Macomb (DD 458 DMS 23) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 44 text:

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:

Page 43 text:

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

Page 45 text:

pq..-..... 41 I -.1- ff! 5 5',v A KL ff :'f f '.90'z ' flillli' lfml fillllil -a'vne-- lf.-H'l',' CHU l.'.'I.N.eIl. Villlill is illl Illllmrlallll lllln-.-glklng u.lI4'l mg llllnllgll .II .I lun- 'klighgly in ,-X,-,-,, uf FUUU' Irwin IIHHIHH I IIUIHIF Wlllll- IH 4l'l'lIII H- Iln-- syn'---I linml I1-I the 1.m.nl. Illn- Ile-slinuliun lu thu Maw. ll hurlmrs mum plum-unl IIIVIIIIPIIV' NJ. l:.,.l.,,,A lI,,. I,,.,,,,. l,,,,, Hg IIN. mgvl- ,hilh -If . . . I,--1-I-1-f--I 'mu-I-H 1-lliw .I....,HI. .. .. il .I....v.. lu lhcf lnrmnl wlvslrmvr . . . -:urn-II.-I-In-II -I-I-In-s HI I I I . - v 1 mu- .u -.nr --I1 lu- -I1..:.-lnnv lnylmny. :mal II p1'zu'a'Iul HlIlllllll'l' vslulvs . . . Ilun-I I'1'lIl'.ll Iwm , , H I Im- III.:-lun: Ilu' Xluv-mul-. lnlvn-sl glvu. illlil lhe- slnrnn fxllilllllll IIN- mute- unlvn- lu Im-.I-I Q , ' , . . Ilnw lllmlx 1.11 naught up null Iln- Ile-slime-r ll luke-s. nurrmss In slum I-Imnm-I-. null .1 lwllx L I. I V II' I ' k . . IJ-II'5l.I' '. ' Q ' , - hrulge- spanning the- mah-r ut mn- -,ml . . . llu- X 1 ' ' ' ' 'I Q m 4 I t .. I I I I - A . ..- Nlurs fllllllll In-l'4'lu-Il ululv Iln- Ifm-mms! -lum- 'l 'lm' mln ll lull 'll' ll lx um IIN' lvrlaluvs umle-rpmnmgg an- uv Ilush lv.:-I lw- ' Slum 'l ' ll l - 'l l'- -'Nm lm,-. lu-.un-I Ill.m Ihr' IMI:--I nn, --In-alivnlly slum-II Sn lllt' Filllill uns lllhilli il nvlrmm- re lvIIe- 'l l- 'l'4 s 'l - ' 4' l'l4 l ll 'l lftllll lllt' Wllf. lllll MIN' IIAIX lllf' slllll ugh -Ioullvlf .IllQlII ulllxltlg 'Illl'-llQlll4I ll Nlllllllll il lil'l'Il5l', , , UIK HRs'l' KILI. Nvllwlll. SURIIIHIII I 1: liltvel his Klasse- mul in: Ihi- -fm-nlqu-glxn. mul -H fur ua- llZH'l'Il.l swung them in ll slms. svalrvlling urs' Irmn III-ml -1-vu n thing lull pmhpwi-vs. uh-1 2 0I'. - '- - - l' - -. f H .. , . H . . . 'mimi In I III pulxul up th. .lllunnillef I3 Mull- WPIW' Nw'-HM. lm gmnng :Quik llt '-5' 'a- , - - t lfmus 'md N l'l lvl ll HL' nm? In l I' N mul llI'0'll I-I rnmung dflvllllll Ihls lvlzlslf-fl lH'l'Zlll II -- 'raw' - lg ight, tlnn swung his Immms Inns nel lg.l ' mul new-r QIVIIIIIQ anusl1f'rv. Il'-II. I vrzlw' ar:- lu the bow. 5illlSlll'll that no uh:-n ulwje-vt slums.-II mm -- itself in his sector. he turned lu Sum-In-5. QNI . -5 . , XX hvn Ihe- Nlzuwnnlv lmcl mule-rf-fl Ihr' Nll'flll!'Yl'1l' who was taking ll hearing from the pwri , , , , pillow me-an are-n III the fllflllg nil I01-I. she- had Iw- I S. , hlml he-r lun mul n half y-ars nf tough. monot- Well. I guess this is just amnllu-r wild goose' mwus fllllf. Inf-Iuflvfl in her npvralinns were Chase. We've been out here for lun flaws hunt- tlwusamls ul' miles nl r-funny fluty through the 41