North Carolina (BB 55) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 33 text:

n 2 Q . .N xx , ix N , tying 95 W, Q 'W Yi X is v X eg X Q P .iv A 3 X, ll 5 4 Ulf. W' - j ., ' 7? 152 I f A 4, ,W5 Wwyyuf V ' fm , , , 0 J X fy ffff 4,4 af f 5? 6 9 . by A fi. , 4 Ly! wif X . ,, , Y Q f ,ffzfff,fni X X eg 3 1 , f ff -V ,f Q, f' - ,,-, .xv , I 1 if 4 1 MW ' 2,110 JP f.4 ,Qw ' me P' ,f,,fz 'iw-f A x 1 Af. W-pi' , A ff 5 31 , Q,

Page 32 text:

TURKEY DAY AT SAIPAN

Page 34 text:

RELIEVES .J . . . . . Two monfhs in Bremerfon and on leave gave bofh ship and crew new life. On 30 Sepfember, I944, having complefed speed frials, NORTH CAROLINA deparfed Pugef Sound for fhe gunnery grounds af San Clemenfe, off Long Beach, Cali- fornia,-.Tene days of fraining proved all our bafferies ready again for fop performance. O THE SHOWBOAT leff fhe sfafes for Pearl on I4 Ocfober. Affer fhree days of provisioning and arming we were once again off fo join fhe fleef. En roufe we received reporfs of fhe heavy surface acfion of Surigao Sfraifs. The conquesf of fhe Philippines had begun in full. Sfopping only overnighf af Eniwefok and for 6 hours af UIi+hi, NORTH CAROLINA once again fook sfafion in Task Group 38.3 on 7 November. Then began fwo monfhs of sorfies againsf Luzon. All fhe while our carrier planes were reducing fhe Jap sfrong- hold. The fIeef's greafesf opponenf during fhis period was Old Man Weafher, who fhrew innumerable fyphoons af us. Gales and heavy seas wreaked much damage. NORTH CAROLINA, as did all fhe major unifs of fhe fleef, came fhrough pracfically unscafhed. Greaf fribufe is due all fhe engineers and damage confrol men of fhe fleef for fheir unfiring and able repair work during fhis period. O Befween sorfies we wafched Ulifhi grow from a newly occupied lagoon fo 'rhe Iargesf fleef anchorage and recreafion cenfer in fhe far Pacific. Hardly fhe same as fhe sfafes or Pearl Harbor. Mogmog, beer, and movies on deck sfill provided a welcome change from each air-defense sfudded operafion. On fwo occasions fhe Japs molesfed fhe peaceful serenify of fhe lagoon. A midgef submarine and a suicide plane broke fhrough our defenses fo find fheir mark, bofh while fhe fleef was af anchor. I On 8 January, I945, NORTH CAROLINA enfered fhe Soufh China Sea fo supporf fhe Luzon land- ings. Rapid-fire air sfrikes af Camranh Bay, French Indo China, Saigon, Formosa, and Okinawa paralyzed Jap shipping and air power. When fhe 3rd Fleef refurned fo Ulifhi on 26 January, ifs work againsf fhe Philippines had been complefed. Three monfhs of consfanf affack from air and sea had virfually assured ifs recapfure. O Our nexf operafion was fhe supporf of fhe Iwo campaign. On I6 February Task Force 58 sfeamed in 'Io I00 miles from Tokyo and rained desfrucfion on fhe hearf of fhe Empire for 'Iwo days. This was fhe beginning of fhe end. Arriving af Iwo af dawn of D Day, fhe I9fh, THE SHOWBOAT and ofher unifs of fhe fask force empfied fheir magazines on fhe Jap forfress in four days, fhe greafesf bombardmenf in Naval hisfory. For good measure, we launched air sfrikes on Tokyo and Hachiio Jima once again before refurning fo Ulifhi on I March ..... CAPT. FAHRION