It is one of the Great Lakes
A merchant mariner named John J. Manley saw that the United States Navy required a large body of water to train its pilots. It must be a safe location away from potential attack. Aviators should be able to practice taking off and landing aboard aircraft carriers at this position. And he knew exactly where to go. The Great Lakes are a collection of five large lakes in North America. Only one of them is totally within the borders of the United States. Lake Michigan is the perfect size at 22,000 square miles to serve as a training area for rookie pilots. But there is one more issue.
A scarcity of aircraft carriers
Lake Michigan is an excellent location for new pilot training exercises. It is located inland, distant from the beaches, where enemy invasions are expected. Not to mention the thousands of square kilometers of water for effective training. However, another issue must be resolved before the training can begin. While World War II is in full swing and the United States is completely involved. That is, the last seven aircraft carriers of the United States Navy are all operational. No one could be released from active duty to be employed for training. The task at hand is to locate another aircraft carrier for training reasons.