LST (491) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 51 text:

NIEDITERRANEAN ADVENTURE position by taking bearings on the burning LST 282, which was now aground on the beach, and the land tangents that we could see through our glasses. As the water was quite deep in the area off the invasion beaches we could not anchor but had to maintain our position by using the engines and the rudder to maneuver. On August 16 we sailed in convoy for Adjaccio, Corsica and from there to the port of Ille Rouse, a small village in Northern Corsica. We made two trips from Ille Rouse, carrying Air Corps personnel and equip- ment. Our next trip was made from Naples, Italy, on August 26, to St. Tropez in Southern France. On Aug- ust 30 we made another trip from Corsica, this time loading at Calvi, and again going to St. Tropez. On September 2 we were back again at Ille Rouse for an- other load. We all will remember the beautiful swim- ming beach at Ille Rouse. All who liked to swim had an opportunity to do so. This time we loaded a unit of the Royal Air Force and sailed, on September 3, for St. Rapheal. On September 4 Commander W. S. Blair our Group Commander fGroup 29, Flotilla Tenj, was relieved and ordered to Naples, Italy, to assume com- mand of Flotilla Ten. We all regretted to see the Com- mander leave us as he was well liked and respected by all aboard. On September 5 we returned to Calvi, Cor- sica. We sailed on September 10 with a load of French Colonial troops. French Officers were in charge of this unit, but all of the soldiers were native Africans. On September 14, we were back in Calvi, Corsica and left the following day for Cagliari, Sardinia. We loaded on 33

Page 50 text:

g . THE OL, DOUBLE TROUBLE L We all waited anxiously for the first word about opera- tions on the beach and, about 0900, we received the following message from the Beach: FROM THE BEACHMASTER GREEN BEACH X ALL BOATS B E A C H E D SUCCESSFULLY X RESISTANCE LIGHT X PRCGRESSING ACCORDING. TO SCHEDULE. This was good news to hear and in an- other hour four of our boats returned, two staying at the beach to assist the beachmaster. We spent the day awaiting orders to beach, we couldn't anchor as the water was very deep in this particular area. About fl 800 we received orders from the beachmaster to beach and unload our cargo. We had just completed the un- loading when one German plane, a MM 209, came roaring out of nowhere, dropped one bomb which un- fortunately hit the LST 282 amidships as she was ap- proaching the beach to off-load her cargo. The bomb struck the main deck just forward of the deck house, and immediately the ship started to burn. The LST 282 was loaded as were all of the LST's with troops and vehicles, but she also had a large quantity of l55MM ammunition. We were ordered to retract and assist if possible. It was difficult for us to retract from the beach as we were stuck. Two bull-dozers were pushing on the bow to help but to no avail. We had already dispatched our landing boats to pick up survivors, who were float- ing in the water. In a matter of a few moments it was unsafe to go near the ship as it was completely engulfed in flames. By the time we were able to retract from the beach it was dark and thus quite diflicult to navigate. We remained in the area overnight maintaining our 32

Page 52 text:

THE OL, DOUBLE TROUBLE . the 16th day of September and sailed late that evening, Ensign Danny Buterbaugh left the ship at this port so that he might board a plane for Naples. He was going on official business to pick up some much needed radio and radar spare parts for the ship. He intended tO fly via ATC Service and return to Cagliari and catch the ship on the next trip. We did not realize it at the time, but this was the last time we were to see Danny Buter- baugh. When we returned to Cagliari he did not re- port aboard. On September 29, when We arrived in Naples, Italy, we received the shocking news that the plane on which he was a passenger had crashed on its return trip to Cagliari. There were no survivors re- ported and the plane had not been recovered. On September 18 we arrived in Bastia in North- eastern Corsica. We carried a bomber group of the United States AAF from Cagliari. Un the 20th of Sep- tember we were back in Cagliari, Sardinia to load an- other group for Bastia. On completion of this run We were ordered to Palermo, Sicily for dry-docking, arriv- ing in that port on September 25. Naval Operating Base, Palermo, was a very well run base and our repairs were completed within a four-day period. Palermo was once a very beautiful and romantic city, the show place of the Mediterranean, and the city where the elite of Europe Went to rest and play. But now its beautiful old buildings were in shambles, and the populace were a miserable and suffering lot. The abundance of splen- dor, wealth, fun, and happiness of the past was now re- placed with poverty and disease. 34