short list of potential successors, if necessary. According to RADM Thomas Kincaid, although RADM Fletcher was scheduled to become Commander, Cruisers, Scouting Force, Admiral Kimmel postponed these changes in order to place RADM Fletcher in command of the Wake Island relief Task Force. Wake Island: December 8–23, 1941 Prior to December 7, Wake Island had received reinforcements, including aircraft for defense. At the time of Pearl Harbor, it was under the command of Commander Winfield Scott Cunningham, USN and included a Marine Corps Defense Battalion, commanded by Major James Devereux. A day after Pearl Harbor, reports were received from Wake Island of a Japanese bombardment and subsequent invasion attempt. Admiral Kimmel expected Wake Island to hold out in the short run and on December 10, CinC PAC drafted an Operations Order for the relief of Wake. On December 15, Admiral Kimmel placed RAdm Fletcher in command of Task Force (TF) 14 for the relief of Wake which consisted of the fleet carrier , the fleet oiler , the seaplane tender , three heavy cruisers (, , ), and eight destroyers (, , , , , , , ). RAdm Fletcher commanded Task Force 14 from the cruiser Astoria while RAdm Aubrey Fitch sailed aboard Saratoga. Unfortunate events caused a delay in departure of TF 14 as well as a delay in D-Day, the date of the actual relief effort. TF 14 traveled West towards Wake Island at less than 13 knots, as fast as the slowest ship could travel, with plans to arrive at Wake Island on December 24 (D-Day). Fletcher had been instructed to fuel prior to arriving at Wake Island. Underway refueling was still a work in progress which took time and required calm sea conditions. However certain events took place that had a drastic impact on the relief effort. The primary event was the relief of Admiral Kimmel as CinC PAC, to be replaced by Admiral Chester Nimitz. Since Nimitz was in Washington, D.C., VAdm William Pye assumed the duties of CinC PAC on December 17, until Nimitz's arrival. Pye brought in personnel from his staff (he commanded the Pacific Fleet Battleships) and debates began regarding the intelligence information being provided, primarily whether the Japanese Navy had moved aircraft carriers to Wake in support their invasion. On December 22, the Japanese began another invasion attempt of Wake. Given the new invasion and a lack of understanding regarding