Louisville (CA 28) - Naval Cruise Book

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Air attacks were fought off intermit- tently throughout the morning and early afternoon. About 1100 a fast twin-engine lYip plane was sighted low on the water off the starboard bow. The ship swung snarply to port unmasking the starboard batteries which quickly splashed him close aboard. Admiral Oldendorf then decided to enter tne gulf in search of more enemy installa- tions. At 1530 the bombardment group steamed into the gulf preceded by the plucky little minesweepers. A lull in air activity prevailed for several hours. At 1710 the group commenced the bombard- ment of the Lingayen beaches. Twenty minutes later the column of ships reversed course and headed back for the open sea. Just as we completed the change of course a new very heavy air attack developed. lt has since been estimated that one hundred Japanese planes were involved. Before the attack was overcome, seventeen ships had been hit. Among these were the New Mexico, California, Columbia, HMAS Australia, and the Louisville. All ships opened fire simultaneously as the planes came in. The sky, in a matter of seconds, became a billowing cloud of smoke, flying steel, and flaming planes. Three kamikazes closed in on our star- board bow in an attempt to break through our fire. However, with the assistance of the Portland, steaming dead ahead, we managed to knock two of them down. The third, flying low over the water, con- tinued to drive upon us. He was as deter- mined as an eight-inch salvo about to hit its mark. Gun crews shrieked curses as the plane came onward through their steady rain of bullets. A 20-mm. machine gun got him fifty yards from the ship. The battle had been so desperate for this plane that few had noticed a f'Val coming in at an intense speed off the starboard quarter. Guns swung to fire on him, but to no avail. In a matter of sec- onds the plane crashed into the signal bridge, piling its motor and fuselage into number one sack. 0ne of its bombs ex- ploded above an ill-fated 4-0-mm. gun, killing the crew which had fired on the plane, the other bomb exploded at the height of the open bridge just outside the Captain's sea cabin, hurling death-dealing shrapnel throughout the area. As fire leaped over the signal and open bridge, dazed men still on their feet in- stinctively manned fire-fighting equipment. Admiral Chandler, though critically burned, helped hold one of the hoses to fight the searing blaze. 'He was finally taken below by an officer of his staff. The bridge was knocked out at the time of the crash, forcing ia switch of control to Batt. Two. There the assistant naviga- tor cooly and skillfully conned the ship. He was aided by the Gunnery and Radar A Philippino boy receiving blood plasma. 167

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VV ,1 4 1 1111, 1 11 , 41, 11, 1111 1 H7 11 1 ,3-1 ,. ,1,I 111 I 1-1 11 ,,1 111 11 ,1 1 11' 113 11x 1 1 1 1 1 1, 1,1 1i.111 1,3 .N 1'1I 1 '11 ,,11 1 1 111 11 11 1 ,V 1 1 1 ,11 1'1 ,J , 1 1, 111 1 111 1, 1 XI1, 1 1 11 M 1 , ,W1 1 11, 1 ,li 1i ,1 11 1 1 ,M 1 1 ,11 11 .11 1 1 3 11 166 A 11 11 Wa1'd rooms, mess halls and passage ways became wards for the many wounded. The less seriously injured had to wait for treatment. ized to continue the fight., Our Captain, though severely burned, remained on the bridge directing the damage control par- ties and the rescue of two men trapped in the turret. Though every moment seemed an hour, the fire was actually extinguished in ten minutes. Our casualties were low, consisting of one man killed and many burned. How- ever, We had seen enough to make each of us shudder with unabashed fear at this terrifying Weapon confronting us. Vice Admiral Oldendorf sent a cheering aggressive message over the TBS saying that he knew we would stay up with the formation, but if We should temporarily drop behind he would keep the formation intact around us. We were a HDO or Dieu crew, we kept our place in formation. The next morning, as the sun rose bathing the sea and sky with brilliant hues, our guns in turrets one and three opened on schedule. Soon all the targets on the nearby beach Were destroyed.

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'C 'F if 1 O 1 5i l rx, fi '5 W i V w 13' i , i , , xi . 1, Rf, ' ii Y , 5 i His plane hit by our fire, a J ap Tony pilot strives vainly to direct his Hight V in a suicide run against the Lou. Bursting in flames he plunges into the sea. 163 H: Ho