Daly (DD 519) - Naval Cruise Book

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V I N 1 1 1 . 1 1 1 1 s f S Z 3 s 1 Iwo Jima Smolders on Horizon V 4 After the Battle of .Surigao Strait, this certainly served as the best re- ward that could have been given. ' It was a long trip back to the States, and the crew put in long hours to get the ship ready for the overhaul period. The DALY steamed through the Golden Gate into San Francisco Bay on 29 November 1944 and, after having unloaded ammunition and having made the necessary preparations for entering the shipyard, proceeded to moor at the United Engineering Company, Alameda, Calif. The time from 30 November until the completion of the overhaul was a well-earned period of liberty and leave for the crew that for just short of 17 months fought an almost continuous battle against the Japanese. In the morning of 12 January 1945, the DALY once again threw off her moorings to get under way. She was a different ship--a new paint job, engines, guns and equipment overhauled, and with over half the crew new, green and inexperienced in the ways of the sea. After taking on ammunition and doing the many tasks necessary to make her ready for action again, she bid Frisco adieu on 17 January and arrived in San Diego the next afternoon. The next four days were spent in and -out of San Diego Harbor, in drills, practices, and exercises, all with a dual purpose, to test the ship and her equip- ment and to teach the newer men some of the ship's routines. ln the evenings, there was liberty, recreation and relaxation for the crew. Shortly after noon of 23 January 1945, the DALY sailed from San Diego, headed for her second phase of the war in the Pacific. En route to Pearl Har- bor, much of the time was taken up by exercises and battle practices with the other ships accompanying the DALY. This was a new experience for many of those aboard. It was their first time away from the friendly shores of the United States, their first uocean cruise , and, for many of them, it was a little too choppy. Letters were writ- ten to those left behind of the vast expanse, of the sunrise and of the sunset, and, finally, of how good the first landfall looked. A new land was before their eyes-the Hawaiian Islands. For others, the old salts from the firstcruise, it was a return to action after-a few days of restful playing and working in the States. They had seen V F ifty-four gi , 1 il A a

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Y WWAH , , ....':f.,.........,.....-z.s.1,::..--.......2 ... .. , r. ,,, -1 .fsvevr-sau Her Adventures fcontmuedl I 9 Just before the DALY launched a half salvo of torpedoes at their mam body, two enemy torpedoes whlzzed by not more than 50 yards ahead The attack continued The ship was then 1n the most dangerous P081 tion It had ever before steamed mto our hearts were in throats but all were ready to carry through The torpedoes were fired on an enemy battleship, and many of the boys fortunate enough to have topslde battle stations saw three large exploslons as three of the five torpedoes the shlp had fired struck the enemy battleship This was just the beginning for the 519 ,A second attack was made with just the five lnch caliber guns hurling salvo after salvo into enemy ships First an enemy destroyer absorbed' our shells then the ship s blazing guns hurled salvo after salvo 1nto a Japanese heavy cruiser completely catching her by surprise Every salvo ripped up the steel decks exploded her magazines and caused her to burn furiously leaving her powerless in the water Then the 519 salled away from the crippled enemy ships that were burning and explod mg and sinking Our guns crippled an enemy heavy cruiser another large enemy warsh1p and an enemy destroyer Our torpedoes struck an enemy battleship leaving lt in such a condition that its escape was lmposslble and lt served as a sitting duck for our heavy umts ' It was later discovered that the battleship which the DALY had so sever ly damage with torpedoes was the Japanese battleship Yamasharo Little was made known to the public of the action of the 519 1n the Battle of Surigao Stra1t, although 1n Naval C1I'C.lCS the history of the ships performance of duty in the battle was known to be highly commendable. Most important of all, the Battle of Surigao Strait and our part in it shall always remain engraved in our memories. o 1 u Q C o Q s , . Q n n o o 9 9 n o p u u a . 1 Q I c o a u 0 a o . n a s u u 9 . s . 7 ' 9 o 0 n 9 Q o Q ' 9 n o 4 9 o Q Q Q o , u 4 , o Q 4 Q 9 9 1 0 ' 9 . . as . . Q . 54. Q 9 99 ' o Q o e Y n n Q . a Q . . a . Q 0 0 a 9 CAPTAIN R. G. VISSER RELIEVED On 29 October 1944, the Captain announced to the crew that they DALY was going to return to the United States .for an overhaul period on the West Coast. Cheers could be heard throughout the ship. Before setting sail for the States, Captain Visser relinquished his com- mand to Commander Richard Rumel Bradley, Jr., U. S. Navy. With a new skipper at the conn the DALY set her course for home. Back to the Golden Gate F zfty three

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. .:..?!neg',4,' I , Supporting Carrier Action at Iwo this before, so theirs were not letters of new descriptions. They were busy train- ing the newer members of the crew into an efficient operating group, an organ- ization that could best handle the proud lady who was once again their home. A minimum of time was spent in refueling and reprovisioning, for she was needed to do her part once again in another Gstepping-stone' operation against the enemy, the Japs. The DALY left Hawaii on 3 February. The days were busy with gen- eral and emergency drills, all resulting in a better-polished crew, capable of acting quickly and accurately. We entered Tanapag Harbor, Saipan, in the afternoon of the 12th for refueling and fresh provisions. ' ASSAULT AND OCCUPATICN OF IWO JIMA i Once again, the DALY'S departure was not delayed. She left Saipan the next day, on the 13th, headed for Iwo Jima as part of a screening unit for a carrier task force destined to give the .laps on Iwo much trouble. The force reached its operating area on 16 February. The DALY'S duty was as a screening unit against submarine or aircraft attack on the carriers which were furnishing the planes for harassing and bombing the ,laps on Iwo, as well as being an air cover for our ground troops. Many times ,lap planes were reported in the area, but not until early evening of the 21st did any of them come close to our group. An undetermined number of enemy planes attacked the formation, flying close to- the water. The first target fired on by uthe 5I9's guns burst into flames and 'splashed' on the starboard quarter. Two more fassistslwere scored against the attacking suiciders. One of the escort carriers was mortally wounded by a kamikaze. She was the Bismarck Sea, burning fiercely, with many internal explosions. Her crew abando-ned ship when it was seen that her plight was hopeless. The 519 and five other escorting ships were assigned to aid in the rescue of survivors. Here was a renewal for these old salts, and a new, eye-opening epoch for those who were cgreen hands' such a short time before. The many drills, exer- cises and practices all had a much more definite meaning, now, and showed their worth beyond any doubt. They were more ready for what lay ahead of them, more grim and much more determined. Here was the dirty, sickening, bitter war, right in their laps. The 8th of March found the DALY en route to Leyte Gulf, Philippine Islands-old stamping grounds for ofthe 5I9 . ' F ifty-five