Louisville (CA 28) - Naval Cruise Book

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bird's-eye view PELELIU i v A CRUISERQS spotting planes are its eyes during bombardments. Though there are many other effective devices that accom- pany this visual aid, it is the spotting plane which searches out the hidden tar- gets, checks the ship's accuracy and halts the bombardment when the target is de- stroyed. Our cruiserps fly boys deserve great credit for all of our shooting. The Lou, left a long, hot, arduous cam- paign behind as she pulled away from Guam, setting a course for liberty, sup- plies, and mail at Eniwetok. Most of the Pacific Fleet rested tranquilly at anchor in the broad enclosure of the atoll, carving into our memories the tremendous potency of our forces. From foreground to the horizon powerful men-of-war crowded the scene, presenting a panorama of invinci- bility and might. After a week of recreation snatched between handling tons of ammunition, stores and povisions, we weighed anchor for the pleasant, lolling beauty of Espiritu Santo. Scuttlebutt swept the ship in antici- pation of the forthcoming operation. It was not until August 28 that official orders revealed the picture of events to come. Rear Admiral Fort, aboard his command ship, the U. S. S. McKinnley, issued training orders for the Palau oper- ation. The Louisville, again serving as Rear Admiral Oldendorf's Hagship, was to be attached to the Peleliu fire support unit. We got underway immediately for Cape Esperance, Guadalcanal, to start the Peleliu bombardment rehearsal. After one day's firing we moved into Purvis Bay, Florida Island, for a final week of battle staging. Then it was September 6, and we were underway for Peleliu. Carrying the flag of the western fire support group, we led the column. The tension of a great approaching moment grasped us as our Louisville once again set her bow for an enemy strong- hold. This one, we knew, was bristling with surface ships, subs, planes, and shore batteries. Expecting a bitter struggle, we prepared ourselves with early morning GQQS, studied topography, listened atten- tively to briefings, sweated over drills until we were ready for whatever they had. The island is small, being only five and three-quarters miles long with a maximum width of approximately two miles. Though generally fiat, it has a ridge running through the central and northern parts. This elevation, composed of coral crags, - .: .'--. -fi-3'lIEf:I-'-'iz'-I ' A - 2 -N , 123

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sheer cliffs, and narrow ravines honey- combed with caves, earned the name of Bloody Nose Ridge. It was also on Peleliu that the Japanese had established their principal air base of the Western Carolines. The base was modern in every phase-communications, service aprons and dispersal areas, hangars and' shops, fuel and storage facilities. Military strength of the Palau Islands was approximately 39,000, of whom 14,000 were construction personnel. Peleliu and nearby Ngesebus were said to have about 10,700 of the total strength. Unlike defenses of many islands pre- viouslyattacked, the Japanese at Peleliu had carefully evaluated the terrain, and employed it effectively for defense of the island. Tank obstacles, pill boxes, block houses, and other field fortifications were the normal types encountered, except that there were more of them, and so located as to give maximum co-ordinated support. Camouflage of these positions was uni- formly good. All this we learned of our objective as we steamed for the enemy islands. Then on Tuesday morning, September 12, the atmosphere changed. The GQ clang that rang through the darkness was not for practice. The Battle of Peleliu was about to begin. The motor of the plane on the catapult shattered the still darkness as it warmed for the initial flight over the enemy terri- tory. The silhouettes of the pilot and radioman could be seen in the fire-flashing exhaust as they climbed aboard. The grind of gears, the throb of strain- ing motors marked the swing of the huge catapult seaward. The green go-ahead sig- 1 Our bird takes to the air, up for morning spotting.