US destroyers conducted anti-submarine and other wartime operations from Cork. The force based there made a useful contribution to wartime operations. The wider fleet still needed enough destroyers to support a large battle line and defend enormous stretches of ocean. Those commitments remained larger than the destroyer inventory. The closing discussion asks how naval leaders can secure support for screening and support ships when larger ships and new technologies attract more attention.
Notable Point · 46:25-47:44
Cork service and the wider ocean-coverage gap
Wartime operations from Cork showed the value of US destroyers, but the fleet still lacked enough hulls to support its battle line and cover its ocean commitments.