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Page 125 text:
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The Mdrshalls At the turn of the critical year of 1944 we were completing full scale rehearsals off San Clemente Island in preparation for the Kwajalein Operation. Every detail was ironed out, and perfect co-ordination assured, for this was to be a combined operation of unprecedented size in Pacific warfare. This was the first of the all-out invasion drives with which the Louisville was so intimately associated. The drives which were to take us to Tokyo. Stopping only at Lahaina Roads, Hawaii, for one day's provisioning, the task force steamed for Kwajalein Atoll. Leaving the task force, our group delivered a diver- sionary and neutralizing bombardment of enemy-held Wotje Island during the fore- noon of January 30. This bombardment was successful and without event except that our screening destroyer was struck by a five-inch shell from the beach. As we retired from the island, we took off her critically wounded for treatment in our sick bay. The following day we opened the inten- sive pre-invasion bombardment of Namur Island, northernmost of the Kwajalein Atoll. The heavy fire schedule was main- tained throughout the day with good effect. Our air force denied enemy planes even a view of the action, theirs was a superb performance. The bombardment stepped up next morning as our troops stormed ashore on both Roi and Namur. The marines quickly swarmed over and secured them both. lt is said that their first sweep of these two islands cleaned them of souvenirs, but additional sweeps were required to finish the laps. Later, in the afternoon of D Day, as we were awaiting further targets, an eight- inch shell from another cruiser ricocheted off the island to explode alongside our starboard quarter. Heavy pieces of shrap- nel riddled the chiefis quarters, but the crew of the battle dressing station within miraculously escaped injury. The island was secured February 3, and we dropped the hook in Kwajalein Lagoon to repair our battle damage. Working day and night our teams completed the job in record time. For this accomplishment we were commended by the group commander. On the 17th of that month we descended on the neighboring atoll of Eniwetok. Moving directly into the lagoon we con- ducted heavy bombardment of the northern island, Engebi. Following the pattern they set at Namur, the dauntless marines soon had control, and we moved to the south- ern part of the lagoon. Here we maintained an ironic schedule of alternating movies and bombardments until the islands were a mass of devasta- tion. The subsequent job of the marines was thus rendered inexpensive and easy. The victory at Eniwetok following so swiftly after Kwajalein, demonstrated the growing offensive might of the American forces. Eniwetok had enriched our island possessions greatly, and given us a fine anchorage. lt was once thought the island would require a full-scale amphibious operation, instead, a relatively small out- fit of marines boldly fought to a quick victory. W X v' X A X . xx x N .fafufzs i-ffftfit lx f. gi 5, 'i xv '3 if N X , f ' 107
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Page 124 text:
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106 Our 8-inch guns open the Marshalls attack, followed closely by the 5-inch. On our starboard bow the Californiafs guns blaze away. An erupting ammunition dump sends smoke thousands of feet in the air. ..l1l l
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