SOUTH PACIFIC. Between October 26th, 1943 and December 9th, 1943 on board the US aircraft carrier USS Saratoga. Jubilant over the success of the November 5th task force raid on Rabaul, Commander "Jumping Joe" CLIFTON passes out cigars. The close coverage that his fighter group afforded the dive bombers and torpedo planes enabled the latter to return to the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga with a minimum of casualties. The sinking of two Japanese cruisers, the damaging of five more and the known or probable destruction of more than two score Japanese planes at that time softened up the enemy for the current invasion of New Britian.