Ingersoll (DD 990) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 17 text:

• f •I 4 The purpose of the patrol was to demonstrate the capability of our Navy to conduct operations, in- cluding flight operations, in one of the most hostile ocean environments in the world. During the patrol, we demonstrated this capability while encountering two major storms, and the coldest weather INGER- SOLL has experienced. All in all. it was quite an ex- perience for sailors used to the friendlier climate of the San Diego area. Upon completion of the patrol, our group, in company with the Midway group, tran- sited the Tsugaru Strait into the Sea of Japan for five days of operations. At the same time, the Enterprise group detached and proceeded homeward to West Coast ports. 13

Page 16 text:

After a one-day port call to take on supplies and to plan tuture operations, our Battle Group departed Pearl Harbor and steamed Northwest on a patrol which turned out to be the most memorable of our deployment After a week at sea. in progressively stormier weather, our Battle Group rendezvoued with two other groups. Including the aircraft carriers Enterprise and Midway, to form Battle Force 177, the largest U.S. Navy task force to conduct a peacetime patrol in the post-World War Two era. The Battle Force consisted of 42 ships and operated south of the Aleutian Islands for approximately one week.

Page 18 text:

While in the Sea of Japan, INGERSOLL was designated as the Anti-Surlace Warfare Comfriander for the combined Battle Group Our responsibilities were to maintain a tactical surface picture of both naval and com- mercial shipping. The Soviet Union took a considerable interest in our whereabouts and activities since during much of the time we were operating In or near their home waters. Their surveillance usually took the form of overflights by bomber aircraft.