▁Jr ., ▁on ▁ 2 ▁October ▁ 1 9 3 9 . ▁The ▁Admir al ▁pra ised ▁Wat erman ' s ▁" through ▁planning , ▁attention ▁to ▁detail , ▁and ▁exception al ▁ability " ▁that ▁indicated ▁a ▁" high ▁degree ▁of ▁efficiency " ▁instrument al ▁in ▁the ▁success ▁of ▁that ▁important ▁mission . ▁▁ ▁Trans ferred ▁to ▁V P - 1 ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁— ▁three ▁months ▁before ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁Pat W ing ▁ 1 0 ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 0 — W at erman ▁remained ▁with ▁the ▁A si atic ▁Fle et ' s ▁air ▁arm ▁for ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁his ▁life . ▁Pat W ing ▁ 1 0 ▁fle w ▁reconna issance ▁and ▁pat rol ▁miss ions ▁from ▁Cav ite ' s ▁Sang ley ▁Point ▁se ap lane ▁base ▁or ▁from ▁tender - supported ▁O long ap o ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁out break ▁of ▁war ▁with ▁Japan ▁on ▁ 8 ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 1 . ▁After ▁that ▁day — with ▁the ▁A si atic ▁Fle et ▁on ▁the ▁def ensive ▁against ▁the ▁rel ent less ▁pressure ▁applied ▁by ▁the ▁inv ading ▁Japanese — Pat W ing ▁ 1 0 ' s ▁l umber ing ▁P BY ' s ▁conducted ▁their ▁recon no iter ing ▁and ▁pat rol ▁miss ions ▁in ▁the ▁face ▁of ▁increasing ly ▁heavy ▁ant ia ircraft ▁fire ▁and ▁f ighter ▁opposition . ▁ ▁Bomb ing ▁Japanese ▁Sh ipping ▁On ▁occasion , ▁the ▁P BY ' s