the U.S.N. had 6 fast carriers in dec. 41:
Lexington, Saratoga, Yorktown, Enterprise, Wasp, Hornet.
The most the IJN expected to sink were 2. The USN would never have had all 3 in port, not given the tensions in dec. 41. That would have left 4.
As it was, the USN lost 4 before 43:
Lexington, Yorktown, Wasp, Hornet.
I doubt losing 2 at PH would have had a significant impact. CVs were the primadonnas of the Pacific War, but most of the real grunt work was carried out from land bases (and by U.S. submarines
).
P.S. - salute to the dead of Pearl Harbour.
