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SHIPS OF THE SUPPORTING FLEET. OPPOSITc. 



Glittering with planes like a tiara-ed qrande dame 

 headed for an opening night at the theatre, the 

 aircraft carrier "Shangri-La" passes through the 

 Panama Canal en route to Bikini, where she was 

 to join the supporting fleet. As shown in the 

 upper photograph, the canal locks were so narrow 

 that the ship's barbettes, or side gun platforms, 

 had to be removed to permit passage. Even at 

 that it was a tight squeeze.. At Bikini the "Shangri- 

 La" controlled the operation of Navy drone planes. 

 The name of the "Shangri-La" commemorates the 

 historic raid of Tokyo in April 1942 by Lt. Colonel 

 Jimmy Doolittle's AAF B-25 bombers launched 

 from the carrier "Hornet." The take-off place of this 

 daring strike was referred to cryptically for a year 

 afterwards merely as "Shangri-La." ABOVE. Brain 

 center of the supporting fleet off Bikini was Ad- 

 miral Blandy's flagship "Mount McKinley." This 

 ship is classified as an amphibious warfare flagship. 



