Macomb (DD 458 DMS 23) - Naval Cruise Book

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f:l'l'lll1lll sub still nl lllillll lnnnths nl' training. lXlll'llt'1'lkl'. llclin Ilfv. haul int-rltnps llu- Hurst singular vxpv- rivnm' ul us ull. Ili- nas nmnning hi- lrttllll' stutinn. whivll wus Nu. ltt tm-ntx niillinu-tv: lnnunt. wlu-n tlu- sul, npr-ru-tl lin-. llt- lt-It swim'- tllillg slrilu' his lvg. mul ri'zu'lu-al tlnnn tunl pivlu-il ull tlu' ill-t-It llu' still lint slug lrnni at lu-rnuin iuurhilu' gun. l.ute-1' it uns ltnnul tluit llu- ltnl- It-t haul hit tlu- vunlning ul tlu- llt'1'lxllHll't'. unn- nllwtl ntl llu' tnrpe'4ln nuvttnl. anul. its lnr1'u- -pvnt. strurlt hint just In-Inu tlu- luu-v. nut vu-n lnwunlt- ing tlu- skin. 'l'his uns tht- nnly mu- nl tht- linl- lvts that haul struvlt tlu- Xlzu-. Xll the- ri-st lnul nwrshnt. Wi- latte-r li-arm-tl that tht- snlv thnnglil sw ni-rt' nn uirplnnv. tlne- lu tlu- lin-t that .it lirst Ullt' St'ill'l'lllla1llll haul lu-e-n ale-pre-s-ml intn tlu- watt-r. lltlr lvaltllt' with tlu- l-hllv uns nut lini-lu'-l lltlWt'X'i'l'. ilihis was only tht- initial t'llgilQll'lIlt'lIl. Wt' lllllllvtlltllvlt nnule- sntnul vnnttu-t with tho' slllmu'rgt'4l sulr. anal pi-nt-tw-tl.-tl tn nttavls nith tlvpth l'llilI'gl'S. Wit' tnaulv lun runs me-r tht- turgvt. dropping t'llllfQ1t'S vau'h tinux annl as tlu' vltarges vxplntlt-tl th-vp untlvr tlu- snrfiuw-. ut- watt-ln-tl anxiously fnr signs that nt- hail nnulf- Il kill. The Mac was shalwn from ste-in tn ste-rn by the terrillic harragv. hut thvrv was still nn sign of damage to thc sulv. Thus began a night nf continual alertness. the ships of Desllon 10 attacking again anfl again as Contact was made with the sulw. The llvrinan was rum' trying cu-ry trick in his hunk in a desperate attcnxpt tu vsvapc. :intl ht' had a writahlc t-in-yt-lupvtlia. :Xt um' tinu' tht- llam- lvlctnn was tiring lmth main lvattt-ry :uul nut- lflllllt' guns at what has lu-lic-xt-tl tn ln- a puri- sfupef. liut uhh-li turni-tl nut lu ln- at rzulzn' ale-vny lulllnun. rt-lt-.ist-tl ln tht- will llun. 'Xt 0.3-ln. tht- Xlgu- svrtirt-tl lfrnin gt-in-ml qtntrtn-rs. null tlu- lurlxy uni-s nhu ilulnt luiw llu- unit-ln turnml tn fur at lun ltutll'- -lvvln, liul nul ful' lung, ll ul'-'ul lltlw. llu' lltunltlvtnu luault- t-nntau'l uillt llli' !'llt'lllX Ltluvttl 't'Xl'll ttlllvs sutllll all lllt' -1 --nv ul llu- Xlgtvis initial gittgult. guul tin-tl at alt-vp ttllllvlll 'rl t'llLlltl1 . llti llu' m'Xl gtllxtrlt tlu-x lll't'tl gi lull putt'-in .it NNI l--vt. lln- lxllxsnn tlu-n minu- in lllllllllllllil.ll'll'1'lllll: .itt.u'lt. nilh tlu- lltnnlulv- t-in .1--i-ting. lint ennt.u'l nga- lu-t lu-lun' th.- Vltgtlgvs llvttlnl lvl' tllnlnluwl, llvf- l'll2lll -il ilu' l-tilt: uns tum gtmstll: 'l 'l -'l - lill-mu-i -it n.ii lv-tinn-nt l.lll'l ituli- nnte-l that 'luring tlu ini-I threw- tlgtxs tlu-3 haul lwvn -nll.ut--l unlx .tn i--Innate-tl Ii lunn'-, 'Ilif- 1'-tnlinn.altl:-ptlitlmiginu li.ul tLlllNt'tl lnlugivssixi- 1l.nn.t:t-, .intl lv.itte-iu-- ut-lv t-xllatttsle-tl. 'lilu' l -lHr.ll - I 4vlltIll.tIteli'I llhlllt' llle' elrrlslnlt In svltlllt' tlllll tllltlllllllll. Xt HILHIZ ntl tlu' nu-lining nl Xl.tx li. llu- lhlul. l'lIlll'l -tnnulf-tl un-v num- lltmugluvul llu' Xl.u-nnlv. .itul thu-v nu'n ulu- lXl'I4' ull' unit-It r.uf'al li-1 llulu lniltlo- -t.itl--li'-. llxvl llu' l'.:l. -x-tu-nl uinu' llu' 1-lvfttilxing in-nl, Sul: ?-lll'- l.uiwl -'tl tlu' lu-it lH'.Illl.-i ls tu- n'4u'lu-al Inli- -itll-. .ill mv- turn'-al tu putt. :uul tlu'ra- it ual:-, lvl.u'lt nun in tlu- nuuning -tlllllgllll. mul alvzul in llu- xmtvr, ll'-unul lu-I tm- QI Vlllilllp Illlfl nl tlvstrnu-r-. -in-nting ll.nn.- .uul sta-rl. 'l'lu' unto-r rnnnfl tlu- -nl, uns lllll'Il4'll nitlt -lu-ll splnslu-s. 'lilu' lla -' nilv jninwl in. nt at Fillljll' nl THIN! xarul-. mleling lu'r lvit lv tht- hnnl cle-s-trtu'linn nl tlu- snlv. N- -lu-ll nltf-r -lu-ll pnurs-tl intn tlu- hnll nl tht- l -lvlfi. -lu' slfmly szinlt. sto-rn hrst. .incl lllf'll. stulilvnlx. uns gum-, Swwuuls lutvr vanu- lun le-rrilif' rl'-tnnatinns. as tht- flvlnnlitinns rlmrge-s plan-ml ln lu-r ziluzuulnniug vre-ts. :rx- plntl.-tl. ilillt' lflltsult HHN 1-Inst-fl lll ln UID ,nnitnrm uhm numln-rf-fl 53. nut nl a 1-rms nf 55. 'lihus f-nfl:-rl what has lie-f'n flffsvrilurcl as the set-nnrl lnngvst sur-r-vssful sul, hunt in history, 43

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who mas sub-infested waters of the Atlantieg participation in the invasion of North Africag and operations off the Norwegian coast with units of the Brit- ish Home Fleet. We had taken part in dozens of sub hunts, and had dropped innumerable depth charges. But we had yet to make a kill. and had yet to fire our guns at the enemy. or to be bred upon in return. We had been lying in the harbor at llerslll- Kabir, when the orders came to get underway to participate in this sub hunt. 'lihere had been little excitement aboard. 'lioo many times had we gone to sea under just suufh orders as these. and too many times had the chase turned out to be fruitless. Still. the thought was always there maybe this time it would be the real thing. l.ike Sweeney and Xl'lllt'lll. we all felt that we wanted aetton. This submarine had attacked a eonxoy oll Uran ou the Hath of Xlay. had torpedoed two ships. and then Ili-d under the xi:-ions attaek ol the eseorl. 5llN't' then. the enemy had been re- lentlesslx pursued by umts of lleslionlll. and ,.. - N W planes of the lsritlsh Loastal l.ommand. Lon- laels. followed ln attaeks. had been made sex'- eral tunes ln both plane and slnp. 'Xt the pres- eut tnue. the last eontaet had been made ln alr- . . Q eralt on the prex tous night. XX 4- had been seareh- ing the area all day. without result. ilihe wateh ehanged as usual at 21 ll Nl this 'I x 'v ' D ur . 1 'Q I' ' s ' 's i ' i t Vt x 4 ' ' ut ' ' - it I' ' ' had in ' ' l 1 s ' ' ' H ni' eq 'iw 13 rom o r post ion if ' nu 'it 1 5 ' 1 ' 'U ritrs ' 1 lt ii fS '-1 1 ix' 3 m' v w 5 4 , flin- va Wt ' I't ' 'I 'uni 'j y raf- irou-' 1 it ui ri in diremtor Thilwodt-lu. Ft V . Stu 4 1 itrols o It 7 1'u'1r -1 tmw ine o 1' . 'W L 1' t b' D , , V , C311 Q WON 5lll'i-du it 'Ut ielfilt' 75 fi ranffg- than just than llnbode iu nporttd 1 tarvet in tht FD ind plot commtnud trarkmef he 'runs were in automata the earnhhffht was in automata with are struak hutter closed We were standm-r l. Nutt there wa no undue 4-2 excitement. This performance had been repeat. ed many times, but always the target had turned out to be friendly. It was hot down in C.l.C. A dozen men were crowded into that small. equipment-filled room. and the sweat from their bodies. and the heat from the instruments clogged the atmosphere. The noise from the TBS and MN filled the air as the planes and destroyers kept in close eon- taet by radio. Kegerreis. traeking oliieer. saw that the target was proceeding at high speed he- tw een two converging groups of destroyers. ours and the rest of Deslion ltl. Ile kept a eontinual flow of information on the targefs movelnenls going to the bridge and direetor. 'lille range was now down In 301113. Plot re- ported a good track on the target. course tl-15. speed 15 knots. fi.l.C. eolleurred. Now' the range was down to 2000. Suddenly. from the bridge eame the command. illuminate! 'l'he beam of our 30 searehlight sprang into life, and rexsealed nothing! 'lihe light was depressed into the water at the side of the ship. As the gmmerx ollieer. Lieutenant liengel. eorreeted this error. the beam crept outward. Suddently. ter- rifyinglx elose, there it was! Urayish white in tht- powerful beam. a German submarine rolled obseenelxt in the oily sea. the number ii-fill! plainly visible. As we stared. a long string of eolored heads of light lifted from its decks 'mc foatzc lamp across tht water toward us t o' a scpeond to rcalivc that we were unit irc. t tc ik a su. md to realwc that l.dLl one tiosc little lieacls of light was a dfadly IIHS silt. and that tht faint ripping sound we ward was tht. sound of a heavy machine gun Front thf bridge. Laine the command, Lornmencc fif his phones. Fire and as he pressed his salw key. the Macs 'runs roared in their first sh0lS at the enemy. But as suddenly as it began, ll ended. for we had only expended six roundS when the sub dix ed and the order to cease firing came from the bridge Our first action was over The reactions to this melee were many and xaried Most of us felt our knees weak and tremblmv after the fivht Its very swiftness had left Us w ithout the power to think, lndeed IIIHUY of our mos ements had been automatic the IC 'tl , f. , ...Q .,., , , . v -an -1 ' :u 1 -f I : .a -1 ! ,- V -4 -, l L q .. .. ' 1, i f l 1 i ,.... 2 -' 1- ... 5,1 . 2'- I , A ul -.4 p- 1 o F' 'I .a -. .- . ,, - I ' , ' -v ' .... : , v- .. A .- pn. 7 an f V 1 gd v ' ' 0 p. ' ' ' v -. ' -Q C f' -f -' 4 1 f' '1 ' -. ' 1. '- ' , :fl -nu a an 1- ' -, -, -- ' I F n-up ' 'I f ' a n A ,L 4 4 -g 1 ' an ' -' ' ' 0 ' 1, f- . 1' .1 U an f ,g -4 4' ri Q - -1 4 1 .. I: 'Z 1 ' .I , f -1 .f ' 'j, I fl' 4 L 1 3 3 1' 1 . .4 F ... :U ,. 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' I taking 75 hours from first contact to sinking. For this engagement Captain Hutchinson re- ceived the Bronze Star Medal, and our gunnery officer, Lieutenant Rengel, the Navy Commenda- tion Bar, and the crew added a star to their campaign ribbons. We had come face to face with death that night, and though we had es- caped unharmed, no one who participated in that battle came out of it with the same burning desire for action. From now on, we would con. tinue to do our part, but with a different per. ception. W e knew now that our careless assump. tion of immortality was indeed false, and that we were engaged in a desperate struggle for life, in which any one of us might be the eternal loser. TORPEDO RUN It was our second night on the Easy Line. the cordon of destroyers that was outer screen for the transport area at the St. Tropez heaeh- heads in the early days after the invasion of Southern France. One moonlit night had passed without threat, although our destroyers persisted in regularly illuminating each other or in lohhing a few shells at returning l'.'l'. patrols. Sunset CQ. was long since secured and the cans re- solved lhcrnselves In the now-routine task of dodging each other in the impossihle task of staying in phase. when at surface contact was picked up some 20 mile- olll from the Nlacoinlfs sector. 'lille Destroyer llutle was nlrearly in the xan- Q.1llllI'tl when the word ln send the 'Wlighty linen into the fray was reeeixed. Cena-ral llltmrtels elanged with urgency. The sttriatre raideis. now live distinct radar pips. were making Xguutl spec-4 and were growing rapidly larger. 'XII four lioil- ers were put on the line. and tht- props cliurm-1 up it great mike in the calm water. ilihcn tht- lloyle reported one-two-three lorpedoes lirer aeross her how hy the enemy. The Captain calmly lnnlt the loud speaker ant announced: this is going ln lie a lightf Stand hy to make torpedo attack! ililie contact was now reported to he two enemy cruisers and at least three destroyers. Back on the torpedo tuhes. there was consternation. Our torpedoes had only heen reaequired three days previously at Taranto. having heen left behind during the original invasion assault. Now only one was ready to tire. and its gyro was not tested. Chief 'l'orpedoman Uillourke fumed hut guaranteed he would get the C . . D . . . id things!! oil if he had to throw them over the side. Now the gap was rapidly elosing. We might he ahle to inlliet some serious damage. maybe get one or two of them. hut this superior force would undouhtedly slaughter the Macomb. Was this the end? Then the report from the Doyle-f r- recognition signals exchanged properly! The charging enemy veered oil on charted course ul a night-retiring shore homhardment unit of two lfreneli cruisers and three trigger-happy lfrench destroyers. who may well have fired lorpedoes at the onrushing Doyle. 'lihe sigh of relief could he heard over the entire ship. Allied intelligence was not mis- taken: there were still no operational enemy capital ships in the lVlediterannean. On the fol- lowing morning the torpedo gang worked hard and long: there would be no more nights on the Easy Line without torpedoes ready to fire! E , C 4