Comet (AP 166) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 47 text:

HSl'1OOtiI'1g,, the Sun lf! W, f We 'I lf' U ,Q li ffff n I v Ll , lf,-: . LLJLQ i Sh1D,S Office Aftermath of invasion--Ag

Page 46 text:

repeatedly hit inshore targets as the first wave of Marines landed in LCT,s on the beaches at O842. Bombardment of enemy positions and the landing of troops and combat cargo continued 'throughout the day. i , I 'During the assault phase of the operation all the landing craft crews were subjected to heavy mortar, artillery, and gunfire. One COMET LCM crew under the command of Lt. Cjgj Robert Fergu- son, COMET boat officer, was 'presented a presidential commenda- tion for conspicuous bravery. Formal presentation of the award was made at a special ceremony conducted on board the ship after its return to Pearl Harbor. Members of the LCM crew were: William EdwardiRiley, BM2c Winston Quentin Peacock, Slc Harold Edward Howard, MM2c Walter Starr McKenzie, ' Slc Charles Fred Martin, Cox ' t . While we'1'e parting out bouquets, allow me to past one on to Dr. Bain and our corprvnen for the excellent work that they did during this invasion. Theirif was a job that was far from easy, for healing is much more dijicult than killing. Theifr war a job that won them not wide acclaim but riinply a .grateful smile or a than-kr, Doc from a wounded man. At 1823 the COMET was again underway in company with Attack Groups One and Two, leaving the transport area in ac- cordance with retirementiplan 1. At 1839 an aircraft warning was received, and all ships went to general quarters. Three enemy air- craft were sighted at 1847. Emergency turns were executed as the 3 inch and 5 inch batteries opened fire at 1851 in company with other vessels in the vicinity, sending up such a heavy barrage of ack-ack that the enemy planes took evasive tactics. Three bomb splashes were observed at an approximate distance of three miles in the vicinity of battleships and destroyers..No casualties were suffered in this air attack, and no enemy planes were seen shot down by this command. By 1953 the ship secured from general quarters and continued on the retirement plan throughout the night. 44

Page 48 text:

The following day at dawn the group returned to the transport area. After receiving a warning of unidentified aircraft, all hands manned their battle stations, and the ships again opened fire with 3 inch, 5 inch, and 20 MM anti-aircraft batteries. Luckily no darn- agewas done to the planes, for they were later identified as friendly. Unloading' operations began at 0659 and continued throughout the day. Retirement plan 1 was again executed in the evening. ' On 17 June the transports once again returned to the island and continued unloading. The retirement made on that night continued through the 18th and 19th, but the group returned on 20 June and remained off Saipan until unloading operations were completed and casualties taken aboard on 22 June. The ship was under air attack around midnight on the Zlst. However, no vessels in the transport area opened fire, but Marine anti-aircraft batteries on the shore threw up a barrage. Bombs were observed falling at an ap- proximate distance of one mile from the COMET in the vicinity of destroyers which were shelling enemy positions, butx no damage to our ships was observed. .. The night of the 17th 'we received rumors that the japanese fleet was approaching Saipan in an effort to destroy our ships of the island and isolate our troops on the beach. We were to learn later that a daring move by our carrier forces stopped this attempted ojensirfe action by the N ips, the engagement later became known as the First Battle of the Philippine Sea. - Q The ship sailed on the 22nd, leaving two LCVP's and theircrews with the boat pool which was being established at the island, and returned to Pearl Harbor, as a part of Task Unit 51.l8.l8, arriving there 3 July 19444 46