Peleliu (LHA 5) - Naval Cruise Book

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HONG KONG WOG DAY ' --,cxf T' , P' , 'mf - kg' , -if ,QB SPORTS 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS ,,., .. . TABLE OF ON THE ROAD AGAIN GULFPAC 1991 FEATURES Battle of Peleliu 4 Ship's Mission 6 USS PELELIU 8 The Storm 10 DAPA 25 Ombudsman 26 Wives Support Group 27 Ships of the ARG 56 Big League 58 Peleliu Funnies 59, 142, 161, 241 Word Game 41 Religious Services 42 Organizational Chart 44 Embarked Landing Craft 46 Editor 50 Asst. Editor 51 Departure 52 lwo Jima 56 Jeopardy 62 Fiery Vigil 96 Poem 105 DEPARTMENT CALL Commanding Officer 16 Executive Officer 20 Command Master Chief 25 Chaplain 24 Commodore 28 Chief Staff Officer 50 Phibron 5 Staff 52 TACRON 12 40 Operations 55 Navigation 82 Deck 86 Medical 114 Dental 119 SUDDI5' 120 Executive 155 Air O 144 Steel Beach Picnic Craftline Messages Embarked Aircraft Unrepfvertrep Stars of the Storm Navy EOD New Fathers Statistics Sports The Persian Gulf Photo Contest Memorial Assortment Advancements Wog Day PACE Tiger Cruise Bravo Zulu Late Arrivals Index Combat Systems Safety Communications AIMD Engineering CCO MarComDet 109 112 115 140 156 158 160 162 164 171 214 220 250 251 254 274 520 525 550 556 544 178 195 194 202 242 268 275

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THE BATTLE GF PELELIU Peleliu is a small lush green jungle, about seven square miles in area enclosed by a coral reef, just like hundreds of other islands sprinkled across the blue Pacific leading to Japan. This island and others like it are relatively unimportant today. However, rn the Fall of 1944, 1,252 gallant young Marines gave their lives to wrest Pelelru out of the hands of the Japanese. Thus completing one more step in America's march across the Pacific. It is entirely fitting that USS PELELIU bear the name of this volcanic coral island honoring the brave men that fought and died there. The plan for assaulting and capturing the island base was simple and direct. First, soften the island defenses with naval gunfire and aerial bombardment. Then before the enemy can recover send in the Marines to storm the beaches and dig in. The next task rs the hardest, inch by bloody inch, dislodge an enemy that is battle-hardened, well entrenched, and cannot retreat because there is no place to retreat. Major General Roy S. Geiger, USMC, was no stranger to this type of warfare and lead the First Marine Division and the 81st Infantry Division with confidence and dread. He knew the Marines would win, he also knew the price of that win. To do the softening up, Rear Admiral Jesse B. Oldendorf commanded five battleships, eight cruisers, and 14 destroyers. The moming of Sept. 15, 1944 was classic in its beauty and serenity. The island the Marines assaulted gave no hint of the death and hardships that lay ahead. The softening up began and soon the island was lost in the haze and smoke of the explosions. Circling overhead, like so many buzzards, were 50 planes from nearby carriers. They dropped tons of explosives on the unresisting island. While the bombard- ment continued the small landing craft in orderly rows swam for the shore through holes opened in the surrounding reef. The bombardment lifted, and for a short time an expectant hush fell over Peleliu. The bow ramps fell in shallow water and the Marines charged. The peace of the beautiful day was shattered once again and it would not stop until November when many lives on both sides were over. Costly experience had taught the attacking Marines that tanks would be essential. Scant minutes after the first wave had landed, tanks ran through shallow water and rumbled ashore. One of the first objectives was the airfield. On Sept. 16 it fell to the Americans. Immedi- ately repairs began to make it operational. Two days later a Navy torpedo bomber made a successful emergency landing, and the next day artillery spotting planes commenced regular operations from the strip. 4 BATTLE OF PELELIU I l 3 Fx 'sg' A '59 ' .:' Y H3 vi rj, if T 9 I 1 i I 5 i 1