Pacific War - April 8, 1942

On this day seventy years ago, American and Filipino forces defending the Bataan peninsula on the Philippine island of Luzon surrendered to the invading Japanese forces. Within days, the 70,000 surviving prisoners would be subjected to the Bataan "death march."

At Pearl Harbor, the US carrier Enterprise, escorted by two cruisers and four destroyers and accompanied by a fleet oiler, steamed past Ford Island and into the Pacific. Vice Admiral William F. Halsey was embarked and commanded the task force. The ships set battle readiness condition three, with guns manned and most watertight doors and hatches either closed or ready to close at a moment's notice. Lookouts scanned the water for hostile periscopes and the sky for enemy aircraft. Enterprises fighters were spotted on the flight deck, ready for quick takeoff if needed.

The crews shared rumors (scuttlebutt) about their destination, but no one seemed to have a definitive answer.

Enterprise hadn't been exactly quiescent up until this point. On December 7, Enterprise, then located about 215 miles west of Pearl Harbor, had launched eighteen aircraft at dawn to run a scouting patrol to the east and northeast and then recover at Ford Island landing field. The commanding officer of the Enterprise air group flew into the attacking Japanese aircraft. Thirteen of the planes landed safely, despite Japanese air attacks and friendly anti-aircraft fire. Nine planes were sent out to search 30 degrees either side of north, out to a distance of 175 miles. Had Admiral Nagumo decided to launch a third attack wave, it is possible that the Enterprise air group might have located the Japanese force. But he had already decided to leave the area.

Weeks later, on January 23, 1942, Enterprise provided air support for a landing of about 5,000 marines at Pago Pago in Samoa, then proceeded to the first US attack on Japanese-held territory. On February 1, Enterprise and her embarked air group attacked Japanese bases in the Northern Marianas, including Kwajalein. Meantime, Yorktown struck targets in the Southern Marianas and Gilberts. It had not quite been two months since Pearl Harbor.

Three weeks later, Enterprise attacked Japanese fortifications and the airfield on Wake Island. It had been two and a half months since Pearl Harbor. On the 4th of March, Enterprise attacked Japanese forces on Marcus Island. It was three months since Pearl Harbor and Enterprise had four times engaged Japanese military forces in hostile action.

On the 8th of April, 1942, when Bataan fell, the outgunned American and Filipino defenders had held out against an experienced Japanese Army for four months.   Enterprise  was on her way to another attack on Japanese forces. This would make five times in four months.