Comet (AP 166) - Naval Cruise Book

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Jap farmer-Saipan Watching the PPI I 7440 , 2200 RPM

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the period 21-29 May as the loaded transports lay moored in Pearl Harbor. The ship was assigned to Task Group 52.16 with Vice Admiral H. W. Hill, USN, the OTC on the USS CAMBRIA. This Task Group was composed of Transport Divisions 10, 18 and 28, the COMET being in Trans Div 28 under Captain H. C. Flanagan, USN, on the BOLIVAR. Other ships in the Division included: USS DOYEN CAPAD, USS SHERIDAN CAPAJ, USS ELECTRA QAKAD, and USS OAKHILL CLSDD. The COMET was in Trans- port Group Able, Attack Group Two. In company with this Task Group and Task Unit 52.14.2 composed of the destroyers,USS PORTERFIELD, USS CALLAGHAN, and USSQLONGSHAW' and the escort carriers USS WHITE PLAINS and USS KALININ BAY, the COMET got underway for Saipan Island in the Marianas group on 30 May, zigzagging in accordance with plan 6 at a speed of advaneeof 13.5 knots. Before leaving Pearl Harbor, we had picked up a' broad- cast by Tokyo Rose, and she had threatened the entire in- 4 vafion arrnada with death, ftating that we would never reach V our objective. All handy aboard got a big kick out of her prophecy, erpecially the M arinef. They had heard her pro- grams before and didn't believe rnuch of what she raid. We figured that .rome attempts to Jtop the convoy, or at leart part of it, would be made, -but oyjfensive action by the Nipr, while A we were enroute, was practically nil, except for anoccasionali submarine contact. i A e The first submarine contact was reported by the escort on 1 June, but no direct attack was launched by the enemy, and no submarines were actually sighted. The convoy was now steaming toward the objective at a speed of advance of 14 knots. Zigzagging was discontinued for awhile each morning for anti-aircraft training exercises and ship handling drills. On 3 June the WHITE PLAINS CCVED reported that a torpedo crossed her bow from port to star- board. A tfew minutes later the same ship reported a torpedo wake astern. Both torpedoes passed harmlessly through the group causing no damage. The international date line was crossed at 1325, 4 June. 40

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Mr Blee added a note o comedy to this occarzon when he announced over the P14 that anyone wzshzng to see the lzne had pervnzyszon to go topsrde A couple o the boyf rnade a dafh and were laughed all the way back down the ladder! On 8 une a steady white light was sighted which was identi fied as being Kwajalein Atoll Marshall Islands On 9 une the Task Group arrived at Eniwetok Lagoon Marshall Islands and made final preparations for the forthcoming operation The next day the COMET was in all respects ready for the amphibious assault against the apanese on Saipan At Enzwetok we had our ryt look at what rnzght be called a war torn zsland The crew went ashore or a beer party and any zllufzony that we might have had about the beauztz ul zrlands o the Pacz c were broken like .voap bubbles The only lwzng thrngs that seemed to thrwe on the place were the .rand leaf T . , if in ' Q . . . . -ii' . K jf Q If . . . p. . . .- . ' J f ' Q ji ' . ' ff - n- U 4, .- I .-f . 75,1 l i ..' . f - '- E The final leg of the journey began 11 June as this ship got under- way at 0853. Contact was made with Transport Group Baker, Attack Group One, on 14 June. Officer in Tactical Command was then Vice Admiral R. K. Turner, USN, on the USS ROCKY MOUNT gf-loci. . D-Day, 15 June, found the COMET in company with this Attack Force approaching, Saipan from the west. During the pre- vious night the grouphad circled the island to they north. The guns of the bombardment ships could be seen flashing, and many star shells were observed in the pre-dawn darkness. Ar 0500 the gen- eral alarm sounded, and all hands speedily manned theirbattle stations as the ship steamed into the transport area. Landing craft were lowered away, and by 0557 the unloading of combat equip- ment and the debarkation of Marine assault troops had begun. Friendly planes from our carriers roared overhead, and bombs 42