Macomb (DD 458 DMS 23) - Naval Cruise Book

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i i i i i i . On the road to Casablanca there on the 3rd of December. December 15th found us underway again, headed for Casco Bay, arriving there on the afternoon of the same day. For the next week we were kept busy with anti-submarine operations, and a general shake- down after the yard period. But December 24 found us once again in Norfolk, making prepara- tions to escort another convoy to sea. On De- cember 27th we cast off our lines and were underway once again. January 1, 1943 found the USS. Macomb enroute from Norfolk to Panama with a convoy of troop and supply ships. A large part of Des- troyer Squadron 10 made up the anti-submarine screen on this trip, and escorted the convoy safe- ly into Cristobal harbor at 1200, January 2. Only one mishap had marked the trip-just at the entrance, the Artemus and the Carroll, both troopships, collided, fouling the main gate and deiaying our entrance for a few hours. W'ith only a one-day stay in Panama, the ship was underway again on ,January fifth as escort commander of a convoy screen, destina- lion-Cuba. After a rough but otherwise un- eventful voyage, we arrived at Guantanamo Bay on the Sth. After fueling, we sailed back to Cristobal with another convoy. For the next few days, the ship had a chance to enjoy that invigorating Panama liberty. The Mac soon left however, this time with a convoy that in- cluded the U.S.S. Chester, which had Hcaught a fishi' in the Pacific and was headed for the Norfolk Navy Yard. The Mac sailed eagerly on the way to New York. The trip was enhanced by the dropping of depth charges on a sound contact, but disappointingly, the results were negative. On January 26th the Mac arrived at New York, and a wonderful ten-day 'yard period com- menced with leave and liberty for all hands. On February 3rd the ship was ready for sea again, and we stood down to lower N. Y. har- bor for various calibration exercises, then on to Newport harbor, and back to NOB, Brooklyn. We joined a convoy there and headed out to sea. DestinationfCasablanca. The ship was de- layed in this crossing when a collision occurred between two transports, necessitating their re- turn to base. We took them into Bermuda. and then proceeded on to Casablanca. A few days out of Casablanca, lookouts sighted a sub on the surface and we immediately gave chase to the speedy German craft. After a five-hour chase the Mac unwillingly had to discontinue due to a lack of fuel. Our slay in this African port lasted only four days. and then we set out 13

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On the 14th of July we got underway in corn- pany with DesDiv 19 for passage to Scapa Flow, arriving the next day. During our stay at this naval base in Northern Scotland, the ship took part in screening and anti-aircraft exercises with various U.S. and British ships, some of the lat- ter including the H.M.S. Duke of York, H.M.S. Victorious and H.M.S. Tartar On the 26th of July the Macomb left Scapa Flow enroute to Hvalfjordur, Iceland, with Des- Div. 19. Gunnery and damage control exercises were held enroute. Arrival at Hvalfordur was on the 28th of July. The next few days were spent in patrolling the entrance to Reykjavik and Hvalfjordur, after which the ship received on board liberty parties from various British and American ships in the harbor and transport- ed them to Reykjavik. The month of August started the ship on rou- tine patrol duty. Then, after two air-raid warn- ings on the 4th, we were ordered with the U.S.S. Hambleton and H.M.S. Offa on a submarine hunt. On the 6th the Offa had a sound contact and dropped charges, but without visible re- sults. The next day we returned to Hvalfjordur for more operations with H.M.S. Duke of York and U.S.S. Hambleton. From the 9th to the 12th, the ship was in and out of the harbor for submarine patrol, but without any occurrence of importance. Then on the 16th of August a transfer of British personnel, equipment, and publications to H.M.S. Duke of York was made in preparation for a return to the United States. The ship departed for New York with the U.S.S. Hambleton and U.S.S. Wichita, and ar- rived on the 22nd. Leave was granted to all hands during the availability from the 23rd to the 30th of August. On the 1st of September we proceeded with U.S.S. Hambleton for Norfolk, Va. A quick round trip began when we left the next day with U.S.S. Hambleton, Winooski, Salamoni for Ice- land, arriving at Hvalfjordur on the 10th, de- parting on the 14th, and arriving back in Nor- folk on the 25th. The ship then took part in anti-aircraft battle practice with DesDiv 19. The beginning of October found the Macomb 1n DesDiv 19 Desron 10 and attached to TF 22 The TF consisted of Desron 10 which was com man Emmons Macomb Forrest Fitch Corry and Hobson and the USS Ranger Charger 12 Sangamon, Santee and Chenango. The Corry was later sunk off Cherbourg, France, and the Emmons was lost off Okinawa. On the 11th of October, the Mac was under- way with U.S.S. Hambleton, Tarazed, and San- gamon for Bermuda, B.W.1. Enroute the U.S.S. Sangamon launched aircraft. One plane crashed into the sea, and the Hambleton recovered per- sonnel. The force arrived in Port Royal Bay, Bermuda, where the Macomb, together with the U.S.S. Hobson and Hambleton, operated with the U.S.S. Ranger while she held launching and recovering exercises. On the 16th the ship re- turned to Bermuda Harbor. There followed more flight operations with U.S.S. Sangamon and Hobson. On the 17th the Macomb embarked Commander Submarine Division 71 for anti- submarine training. The ship then took part in various operations with Desron 10 as part of TF 22. On November 7th, the Macomb was detached to proceed with the Northern attack group off Casablanca. The next day the TBS indicated that landing operations were in progress on the beach. The Mac screened the U.S.S. San- gamon, one of the carriers launching the aircraft for the bombardment of the African coast in preparation for the invasion. We arrived on the 11th of November at Fedala Bay, French Moroc- co. Together with the U.S.S. Hambleton we were ordered in for fueling, but were told to wait until morning. We anchored close to the Hambleton that night. During the night the Winooski, Hambleton and Hughes were tor- pedoed at anchor. The Macomb was then ordered to get under- way to hunt for the sub. The next day, while proceeding for screening duty about a convoy anchorage, four explosions were observed. Three transports were torpedoed. However, we pro- ceeded with the convoy, and on 15th entered Casablanca. Later we proceeded to Safi, French Morocco, for patrol duty with U.S.S. Kearny and U.S.S. Parker, then formed screen for U.S.S. Algorab while underway for Norfolk, Va. We entered Norfolk on the 30th of November, none the worse for wear But the Hambleton was badly damaged by the torpedo which struck her and did not return to active duty unt1l after 12 months of repairs 'ind shakedown FTOITI Norfolk we proceeded to Boston Navy Yard for a much needed yard period arriving posed of the U.S.S. Fllyson, Hambleton, Rod- H in 0 i t ' t ' N '

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-xrv -. is Catun Locks, Panama Canal with the Arkansas, Philadelphia, and others for plane launching exercises. Once one of the planes from the Arkie failed to pull out of a dive and crashed into the sea-no survivors. We made the return trip across the Atlantic and stopped at Brooklyn for a yard period. Training cruises followed, with the U.S.S. Ran- ger and later with the USS. Alabama and USS. Tuscaloosa. W'ith the beginning of the new month the Mac joined Task Force 22 as a unit of an anti- submarine screen. Base of operations was Casco Bay, Maine. One day when we had the ready duty, we were ordered to investigate an unidenti- fied surface ship. The ship got underway and soon was challenging the stranger. All hands were at their battle stations ready for action, but the ship turned out to be the first lrish false alarm we ever answered . the merchant ship Irish Elm The next port of call was Argentia, New foundland as unpleasant a place as can be found on the East Coast It was out of this port that the lVlac received much of hei train ing that was to put her in good stead for th1n0Q to come On this rough North Atlantic Sea the crew became familiar with the equipment through endless repetition of gunnery and darn- age control exercises, torpedo runs, Hre drills, communication drills, casualty drills-these wearisome practices welded the Macomb and her crew into a fighting unit. v At this point in her career the Mac served as an escort for the carrier, U.S.S. Ranger, many times. Usually it was the Macomb who fished some hapless pilot from the drink after he had mis-judged a hazardous takeoff or landing. This period constituted the most intensive training the ship ever received, and developed to a cli- max in a sixty-hour concentrated battle prac- tice, with the planes bombing and straiing the cans, while they retaliated with torpedo runS 011 the carrier. The Mac had scarcely' reached p0It when an emergency call brought her speeding out to the scene of a plane crash, near Virgill Rock. Debris of the wrecked plane and the pilots lacket were all nc found On May 12 we mu underway as a unit of anti submarine QLIPLII lol 'lt 61 consisting Of the South Dakota Allbnna ind escorting de stro cis Visibility xx 1 un pmol ind the 00 s we it unlblm ln mln: hips 01 Ubllllf l sets mic xux rough 8 r Q Q i ? i Y i 1. L, wma wwxr. '2-arf' '- ,nu-Q Vx K WP1qil'- cc ' as I . - 7 - ,L K 1 IA - I i i V' . z +21 ' tt i . . .- . I 1 I 1 T T . . . - il . k V , . , . . - . t ic , z z nz . L 1. 3 , ' ' D i V il Q :Ss Uuls T 'W 1 'P lo set' l ' r l S ig -- Later . I . . ' ' C the Mac was ordered alongside the South Dakota L I ' 7 - , - - A ' gi r alle A S V7 y - , , x vi, . . A ,ig e ' e if