Santa Fe (CL 60) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 82 text:

Desperate plunge Q' another Saki-driver endx fnally, Q' sueeesjulb, on island superstructure M large carrier LEXINGTON. ,W , ..,, .f --1 Aww ' ' 5, E '-N I' almlfv, ii J F u ei afiyf fi Af? lg. , E l Q5 -it Q -5 'Haj B xg, viffri J Q2 Q1 . -1 J affix 23-A! c ii Ll LE if 5.1 il'-tri. rl x ,,'kugv' ,,...a. 1. ka 1, .:.. an... fall. .4...Jx. alrlwa-'f 4'i'w.,,, F ILIPINO FIGHT GAINS MOMENTUM, 7.2 N port hardly 24 hours, the SANTA FE again part Fl of TG 38.3 was underway headed for Manus. How- A ever, the same evening l November, Heet course was changed towards Leyte to counter an expected Jap naval thrust. On 3 November, traveling through heavily mined waters, the Group was attacked by a Jap sub which slipped a fish into the RENO forcing her to withdraw and retire to port. The report of enemy surface units in the vicinity proved false. Consequently air strikes against Luzon were ordered insteadg Jap air power, although well-reduced, was still capable of determined attack against the landing forces at Leyte., On 5 November, TG 38.3,s planes hit Manila, and, at the same time, the Japs sent out their suicide planes which attacked the formation just after noon chow. One crashed on the LEXINGTGN, another near the TICONDEROGA, while a third was shot down. 11 November saw an entire convoy of Jap rein- forcements for Leyte annihilated in the Camotes Sea by one strike from the Task Force. After fueling the next day, sustained strikes were launched at the Manila area the 13th and 14th. A few enemy planes approached the SANTA FE, but only one plane came briefly within range of her 5-inch. Upon completion of the strikes, all ships returned to Ulithi, arriving 17 November. V 3 Five days later, the SANTA FE, replenished and refueled, sortied-with T.G. 38.3 and again set course Carrier ESSEX eatelzes Nip .raieide plane on forward fi ht deek aft f 6 l g 0 num er one e evator yet is-able to maintain pro er station in Ta lc G . W 'thin teen mznutes fre damage ix controlled, and .felzeduled attadkjfiglzts can take of from tick. J mu? Z 1 l .

Page 81 text:

D catch and sink any cripples. Aircraft from two carrier Task Groups which also stayed behind continued raids on the enemy. At 14115 the light striking group set a course for the nearest Jap ship sighted by carrier planesg at 1605 a surface target was picked up on the radar screen. As the contact was closed, a Jap CVL later identified as the CHITQSE could be seen on the horizon, dead in the water but not burning and only slightly down by the bow. All four cruisers commenced fire when range allowed, and almost immediately the target took hits and started to burn. No planes could be seen on the carrier, but per- sonnel were swarming all over the flight deck, sliding down handlines into the sea and scrambling off the radio an- tenna. Steadily and methodically the 6-inch and 8- inch projectiles mauled the carrier. The target slowly capsized, and finally went under at 1655. YYith the Jap carrier settling into Davey Jones' Locker, the cruisers were free to continue the chase. At 1637 a LANGLEY plane had made the following report: Main enemy group bearing 335, 40-50 miles. Consists of 1BB, 1CA, 3 DD, 10 miles SE of this group 1 CA making 6-8 knots. Also 1 BB, 1 CL 10 miles NE of main group, going like Hell. At 1825 the CAP located 1 CL or CA and 2 DD dead ahead, ten minutes later Combat reported surface contacts at 360, 17 miles-evidently the same ships. Now that the sun was down the men topside could see nothing, but the radar scope showed the three pips milling around and the distance to them rapidly closing. The SANTA FE and MGBILE were directed to take under fire the nearest target, the heavy cruisers the more distant targets. At 1905 the main battery opened fire, and two minutes later the secondary battery joined in. The black night sky was sharply etched by the projectile's telltale red tracers arching their way to the target. A sudden flash followed by a brief fire at the end of the trajectory showed that Plot was getting no change-no change. However, the Jap was not taking this lying down, he returned fire throughout the engagement. For- tunately, though some '1shorts and many 'ioversl' were observed, he was never able to straddle his target. Qc- casional fires 'breaking out on the enemy ship did not seem to affect his ability to maneuver radically at speeds up to 28 knots. At 2043 the 5-inch mounts commenced illumi- nating with star shells, and the SANTA FE closed to almost point-blank range and resumed fire. Four minutes later the target was dead in the water. The range was 41830 yards now, and the majority of each salvo could not fail to hit-she sank at 2056. Although accurate identifica- tion was impossible, observers agreed the target was a cruiser of the OYODO or AGANO class. At 2110 the night fighters reported the nearest target 112 miles north. Since the fuel situation in the destroyers precluded a 30 knot stern chase, ComCruDiv 13 ordered the force to rejoin the carrier groups. After fueling ship the next day, the SANTA FE resumed her old station in Task Group 38.3. She lay off Leyte Gulf in a covering position until 28 October, when she was ordered to proceed to Ulithi. So ended the SANTA PES part in one phase of the greatest sea battle of all time. The Japanese had suffered irreparable losses. Never again would they be able to dispute the American Navy's absolute control of Pacihc Waters. ffap earrier maneuvers violently to escape attacking U. S. Navy planes. Hours later slze lay at bottom of waters east Q' Luzon. Ise Class battleship-earrier, another part of 7ap Northern Force, flees underfull tlzrottlefor hiding place back lzome. l Pride of Hirolzito's Navy, tlze YAMATO, takes hits from 3rd Fleet alive- oonzber as the BB lzeads lzomeward tlzru Tablas Straits. 77

Page 83 text:

1 1 ' A 1 . H - X- 'V 111 lg? nl 5 'f Y if 11 ,.. . ,vig .r ,v,'1f',,.' in 24, n 5 -fra, .-gf A , 1' . 'B -I l i i l l l 4 l Bofors-made 40MMy5,f0T'wd7'd quad and main deck twin,j?re at plane of port beam. High rate of output makes them ideal AA weapons. towards the Philippines. On 25 November while striking northern Luzon, heavy air opposition was met and the ESSEX took a Kamikaze on her Hight deck. Two minutes later, the SANTA FE shot down another dive bomber as it began its dive. The strikes were maintained until 2 December when the Force retired towards Ulithi. 10 December began the Mindoro operation as the SANTA FF in company with TG 38.3 headed for Luzon to keep the Jap air force occupied until troops of SouVVesPac could establish themselves ashore. On 1-1, 15, and 16 December theairhelds of Luzon were blasted day and night by Third Fleet planes. Only a few bogies approached the SANTA FE's formation and none attacked the ships. Un 17 December, fueling had to be broken off, for a heavy typhoon suddenly formed to the eastward and headed directly for The Force. All ships finally fueled the 19th, and the next day approached Luzon but turned away because of foul weather. Another sweep for survivors from the sunken destroyers was made prior to returning to Ulithi on Christmas Eve . . . Ka 7 , rnikaze is headed for premature Shinto heaven. Batting average q' such last-ditrlz tactics is said to oe mere two pereent. 79