November '41

On November 28th, 1941, the USS Enterprise and her task force departed for Wake Island with a squadron of Marine F4F Wildcats.

Pilots of VMF-211 assumed they would spend the morning practicing carrier landings before heading back to MCAS Ewa. Only after coming aboard did the Marines learn of their destination.

Taking the Marines under their protection, the crew of the Enterprise all pitched in to provide extra uniforms, toothbrushes, gunsights, ammunition, and new sea blue camouflage for their Wildcats.

With one Marine F4F left back at Ewa with a bad starter (The frustrated pilot was flown aboard later that morning aboard a VT-6 TBD Devastator), VF-6 "sold" one of their aircraft to the VMF-211, bringing their total back up to twelve.

In at least one case, an additional cargo was provided, with Wilmer Rawie of VF-6 provided an illicit bottle of whiskey to his Pensacola classmate, Marine pilot John Kinney.