One criticism of Task Force 34 is that its proposed composition included Halsey's own flagship. In this interpretation, Halsey would be unwilling to send that ship away with Lee while Mitscher pursued the carrier battle he expected elsewhere. A counterfactual in which Lee acts independently therefore has to account for which battleships would actually be available to him. Spruance's use of Indianapolis offers a contrasting approach to choosing a command platform. His time aboard New Mexico is also interpreted as a way to avoid removing a fast battleship from Lee's force. These comparisons make the commander's accommodation part of the operational problem.
Notable Point · 2:29:00-2:31:50
How Halsey's flagship complicated Task Force 34
A critical interpretation of Task Force 34 asks whether its listed ships could separate when the fleet commander's flagship was among them.