LST (471) - Naval Cruise Book

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FLASH RED On the fourth of September the four seven one was sailing with a task group from Milne Bay to Buna, New Guinea when enemy planes were sighted. Immediately all hands manned their battle stations and the decks were cleared for ac- tion. Two groups of planes approached the convoy, one composed of bombers and the other of torpedo planes. Both were immediately identified as uhogiesn and the order to fire was given. Coming in at masthead height under a constant barrage of fire from the automatic weapons, two torpedo planes attacked the ship. One torpedo passed clear while the other en- tered the hull on the port quarter well under the counter carrying away the port rudder and screw and jamming the starboard rudder over to hard right. Both planes were shot down and the crew gained some satisfaction in seeing them explode in flames as everyone survey- ed the damage done to the ship. The impact of the torpedo caused the main deck and many other parts of the structure to buckle in numerous places. Water began leaking into the main engine room spaces through the shaft stufling tubes, but members of the black gang brought the leaks under control by packing the holes with their shirts or anything else that was available and could be used as stuffing, so that the ship would not be rendered complete- ly helpless. A list to port developed immediately, but was soo-n corrected by counterllooding of ballast tanks up forward. After the ship had been taken into tow by the LST 458, a count of casualties showed that five men and one officer had lost their lives in the accident along with fifty Australian soldiers. Of the crew, five more were injured and one was missing. At Morobe Harbor, New Guinea, the USS Otus effected temporary repairs so that the ship would be seaworthy for a trip to Australia. From there it was towed to Brisbane via Milne Bay where the ship was stripped of unneeded essentials so urgently needed at that time for other ships. Again in tow, the 471 left Brisbane for the Navy Maintenance Repair Yard

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1 2 go, how much cargo their ship would carry before they saw the United States again. For the majority it was two years before they returned, for a small number it would be never. After joining the ranks of King Neptune and the Realm of the Golden Dragon, the men finally had the long awaited opportunity to place their feet on solid ground once more as the ship came into New Zealand. In the course of the many weeks voyage from the states on a rolling, pitching, waddling oversized barge, which was the nearest thing to a home available to the crew, it soon began to assume aspects of a comfortable vessel as all hands began to con- struct things out of scraps that would make their life easier. Although many became deathly seasick the first few days, this fear was soon overcome and they became seasoned salts in a short while. Under the light of the Southern Cross the ship proceeded to the land of the Walaby and Koala bear where it was to eventually spend many a month. At Brisbane, Australia, the LCT carried on the maindeck was unloaded by heavy cranes and the ship proceeded to Towns- ville for its first cargo load to be carried near the forward area. Several months were spent in carrying cargo from one recently recovered base to an- other, then on the eleventh of August, l943, the ship had its first real air raid alert while in the vicinity of Woodlark Island, New Guinea. Although several bombs were dropped by the formation of Japanese planes which flew over the convoy, no damage was done, partially be- cause the solid screen of lead thrown up by the LSTS anti-aircraft guns served to bewilder the enemy. George L. Cory, Lieut., KDJUSNR, succeeded Lt. Otto as the second commanding offi- cer of the vessel on 20 August, 1943. Up to that time a few other LSTS had been sunk as a result of enemy action, but the crew had seen no such results.

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at Sydney where it spent exactly ten months in what men still claim is the best liberty port in the world. Everything they desired was to be found in complete abundance. During the time the ship was being repaired, some of the crew members were sent back to the States to form skeleton crews for new ships not yet in commission. Other men spent the days going to more training schools and the nights ashore on liberty. Several of the crew found the one and only girl for them and have since been married. While still in drydock, John Kisterbock Haman, Lieut., QDJUSNR, took over the command of the vessel. Leaving Sydney with many regrets, the men spent several months enjoying the scenic beauty of the New Guinea Army bases, usually returning to Hollandia at the end of what they termed 'gmilk runs . AWAY AGAIN ' The date eventually arrived for the ship to load for its first operational trip in more than a year. After retracting from the beach at Hollandia with a full combat load of men, vehicles, ammunition, gasoline, and provisions, it joined the other LSTS of Task Force 78 and headed for the shores of Leyte in the Philippines, some l300 miles away. MacArthur had returned with the aid of the amphibious forces to regain the land that was once his. Cautiously avoiding the mines strewn in Surigao Strait, the ships entered Leyte Gulf to witness the bombarding of the beaches by planes and ships. Although D-Day had been two days previous, many areas of the beach had not as yet been consolidated, the reen- forcements aboard the LSTs in this convoy being needed. Unloading was carried out as rap- idly as possible so that -the ships could retract and leave for Hollandia to re-supply the front. As the ship left the Gulf, the men little realized that the heavy units of the fleet steam- ing by at flank speed were going to intercept the Japanese task force in the forthcoming Battle of .Surigao Strait. Although the convoy was attacked several times by enemy planes, no dam-