Block Island (CVE 106) - Naval Cruise Book

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:Ili 1 FL XLX-V I 9 I Q. il. , , A :?kvVz 4 M kg a fl X. A MEMORIAL SERVICE ON THE FLIGHT DECK TAPS Tliese Marines aboard tlie BLOCK ISLAND in San Diego on 3 February 1945 carried on extensive operational training. Not all the lieroes of this war or any war tlie in combat. Tllere are the men wlio clo tlle researcli, make tlie experiments, and risk their lives in training. Before tliis sliip enterecl tlle actual Combat eiglit of its flying personnel were lost. MAJOR ROBERT WESLEY YAUPELL. USMCR 2nd LIELTENANT CHARLES CLINTON HARRIS, USMCR 2nd LIEUTENANT ROBERT J. HAIRE, USMCR 2nd LIEUTENANT RAYMOND DHLAUGHDER. USMCR SERCEANT CUNTHER WILLIAM CUSTAY HUNRICHS, USMCR SERCEANT F. PAWLOWSKI. JR.. USMCR TECHNICAL SERCEANT JAMES WILLIAM MILES, USMC I'.F,11. EUGENE SHLTE. USMCR ' 5 ,,1, ffrah ,fs 1 , 13 gig, fy I I. 3, 5

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I Clwlvlliiiiiliiiiiiiiitl AWA The BLOCK ISLAND entered the fray after its shakedown cruise on 4 May at Okinawa alongside such fighting veterans as the SANTEE, SWANEE, and CHENANGO, the first ships of this type to see action in WORLD WAR II. The FBI shared in the last 43 days of the 83 day siege at Okinawa, the longest in Naval history. The Japanese, realizing that the loss of Okinawa would mean the loss of the war, used every means of its yellow power to stop the invasion of the Army and the Third Fleet which supported it. The losses of the Okinawa campaign were the heaviest in any single campaign of our Navy. On 29 May when the anniversary of the sinking of CVE 21 rolled around they baked a cake but what was more impor- tant and made that day a special day in air operations, all bombs and rockets were marked as memorials. The flight schedule was typical. Over 30 planes flew from the carrier, fired 161 five-inch Holy Moses Rockets, more than 10,000 rounds of machine gun ammunition and dropped 19,000 pounds of bombs against the enemy. That day the attack was against Ishigaki, an island 500 miles from Japan proper. From 4 May through 16 June the planes flew 1202 sorties. Sorties over target: 262 VF 11 VF QNJ 12 VF 302 VT Total 587 Sorties over own forces: 478 VF 137 VF Total 615 On these sorties they fired: 444,900 pounds of bombs expended 2,213 five incl1 rockets launched 297,000 rounds of machine gun ammunition The usual position of the ship in the Okinawa campaign was about 80 miles southeast of the island: 320 miles from Formosa 390 miles off the coast of China 380 miles from the southern tip of Japan 510 miles from the northern tip of Luzon 920 miles from Tokyo 1,100 miles from Chunking 1,130 miles from Guam 5,300 miles from New York City The shortest line from the BLOCK ISLAND to New York City, we -knew, was by the way of Tokyo. Our planes carried quarter ton bombs to Shuri Castle and dropped them squarely on the wrought steel gates of that formidable stronghold, bursting them open for our land forces. Other 500 pounders were dropped on the big twin airfields of Miyako Jima. Once our planes came over a battlefield early in the morning, found a troop carrier truck rolling up the road with thirty Japs sitting on the rail. Then suddenly there was none. The planes launched their rockets into cave entrances until whole hillsides quaked with internal explosions. They damaged airfields until the busy little yellow bees got tired of repairing them. Enemy installations of every kind were attacked and an- nihilated. The BLOCK ISLAND Marines proudly reported the havoc tl1ey wrought upon the enemy.