Louisville (CA 28) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 135 text:

Dff1U01i5hCd Shipping facilitiffsw Saipan Harbor. Japanese airfield on Saipan neutralized by shelling. GRASSHOPPER. This small Marine Corps plane wings its way over the Saipan locating enemy positions for Marine artillery. Fires on Suicide Cliff where laps leaped to their deaths. Oil streaming astern, Jan tanker flounders before our might

Page 134 text:

IPAN NEUTRALIZED , FUEL OIL EXPLODES AON IAP SHIP AS DIRECT HIT IS SCORED H AERIAL VIEWS OF OILFIRE WHICH BURNED FOR THREE DAYS I ll4

Page 136 text:

troops ashore. His superior, Admiral Spruance, commanding the Fifth Fleet, was also present to witness the beginning of the all-important blow to the Jap mid- section. The bombardment group formed an arc off the western and southern shores, with the Louisville taking a position on the northern perimeter of the fire support When the invasion was still young, Word came that the .l ap Fleet was steaming in to attempt rescue of their beleaguered forces. All major units with the exception of the Louisville were sent out to meet them. We kept up a continuous bombard- ment of the island for the next eleven days and nights,with time out only for fueling and taking on ammunition. A: 3 5 3 ll6 A TINIAN AIRSTRIP IS RAZED BY FIERCE BOMBARDMENT ships. She gave heavy support to the northern flank of the hotly contested beachheadias the streams of landing barges flowed to the shores. Though the main force landed south and west the entire operation was visible from our decks. Aboard, fatigue kept pace with appre- hension, but laggers were few. Ashore, the Marines and Army found the fanatical Jap rising to new heights in his determination to hold the strategic island stronghold. Meanwhile the enemy was making an .