FOUR and finished out he 1930s at the Office of Chief of Naval Operations in June 1938. World War II Prior to the commencement of World War II Henderson was fitting out the aircraft carrier at Newport News, Virginia and was serving as executive officer when it was placed in commission on October 20, 1941. On April 18, 1942, Henderson was aboard Hornet when she participated in the Doolittle Raid against military and industrial targets in the Japanese home islands. After his tour on Hornet he served a short stint as Chief of Staff and Air to Commander Patrol Wing Two in June 1942. Promoted to captain, Henderson fitted out and commanded the new carrier which was commissioned at Philadelphia Navy Yard in Camden, New Jersey in February 1943. Following shakedown in the Caribbean, she was reclassified CVL-23 on July 15, 1943. Princeton participated in the First and Second Rabaul Air Strikes, on November 5 and 11, 1943, severely damaging many enemy combatant ships in Rabaul harbor. By January 1944 Henderson was serving as Commander Aircraft, Munda and Commander Fleet Air Wing One. Here he developed a successful system of combined air and surface operations that annihilated a Japanese barge fleet in the Solomon Islands and Bismarck Archipelago, and severely damaged numerous shore installations. He also initiated the rescue of many downed aircraft crews, often in enemy waters and under heavy fire from enemy shore batteries. In July 1944 Henderson was promoted to rear admiral and took command of Carrier Division 28 with his flag in the escort carrier . Here he directed his ships and squadrons in vigorous aerial offensives against heavily defended enemy bases. Between September 1944 and early 1945 he successively participated in the Invasion of Palau, Battle of Leyte Gulf, and Invasion of Lingayen Gulf, planning and executing full air coverage of approaching and retiring convoys under extremely hazardous conditions, despite repeated attacks by hostile aircraft. At Leyte Gulf his forces departed the area at 1645 on October 24 and thus did not participate in the Battle off Samar. In February 1945 he took command of Carrier Division 25 with his flag in Saginaw Bay for the Invasion of Iwo Jima. In late March 1945 he moved his flag to the escort carrier for the Invasion of Okinawa. As the war was winding down in August 1945 Henderson was serving ashore again as Commander Fleet Air,