Louisville (CA 28) - Naval Cruise Book

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134 .. - ai A '- J - n p -H pk-PJ., . I, ,, 4:n 'l 7 .,l y 4' fi 27' ef f'9x1vllllllli1: A . ' r ' I- 4 I. 4 4- X W' ll I G ' - l' I I r 'f . In 'L ,J E In i . f ' 5' 6 2' f. .' S-1 : o .' I: ,I 'I I Qfi Ez? Ea ai If 2 .fi V is N ii, 'fel 4:1 Q' B ' L i .': 'll 1,1 if 1 'fy ' --f 1., gl U. IN .2 . . I ff, Q? :f 'g , . ,. fr, 'F ly 'fa 15 af 5: '-f - TE rf , w .' '5 ' 1' 2: J - IJ f. tr i ' 5 ing Marines. The troops were making for the shore with everything, they drove con- tinuously onto the beach, with little con- cern for the whistling shells overhead. The smoke and dust of the bombard- ment were so thick I could hardly see the advancement of troops. At last, I made out the second 'wave advancing on the reef. It was a beautiful sight of power in the haze. Abruptly, something went wrong. One of the amtracks exploded in flames. It was diflicult to trace where the firing was coming from because of the dust and smoke. Then another, and still another amtrack burst into flames. Looking to the flank I located the Nips on nearby Un- named Islet. They were apparently using a three-inch gun. Freelance!- Freelance! This is Ace. There's a pillbox on Unnamed Islet re- turning fire. Let's get it. Overf' Ace, from Freelance. We see it. Cangt fire. Too close to our front lines. Out. Moments later an American tank edged in on the pillbox flank to put it out of commission. With that out of the way, I decided to take a look around the ridge, so headed inland and to the north. As I whirled free of the dense smoke of battle, my eye caught a line of enemy tanks approaching our lines for a counter-attack. g'Freelance, this is Ace. Jap tanks moving from the north. Looks like twelve to fifteen. Can you get them? Overf' Ace, from Freelance. Negative. Canit fire in that area. Keep us informed of their movements. Overf, Freelance, from Ace. They are on the airfield moving like hell for our beachf' I knew something had to be done or they would massacre our foot troops. I strafed the column but it didn't begin to stop them. Then, when lid about given up hope, I noticed the laps swerve from their course. They were racing to attack our own tanks. That was our break, and their one mistake. They were light, as opposed to our mediums, and their doom was soon sealed. With that to close off a tough day, I returned to the ship. Next morning as I flew over the front- line beaches I contacted a land radio fire control station. 'gHello, Oboe 75, this is Ace Freelance. Radio check, over. g'Hello, Ace, this is Oboe 75. Hear you five by five. Want to take airfield today. Your first target is power plant just north of the strip. Itis full of snipers. Over. 'cAce to Oboe 75. Roger. Hello, Free- lance. This is Ace. Did you get Oboe 759s last transmission? Over. -er l.--.- -f vs. J

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Freelance to Ace. Roger. Will use high capacity projectiles on target. Report when on station. Outf' As the Loufs gunners blew the power plant into shambles, I picked up what looked like a Jap concentration of troops on the extreme southern end of the island and notified the ship. She started the attack with some well-placed projectiles scattering what was left of the ,laps straight into the iron claws of a converging tank attack. By the end of the day our tanks were lined up facing Bloody Nose Ridge. The whole southern tip of the island was ours The Pelleliu campaign moved along quickly for us. Bloody Nose Ridge was tough, but it was a marine battle and they took care of it in the traditional manner Anguar Island lay just south of Pelleliu about two miles. A small, heavily vege tated island, it was a threat to our forces because of the possibility of flanking fire and because it formed a stage from which counter-reinforcement landings could be launched. Our occupation, soon after Pele liu was well underway, was a military necessity. The Louisville did her share of pre-invasion bombardment, knocking out pillboxes, caving in entrenchments, and contributing to the general confusion of enemy forces. A little float plane had been making nuisance bombing raids on the ships each night. Though he had always missed, it was thought best to put him out of the way before he improved his aim. Figuring the logical place for h1m to be based the Admiral sent us to Arakabesan to check the already bombed hangars and ramps As suspected lt was impossible for him still to operate from there I was sent up to spot After the Lou made a few hits in the right places I decided to fly north for a look at Koror I was an unwelcome VISI- tor So unwelcome in fact that the NIPS started throwing heavy AA at me On returning to the ship we came across Jap reinforcement barges around the north tip of the island off the east coast I notified the Lou and she maneuv- That was the end of a busy two weeks The fire support m1ss1on was finished although fighting was long to continue on Bloody Nose Rldge On September 25 we were ordered away to other duties 135 7 , . 7 ' 7 - 7 . 7 I . , for the taking before I returned to the ship. ered to position, clearing them out. 7 . . , 7 7