Daly (DD 519) - Naval Cruise Book

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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

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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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II I. II II I I II Il as .I fl I II I I I .44 -v+- I I I I I I I I I . I I I I I I I I I I I I 1 I I I II I I4 II lv I I I I I I I F ifty-six Her Adventures fcontinuedj I ' I I Convoy-Invasion Fleet Okinawa Bound The days between the 12th and 27th of March were spent in intense drills and practices. Once again, the old hands told the newer men that something tbig' was coming soon. The crew had not long to wait. At the appointed time, the Captain called all hands to the fantail. We assembled, trying to guess where the next cstepping stone, was to be. Captain Bradley appeared shortly, charts in hand, and proceeded to fbrief' us on what to be alert for and what to expect on this next operation. I THE ASSAULT AND OCCUPATION OF OKINAWA SHIMA April 1-Easter Sunday-a day of the year for which we used to dress up in our finest for the Easter parade. This time, our parade was much more impressive. A mighty United States invasion fleet was striking at a strong J ap- anese base-a base close to Japan itself, ideal for future o-perations by our air and surface forces. The DALY was a busy lady in this operation. She started off with a bom- bardment of the invasion beach and then supported the landing of our troops. Late the same day, a group of enemy planes were sighted, approaching from overland. One dived for the DALY from dead ahead, but our gunners were far too deadly to allow any damage. The plane was mortally wounded and crashed into the water, 25 yards astern. Another J ap had joined his ancestors with-the assistance of the DALY. X There were many assignments for night illuminations, fire-support and screening activities, as well as numerous air attacks during the following 20 days. On the 21st of April, the DALY moved out to the radar picket line, in charge of a lighter-director team, using a covering air patrol. Under the direc- tion of the DALY, this C.A.P. accounted for five more Jap planes before she was relieved on the 25th of April, to refuel. On the 27th, she was headed back to- tl1e picket line, this time to a dif- ferent position, with another fighter-director team. The 519 arrived on station just as unidentified planes approached the area. It was a clear, dark night and . U , enemy planes were plentiful. Some approached the formation but were driven off by heavy gunfire. The next day-the 28th-broke with perfect weather and the eve1'-pres- ent danger of an attack. The C.A.P., directed by the DALY, accounted for 25 I