Massachusetts (BB 59) - Naval Cruise Book

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THE LOG Tossing Ihe first sixteen-inch shell to open the European offensive and firing the last big naval bullet in the Pacific campaign — these are the outstanding mileposts in the 39-month fighting career of the U. S. S. Massachusetts. The Japs have capitulated; details for carrying out the formal surrender ceremonies have been arranged for the official end of World War II. The stories that make the war history can now be released and Big Mamie has one of her own. It may not be spectacular, but it reveals a ship manned by resolute and efficient officers and men who turned in a workmanlike job and who more than once received well done from the Admirals. It wasn ' t always easy going and the grind was monotonous but . . . here ' s our story. When peace come to the Pacific, Mamie could look back on a long and action-packed careei ' . From the time of commissioning on May 12, 1942, until the end of the war in mid-August, 1945, she hod logged over 225,000 nautical miles, her jouineyings taking hei ' all the way from Casa- blanca to Tokyo and the China coast. She had token port in some thirty-five engagements with the enemy. She had sunk or damaged five ships. Including the mighty French battleship, Jean Bart. She had taken port in nine bombardments of enemy teriitory, three of which were directed at the Japanese home islands. She had destroyed or assisted In the destruction of at least eighteen Japanese aircraft. Her scout Kingfisher planes hod rescued seven aviators downed by enemy fire, often per-forming the rescues within sight and lange of Jap guns. Thanks to hei ' fiie-powei ' and speed, she had lent Invaluable suppoi-t to the fast carrier task forces as they carried out their mission of crippling Japanese olrpowei ' and seizing control of Pacific skies. Our ship has been a workhorse of the Fleet. She was always in there pitching when there was fighting to be done. She went about her tasks without ostentation and with a high degree of com- petence and skill gained from long hours of practice and of combat. Birth of a Fighting Ship Big Mamie ' s keel was laid July 20, 1939. Her- launching took place two years and two months later on September 23, 1941 — A few scant months before the attack on Pearl Harbor. Her spon- sor at the launching was Mrs. Charles Francis Adams, wife of the former- Secretary of the Navy. The ship, building of which had cost more than $75,000,000, was for-molly commissioned on May 12, 1942. She was constructed by the Bethlehem Steel Co. and the workmen at the Fore River Yard at Quincy, Massachusetts. She was given tremendous firepower- in her- nine 16-inch guns ond twenty 5-Inch guns — the latter weapons adding to the anti-aircraft might of the many 40-m.m. and 20-m.m. guns bristling from her decks and superstructure. After her trial i uns. Big Mamie, undei ' the command of Captain (now Rear- Admiral) Francis E. M. Whiting, USN, began an intensive period of ti aining in preparation for the battles for the bottles In which she was soon to take port. About six or seven hundred of the men who took par-t in That Battle ore still aboard and so generous hove they been in sharing their reminiscences that even the newest boot just arrived is familiar with the affair down to the last detail, and he almost feels as though he were there him- self. Here, briefly, is what happened: In the early morning hours of November 8, 1942, a large task force of American worships and transpor-ts, with the Massachusetts as flagship, moved In toward the coast of Casablanca in French

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To All Hands— Well Done! r r

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Morocco. It was the signal that the United States, having marshaled its strength, was now ready to throw its might across the seas. French fleet units. Including the huge new battleship, Jean Bart, were at anchor in the harbor. The American force approached slowly, under orders not to fire unless resistance developed. Suddenly starshells lit the sky and the Jean Bart fired four salvos. Rear Admiral R. C. Giffen, USN, in command of the American force, gave the agreed signal for action — Play Ball! — and the Masscachusetts found herself in one of the hottest engagements of her career. Salvo after salvo poured from her main battery in reply to the fire from the French ship as well as fiom the shore batteries. hHer Kingfisher planes, sent up to spot her gunfire, were attacked by enemy planes and Big Mamie ' s anti-aircraft guns opened up. Shells were falling all about her as she was bracketed by fire from the direction of Casablanca. At length the Jean Bart was re- ported afire and in a short time her guns were silenced as she lay at her berth a blazing wreck. Shore batteries continued to pound away and under cover of a smoke screen enemy cruisers and destroyers got underway and attempted to sortie from the harbor. The battle roared to a new crescendo as enemy planes roared in for fresh attacks; again Mamie ' s AA fire drove them off. A shell fired by one of the shore batteries struck the ship abreast one of the forward turrets; a small fire that broke out in a lower compartment was quickly extinguished. The Massachusetts began to close with the enemy ships and again was bracketed with heavy fire. She was hit a second time, the shell striking abreast the after turret. Meantime, her accurate fire was taking heavy toll. Two enemy destroyers had been hit; one was sunk and the other down by the stern. Then one of our salvos struck another destroyer amid- ships and in less than a minute she went under. The French ships laid another smoke screen and tried to head into port but were cut off by our cruisers and caught in a withering cross-fire. Another destroyer went to the bottom before the op- posing ships succeeded in withdrawing to the protection of the shore batteries. A final salvo at the beach guns and the battle was over — a battle in which the Massachusetts was credited with sink- ing the battleship Jean Bart and two destroyers, and with silencing shore batteries. The ship ' s battle colors received a shell hole during the battle. Big Mamie returned to the States and her battle-tested crew was granted leaves and liberties. Captain Whiting was promoted to Rear Admiral and replaced by Captain Robert Ogden Glover, USN. On to the Pacific On February 6, 1943, the ship left Portland, Maine, and after passing (with little room to spare) through the Panama Canal, proceeded to Noumea, New Caledonia. Another period of in- tensive training and Big Mamie was ready to add her weight to the warfai ' e in the Pacific which at that time was just beginning to emerge from the defensive stage to the offensive-defensive phase. In April the Massachusetts pushed into the Coral Sea as a member of a task force group sup- porting operations against Russell Island. The following month she was bock in the Coral Sea again, this time covering operations against Munda, New Georgia, in the Solomon islands. Hei final operations in this area took place in late August and early September when she supported action against Vella Lavella. There followed a lull during which the ship was based first at Efate in the New Hebrides Islands and later in the Fiji Islands.