USS Columbia - Naval Cruise Book

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Captain Beatty assumes command. Captain F. E. Beatty, USN. CRU DIV 12 off Havannah Harbor, Efate Island. p ■ !H!ff J i w i t ,|

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canal Island in support of the American offen- sive. A four-plane Japanese dive bombing attack developed. With the aid of friendly fighters, two of the attacking planes were shot down and the attack was fought off, but the H. M. A. S. ACHILLES sustained a bomb hit on her number three turret. The Gem tasted her first danger and learned to know the sound of Ja]) dive bombers. When the task group returned to Espiritu Santo, the Gem paused only briefly and then left for Efate in the New Hebrides. Here, Task Force 18 was formed consisting of six cruisers and eight destroyers. The first duty given this combined cruiser- destroyer force was covering a large transport group moving reinforcements and supplies to Guadalcanal. Making a rendezvous with the transports, the task group shouldered its way through the South Pacific sea alerted for general quarters. About dusk on January 29, as the convoy was approaching Rennell Island from the south, it was suddenly attacked by a number of Jap torpedo planes. COLUMBIA ' S gunners trained their sights and shot down one of the Nip planes and assisted in the destruction of two others. Several more planes were destroyed by other U. S. ships, but the heavy cruiser CHICAGO suffered two hits in the attack and later sank. On the bridge of the COLUMBIA a scoreboard was started. Later, the transports Battle of Rennell Island. arrived safely off Guadalcanal and the task group retired. From February till June of 1943, Task Force 18 operated and trained in areas supporting the Beethoven ' s Fifth gets a going over. 10

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Solomon Islands operations. During this period, the DENVER reported and CRU DIV 12 was completed. On April 6, 1943, Captain F. E. Beatty, USN, relieved Captain W. A. Heard, USN, as Commanding Officer of the Gem. On June 27, 1943, a large task group con- sisting of CRU DIV 12 and destroyers, com- manded by Rear Admiral Merrill, USN, sortied from Havannah Harbor. The mission of this task group was to mine the area between Alu and Munia Islands in support and defense of the New Georgia area and to carry out bombard- ments of Poporong, Falsi, Ballale, and Short- land Islands. The task group (covered by a heavy rainstorm) proceeded up the Slot and carried out the mission as planned. The COLUMBIA bombarded Falsi Island expend ing 943 rounds of 6 47 and 525 rounds of 5 38 ammunition. Although the entire bombardment was conducted during a heavy rainstorm, about five large explosions were heard and a dull red glow (probably from a fire) was noted. In July, 1943, another task group was formed under the command of Rear Admiral Merrill. This group consisted of CRU DIV 12, acting as Fire Support Section one; two ships designated as fire support two; and two task units desig- nated as screening sections one and two. The mission of this force was to bombard enemy positions in the Munda area to further their capture and destruction. The task group sortied from Purvis Bay, Florida Island, on July 11, proceeded to the target area, and carried out the bombardment as scheduled beginning at 0300 on July 12. This bombardment was apparently very effective as 15 to 20 large fires were observed and one particularly large explosion followed by int ermittent explosions (probably an ammunition dump) was heard. From July 13 to September 5 in company with the CLEVELAND and destroyers, the COLUMBIA was engaged in patrolling sup- porting areas to the east and south of the Solo- mon Islands area. On September 6, the Bombardment of Munda. 12