Macomb (DD 458 DMS 23) - Naval Cruise Book

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if L' - T 4 - U Q T if N! Hs' , 'f '9' ., ' , A- -'V 14 - 0331 n.. 'W QQ- 'L ,S Q ,il wr ale'-Q,-. ,..,,,,pv,,. ,awk av- hut, . J A, My , , M. H - ,, mtg, -'- ' ,-Q .. - V lmqvbu A, ,y n -V A I . My ' y ,ld I 't ,i,,,Wf 1 A i t Y , , + I A v ' 1 ,vw-A ' '- ' ' nam - ' .., ' , l.5.S. llmlumn in Se-rap Irma Hem, ke-rum.: llc-tln lluntlle 'ltt1'lx wus ,till llultling ai- uw vm-uit .iii- 'lla-' tluwlf-i ln-gun -pinning nu its axis. aiu- 1'ritlt1'lnsi'1l. 'l'lu' tluy ttruggf-tl pu-t. uitln llugvx- Htl:--I plumb. I-.tw-llxuig. .iMiiu.i1'lie'4l nu nm' FlilI'- vnlistzllitlx apps-airing aural ili-app:-.ii'iug, 'lla'-u. lt-t.u-l l -e-. im. .un-l l---tulv -nu pun- niulel ln- us visilnility cliluiuiwln-al lwlnn- -un-vt. .i .iluv tmim-tl 1-u tlu- Lugo-t it mt- ulmu u-. lt laura' llllltllwt' uf lluge-ps we-n' plutti-tl. lu-mln-al nur mix. -l-mu 'lm-rtlx tm tln- lviielge- NlIttl'ltIl't'1 :-1-viiiiiip 'llw range- tlt'l'l't'tlPit'll lrum TU tu SW mile--. 'lliv .n- it u-itluu: 1-fultl -t-fp it. Hui luvlt tmtt linailly izttuvlxiug lows-s in-rv tlwn ul,-e'l'u-tl ltr -plit iutu f.ult-tl u-, Su-ltlvulx tht- pl.uu- title-utilie-il air- at thu I'tlltlh. Hut' tI.it.I'. uns male-iw-nl tw iutv-ru-pt luux' luniulwel -lmilily. ri.:-liiug iutu tluu Nu, Il, tlu' suutlwru ruiml. X ti-iiitu 3.1: tu-ut llu-fugli tlu' -liip. Nlvu lu'- - ' - ' u ' ' ' ., - ' llvlmrts vauua- uwr tln' mill.. l'tI't'ttIls .llmtlt lm' 'l l' l'H l Ill' Ulm lull' 'lmklmm U tln- l'.5.5. .Mirmi Warsl ln-iuil iu tht- uuiil-t ul' tln.. l I' 'l 4'l - I 't 'f1 - Ht 'w 'H nm.nN,l.n mm- Um. mm 'Hmmm' Nh lnwmling .uul tl.un.igi-. pl, ,... lit tlus alum- tlu- xslinlt- .,r,.,.m.iUuS as Igngw, mm. l,l,,m.,l all 23. lip. ami .tltv-:film lt lumw un- at lilauiugg iula-run. llvllilll' tj milw. pnrtiv- -stung iutu autiuu. rusliiup lire- llnwr- lu U, , , thi- -u-nv. Im its-fl suirv- tulcl tlu' tlziptziiu tw -'ll In-40. at Nail was siuliti-al ull nur stnr'lw-mul l , .. ,. . . . lmxv un-u mt-r tlw -ulv. lllvx sw-rv lvlnwu nvrr lmw. lhl'e-vtm' nu tnrge-t. :ill guns un amtuumtiv. . . - In tln- nun-11--Init tlmt :li-mullsllrcl tlu' gun. tht- urilvr tu vunum-m'e' tire' mls Q1lU'tt. l'l41alu-N ruultl ln- si-vn frmu tln- lluvlu- s 3 nmunts. .NW N, HH, ylm.,,,,,l, mul tg3,.h,. ,.,,,,lg,m,.,t M-,.m.i,,g Pauls ullvml- Sllwli ttlif l'l1 ' Ul'l .l l 'ilmllt 'it liiwh -lu-ml f'xlH'l'llll furtlwr zittzivlw . Q . , , . r- .. '- it U4 . :rim this dE.libml2.ng 1 rug: Us lllklll H mtl in at um mmm-ut lrum numf-ruus Huge-ys still lv l'tltlt'. ' ,,, t ' 1 'lx ' um 1' wut . , ,. . K Hlglnir ur N in Q if l , mihm .mr are-41, thi- furuarrl guns. still upvra- lw svvn cunning from tht- Jap as ln- tliwtl lui D v f. I , , V It tiw. ui-rv rvmly fur tlu- unrrl tu f-nuunvnff' lr- caluagvcl ship for u huul uttvmpt at Ll fun ue crash. A strcmu of watvr shut into tliv air as ills :tml U55 VV ?f tht' Wm' l luck ul' the Pltllw Crilsllctl into tllr: 0001.111 lwtuvvll ullt' UUV WVU- 'ht' l'r lF5 l '.5Fml l'l 'l5 llmethftir the bow' and the Bm.ht,'5 famail. vntirv stury 1' 'him a luuuli lmrl pic-rrml the star- 39

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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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board side of the after-deck house, passing com- pletely through and out the other side without detonating, but causing death to one man. as he pulled powder from an ammunition hoist. and iniuring two others. The homhis path through the ship was something of a miracle. for it cut one angle-iron loosen-the cause of the one deaths-sdemolished the hot water heater for the Crewes showers, and covered the wash room and No. 3 ammunition handling room with scalding steam. The after magazines were reported flood- ed to prevent any possihility ol igniting. how- ever. and the hre was soon lirought under con- trol. 'l'opside, death, injuries and damage were grim. 'l'he lrightlul sight of lvadlx hurned men. our shipmates, was a disheartening lilow lo all r v ' lumds. lhe sun dropped ln-low the horizon and the proteetive feeling of darkness closed in aliout us ln-fore we had hnlsln-d taking the small craft alongside and hringing alvoard the men they had re-sem-d from the water. .ls the nu-dieal department worked steadily in the improvised hospital in the wardroom. whis- to-y wits Iltlrsvtl Lllnotll llle' sltlp lu In-lp Slt'lltll tired und lumpx nerxes as thex waited lor the liuul eount ul Vttsllatllivsl tw.. dead. three miss- - . . . . mg. six seriously injured. two nl whom later Sllt't'tIItlllt'tl to their wounds. and ten s.i::htlx in- - vu. . .. ... jured. lhls was the hnal sa-ore. lhe possilnliti that some might he missing was lvrought to light. as three men failed lu respond lo muster the score was mounting. Xutt the 14.55. .Karon Ward also had heen hit. not with one or two lXlllllIlitlZt'S. hut hw. and all hands were preparing to ahamlon ship. llur companion slnp. the l bb. liar-he. pro- ceeded to her assistance as we eontinued the pa- trol awaiting a relief ship. s Shortly hefore llflltl. the li.5.F. .-Xmmen. a tlt'Stl'oXt't'. relieved us and we set Course for Hagushi lieaeh anehorage. Nlany wondered whether or not we would again he attacked in our dash lor the anchorage while manx 11101-9 were almost indillerent. still hewilderedihv the 0Vl'llill!! s tragedy. It was two in the morning when we arrived at the anchorage. Still mama raids were heing reported about the area. CQ -I-O Coming alongside the ll.S.S. Laffey after her famous battle with Kamikaze-s was sounded. and hattle stations were manned as our wounded were transferred to a hospital ship. 'lihe following day came the task of taking oul' dead lo the island of Okinawa for hurial among the manx heroes who had paid the supreme sac- riliee for their country in the attempt to secure one ol the last strongholds ol the japanese em- pire. As the sea hags of the dead. missing and seriouslx injured were lined up on the quarter- deek. with familiar names steneiled upon them for return to their families or going with the men themselves. the crews' faces reflected inner- most thoughts of hurt and hewilderment that things of this nature could happen to a people hrought up in the tradition of free and peaceilul men. The picture formed at this moment was imprinted upon the minds of those heholding it for all time to come. The remaining days in the Okinawa area were spent at anchor awaiting orders for returning to some rear area for repairs. Everyone hoped and praved for orders to the l,7.S.A. More scut- tlehutt flew about the ship than ever before. .-Xir raids continued. The anchorage, with its mam' Ships throwing up their odorous smoke screen. gave adequate protection. At last on May 11, we received orders to PTOCCCII to Saipan in the Marianas for repairS- Picket duty was over for the present. 9 as 9 sift i ' 2 l ei: