Louisville (CA 28) - Naval Cruise Book

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tion for LCI's and other small ships lpatroling close inshore to intercept suicide boats. 0ur position was off the southern part of the island, a highly undesirable area from the standpoint of air attack. At 1830 we relieved the New York, taking position about three miles off the coast. The Mississippi was two miles astern. The Rocks, our escorting de- stroyer, was about 2,000 yards in the lead. Weather was not favorable for illu- mination work, the sky being overcast. It was hot and the air hung heavily over the ship, indicating an approaching storm. Men moved topside from the stulfiness below decks, to write letters and get a breath of the early evening air. Two radio- men just relieved from duty remained in Radio One to exchange stories. Meanwhile, one of the doctors having completed sick call, joined an officer friend for an eve- ning stroll around the decks. Time was progressing slowly. The doc- tor and his friend passed number one A low-flying Jap suicider coming in at dusk. 182

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I84 on the battleship, sending up a mass of flame and smoke. At that instant our eyes were torn from the tragedy of the Mississippi by shouts of, Coming in port sideln Low over the water, a second plane was racing directly at us out of the land mass. Skipping over two of our LCl's three thousand yards away, he continued to direct his attack on us. Men off duty topside dashed for cover. A messenger about to descend the ladder from the navigation bridge was seized by an oflicer and dragged behind a splinter shield. The unsuspecting Radiomen con- tinued shooting the breeze with the c'Tech,' in Radio Three. A few 20-mm. guns which could fire safely opened up and set the plane ablaze. But its aim was not diverted. On it came, straight for the bridge superstructure. Then it hit. The kamikaze struck our plane perched on the port catapult with cyclonic power, driving across the ship into number one stack, most of which it carried away, as it ricochetted to starboard, and fell into the sea in a geyser of smoke, burning wreckage and spray. A 200-pound shrap- nel bomb, .carried by the enemy plane, exploded near the stack, riddled all bulk- heads in the area, and by concussion blew out the boiler casings in number one fire room. All that was left of our plane was the engine and propeller, which had been A Corsair 'unleashes his death-dealing rockets at a spot inaccessible to naval gunfire