On July 16th Admiral Ghormley issued the basic operation plan for the expedition. The immediate operation, he said, was the first part, or Task ONE, of a large offensive which United Nations forces were to conduct in the South Pacific and Southwest Pacific Areas. These two areas would, as of August 1st, be regarded as being divided by the one hundred fifty-ninth meridian, and from the equator southward. For Task ONE the Supreme Commander, Southwest Pacific Area, would provide for the interdiction of enemy air and naval activities west of the operating area, and his submarines would operate in the Rabaul area. For further assistance and protection, five submarines of the Pacific fleet would operate in the vicinity of Truk between about July 22d and August 20th. "Dog-Day," or the day for attacking Tulagi-Guadalcanal, was tentatively set for August 7th, the week's delay being necessitated by the late arrival of some of the transports and cargo ships at Wellington. Chapter 4: Plan of Attack
The forces under his command, Admiral Ghormley continued, would successively seize, occupy, and defend (1) Tulagi and adjacent positions, and (2) the Santa Cruz Islands (Ndeni), for the purpose of denying these areas to the enemy and in preparation for further offensive action. Prior to the actual attack in the Solomons, a rehearsal would be held in the Fijis about July 27th.
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