 In that capacity, "Wainwright" maintained constant radar and visual surveillance of the gulf and adjoining coasts for the purpose of identifying all aircraft in the zone and vectoring defensive forces to the interception of any possible airborne enemy intruders.Because of the relative immobility necessary to those duties, she also served as a reference point to guide American strike aircraft to their targets ashore.Since her duties afforded her a continual picture of the events occurring in the air over the zone, she also served as a base for search and rescue (SAR) helicopters.