It was a dark and stormy night. More than dark and stormy, the gale-force and intermittent hurricane-force
winds did not bode well for the officers and crew who were due in port shortly. The storm was bad, alright,
but although it did not threaten the ship itself it did force her to remain at sea for one extra day, thereby
delaying those brave and homesick souls aboard and depriving them the fulfillment of their long awaited
and anxiously anticipated arrival at home port.
Ah! Such is life at sea: the unexpected. In this case, although the ship was far beyond being vulnerable to
the high seas it was nonetheless susceptible to the dangers of trying to dock during any kind of rough
weather, as anyone with sailing experience could attest. And although the rough seas could cause damage
to the ship, she definitely could not stand an attempt at docking, so she, her officers, and her crew were
forced to remain at sea, hopeful for the chance to dock on the morrow.
Launched October 3, 1936, from Newport News, Virginia, the Yorktown Class USS Enterprise began her
relatively short life. Relatively short in life, but unmatched in glory, the USS Enterprise was among those
lucky few sailing vessels of the United States Navy to be constructed before WWII and survive intact until
the very end. In all, the USS Enterprise and her crew would find themselves engaged in more fighting
action, engaging the greatest number of enemy combatants over a longer period of the war than any of the
other aircraft carriers to be employed.
During the course of her illustrious career the USS Enterprise earned several nicknames, including Grey
Ghost, Lucky E, and the most popular nickname: The Big E. Among her many activities, The Enterprise
escorted another of the famous carriers, The Hornet, on the "Doolittle" raid to bomb Japan, immediately
following the devastating attack at Pearl Harbor. From there her pilots sank two Japanese carriers at the
battle for Midway, and participated in the sinking of a third. The Enterprise and her gallant crew were also
greatly involved in the Solomon Islands, Guadalcanal, and the battle of the Santa Cruz islands.
Other major battles in which the Enterprise took part included the battle of the Philippine Sea, in which
three more Japanese carriers were sunk. The Enterprise was also heavily involved at Saipan, the
Marianas, Truk Island, and New Guinea.
The Big E played a major role in the battle of Leyte Gulf, and supported operations to retake the Philippines.
She was also heavily involved at Iwo Jima and Okinawa, two of the most important battles in the Pacific
theater of the war.
In her last engagement, the majestic and graceful and battle-tested girl suffered a direct hit in a kamikaze
attack, which forced her to retire to port for repairs, where she was moored on VJ Day, August 15, 1945.
The USS Enterprise received many medals, awards, and special commendations during and subsequent to
the war, including much recognition abroad. Her officers and crew were among the most decorated of any
ship in the war. During her four years of active service in the war The Big E was responsible for the sinking
of more tonnage, engaged more enemy ships, killed more enemy combatants and accounted for fully
one-third of all enemy casualties -- all by herself and the fighting task force that surrounded her. It can truly
be said that were it not for the heroic efforts of the USS Enterprise, her gallant officers, and her brave
crew, the war in the Pacific just might not have been won. The world does indeed owe a tremendous debt
of gratitude to The Big E.
But it almost didn't happen. It is difficult to imagine just how the United States forces, yea, the world's
forces could have defeated the heavily fortified and heavily prepared and mighty Japanese juggernaut
were it not for the existence of and the fighting spirit displayed by the USS Enterprise and her courageous
crew. Yet for all the accomplishments; for all the enemy ships sunk; for all the enemy combatants killed; for
all the damage upon the enemy wielded; none of it might have happened except for one most fortuitous of
events. The USS Enterprise almost did not make it to the war. Although she was only five years old at the
time, the USS Enterprise almost suffered a fatal blow before the war even got started.
Prior to the beginning of hostilities, and even though she was constructed to carry and launch aircraft, the
USS Enterprise found herself initially in the position of transport vessel. She transported land-based
aircraft to important and strategic islands around the South Pacific, and she carried other armor and
supplies as well. In early December of 1941, the USS Enterprise had been ordered to transport planes,
other armor, and supplies to Wake Island, and was on her return trip to port when she encountered one of
the worst and most fierce storms seen in that part of the ocean. The storm was severe enough that she
was forced to delay her return to her home port by one day. And a good thing she was delayed, because
had she arrived to her home port on the day she was so scheduled she would have encountered a storm
that was far more terrifying and far more threatening and far more deadly than the one she encountered on
that dark and stormy night. Had she attempted a return to port on her scheduled day she most surely would
have suffered a far worse fate than that, which normally occurs to any vessel that attempts to dock during a
storm. Had the USS Enterprise returned to port on the day she was scheduled to do so, the storm that
raged at her home port most assuredly would have been lethal to her and her crew. Had it not been for the
storm at sea we most likely would never ever have heard of The Big E.
What was home port for the USS Enterprise? Home port was the little known and seldom heard of Naval
Base at Pearl Harbor, in the US territory of Hawaii. And her scheduled date of arrival? Why, the Big E was
scheduled to arrive at home port and be in the process of docking in the early morning hours of December
7, 1941.
Ah! A Big Lucky for us!
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Oak in my journal, or email me one of your own stories.
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