he began. "Nothing was sighted last night,
and right now we are on the edge of the area to be searched. The
searching patrols are to be made in relays. That is, all of you will go
out and fly your patrols, and as you are returning to refuel the Hawk
will launch her planes to take up where you left off. Here on the table
in front of me are envelopes containing patrol courses and instructions
for every flying team. Your names are printed on the outside, so before
you leave come up and get your envelope. Well, I guess that's all,
except this. We feel, now, that the Jap snooper business late yesterday
afternoon didn't do us any harm. At least we hope and pray that it is
like that. However, there is just a chance that the Japs have managed to
trail us somehow, and will attempt to cross us up by launching a
land-based attack. For that reason, keep your radios open all the time
you are in the air. You may get the call to come back here in a hurry."

The colonel paused, started to make a gesture of dismissal, but checked
himself.

"Now, there's one more thing I'd better mention, though you'll find it
included in your sealed orders," he said. "And it is this. The safety of
this task force is of prime importance. At least, until we have found
this unknown Jap force and are engaging it. I mean by that, if any of
you get into any personal trouble, such as being jumped by surprise by
Jap planes, or something goes wrong that forces you down into the drink,
don't count on any help from this task force. You will be strictly on
your own. In short, as you will learn when you read your individual
orders, you are _not_ to make radio contact with this task force _unless
you sight Jap surface units of three or more ships in number_. One
reason for that is to prevent any Japs from listening in on your wave
lengths, and learning of the force's existence in these waters by taking
a bearing to locate our position. And the reason it must be three or
more Jap ships that you sight is because the Japs might possibly try to
decoy us into a favorable position for them. Well, that is all, now.
Good luck, and Godspeed to all of you. We have two days and one night in
which to accomplish this mighty difficult job. If we don't sight that
Jap force today, then we've absolutely _got_ to do it tomorrow. The
attack on Guadalcanal and Tulagi will begin on the morning of the third
day--whether we succeed, or fail. And so it's up to you pilots. And I
know you'll