Ludlow (DD 438) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 16 text:

h ti run headmg north we were ertlsdaefl bt A force of fl reach wammpt last Ship ln t C fmg bl one cmlcfgr and four destroyers trned a hand at tgf Casa anca . - ' t. ' sailing up thevtgliilse 'tllem0enen'1y was stxll outstdc our range we pot It It WHS NO'VC111bCl' us S he mg f th 61' ro ecttles from the French crutser trashed though our N0 2 S' agilogingaid eiplodedp nf our wardroom wreclnng havot rn the offucers country an 1 8 below Mlraculously no one was serrouslx mjured but the shell had carried and crew s mess ' ' I 4 V . - J t the red dye covered per l ' here. One humorous note w is t V1 red dve and that was ew ery w sonnel who thought they were goners as dtd rll witnesses fr r H Wllllff Our crutsers' AUGUSTA and BROOK LYNA came to the rescue and the enemv ships. . . h d b th th cl ep werelfllelddlqdsfs Clips: gfhrs itdcvaasron java? ow er for the LUDI OVV She pot quxcls temporary reparrs at anchor off Fedala from the U.S S XUGUS1. A and stood out for New X orlc Navy Yard Enroute she ran 1nto a sex ere storm that caused all hands much anxrety due to her weakened condrtlon After three weeks and complete repairs tn New Stork the I UDI OW set out for the war agam SICILY HREE Atlant1c convoy trrps from New York to North Afrrca followed the shtp s over haul rn New York--one rn February the others rn March and Max of 1943 Next followed a per1od of trammg for the my asrons of the Turopean matnland to come By une the shrp had returned to the Medrterran e'tn and thrown her ltxe w erght 11110 operatton Husky the lnvasron of S1c1ly In the followmq pcrlod of thrrtv Clblll days the LUD LOW was ass1gned a tire support task and together w rth other U S and Allred slnps cow er ed tlce landmgs tn Lrcata and Porto Empodocle sectors At thus pomt xt was the LUD LOW s pleasure to blow a hydro electrrc works sl X hrgh and blast 'tn elrte Nan Hermann Goerrng Panzer Dntsron wrth rts deadly shore bombardment The Icapfrog operation rn the S1c1l1an campalgn took place off Terranova tn late August 1943 Further operatrons rn th1s campargn lncluded the convovmg, of our troo s and su hes through the hours Hymg trme of our operatlons a1r rards became frequent and serrous 11 August 1943 durmg operatron Leap frog the LUDT OVV downed her first enemy plane a German Folke Wolfe 190 At thrs ttme the IUDI OVV was workmg parttcularly wrth the U S S PHILADELPHIA BOISL and srster shrps of Destroy er Dtusxon 25 and destroyers GLPAVES and PLUNKETT now also rn DesDxv 25 SALERNO Y now the destroyers WOOLSEY LUDLOW and BRIQTQI were 3 Svyaghbugkhng trxo wrth rntense prrde and confidence on the part of the crews tn thelr shtp s records and ab1l1t1es Sunday mornrng September 5 1943 the three shtps were at anchor m Mers el Keblr French Algerra wartlng for the blg job to begm The Inglrsh and Canadians had already landed on the toe of the Itahan boot and everyone was expectmg an Amen can Iandrng very soon Thrs was a typrcal Sunday with the usual Sunday mormng meal and the scuttlebutt run mug rampant By 1000 the scuttlebutt was eonhrmed and the crew knew that rn the after EEUU th5YhW0Uld leave the anchorage for the bmg Job Tension was felt tn the atr as we Serve t C SCUYYYIUZ tugs and bug transports making last mmute preparatrons for leavmg EWR hgfhgf sepxond sectron of the engmeers was called to earlv dmner and to lay below b gd 0 5 a 8011153 awav present several bags full of packages from home came a oar wrth candy cookres and gum whrch w as much appreetated by all hands P PA l0EFEId11nigh out lpf the swept channel at battle stutons the word was passed over the Y at t e LUDLOW was headmg for tts thxrd rnvaston the Invasion of . . . v x Y' U l ' 0 l 7 . , . 1 , ' ' . Q' 7 ' . - . ' 1 ' ' n , . 4 r 1 ' 4 - . , an ! 7 Q v 1 ' I ' ' ' . , D i u v y ' Y 1 t, ' ,f V ' ' ' - Y I l W. K K a as .U ' f ' ' ' I 7 . V L ' ' , c a , 1 . - ' l' ' ' Y g , B af s , 1 ' . Af ,., . , 1 s 1 ' . v Y 1 3 Y I . - y , 1 J ' . ' 1 T . . Y , , , Q 7' ' 4 v I 5 I ly F K K . ., Y A v I ' ' C ' 1 ,' . , . u 19 ' ' ' ' ,' , ' ,- fy - .. 9 ' -,l -r f' 7 v ' 7, 7 1 nb 1 Q - 1 ' . . 1 .. ' ' A ' ' ' P Y 'C c X Y . . 1 ' 1 J 4 . .7. . 7. . Y x P u Al , . V 7. Y . . 1 r p., . pp beautrful but sub-mfested Medrterranean waters. Vvltll enemv arr bases wlthrn a few 7 I Q L. ' ' U 79 , ' 7 , Y 4 U 7 - .J .1 , . Y . . . , 4 , ' K V A h p ' r s , . , L , v ' ' . , , W' 4!' ' y . P I I O , - , 7 k . . ' K Y y g ' 4. Z - . ' ' ' ' w u ' 9 , . -41 xl ' u yy ' . - o 7 U . . . . I I L c W K, . Q - , L 7 ' - ' ' ' - u . ' y . ' I . I n ' ' V ' ' ff ' - H , Y .1 ' y - C Y . c . l 1 J ' ' ' 1 I 5 I ' V . I . I A ' Q , L 1 ' , . s . ' a . , . ' , r . , 0

Page 15 text:

The LUDLOW continued her escorting duty making four trips to Londonderry, Ire-A land, abd 0116 UQ FYCHOWH, South Africa. in which the first American troops were landed in Afric . D h' ' ' ' - - ' a uring t is trip survivors were picked up from a sunken British freighter. Upon the return to New York, Captain Bennett was detached and relieved by Lieutenant Commander Liles W. Creighton on September 19, 1942, At early. dawn on November 24, 1942, the LUDLOW got underway from Norfolk, Va., destination unknown. All curiosity was eased the day Lieutenant Commander Liles W. Creighton, U. S. Navy, called the crew together around the loudspeakers to give 'em the dope . Men, he said in his husky southern drawl, We gotta job to do and By God, we're gonna do it. VVe're gonna invade North Africa. It was a long awaited mo- ment for many. The LUDLOW was on her way for her first actual crack at the enemy. The opening of the Second Front was in sight. The sixteen-day trip over was dreary--not due to weather. A blanket of deep wondering had settled over the LUDLOW, the convoy, the whole task force in fact. We will succeed, but will I come back ? ran through the minds of all. Tenseness and even terror were on the faces of the men, from the weather- beaten old-salts down to the twelve boots who had come aboard the evening before departure from the U.S.A. ' More preparatory training and drills were carried out never-the-less. As the force moved along on her southerly course the sun came out, climate warmed and the sea calmed. Much sun-bathing was enjoyed by all during off moments.-all of which helped to release tension of what was ahead . A few days before D-day separate forces, coming from numerous embarkation ports, began to group together for the strike. It was an immense affair-800 ships in all. Almost unbelievable. Only an eye-witness would believe of such unheard of strength and power- a symbol of democracy-the Allies' answer to the Nazis. The time of strike was near. The LUDLOW's job up to now had been escort and anti-submarine work. Now her's was a new and a much more dangerous task-she was to act as guide and fire-support ship for the boat waves. She was to anchor alongside the boat lane, with U.S.S. MURPHY and U.S.S. WILKES, ever ready to lend assistance and gunfire when needed. A job neither too pleasant nor healthy. E A NORTH AFRICA ON the morning of November 7, 1942, the LUDLOW was anchored only 1000 yards off the beach with the task force at Fedala, French Morocco, only a few miles from Casa- blanca. All hammocks and' mattresses were laid over the life lines on the forecastle for some protection to the men on watch there. These men carried Tommy guns and rifies and were on guard against mines and any enemy acts of treachery. The daring of General M. Clark's secret visit to friendly French forces here earlier had paved the way for an easy invasion if the Vichy French could be brought to co-- operate. All men off watch went below to the mess hall to listen to President Roosevelt's famous radio speech to our potential enemies on the beach. The President told the French people that the Americans were off the beach in force and that damage could be avoided if they wished to show no resistance. They were told to shine searchlights straight up in the air at night and fly the American Flag over the French Flag by day as a signal of no resistance. That night the French shined searchlights skyward and all Americans were happy as our loaded invasion barges headed for the beach. The French were tracking us, however, and when our forces were about half way into the beach the French searchlights and guns. were trained on them and many lives were lost by this deceit. The LUDLOW was an ear- ly target. We were underway and shelling the beach at the first sign of Vichy French trea- chery. The fight was on. The next morning found us shelling enemy installations at Chel-gui and Cape Fedala. Only one German bomber tried to attack us. The LUDLOW had a successful day, knocking out all shore 7batter1es in her sector. However, being the fa ....- u c at ,.

Page 17 text:

Salerno, Italy, September 6, 1943. The huge im tsion f 1 all f . h h ,, ,, 1. ' . , . U '2 orcc was a ormed wit t e cans ggrigggggtlil-E:'0xtZ1ril ilglitgpiiglpif pgatlilr newller-ending search for subs, and the cruisers sta- ' any attack. Tuesday, September 7 Gpsipq cet Lon! forthe heavlly laden cargo ships against attack' On Wednescla the Y 4 , an igi altitude bombers flew overhead but d1dn't , D Y C ew rolled up bedding and stowed all loose clothing to 'elim- inate fire hazards. That da ', D-1 th h ever before. Operation Avalanche , the invasio H3-mfg Hlfd AA fire from the beach could be seen and at early dawn the troops moved in. to the igioifnirse sf the dff1Y, file LUD LOW was ordered to lead a group of LST's Successfuu y CO lgtlda l'l0Wfl mine held. Lucky she was again as this perilous task was b 1 5 bmp 16 6 with dispatch and no casualties. The German mobile 88's and pill- tOXNCb Oo t 10 eaci had been well softened up by her main battery fire and were persuaded .cp comparative silence as the escorted LST's went in. At this busy day's end the Army Ommandefum Charge Of the operation, General Lange, sent the following message to the destroyers, Thank God for the fire of the blue bellied Navy ships. Probably couldn't have stuck out blue and yellow beaches. Brave fellows these. Tell them so. Evenlng of -D-2 saw the Nazis stage a savage coordinated air and E-boat attack on our forces, .in which the U.S.S. ROWAN was blown up and lost with serious loss of life. Incessant air attacks by the enemy on the ships in the harbor made a frightening experience Y , Oug ts turned towards home and loved ones more than n of Salerno, commenced September 8. All night, 'long to be remembered. p After Salerno, the LUDLOW returned to convoy duty, leading the first convoy into razed, ruined Naples. Until the end of the year, the LUDLOW could have been spotted leading 14 knot convoys between the Bay of Naples and Oran, Algeria, via the Tunisian VVar Channel. The latter was a wide lane close to the Tunisian coast utilized for safety against submarines and mines. Up until early january, little or no training took place for the coming move, Anzio, or Operation, Shingle . All hands knew something was up when the LUDLOW was taken off the convoy runs and commenced the familiar evolution of lambasting the beach with well aimed projectiles. Feverish preparation followed. The course of events was following a familiar pattern. ' AN ZIO N January 17th the LUDLGW proceeded up the coast to Anzio with a group of landing 1' craft and support vessels for the Anzio Invasion. The trip to Anzio was uneventful and even on the first morning of the invasion, January 21, 1944, when the American Rangers and the British Commandos hit the beach, every one was pleasantly surprised by the ap- parent lack of resistance. The crew was secured from General Quarters that noon for chow Due to mine infested waters, the largest ships here were destroyers. A group of 10 British landing craft came alongside for water and food and gave us some postcards that had been taken from invaded homesthat morning. It was unbelievable that this could happen six hours after our first waves of invaders hit the enemy beach. We soon were relieved and writing captured postal cards home. The Germans just let everything go crazy those first few hours. ' Later that first day, however, the fireworks really started and did not let up for the next 14 days. Many times, amid the constant German air dive-bombing attacks, the ship was' fcalled on for fire support by our forces on the beach. The enemy planes, were operating from bases 20 miles away. Air raids were as common as peop e in . q - v U U . ot an slee to speak of for days or chow either. Repair parties delivered sandwiches g y p il t d un crews and lookouts. We were at1General l ' Times S uare-up to 17 in one day. No one :and coffee for the over-worked, ex aus e g 'Quarters from 0400 to 2200 at night. ' V ' Sister ships PLUNKETT and MAYO were hit on the second day and retreated to, 9