Callaghan (DDG 994) - Naval Cruise Book

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IN DEDICA TION TO THE LOVED ONES WE LEFT RFHIND As I look at the ocean I can’t help but think of the people I love so much that I’ll always be close to and never forget. The seas are so endless like my feeling for you they run like the currents with strength and freedom may it never come to an end. The waters just roll in As the days seem to pass and soon I’ll be there to hold you all night and never let you go. The water seems so blue but I never feel lonely no matter where I go cause I just think of you and never feel bad. So like the waves of the ocean which always roll in and they just never end don’t ever feel blue because I’ll always come back to you! 3

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IN MEMORY OF IC3 Wayne E. Bellanger This World Cruise Book is dedicated to the memory of one of the dearest and closest shipmates the CALLAGHAN crew has ever had, IC3 Bellanger, or as his friends called him, Wayne. IC3 not only cared about his job, but more importantly he was the one person that you could count on when you needed it. When Wayne’s life tragically ended, it was a moment that CALLAGHAN would not soon forget. We did not lose just a crew member, we lost our FRIEND. Wayne is survived by his wife Judy Ann and their daughter Melissa Ann. The CALLAGHAN crew would like to send warm wishes and all the hope of the ship to his wife and daughter for the happiest and safest future. 2

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THE FIRST CALLAGHAN Built by the Bethlehem Steel Company of San Pedro, California, her keel was laid on 21 February 1943, and USS CALLAGHAN (DD 792) was placed in commission on 27 November 1943. Commander F. J. Johnson, USN, assumed the first command. CALLAGHAN left the United States on 5 February 1944 for Pearl Harbor. Operating out of Pearl Harbor until 28 February, she steamed to Kwajalein and Majuro to join Task Group 50.15. On 30 March and 01 April, air strikes were launched from escort carriers of the Task Group while CALLAGHAN and other destroyers screened the carriers from submarine attack. At the end of April, the ship departed for Pearl Harbor. On 30 May 1944 she got underway for the Marshall Islands. On 11 June she sortied from Eniwetok screening the escort carriers MIDWAY, WHITE PLAINS, and KALININ BAY as they operated east of Saipan in support of the landings there. CALLAGHAN rendezvoused with Task Group 58.4 on 05 August to protect the carriers who were providing air support for the fighting on Guam. On 29 August, the destroyer was again steaming off Palau, Mindanao, Luzon and the Central Philippines striking at the Japanese. After sweeps over the Philippines, the group raced to get in position to launch a dawn attack against units of the Japanese fleet. Task Group 38.3 sortied again on 01 November enroute to Manus but was rerouted to the Philippines because of in- creasing enemy naval and air activity. In late December and January, CALLAGHAN participated in strikes against Formosa, Luzon, Camranh Bay, Saigon, the south China coast, and Hong Kong before sailing to Iwo Jima to participate in the landings there. After Iwo Jima, she provided support for the landings at Okinawa. CALLAGHAN continued operating off Okinawa on fire support and screening assign- ments until taking a radar picket station on 9 July 1945. Just after midnight on the morning of 29 July, General Quarters rang through the ship as a lone plane was detected approaching the patrol group. The Japanese, piloting an antiquated biplane, dived on CALLAGHAN and was driven off by heavy anti-aircraft fire. He came back, skimming the water unobserved until just before he reached the destroyer. He hit CALLAGHAN on the starboard side sending up a towering 150 foot sheet of flame from the after section of the ship. CALLAGHAN sank stern first at 0235 bringing a violent end to the career of a proud fighting ship.