Admiral Nimitz had flown into Ulithi for a planned conference with Halsey and the Third Fleet staff. The CINCPAC, recently promoted to the new five-star rank of “fleet admiral,” was piped aboard the New Jersey at 1:50 p.m. For the first time in the navy’s history, a five-star flag was broken out at the masthead. After niceties, the brass convened in flag country wardrooms to review recent operations and plan for the future.
