USS Columbia - Naval Cruise Book

Page 21 text:

ECOXD BATTLE CRUISE T TPON completion of the Navy Yard overhaul - and completion of gunnery training in Pearl Harbor, T.H., the COLUMBIA arrived back in the battle zone of the Pacific for her second battle cruise. On August 24, 1944, she reached Purvis Bay, Florida Island, where she joined Task Group 32.5 under command of Rear Admiral Oldendorf, USN, and proceeded with this force to the Palau Islands. The mission of TG 32.5 was to neutralize and destroy enemy installations in the Palau area by gunfire, aerial bombardment, minesweeping, and underwater demolition operations in order to support American forces in the seizure and occupation of three islands, Anguar, Peliliu, and Ngesebus, in the Palau Islands group. On September 12, the scheduled bombard- ment of Anguar Island began. On September 15 (the day of the landing on Peliliu), COLUMBIA fire initiated a large explosion Effective fire at Anguar, Columbia target, Dulag Airfield, Leyte

Page 20 text:

reported the area covered throughly. Two to three fires were observed including one at the northwest tip of the airfield which was accom- panied by explosive fires which could be seen for 22 miles. From February 15 to 18, CRU DIV 12 and DESRON 23 operated in the areas west and northwest of Bougainville Island and supported and covered the seizure and occupation of Nissan, Green Islands, in the northern Solomon area. From March 5 to 11 the task force cruised in areas between Truk and Kavieng in order to intercept any possible Jap reinforcements to the northern Solomon Islands. Later in March the task group supported the landing operations on the Emirau Islands. On April 4, the COLUMBIA received orders to proceed to the Navy Yard, Bethlehem Steel Co., San Francisco, California, for overhaul. On June 3, 1944, Captain M. E. Curts, USN, relieved Captain F. E. Beatty, USN, as Com- manding Officer. Thus, the light cruiser COLUMBIA finished her first cruise of battle duty. She had fought with hard-fighting units of the Pacific Fleet, learning to recognize the sound and smell of battle, and learning better the meaning of the phrase offensive action. She had been through the Solomon Islands campaign and had seen the first beginnings of a chang e of tide in the Pacific War. She was now a fighting ship! Captain M. E. Curts, USN, the Gem ' s third Captain.

Page 22 text:

Catmon Hill — Leyte. followed by what was apparently an oil fire. On September 1 7, the attack force went ashore on Anguar Island against negligible opposition with the Gem ' s guns furnishing call fire support after the successful landing and again on September 18, and 19. In October the COLUMBIA was assigned to the Seventh Fleet for temporary duty in Task Group 77.2. The long awaited invasion of the Philippines was in the offing. The task group sortied from Manus in the Admiralty Islands en route to Leyte Gulf, P.I. All hands felt that this invasion was to be the test of remaining Jap strength in the Pacific. The direct mission of TG 77.2 in this invasion was to destroy enemy personnel, installations, and facilities on the entrance islands to Leyte Gulf, and in the vicinity of the landing beaches along the east First wave to go ashore in Philippines — October 20, 1944.