condition of Readiness II, Watch 1.
1920	Blow tubes.

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We expect that tomorrow will be "Der Tag" for our attack on the TULAGI-GUADALCANAL Jap bases. We may expect to defend against Jap counter-attacks.

Today, make all final preparations for action. Secure all gear not normally in use. Stow personal effects, boxes, books, magazines, etc., where they cannot get adrift. Make final checks and inspections to insure that all equipment is in good working order and ready for use.

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DAMAGE CONTROL NOTES.

We have on board for Damage Control purposes a gasoline driven two stage portable air compressor which has a capacity of 105 cu.ft. of air per minute. There are also on board four portable air driven, submersible pumps which may be driven by the air from this air compressor or air from the ship's compressed air lines. In case there is no power, either steam or electrical, to run the large damage control pumps or the electrical driven submersible pumps, we will still have our submersible air pumps and gasoline engine air compressor available to us. These pumps may be of great value in pumping out flooded compartments, if ever the need should arise.

"To be fore-warned is to be fore-armed", and therefore it is advisable to try to visualize the effects of ship damage in order that we may know immediately what to do should we be confronted with a real damage control problem. We don't expect one, it's true, because being on the offensive in this mission we expect to do the pitching - not the receiving. Nevertheless, it's best to be fore-handed. For instance, a ship hit by a torpedo will rapidly assume a certain angle of list, depending upon the number of compartments flooded. The first few seconds after the explosion are likely to be alarming, because the list develops rather rapidly, but if the ship is properly closed up she will heel over so far and then stop. Unless there is slow leakage due to watertight doors and hatches not being securely dogged, the list will not increase further. The Damage Control Parties can then start taking off the list by pumping fuel or water from the low to the high side or by counterflooding. The inherent stability of the ENTERPRISE is such that she could withstand an extremely heavy list without danger of turning over.

The following is quoted from a recent letter from the Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Fleet, on this subject:

"Personnel are prone to attach exaggerated importance to flooding following an explosion and to become unduly alarmed. Eye witness reports in many cases have pictured flooding situations which later, after determination of the facts, were proved impossible. The need for vigorous and intelligent action in a flooding situation, rather than abandonment due to suppositional hopelessness, should be brought to the attention of damage control parties and personnel stationed below decks. There are always ways and means to remedy bad situations if good leadership is on hand and proper action is taken without loss of time."

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MORE ON SURPRISE

The Japs are cagey baskets! They have used all sorts of ruses in their aircraft attacks on ships. They may feint with one or more groups of horizontal bombers to draw the fire while another group drives home an attack. They even use the old hidden ball play, sending in one plane low to attract attention while their main high altitude bombing formation comes over.

If our lookouts are on the alert, however, they will see through these tricks and will give to the Fire Control parties all the information necessary for our gun batteries to break up Mr. Moto's plays.

To accomplish this, lookouts must avoid permitting themselves to become just spectators. When a plane or periscope has been sighted and properly reported, the lookout on that sector must immediately be on his toes for other contacts, and should not let his attention become fixed on that one contact to the exclusion of the remainder of his area. Nor should he give much attention to a plane going away after delivering its bomb or torpedo. We are more interested in knocking down the ones coming in, before they reach the torpedo or bomb release point.

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Fresh Water Consumption: 16.0 gals. per man
    EXCELLENT

(Signed) W. F. BOONE Commander, U.S. Navy, Executive Officer.