Heywood Edwards (DD 663) - Naval Cruise Book

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If M »• — ■ III ;» - • ;J Ittl ' THE SCOREBOARD fanaticism claimed more ictims. Since early morn- ing the attacks had heen severe, with suicide planes diving right into the muzzles of the guns. Now a Jill made an imexpected low le el approach, evaded the lire of 1)1)663 and others, and smashed sjjectacu- lari into the ISS California. At the same time other planes made successful dives into the Columhia. Louisville, and other ships of the formation. Con- ditions were ideal . . . low clouds and a dazzling setting sun. A plane dove from nowhere to appear almost on top of the ships . . . DD66.3 splashed him . another . . . and llic 1(1 uvi. ' (JH llic target. ■till) s uuns wen quick Niiilit ua a succession of alerts and laut anlicipa- liiMi ,,r llic liig day ahead. l dauii l)l)()(i.H was mi the u a in to gi e her usual good perlorniance in lici cild roll — Masting the beaches. On D ' Day. Jan. ' ). hf supported the landing and on 22 Jan.. wlun ih ■ Armv had secured the beachhead and nioMil inhind. she set a course foi I iilhi. For ancithi-i iiiajin ac- tion was brewing and ihc iii ulnci able lii|i was needed. In no sense did I)l)(i63 scr c her oHicers and men. Ratiicr lhe served her. In no sense did anv one of them ever dominale her ... so that his name deserved to be written in greater letters. o single man e er sax ed liei . She sa ed them all. Il ua- iKil thai llidsr uIki winked and lougiil in iici were wilhoiil distinction — si t -fi e of them lun c recei ed or been recommended for medals and com- mendations. But alwavs the one who emerged from the smoke of l)attle. head and shoulders above all others, was the ship herself, proud and indomitable. LEYTE: THE SURF IS MARKED BY DIFFERENT WAVES ■- 3i vji:- - -

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MAKE SMOKE Dr-Koii o( ifMilliil in llic -inkiii ' i .if ;i J;i| l)allli - shi|,. At (l;. l.r.-;.k . ' ! O. I.. Ii .- ...lum.i- . f -uu.kr an.l Kiir rri|)| lf(l Jap ilfsliciUT utTC all thai rfrnairii ' d of ihc i)|)|ji)sin ' ; force. The (l» ' lro ci was taken uii- .lei Cue ! I)I)(.6;? and others and qiiieki sunk. K)(» or more survixors refused assistance-, killini; their comrades and themsehes rather tlian lie picked up. To prevent their ettinf; ashori- in the I ' hilippines. l)D()fi.i destroyed their lioats. She was then sent witii others to the aid of a j;roup of escort larriers under attack to the northward. Thi- aition. I.roken off l.cforc |)|)(i(i ' , arrixcd. wa llic I ' .altic of Samar. The rest of the operation DDdd.S spent in her old role as fire support ship, appearing also in a new one as a radar picket. On 2. ) o eml er she departed l.i ' te with 1I I AS W arrainun :a. scri-eninj; the I ' enn- • l ania enronte to ianus in thi- Admiraltii-s. On Christmas l)a . ' ) . at Ko-sel Hoads. the I ' nlaus. (iommander . I,. Shcphr-ril. ( .S.N. ielie ed Com- mandcr Joi- W . Itoulwarc. I .S.N. of c mnmand of 1)1 )( ( ; . l llii lime l)l)(p(). ' ! was appi ii iinatcl one-half ua al..iii; llic UlU.OIIO mile road which hroufiht her al l,,rii; last to Idkio Hay. Considerahle effect of hardship and strain Tnijrht ha e lieen detected in her ollicers and men. In the ship herself there weri ' no s mploms. -ihc was shipshape and unperturhed as Ih ' |i Iic Hcnl into commis-ion. I | (.l ,l IF ' . .1,1,1. . ' . ' - ' Jan. Ia On New ear Dav. I ' M.i. in compam with Task (iroup ' 7.2. I)l)(i( ; sortied from ralau. On. e more she was under , dniiral Oldendorf. Onc ni. re slie was headed for a maj.ir assault her fourth to date. On .Ian. f. ih- for mat i. mi had its first taste ..f llw .lap ' s ta.ti.- of .1. sp.-ialio!i lie kaniika . ' siii.i.le plane. I ' he first was |.eati-n ..IT at the pri. e of tin- carrier Orniaiie Hav. ;;ain .m tin- aft.-rii.ion of ill.- fifth, the formati.in came iindi-r air alta. k. Tin- l.oiiis- ill.- an.l IIMAS Ariinta wen- hit. On ill. ' aflerno.m .if d Jan.. whii - steaming into l.in}:a eii (iiilf lhrou ;li a narrow swi-pt channel.

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i (i JIM ih r,-h. r. .: h ' h. i: ll.i. ' k ill Ihr II, rl a-aln. |)|)( (..; Irll I lillii .,ii III I ' l ' li.. iriiil. ..ii-iiii; uilli Ta-k (;n.ii|) .i2.l ' ill Sai- |iaii. Slic a Mil till- a In lici liflli major assault h n Jinia liHpkiiijj. i- i r|il fm inliim di-lii iciiiii- in |.aiiil. a llr liail ..ii llir ua I.. Iiri rii-l. In llir t iainl sliali ' fiN lwi Jiina wa ikiiIciI Im a li;jlitci Im i- to |jrolt ' ( t till- 15-2 ' Js. On I) Da) iiiiiuis ihrtM- she was close to slion a aln. icath for her |)rartisfil task of iioiiiliardincnl kiioikin out iiiis and closinf; cavt-s w illi nonclialaiil i-lluifni . On D l)a sfu- |)ri ' |)ar ' d tin- wa for tin marine landin ; crafl. llii ' ii iom ' k-i! iIu- assault fnni a position just off llir licai li il-ill. f;i iiij; aliiio-l point hlank attcnlioii to llir i:iiii liriiii: fmiii llii lirarh. Tlif Ja|i firr ua ai. mali-. r rial lliiu-- lii ua lradi!lrd. d ' |)l sal ii rlia iiiii L;a r hrr liiiii lo n ' liiiii till- Inc. Our iiii. Ill a rmiin-lr rinplarr mcnt «as almost on lilt- landirm lirarli iNrlf. Il u MCCfssar) to fire ri-ilit tliroujih the poll- ' A llir fm titication. In a fru niinutrs ihr drfrndri- laii oiil |i hr .ha-rd up and nv,-, ||,r lull |, lur-lnrli .l.rlU. I)a and ni-ilit she lontiiuicd. now harrassin now illuminatin ;. until the 27th of Ft-liruarv whri she was mdrrrd lo Saipaii lo picparr foi in a ioi niimlii-r -i . DDdli.i wa a war inarliini ' . . . and rxprrlrd lit-r rii» III lir llir same. I lir -piiil oMi a M ' ar and a half in thf most for- ward ana- . . . had littlr rt ' sl or riTreation. Of roMi-r. -oini- lui k souls did sff (!ar d I.andis in a I SO -how ilurinf; u rain s(|uall in thi- Solomons. OiM r ihrrr a- a a v nurse on the deck of a hos- pital u at l.evte. And once four Hed (!ross };irls -iiiioMiidrd lis that man hundreil sailors on the Ihmi II al (fiiaiii. nd onic dill inj; a •;ruelin ' j live months of oper- ating: tlicN had a lihcilN mi a sand spit. Triur hours . . . I w o I aii of varm hrrr. I ' riliap- l)l)(,(.:? knrw how -hoil hn lifr was lo lir . . priliap- -lir iiali ril thai nmr ihr war was oM-i. ihric ' d lir nnlhiii fm liri hut ird Irad row. n wa . slu ' must ha e hern determined to fiet in all llir lifihts she could, for she never mis.sed a one. Toil,, -n -|,r wmkril wilh CiscM-paratr lie.-l . ()KI ' l,ii. r — JHjuly ry llri a rrp.iir pii iod at Saipan and lofjistics at I lilhi. I)l)(i(i. ' { put to sea on 21 .March, in company with Task (iroup .tI.2. Her destination was Okinawa llii- ai;Mri iaii rlimax of the ini htx opera of war. w illi llanir- and dr-truclion hevond man s capacitv to ONE GOT THROUGH