Saratoga (CV 3) - Naval Cruise Book

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I lauuary laumd Sara and Air Group Firsl al thesge island atalls leel lhg Twelve at Pearl preparlrla lar the im- I9I'C1Cl1C9Cl SUHQ Ol SCHU S TY1lC3l1l WQTQ pending accupatiarl al the Marshalls. WOUQ Cifld TGTOU- Q.. I 8 ,mu A A fv, 'lf Q, V., L. p- ,Y WA 1-qv J X Q .. rf. Q- .. -X 3 1 Q ' - f ' rf K W 1 .X u. lx' , , ,, 'SN I dj, 5, a I H gp' , N .Q I f X X i , V Q X ,X . - 4 1 ' A . , , was ,, ' ' , K Q .Q . X Q ,f ,,- V rf. M4 ty, ,Jw 4 5 C 2 gf A ping A 4,10 , - X' is? , f Jw X X R ,gy V - f f 1, .,,.f,Q Q5 , -r ,, ,X x ,h my K -Af -ff r J QS 1' ' r 5 A-x av rn: . r A 3 f ., X. X .,,,N,r I M 'I , ' - Q M 5 ,V lr ,X r . , fp '- b Q . J fr A r t ,I ,A .rv W . 3 nw' k JN! ' Xb- ' 'r'w-.N QYQ I , l ':,,-3 n y ' gN'w-LT' 1 .J s, X 'E Q -. , . 7 1 gf fe f K r 4 r 53 TAROA 1 F K rr 'AW r r A JW x ,Q-

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fleet anchorage at Truk. Ack-ack from surrounding airfields was quite intense, and once again swarms of lap fighters took to the' air for revenge. More Rising Suns set that day as the tally for Sara's pilots continued to mount. Next, in the invasion of the Gilberts Sara neutralized Nauru lsland and transformed her air strips into bomb- pocked shambles. Combat air patrols were maintained over the bloody beaches of Tarawa. In the Gilberts cam- paign, the Sara's men were saddened by the loss of the Liscome Bay, the first carrier to be sunk in the Pacific in more than a year. Rear Admiral Mullinix, the Sara's skipper a scant three months before, Went down with his flagship. At the end of the Gilberts campaign, Sara was released for a quick run to the States as a reward for achievement, a slight rest for all hands, and a brief yard period for maintenance Work. ln early December, 1943, she entered drydock at l-lunter's Point, San Francisco, and re- mained there until the 3rd of lanuary, 1944. The stateside visit Was the first in nineteen months. A. U ,. -A . , ,f1mfemgf':-:ivrsswfff fffsf-'ff 1' 'f-f'f'i 'f'M 'm few . t 4. . ..M V f , f ww ,W W 5,5 A f f W f f I 1 ,ff 4- , ' 7 4 ff , 'ff' ww fffyf X ,, H Q, W ' 3 SARA ESCORTS TRANSPORTS TO TARAWA 3 ' f ' , ' 4

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The busy month of February was ushered in with strikes on Utirik and Ronaelap atolls, where radio stations were destroyed. Then followed tour days of continuous bombardment at Eniwetok and Enqebi Islands of Fniwe- tok atoll in pre-invasion sottenina-up at- tacks. During the remainder ot Febru- ary, Sara shuttled between Roi anchor- aae at newly won Kwajelein and Eni- wetok, with numerous strikes on the lat- ter. Durinq this period Sara made a new record for strikes with a total of 25 in l9 days! Amphibious landings were made at Eniwetok on the l7th, and durinq the remainder of February air support was given to the Marines in their hand-to- hand tiqhtina. TASK GROUP 584 ON NVAY TO MfXRSHALLS JAFHJARY Zlsh I944. SARA LONNER RHSHT EXECUTE