Denver (CL 58) - Naval Cruise Book

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British submarine), so the Diiiivr and her group were detached from the area when the landing was completed successfully about lune 1 1 . The division proceeded to Tawi- tawi Island in the Sulu Archipelago for re- plenishment before the Balikpapan operation — perhaps the longest and shootingest in the Dcm ' cr ' 5 career. The group left Tawitawi on June 13 to cover the preliminary mine sweeping opera- tions and to furnish pre-landing bombard- ment. From the fifteenth of June until the DciUYT was detached on the first of July, she was in continuous Condition 1 or II during the daylight hours — along with some more of the same as conditions required at night. By Dog Day, July 1, our Naval forces off Balikpapan totalled eight United States, three Australian, and one Dutch cruiser and their accompanying destroyers. Our shore bombardment was so intense that Australian troops landed at the oil-rich Jap-held hot spot without casualties. The high points for the Denver were several: she was ordered to sink one of our own mine- sweepers that had been damaged by Jap shore batteries; she got her last assist of the war when one of several attacking Jap planes was shot down during a night raid; and she had two more close calls, once when Jap bombers dropped three sticks of bombs which landed within eight hundred yards of her and again when one of our own B-24 ' s headed for a strike on the beach inadvertently dropped a bomb much too close for comfort while the Demer was alongside — of all things — an ammunition ship. Whew! Plank owners as well as boots cussed and discussed that incident for some time. The Demcr does not claim all of the firsts ' and lasts of the Pacific War, but the unique experience of firing at shore installations while fueling is certainly worth mention. While along- side the U.S.S. Cliefiielict for fuel, with the smoking lamp out, Jap shore batteries opened up on our mine sweepers. The Deiirer im- mediately returned that fire and silenced the batteries, for the time being at least, all to the delight of the crew of the tanker, for it was not often they got to see big guns in action so near at hand. After further replenishment and a week ' s rest at Leyte, the Deiu ' cr and her gang joined up with some larger fellows to go north. With Rear Admiral F. S. Low in command of the task force which included the mighty battle cruisers Giuuii, and Alaska, the Demer left Leyte the morning of July 13, 1945 for the now famous Okinawa Island in the Ryukyus and entered Buckner Bay at 0739 on the sixteenth. Even the old-timers aboard the Demer felt they were entering hallowed waters, for it was in these waters that the Kamikaze at- tacks reached their peak, and more such attacks could certainly be expected any time. The task force remained to fuel just that day, and before nightfall was underway again on what was expected to be one of the most exciting operations of the Deiu ' er ' s career — an anti-shipping sweep of the China Coast north to Shanghai. After playing tag with two typhoons for nearly four days, the task force entered the sweep area the evening of the 21st and early the next morning made contact with the China Coast. But except for tossing a few five-inch shells at a bogy that night, which turned tail in a hurry, the Denver had no targets. Subsequently sweeps made during 03}-

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Looking Forward GcdunU Stand Fresh ScflgMll Signal Light Anderson, Armour, Benson, Glcnnon, Ahrams Services in the Hangar Deck 4 22

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C-hildcrs, Fliicto, Kiiriilccliiuii, MiiIlnL-v Iiisf ' alioM I ' v Ciif ' tiiiii Carney of the TliiiJ Division 24}