Lunga Point (CVE 94) - Naval Cruise Book

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To this the Squadron added its bit by daily un Word had been passed that relief was due if T: l l s f s E 4 Q3 -'-- --ffA' 1 loading tons of bombs and scores of rockets on the enemy strongholds. Where the Marines called for bombs, VC 85 put them. The fighters fanned out to Chichi Jima to the north and spread destruction there. Photographic planes from the Squadron handled all the photographic duties required at the objective. Under extreme weather conditions rocket and bombing attacks were executed with gratifying results. When the island was secured and land-based aircraft undertook the protection of the ground forces, the ships turned toward Ulithi again, with the satisfaction of knowing they had left behind a job well done. Wars are necessarily run on schedule and schedules cannot always take ships and pilots into consideration. So it was that, instead of a lengthy recuperative period following the Iwo Jima operation, the ship loaded day and night for nine days, readying itself for the next move. The Squadron made the most of those nine days, short as they were, and felt ready to go when the order came. There had been no leaks of information prior to this sailing and scuttlebutt ran high as to the next objective. The air crewmen's ready room, spawning bed of scuttlebutt, proved especially fecund and produced at least one good story per day. But the truth was not long hidden. The night of departure from Ulithi all pilots were called to the ready room and there on the bulkheads they saw the map of a long, twisting island- Gkinawa. It was generally agreed later that Okinawa was the hardest operation engaged in by the Squadron. Certainly the Hak was heaviest. At Iwo Jima the planes drew small caliber fire which was not readily seen. But here the strike groups ran afoul of the ugly black puffs that blossomed so menacingly out of thin air. They returned day after day, anti-aircraft fire or not, and carried out attacks in the face of it. The list of destruction at Okinawa makes a formidable box score on paper. It looked even better from the air as the huge columns of smoke arose from blasted ruins. Ten enemy aircraft were bagged by the Squadron planes during the operation, proving that all they had to do was see 'em. In these encounters, not one VC 85 plane was damaged by a Jap aerial gun. Routine anti-submarine patrols and combat air patrols were launched whenever called, and photographic and propaganda planes performed all missions creditably. around 20 April, but that date came and went and the operation continued. At the end of April the ship was ordered to a fueling area to provide air cover for the tankers. This served as a welcome respite for the weary pilots, they flew shortened patrols, not too frequently. At last the long awaited dispatch came ordering the ship to Guam to pick up a new group. It meant that the cruise was over, finished. It meant a great adventure had reached its con- clusion. There is little that need be said about a group of men who, thrown together by chance, have organized themselves and perfected their skills into a smoothly working team. Their record stands and speaks for itself. If you were to ask one of the pilots what factor pushed VC 85 above the average, he would probably say, We were lucky-we drew a good ship.', Yes, she is a good ship. The Squadron hadn't been long aboard when that became evident to all its members. And the Squadron Ofiicers and men are proud to call the officers and men of the Lunga Point f'Shipmatesf' Fast friendships were formed that will continue long after the shooting stops and many of the reserves go back to civilian life. To the officers and men of the ship, the Squadron says, So long, good hunting, and God bless youli'

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t i t t i i t il' l t tl lit 1 i t i l 1 . tif lil Hi it: Qi at ,qi ,yi l 1 l tl? tt, Mitt ti i 1 l l , i 1 ix. 'i W, it i , t ul tiff ...,...-,.. t it tl Aviation mechs tune tip 'HSM on liantgat' deck. vasion of Lingayen Gull. 'l'hey did it, too, handling the many duties with skill and linesse. They bombed and strafedg they earried ar- tillery observers and spottersg they photo- graphed the enemy far hehind his lines, and ran long searches and snlnnarine patrols. Tired, often with their planes torn with lnillet and shell holes, they returned to their earrier after every hop as if drawn hy a magnet and set the planes down on the heaving deck with sttrprisinttly lbw at c idents. .Xlter twelve days the t'at'i'iei's pulled ont and returned to Ulithi lor l't'sl and rt-pleiiisliiiieiit. 'lihe lazy port routine was pleasant. Morn- ings were spent i't'atliiit,g or writing a letter or two. ln the aliternoons there was always plenty ol. Nllll to liitsli ill tml' ii lliisliet-lJ21ll 01' volley-hall ganie on the hangar deck. At night one eonltl see the pic'ttn'e show. Liberty eznne lrecltteiitly enough to lie snllieient. One day a group ol high ranking Naval and lXlarine otlieers eaine alioard and all pilots were called to the wzndrooin. It was the lirieting session lor Iwo Qjiina. 'llhe visiting ollieers niade it clear that lwo -lima was eX- peeted to lie a tough lnll to eraekg no alter- native was lelit except for a frontal attack. 'l'he lN1ai'ines were lianlting' on the escort car- riers lor air support. 'I'hei'e was silence in the wardrooni t'Xt't'tJl for the erisp tones of the lirieling' ollieers as they sketched the plan of attack and outlined the duties ofthe pilots. 'they all l'elt the weight of responsilnility that eonies when nien's lives are at stake. It was not long after that that the anchor was weighed and the Division oli carriers steamed out of Ulithi for the next show. lwoljiina tnrned ont to he tough. but not too tonggli for the Squadron. For the first time they ran into an enemy that shot hack in force. 'I'he island itself was a hell on earth. covered with smoke and eonstantly torn by exploSiO11S- Oni' plane Qllilffl l'!'lIll IlS one oil ont' tilt, I ts alta-i' etiit'tt-entry lnntlint in the tl ink il - 4 Q ' l , t Q 150 l

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35 s t 'ling 4 ' M ' 1, 1 e ' it f si it ,..,' pf 1- ff. K n- .- fs 24 8' '..! N5'f- IL vs A54 STATISTICS 14 May 1944ee14 May 1945 Isunga Point Nautical engine miles steamed .... . . . Statute miles steamed ........ 4 n Gallons fuel oil consumed ...... ......... Gallons Diesel oil consumed QGalley onlyb ...... Gallons Fresh water used CCrew and Laundryj . . . Pounds provisions consumed .... u u - 0 Number items carried in GSK. . . Ship's store sales ............. Clothing and small store sales. . . Rounds of ammunition expended. . . Jap planes shot down .......... Sorties flown ....... ........... .......... SQUADRON Gallons aviation gasoline consumed . . . Pounds of bombs dropped ....... Pounds of rockets fired ......... Rounds of ammunition expended. Number of landings on ship ..... Number of catapult launchings from ship .... Number of Hy-off launchings from Jap planes shotdown ........... Jap destroyers sunk ........ Barges and small craft sunk ...... Barges and small craft damaged. . Buildings destroyed ........... Buildings damaged ....... Military trucks destroyed .... Military trucks damaged ..... ship... . n n . . . . - . . Gun emplacements destroyed. . . Gun ernplacements damaged .... Ammunition dumps destroyed .... Fuel dumps destroyed ......... . Tanks destroyed ............ T .... Supply dumps destroyed. . . . ...... J . . . . . I Bridges destroyed ................. . . Enemy planes destroyed on ground by . I 152 'e.. g rlt, S s .J,. T f J 'A S S T . y ..rt r . Z1-