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This book has been edited to fit the high speed internet.
The Battle Off Samar - Taffy III at
Leyte Gulf
SECOND EDITION
< Condensed Internet Version >
Copyright © 2001 Robert Jon Cox
All rights reserved
Ivy Alba Press, LLC
Time-Line, Events, & Comments
What makes this book unique is the use of a time-line for all events, all
listed in chronological, time-line order. The events in Chapters two through
nine are listed in the order in which the author believes they occurred.
Entries listed simply as "EVENT" are also placed in a chronological,
time-line order and are closely related in time to the last numbered
"time" event. Comments by the author associated with events are
often listed also. Entries are displayed as follows:
| 0708 |
A time-specific event, in the order in
which the author believes they actually occurred. |
| EVENT |
A specific event, closely related in time
to the last numbered "time" event. |
| A/C |
Author's Comment. A personal explanation
of events by the author. |
Chapter 9
0800 to 0841
HER FATE IS SEALED
Wednesday, October 25, 1944
0800 TBS - Mercury
3 v Taffy 3, "SIGNAL EXECUTE UPON RECEIPT TURN SHACKLE
GEORGE XRAY UNSHACKLE, OUT."
A/C Ships of
the task unit are ordered to course 200° T.
0800 The six
escort carriers of Taffy III are ordered to change course from south to
southwest. They are steaming in two uneven rows abreast, nearly a circular
formation. They are making their top speed of just over 17.5 knots.
A/C This
single maneuver eventually leads to the sinking of GAMBIER BAY. Had
they not changed course, another, or perhaps several other escort carriers
possibly would have been sunk.
0800 Fifteen
thousand yards now separate the fleeing escort carriers from the pursuing
Japanese heavy cruisers. The battleships, coming up the center, are not far
behind. All ships continue to fire on the escort carriers of Taffy III.
EVENT Escort
Carrier WHITE PLAINS leads the task unit, in the center of the
forward line, just ahead of the others. She is closely followed by CVEs KITKUN
BAY and flagship CVE FANSHAW BAY. Trailing on the starboard flank
is CVE ST LO; all are masked by the dense smoke screen put up by
themselves and the screening ships.
|
EVENT
The new course taken by Taffy III places escort carriers GAMBIER BAY
and KALININ BAY on the exposed port flank, nearest to the
Japanese cruiser line. Although they too are making smoke, the wind
blows their smoke screen southward, exposing them both to the pursuing
warships accurate 8-inch gunfire. The two unfortunate escort carriers
now become the focal point of the Japanese heavy caliber gunfire.
EVENT With
the range between the escort carriers and enemy cruisers closing
drastically, RADM Sprague orders the escort carriers to "...open
fire with the pea-shooters when the range is clear...", referring
to the escort carriers single 5-inch gun. Shortly after observing the
defensive gunfire, one old Chief Petty Officer on CVE ST LO was
heard to say, "They ought to fire that thing underwater, we could
use a little jet propulsion right now!" |
USS
KITKUN BAY (CVE 71)
Ship's History
Chapter 10, 1 October to 1 November 1944
Our hopes reached a new low when an enemy submarine's periscope was
reported off our port bow, bearing 200 T, distance 3 miles. She was in a
perfect position to pick off every carrier as they passed on their
enforced course. The course was altered to 205 T, to present as small a
target as possible and to ram if in position. One of the torpedo planes
sighted the periscope and dove on it the pilot later expressing his
belief that his depth charge sank the submarine. All that could be seen
from this ship was a puff of reddish smoke over the spot and the water
around it discolored with green dye marker dropped by the plane as this
ship passed almost over the spot where the submarine had been sighted.
No further evidence of the submarine was seen, and it may be assumed
that it was sunk. |
A/C In just
over one hour, the heavy cruisers have closed the range on the escort
carriers by nearly 20,000 yards (ten miles) from their initial contact
point. Now, at a range of seven and one-half miles, 15,000 yards, they were
well within their main batteries’ effective range to eliminate the entire
group with 8-inch gunfire.
EVENT
Battleship Division THREE’s KONGO and HARUNA, although
acting independently, continue their successful persecution of the escort
carriers. Battleship KONGO on the outside track and furthest from the
CVEs continues to fire accurate salvos at the fleeting escort carriers. Her
division mate BB HARUNA is the closest, a scant ten miles from the
escort carriers.
0802 TBS - FIDO
v Taffy 3, "ARE YOU HIT, OVER?" .... v FIDO,
"NEGATIVE"
0803 Destroyer HEERMANN
completes her gunnery duel with the BB HARUNA and turns southward to
rejoin the escort carriers. Still well within range of the battleships’
big guns, she is forced to chase salvos during her retreat.
0803 TBS - Taffy 33 v JUGGERNAUGHT,
"FISH ARE HEADED FOR GREAT DANES, OUT."
A/C Radio
report from SAMUEL B. ROBERTS indicating enemy torpedoes aka
"FISH" were sighted heading in the direction of the escort
carriers aka "GREAT DANES".
0803 TBS - Taffy
33 v DREADNAUGHT, "MY EXERCISE IS COMPLETED, OVER. SHIP ON
THE STARBOARD QUARTER HAS BEEN CALLING US AND IS NOW WORKING AA."
0804 TBS - Taffy
2 v FLAPPER, "I HAVE FOUR FISH READY. SHALL I LAUNCH MY
FIGHTER, OVER?"
0805 Escort
Carrier KALININ BAY, the tail-end ship, is hit by an 8-inch heavy
cruiser shell.
0805 TBS - Mercury
3 v Taffy 3, "SIGNAL EXECUTE UPON RECEIPT SHACKLE NAN PETER
KING UNSHACKLE, OUT."
A/C Ships of
the task unit are ordered to course 240° T.
0808 TBS - Mercury
2 v Taffy 2, "HAVE YOU OBSERVED PLANES COMING IN FROM 290,
OUT?"
0808 TBS - Taffy
2 v GALLEY, "I HAVE SIX FIGHTERS READY TO LAUNCH WHEN YOU
ARE READY." .... v Taffy 2, "NEGATIVE. DO NOT LAUNCH THE
FIGHTERS."
0809 TBS - GALLEY
v Taffy 2, "GO AHEAD AND LAUNCH YOUR PLANES." .... v GALLEY,
"WILCO, OUT."
0809 Destroyer
Escort DENNIS joins destroyers HEERMANN, JOHNSTON and
DE ROBERTS, about 7 to 10 thousand behind the CVEs, as they head back
toward the escort carriers. The latter two are seriously damaged and have
limited propulsion.
A/C JOHNSTON
and ROBERTS, both heavily damaged, would never catch up with the
escort carriers. Commander Evans and LCDR Copeland fought their ships to the
last.
|
0810
The Japanese CA CHIKUMA closes to within five miles of the escort
carriers, finds the range of CVE GAMBIER BAY, and sets her aft
flight deck ablaze with 8-inch shell fire.
0810 Battleship
Division One proceeds southward again after combing the wakes of HEERMANN’s
torpedoes. Their run to the north cost them approximately 14,000 yards.
Destroyer Squadron Two’s CL NOSHIRO and seven destroyers remain
in the rear of the battleships as screen.
A/C YAMATO
and NAGATO were no longer a real threat to the escort carriers
after this point in the battle....except for that of unfortunate GAMBIER
BAY. Vice Admiral Kurita’s insistence on keeping DESRON TWO close
to his flagship was an American blessing in disguise. |
CAPT
W. V. R. Vieweg, USN
Commanding Officer
USS GAMBIER BAY (CVE 73)
"When the range was finally reduced to about 10,000 yards, we
weren't quite so lucky and we took a hit through the flight deck,
followed almost immediately by a most unfortunate piece of damage which
I believe was caused by a salvo which fell just short of the port side
of the ship and the shell probably exploded very near the plates outside
of the forward engine room. We had a hole in our port engine room as a
result of this hit or near miss which permitted rapid flooding of the
engine room and made it necessary to secure. With the loss of this one
engine my speed was dropped from full speed of 191/2 knots to about 11
knots. Of course, I dropped astern of the formation quite rapidly and
the range closed at an alarming speed." |
0810 Far to
the north, CA SUZUYA comes alongside the wounded CA KUMANO.
The flag of Cruiser Division Seven is transferred to CA SUZUYA as
severely crippled CA KUMANO flounders.
0810 The aft
5-inch gun aboard DE DENNIS is fired in local control at a rapidly
approaching unidentified target, range 8,000 yards.
EVENT
Battleships HARUNA and KONGO well ahead of BATDIV ONE, sight
the escort carriers of RADM Stump’s Task Unit 77.4.2 (Taffy II) to the
southeast. They are assumed to be six more Third Fleet INDEPENDENCE
Class carriers. The range separating Taffy II and BB HARUNA is about
eighteen miles.
A/C Taffy II
was steaming into the wind on a northeasterly course, conducting flight
operations. Although it drew them much closer to Centre Force and the
immediate battle area, it was a necessity. The wind was coming from the
northeast. In order to launch their heavily laden aircraft, the wind had to
be over the decks of the escort carriers.
A/C Rear
Admiral Stump had the luxury of being just out of harm’s way for the
entire battle. He was therefore able to provide significant assistance to
his sister Taffy. Matching VADM Kinkaid’s order early that morning, he had
directed his carrier COs to be ready to load anti-shipping ordnance on short
notice. Due to this factor, Taffy II was able to quickly provide a balanced
attack force of fighters and torpedo bombers. The men on the escort carriers
of Taffy II worked strenuously, launching and rearming countless planes.
Many were orphans from the escort carriers of Taffy III.
A/C In their
attack, the pilots of Taffy II were directed not to concentrate on single
vessels, but to damage as many enemy ships as possible.
EVENT Upon
completion of air operations, RADM Stump, embarked in flagship CVE NATOMA
BAY, orders the escort carriers of Taffy II turned away from the
Japanese.
|
EVENT
Taffy II receives word that two Japanese battleships are heading their
way at an estimated 27 knots. As the escort carriers of Taffy II head
away from the battle area, the three destroyers of Taffy II, HAGGARD,
HAILEY and FRANKS, take up a defensive position in the
rear of their task unit. The destroyers are ordered to "...PREPARE
FOR TORPEDO ATTACK AGAINST UNITS OF THE JAPANESE FLEET...."
A/C Taffy II's
destroyers never did have to make a torpedo attack. Shortly thereafter,
the Japanese battleships reversed course and head north with the
remainder of Centre Force to regroup.
EVENT Taffy II's
destroyer escorts SUESENS, ABERCROMBIE, OBERRENDER, WILSON, and WANN
are directed to prepare their torpedoes and standby for possible
action against the Japanese fleet. |
TASK
UNIT 77.4.2 (Taffy II)
RADM F. B. Stump, USN
Escort Carriers
USS NATOMA BAY (CVE 62)
USS MANILA BAY (CVE 61)
USS MARCUS ISLAND (CVE 77)
USS KADASHAN BAY (CVE 76)
USS SAVO ISLAND (CVE 78)
USS OMMANEY BAY (CVE 79)
Destroyers
USS FRANKS (DD 554)
USS HAGGARD (DD 555)
USS HAILEY (DD 556)
Destroyer Escorts
USS RICHARD W. SUESENS (DE 342)
USS ABERCROMBIE (DE 343)
USS WALTER C. WANN (DE 412)
USS LE RAY WILSON (DE 414) |
EVENT At long
range, battleships KONGO and HARUNA fire on the destroyers of
Taffy II. Fourteen-inch shell splashes rise near the destroyers HAGGARD,
HAILEY and FRANKS, which are reported by the Japanese as BALTIMORE
class heavy cruisers.
A/C The
further mis-classification of ship types by the Japanese had an ever
increasing negative affect on their decision not to pursue the American
carriers.
EVENT Escort
Carrier GAMBIER BAY, unable to hide behind the smoke screen created
by herself, the other carriers, and her screen, continues to take the
majority of the punishment. The Japanese pour on effective fire and she is
hit nearly every other minute.
A/C The heavy
cruisers still resorted to use armor-piercing shells. The majority of the
shells passed through GAMBIER BAY’s thin-skinned hull without
exploding, some even bounced across her flight deck.
A/C GAMBIER
BAY’s predicament was looking grim. The number of holes in her,
punched cleanly through by the armor- piercing shells, were too numerous to
count.
EVENT Heavy
cruisers CHIKUMA, TONE, HAGURO, and CHOKAI
concentrate their fire on CVE GAMBIER BAY from her port side. On the
starboard side, CL NOSHIRO and at least one destroyer join in,
closing the range to well under five miles.
A/C Quoting
CVE KITKUN BAY's Ship's History, "the leading enemy cruisers
were concentrating their fire on our nearest ship the GAMBIER BAY,
and all hands on our ship offered a prayer in their hearts for the well
being of our many friends on this companion of over 70,000 miles of war time
cruising, successful cooperation, and friendly rivalry...."
EVENT The men
of CVE GAMBIER BAY tried desperately to fight the fires as they
erupted, but could not keep up with the damage which was being inflicted
upon their ship. Many soon realized they would not be afloat much longer.
0812
Battleship KONGO reports her target carrier has been hit and is
listing.
A/C The CVE KONGO
reported was GAMBIER BAY.
0812 TBS - Taffy
2 v FLAPPER, "I LAUNCHED FIVE FISH, OUT."
0812 TBS - Mercury
2 v Taffy 2, "ENEMY PLANES REPORTED COMING IN LOW."
0812 Admiral
Kurita orders BB YAMATO to launch one of her spotting aircraft.
A/C Radio
contact with this aircraft was lost at 0830 when it is presumed she was shot
down by an American plane.
0814 Destroyer
escort RAYMOND, on the port side of the escort carrier formation,
fires on CA CHIKUMA with her two 5-inch guns.
0815 TBS
- Unknown Station v Taffy 3, "SAY AGAIN, OVER."
0815 TBS - Mercury
3 v Taffy 3, "SIGNAL EXECUTE UPON RECEIPT SHACKLE GEORGE
KING ROGER UNSHACKLE TURN, OUT."
A/C Ships of
the task unit are ordered to course 205° T.
0816 Cruisers
are seen dead astern of CVE ST LO firing full broadsides. Salvoes
land short, astern of the escort carrier. The ST LO continues to lay
protective smoke which holds close to the water.
0820
Battleship Division One closes the range on the fleeting escort carriers and
reopens fire on the same by radar.
|
0820
A single 8-inch shell from CA CHIKUMA explodes in the water near
CVE GAMBIER BAY and holes the forward engine room plates near No.
1 boiler which results in uncontrollable flooding. Nineteen-thousand
gallons of water per minute rushes in. This single shell seals her fate.
0820 TBS -
DERBY v CATNIP, "MY FORWARD ENGINE ROOM HAS BEEN
HIT."
0820 TBS -
FIDO v Taffy 3, "HAVE YOU BEEN HIT?" .... v FIDO,
"NEGATIVE."
0820 On
base course 220° T DE DENNIS continues to fire at an
unidentified Japanese heavy cruiser as she keeps formation with
destroyers HEERMANN, JOHNSTON, and DE ROBERTS.
EVENT
Escort Carrier GAMBIER BAY's boilers are secured to prevent an
explosion as water rises waist-deep in her forward engine room.
Electrical power in the forward part of the ship is lost and
communications fail in the boiler room. Two portable electric bilge
pumps are placed in the engine room to combat the flooding. |
Battle
Damage Report
USS GAMBIER BAY (CVE 73)
0820 - Hit No. 3 This shell hit the forward engine
room on the port side. This was not a direct hit into the engine room
itself as no fragments entered the engine room. It was an impact
explosion which opened a gap in the skin of the ship approximately four
(4) feet square between frames 96 and 98. The center of this hole was
about twelve (12) feet below the water line of the ship. Very rapid
flooding occurred in the engine room and fire room and in about five
minutes the water was up to the fire box in the boilers necessitating
the securing of both boilers and No. 1 main engine at 0825.
Upon receiving word of the forward engine room flooding the after
engine room started No. 2 bilge pump to drain water from the forward
drain wells. No. 1 bilge pump was also started. The capacity of these
pumps combined is about 1,200 G.P.M. In the forward engine room the main
injection to No. 1 main condenser was closed and attempts were made to
open No. 1 main drain connection to the main circulator. However, due to
the rush of the flooding water this was not accomplished. The concussion
was sufficient to blow a foamite generator located at frame 97 against
the main condenser as well as crack the 275 pound superheated steam line
to the main circulator. This line was cracked at the first platform deck
level and admitted steam into the engine room. |
EVENT The
in-rushing water is beyond the capacity of the drain pumps and cannot be
displaced fast enough. Soon the bulkhead between the engine room and the
forward machine shop fails.
EVENT With her
boilers secured and taking on thousands of tons of water, CVE GAMBIER BAY
lists to port and her speed is reduced to 11 knots. She falls out of
formation. The remaining escort carriers of Taffy III continue southward,
leaving CVE GAMBIER BAY to her fate.
|
EVENT
Battleship YAMATO fires on a "battleship" by radar. The
ship in question is CVE GAMBIER BAY.
0822
Admiral Halsey receives a plain-English message from Admiral Kinkaid:
"FAST BATTLESHIPS ARE URGENTLY
NEEDED IMMEDIATELY AT LEYTE GULF."
0823 TBS -
DERBY v CATNIP, "WE ARE OPENING TO TEN AND A
HALF." |
USS
JOHNSTON (DD 557)
Action Report
At about 0820 there suddenly appeared out of the smoke a battleship
of the KONGO-Class 7000 yards distant on our port beam . . . . By
this time the captain had given the order not to fire on any target
unless we could see it, the reason being that enemy and friendly ships
were now in the melee. Approximately forty rounds were fired at the Jap
battleship, at our necessarily reduced rate of fire, before retiring
behind our own smoke screen and before being taken under fire by this
battleship. Several hits were observed on the pagoda superstructure. |
A/C GAMBIER
BAY reports to ST LO she is opening to 10,500 yards, obviously
losing speed and falling behind the other CVEs.
0824 TBS - Taffy
2 v CIRCUS, "TOTAL ALL FIGHTERS IS SHACKLE ABLE
UNSHACKLE."
A/C A CVE from
Taffy II reports she has 7 FM-2 fighters available.
0824 TBS - GALLEY,
CIRCUS v Taffy 2, "LAUNCH STRIKE TWO AT SHACKLE EASY JIG
ZEBRA DOG UNSHACKLE, OUT."
A/C CTU 77.4.2
orders two Taffy II CVEs to launch their strike at 0835.
0825 With its
single 5-inch gun, CVE KALININ BAY hits CA CHIKUMA, quickly
followed by another which brings fire and smoke from the cruisers' turret.
0825 TBS - CIRCUS,
GALLEY v EMPIRE, "WE HAVE 7 FISH AND 4 CHICKENS TO
LAUNCH."
A/C Escort
carriers of Task Unit 77.4.2, Taffy II, report they have seven torpedo
planes and four fighters ready for launch.
|
0825
TBS - Taffy 3 v CATNIP, "I HAVE BEEN HIT HARD. I HAVE
LOST ONE ENGINE."
A/C GAMBIER
BAY reports her disabling hit to CTU 77.4.3.
0826
Battleship KONGO reports she has, "KNOCKED OUT THE CARRIER
AT CLOSE QUARTERS."
A/C The
disabled CVE was GAMBIER BAY. My research has revealed that it is
a toss up as to what Japanese warship actually disabled GAMBIER BAY.
The hapless glory goes to either CHIKUMA or KONGO. I’ll
let the reader decide.
0826 Rear
Admiral Sprague orders destroyer escorts DENNIS and BUTLER
to interpose between the CVEs and the heavy cruisers on the port
quarter. Destroyer escort RAYMOND, already on the port side,
responds and joins with other two.
0826 TBS -
v Taffy 3, "SMALL BOYS ON MY STARBOARD QUARTER INTERCEPT
HEAVY CRUISER COMING IN ON BENDIX PORT QUARTER." |
Battle
Damage Report
USS GAMBIER BAY (CVE 73)
The engine room was abandoned shortly after 0825. The
safety valves on the boiler were lifted by hand, the booster pump was
secured, the fires were out of the boilers, this latter being done by
closing the fuel oil quick closing valve. The main condensate and
standby feed booster pumps were left running as it was difficult to
secure these due to flooding. At the time of abandonment of the engine
room the water was at a height of approximately five feet average. No. 2
bilge pump continued to pull a suction on the forward engine room. Two
electrical submersible pumps were lowered down into the escape trunk to
help control the flooding. One of the submersible pumps discharge lines
was split and the pump had to be secured and a new discharge line put
on.
At this time the assistant engineering officer
personally evacuated the forward engine room and took station on the
second deck assisting in rigging the submersible pumps. Damage control
directed Repair Two and Repair Five to check the forward and after
bulkheads of the engine room respectively for ruptures of the forward
and after bulkheads. Repair Five reported leaks around steam lines, the
port shaft and seams of the after bulkhead. This after bulkhead is the
forward bulkhead of the machine shop. They were directed to use
mattresses and shoring to stop these leaks and strengthen bulkheads.
This work was started but not completed. |
EVENT Word is
passed to the escort carriers: "screen reports all torpedoes
expended"
A/C There was
one ship left with torpedoes. Destroyer Escort BUTLER still had her
full complement of three.
0828 Destroyer
escort RAYMOND opens fire on heavy cruisers CHIKUMA and TONE,
expending 414 rounds of ammunition during the entire day’s action. Both
cruisers return fire and miss.
0828 An 8-inch
salvo lands 1,000 yards astern of CVE KITKUN BAY. Captain Whitney,
like the other escort carrier COs, resorts to ziz-zagging to upset the enemy
range calculations. The salvos, unrelenting, keep coming closer....
0828 TBS - DERBY
v GEORGIA, "THINK WE SHOULD COME RIGHT TO TARGET."
0830 Destroyer
HOEL, far north of the escort carriers, maintains limited propulsion,
albeit on one engine, for over one and a half hours. Finally, unable to
maneuver as the cruiser range closes, her starboard engine is put out of
action by an 8-inch shell.
0830 A salvo
lands 100 yards off the port beam of CVE KITKUN BAY.
EVENT Damaged
beyond repair from her duel with battleships and heavy cruisers, DD HOEL
drifts to a dead stop.
|
0830
Heavy cruiser CHIKUMA closes to within 6,000 yards and
concentrates her 8-inch gun fire on CVE GAMBIER BAY. In an
attempt to draw fire away from CVE GAMBIER BAY, CDR Evans of DD JOHNSTON
orders: "...commence firing on the cruiser, Hagen. Draw her fire
away from the GAMBIER BAY....". She makes at least five hits
with little effect, largely being ignored by the cruiser. |
USS
JOHNSTON (DD 557)
Action Report
This ship attempted to draw fire away from the GAMBIER BAY by
taking the cruiser under fire at this time. The range was closed to 6000
yards and maximum fire was brought to bear on this heavy cruiser. This
attempt, as was to be expected, was unsuccessful, despite numerous hits
being observed. . . . |
0830 TBS - Taffy
2 v FLAPPER, "WILL HAVE TWO AND MAYBE THREE FISH READY TO
LAUNCH IN A FEW MINUTES."
0830 Escort
carrier KALININ BAY turns sharply right, passing astern of CVE ST
LO and then comes back to course, after shifting from the port to the
starboard quarter of ST LO.
0830 TBS - Taffy
3 v MONGREL, "WE HAVE NO FISH LEFT." .... v Taffy 3,
"ROGER OUT. STAY ON STATION AND CONTINUE SMOKING."
A/C DENNIS
reports her status and is ordered to remain on station and lay smoke.
0830 A small
number of taffy aircraft concentrate on BB KONGO and the five
warships of Destroyer Squadron Ten causing little or no damage.
0831 Straddled
effectively by the cruisers, a salvo hits the water 700 yards astern of CVE KITKUN
BAY.
0831 Destroyer
Escort DENNIS changes course to 240° T to rejoin the fleeing escort
carrier formation.
0832 A salvo
hits 500 yards from the starboard beam of CVE KITKUN BAY.
0832 TBS - Taffy
3 v FIGLEAF, "WE HAVE NO FISH LEFT." .... v Taffy 3,
"STAY ON STATION AND CONTINUE TO MAKE SMOKE."
A/C RAYMOND
reports.
0833 Sixteen
Avenger torpedo-bombers and 8 fighter aircraft are launched from the escort
carriers of Taffy II.
0833 TBS - Mercury
3 v Taffy 3, "SIGNAL EXECUTE UPON RECEIPT TURN SHACKLE
GEORGE PETER EASY UNSHACKLE, OUT."
A/C Ships of
the task unit are ordered to course 240° T.
0834 Aiming
towards the southwest, BB YAMATO open fire with her secondary battery
on a "cruiser".
A/C This was HOEL.
0834 TBS - SMALL
BOYS v Taffy 3, "STARBOARD INTERPOSE WITH SMOKE BETWEEN ME
AND ENEMY CRUISER." .... v MONGREL "WILCO, OUT."
|
0835
Down by the stern, "Prepare to abandon ship" is announced on
DD HOEL.
0835
Destroyer HEERMANN, coming to the aid of DD JOHNSTON,
passes through the CVE formation at flank bell and nearly collides with
CVE FANSHAW BAY, passing closely astern of her. Her deck log
reads, "0835 - Back emergency full to avoid collision with FANSHAW
BAY, which crossed our bow from port to starboard."
A/C The
dense smoke screen was hampering the American effort as well. |
EM2
Glen E. Foster, USNR
Interior Communications Electrician
USS HOEL (DD 533)
"When I pushed open the hatch all I could see
was smoke and fire. I went up the ladder and tried to open the escape
hatch to the next deck but it wouldn't open . . . . I was turning it in
the wrong direction! I threw open the hatch and saw a shipmate running
into the bulkhead screaming . .
I threw open the starboard escape hatch and crawled through a pile of
bodies and body parts to the main deck. I looked around in shock and
disbelief at the condition of the ship, the ship was listing badly to
port . . . . when I was about midships we took another hit around the
galley area that knocked me down. I got up and waded off the port
side." |
0838 Rear
Admiral Sprague sends a message in the clear to Rear Admiral Tommy Sprague,
Commander Task Group 77.4:
"UNDER ATTACK...ENEMY COMPOSED OF FOUR
BATTLESHIPS, 8 CA MANY DESTROYERS."
0840 Destroyer
HEERMANN arrives on the port side of the CVE formation only to bear
down now on DD JOHNSTON, which is having difficulty steering. HEERMANN
has to place her engines in all-back emergency, missing JOHNSTON by a
mere three inches.
|
0841
Escort carrier GAMBIER BAY is burning amidships and lists 20
degrees to port. She is engaged by heavy cruisers CHIKUMA, HAGURO,
and CHOKAI, CL NOSHIRO, and one destroyer.
0841
Destroyer HEERMANN engages CA CHIKUMA with gun fire from
about 12,000 yards. With her guns locked on CVE GAMBIER BAY, the
heavy cruiser turns in a tight circle and shifts part of her fire to DD HEERMANN. |
CDR
Amos T. Hathaway, USN
Commanding Officer
USS HEERMANN (DD 532)
"It was 0841 when we started firing at the TONE Class
cruiser. There were three other heavy vessels identified as heavy
cruisers astern of her and two other vessels, possibly these were
destroyers, I zigzagged and chased splashes for about 20 minutes." |
A/C Caught in
the midst of several Japanese warships, DD HEERMANN was now pressing
her luck.
EVENT Two
Japanese heavy cruisers are now rapidly closing on the carrier formation.
EVENT Unable
to rely upon his destroyers for further attacks, RADM Sprague orders the
destroyer escorts to engage the cruiser line. Destroyer escorts ROBERTS
and RAYMOND, on the port side of the escort carriers, immediately
engage the cruiser line. On the starboard quarter, destroyer escorts DENNIS
and BUTLER cross the escort carrier formation, lay smoke, and join
the attack on the lead cruiser.
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EVENT
Destroyer Escort ROBERTS' effective 5-inch gun fire, about 300
rounds from two turrets, knocks out CHIKUMA's #3 8-inch turret,
destroying her bridge and starting fires aft.
A/C During
its free-for-all with CHIKUMA, the two gun mounts on ROBERTS
were literally firing everything they had without consideration for type
of ammunition. As a result, CHIKUMA was hit with armor-piercing,
common antiaircraft, proximity fuse, star shells, and plugged target
projectiles.
EVENT
Destroyer Escort RAYMOND closes to within 5,900 yards of the
cruiser line, guns firing. |
LCDR
Robert W. Copeland, USN
Commanding Officer
USS SAMUEL B. ROBERTS (DE 413)
"...these two guns, No. 1 and No. 2, beat a
regular tattoo on the Jap cruiser's upper works. The boys took the
ammunition just the way it came up the hoist, nobody cared what it was.
They just took it as it came. Five-inch blind loaded and plugged, 5-inch
AA, 5-inch common, 5-inch AP, 5-inch stars hells, 5-inch proximity fuse:
just whatever came up the ammunition hoist. It was fodder for the guns.
They threw it in as fast as they could get it. It was very odd to see
those star shells banging off over there in the daylight.
The boys set up a terrifically rapid rate of fire. We carried 325
rounds per gun and it's almost unbelievable that from the time those
guns received word to commence firing till the time they ceased
firing...it was a period of only thirty-five minutes...gun No. 2 had put
out 324 rounds of 5-inch ammunition." |
EVENT
Destroyer Escort BUTLER, running abeam of CA CHIKUMA, attempts
to launch her torpedoes but cannot obtain a suitable firing position. BUTLER
hits CHIKUMA with 5-inch gun fire.
EVENT
Destroyer Escort DENNIS' #2 5-inch gun mount becomes inoperative due
to a broken breach. She remains in action with her remaining gun.
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Honor the Missing in Action and Killed in Action of Taffy III
We do remember. We won't forget.
Robert Jon Cox webmaster@bosamar.com
last revised
May 13, 2010
Copyright Robert Jon Cox 1996-2010 all rights reserved
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