The Saratoga was in San Diego ( yes, technically the Pacific but somewhat out of range) and due for an overhaul. When she did sail to Hawaii she was promptly torpedoed and did not get into the war until just after Midway.
The Yorktown and Wasp were in the Atlantic ( as was the Langley, even if that one doesn't count ) and they were not exactly jerking off. There had been several shooting incidents between U-boats and US naval forces. The Wasp needed a refit. The Hornet was still undergoing training and did not make her operational debut until the Doolittle raid.
We did have a two-ocean navy, something the Japanese did not have to worry about. In addition to the six fleet carriers they also had Hiyo and Junyo and some light carriers which they considered too slow to send along with Nagumo and Kido Butai.
An even bigger advantage was the superiority of their carrier-based aircraft to US designs in 1941. Finally, their pilots were at the peak of their training.
We were simply lucky that Enterprise and Lexington were not near Pearl Harbor that day.
The Yorktown and Wasp were in the Atlantic ( as was the Langley, even if that one doesn't count ) and they were not exactly jerking off. There had been several shooting incidents between U-boats and US naval forces. The Wasp needed a refit. The Hornet was still undergoing training and did not make her operational debut until the Doolittle raid.
We did have a two-ocean navy, something the Japanese did not have to worry about. In addition to the six fleet carriers they also had Hiyo and Junyo and some light carriers which they considered too slow to send along with Nagumo and Kido Butai.
An even bigger advantage was the superiority of their carrier-based aircraft to US designs in 1941. Finally, their pilots were at the peak of their training.
We were simply lucky that Enterprise and Lexington were not near Pearl Harbor that day.
