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Originally Posted by skunk works
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According to the show, a 24 hour refueling stop by the reinforcement group, allowed the Japanese (second force) to arrive first.
Why would under fueled ships set sail for a rescue mission? Did they think they wouldn't need fuel?
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That group had originally been sent to raid a Japanese island & was diverted to the Wake relief mission. This roughly doubled the distance they would be traveling.
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Originally Posted by skunk works
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Why would you stop for 24 hrs to refuel at sea? Is that easier than refueling before they started? Did they leave with the tanker or rendezvous on the way?
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The tanker & escorts were sent to meet them when the mission was changed. The task force had to slow down for them.
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Originally Posted by skunk works
.Who gave these commands?
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They were a combination of 'suggestions from Washington DC (mostly Adm King), guidance & orders from the Pacific Fleet command (Adm Pye and his staff) and the task force commander (Adm Fletcher).
Quote:
Originally Posted by skunk works
Why turn around when you are 5 hours away, when you could've been 19 hrs early?
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Another task Force was susposed to join them. It was far to the south and could not make the schedule. Also it was beleived the Japanese had sent a large battle group with carriers towards Wake.
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Originally Posted by skunk works
Are their tanks so small that they needed to be topped off to get to Wake? Didn't the South Dakota sail from Guadalcanal to New York without refueling?
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The destroyers did have small fuel tanks. While they might have been able to reach the Wake area with the fuel aboard them it would have left them with no reserve for combat. Refueling while in shooting range of the enemy is stupid. Running out of fuel is even worse. Refueling the destroyers and other small ships was a constant headache for all fleet commanders in all navys through the war.
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Originally Posted by skunk works
It appears he (Pye) was looking for an excuse not to do it, because I believe he would've been out of his element when he arrived, and things would've gotten worse in a hurry. He (Pye) was (with a viable excuse) avoiding something he couldn't handle. Which is why (I dare say) he was replaced.
I compare Pye to LLoyd Fredendall....too little, too late.
just an opinion.
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Pye was told he was the temporary commander, and told that if he lost any ships he would get the same or worse treatment as his predecessor. It was made clear to him by Adm King that his mission was to preserve the situation and not risk anything unless he won something decisive.
Quote:
Originally Posted by skunk works
...because I believe he would've been out of his element when he arrived,
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Pye would not have arrived anywhere. As temporary commander of the Pacific fleet his place was then at the fleet command post on Oahu. Adm Fletcher was the commander of the aircraft carrier task force that was sent to the relief of Wake.
I think this illustrates the problems in getting history leassons from the TV. They tend to leave out 95% of the history and garble the remaining 5%.