alternatehistory.com

The icy waters of the North Pacific splashed over the flight decks of the carriers Enterprise, Hornet, Wasp, Lexington, Saratoga, Ranger, and Yorktown. The declaration of war was
set for the morning of November 26, 1941. In the three weeks after setting out
from Pearl Harbor under sealed orders from the task force commander, Admiral William F. "Bull" Halsey, and under strict radio silence, the carriers,
and their escorts, the battleships California, West Virginia, Nevada, Arizona, Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Maryland, and the cruisers Augusta, Baltimore, and Witchita, along with other heavy and light cruisers, destroyers, and
submarines, were making good time. Halsey looked at his executive officer,
Commander Tearlach A. McClintock, of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and
then opened the safe in his quarters. A manila envelope, stamped "TOP SECRET" in red ink, and broke the seal. "Where are we headed, sir?" McClintock asked.
"Hitokappu Bay, Commander," Halsey replied.
"Hitokappu Bay? Where the blue blazes is that, sir?"
"It's in the Southern Kurile Islands, Commander McClitock, in short, we're
headed for Japan, and we'll be in Japanese home waters."

Commander Jason Reed, Enterprise's captain, was on the bridge when Halsey and McClintock came striding onto the bridge. "Admiral on the deck!" All hands saluted.
"At ease," Halsey said. He turned to Reed.
"Captain Reed," Halsey commanded. "Give me shipwide."
Reed looked at him. "Aye, sir," he replied.
"This is the Admiral," Halsey said.
"We are heading for Japan. Keep your eyes peeled for Japanese ships.
"Our target is Hitokappu Bay. That is all."
The pilots of Scouting 6, the dive-bombing squadron, and the fighter and torpedo squadrons, let out a pent-up cheer and their ground crews prepared
their planes for takeoff. Thousand pound bombs were placed under the Vindicators, torpedoes, placed under the Devastators, and Wildcats were fueled and their six .50 caliber machine guns, loaded. By 0530, the squadrons were ready for takeoff. It was the same on the other carriers.
The radio was broadcasting President Roosevelt's declaration of war against Japan. By 0630, the fighters, dive-bombers, and torpedo bombers,
from Enterprise and her sister ships, were airborne, and heading toward their destination. Soon, the Carrier Striking Force, which was supposed to have begun its journey to Pearl Harbor today, was in flames.
The Japanese lack of radar came back to bite them in the proverbial rear end.
Top