Together, these ships proceeded out into the central Atlantic on neutrality patrol, cruising almost as far as the Cape Verde Islands, "safeguarding the neutrality of the United States." Their voyage took them almost to the edge of the zones defined in operations orders of April and June 1941. "Anderson" served as plane guard for "Wasp" and as an antisubmarine screen for the carrier and for "Tuscaloosa" during the patrol that ultimately came to an end at Bermuda on Independence Day, 1941.