Macomb (DD 458 DMS 23) - Naval Cruise Book

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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

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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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-v r Q .ws -asv'-lvnlillnpustxv --1--i which made an ordinarily diflicult task even more hazardous, in coming alongside, the lVIa- comb was caught in the undertow of the big ship's port screw and slipped into the battleship, damaging our foc'sle. Repairs were promptly made by the shipis force-a plate was welded on the side while underway. This work received com- mendation weeks later at a British repair base. The officials said 6'We couldnit do a better job, and won't attempt to replace your fine work? On lVIay 20 the task group reached the Brit- ish Isles and put into Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands, and reported for duty with the British Home Fleet. It seemed as if the lVIacomb's train- ing period would never end. This time there were variations to the usual theme as provided by Wellington bombers and French submarines. On June 3rd the Mac put into another cold port-Hvalfjordur, Iceland. Often we were un- derway as a unit of sub screens for combined forces operating near Iceland. On the Ilth the U.S.S. Emmons, our sister ship, reported a sub contact. A few moments later she evaluated the contact as firm. Almost in the same breath she reported a torpedo wake bearing down on her . . . it missed and the Emmons finally lost con- tact with the elusive German and we rejoined I . Depth charge explosion the formation. Another attack developed the next day when the U.S.S. Ellyson reported a sound contact. She attacked immediately with depth charges while the Emmons and the Mac stood bv in readiness. The Ellysonis attack brought large patches of oil to the surface. We then gained a contact on another sub. We dropped charges twice and then a third sub- marine was contacted. We dropped another pat- tern of charges. Then the three destroyers were ordered to rejoin the screen to insure the safety of the capital ships. Taking them over 55. 15