In the early hours of June 19, aboard the USS Alabama, an atmosphere of focused vigilance pervaded. The ship, a titan of the seas armed with a powerful array of more than 100 guns and capable of unleashing devastating 16-inch shells, was on high alert.

At the heart of this anticipation was the radar team, led by Captain John Henry, along with technical officers Walter F. Lenoir Jr. and Eugene S. Pennebaker. Radar operators O'Brien and Cook, their eyes fixed on the screens of their SK-2 radar.

A newly developed state-of-the-art marvel, this radar had recently been installed at sea. Suddenly, the device caught a signal—a mass of aircraft an incredible 190 miles away.

Initially dismissed as an improbable anomaly due to the vast distance, the crew's skepticism slowly turned to concern as the blips continued their steady approach. As the enemy fleet closed into 150 miles, Captain Fred D. Kirtland, understanding the severity of the situation, took decisive action.

The Japanese were coming. And nobody but them knew about it.