Franklin (CV 13) - Naval Cruise Book

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destroyers and the few planes of the escort carriers were putting up one of the most heroic battles of the war. Three of those destroyers and two destroyer escorts went to their deaths in the unequal struggle, but they did not die in vain. Months later, after the surrender of Japan, Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita, commander of the Japanese Second Fleet, confessed that, incredible as it may seem, his enemy fleet of two dozen major warships was turned back at 11:00 a.m. by damage suffered from the torpedoes of seven Ameri- ican destroyers escorting the baby flat-tops and bombs from the escort carrier's planes-as well as the fear of further attacks. Assault groups from other flat-tops of the Third Fleet were now over the stricken Japanese carrier group 300 miles north of Leyte Gulf, and 75 miles from Big Ben. By the end of an hour every carrier in the force was hard hit, burning, or on .'.f'?1'x 1' ' .-a'l +T: . f fi.,-Q, . .J f..,y,sa. , -, 357311 is ' 2 rzfirtir' 1 ' f Q . ,, Comdr. W. M. :'W'ild Billn Coleman, hard-flying skipper of Figfzting Thirteen, the bottom. Cruisers were flaming, the two old battleships and one cruiser were steaming frantically northward. The destroyers milled around aimlessly, some trying to pick up Japanese sailors, now floating in the sea by hundreds, The seven fast battlewagons of the Third Fleet, detached from the carriers, were straining ahead at thirty knots, eager to bring the Japs to a battle which could have but one con- clusion. At 10:00 a.m. came radar warning of a large flight of en- emy aircraft approaching, 100 miles to the south. These, it was learned later, were the Jap carrier planes that sent the Princeton to the bottom off Luzon the day before. They had landed on Luzon and were flying out to rejoin their carriers. 30 Hellcats roared south to meet them, but the Jap planes were evidently in radio contact with their fleet. Before the Hellcats sighted them, they reversed course and turned south out of range, apparently informed of the disaster to their floating bases. At noon, 150 more bombers and fighters took off from Big Benls flight deck to add to the destruction. But now the calls for aid from the south were urgent. Admiral flalsey turned the heavy new battleships, then only 40 miles from their quarry, with the carriers and destroyers of Task firoup 38.2 to aid the embattled baby flat-tops of the Sf5Vfiflfll filfifff. At 1:30 Franlclirtfs fourth strike cleared the deck. The Jap- anese ships were in a panic-stricken condition. Undarnaged vessels steamed desperately at high speed, on independent courses, in any direction to get out of range of the bombers. Damaged ships, listing heavily, circled wildly, all guns fir- ing, with no effort at mutual support. Here and there two or three destroyers, or a destroyer and a burning cruiser. steam- ed in formation using their guns to best advantage. It was a wild, desperate, confused battle. And it cost the dive-bomb ing squadron from Big Ben heavily, for Lt. John H. Finrow, a University of Washington boy, who had flown 31 missions, went down in his Helldiver with his gunner, Henry E. Borja, the lad his shipmates called HHank. Lt. fjgj D. A. Mcphie, recommended for the Navy Cross and two Air Medals, died that day with his gunner, B. D. Chandler, a boy from old Alabama. It would have been ffMac'sH last mission, had he returned. Yet there was one thing certain about that battle. Squad- ron after squadron of America's finest air groups kept fill- ing the sky above the fleeing Japanese. As soon as the air group of one carrier had delivered its attack, the planes of another would come flashing down to attack. Through the afternoon the battle continued. Even Comdr. Coleman, of Fighting Thirteen, could only shake his head in the ward- room that night and say, HI wouldnft have believed it if 1 hadn't been there. 1 don't know half what happened and 1 was there all day. Theyill never get all of this one in their history booksf' As evening drew near, two cruisers and a destroyer-one cruiser limping-were all that remained of the force. The two battleships, one damaged, with no destroyer escort, were 100 miles north, fleeing at their best speeds. They would run the gauntlet of a dozen American submarines posted in their path. That night a submarine reported five torpedo hits on one and when last seen it was dead in the water. Admiral Davison asked for any carrier with a dozen fighter planes and a clear flight deck to volunteer for a rocket-armed sweep to get one of the cruisers. Big Ben's flight deck was crowded with the last returning strike. but the Enterprise volunteered. Half an hour later the proud voice of the strike leader from the Big E could be heard over the radio: Hello, Badger. This is Dodger Four. Break out the beer. Wife just sank a cruiser. Badger was Admiral Davison's radio call. The Admiral answered personally: This is the Badger. himself. Great going. Well have the band waiting for von, Now, as the sun dipped into the sea on the Japmiesim lin- perial Navyis last day on the Pacific. cruisers from the Third Fleet drew near to hnish the cripples. The Air Coordinator. still flying over the scene. directed them to the targets. His voice could be heard on the radio. though the cruisers were not audible. The airman's voice was clear and cold. Can't see 'em. eh? Do you see me? f'Well, watch these black bursts now . .