Brooklyn (CL 40) - Naval Cruise Book

 - Class of 1979

Page 99 of 188

 

Brooklyn (CL 40) - Naval Cruise Book online collection, 1979 Edition, Page 99 of 188
Page 99 of 188



Brooklyn (CL 40) - Naval Cruise Book online collection, 1979 Edition, Page 98
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Brooklyn (CL 40) - Naval Cruise Book online collection, 1979 Edition, Page 100
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Page 99 text:

hill- The boats continued to pour the soldiers on the beach and plus minesweepers and minelayers head straight for Fedala 15 miles above Casablanca, the main objective. The Massachusetts, Tuscaloosa and Wichita went a bit South and stayed outside and to the southwest of Casablanca. At 8:00 o'clock Saturday night I took the watch as officer of the deck in Condition 2 and stayed there as officer of the deck until 3:00 o'clock the next afternoon. At 10:00 P.M. went to General Quarters within 20 miles of Fedala and could see the light on the point. We are in a long line heading south with the Brooklyn on the inside with transports behind and Augusta on the outside with transports behind. Brooklyn slightly in lead and closest to the French shore battery at Chergui the bi gest danger point of the whole operation because it coulcf really mess up the troops. We stopped at midnight. It was a pitch black night, slightly cloudy and even a little rain. The transports started to put boats in the water and unload troops into them. Still Chergui didn't open up, so the Brooklyn couldn't do anything without giving away the surprise element we had. We went out behind the transports and patrolled near them just in case the French warships came out of Casablanca. At 4:00 A.M., right on schedule, the first wave was on its way to the beach when a French Corvette and an American destroyer came close together in the dark. The French Corvette was told to surrender and it opened fire with machine guns and tried to ram the destroyer. The destroyer stopped him with its 5-inch guns and the show was on. Just at this time we got word President Roosevelt had broadcasted to the French people and told them we were coming, to be friendly or suffer the consequences. With the gunfire, the search lights on shore went on and illuminated the landing boats coming in. The boats poured machine gun shells back at them and put out the lights. The Brooklyn got into position with our main battery and plotted Chergui's position and our own on the chart and got the range and bearing to fire control. We were just launching our two spotting tplanes when Chergui opened up and a destroyer calle over TBS Chergui has my range. It was the DD Murphy with a hit in the fireroom about 3,000 yards off our port bow. The command, Open fire, went out from the bridge and those 6-inch guns that fascinated me so much in gunnery practice went to work like huge machine guns. Shell casings piled up on the deck as they were ejected from the turrets, three at a time from each turret at about 12 shots per minute out of each gun. Chergui swung all her guns at us and splashes went up all around the Brooklyn. It was no contest. Our plane spot kept calling, No change - No change. The duel lasted about 45 minutes with the Brooklyn slowing down the fire as the splashes around us got less or we would have used up all our 6-inch ammunition. The planes called, No more firing from Chergui, and our first job was done. CThere were many congratulations for that gunnery work later on.J the Brooklyn fired some more at targets pointed out. by our planes. Two planes started diving at our starboard side and Oil? 5-inch and machine guns opened up and drove them o . It was about 8:00 o'clock when the word came that the French ships were coming out of Casablanca and headlng for the transport area at top speed and for the Brooklyn to intercept them. We were ordered because .we just happened to be the only one in their way at this time with a chance of getting to them before they got to the transports. The French ships making 30 knots were using a smoke screen as they came out of Casablanca Harbor and along the shore. The Massachusetts, Wichita and Tuscaloosa 21150 making 30 knots could not catch them in time in the 15 gf 'K' ' '- mile distance to the transports so the Brooklyn was all alone until the Augusta could come down from behind us. Splashes' started coming up immediately around the Brooklyn. There were ten ships shooting at us led by the Cruiser Primauguet. We were straddled four times right at the start without taking a hit. One splash hit thirty feet from the ship alongside the bridge and we got the spray from the splash. Each ship was using a different color dye 1n their shells so they could spot the salvos by the color of the splashes. So when the hit came just below me and the Marines were tossed around in a red mess, it wasn't blood but the dye from the Primauguet's shell. The shell slammed off the armor plate below me and fell out in the water without exploding. j-.DE57PaYA-2: 7'm-asfffff .MJ s , t E gi f ,f , S - r ' 1 ' W ig- Y I H llysi if 1 2 'im 5 . ,. 2 116297 'fuscozefm 4 if ,f . .ytuca-X' qfwyvvk I 5 1 l.- ' ,' ,C xgXi,.l - Q V 4, 13,3 I -- , X Jewgm' 1 l ' , .5 E533-gd X j N f '- 4, . asa 0 Landing beaches in the Casablanca, North Africa, area. The Brooklyn opened up with the 6-inch guns also going 30 knots and firing that rapid machine gun like pace. Even through the smoke screenand haze, the poor Frenchmen found out what those 6-inch guns could do. First our spotting planes reported one cruiser damaged so bad she ran herself up on the beach burning. One of the big destroyer leaders and a destroyer sunk right there blown out of the water. Another destroyer leader and destroyer burning, the rest turned and ran back into Casablanca as the We our our other ships came up behind us and were firing also. stopped firing as we approached Casablanca because orders were to save the docks as much as possible for own use after we occupied the city. We steamed back up to the transport area and at 1:00 P.M. were still at General Quarters. We secured and set a condition watch because we hadn't eaten since we went to General Quarters the night before. I had nolsooner gone below and took off my helmet when the general alarm sounded again and the word was 'passed we are going to Casablanca again to intercept a cruiser and destroyers headed for the transport area. It was a repeat of the first time. We got there first and opened fire first so the French ships picked us for the target and splashes popped up all around us. Our other ships were right behind us and firing too. We found this might be a submarine trap because the Brooklyn had the scare of our lives when in clear View we saw a periscope and fire torpedo tracks showed up right- after. Brooklyn was going 32 knots with the torpedos fired off

Page 98 text:

j .. . I l' 'MW I 44 '9e5lR A ' TGSCOLMSG Punt! Q t Q Wigorrh O SQDWM MMS I , l j g anifuvw j I I ,MMS I j I s 9 'A I I I I H Zffds I A A 'rexns fic 1 lwmsklllllllfl 'Hill , 'f,.'..eff III HI ' llllalzllll a I 4 1 1 1 . ' Zgyivl-ES I , l l I Hmm! , Shan' , , I Shvgvuuh Sragwzg I V' ' I I Q Striking force and convoy for Operation Torch We slow to eight knots today for a full fueling of all ships from the tankers and the depth charge sounds are more frequent at this slow speed. Also the bad news that U.S. aircraft carrier Wasp who we had patrolled with several times was sunk in the Solomons. Our first fight is a week away. Sundayg November 1 - D Day Minus 7 - We have come two-thirds of the way and Africa is 900 miles due east. We are turning south to make a fake' pass at Dakar. Another big U.S. aircraft carrier was sunk in the Solomons. In Gibraltar the parachute troops are arriving and off Dakar five U.S. submarines are taking position as spotting ships. We have issued all the equipment for each man. Flashproof hood, gloves, eye shields, helmets, life jackets, flashlights, knife, face masks, bandage case and clean clothes. All this we wear to battle stations and I also have binoculars and earphone set. Tuesday - D Minus 5 - We have completed our fake at Dakar. Last night the intercepted sub reports we got from various ships showed our force had been spotted by German subs who informed Germany. Some of the reports were able to be decoded. With this accomplished, we swung north this morning just before daylight and are now on course 035 degrees T. The Savannah had one torpedo miss her and Tuscaloosa saw a sub on the surface at night. The captain gave his speech to the crew over the loudspeakers. We are ready, he said. I ask only your best. Make no mistake, this is a killing affair. To stay alive, you must kill first. I have no inhibitions about kicking the enemy in the fteethl if it will help win. If we win, you will have a good memory of a job well done. If we botch things 'll have an awful defeat and probably the 1 tllle Kita? dvd our minds forever. Some will get hurt, Weczignqf think about that. Just think about the swell liberty we are going to spend in Time Square around December 5th. Much cheering. This is the largest expedition in history and the Brooklyn'S job is the most dangerous. We are to lead the main force fcenter attack forcel into Fedala. That means the Brooklyn steams ahead and within range of the shore batteries in the dark and can't open fire unless they do or we will give the show away. We stay in that zone within range of the French battleship Jean Bart's 15-inch guns all morning and protect the convoy as they come in. Our job is spelle out that we are to silence all enemy big guns before we are disabled. Wednesday the 4th - D Day Minus 4 - It's rough. So rough we can't stand up. High winds and big waves. We eat with chairs lashed to the tables and spill everything all over. We are on the upward swing and just off and out of sight of the African Coast. Just know there are lots of seasick soldiers on those ships. One carrier plane crashed yesterday and was lost as it tried to operate in bad weather. Thursday the 5th - D Day Minus 3 - It's still very rough - ship rolling 40 degrees and we really haven't had food on the table for the past two days. Just sit and balance a plate in our hand and try to stay in one place and eat it. At night we jam ourselves against the bulkhead and try to stay in bed to sleep. Not much sleep. Just pray for this weather to go away so we can use the small boats for the landing as planned. Battleship New York reported her A.A. guns and boats were being heavily damaged by the waves and early this morning the Minelayer USS Maintinowa had to give up and dropped back to come as best she could. The waves are over 35 feet high and hit hard. From Egypt comes news that Alexandria and the British 8th Army are giving Rommel's German African Corps a beating. A big victory with many planes and tanks, etc., destroyed. There was also news that heads of Vichy French Navy met with high German officers yesterday. This could mean the nme cruisers, two battleships, 19 destroyers and 30 submarines at Dakar and Casablanca will take orders and come out to fight us tomorrow or the next day. We kinda hate to fight the' French even if they have got themselves all mlxeduup with the Germans. If they fight, we have a necessary job to do on them or it could really mess this thing up. A British Catalina plane escorts us now. She can just about stay up in this storm. Ffriday, November 6, 1942 - D Day Mnus 2 - Our prayers did some good and the sea is calm and that awful pitch and roll has stopped. Had some sleep and breakfast and feel better. We are 300 miles off Casablanca. The destroyers all fueled and got that out of the way. The ship IS Complefely stripped and ready. This afternoon we go 111110 Condition 2 ffour hours on duty and four hours offl, and will stay that way until we go to General Quarters for the b1g show tomorrow night. We have on board a W41' correspondent and a naval historian. The historian IS Samuel Eliot Morison who was to write the Naval History of World War II and the corres ondent is from the New York Tunes. The name I remember is John Morrose. The other ships- also carry cameramen and war reporters. The Br1t1sh again had big victories in Libya, Madagascar SQVB UD t0day and we are ready here. Everyone is really qulte calm and businesslike. Saturday j Day Minus 1 - The day is beautiful and calm, and surprisingly only two submarine alarms all day. The Southern Attack Force broke off at 6:30 in the morning and went to attack Safi to the south. In the evenlhg the Northern Attack Force went north to attack Medehia. The carrlers dropped back and spread out. The Center Attack Force of B1'00k1YI1, Augusta,,20 transports and 9 destr0YefSf



Page 100 text:

i the port bow. We turned to port and the 130119959 Wakj went right along the starboard side as they m1SS6d- starboard turn would have been the end of the Brooklyn- We kept firing at the French ships and h1t three of them as we made them go back into Casablanca. They towed 0110 cruiser back and one of the destroyers was burning and beached. Again we went back to Fedala and took up our p0S1t10f1 patrolling the transport area and again secured and set condition watch. I went below to get something to eat, but fell asleep sitting up in the chair. I had the watch an h0l.1l' later and it took three messengers and the chaplfi1I1,l30.Wake me. I can't hear out of either ear but the rlght one 1S the worst. I went on watch until 6:30, ate a sandwich and fell asleep on top of the mattress with my clothes on fthe covers were off the bed to prevent burningl. At 4:00 A.M. I went on watch again which was: Monday, November 9, and D Day Plus 1 - So, D Day was over and we on the Brooklyn felt the Lord must have listened to the chaplain Saturday night when he said a prayer from the brid e over the loudspeaker and the whole ship stood with headi bowed and helmets off. It's hard to .believe we were straddled so many times with only the one hit and- that didn't explode. Dawn came for D Day plus One and it was a bright clear day. We had gone to General Quarters an hour before sunrise and were patroling as usual. I was alone on the bridge as far as officers were concerned when four planes were reported coming in on the starboard quarter low and I ordered open fire. The twenty milimeter, 5-inch and 1.1 went off immediately and I went to flank speed and full left rudder. Something dropped in the water about 2000 yards away and the light was too bad to see if they were aerial torpedoes or not. I was relieved and took over the communications watch on the bridge standing on the starboard wing when planes were reported high this time. We opened fire as did the transports. We turned right and there were four huge splashes right beside the bridge and only about thirty yards out from me and then explosions. The spray hit me and shrapnel from the bombs hit men below me on the machine gun platform. Then a larger formation of planes came over and our own carrier planes came in. We saw a dog fight. Several French planes crashed but it was hard to tell exactly what was going on. Land was so close and planes were dive-bombing and stliiaffing the beach beside us where the soldiers had gone as ore. Went below to get the news dispatches which says we have taken Fedala - our first objective. The Northern group have landed and are in a tank battle with French tanks. In Oran and Algiers we are also well installed. The British 8th Army have completely routed the Germans and Italians and Africa seems to be going our way. We have moved closer to Fedala and pushing the unloading of troops because we must take Casablanca to have docks go unload the very heavy equipment that will arrive in four ays. In the afternoon the Brookl n shot down a French fighter. I was below asleep and did,n't even pay much attention. Our firing had been so fast we were low on ammunition so we were sent out to take the Cleveland's place with the carriers and let her come in here with her full load of shells to shell Casablanca. We got to the Carrier Ranger in an hour just as excitement began. The big carrier was making 21 knots with three destroyers and the Cleveland near her. A submarine periscope broke the surface and fired four torpedos. Her whole conning tower came up and she went down in almost a 90-degree dive. The destroyers rushed over to the spot and depth charged. The four torpedoes t t rn of the Ranger and then a periscope W ' bvrslbulrlsssarboard bow. We turned away at full spggi 1561122 depth charges. We released the Cleveland and she went to Fedala. We steamed behind the Ranger with a destroyer in from of her and one on each side. All day planes take off and land on her deck. They are bombing Casablanca and aiding the troops where needed. At noon word that Algiers and Oran have surrendered and Admiral Darlan was captured. From north of us comes word the vital air field at Lyantey was resisting heavily, so the old U.S. destroyer, Dallas, with raiding troops on board rammed right through the anti-submarine net at the moutli of Lyantey River and, under the cover of our planes, went all the way up to the airport and drove ashore. The men ran out commando style and tonight had captured the administration building and are working on the rest of the field. This air field is the one we need to land the 60 P-40's the USS Chenango is still carrying on her flight deck. To the South we have taken Safi. They also rammed the anti-submarine net and drove the seatrain Lakehurst right up to the dock and unloaded her 100 tanks. But Casablanca is the main objective. The New York came up and, along with the Cleveland, Tuscaloosa and Augusta, bombarded the city today. Then word came that the battleship Jean Bart inside Casablanca had opened tire on the Augusta with her 15-inch guns. The Ranger immediately sent nine TBS bombers carrying 1000 lb. bombs and they roared over us on the way to Casablanca. One hour later they came back in a proud V formation with bombbays open and claimed seven direct hits on the battleship and two near misses. I was on watch when D Plus 3 Day dawned. Casablanca was still holding out and during the 'night their guns from the harbor were shelling our troops. So we are .sending all the planes from the Ranger, Santee and Suwanee to bomb the city and harbor while the New York, Cleveland, Augusta and Tuscaloosa shell it from outside. If the city surrendered, the word was to be radioed cease firing. At dawn the Ranger launched her bombers and fighters in front of us and they went off to the south. At 7:15 A.M. the message came cease fire. This was from the Army who were attacking from the rear of the city. Since then there has been no word. During the afternoon, the Chenango launched the P-40's and one crashed near us, going down so fast no one could reach it. The plane and pilot were lost. Right after that, Suwanee planes caught a German sub on the surface behind us and hit her with 12 depth bombs as she dove. Forty-five minutes later there were still big water spouts and oil shooting up. I had the 12 - 4 watch on the bridge at night and it is cold because all the windows were blown out by the firing Of the Brooklyn's 6-inch guns. The. Chenango and Suwanee fthey are converted aircraft CHf1'1e1'Sl Jo1ned.up with us and we steam in a square Wlth the destroyers in a semi-circle around the front. A German sub apparently got through our screen and t01'Pedoed and sunk the U.S. transport, Hewes, and U.S. destroyer, Hambleton, in the transport area. News from Europe tells us that Hitler today ordered the OCC'-lpatlon of all unoccupied France in order to get his arm1es.down to the Mediterranean to stop us. He alS0 moved into Corsica. The next morning found the destroyer Hambleton pretty low in the water but not sunk, and WHS towed 1nto Casablanca. It is skippered by a friend of mine,

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