Wendt akapinda Naval Postgraduate School kubva muna June kusvika muna September 1939, nokuda kworayiridzo mukukurukurirana kwakashandiswa, asi kosi yacho yakapfupikiswa apo Mutungamiri Franklin D. Roosevelt akatanga Neutrality Patrol operations, umo iye akanga akabatanidzwa somukuru mukuru wezvombo uye mutungamiri mukuru ari mugwa rokuparadza muPanama Canal Zone kusvikira muna June 1940. Akashanda mwedzi mitanhatu semudzidzisi mukuru pavashandi veMukuru weDestroyer Squadron 27 asati aendeswa muna December kuvashandi veMukuru weDestroyer Squadron 30 kusvika munaSeptember 1943, nokuda kwebasa rekufambisa kutungamira kwemafambisi emafambisi uye kubatanidzwa mukupinda kweNorth Africa
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