Fitch (DMS 25) - Naval Cruise Book

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1 -qi v y '4 NINI Sri' sr ew. s.-uv v ic.. si VN.. 'r ., Q. I . xiii- iff ' i . X X A cg xi A . f,x , . G 25' .54 v fi? 1 .55 ' f K 'gm -mf X 3'- ' 4: 1- . V115 22 1:-ul ..-Ia ..,..x gf... . x -- . 5. 1 91,-, l , . Egg. 'IH' 12 , . .,,L K .,. ' . -x ga. . -gs .. , C u. 'J ...G ,. -.2-' 4 -1 L. , JL, 2 . 1:41 4' J ' !. -1 iii. -4- Vx . W' t.- Q . .. ,. '11- fl, ,. -at si'- -eq.. if 0 F ' -I 5 12 ., Q 1.2- 5' l Q . YR? . . 45.39 ml . .,.,., 1 2-gp 5217 wiv 13111. 5 vi Na? Q, ' V 74 . , egg A155 A 4 ' ---f . 2 jg' Y, .- ' 1, , .1 J' L 'QF' fy Jw.. 1 :lg Ii? .. , . ,n. In the next two hours, the FITCH, like a skilled bantam weight, weaved in and out, making over two hundred speed 'hanges to avoid enemy- fire while showering on the enemy over eighty percent of her ammunition. Then, disaster struck and the gallant little ship got a chance to show her grit. The CORRY, astern of the FITCH struck a mine, and, her' engine spaces flooded, she began to settle. Wheeling about, the FITCH dashed to the aid of the stricken comrade ship before the enemy guns could get the range of the crippled sitting duckn. Two hundred and twenty three survivors were taken aboard. As a result of those few minutes of selfless heroism, several special comlmendations were later received. But much more important to the crew and officers of the FITCH was the thought of the lives of the men who had been saved. As each invasion was undertaken by the Allies, the need for High Speed Minesweepers became more and more obvious. On 15 November 1944, the FITCH, who, along with many ships of her class, had been converted into a Destroyer Minef- sweeper, had her designation changed from DD 462 to DMS 25, By 3 January, 1945, all changes and trials were completed and the old veteran but new mine- sweeper was assigned to Mine Division 58, and with Commander Ennis W. TAYLOR in command, left the United States, bound for Pearl Harbor. Slated ,for duty with the Pacific Fleet in its struggle with the Iapanese Air Force of Okinawa, the FITCH was sidetracked by fate. While practice sweeping off Ulithe, she ran afoul of a coral pinnacle and was forced to return to Pearl Harbor for repairs. On the tenth of August 1945, with repairs completed, the new minesweeper, with Lieutenant Commander R. H. THOMAS on the bridge, set out for the forward area, only to learn of the cessation of hostilities against Iapan. But the work of the sweepers of the Mine Force had only begun. On the twenty eighth of August, sweep- ing was commenced on the mine field at Okinoyoma Bank, at the entrance to Tokyo Bay. It was here that the FITCH had the honor of being the first ship of the Bristol class to sweep an enemy mine, later being present at the ceremonies as General Douglas MacArthur received the unconditional surrender of the Iapanese Empire aboard the USS MISSOURI. In December of 1945, the FITCH further distinguished herself by setting a record for mines swept in one day,s operation, bagging 275 of the total of 1,040 cut by the five' ships of her division. With thoughts of home calling just over the horizon, the FITCH steamed out of Sasebo, Iapan, bound for the United States and her first nstatesiden Christmas. After spend- ing the holidays in San Diego, a trip through the Big Ditch to Norfolk for demobilization and rehabilitation of the crew. By March, 1946, nearly a full peacetime crew had been assembled and the next weeks were spent in performing target towing tests for the bureau of Ships. May, Iune, and .Iuly went by quickly in -operations between the Atlantic ports of Norfolk, New York, and Charleston. After finally settling in Charleston, South Carolina in November, she made a short trip to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and back to Charleston for the Christmas holidays. During the fleet maneuvers, early in 1947, the veteran minesweeper once again proved her worth by sharing top honors in total mines cut with only one other vessel of her class. -in--.. ,.- I' . -9 I 2?-l fi I' 155' X. . 1 . , wil . Q if 3 1 af' A fri 1.-A 1 2? ef 755. gift Q 24,5 'Hui ng aw: ?'L.'1??' iF' X.. C12 I 317: ,. High 5522 1 W. .. I ., ' we T32 iafkilj 'TEH n - :gf 1 1 1 ' ' ' fp i. 5? 5 lf!! ' .115-I tit. 1-1 . wi' 'ig-slr .xI',lq. Q 53'f ' sts, 3,4 1 '7 is . ,gf .- '23, .- wh: - -r If ff? 1, .Vai E 2 -1 I -'fu' -1 , M, ,' . .. ,gg . ,P J ..Yf:. IW' . L. E J' l EE , J X O 0 O O L73 xrurv- g,-'lv' if bf 3 See, Srsr-I S27 O 0 D Q 0 0 334 W Nia! 0 0 0 if Jes 'H N ' ' ii' i..ii Y ' l 14

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4 v 3.29 1 ii 4- .. 5.3, 1 'is iz ni W' '41 o 0 -, 5 R 0 O 1 iii. TEE- 'Eff' fig. fi' sl X1 NY figm, --vqrgx. Slip' 5 ,NX 1 Q- 5 ' ' .rj -. 1. ,.. , V .f Q, N4 2155 . y L: Tiff ur 'ff I Sv bf . Jig- ' su Q 'uv -I L'- w,, 6' uf V'Ifi',:.' 529 ,sem 4' - .. I ,f. .dir Eff. 0 42? 0 0 T5- 0 'H o 0 Ziff .att ly- ,,,. . 1 ,, S-I sd 'lf il NP' 6 -1 :F L, 7. 5, if ...rl H 1 Zi ff 5. this . 'r-S., '11 .. Y 'f . ., li? .11- - ' - -i- WV N4-qp,'! 7' pattern of fourteen depth charges. Although an oil slick appeared on the surface, the ship was credited with only a Nprobablev. But the FITCH was no longer a green ship with a green crew. W ith action behind her, a bronze star in her European African-Middle Eastern campaign ribbon, and a sea bag full of stories for the folks, she set a course for home, minor repairs, and a well earned period of liberty and recreation. In April 1943, the FITCH, over a year old and manned by an experienced crew, once more turned her bow away from home. This time her destination was the North Atlantic, where she was to operate with the British home fleet. Part of her duties at this time was to help protect the important Murmansk convoy route. While assigned this duty, the Fabulous Fitch, as she was beginning to be called by her crew members, took part in several raids on the German-occupied Nor- wegian coast, and crossed the Arctic Circle over twenty times. After three grueling months of battling ice and snow, she once more turned homeward in company with the USS SOUTH DAKOTA and the USS ALABAMA. After completing a yard overhaul, the FITCH, in company with the RANGER and the cruisers AUGUSTA and TUSCALOOSA, returned to the North Atlantic to begin several months of very exciting operations. She screened the USS RANGER during her bombardment of 'German forces and installations near Bodo, Norway. Nine ene-my merchant vessels were sunk during this strike and the land based units were severely pounded. As a fitting climax to this period of operations, the FITCH reached a point in latitude of 78 degrees and 18 minutes North, GEN- ERALLY BELIEVED TO BE THE MOST NORTHERLY POINT EVER REACHED BY A UNITED STATES WARSHIP UP TO THAT TIME. After a brief yard overhaul in Boston and a training period at Casco Bay, 4Maine, the FITCH, in December of 1943, again put the States behind her.. It was at this period during the war that the famed killer groups were having tremendous success in combating the U-Boat menace. The FITCH, now a salty veteran of the Arctic Seas, was assigned to Task Group 21.14 and set out to hunt the U-Boats under the tropical sun of Southern waters. She hunted submarines in the South Atlantic until the twenty ninth of March, 1944 when she returned to Boston. History was being made. The invasion of France seemed imminent and the eager destroyer was sent to Belfast-Lough, arriving on the second of May, 1944. Assigned to escort duties between various British ports, she impatiently awaited orders to action. Finally, on the twenty fourth of May, the FITCH was assigned to Task Unit 125.83 and ordered to proceed through unswept waters to within 2000 yards of the French coast in order to observe German coastal emplacements. The night air was filled with the drone of hundreds of planes. On the FITCH'S bridge the concussion of the bombs falling on the French Coast, fifteen miles away, could be felt. She was leaving England and going forward to meet history of the French coast where smoke, flames, and the criss cross pattern of anti-aircraft fire resembled a scene from Dante's Inferno, At 0530 that morning the destroyer steamed in at five knots, to begin a very busy morning,s work. At 1533 the FITCH opened Ere, THE FIRST SHIP T0 FIRE INTO UTAH AREA. - if ' -A-A 1125, ig, ,if ti. .V 1. li ' I! 751, .59 -N1 Y ,435 Lg I fin eg, W W ifi .5 -'E , .. if fl I . .1 -1 B. 5. li izj' ,QTY if.. f . .'U - .' Na 5 N, sr. '34 5.5 -1.1 .-, . 1. .- f : ,.,,. cr- :1 .4 4- A fx .- x Il' 'I' ff. V., if ., 5' 'Q Q: . 3 E V-Il QT? I. Q f i . .lr . ', l U 7. 0 I 0 ' 0 43411 . ,gli ni 21? :ji .. in n v an N..-Q J 'iv Z 3' xr- if jf 1 2 . I Y' in ., .5 , . , iz, 1.- .. , .v. f 1 If .I -P' V. , Y? I H .

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-- in-- i I - ..,-... A 4 S ' Q if n-1 s .'F 1 X A V' .. :Z -T I f 4 QV 'x , O o N, 0 I I I NS il M! Nf xr V we si 9 x Sr ir ' I . . .,, , . I I L Wk , r , ' 'W as 0 0 F O o '- ,- iz : f i 151 1 Q 5 'lf 1 xl sr ' -5115 5- .hu sf V :If-. . ,- J :ass 1 ff, ' :-':.':'- - N' :fxa f' ' ' 5 o'G'.4l All ,,,,,. Sim-Q ,,- , 1 --' - 1 vw.. 1 K, ffl- - i:i'S 'sf' ov-If I-1 v IS...-Sf -5- --, 5:2314 k W. 'asa if V .-,-.-J, gg! -'PG' sh '- C --03,1-'J'-V s :-.fm 4-zxzvf' ,' f. , 1' . wg?-. m L, if .ff-I Ii. 1 A ff' Yxfff 5 ' PI 5, i ,J ,. N ., l'1f'k: x '51 , '4 1 ,j f M ,f ' - .rf 1' 4 e2-'ikrizt I ffiff-ref -, -. , gal: .ff , ,c-Qfg.. - -, -f,. 15-W ng - it yi - ,. ,, gyvf 5-5 'fa A L . '- ., -,-.11-Vi ,,f . iw -if 1 1 -ff '. Q , .-IV .1 ,: 'W . - II '-DQ' :TTT ' .- my I. - vu 4fe,f: re. s:-4 , vm 42,1 -1,2--,.E'1 1, if 'Q D -'MP -i .I 1, 17,2 September and October of 1947 found the FITCH operating along the Atlantic coast, training prospective Mine Force Officers and engaging in maneuvers with submarines of the Atlantic Fleet. It was while the ship was in the Naval Shipyard at Charleston that a skeleton crew was assigned, Commander T. A. GREGG assumed command, and certain structural changes made and new equipment added to inl- crease the vessells fighting efficiency. In Ianuary, 1949, having been molded into a well-coordinated team on a freshly painted ship, the FITCH set sail for the Mediterranean Sea to take part in fleet exercises, After visiting such ports as Gibraltar, Golfe fuan, Malta, and Naples, the FITCH sailed for home in April. In Iuly, Commander R. H. BUCK- LEY took command and, in September, the FITCH left Norfolk for fleet exercises in the rough North Atlantic. On the 15 of fuly, 1950, the FITCH once again saw a change of command with Commander G. A. WOLF relieving Commander BUCKLEY. Shortly after, while plane guarding ojf facksonville, Florida, the Fabulous FITCH once again made news by rescuing a pilot off the escort carrier USS CABOT, who had crashed during flight operations On March 20th, 1951, with an intensive period of refresher training behind her, the FITCH left Charleston and headed east across the Atlantic for fleet exer- cises in the Mediterranean Sea. During this cruise, the longest made by the FITCH in peacetime, she visited such ports as Phillippeville, Monaco, Naples, Taranto, Palermo, Athens, Genoa, Trieste, Cannes, Le Spezia, and Gibraltar, On the 18th of August, while in Taranto, Italy, Commander WOLF was relieved by Lieutenant Commander B. H. BRITTIN, former member of the United States Naval Mission to Turkey. After returning from this cruise, the FITCH underwent an upkeep period 1 'I I f Il L.. A 'E fy- ' 1 -sw, .L -I 1- 1 5 if ? .Jh- 5 ,' -1 W E' ZF .f i I -1 .n 1- .L-. -:rr '4- s if fl. at 1, 5 . xi I' R 95 :Si .1. -1 I in Charleston. Following this yard period came several simulated wartime exer- cises with units of the Atlantic Fleet, the second of which took her to the Panama If,- Canal Zone and gave all hands an excellent chance to develop deep tans. Back from the Canal Zone in March of 1952, the FITCH spent several weeks in Charles- ton undergoing minor repairs and left for the U. S. Naval Mine Countermeasures -- Station, Panama City, Florida, where she took part in testing of experimental F torpedo evading devices being developed by the Navy. Back from Panama City in Iune, the crew and officers of the FITCH got a small taste of shore duty as the ship went into the Charleston Naval Shipyard for a major overhaul period. In September, her sea trials behind her, the FITCH set sail for Refresher Training at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. During this cruise, on November 24, Lieutenant Commander William E. UNDERWOOD reported aboard, 'I I fresh from the U. S. Naval Ordnance Unit, Key West, Florida and, on 8 December the FITCH, now in Charelston for the holidays, saw another change of command ceremony as Commander BRITTIN was formally relieved by Lieutenant Com- mander UNDERWOOD. ,f . kascubauuz W wi V 1 , I pl. Xu I A 'ff--',, , , - I f 1 'yi' V Wu' Pe'-L.-Ziisif ' ' L- ,. ,- ',' ,' I I V' 'f-hf-':,-f'- QA' If: ttf- -W -' ff Y A ff I2 1' 5 .-:E 5,5 WX .1 LF .lk