The rescue mission came after both cruisers were lost during the Indian Ocean fighting, when Enterprise could not be certain that Japanese aircraft or carriers had moved away. Enterprise was among the first ships to volunteer for the task rather than merely receiving a routine assignment. She entered the danger area with the destroyers Paladin and Panther to collect survivors. Naval commanders and crews accepted the risk of another carrier strike to recover the sailors.
Notable Point · 15:21-16:08
Rescuing survivors after Cornwall and Dorsetshire
Enterprise volunteered to recover survivors from HMS Cornwall and HMS Dorsetshire despite uncertainty over the continuing Japanese carrier threat.