Louisville (CA 28) - Naval Cruise Book

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1 I N 0 Q 1 w W W m if !I U It M '4 , :N , M 2? W sql I V M M ix 1, i 'J i In .W ,fl EJ. ill' ,gi M FUELING AT SEA Line-throwing guns are fired as the destroyer comes alongside to port. Messenger lines are pulled across which, in turn, carry over 8 lines. Towing the destroyer steadily, hose lines are spanned, fore and aft. Expert ship handling must be maintained for hours while fueling. Rough weather adds to the difficulties and dan- gers of this maneuver. g eleg T r I

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FUELING IN THE ALEUTIAN WATERS WAS A JOB TO BE DONE ALTHOUGH MEN FREQUENTLY FOUND IT A DANGEROUS TASK Topside, clad in foul-weather gear, treading decks that rolled and pitched in heavy seas, men hazarded grave dangers. In this business, one slip, one false step was one too many. In the seas we encountered, a man overboard was a man lost. Another cruiser operating with us learned this at the cost of two men. The entire operation was a delicate one, and we came through in smart, seamanlike fashion, fueling destroyer after destroyer during our Aleutians cruise. After a week or ten days of this ex- hausting life We would put in to Kodiak, the advance naval base, for a rest and a bit of liberty. Recreation consisted of a few cans of beer per man, a chance to play a few innings of softball or take a walk. Everyone's nerves were on edge, with the result that razzing between men, which ordinarily would have been accepted in good humor, became the occasion for many fights. It was a life no man could relish. Eventually, however, it did pay divi- dends. In August it appeared as if the weather would break and we would get a chance to bombard Jap-held Kiska. The Lady Lou., in company with the remainder of Task Force 8, got underway from Kodiak. No sooner had we stood out than our nemesis, fog, again enveloped us. It was so thick at times that we couldngt see the bow of the ship from the bridge. Our air support was consequently grounded. However, the fog played both ways, and our approach was well concealed from the enemy. A few scouting planes did, at

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last, get to Kiska as we were approaching and radioed that the sun was shining. Suddenly up ahead we heard a burst of firing from a sister ship. Then as if by magic we broke through the fog into clear sunlight. Before us lay the bleak, wind- driven shores of the island. On either side of us the other cruiser divisions were exe- cuting maneuvers which allowed them to open upf, Soon our turn came. We swung into position and at long last our guns spoke, spoke with all our pent-up emotions. Every shot fired served to cleanse us of the bitterness and savagery that had been bottled up for so long. Much to our relief and satisfaction we had apparently surprised the enemy, for his return firing was sporadic and inac- curate. lVfost of his shells hit several thou- sand yards ahead of us. Overhead, a Jap Zero stunted and maneuvered, trying to divert our attention, but he did not stay in the open long enough to offer a target for our AA batteries. Towards the end of the half-hour engagement, a Jap bomber appeared off our port quarter. Our bat- teries opened on him at long range as he scooted for the clouds, dropping his bombs harmlessly off our starboard quarter. We steamed back and forth, wrecking harbor shipping and facilities, shore instal- lations and gun emplacements. Then as we retired into the protective fog bank the .lap radio broke into hysterics, telling the homeland of our raid. This was only one piece of bad news that Tojo had to carry to the Emperor that day. For as we retired that evening, the 7th of August, 1942, we learned that our Marines far to the south had landed on Guadalcanal. Our hearts were much lighter that night as we steamed back to Kodiak. Once again we had scored on the enemy without suffering any appreciable damage ourselves. Soon winter came. The nights grew longer and the days shorter, the seas more ferocious, and the fog remained our curse, enveloping the wind-swept, snow-driven island chain, enforcing peace even against manis wishes. No' longer able to wage effective war, the Lou, was directed south. We were glad to say good-bye to the ice and snow and the williwaws of the Aleutians. Little did we think that soon we would be cursing the sun and heat and eternal sweat of the tropics. All we could think of as we steamed south was sun- bathing, tans and swimming, for it was always summer in the 'gland down underf' A Guadalcanal lt was while we were refueling and provisioning in the States that the news of the North African landings reached us. Thus heartened by our successes in Europe we headed for Pearl Harbor, arriving there on November 17. Following a few days' liberty in Hawaii, we stood out for Australia. ' The cruise was uneventful until 1655, November 30. At that precise moment