Boston (CA 69) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 14 text:

. 5 Fighter planes struck at Airfields on Luzon, and in one day destroyed 224 'planes and damaged 90 by strafing. Subsequent strikes were hailed by Admiral Halsey as A brilliantly planned and executed operation. . When the Third Fleet locked horns with a -typhoon on December 18th, the Boston was there to ride it out, and al- though she recorded one roll of 46 degrees and many others in excess of 30 degrees, the ship's log solemnly reports that there was suprisingly little evidence of seasickness. Later, the Boston aided in the search for survivors from less fortunate, smaller shi s. pChristmas day was spent in the anchorage at Ulithi and a rather sad crew was cheered somewhat by packages from home, taken aboard the night before. On New Year's Eve the Boston was underway again, and headed for Formosa where our Carrier planes again took a heavy toll of enemy Aircraft. Then Task Force 38 headed south for a two-day strike at Northern Luzon Airfields, designed to keep the Nips grounded so they would be unable to attack our Amphibious Forces approaching Luzon from the south. On Ian- uary 9th, Formosa was hit again in the first strike of an operation that would take Task Force 38 into the South China Sea to hit at targets on the China coast. That night the Boston was the first heavy ship of the Force to enter the South China Sea through Narrow Bashi Channel,- a difficult feat in itself, for the visibility was such that no navi- gational aids could be seen and the ship was necessarily man- euvered entirely by Radar. It became known that the Task Force 'was seeking some remnants of the lap Fleet last reported in Camranh Bay on the coast of French Indio-China. Although the emptiness of the Bay was disapp-ointing, our planes took a heavy toll of lap shipping from Tourane to Saigon, a distance of over 400 miles. Thirty-two enemy ships were sunk, including a Katori Class Cruiser, and 47 vessels Ctotali-ng 80,000 tonsD were damaged. Twelve planes were shot down, 88 destroyed and 24 damaged on the ground. Admiral Halsey again recognized the splendid work of the Force in a message which read, Well done to the Force in a superlative attack. The strategic effect of yesterday's performance will be great. ' On Ianuary 16th our planes hit Hainan and the Ho area, meeting only slight opposition. It was in this area that they Boston rode typhoon, and escaped with only slight damage shields, which were quickly repaired sea whichtossed she was the last to leave through bottle-necked Balantang Chan- nel, although the laps hysterically declared that no American ships would leave the China Sea. It was here too, that the Boston added another enemy plane to her mounting score. A twin engined Irving passed speedily over the ship at a 300 foot altitude, turned and headed straight for the big cruiser. But the Boston's gunn rs had been too Well trained and the lap was downed by fins from the five inch and 40 MM Batteries. North once more sailed the Heavy Cruiser and her company for a last fling at Formosa, and this time the Iap's struck in force, probably in an attempt to save face at having been duped in the China Sea operation. The final tally in this all-out Iapanese attack was 10 enemy planes downed, 97 destroyed on the ground and 101 damaged. Admiral Halsey again saluted the Task Force and called it a Landslide victory for the Big Blue Team. Before heading south again, the fleet took another swipe at Okinawa, sinking 10,000 tons of shipping and destroying numerous planes. A proud crew stepped ashore on Mog-Mog Island for much needed recreation, for the Secretary of the Navy had radioed a message stating that All hands take hats off to the performance of the Third Fleet. In a summation of operations engaged in by the Boston up to this time Admiral Halsey said that We have driven the enemy off the sea and back to his inner de- fenses. I am so proud of your that no words can express my feelings. To the traditional Well done he added that word Super1atively. V Early in February the Fleet set sail again, with the Boston protecting the Carriers as before. After a fast run north-some fifteen hundred miles-the Boston participated in the first Carrier attacks on the Iapanese Home Islands since General Doolittle's raid in 1942. Closing in on Tokyo during the night of February 16th, the Carriers launched their planes at dawn the next day from a point only 130 miles Southeast of the Iapanese capital. All day Fighter sweeps continued over the city, and the next day we struck again, piling up a two day score of 141 planes shot down, 26 destroyed on' the ground and 55 probables, 92 damaged in the and 35 ognghe ground. Coasfal Qs-sel were also sunk and two major Air- four Tokyo ' 'elds were severely damaged. Of the Commander of thi?'Ta'sgGroup said, I hope the lfie Bosion of leading you...-.to victsYy Ior you--W 2. -4. -as--fr' '

Page 13 text:

-? '2ln At the end of Iune. a rush trip was made by the Boston to the new base at Eniwetok for provisioning, and then the ship returned to Iwo lima to celebrate the Fourth of Iuly by giving that island its first plastering by naval guns. For more than an hour, the Boston lobbed in eight- and five inch shells, hitting installations and its Southern Airfield, where almost seventy aircraft were lined up like lambs for the slaughter. A splendid afternoon's work, radioed the Commander of the Task Unit, Smartly carried out by all hands and understood by the enemy. From Iwo, the fleet headed south towards Guam and for two weeks ably fulfilled its assignment of keeping airfields on Guam and Rota neutralized: intercepting and destroying enemy aircraft approaching the Marianas from the south: and destroy- ing enemy installations on Guam After the Guam landings were well underway, the fleet struck at Woleai, Palau, Yap and Ulithi In giving credit to the Boston and other ships of the Task Force the Marine Command- ing General said No higher credit can possibly be given to any force than is due to Task Force 58 You keep the enemy off our necks Admiral Nimitz again praised the group and declared that The successes achieved advanced America far on the road to winning the war The first of September found the Boston proceeding out of Eniwetok with the newly formed Third Fleet under Admiral Halsey on a mission which was to result in shortening the war perhaps by months Strong fighter sweeps against Palau were launched on September Sth but were reduced to half on the following two days for Airmen reported that they were running out of targets In rapid succession Mindanao Cebu and the Negros Islands were hit Over the last two named Islands 35 enemy planes were shot down 34 destroyed on the ground and 47 damaged Zamboanga was next on the IISI and then the Boston headed for Morotai to support landings there while others of the fleet backed the landings at Peleliu and the peaceful occupation of Ulithi On the 19th of that month Clark and Nichols Fields and shipping in Manila Bay were hit All hands were feeling a quiet exhilaration and seconded the commendation of the Task F Commander who said They cannot stop you In the second week of October the Boston was with the Third Fleet after a short stay at Manus Admiralties Taking the laps once more by struck at Okinawa from 20 miles away N M ,,, ,,,:,i ,, J -vm-ff 1-,u1....,es.v.,s-..,.r,..,-...sues-W1--v--fe ' -' : '-'K C 2 -lt . 1 Formosa was the target on October l2th,,ffand this time the enemy sent planes out in force. The'Boston's iguns opened up, driving them off and downing at least one. But enemy Torpedo planes succeeded in hitting the Boston's sister ship, the Canberra, which had to be taken in tow by the Wichita. The Houston took the Canberra's place in the formation, and she too 'was hit by enemy planes, although the Boston downed two more lap Air- craft. - The Houston reported her engine rooms and fire rooms flooded, and said that she was abandoning ship. But in the black and squally night, the Boston took the Houston under tow, and through 36 tense hours inched her away from the threat of the laps on Formosa only 75 miles distant. lust a few hours after the Fleet Tucf, Pawnee had taken the tow line, a force of enemy fighters swooped down, only to be driven from the sky by a group of eight fighters from the Cowpens and the Cabot Relating to the withdrawal of the damaged ships under tow Admiral Halsey messaged For skill and guts the safe retirement by the damaged Canberra and Houston from the shadow of Formosa while under a heavy attack will become a Navy tradition To all hands who contributed to the job well done Leaving the Canberra and Houston safe in friendly waters the Boston rejoined the Carrier Group A short 24 hours later an SOS came from the Escort Carrier Group off Samar then under attack by the Iapanese Fleet which had come through San Bernardino Straits early in the morning Two air strikes from our carriers were launched and our bombs scored hits on three of four enemy Battleships and three out of nine Heavy Cruisers A subsequent strike scored two more hits on Battle- ships and one on a Cruiser with another Cruiser left dead in the water A Kongo Class Battleship was left burning and listing badly . More severe damage was inflicted the following day and with the lap Fleet knocked out of business for a long time perhaps for good our Fleet returned to Ulithi for provisioning and recreation for the crews on Mog-Mog Island Then back again to keep the lap Air Force off the necks of our forces ashore' on Luzon at enemy aircraft in the Manila area estroved or damaged Considerable inflicted in Manila Bay and docks at Manila and V detached to proce 'to Ma-nusrlsliind anirboilers A miraculous 9 , more of

Page 15 text:

was ordered to lend fire support. It was the ship's first opportunity to use her guns in support of a landing and occupation oper- ation. She opened fire on the Northern part of the island, in sup- port of the Marines ,battling ashore and at 6.500 yards thoroughly covered the target area with shells, destroying gun emplace- ments, block houses, shelters and ammunition dumps. With the Carriers once more, the Boston headed again for easy pickings up Tokyo way. A Fighter sweep was launched at dawn of February 25th, while overhead a force of 220 B-29s dropped tons of bombs on the crumbling empire. As the Fleet turned south towards Ulithi, another blow was struck at Okinawa, and then on March 3rd the Commander of the Carrier Task Force sent the greetings: Your well earned overhaul and recreation period is at last in sight, may you have a pleasant cruise home and a happy leave. After sixteen months from home and fourteen months of continuous operations with the Carriers of the Pacific Fleet, the Boston had earrfed a rest. Streaming a 700 foot homeward bound pennant, she paraded past the fleet out of Ulithi on her way to Pearl Harbor and the West Coast of the United States. Early in the morning of March 25th, the mainland of the United States was sighted and later in the morning the Boston entered the Naval Operating Base at Terminal Island, California while the N.O.B. Band played and Ginny Simms sang Oh, What a Beautiful Morning. I, Six weeks later all members of the crew had' returned from a short leave, and on May 20th the Boston put to sea again to test the new equipment and rehearse the crew for the next phase of operations which were destined to lead them to final victory. After three weeks in Pearl Harbor, during which time Captain Herrmann was succeeded by Captain Kelley on Iune 29th, the ship once more got underway for Eniwetok. After three days at that Atoll, the Boston rejoined the Car- riers which launched air strikes, on Iuly 24th, against shipping in and around the waters ofthe Iapanese mainland. At least two groups of our planes were able to attack remnantsof the Jap- anese Fleet taking refuge in the Kure Area, inflicting severe damage on a Heavy and ,Light Cruiser. ' , Four days later, extremely damaging blows were struck at the lap Fleet in the Kure-Kobe Area of the inland sea. Then, on the night of Iuly 29th, the Boston steamed in close to the main- land and participated in the bombardment of Hamamatsu, on Southern Honshu. She rejoined the Carriers the next day for strikes against Tokyo and Nagoya. Bad weather dogged the fleet again, and for more than a week the Boston was idle off the coast of Iapan. On August 9th she participated in a daylight bombardment of Kamaishi, steel center on Northern Honshu. The next day. when the first reports of Iapanese surrender came, the Boston was back with the Carriers aiding in air blows against Northern and Eastern Honshu. Q More attacks against Tokyo and the Bay Area came on August 13th, and then the Fleet retired while peace rumors flew. Returning to attack again on the 15th, the Carriers had al- ready launched their first strike when the Third Fleet heard the final news of Iapanese surrender. Thus the war ended for the Boston as she sailed directly off the coast of Iapan+a position she had fought for and finally attained 21 months after she had leftyher name port for the Pacific. On August 27th the Boston took her rightful place among the first group of ships to sail into Sagami Wan, dropping her anchor in that Iapanese Harbor at 17 minutes after two in the afternoon. ' The formal Japanese surrender was signed on September 2nd and the following day the Boston's final goal had been reached. She anchored in Tokyo Bay on September 3rd, 1945. But although the war was over the Boston was not to remain idle for long. There was still work to bedone. A Task Unit com- posed of the Boston, two Destroyers and an Underwater De- molition Team embarked in a high speed CDestroyerj Transport, all commanded by Captain M. R. Kelley of the Boston, got under- way from Tokyo Bay on September 8th for the Katskura, Sendai, Onahama and Chosi Areas on the East Coast of Honshu, Japan. Their job was to inspect and insure the demilitarization of lapanese Coastal Defenses and Suicide Boat and Midget Sub- marine Bases. Landing parties were formed and contacts made with Iap- anese Military Officials who provided information as to the lo- cation of ' these defenses. Inspection parties discovered caves jammed with small arms, ammunition, torpedoes, mines, suicide boats and midget submarines. All were either destroyed or confiscated, as the work proceeded smoothly and efficiently under Captain Kelley's direction. Anchored once morein Tokyo Bay, the Boston's now silent guns pointed towards the Iapanese shore line. No threatening planes roared overhead. On deck, sailors pointed at misty Fujiyama in the distance. Others boarded liberty boats to go ashore and purchase souvenirs for the folks back home: knowing, but not realizing, the freedom they bought for these same folks back home through long months of deprivations and warfare was more precious than the- most expensive remembrance of conquered Iapan. t ' A Q ' The ship., the officers, the crew had all contributed to making this continued freedom possible. I t ' A