Louisville (CA 28) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 214 text:

Out of the dusk on an evening such as this came the suicider that fate had destined for CA 28. In the light of day we survey the wreckage A Immediately C. and R. men set to work caused by our fanatical visitor from the sky. with acetylene torches to cut away debris. 186 Our dead are removed from the hanger The plane on the catapult is found to into a boat to be sent 'ashore for burial. have been swept clear of its pontoon.

Page 213 text:

I A .lap suicider in a daylight raid on the picket line goes to meet his ancestors. V hurled 30 feet into the air and dropped on the starboard side of the signal bridge as neatly as if by the calculating arm of the shipas crane. The doctor in the wardroom, main bat- tle dressing station, was quickly joined by corpsmen to start the tragic work of the night. The first casualties brought in were the two Radiomen and the '6Tech,,, their bodies torn by shrapnel. All died. Then came the crew of gun F orty-two, seriously wounded, some dead. Others followed. The cost of that suicide hit was eight killed, forty-five injured. Fires were quickly gotten under control and the destroyer H. C. Edwards led us through the black night to the anchorage. Next morning crews started removing the remnants of the battered stack. In the afternoon services were held for the dead, who were buried ashore with the heroes of the Army, Navy and Marines. On the following day necessary repairs were completed, and we returned to the firing line. The number of fire support ships had decreased, and although the bat- tle was waning, there remained much to be done. Proceeding to our station in company with another cruiser, our Captain flashed a message to our sister cruiser, How do you like our manicure?', The answer came speedily back, HTO us it looks more like a circumcisionf' On June 12 while bombarding, we were signalled by a Marine contingent on shore. 185

Page 215 text:

:FEC 210a01'kisbdiscol:fered high up on the Here is a riddled bulkhead of Radio III Om CEC v uf t 6 Plane has vanlshed. where all the occupants lost their lives. The rakish angle of the mutilated stack Then in sharp perspective presents a weird pattern against the sky. takes on immense proportions. In a few hours this mass of twisted steel and Sans Stafka the Louisgillel lifould Soon broken leeds was disposed of by the crew be headm, back to ear or repairs. 187