Brinkley Bass (DD 887) - Naval Cruise Book

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On the morning of March 10, 1942, he participated with other planes from the LEXINGTON in a sur- prise raid upon Japanese ships at Lae and Sala- maua, New Guinea, returning with a credit of fifteen enemy vessels sunk or damaged, with a loss of only one plane from the LEXINGTON. This raid was so effectively executed that carrier and other ships left the area without being located. Later dur- ing the Battle of the Coral Sea, May 7-8, 1942, he, flying with other planes from the LEXINGTON, aided by those from carrier YORKTOWN, assisted in the sinking of one Japanese carrier, the damag- ing of another, and in the shooting down of sixty seven Japanese planes. The LEXINGTON, under counter-attack by the Japanese during the latter stages of this battle, was hit by two torpedoes and at least two bombs and as a result was sunk. For outstanding services as a pilot of Bombing Squadron TWO, he was awarded the Navy Cross and a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Navy Cross. After the loss of the LEXINGTON in May 1942, he was ordered to duty in connection with fitting out Escort Fighting Squadron TWENTY NINE, to be assigned to the USS SANTEE, hastily con- verted from fleet oiler to a baby flattopf' He became Commanding Officer of Escort Fight- ing Squadron TWENTY NINE on December 21, 1942. In April 1944 he joined Fighting Squadron SEV- ENTY FOUR, attached to the USS KASAAN BAY, as Commanding Officer and was. serving in that capacity at the time of his death as a result of a plane crash in the combat area of the Mediterranean, on August 20, 1944. For heroism and extra ordinary achievement during the amphi- bious invasion of Southern France in August 1944 . he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

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LCDR E. L. Rokowski. USN. the Executive Officer. EXECUTIVE OFFICER mi, 5 WALSWORTH fE Vrf ' - , Gi' 64 nihapapiwa e Bound by WAISWORTH Mnrcehno, Mo., U. S. A. Lieutenant Commander Ernest L. ROKOWSKI USN, the Exec- utive Officer, is a native of Norwich, Connecticut. He graduated from Norwich Free Academy and The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina. Upon commissioning from Officers Candidate School in March 1957 he was assigned to the pre-commissioning of USS LORAIN COUNTY CLST-11773 and served on boardas communications officer. After attending DESLANT Engineering School he served as Engineering Officer of USS cRoMWELL CDE-10143 followed by a tour of duty as a NROTC instructor at the University of Idaho. After one year as Operations Off1C6I' of USS PORTERFIELD iDD682D LCDR ROKOWSKI was ordered to USS BRINKLEY BASS CDD-8875 as EXECUTIVE OFFICER.