Brooklyn (CL 40) - Naval Cruise Book

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and what was I doing there. So I considered myself Senlor American Naval Officer present and told them we had to unload and get out and they had to supply the men to unload. I went back on ship, blinked the 357 what to do, and the two of us went up and beached on a low spot side by side. Opened the doors, put down ramps, and Went off to get the working party. The British supplied the men and they got the stuff off by 5:00 P.M. We saw a British convoy of LST's starting to move out of the harbor and blmked them a message saying we were going with them: Got off the beach and fell in line behind the last Br1t1sh ship. Syracuse was bombed every night and we wanted out. .By blinker found out we were heading for Sousse, North Afrlca. Ran at top speed all night and all the next day. It is a good fast convoy and the weather calm so got some sleep. Got to Sousse at 10:00 P.M. and anchored in the outer bay. Very still and hot. Heard a German news broadcast tell of an E boat attack on a small convoy entering Syracuse. The skipper of the 357 and I went ashore in battered Sousse and up on a hill to the British headquarters. Had a cup of tea and talked to the Naval officer in charge. He gave us orders, to proceed unescorted to Bizerte. At 1500 P.M. took off and navigated along the coast. Ran into two convoys and not much else and reached Bizerte at 5:00 A.M. the next morning and anchored outside. Then went into the lake and saw the hospital ship, USAHS Acadia, anchored there and it seemed a natural thing to anchor rlght alongside her. I went ashore in a small boat and talked to the one in charge and see what we were to do. He showed me the master list of ships operating and there was the LST 376'with a notation Lost alongside it. He said he would work me back into the operation at once and I told him about the condition of my ship. Holes in the sides, boat davit hanging over the side, etc. He said things were going pretty good and they could afford the luxury of one more day so he would send some experts out and look over the 376. They came the next morning and were impressed that we could operate at all the way we were and made a report recommending immediate emergency repairs. Oh me! The hospital ship was loaded with nurses. The area around Lake Bizerte had sprouted Army Field Hospitals with nurses. Everyone else was operating and we had'this all to ourselves. We still had four small boats and rigged them up with aquaplanes behind and would take the Acadia group aquaplaning and then they would invite us on board for dinner. Good food and music. It was nice to see night come and not be afraid of it. v The work on us was to be done by a repair ship anchored in the lake not too far from the hospital ship and only a short ride to the beach where the Army nurses were. In contrast to the dazzling white of the hospital ship, girls there were rugged kids in fatigue coveralls that have been right with the Army through the Tunisian campaign washing daily with a helmet full of water. So they loved the. showers and tables with tablecloths in our wardroom and we made regular boat schedule to pick them up and return them ashore. They had transportation and we had time. Would explore the places around Bizerte and end with a good dinner on the 376. Had to make a personal wardroom schedule to keep the Acadia nurses and the Army nurses on a non-conflicting program. The biggest complication was when a second hospital ship, the Seminole, came in and anchored in our little group. Then we really went on a tight schedule. This went on from July 23 until August 7. Word gets around quickly and we were the envy of all those boys still making follow-up run after follow-up run. I always had respect for the intelligence of the Commander of LST's in the area and he showe his intelligence when he and his staff moved on board to live and operate. That very night the Acadia nurses gave a dance on board. The little devils spiked the punch A wonderful party and we didn't move back to the LST until 3:30 A.M. and I could see I might have a permanent guest in the commander and staff. It was here that I met an Army lieutenant in a little place outside Bizerte who loved ice cream and naturally couldn't find any around. I told him we made fresh ice cream in the freezing compartment of our wardroom refrigerator. He came back to the ship with me and ate to hls heart's content and I told him he could come back anytime as long as We were there. He was so grateful he took me to his place of business. This happened to be a big open space that was jammed with beaten up things. A supply center in reverse, His job was to dispose of Army material that was used, damaged and not able to be used for regular operations. He took me to a field of jeeps and aske me to take my choice. I could choose between one without this or thatl chose one without a windshield but most everything else in apparent working order. The lieutenant made out a paper without bothering to note that it was being traded for trays of ice cream, I sprawled a signature on the paper and drove off with my prize. In operations like these there are Army gasoline dumps all over and all I had to do was drive up to one and fill up. I kept that jeep for a long time. We made a place to secure it just inside the ramp on the tank deck. I had a small Navy flag mounted on the side right next to the missing windshield Clike I had seen on Patton's jeepj and it was a real thrill when we Went to a new place to go up to the dock, open the doors and ramp, and ride out in my short pants and sleeveless shirt with my flag flying. As I said, word gets around fast on LST's and soon it was a common sight to see skippers in the various things they were able to get their hands on - jeeps, German volkswagons, etc. riding off their ramps and going ashore, Bizerte was still being bombed at night but not every night. One was particularly heavy with 32 planes. Their main targets were the docks and ships at the docks. Without so many ships to shoot back and less flack falling back, it didn't bother us so much out where we were. Bizerte by this time was a cleaned up city with little places serving wine, even had a movie house. It was during this time on Julyt 216 we heard the news that Mussolini was all through in a y. By August 7th we were all fixed up and looked like a new ship. Loaded up and had a tearful goodbye with all the varlous nurses. The commander and staff had some tears, all theirs, as they left our ship. We formed up With a bi convoy for Palermo, Sicily. I must say that what I write about this trip is not so much from notes or memory, but from what I found out in the movie Patton.'f I never really understood what was going on in 3101137 Whlle we were playing with the nurses or why we dld what we did 1n these next few days until I saw that picture. We sighted Sicily on Monday, August 9, and went around the hlgh western mountains and into the outer harbor of Palermo. Anchored and they called us in to dock about 6:00 P.M. There had been a real battle here. The harbor is very b?al5 UD. We docked, and started unloading the bulk stores with the help of Italian prisoners. Had a ood part of It off the tank deck when an Army jeep dashed up to the bow and delivered me a message to stop unloading and prepare to load. Loadgasoline and ammunition, he meant, and We Were to take 1t up to the front lines. So all night long, in thls harbor that no one wants to stay in at night because It sets b0U1bf-ld, We load container after container of gasoline and ammunition. Planes came over three times but there had been a build up of our night fighter planes operating is Ellis .area 1n the past few days and they did a good gag . UV1118 the German bombers away from Palerm0 night. Au day long they Still piled those big barrel-like cans all over the main deck to where the tank deck could hold nO

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winds over 70 knots. There seemed no hope of holding the convoy together and Joining up with the rest of the smaller ships. We rolled an pitched and went along as best we could. When we turned north, the winds really hit us. The LCT's and LCI's somehow got to the rendezvous on time. The 90 Day Wonders were doing quite a job. Many were damaged from the storm but none turned back. As night came, we were in one long approach disposition extending for miles behind. We were late and had to go to flank speed to keep up and in thejdark was hard to keep from getting lost. At midnight we made the difficult approach and the 376 found our assigned spot off Green Beach and dropped the anchor at the same time as the LST 375 and we were too close together. So close that I could look right down in one of their small boats as it hung on the davit and the troops were getting in. There was a flash as a smoke type flare ignited for an instant and a Navy officer from the 375 jumped in the boat and smothered it with his body. CBuck, the skipper, wrote of how this officer prevented exposing the entire force. He died from inhaling the smoke and was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor posthumouslyj Our small boats were loaded and away for the first wave when the Italian searchlights on the shore illuminated them. Shooting started from all over and we lost two of our boats on the beach. The searchlights were shot out. Shooting kept up and, as it got light, German planes were coming over the hills and dropping bombs. One went right into the deck of the 375 alongside us and we waited for the explosion. Later we figured it went all the way through the ship. What really happened was it went through two decks and slid to the bottom of a compartment at the bottom of the ship filled with salt water ballast. It was found three months later when the 375 was in a yard for repairs. When it was our time to go into Yellow Beach, the 375 and ourselves were pulling anchors up at the same time and more planes to Sicily and had to scatter to keep out of their way and then reform On Monday July 12 we entered the outer harbor at Bizerte to go inside for a fast loading job and back to Sicily We were the first convoy back from Sicily and the troops waiting their turn to go were lined up all along the sides of the channel leading into the lake My 376 was the second ship in and the troops were all gaspin and pointing to our battered ship as we went by We coul hear shouts of You really caught hell up there I felt like making signs and han ing them over both sides saying Relax we were just hlt y our own ships Went down to Karouba and up to the dock bow first Other LSTs followed and we were a line of 11 with bows against the dock doors open and ramps down They were really ready and waiting for this first turnaround and had been drilling on what to do Some LST's carried prisoners and they marched out on the docks and whisked away. The ambulances were waiting for the hospital cases and they were rapidly taken away. We all loaded the waiting trucks, ammunition, fuel, water, medicine, etc. according to plan. One LST was assigned Arab troops and horses. We took two aeroplanes, piper cubs. Worked all night and were ready to move out at dawn. There were 15 of us now and we are the leader of the left flank. Sail southeast and then up to Pantelleria on a clear warm day. Our planes go back and forth over us and it is a good feeling that this time we won't be bombed so much. Reached Licata on the 14th of July. Beached and did a good job unloading over pontoons and by evenin formed up and headed back. Counted up that we, one LST, had already landed 143 vehicles and over 600 men. During the day we see convoys coming and going to Sicily Hard to realize one year ago these were the most dangerous waters in the world for Allied shipping. Reached Bizerte after midnight and anchored out in the bay. At daybreak into the channel and alongside the dock where another load was waiting and started on board immediately. Had a full load at 1:00 A.M. . . 9 ' ' , I 0 an ' ua - ' . . . . . . . c u u . 5 . ,, . . . . , ' ' ' cc ' Q Q 'Q ' as . ' 1 . . , , s . . . . were coming in. In the excitement, the 375 pulled her bow into the starboard side of our ship knocking down one of our boat davits. We ran a good beaching on Yellow Beach and were unloading good too when an LCT coming in lost control and ripped into our port side with a long gash. Within minutes another LST misjudged on the starboard side and rammed us all along the side with a big hole, all the stanchions, etc. knocked down and the whole side scraped. We were only half unloaded but were told to pull off and anchor. CTO save us from more damage, I guess.J It was while we were closing up to pull out, we found those Army pillbox assaulters had left some of .their dynamite in the small boats and we were still carrying it around. We anchored offshore and early in the morning were directed into the now cleared port of Licata. We were the first ones in the port and all by ourselves when two German planes came in straffing right at the Brooklyn who was guarding us. All the various A.A. guns of the Brooklyn opened up and it was massive, but those two planes straffed and flew right through it, over the Brooklyn and right at us straffing our whole deck. This could have been one of my finest moments if I wasn't diving for a place to hide. Those wonderful part-time criminals of mine manning the two 20 millimeter mounts should have run too, but they sat there, spotted and fired. One plane blew up over our ship and the other was burning as it went over the hills behind us. The destruction of one and possibly two enemy aircraft by the LST 376 is noted with gratification 1S the Way the Admiral's report of the landing and. letter of Commendation to the ship read. The Brooklyn raised a flag Signal Well Done. Finished unloading fast so we could join the rest of the LST's waitin for us. Went into formation and 11 LST.s with not much escort headed for Bizerte. Passed Pantilleria close on our ort side and headed for Cape Bon Afl'lCa- About midniglit we ran right into a convoy coming across and got underway to anchor in the lake. Underway at 5:30 A.M. and out the channel with 34 ships. We are the leader of the first column. Quiet day and ni ht, into Licata Sunday afternoon and anchored off the harImor. We were called in once then told to stay out. We anchored and waited and got word an air torpedo attack was coming. The unloaded LSTj's got out in a hurry but we were loaded and had to stay. The attack never came but we waited all night for orders and at daylight the 357 and ourselves found we were deserted. All the others had left. On checking we found out that loading system that seemed so efficient in Bizerte wasn't fool proof. We had cargo that was supposed to be in Syracuse, Sicily. Way around by Italy. So with a destroyer escort we went around. We got within 300 yards of the Syracuse Harbor when things began to happen. Three German E boats roared in out of nowhere and fired nine torpedos at us before we knew they were there. All nine missed and hit the rocks of the shore behind us with mighty explosions. The harbor quickly laid a smoke screen and at the same time there was a heavy air attack on the docks of Syracuse. CThe German air bases are only a short distance away in Italy.J And at the same time our destroyer commenced firing at the E boats and they returned the fire as they sped away. And, of all things, a heavy fog set in and we just couldn't see anything. These are heavily mined waters and you must stay in the swept channels. Night set in and we just drifted around because we didn't know where we were. What a night! I sat up on the conning tower scared and confused. I took the hand fog horn from the quartermaster and for lack of anything else .to do, I. gave a big blow on it with my mouth every three minutes, timing myself with my watch. The only thing we bumped into was a British mine sweeper and it was just a little bump. Hardly noticeable on my beat up ship. Dawn came and the fog thinned out so we could see the harbor and also found the 357. I led him into the small crowded harbor andanchored just off the docks that had taken some good hits in the air raid last ni ht. I went over in one of our small boats and had a harcf time finding someone in authority to talk to. The British told me I was the first American in Syracuse

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g-- ..'.Q , more. I was officially informed they were ' 13 k loading everything they could that night and vgglariulcd 18:12 at dawn with directions they would give us just before we left. Then I did a fool thing. This city was taken after a pretty good battle and the people were still getting over the effects. Many didn't have places to live, they were cooking in the streets in front of the crumbled buildings that once were homes. Children go to the bathroom in the same streets. They were desperate and I found out there was looting and stealing going on and a U.S. officer has to wear sidearms of a 45 pistol to go into the city. I heard with usual efficiency the Army had opened up an Officers' Club within two days of taking the city and I felt like seeing it. The mistake I made was going alone. I met some nice Army fellows and some of the local girls who had been carefully screened and were hostesses at the club. I was doing pretty good with the language barrier with one hostess when the club closed at midnight and offered to walk her home. I didn't realize why she took me up so quickly until we got out on that completely blacked out, shell damaged street. Couldn't see where we were going or what was around us. Somehow it wasn't so bad because there were two of us and she knew where she was going. I went in and met her mother, father and sister. The four of them living in one room they had put together with all sorts of blankets and curtains over the open spaces of the walls so they could use their candles and still be blacked out. I have never had such a feeling as when I left and walked out into the blackness again. I was scared all the time with the guns and bombs. But this was a different kind of paralyzing fear. I didn't really know where I was or how to get back to the ship, I couldn't speak the language to ask if I dared to talk to anyone and I knew that in every dark corner were people who would kill me without any feeling to get my 45 pistol Cworth moneyl and anything else I might have. It seemed like hours, but, of course, it wasn't, when I saw the glimmer of light coming from the tank deck of my LST at the dock. I don't really know how I got there. Never was so glad to see anything. The.Army came on board before dawn to brief us. Patton's Army was moving across the top of Sicily and going fast. They needed gasoline and ammunition to be in a certain Elace when they got there. They gave me a chart and their est uess of where I should go. They had sent LST 3 out two days ago and didn't know much about her except that she had been hit and hadn't come back yet. As long as -we were going anyway, maybe we could look for her too. I tried to find out if Patton hadn't yet gotten to where we are suppose to go, what is there now? They didn't know the answer. We went out the harbor and along the north coast of Sicily that had not yet been swept for mines. At 3:00 P.M. we found San Stefano, our point on the chart, we also found the LST 3 with a bomb hole in her stern sitting on the beach with her bow on dry sand and her stern sunk on the bottom. American Army personnel were yelling at us from the beach saying we should go to St. Agatha. I looked at the chart andrSt. Agatha seemed to be pretty far up. I dropped the anchor, put down a boat and went into the beach. They told me they were the advance.part of the offensive and the main body would be going through shortly, I wasn't sure who outranked who but I looked at the LST 3 and figured whatever games the Army was playing, I liked my LST and this was as far as we were going. Went back on board, got underway and took a slow run at the beach Cdidn't want to get stuck hereJ,.opened the doors and ramp on dry sand and turned the entire ship, including officers, to unloading. I went up on the road that runs along the shore and along a railroad track. Found the advance unit of the Army sitting there in their jeeps. I told them I thoucght it would be a good idea if they came down and helpe unload the Ship- They wanted no part of that ship and I was to find out ,W why. I found part of the crew of the LST 3 sitting around the road and I told them to come back to their ship with me. We went on the LST 3 and got the officers together and said I was authorized to give them a-ride home but first they and the whole crew would have to help unload the ship. The captain promised complete cooperation and he gave it. Around mid-morning a German fighter plane came in from the sea, took a good look at us and went over the hills on the other side of the road. About noon without warning a fighter plane hopped over the hill and, with no straffing and not much time to aim, dropped a bomb at us from a low altitude. It missed the back of the LST and the plane was gone in a flash. There was no shooting because we needed everyone to unload. This happened three times. Twice more that day and once the next morning. A hop over the hill, quick aim and drop a bomb in the water behind the LST. It was like a frustrated basketball player standlng all alone on the floor with no one opposing him and not being able to drop the ball in the basket. Why he never straffed I don't know. A few machine gun shells in all that gasoline and ammunition and OH BOY. I could see why the Army wanted to stay up on the road. Wouldn't even come down when I turned the other cheek and invited them to dinner. Then Army personnel showed up and took over the unloading. They had DVWKS to load on the tank deck and run off and the job began to get done. Went on all night and in the morning we began getting things that we could from the LST 3 on our ship. A bulldozer pushed the disabled LCVP landing boats of the 3 off the beach and in the water. We pulled them over to the 376 with our boats and fastened them with a long line to pull behind. I was right in the act and the LCVP I was riding was more badly damaged than the others. It sunk under me and I had to swim ashore. The bulldozer was helpincg to move some stuff near the bow of the ship and backe into our bow door so half of it wouldn't close. About 6:00 were ready to go when eight loaded LCT's came by and said they had orders for us to fuel them. While this was going on, the Army came down to tell me there was a captured German locomotive up on the railroad track pulling a load of ammunition to the front and it needed water. We ran some hose up to the road and watered it. At midnight we got underway and slowly made our way back to Palermo with one bow door opened. After seeing the movie Patton, I understand why he was making this headlong dash across the top of Sicily. It was to beat Montgomery coming up from the south. If I had seen the picture first, I don't think I would have gone to San Stefano. And I am glad I didn't go to St. Agatha. As a sequel to this, the crew of the LST 3 were given a citation and the skipper a medal and all sent back to the States. We got another job to do. As we were going into Palermo, the hospital ship Seminole, was also coming in. We anchored and I took a small boat ashore and went to Naval Headquarters and talked to the Admiral. He told me the 376 was scheduled to make a landing behind the enemy lines. I talked to him for awhile and told him about the bow door so he sent me down to the docks to act as an advisor to the captain in charge of loading. Before I knew it, I ended up at the Summer Place of the King of Italy and ate dinner at General Patton's headquarters with three generals and the captain from the docks. Ate off the King's plates in the beautiful dining room. Went by the Seminole and said hello. Back to the Admiral and got orders to go back to Bizerte and not go on the behind the lines deal. Joined up with a small group of LST's and proceeded to Bizerte to learn of plans for the next big invasion. One bow door is still open. That was the last time we were in Sicily for awhile.