 Something akin to a Fourth of July celebration occurred, as some 150 warships threw everything they had—searchlights; tracers; red, white, and green flares; and star shell—into a 15-minute celebration that commemorated the word that the Japanese were entertaining thoughts of surrender.The demonstration subsided as quickly as it had formed, and darkness again descended upon Buckner Bay.Two days later, however, the torpedoing of brought home the fact that war was still very much "on."