Macomb (DD 458 DMS 23) - Naval Cruise Book

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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'

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