Demauri Brunson
The three carriers of the US Pacific Fleet escaped the risk of sinking in the attack on Pearl Harbor due to sailing on duty or under overhaul.
At 7:48 on December 7, 1941, the Japanese fascists deployed 183 fighters, dive bombers and torpedo bombers to attack the US Pacific Fleet base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.
US battleships were attacked by Japanese aircraft on the morning of December 7, 1941 Photo: IJN
The attack caused all eight US battleships at the base to sink or seriously damage, three cruisers, three destroyers and a series of other ships were also severely damaged.
This was a blow to the US Navy, but all three aircraft carriers, Washington's most important assets, escaped the attack with no damage.
Although it was completely surprised in the attack, the US had previously believed that war with Japan was a possibility.
On the military side, the US Naval Pacific Fleet moved its base from San Diego to Pearl Harbor in April 1940, and increased its defenses in territories in the Pacific.
At that time, the US had a total of 7 aircraft carriers.
USS Enterprise moved across the Pacific in mid-1941 Photo: US Navy
USS Enterprise was closest to Pearl Harbor on December 7 and actually contributed to the defense of the base.
On the morning of December 7, the Enterprise was about 346 kilometers from the Hawaiian Islands Oahu.
American dive bombers immediately entered the war.
After the raid, the USS Enterprise received orders to dispatch forces to find and destroy the Japanese aircraft carrier, but failed because the US Navy misidentified the location.
Like Enterprise, the aircraft carrier USS Lexington also took on the task of transferring aircraft to another US base.
USS Saratoga left the port of San Diego in mid-1941 Photo: US Navy
USS Lexington was then ordered to search for the Japanese fleet in southwestern Hawaii.
The aircraft carrier USS Saratoga was located in the port of San Diego for overhaul and air reception on the day the US base was attacked.
Japan knew that the American aircraft carrier was not present at Pearl Harbor but decided to attack, because this was a good opportunity to destroy all eight battleships of the Pacific Fleet, which Tokyo believes.
However, battles in the Pacific have proven the new carrier to be the most important weapon.
