USS Columbia - Naval Cruise Book

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Splashing one Betty in Sulu Sea — December 15, 1944. lowing day many enemy raids started towards the formation but all these were intercepted by the Combat Air Patrol of the accompanying carriers. The attacks continued in the afternoon. At 1556 the Fighter Director reported (apologetically) that several Jap planes had gotten by the Combat Air Patrol. These planes made futile attacks and were disposed of by the combined fire of the ships in the TG. The next Recalling the loading of ammunition on Christmas Day, 1944. morning, several groups of enemy planes started in towards the formation. At 0821 the COLUM- BIA fired on two planes making suicide dives on the MARCUS ISLAND. Both planes missed. At 0943 five enemy planes were seen coming in. One started up the starboard side of the formation and 40mm fire from the COLUMBIA could be seen first hitting the tail surfaces and then walking up the fuselage towards the cock- pit. This plane began to burn and then exploded. At the time the Gem was turning hard to port and the 40mm battery opened up on still another plane approaching from that quarter. This plane was also shot down. On the morning of December 15, the army troops were successfully landed on Mindoro Island. There was scarcely any opposition to the landing and the Americans now had facilities for air bases only 90 airline miles from Manila. Upon receipt of news of the success of the land- ing operations, TG 77.12 commenced retiring. The COLUMBIA was officially credited with the destruction of three enemy planes during the Mindoro operations. Christmas Day was spent at Manus loading ammunition and provisions. This necessitated a delayed Christmas dinner on December 26. The Japs had now been routed out of two of the major islands of the Philippines and there 24

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COLUMBIA was officially credited with seven planes shot down and sure assists in the destruction of four others. Two days later repeated minor air attacks were staged by the Japs on the ships lying off the Leyte beachhead but these attacks were successfully fought off. However, during the night of Nov- ember 29, a diving enemy plane passed off the starboard bow of the COLUMBIA. The Gem ' s gunners opened fire and the plane swerved off, later crashing into the MARYLAND in the vicinity of her number two turret starting a raging fire which engulfed her entire forecastle. A few days later, the COLUMBIA retired from the Leyte area for the purpose of joining a large task group forming in the Palau Islands. This Task Group, 77.12, under command of Rear Admiral Ruddock, USN, consisted of numerous battleships, cruisers, destroyers and carrier units. On December 10, 1944, this TG sortied from Kossol Roads, Palau Island, on a mission to protect the second phase of the Philip- pine Invasion — the landing on Mindoro Island. The immediate duty of TG 77.12 was to protect the assault units from enemy air and surface attacks while en route to Mindoro and during the landings there. On December 1 3, the TG en- tered the Mindanao Sea. This was the first group of American surface ships to enter the Mindanao Sea since the occupation of the Philippines by the Japs. On the same day TG 77.12 comprised the first American surface force to enter the Sulu Sea. The Japs were waiting here, however, for a suicide attack began at dusk. At 1717 the NASHVILLE was hit. At 1718 the COLUM- BIA fired on a formation of enemy planes diving on the TG. One plane was shot down. A short while later a Jap plane broke through the AA fire and crashed into the destroyer HARADEN about 1000 yards ahead of the Gem. The fol- Right 30 rudder — and they miss us again! Leyte, Nov. 27, 1944. 23

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remained but Luzon to complete the initial offensive. In January, 1945, the COLUMBIA joined a large task group composed of TGs 77.2 and 77.4. The mission of this force was to arrive at Lingaycn Gulf, Luzon, P.I., on the morning of January 6, 194.5, and accomplish the follow- ing, prior to the landings of U. S. army assault troops on Luzon on January 9 : ( 1 ) Cover the minesweeping and UDT operations. (2) Destroy by surface and aerial bombard- ment, enemy personnel, shore installation.s and facilities along the south coast of Lingaycn Gulf. (3) Furnish counter battery fire. (4) Bombardment of beach area on Janu- ary 7th, 8th and 9th prior to the landings and furnish call fire thereafter. On the 3rd and 4th days of January, this TG transited Surigao Strait, Mindanao Sea and Sulu Sea. Enemy reconnaissance planes shad- owed the large formation and at dusk on the 3rd day of January an enemy plane attempted a suicide crash on the H. M. A. S. SHROP- SHIRE but missed close aboard. At 1716 a single enemy plane came in out of the sun and crashed dived into the carrier OMMANEY Loss of the USS Ommaney Bay off Manila — January 5, 1945. BAY. The fire on this carrier soon got out oi control, planes on her deck caught fire and ammunition began to explode. The ship was aoandoned and destroyed by torpedoes. At 2345 the Gem received 6 officers and 1 1 2 enlisted survivors (17 of them urgently in need of medical attention) from the OMMANEY BAY. At 0745 on January 4, the TG entered the Entering Lingayen Gulf on January 6.