Farenholt (DD 491) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 17 text:

sHlP's I-usToRY fcontinuedl A ln some ways it was a reward to the ship for many months of active dutyg in other ways it was boring and uninteresting. The movies and regular mail we had then were missed several months later. Okinawa was ripe for invasion and the U. S. was ready to seize it in April, 1945. At first the FARENHOLT and DesRon Twelve were not included in the support forces, but the suicide planes forced many tin cans out of action and Desliion Twelve was ordered to Okinawa at top speed. Back to war was welcomed by most men, especially the new crew members. The long stay at anchor was perhaps a little too restful. What they welcomed was a rough introduction to the Japanese most effective weapon to date, the suiciders. Twenty-four hours after arrival and assignment to a screening station, a J ap singled out the FARENHOLT's sector of the screen and crash dived into a DE, the U-SS Oberrender, damaging her so badly that she was later decommissioned. ComDesRon Twelve took charge of the rescue operations and the FARE-NHOLT went alongside to fight fires. Lt. Comdr. B. Magoffin, USN, was captain of the ship then, having relieved Captain Shook at Kossol Passage. The succeeding days were filled with new raids of varying size. A few ships were al- ways among the permanent victims. General Quarters was an exhausting regularity. When orders to a small carrier force striking Sakishima Island group, south of Okinawa, a staging point for J ap suiciders, arrived, a feeling of relief was widespread. It was justified, for in the next few weeks a calm sea, very few bogies and constant flight of friendlies over- head made it ugood duty . Like all good duty, it couldn't last. Leyte Gulf, Philippines, and then the Third Fleet unit supporting the fast carriers off the Japanese homeland were the flagship's next assign- ments. lt, too, was quiet, except for countless mines, of which FARENHOLT gunners sank their share. Days became weeks before back to Okinawa for the end of the war. Captain Luther K. Reynolds, USN, was now Commodore. He was soonto be relieved by Captain Thomas C. Hagan, USN. It certainly didn't look like the end as the FARENHOLT dropped anchor in Buckner Bay on July 28, 1945. The ship the FARENHOLT was to relieve on picket station was sunk the same night. Next night another destroyer was hit just outside the FARENHOLT's an- chorage. The war continued in similar fashion until August 9, when the first news release of Japanese peace intentions startled the Okinawa forces into a wild celebration with guns, rockets and searchlights. It was slightly premature as the scattered air raids during the 11ext few days proved - a transport bombed, the USS Pennsylvania torpedoed. But the hoped for, dreamed of, and prayed for ending came on August 15 and the FARENHOLT signalman ran up the V-J flag. There was no noisy emotional celebration this time - only a tired and grateful feeling that it was over and we would be homeward-bound soon, and perhaps, for some, the wish that mankind would never again be fo-rced to resist oppressive, domineering minds at the expense of the life of any man, race or nation. But the War was not yet ofiicially over for the F arenholt. For three months the tired tin can braved typhoons, assisted in the occupation of the Sakishima group and convoyed to Sasebo, Kyushu. On October 31, 1945, the FARENHOLT and Desliion Twelve saw the last of desolute Okinawa. Its homeward-bound pennant flying the veteran ship touched Saipan, Pearl Harbor, San Diego and transmitted the Panama Canal to Charleston, S. C. y Only another war could revive the FARENHOLT. Only the men who sailed her, fought her, a11d brought her home would determine that. U is , Ep. Thzrteen L57 311 , i I '-491: f g di -' af. X 1'

Page 16 text:

1 w 1 W i W 1 4 w N i W w 1 3 , 1 i i f , I E 2 5 4 ! 4 i I z

Page 18 text:

Fourteen