R Leonard Quoted
On the subject of Saratoga, though, let me look around for joint operations with Victorious information and get back. I think I've gone down that road before and there's scant available, but it won't hurt to look again.
Maxs75 Quoted
Thanks very much. I'm looking forward for your post.
20th December 1942 HMS Victorious set sail for Pearl Harbour
Thursday 4th March 1943 HMS Victorious arrived at Pearl Harbour, and became a unit of the US Pacific Fleet, she was known as USS Robin
Saturday 8th May Victorious set sail from Pearl Harbour with the Battleship USS North Carolina and the Destroyers USS Smith, Pringle Case. she had on board 16 Avengers of of 832 Squadron 36 Martletts of 882, 896 898 Squadrons.
17th May she arrived at the French Island of New Caledonia,
18th May set sail with the other units of task force 14 including the Battleships USS Massachusetts Indiana, the Cruiser USS San Juan the Aircraft carrier USS Saratoga. This was to intercept a Japanese force approaching the Coral Sea, but the force turned back to New Calenonia on the 20th May, as the Japanese force had turned around, arriving at New Caledonia on the 25th May
27th June The Task Group 36.3 HMS Victorious USS Saratoga with various other ships set sail to support the landings on New Georgia of the Solomon Islands, they arrived off New Georgia in the early hours of 30th June. The 2 Carriers opperating aircraft at a distance of 150 Miles off shore, after succesfully supporting the landings both Carriers returned to New Caledonia on the 21st July, during the return voyage both Carriers operated each others aircraft, anchoring on the 25th July.
Thursday 12th August she set sail for Pearl Harbour home as the new Essex Independance class Carriers were being commisioned, HMS Victorious arrived back in the UK on the 26th September.
This is just basic info as she did a lot of training on American Aircraft Carrier operating techniques, and also had to have her gun sponsons removed and replaced for her passage through the Panama Canal.
source HMS Victorious 1937 to 1969 Neil McCart
ISBN Number 1 901225 01 1