Anthony (DD 515) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 9 text:

After spending a short but pleasant few days in the zone , the three greyhounds of the sea herded their charge into the Pacific and the mighty carrier headed for Hawaii secure in the knowl- edge that she was well guarded. It was on this part of the voyage that the Anthony started anothe: record that is equally as important as that of the enemy destroyed. On May 20th, Lieutenant Cjgj Reuben H. Denoff, USNR, was rescued after making a forced landing at sea. This made him the first of many of our gallant pilots and aircrewmen who were to be saved from the sea by the efforts of this ship, which although dedicated to the deadly business of destruction, also took even greater pride in the saving of lives of our men. PARADISE 0F THE PACIFIC May 31st found the little group ,arriving at Oahu after having been welcomed to the Pacific Fleet. There followed two months of intensive training for the operations that were to come. Al- though this time was spent in training the A was now doing her job, as this training included op- erating with and providing anti-submarine protection to the battleships and carriers that were also training in the area in preparation for the time when the fleet would start on the way to Tokyo. It was during this stay in Hawaii that our Navigator, Lieutenant Cjgy Rinaldo Guinasso, USNR, fthen an Ensignj of San Francisco, California, and our Asssistant Gunnery Officer, Lieutenant ljgj D. Ross Denison, USNR, fthen an Ensignp of Hutchinson, Kansas, joined the ship to serve with the others who were serving with the proud ship until the fall of Japan. OFF TO THE FORWARD AREA Feeling better prepared, but still eager to learn more before encountering the enemy, the An- thony steamed out of Pearl Harbor bound for an extended stay in the forward area. At that time, the forward area extended to the central part of the Solomons, before the sleek grey hull was once again to knife her way through the Hawaiian waters, that forward area was to be moved all the way up into the Mariannas. CROSSING THE LINE Escorting a troop convoy Wasn't particularly rugged, but the arrival into the domain of Father Neptune was. The ship arrived at the equator on the 19th of August and the Pollywogs had been well prepared for their entry into the mystic realm by the few but enthusiastic shellbacks among the crew. So important was the occasion that for the two days before, an officer watch had been main- tained on the top of one forward and one after five inch gun mountsg and this officer clad in a steel helmet, fur lined coat, white shoes, and white gloves, but nothing else, searched the horizon for any Sign of his majesty, using a pair of lead sounding weights for binoculars, and carrying a horn upon which he was to announce his sighting of the old man of the sea. The lookouts didn't find him, but they did acquire a good sunburn which put them in a better physical condition for the ceremonies that were to come. The fatal morning arrived and at nine in the morning His Royal Majesty Neptunus Rex, Ruler of the Sea, Cand on any other day, Lieutenant Commander William V. Pratt, USN, the Executive Of- ficerj came on board to conduct the ceremonies. He was attended by Davy Jones Cwho normally used the name of Theodore A. Roginski, Chief Boatswain's Mate, USN, of Long Island, N. YJ and a host of other royal personages. All manner of fiendish tortures were perpetrated on the lowly Polly- wogs who appeared before the court and were not too adequately defended by the Defense Attorney, Lieutenant Norman C. Wiatt, USNR, who being a shellback himself, wasn't too concerned about the charges brought by the Prosecuting Attorney, Lieutenant David B. Cohen, USN. Since justice was quite blind, the inevitable decree was Give him the works and another Pollywog was on his way to kiss the tummy of the Royal Baby, get his haircut by the Royal Barber and the special at- tention from various other prominent members of the court. These last three personages normally were W. R. Wright, WT2c, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvaniag H. I. Boren, BM1c, and P. G. Sylva, CBM, USN, of Passing, Virginia. The Royal Queen was attired in a grass skirt, a suitable crown, an odd wig, and some padding under a bra that was designed to give a feminine appearance to the most unfeminine person of the ...5...

Page 8 text:

A SHIP IS BORN As the smoke of confusion brought about by the treacherous attack at Pearl I-Iarbor cleared away, there came the opportunity for a second destroyer to carry the name of Anthony- 3111113 as one of the large fleet of mighty midgets of the sea and packing a wallop that no destroyers had ever before possessed, this new destroyer was destined to carry on this Marine's traditions through most of the second World War and to emerge with an enviable record of duty well done . On the 2nd of August 1942, at Bath, Maine, the keel of this new destroyer was laidg and in but a matter of Weeks, on the 20th of December 1942 after being christened by two teen-age girls, the Misses Alice and Frances Anthony of Penn Yan, New York, the sleek grey hull slid down the icy ways into the bitter cold water of the Kennebec River where she was to be moored until she was ready for delivery to the Navy. A spectator at the launching was Commander David B. Cohen, USN Cthen a Lieutenant! of Montpelier, Vermont who had been assigned as the first Engineering Officer. . As the mighty A neared completion, the first of heriofficers and crew started to arrive to assist in the preparations for her fitting out as a man-of-war. The second officer to arrive was Lieutenant Commander Clarence R. Deller, USN, Cthen a Lieutenantb of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Shortly thereafter, Lieutenant Jere D. Lusting of Chicago, Illinois Cthen an Ensignj arrivedg he was to be one of the three officers to serve on her until the J aps had been crushed and the war ended. The two remaining officers who were to share the Anthony's wartime career, Lieutenant Commander Norman C. Wiatt, USNR Cthen Lieutenant! of Los Angeles, Calif., and Lieutenant James G. Raines, USNR of Dawson, Georgia, fthen an Ensignj arrived soon after. There were many more who were to be with the Anthony for her entire war career. ,f A WE JOIN THE FLEET s - . On the 26th of February 1943, this newest addition to the rapidly growing United States Fleet made the high speed delivery trip to the Boston Navy Yard where the commission pennant replaced the emblem of the Bath Iron Works at the truck. Captain R. C. Grady, USN, who accepted the ship on behalf of the Navy turned her over to the first of her three wartime skippers, Lieutenant Commander Blinn Van Mater, USN, of Peru, Indiana. After reading his orders and taking com- mand the new skipper, who was to receive his promotion to Commander before relinquishing his command, spoke the prophetic words to the assembled crew and civilian guests, the latter mostly the families of the officers and crewg Let's make our ship smart and lets keep ourselves smart so that both at sea and ashore the Anthony will be a smart, thorough, efficient ship that will bode no good for any vessel or object not flying the colors of the United States. How well that mission has been carried out can be best attested by the array of Jap flags that adorn her director at this mo- ment, twenty-two, representing planes destroyed and six representing major bombardments from Bougainville to Okinawa. ' ' l ON oUR WAY i After three hectic weeks of braving the elements in wintry Boston as well as the hazards of a Navy Yard geared to the highest possible speed, spending our leisure moments with our families and enjoying the night life in a not too blue Boston, the A steamed out of the harbor and sped north- ward, first to Casco Bay, Maine, thence to the more gentle climate of Cuba, where not far from the scene of her namesake's memorable deed, she went through her training period in the Guantanamo Bay area. The training period was made more. realistic by the participation in two submarine hunts, and one German undersea raider was attacked by depth charges. Unfortunately, we were unable to say that 'the U-Boat was destroyed, but as one of the men said, We sure must have shaken hell out of her. Upon completion of the brief training period, the sleek craft headed once more for Boston, and spent a short period getting ready for her ultimate work in the Pacific. On the 7th of May, the An- thony stood out of Boston Harbor, headed for Norfolk, and for her real role in the war. Three days later on the morning of the 10th, the Anthony, accompanied by the BENNETT and the ROE, steamed proudly out of Norfolk escorting the first of the new Essex. class carriers to the Pacific. It was a 'proud moment for all of us, although it was tempered somewhat by the knowledge that it would be months or even years before We could again hope to see our loved ones. -4.. Q 'x Ai

Page 10 text:

young Ensign from Georgia, James G. Raines, USN R. The unfortunates who appeared before the Royal Court were too busy wondering about the strange lack of justice to properly appreciate the beauty of this Royal Mermaid. I There isn't room to tell the whole story of the day, but it is impossibleto close without a men- tion of the Turmel of Love which appeared to those who had the privilege of crawling through it to be merely a long chute made of canvas, filled with garbage and coffee grounds, and ending with the surprising greeting of a firehose of salt water being pushed into their weary faces. Truly, sur- vival was a fit test for anyone going on to face the Japs. THE SOUTH PACIFIC FORCE The ship had been happily on its way to Australia, that most famed of places down under, but as the fortunes of war are fickle, the A wound up in Noumea, New Caledonia and after a short stay there, trying to talk French, and buying our first souvenirs, the now eager ship headed for Havannah Harbor, Efate in the New Hebrides where with the Bennett, still her running mate, she joined Ad- miral Halsey's mighty South Pacific Force. A The next few weeks were devoted to more training, ever mindful of the job ahead and the necessity for being in top condition of readiness. Between training, an occasional convoy job kept us aware of the fact that we were now really on the job, but we were eager to start on the Road to Tokyo . ' I ' Our first task was a huge training battle problem which ended in a sweep in support of the Central Pacific Force's raids on Marcus Island. We had our first taste of operating with our own Squadron of similarly built new destroyers northeast of the Santa Cruz Islands and there on the 3rd of Sept., having encountered no enemy, we retired to Havannah Harbor, where on September 6th, Captain Edmund B. Taylor, USN, Cthen Comman-derj, hoisted his pennant in the ANTHONY as Commander Destroyer Division NINETY, and the A was now a proud flagship. - But before we were off to Tokyo, we had our first real excitement when the ship resounded to the cry of man overboard . It seems that M. A. Webber, MM3c, USNR, of Trent, Oregon, leaned over a lifeline on the fantail to dispose of some trash when the line gave way, and Webber joined his trash. His sudden departure was sighted by the alert Boatswain of the Watch, Percy G. Sylva, who got the word to the bridge, and with perfect teamwork the ship was swung out of the formation, and returned to locate our missing man. It was but a matter of minutes before he was located and picked up by the motor whale boat and, although he had been brushed aside by the bow wake of the destroyer that was close astern of us, he was suffering from nothing more serious than surprise. STARTING TOWARD TOKYO The start on the road began for us when on the 1st of November 1943, the Marines landed at -Empress August Bay, Bougainville Island. They had been escorted to their landing beaches by some of our newest and finest destroyers, and the ANTHONY was among them. The preliminary bom- bardment of the beach was the first one for the mighty A and we went at it with real enthusiasm. The J aps sent several raids of planes to assist their grounds forces but these were driven off by the fire of the ships who were also aided by some of our fighter planes of the air arm of the South Pa- -cific Force. ' This was our first experience with Jap planes and while we were right in the center of things, the J aps apparently were wise to remain out of the range of our guns. Not so with one of our sister ships, and although she -shot down a Betty she took a bomb close aboard to receive the first casual- ties suffered by any ship of our squadron. While the casualties were very light, we were nevertheless impressed by the reality and grimness of our business. The real targets, the troop laden transports were safe and thus the air attack was a failure. After a second air raid at noon, the transports completed their unloading an-d the return journey to what was to be our home base for the next few months was begun. We arrived at Purvis Bay, Florida Island, Solomons Islands on the 3rd of November after an uneventful trip. Little time was spent at our base and on the 5th we were once again on our Way with 3, second echelon of Marines. This was to prove a most eventful trip and two new officers had just , -6- IQ I ,, l