Santa Fe (CL 60) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 74 text:

,,,.,,V ,,,,,,,- ,,,,.,, .. -..-1.-.-4. -... .-.- . ' ' - 1 1 1 , Wi r - w ,- X , , . .K , ,, . X V 4 ,4 Y f v s V - 1 I f n ' ' 1 ' 1 ' ii wvwr loiwcii ri 'I , Y i - Y , 1, , - . t , , ,K f, 1. n original mission of this group, initially composed ofthe SANTA FE, BIRMINGHAM, MOBILE and C six destroyers, was to escort and protect the stricken CANBERRA, being towed at a meager three knots. Day- light air attacks were completely repulsed by CAP, but from sunset until dawn the ships were busy lighting off enemy raids. The SANTA FE kept the CANBERRA shrouded with stack smoke, and also managed to add one more Jap plane to her total. However, the 14th, back at the main carrier force, the Iaps slipped a torpedo into the HOUSTON. She, in the tow of the BOSTON, was ordered to join the SANTA FE along with 2 CVL's, 7 more DD,s,'and 2 sea going tugs. Meanwhile, the Tokyo Radio broadcasts, boasting of the overwhelming defeat of the U. S. Fleet and claiming the sinking of 20 carriers, fostered the idea of a Bait Group. CruDiv 13 and its charges continued toward .J distant Ulithi while Task FOYCC 38 moved off to lie in wait. Then the SANTA FE purposely began to send out plain language radio messages to give away the Blue Fleet's location, practically inviting the Japanese to attack Heavy enemy units took the bait, steamed out to com- plete the annihilation of the Third Fleet. Unfortu- nately, just as the trap was about to be sprung, enemy reconnaissance discovered the Carrier Task Force-and the Imperial Navy turned tail and ran from the very ships it had supposedly sunk. On the 16th the cruisers fueled the ucansn and the SANTA FE received from the DD,s part of the HOUSTON's crew, rescued from the water after their ship was torpedoed. Throughout the day, as in the previous three, our group was number one target for enemy air strikes but the Hell- cats from the two CVL's continued to break up all raids. No planes got through until 1345 when a Francis evaded the fighter CAP, plunged through the AA barrage, and torpedoed the already injured HOUSTON. CContinued on page 745 HOUSTON in tow MMUNSEE makes good only 3.1 knots, but now that Formosa is 260 miles away, Ulithi's 1070 more seem almost downhill. Yap Frantes,' appears suddenly, heads dlreetlyfor SANTA FEQ then infaee dddfre passes across bow and launehesfish at HOUSTON. I 70

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BBE Capper IQUD daring mock-baffle maneaverf. Co-ordinalion QI Task Force depends upon infer-slap communicalion over lziglzfreqaency voice radio. IYED BEFORE TRGOPS GO ASHORE the laps were still reeling from this blow, the scene of action was shifted to Formosa and the Pescadores, which were hit heavily on 12 Qctober. Late that evening, the Alaps made their first counter-attack. Night torpedo bombers made run after run, only to burst into orange flame as the ships' AA fire hit home. VVhen the attacks finally ceased at 0238, the Task Force had suffered no damage. On Friday the 13th, carrier planes were back over Formosa-and again the Sons of Heaven waited until twilight to attack. This time the cruiser CANBERRA took a torpedo in her engineering spaces. She reported the need ofa tow and CruDiv 13 was detached to assist. Thus was formed the nucleus tactically known as TG 30.3. A7427 ro1i!ro!oj7'icor.t and fookonff in HKIIII' Forward' .fran .tk-1' for memy

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We 5 s in 0 an g, g Q In Fleet's introduetion to newest, fastest ffapanese twin-engine tcrpedo bomber, anti-airrraft bursts polka dot sky well astern of plane. Torpedo catches slow movzng HOUSTON well aft on starboard quarter, razszng a column 0 smoke ame and water above masthead hezght Wzlth plane and eatapults demolished, hangar open to sea, HOUSTON takes on list to starboard. Protecting cruisers eirele at 15-20 knots