Dashiell (DD 659) - Naval Cruise Book

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+- as .cv f .E . . 1 - f f . t :tx I ,af Q V 1 L , if .P 'A lc fi 5 -ft f if f 5 I 1' If 15 al , Y' 1 ' 3 ' gf: i gd ,U My ek? V. ,, N 1 Q si ' QA f , ug , 1 5 'w n. algi 5' -Ke A 3-,SA , J 2 . 1, fl- , 5 Q . f A ,,. , I -ff-as., ' Q. - .nr 'NM . , I f 1, X ' ' it V, in fs, 5 'N ,, Q- -- ff x-wwfig. 5 QQ - 4 1 ' in F ff' 'fif , k ., 2 . fs.- ry e.-, ff ' 'I l'--' vc, i x.- -.f.,,..: as 1-iw. 'W rzjlfl-feffr, 5' 7 - 'V f S 75 iw E 'Nt K fx- , .sg IELL, its pilot motioning toward the water. The plane, whose landing gear was inoperative, thereupon made a crash landing and the DASH- IELL stood by to recover the pilot. The latter proved to be a happy-go- lucky individual, quite unruffled by his experience as he paddled about in his small rubber boat. At dusk a lone enemy plane flew high over- head, at too great an'altitude for gunfire. Retirement was commenced shortly thereafter, and at 0645 on 7 October the DASHIELL secured from a fatiguing 63 hour general quarters. On ll October the ship was back in Pearl. After Wake the DASHIELL was assigned to other types of duty, and the thrill her men had felt on looking into the darkness to see the wing lights and fiery exhaust flames of a powerful pre-dawn air strike just off the carriers gave way to new forms of experience. For the 'G659 ', as for many other new fleet units, these raids had been a testing ground for new-found power. On the basis of such trials it was reasonable to expect that offensive actions of greater size and more permanent results would be in the offing. The DASHIELUS participation in shore bom- bardment practice on 19 October presaged events soon to come. mama .Z On 21 October the USS DASHIELL steamed out of Pearl Harbor with a powerful task group of four battleships, four cruisers, three carriers, and fourteen destroyers that in turn formed a part of Task Force 53. The destination was Efate, southernmost of the New Hebrides group, where these ships of the assault group were to conduct training exer- cises preparatory to the most ambitious operation that the DASHIELL had yet been party to. Efate's Havannah Harbor, once a sleepy colon- ial outpost, had been transformed into a bustling and well equipped naval base. On arrival, however, the ship's company had to content themselves with contemplating the tropical setting from afar. Since they already possessed details of the forthcoming action, visits to the naval base were considered out of the question, let alone excursions to the settlement of Vila on the other side of the island, where certain French mesdemoiselles of liberal outlook were said to be established. The period from arrival on 5 November till a week later was given over to rehearsal of landing operations at nearby Meli Bay, during which time the '6659 became acclimated to the duties that assignment to a fire support section involved. 6 F 5 1? : YT.,1? , -' 'ey-my , Ni

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17th. The view of the tactical situation, customary equatorial ceremon- ies were postponed on crossing the Line. ' The purpose of crippling enemy facilities on Taraw'a was to ease the pressure then being applied to our Ellice Island bases, and, as at Marcus, to provide training for future large scale operations. In the early morning of 18 September air strikes were launched to destroy air- craft and installations, buildings, fuel and munition dumps, docks, and ships. All Japanese planes seeking to counterattack were shot down or turned away by combat air patrols. In accordance to plan the force retired the same night, at 0800 the next morning the ship secured from general quarters. On the afternoon of the 22nd, during the trip back, King Neptune and his retinue made their belated appearance. While the monarch's henchmen were in the very act of drubbing posteriors of, administer- ing vile fluids to, and creating stylish coiffures for bewildered and be- smeared pollywogs, all hands were awakened with suddenness to the real- ity of their environment. Without warning a TBF from the U. S. S. Princeton made a crash landing in the water close aboard. The DASH- IELL stood by immediately to recover survivors, her entire crew dis- playing a grim attention to duty that gave startling contrast to the care- free antics of a few moments before. The plane's pilot and gunner were saved, but the radioman lost his life. Next day the ship put into Pearl Harbor. Back at Pearl there were more training exercises, and then on 29 September the 659 sorticd with Task Force 14, the largest force she had yet worked with. The objective was Wake Island, then an integral part of the Japanese perimeter defense. This operation was designed to influence enemy strategic dispositions by the appearance of a car- rier task force in the area. Japanese forces and installations were to be the target not only of air strikes but of surface bombardment units. Once again the DASHIELL was assigned to screen the carriers. The force arrived off Wake on 5 October, the first strike taking off at 0420 to hit aircraft, shipping, base facilities, and air installations. At 0700 the northern and southern bombardment groups proceeded on their mission. Enemy planes made their appearance in the afternoon but were intercepted by fighters long before they reached the force. The attack lasted for two days On the mormng of 6 October a fig ter plane from the U S S Cowpens flew close aboard the DASH u S 5 1 l s . l A, V 1 . h i 3 f V 1 A if u if ll 0 . 'X A p gh . . . . ff gg. ' - :F ' Pei pf-L V, Ja. jr-5 - ' . 5 vm if! fef 'rits J ' -. E I lfgflifl 451-,.,hl:'. ,flf ,i1 i'AQll - 939' 'ri . .-1 ft fl' J ii ', ..- il TY ' 'fi If . f 0 A it P - -at ' ,-.3311 rsh., is -Q , --,ff f , :H '27, , .31 ' ,

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4-5 On 13 November the task group set forth for its objective: the Gil- bert Islands. This visit would afford the DASHIELL a chance to observe Tarawa Atoll a great deal more intimately than had been possible dur- ing her hurried call two months before. V ln the early morning of 20 November the DASHIELL, in company with her division flagship, the U. S. S. Ringgold, followed two mine- sweepers into Tarawa lagoon to lend counter battery and close support- ing fire for the troop landing and to be on hand for call Hres until the island's occupation. Japanese resistance was heavier than had been pre- dicted, and as the DASHIELL entered the lagoon twelve batteries were still in operation, though their fire was slowed somewhat by the im- mense quantities of dust and smoke raised by the air strikes and naval bombardments. The ship received no direct hits, but near misses and close AA bursts resulted in her subjection to a continuous rain of shrap- nel. When one of the larger fragments was subsequently discovered lodg- ed in the foremast, the comment was overheard: Well, fellows, there's a hunk of the Sixth Avenue El . It was doubtless some embittered critic of foreign policy. When at 0830 the last medium calibre shore battery was silenced, the DASHIELL moved in to the intimate range of 2500 to 4000 yards to deliver prearranged, interdiction, and later call fires. At sunset the ship withdrew to a picket station southwest of Betio Island. For the ship's doctor the day had been one that contrasted vividly with his normal cruising routine. Though only one of the DASHIELUS crew had been injured by a fragment, nineteen seriously wounded ma- rines were brought -aboard for emergency treatment. It was grim evi- dence of the battleis fury. The medical officer and his corpsmen per- formed their duties ably, and none of the patients died while in their care. Until noon of the 22nd the DASHIELL was under orders of the screen commander, during which time Japanese planes were sighted and fired upon. During the morning of the 21st the ship was assigned a patrol sector whose point of origin was the transport area. The waters were inadequately charted, and owing to the lowness of the land, the nearest being twelve miles away, accurate navigational fixes could not be obtained. At 1035, with the ship making 20 knots, main battery con- trol suddenly reported a coral patch on the port bow. The Captain was on the bridge and gave Right hard over rudder , ringing up stop on both engines. Time was too short, however, and with a jar that racked 5 Qi