Heywood Edwards (DD 663) - Naval Cruise Book

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Firing llli ioll ill akaf;a.-Likii Wan i ri ' I inin- liai u. JLl E. . .1. . .Fired in coinpam with Laiis. I ' oilhuul and West Virginia on ( hinen Saki. 2-3. . .In (din- pan with Vinceiines. Barton and Rooks hondiaid- inp ( ' hiiien Peninsuhi. r . . . Two hofiies reported in area (lose to Okinawa; siiirided into Lonisviiic and Mississippi who were !! miles south of this shi|). ()•! 1 . . . Harrassed enemy lines in comijany with spotting plane. Destroyed caves in southern porticni of Chiiien Peninsula. 12... Call fire on Naha. Ki . . . Pro ided aerial cover for task fjroup south ol Senaga Shima. 14... First quiet night in over a month was spent at Hagushi anchorage. 1.5. . .Per- formed flycatcher duly with Twiggs and Callng- lian. 16. . .Flycatcher dut east of southern part of island. 17. . .Fired on 200 Jap troops which an LCI could observe nioving on the beach. 19...l ' sual night illumination with harrassing fire on troo|)s ashore. 23. . .Accompanied Guest for night mission, illuminating. 24. . .LCI 549 rammed this vessel at how denting hullnose but no serious damage sus- tained. 26. . .Steaming in company with Compston. Gainanl. 3 LSTs, and accompanying mineswee|)- ers to Kume Shima for boml ardment of Zental town. 27.. .In conipan with FuUani and Cla.xton to relieve Aiishiinic on radar picket guarding planes from Saki Shima. JULY. . .2. . .Cunningham relieved this ship on radar picket. 24 . . . Left in company with Leary and Au- lick to assume duties on radar picket. Two planes of our combat patrol crashed nearby and Leary proceeded to rescue survivors. 27. .. .Relieved b Laiis. Dyson, and Callaghan on radar picket. 2o. . . Proceeded with Cal il lo and Leary to Le te Island. Callaghan sunk during evening raid on picket sta- tion we left. 31 . . .Entered Surigao Strait and San Pedro anchorage in Levte Gulf. AUGUST. . . 1 . . .Crew had liberty at Osmena Center on Samar Island for first time since departure from Ulithi on March 21. Ship has spent 128 da s on the fciiwaid area in dircil imilac 1 vvilli llic cniiin c - iT day. 2. . . Kn ionic Saipaii u ilh Lrai . I 0-1 1 . . . In inner pra liaili(M in-lalling iiru gnu |iaiirl . 1.1, , I ' lc-idcnl Tiinnaii lirciadca-l llial the Japan- ese liad agreed In siiirendei under the I ' olsdain Dec- laration. 16. . .Proceeded with I ' resiilriil l ' „lh from Guam to Eniwetok Island in the Marshalls. 19. . . Arrived Eniwetok. Shiji is to proceed to .Adak in the Aleutians to join the 9th Fleet. 20... Orders cancelled. Instead this ship escorts the Chnndeleur ihe 29th. 29. . .Underway with Cliandeleiir to the Omiiiato Naval Base on the island of Honslui in Japan. Occupation wilh the 9th Fleet o|)eiatiiig in the iicrthern portion of the Japanese home islaiid . SEPTEMBER. . .2. . Heard broadcast of the official cajjitulation of Japan in Tokyo Bay aboard the U. S. S. Missouri. This ship still enroute Oniinalo Naval Base for occupation of area. 7-11.. .Paln l- ling eastern entrance to Tsugaru Strait belueeii Japanese home islands of Hokkaido and Honshu. 12. . Entered the straits at noon wilh Leary. Ben- limn and Wainurighl. Anchored in Ominato Ko. 19. .. Underway with Japanese convov escorting them to Tokyo. 22. . .Arrived Tokyo, disposed of convoy. 23. .. Departed Tokyo escorting Tippe- canoe back to Ominato aval Base. 26. . . Arrived Ominato Ba . 29. . First official flag raising cere- monies in northern Honshu made bv Rear Admiral Denebrink. OCTOBER. . . 1-7. . Patrolling Tsugaru Straits, i!. . . Relieved as entrance patrol. Proceeded to anchorage at Ominato. 11. . .Typhoon that ravaged Okinawa hit northern-most portion of Japan. 13. . .Departed for Hachinohe. Japan, to dispose of Jap ammo. 14. . Arrived Hachinohe. 19. . Relieved bv A. IT. Grant. Proceeded to Ominato. 22 . . . Departed from Ominato for Pearl Harbor. T. H. 31 .. .Arrived Pearl Harbor. NOVEMBER. . .3. . . Deparii Seattle, asliiiigton. 10. . inalon. I Pearl llail».i iindUU Ani c l Sealllc. W ash CAPTAIN H. F. STOUT COIWIDESICOm Stt COMMODORE H. N. SMOOT -JSe

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Tlio battle off Sarisiao Straits In the epic- battle iif Suiijiao Straits in llu- I ' hilip- pines the destio Pis had their da . And. lhe made the most of it. The ( .S5 lleynood L. Ednnnls was pail of tlic Lnited States Naval task force which sailed Soulii in the Leyte Gulf on the night of October 24. 1944. to oppose entry of a powerful Japanese striking force. In compam uilli other destroyers, several cruisers and so-called old battleships, the Heyuaod L. Edwards took her station in the battle disposition and began tlic long night ' s vigil. Officers and men were familiar with the relative strength and proximity of the Japanese — and nianv envisioned a master squeeze pla b the cneiin. Nevertheless, it secm d there ucie feu men alidard the llcynood L. Edininis llial niglil who ac luallv Ix ■ licved llic Japanese would sail blithelv into an al- in(]sl (liivious trap— one presenting surb perfect tactical silualidMs for ibe Americans. Few men could believe that, despite claims of the Idkv ' o Hadio. the Japanese mmmand ( imld be so misinformed as to dispatch such a force as they were sending against the American units in Levte Gulf. Even persistent air attacks during preieding davs had failed to diminish to anv appreciable de gree the combat elhcicricv if tbc 1 iiited States forces. . n llie hiliiards lav silent in the inkv iiigbl. watched and waited. If ibcv c am. ' llicv liadn ' l at Sai[ an nr rahui tbc slii|i vmiuIiI picibablv achieve ibal dicam of all deslrovers a Idvpcdd run on tbc eni ' niv bailie line. It was with mixed feel- ing, then, ibal she wailed. Her men had bcallhv r( spec I for Japanese guns - and preliminarv repcirls from I ' T boats indicated that al least Inn and pc) - siblv ibrcc balllcsbip- were in ibc cnemv dispcisilicm. Just before midiiigbl icii ibc 2 lib. ihc task foice connnander ordered all ships { tbc battle fciice to man ibeir balllc slations. Tbc Jajis were slill i cming