Comet (AP 166) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 49 text:

3. 1.9 -1 J, f ' 8 Saipan coastline , W? Sploom V

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

Page 50 text:

GUAM OPERATION A combat load of cargo and 1650 troops ofthe 77th Army Divi- sion were taken aboard from 5-8 July. Lt. Colonel C. F. Green, USA, of the Second Battalion, 306th Infantry, was in command. Lt. Comdr. T. C. Fonda, USNR, Executive Oflicer on the COMET, assumed command on 9 July, relieving Commander V. F. Stieglitz. The same date the ship got underway for the Guam invasion, traveling in Task Unit 55.1.11 with OTC Commodore H. B. Knowles, USN, on the MONROVIA. Other ships in the Unit included the WARHAWK,jBOLIVAR, FUNSTON, ALCYONE, SHERIDAN, ALMAACK, FELAND, DOYEN, and the merchant vessels, CHINA VICTORY and CLAREMENT VICTORY. Escorts included the destroyers AULICK and GRENDREAU, and the destroyer escorts HASTINGS, H. C. THOMAS, and BEBAS. The ships zigzagged their way to Eniwetok, arriving there 17 July. With only one day's delay which was used for practice landings, the Unit proceeded to the objective arriving off Orote Peninsula on the west coast of Guam 22 July. The debarking ofttroops and discharg- ing of cargo were accomplished during 23-29 July, with the ships executing a retirement plan each night. Leaving Guam 29 July the ship returned to Pearl Harbor, with one night's stop at Eniwetok enroute. Steamed into Pearl Harbor on 11 August, andthe oflicers and men were given until 1 Septem- ber for rest, recreation, and training in preparation for forthcoming operations. F V . 5 ' On 1 September preparations were begun for-the invasion of Yap island in the Western Carolines. The ship got underway for 'Maui with more than 500 troops aboard for training purposes. The COMET was still operating in TransDiv 28, with the BOLIVAR CTransDiv Flagshipj, SHERIDAN, DOYEN, ALMAACK, and BELLE GROVE. This Division was part of Task Group 33.2, Attack Group Baker, under command of Rear Admiral F. B. Royal, on the ROCKY MOUNT: and Task Group 33.4, Transport Group Baker, consisting of TransDiv's 10, 18 and 28, under Commodore 48