Lexington (CV 16) - Naval Cruise Book

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is' ' 5, 4 . I 11:51 QSLEOW BEAGLE EXECUTE TO FOLLOW BREAK TANGO UNCLE IS STORK PLUS 2O. I SAY AGAIN EXECUTE TO FOLLOW TANGO UNCLE PLUS 20. STAND BY. EXECUTE. BOGIE NOW 7000 YARDS STARBOARD QUARTER. SAINT JO OUT. That means they are moving out and this attack has either failed or for some reason has not been pressed. My mind keeps going down to those men in the steering room. When we started on this trip Vic and I discussed various means of keeping a camera dry in case we should have to abandon ship. WVe now carry aerographer's rubber balloons in our pockets for this purpose. It is a simple matter to get a camera into such a balloon when there are four hands. I find myself trying every possible combination of two hands and my teeth, while vaguely listening to the rasping voice tones from the TBS squawk-box . . . the radar reports of bogies closing in and opening up . . . of ship turns right and left . . . I hold the camera between my teeth and make futile attempts to force it into the narrow mouth of the rubber bag. This goes on for some time with a stupid sort of patience but no success. The Captain apparently notices my efforts, is puzzled, asks, What are you trying to do? I am trying to get this damned camera into a rubber bag so it will stay dry when we go over the sidef' He gives a chuckle and the entire staff on the bridge breaks into loud guffaws. The Captain says, You won,t need that, you're not going over, we'll be all right. I answer, And that's OK. by me, Sir. The icy tenseness that has been prevalent on the bridge all evening is broken. The skipper goes to the ship speaker system. This is the Captain speaking. We have taken a torpedo hit in our stern and the rudder seems badly damaged. Each man must do his job calmly and efhciently. Don't worry! That's my job. I got you in here and I,ll get you out. 3

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3 I 11:46 11:47 doing so to let me know their decisionf' These words spoken in a quiet deliberate voice by Felix Stump may not go into the history books, but they carry an essence of America that hits me like an electric shock. Here is the Captain of a great ship giving three of his sailors a chance to decide for themselves Whether they are Willing, or not, to risk their lives for their ship and shipmates. He also gives these boys the finest tribute an oificer can give his men . . . his confidence in their own sense of responsibility. I AM NOT CLEAR ON SITUATION. REQUEST INSTRUCTIONS. OVER. WE ARE STANDING BY HANCOCK. SHE GOT ONE. SHE GOT ONE. DO YOU WANT ME TO STAND BY ALSO. NEGATIVE. I WOULD LIKE YOU TO REMAIN SOMEWHERE IN THE VICINITY IN CASE WE - NEED HELP AT DAYLIGHT TOMORROW. ACKNOWLEDGE. OVER. ROGER OUT. SEVERAL BOGIES STARBOARD BEAM TO STAR BOARD QUARTER CLOSING 4 TO 6 MILES. STORK THIS IS FROLIC THIS IS STORK THIS IS FROLIC THIS IS STORK STORK THIS IS FROLIC Radar plot reports are keeping the Captain informed in detail about the position and movement of the various raids of enemy planes. Several groups that have been circling I5 or zo miles out simultaneously begin runs on the task groups from different directions . . . they either miss the target or fail to find them . . . retire again some I5 or zo miles . . . then begin circling the task force while they re-form for the next attack . . . Indian tactics of the old covered Wagon days. 11:50 BOGIE APPROACHING STARBOARD QUARTER 130 2000 YARDS.

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ll 56 o ' 9 BOGIES NOW CIRCLING PORT QUARTER 10,000 YARDS SAINT JO OUT EXECUTE TO FOLLOW BREAK BEND ON UNCLE PLUS 5 STAND BY EXECUTE CANEBRAKE ACKNOWLEDGE WILCO OUT OUR STEERING ENGINE ROOM WE ARE GOING TO PUT FIVE PUMPS TO TRY TO CLEAN IT IS NO FIRE ON THE SHIP COMES FROM THE SMOKE BOMBS AFT AND WE ARE GOING TO FIGHT OUR WAY OUT OF THIS THING OUT NICE GOING NICE GOING WE'RE WITH YOU STORK OUT THIS IS STORK THIS IS CANEBRAKE STORK THIS IS HANCOCK IS FLOODED SUBMERSIBLE OUT THERE THE SMOKE THIS IS STORK The men 1n the steer1ng engrne room have ach1eved therr m1ss1on, they have the rudder 1n the neutrald pos1t1on amrdship We are makmg zo knots, steermg Wrth our eng1nes It is 27 m1nutes s1nce we were h1t Nzce going Nzce gozng- You bet your hfe 1t,S n1ce go1ng The Captam orders the pumpmg operat1on speeded up and every effort he made to get the men out of that steermg control room Its entrance hatch 1S st1II under two feet of water I-Ie suggests that I stretch out on the cot 1n hrs sea cahm It 18 easy to follow th1s sug gest1on I take advantage of th1s moment to tell hrm what a fine thrng lt was to g1ve the men 1n the steerrng room the chance to make the1r own dec1s1on about rema1n1ng at the1r posts he comes back Wrth Of course 1f they had decrded for com1ng out I would have had no alternatrve but to order them to stay I am drmly consc1ous of more bOg1CS reported N and E and that another attack 1S 1n preparauon 11.58 . 11.5 . . . . . . . I 12114 ' ' ' . . ' ' 132