| Original caption: “USS Ranger (CV-4). Aerial, port bow, aircraft on deck.” USS Ranger (CV-4) during Fleet Problem XIX off Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii conducted in April and May 1938. Her Air Group consists of Fighting Squadron 4 (VF-4) flying Grumman F3F-1 fighters, Vought SBU-1 Corsair dive bombers, and Vought O3U-3 Corsair II multirole aircraft; Bombing Squadron 4 (VB-4) flying Great Lakes BG-1 dive bombers; Scouting Squadron 41 (VS-41) and Scouting Squadron 42 (VS-42) flying Vought SBU-1 Corsair dive bombers. Fleet Problem XIX (1938) stretched from San Diego to Midway to the Aleutians. since elements of the fleet serving in the Atlantic often steamed great distances to take part in fleet problems, the nearly global scale of the maneuvers becomes readily evident. Fleet Problem I, Communications Mobilization and Fleet Sortie, March 9-15, 1938, simulated a long transoceanic voyage as the Battle Fleets gathered from the West and East coast ports for Southern California. In Fleet Problem II, Concentration of a Divided Fleet, March 15-20, 1938, the 1st phase, the outstanding performance was a long-range attack by 36 San Diego-based White Force Consolidated PBY Catalina patrol planes, which successfully eliminated USS Lexington (CV-2) as a carrier unit in the war game. USS Ranger (CV-4) found and attacked USS Saratoga (CV-3) leaving her vulnerable to the battleships of the White Force. The Black Force carriers were not allowed freedom of movement; serving as escorts to the slower battleships, they were prey for the fast-moving, independent aircraft of the White Force. Parts III & IV: Destroyer Operations & Fleet Reorganization, March 20-25, 1938. En route to Hawaii, a series of exercises were conducted on 20-21, 1938, involving the underway refueling of destroyers and destroyer evolutions and tactics.Then, as the fleet began reaching Hawaiian waters, individual ships dispersed to various anchorages and harbors in the Hawaiian Islands, in preparation for the phase of the maneuvers. Part V: Defense of Hawaii March 25-30, 1938 The notable development of the 5th phase of the war game was an attack on Pearl Harbor, launched from the Black Force of USS Saratoga (CV-3) some 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) off the coast of Oahu. Saratoga’s recon group flew over Lahaina area, photographing beaches and reporting the enemy’s strength there. At the same time, Saratoga sent an attack group which bombed Fleet Air Base, Hickam Field, Wheeler Field, Wailupe Radio Station, and returned to the carrier. This tactic was to be employed by the Japanese some 3 years later, in December 1941. Word leaked out, and this attack was cover in an article in the January 1939 Saturday Evening Post. Part VI, VII, and VIII were a series of exercises, port replenishments, and liberty in Hawaii. Parts IX-X: Rapid Sortie and Reorganization, April 18-25, 1938: Led by a rapid deployment of submarines, the entire Pacific Fleet redeployed to the West coast. Part XI: Defense of the West Coast, April 25-28, 1938: this outstanding air operation was an unopposed air attack by USS Lexington (CV-2) and USS Saratoga (CV-3) based planes launched against Mare Island and Alameda. “Excellent experience was provided in planning and executing a fast carrier task force attack against shore objective. The problem of defending a coast line, or even an isolated portion thereof, against fast enemy raiding forces equipped with large carriers and protected by powerful surface ships was seen to be one difficult of solution.” In the aftermath of Fleet Problem XIX, Admiral Ernest J. King (November 23, 1878 – June 25, 1956)suggested transferring the carriers to the Scouting Force, thus fully freeing them from the Battle Force, a proposal that was endorsed by several other senior commanders. Although an airman himself, Rear Admiral Adolphus Andrews (October 7, 1879 – June 19, 1948), Chief of the Bureau of Navigation, opposed this, citing the need to provide carriers protection from the battle line’s anti-aircraft defenses. As a result, the carriers remained part of the Battle Force until after December 7, 1941. | |
| Image Filename | wwii0719.jpg |
| Image Size | 869.48 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 2892 x 2260 |
| Photographer | |
| Photographer Title | |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | April 8, 1938 |
| Location | |
| City | Honolulu, Oahu |
| State or Province | Hawaii |
| Country | United States |
| Archive | National Archives and Records Administration |
| Record Number | NWDNS-80-G-410061 |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
Author of the World War II Multimedia Database