Jack "Weary" McKnight
1st Year on the Essex - April 1943 to March 1944
Dates Pre-diary Notes

April 25, 1943

Assigned to U.S.S. Essex CV-9:
Division V-3-R
(C.I.C.), Combat Information Center .
U.S.S. Essex CV-9

The U.S.S. Essex CV-9 was launched on July 31, 1942 in Newport News, Virginia. It was commissioned on Dec. 31, 1942. The new carrier was the first of its class and remained stationed in Norfolk conducting trial operations until May. Additional photo.

May 10, 1943

Left for the canal zone aboard the U.S.S. Essex for passage to the Pacific.

May 20, 1943

Exited the Panama Canal. Enroute to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

May 31, 1943

Reached Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

June 1 to Aug. 21

Conducted training exercises in and around Hawaiian Islands.

Aug. 22 to Sept. 1

Joined Task Force 15 to conduct strikes on Marcus Islands with U.S.S. Yorktown CV-10.

Sept. 7, 1943

Returned to Pearl Harbor.

Sept. 10, 1943

Left Pearl Harbor with the U.S.S. Yorktown CV-10 for San Francisco, California.

Sept. 13, 1943

Anchored in San Francisco.

Sept. 16, 1943

Left for Pearl Harbor with the U.S.S. Yorktown CV-10.

Sept. 19, 1943

Reached Pearl Harbor.

Sept. 30, 1943

Left for strikes on Wake Island.

Oct. 5-7, 1943

Participated in strikes against Wake Island.

Oct. 11, 1943

Returned to Pearl Harbor

Oct. 22, 1943

Left for Pallikulo Bay, Expiritu Santo Island, New Hebrides.

(Click for a larger view.)

Oct. 25, 1943

Essex crossed the Equator
for the first time.

Nov. 6, 1943

Anchored in Pallikulo Bay.

Nov. 7, 1943

Left Pallikulo Bay for strikes on Rabaul.

Nov. 13, 1943

Returned to Pallikulo Bay.

Nov. 14, 1943

Left for strikes on Tarawa.

Nov. 18-23, 1943

Strikes on Tarawa. * Battle of Tarawa Nov. 20, 1944

Nov. 25 1943

Thanksgiving Day Menu aboard ship.

(Click each for larger view)

Dec. 4, 1943

Strikes on Kwajalein, Atoll.

Dec. 9, 1943

Returned to Pearl Harbor.

Dec. 25, 1943
Christmas Day Menu aboard ship.

(Click each for larger view)

Dec. 31, 1943

Jack reach rank of S1c.

(Click for a larger view.)

Jan. 16, 1944

Left Pearl Harbor.

Jan. 17-28, 1944

Strikes on Kwajalein, Atoll. * Battle of Kwajalein Jan. 31, 1944

Feb. 3, 1944

Left Kwajalein for Mayuro, Atoll, Marshall Islands.

Feb. 5-11, 1944

Anchored Mayuro, Atoll.

Feb. 12, 1944

Left Mayuro, Atoll.

Feb. 16-17, 1944

Strikes on Turk. * Battle of Eniwetok Feb. 17, 1944

Feb. 18, 1944

Steamed towards Eniwetok, Atoll.

Feb. 20, 1944

Changed course to Saipan and Tinian Islands.

Feb. 22, 1944

Strikes on Saipan and Tinian.

Feb. 26, 1944

Return to Mayuro Atoll, Marshal Islands.

March 4, 1944

Anchored Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

March 6, 1944

Left for San Francisco, California.

March 10, 1944

Arrived in San Francisco for drydock.

March 12, 1944

Granted leave.

March 12-27, 1944

Went home to Pittsburgh.

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