Hancock (CV 19) - Naval Cruise Book

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Cabot Hit Off Eastern Liteon- Nofveonber 2, 1941, Intrepid Hit and A fire Maintains Position in Formation

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H ellclivers Live Up to Name in Manila Harbor flight deck To add to the sorrows l5O bags of late 'Christmas mail were lost on the same evening when a LCVP delivering them sunk alongside the Hannah. w On January 28th, Air Group Seven was detached and Air Group Eighty re- ported aboard for duty. Admiral McCain and his staff left the Hancock and the Hannah became a partof Task Force 58 under Vice Admiral Raymond A. Spruance, U.S.N., Commander Fifth Fleet, and under the direct command of Vice Admiral Marc Mitscher, U.S.N. - OPERATION SIX Task Force 58.2 sortied Ulithi on February lO, l945, with the Hancock carrying Rear Admiral T. L. Sprague, USN., as Commander Carrier Divi- sion Three. The mission was' intended to be the old familiar strategic support of amphibious operations against lwo Jima by the destruction of enemy air- craft and the inevitable support of ground troops. Tokyo was the target for raids made by Air Group Eighty on February l6th when strikes were directed at airfields east of Tokyo and vicinity, resulting in dogfights over the Jap- anese capital. Other planes hit installations on Chiba Peninsula, Honshu and Keneike,

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