Belleau Wood (CVL 24) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 53 text:

PALAU, lhcPHHJHN E1 fWlFBH URUT I Cllll ISE A10 August 28-September 21, 1944 91 MM f f ,si Af ff QP, As September approached, Admiral Williani F. Halsey, Commander Third Fleet, had relieved Admiral Spruance, Commander Fifth Fleet. Task Force 5 8 was then designated Task Force 38, commanded by Vice Admiral John S. McCain. The arrival of the FRANKLIN made it 16 carriers in the Force. With the securing of a foothold in the Marianas, a long stretch had been completed on the Road to Tokyo: But the forces on Guam and Saipan were way out there by themselves, surrounded by Nips on all sides'-Bonins, Philf ippines, and Carolines. And We hadn't as yet touched the Philippines. They were frontier country. To establish a support for our Marianas' tentacles, the strategists called for the invasion of Palau in midfSeptember. To clear the way sailed Task Force 38. On August 28 a long column of carriers and supporting ships had filed out from Enivvetok and headed south around the Carolines. ,,.,,,,,,. -M---1.-sv-sv-um... m .,, ..,.. . ...... I ., ,, .,,,.,, ,, .VN ,lznlv-N 1.

Page 52 text:

From vAugust 3 through August 10 we operated in an area 30 60 miles to the east and southeast. At the start of this period American ground forces had driven across the island splitting the japanese forces into north ern and southern components. In succeeding days BELLEAU WUOD targets were all in the northern sec tion where our planes bombed and strafed wooden and metal structures, roads, and junctions occupied by ref treating enemy troops. Not a single Jap aircraft was sighted. By the time we departed the Yanks had occuf pied nearly all the northern half of Guam. On the morning of August 13 the task group anchored in Eniwetok for the first time. The fleet anchorage was moving west. -Eniwetok is one of the most symmetrical atolls in the Pacific. With a diameter of 25 miles, it provided a com' modious anchorage for the fleet and attending auxiliaries -tankers, freighters, repair ships, tenders, transports, hospital ships, and small craft. The thin ring of land protrudes scarcely 15 feet out of the ocean. Average width is measured in tens of yards. The backbone of palms and grass is fringed by white coral beaches, so-bright in the blazing sun that it hurts your eyes to look at them. The brilliantemerald of the shallow waters around these white coral beaches is duplif cated nowhere. But there was little attraction ashore, other than a splendid beach for swimming. An occasional baseball Held was leveled oif. Majuro, Kwajalein, Eniwetok, fand later Ulithij at best were merely effective protection from the ocean's swells. FL! GL-IT 'UECK PHRHDE 1 f - i' 'x 0 ff: jf K-1 ll s f ' J L 0 :ask o S lb L 1 U Q V I . d I - ,J Q h 169' Q ' , 1 o ' W, 2 ' l ' H Y '-f ZXAA ' X To ai' - fir,- - ru, . 5 1 N' as Y Tm X RIRDHLE DECK RPG Bites Rm' 57 553 AJZHMMZM' ' Wwainfiif i'lr.......

Page 54 text:

5 i Un September 6, as part of Admiral 'flockov Clark's 38.1, we began a twofday session hammering Palau striking Jap aircraft, installations, and other targets which had to be cleared ahead of the Marines. just 500 miles west of Palau lay Mindanao lar e v g southern island of the Philippines and foundation for several significant airfields. Even with Jap air power destroyed over Palau the Japs could still throw a heavy wallop from those Philippine bases. To cripple the enemy power in Mindanacu, to choke off reinforcements to Palau, and to divert attention from our imminent Palau landings, the fleet headed west for the initial strike at the Philippines. Un September 9, five days before riers began swatting Minf the landing on Palau, the car danao. To BELLEAU WOQD Air Gr signed airfields at Davao, Buayan, and Digos where our Hellcats and Avengers, with their black numbers on white circles, s oup 21 were asf trafed, bombed, and flamed Tojo's withf ering air force. Cebu and Negros were hit on the 12th and 13th. A long range sweep at Zamboanga on the 14th destroyed 5 Bettys and a Nick with 8 more probables. Concomitant with the assaulting waves at Palau WHS another amphibious force moving in on Morotai. Our task group moved south on September 15 to cover fhC operation there. BELLEAU WOOD fliers destroyed 14 planes that day on fields in the northeast Celebes. Subsequent to the capture of Ivlorotai, the BELLEAU WOOD was transferred from locko Clarks 38.1 to 33-4, commanded by Rear Admiral Davison in the FR ANKLIN, cruising with the ENTERPRISE illlll SAN JACINTO off Palau. For two days we pi'tWldCll air support to tl on southern Palau. Then on September IS we lllfllcll toward lvlanus in th ie men in the bitter struggle for Peleliu e Adiniralties for reprovisions. AS darkness settled that evening the sky was punctured lo' flashes and roars of artillery lire in the battle raging O11 PClCliL1. For the first time, we on the ship felt linked to the boys in the lioxholes. 48