DESPATCH FROM COMINCH TO CINCPAC, COMANZAC FORCE, CTF11, AND
     CTF17 DATED FEBRUARY 26, 1942
 
FOLLOWING DECISION ON COMMAND AND MY GENERAL COMMENTS ON
COMTASKFOR ELEVEN 232214, COMANZAOFOR 250100 AND 250900. CINCPAC
2508547 AND 251209 X (A) WHILE LEARY REMAINS ON SHORE SENIOR PACFLT
OFFICIER AFLOAT IN ANZAC HEREAFTER EXERCISE DIRECT COMMAND
 
FORCES AND ANZAC FORCES ASSIGNED TO COMON TASKS BUT LEARY
COORDINATE SUPPORTING OPERATIONS OF U.S. AND AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCES
BASED AUSTRALIA AND MORESBY. CANNOT APPROVE WITHHOLDING ANZAC
FORCE FROM ACTIVE OPERATIONS MERELY TO FORM A RESERVE. THIS IDEA IS
 
PASSIVE AND APPEARS LIKELY TO BE PREMISED ON ACNB VIEWS. (B) AGREE
THE CURRENT PRACTICE OF USING A SINGLE CARRIER IN AN IMPORTANT
OFFENSIVE TASK WITHOUT SUITABLE COVERAGE BY SHORE BASED AIRCRAFT
SHOULD BE AVIODED WHENEVER CIRCUMSTANCES PERMIT. EITHER TASK
FORCE 11 OR 17 PREFERABLY BOTH SHOULD REMAIN ANZAC UNTIL NEW
CALEDONIA IS GARRISONED BUT THIS
 
DEPENDS ON LINGISTICS AND MUST BE DECIDED BY CINCPAC. ADVISE.  (C)
OPERATIONS IN FORWARD AREAS SUCH AS "0FFENSIVE SWEEPS" ARE SELDOM
JUSTIFIEDIN THE ABSENCE OF INDICATIONS OF ENEMY PRESENCE SINCE SUCH
OPERATIONS MAY DISCLOSE OWN PRESENCE AND INTENTION AND ELIMINATE
 
ADVANTAGE OF SURPRISE.     (D) OUR CURRENT TASKS ARE NOT MERELY
PROTECTIVE BUT ALSO OFFENSIVE WHERE PRACTICABLE AS BEST WAY TO
PROTECT IS BY REDUCING ENEMY OFFENSIVE POWER THROUGH DESTRUCTION
OF HIS MOBILE FORCES PARTICULARY CARRIERS CRUISERS LOADED
TRANSPORTS AND
 
LONG RANGE BOMBERS. WHILE ENEMY SHORE POSlTIONS MAY BE LOOKED ON
AS LOCATIONS WHERE ENEMY NAVAL FORCES MAY BE STRUCK. RAIDS WHICH
MERELY PUT AIR FIELDS AND FIXED INSTALLATIONS 0UT OF C0MMISSION
TEMP0RARILY MAY NOT IN THEMSELVES BE PARTICULARLY PROFITABLE.
 
(E)     NAVAL 0PEPERATIONS AGAINST ENEMY IN BISMARK SOLOMONS AREA
CAN  PROBABLY BE BETTER COVERED BY RECONNAISSANCE BY PATROL
PLANES  BOMBERS BASED NE AUSTRALIA USING MORESBY FOR REFUELING
REC0MMEND LEARY MAKE EFFORT TO HAVE US ARMY FIGHTERS SENT TO
MORESBY
 
TO PROTECT THIS VERY IMPORTANT AIR FIELD (F) WILL TRANSMIT IN SEPARATE
DESPATCH MY ANALYSIS PRESENT ENEMY SITUATION AND INTENTION ANZAC
C0M SW PACFOR TO COMIECH 271016
 
LANGLEY WITH 37 P-40's ABOARD ENR0UTE TJIJATJAP DISCOVERED 130 MILES.
SOUTH OF ISLAND BY ENEMY AIR RECONNAISSANCE AND SUBSEQUENTLY
DESTROYED BY SQUADRON OF NINE ENEMY BOMBERS SURVIVORS
INCLUDING COMMANDER MCCONNELL NOW IN TWO DESTROYERS.
PECOS EN ROUTE COLOMBO
 
AND IN GENERAL VICINITY LANGLEY WILL TAKE SURVIVORS ON BOARD
AND PROCEED EXMOUTH GULF TO JOIN THE GROUP THEN TO LOADING PORT
WHICH MAY BE CHANGED TO FREMANTLE. NO DETAILS YET OF BOMBING NOR
OF SURVIVORS EXCEPT THE C0MMANDING OFFICER. THIS IS FIRST BOMBING
 
OFF THE SOUTH COAST OF JAVA. STREAMER SEA WITCH WITH 27 P40'S AND
MACHINE GUN AMMUNITION ARRIVING TJILATJAP TOMORROW MORNING
TWENTYEIGHTH.