On 15 April 1942, Prime Minister Winston Churchill cabled President Franklin Delano Roosevelt requesting "North Carolina" and "Ranger" reinforce the Eastern Fleet in the wake of the Indian Ocean Raid. The day before in response to advance notice of the reinforcement request routed through General George Marshall, who was then visiting London, Admiral Ernest King had already definitely stated that "Ranger" and any other major fleet unit could not be made available for the Indian Ocean. He stated the only manner at all in which the Navy could assist was by using "Ranger" to ferry the pursuit planes necessary to bring the 10th Air Force up to full operational strength. King's draft response to Churchill's insistence displayed a lack of tact. Roosevelt supported King, but toned down King's draft by playing up "Ranger's" faults to steer the British towards accepting the ferry mission.