Louisville (CA 28) - Naval Cruise Book

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:lv- X X 'K X it x r, . t ji s L if X FNQ1- Y X35 gxlx u w' L X X we 'A X Hifi? N 21- X 3' , if x X. x NXXX -,P X X X A -x 'I' ii.i'?MtfN' BX j R f5 F15 'Av' -'95, .XX xx x .I tl : x ,r J . M fp f--s' :. ' W s 'V f 'T eu N LI' xii 9' N - Q X X fs Ax NX VIEW SSN -rf 'WE WX? 0a9 -Q Again the Lou has to take it on the chin, and take it she does. That same devilish one-act play had given a repeat performance. This time with even greater success for the producer. 163

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Three Jap planes 'coming in, Our guns knock two down. 162 The third is coming in at us very fast, low over the water. Three ships open up with all the fire power they command. But everything wasn't quite enough for this son of Heaven.

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job was one which had become familiar to us in many operations during the past year 'and a half. From previous experi- ence we knew that fire support missions had their difficulties, for it was seldom possible to provide them with adequate air coverage. , In the late afternoon of January 41, steaming again up the Sulu Sea with enemy-held territory on each side, the huge armada knifed its way northward. The rapidly setting sun variegated the western sky, casting in ever diminishing intensity its blinding core. Reports of bogies sent us scurrying to our gun stations. The clanging of the shipjs gen- eral quarters alarm was in direct contrast to the serenity of the sunset. The warning was late, for even as we ran to our guns the escort carrier, Ommaney Bay, erupted with massive black smoke. A fanatical Jap had found his mark. The Navy lostw an important ship as her fires raged, out of control. The Ommaney Bay going up in a terrifying, light-of-day explosion, was a grim fore- warning of dark days ahead. After this attack the enemy planes kept their distance, but, like a tiger stalking her Casualties were hurried to the emergency dressing stations. , ..,..,-x,.-.- prey, they were always with us. During the afternoon we passed Manila. This city was our ultimate goal, but for the present our task was to clear the beaches at Lin- gayen Gulf. Nothing could deter us. Not even an air attack the next afternoon could slow us up. This attack, coming twenty-four hours after the Hrst one, was even more severe. The TBS gave its terse warning, uBogies -low-closing fast? Targets appeared instantaneously and the path of tracers shredded the sky as our batteries barked defiance. The Louisville was under direct attack by two kamikazes. These human-controlled projectiles took position as though for a ski jump. The first plane rushed into an angular dive at the ship. On and on it came through the great barrage of steel. It seemed that nothing could stop it from crashing into us. Then suddenly it made a last-minute swerve from the Louisville to plow into a nearby destroyer. As the second plane plunged at us, all port guns were immediately on it. Tense figures throughout the ship drew a sigh of relief as they saw projectiles drive into the rapidly descending plane, setting it ablaze. However, their relief was soon spent. The plane merely wavered and then plunged on towards the ship. The crescendo of its motor became a roar, reaching its zenith with a terrific explo- sion as she crashed into turret two, rip- ping the gun compartment open and iv, I I r a T1 1 1 4 U 4 J i 2'