USS Columbia - Naval Cruise Book

Page 23 text:

coast of Lcytc in order to assist the U. S. Army troops in the seizure and occupation of that area. The Task Group arrived off Leyte unopposed and it is believed that the COLUMBIA and the DENVER were the first major U.S. surface ships in visual distance of the Philippines since the Japanese occupation. On October 19, 1944, the scheduled pre-landing bombardment of the Leyte area commenced. The targets were the Dulag airfield and gun emplacements on Cat- mon Hill. At first, some return fire (probably from mortars) was directed at the COLUMBIA from Catmon hill. No damage was sustained. The next day (the landing day) the COLUM- BIA moved in to within 2400 yards of the land- ing beaches and laid down a heavy pre-landing bombardment including 40mm fire. Enemy shells began landing in the water near the Gem and at 1009 six enemy shells landed about 200- 300 yards off her quarter. At 0 5 four more shells hit the water uncomfortably close. The Gem laid down a heavy fire in the vicinity of Catmon Hill whereupon the enemy fire was silenced. At 1600 a Japanese plane torpedoed the HONOLULU, about 3000 yards on the starboard bow. There developed a growing conviction that the Japs were going to fight and fight hard for the Philippines. American troops, however, waded ashore on that day and secured a beachhead. On October 22 (two days after the landing) while the Gem was conducting call fire, an enemy plane was taken under fire and later seen to crash. This plane was considered as probably destroyed. At dawn on October 21, an enemy plane was seen to deliberately crash into the bridge of the H. M. A. S. AUSTRALIA. It is believed that this deliberate suicide attack marked the beginning of the Kamikaze Corps (Divine Wind) attacks on allied vessels. On October 22 and 24, attacks by Kamikaze pilots were witnessed from the COLUMBIA on the DENVER, LOUISVILLE, and CALIFOR- NIA. On October 23, COLUMBIA ' S guns delivered effective rapid supporting fire in dis- persing an enemy troop concentration in the vicinity of Tabontabon Village on Leyte. Each evening during landing operations on the Leyte beachhead, Task Group 77.2 pro- ceeded to the north end of Surigao Strait to protect the beachhead from a surface attack in Columbia bombards Tabontabon Village on Leyte. 19

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.

Page 24 text:

.sm • . i : ' i ' -?i! ' fi : Columbia and sister cruiser s blasting Jap ships at Surigao Strait. that direction. On October 24, allied air intelli- gence information revealed that a Japanese sur- face force containing battleships, cruisers, and destroyers was sighted in the Mindanao Sea apparently en route to Lcyte Gulf via Surigao Strait. Battle orders were issued and TG 77.2 proceeded towards the north end of the Strait to meet the challenge. This was to be the second test of the Gem in a major surface engagement. In the minds of the crew there was confidence in the ultimate outcome. The TG was formed in typical battle disposi- tion. PT ' s and destroyers were sent down the Strait to serve as pickets. A left flank of cruisers were in column in the following order: LOUIS- VILLE, PORTLAND, MINNEAPOLIS, DEN- VER, and COLUMBIA. Heavier units re- mained in the rear. The enemy entered Surigao Strait about 0230 on October 25, in two columns, heavy ships leading each column, the second column four miles astern of the first. Steaming through the darkness, this enemy force consisted of 2 battle- ships (Fuso and Yamoshiro), 2 light cruisers, 2 heavy cruisers and 10 destroyers. At 0300 American advance destroyers came out of hiding and went in firing torpedoes at the leading group (5 ships designated target A ). Two of the targets were apparently hit by this initial attack for they slowed down appreciably. At 0310 another group of destroyers fired torpedoes, and a large flare indicated another enemy ship had been hit. At 0323, a second group of enemy ships ( designated six ships target B ) was picked up on the TG radar screen. At 0336 a third group of about five ships was picked up by radar, standing up the Strait. It was evident that the Japs were risking major units in the defense of Leyte: the hunted fleet had come out to fight. At 0337 another destroyer group moved in and fired torpedoes at the oncoming ships and immediately a second large flame explosion was seen in the enemy group followed by another and three minutes later by still another. At 0350 cruisers left flank were ordered to open fire. The COLUMBIA opened fire on target A immediately in response to the Captain ' s orders to Let them have it! Range at this time was 15,450 yards: firing was rapid and continuous. In two minutes a fifth large explosion was seen in the enemy group. As to the effectiveness of the cruiser gunfire during the battle, the following is quoted from comments of a destroyer commander: It was a privilege of Commander Destroyer Squadron FIFTY-SIX to watch the gunfire of the cruisers from a position considerably removed from the line of fire. The devastating accuracy 20