Macomb (DD 458 DMS 23) - Naval Cruise Book

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This craze to kill and be killed by death dives into the ships proved one of the most demoral- izing influences encountered by fighting men in this war so far. Tugs were hovering in the background, waiting for the word to proceed and take another crippled veteran under tow- if fortunate enough to have withstood these crip- pling blows. uPractice damage control, more damage control, plug up your holes and keep on firingf,-This message received by the pick- et ships best describes the situation. As soon as we were anchored in Kerama Retto, a raid was reported approaching from the north. All ships commenced making smoke, the results of which hang like a heavy fog, so thick that the person alongside you is almost indistinguishable. That night as well as through- out the next day and night the Mac constantly maimed her UQ stations while trying to carry out logistics. Never a period of ease or rest was to be had. Un April 23rd. having completed logistics. we got umlerway for ffagushi Beach anchorage, Ukinawa. All hands were pondering the ever-present question as lo our next assign- ment. Most of the erew were inclined to be pessimistic. while a small minority remained op- timistic. lloweyer. tht- majority ruled. as a lighter-direetor team reported aboard this was a group composed of two ollieers and two en- listed men especially trained in organizing in- formation obtained in filtf and using it to in- tercept enemy raids. Un April 2-tth the ship was underway for our new picket station -lil' No. ltt. relieving the l'.5.S. Wadsworth. Un station as we ar- rived were the destroyer l-.S.S. Cainard and an LCS as fire support vessels. Checking pre- yious action reports of this station. everything pointed toward a quiet post. Throughout the ship the seuttlebutt was flying about to the ef- fect that some considered this assignment to be a break. This station was situated 85 to 90 miles west of Okinawa. 20 miles west of Kume Shima. an enemy held island with a small air strip upon it. Our planes usually flew over this island and any activity noted would quickly be hindered by a few well-placed bombs. Previous weeks had shown that enemy raids were ap- proaching from the North and South, and in doing so had been by-passing this station. Eve- 36 ning brought forth a number of Bogey 1-aids that closed no nearer than 8 miles. The day of April 25th passed without inci. dent. So far the station had been living up to the predictions. The drawn and haggard look was beginning to disappear from the faces of the crew, and a little of previous days' playful skylarking commenced about the ship, The early hours of April 27th were among the calm. est experienced while on picket duty. No re. ports of enemy activities had been forthcom- ing from combat, and everyone had thoughts of another comparatively quiet day. However, within a few minutes combat reported enemy aircraft 31 miles distant. As the range constant- ly closed, it was possible to track three Bogies. Again the gun crews stood ready. and as the range dropped to 8 miles they swung into action. Suddenly a plane was sighted in the early lt't0I'II- ing darkness, making identification extremely difficult. The main battery commenced radar- eontrolled Hring. All hands tensed and waited for some signs of a hit as the 20mm and 40mm presently commenced their chattering. Un the bridge everyone was seeking shelter as the plane zoomed past the pilot house-so close that the throbbing of its motor could plainly he heard above the din of the battle-torn air. One of the men in the repair parties reported having seen a yellow light glowing from its fuselage--in all probability flame from a direct hit. The next instant the plane nosed over ill its death plunge and crashed into the sea close astern. The men on the fantail received 8 shower as the plane displaced a huge hlallliffl of water, then slowly disappeared from sight. The gun crews relaxed, but the air plot tcamS in combat could not, as their attention was need- ed in tracking another Bogey, sending rang0S of 18-15-10-7 and 6 miles to the director and bridge. As this last report was received, the engine rooms were called upon to make turnS for 30 knots. Once again the main battery began radar COD' trolled firing, as yet the early morning gfai' was still darkened by a heavy dark cloud for-

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So quickly did it approach, banking sharply to avoid ships in the crowded anchorage, hard- ly a ship was able to get out even a salvo, and only a few scattered 20mm bursts were thrown into the air. One vessel was picked hastily by the Jap as a suitable target--the Pinck- ney, hospital evacuation ship. Ears were split as the plane crashed into her bridge. and soon the flames were enveloping the entire bridge structure. About the ship the crew s nervousness once more became evident. ey ery mind was think- ing of what might have happened had the plane picked our ammo ship as a target. The re- pair parties hurried to clear the mooring lines. as the Mae withdrew' from the perilous vicinity of the ammo ship and elosed the stricken ship ready to render any needed assistant-e. Flash red-control yellow was broadeast. as we pre- pared fire hoses. As the Nlueornb nosed in closer and closer. smaller ships already were playing their streams of water upon the blazing ship. l ire by this time WHS covering the yielim fltulll bow to stern. ri- . . . llns was extremely risky lullslltess. as ammuni- tion was exploding and shooting into tln- utr. causing the men lo wonder when am unaimed shell would limi its nmrk as we prnetieally nuzzled against its sid.-, Nb-ri were running about the burning inferno in an attempt lu res- eue bed-ridden patients trapped below decks. 'ls fire-hghting tugs nrriyed. the Nlaeoinb laid ull to windward. pouring utll at proteetiye smoke sereen to help to dim the glare rising from the ship. Many llogies eootioned ln lly about. but for some reason there were no follow-llp at- tacks. Shortly before midnight the Nlar se- cured from CQ: exhausted men fell into their bunks with a muttered prayer fur' an uninter- rupted sleep. This WHS not lo lie. ltoweyer. as that familiar elang. elang broke the stillness shortly alter mid- night. llogies ranged between four and nine miles. The enemy did not come eloser. though. and the men were soon returning to their well- earned rest. Many' were too engrossed in slum- ber to know that an explosion rocked the ship at 0115. lmmediately gunfire opened up on all sides. and the ships crew once again raced for 38 battle stations. The U.S.S. Shea quickly splashed the Bogey that had managed to sneak past the picket screen, and at 0215 we once again crawled below decks. Three blessed hours passed with. out further interruptions. At 0515, sunrise alert awoke the ship and many heads were bobbing as dawn was awaited. The ship then got underway for Hagushi Beach anchorage. An extremely dillerent day passed. as no GQ's were sounded and not once did the ship have to move in order to maneuver from some passing Bogey. We again left the anchorage at sunset to proceed to RP No. 9. The crew began to wonder if the hand of God or Providence was guiding us while patrolling this station as in the past. lt was generally considered that the odds were against us in the long run. as too many ships had felt the shock of these attacks. Surely we couldnit cs- eape forever. At l926 rendezvous was made with the USS. Cwin: both ships arriving on station shortly alter 2l00. The two craft that we relieved had hardly gone beyond radar range when a single Bogey was reported at u range ul 27 miles. The distance rapidly decreased to li'-lil-ltl and 7 short miles. The two ships simultaneously went up to 25 knots. maneuvering in dizzy patterns with the familiar sound of the director turning on its base. The usual flood ol fear rushed through eyery man, as the range closed to 6 miles. The next report told that the range was OIJCII- ing. All hands relaxed, and the ships resumed their normal patrol. The period from midnight of April 30 to midnight of lVlay 2nd were the eabnest days of picket duty experienced by the Nlac. Not a single Bogey was picked up on the radar screen. Aside from morning and evening alerts. the ship saw its first day pass without the slightest need of fully-manned battle stations. During this period many Bogies were reported flying toward .lapanese-held islands around Okin- awa. Secret intelligence warned that something big was in the making. :lt 0950 on May 3rd many Bogeys were ob- served on our screen. The Gwin had previous- lf' been relieved by the U.S.S. Bache, and all hands agreed they wouldnit exactly mind being where the Gwin had gone. However, the DiP5Y'