U.S. Navy aircraft carriers weren't at Pearl Harbor during the December 7, 1941, attack due to being at sea on operational missions: the Enterprise was delivering planes to Wake Island, the Lexington was ferrying aircraft to Midway, and the Saratoga was in San Diego for maintenance, a fortunate absence that preserved the Pacific Fleet's vital air power for later crucial campaigns. Japan's main goal was to destroy these carriers, so their survival was a huge stroke of luck for the U.S.. #usa #ame