San Jacinto (CVL 30) - Naval Cruise Book

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CHAPTER VI OPERATIONS IN SUPPORT OF THE RECAPTURE OF MINDORO AND LUZON g t HE SAN JACINTO and other units of Task Force' THIRTY-EIGHT sortied from ULITHI on ll December and set course for the vicinity of Eastern LUZON to support the capture of MINDORO 'by pinning down all enemy air operations on- LUZON and intercepting and destroying enemy shipping in the area.- Heavy weather and high seas seriously hampered operations, but SAN JACINTO planes flew fighter sweeps against airfields on Northeastern LUZON on 14 December. No airborne enemy planes were found and only a few were observed on the fields. One fighter destroyed three grounded planes at APARRI and strafed and rocketed dud aircraft and ground installations. Operational losses were heavy, two fighters piloted by Lieu- tenants LENDO and T. P. MCCANN failing' to ,return Qpilots declared missing in actionj, one other making a water landing Qpilot rescued by destroyerj, two more crashing into the barriers Qpersonnel unharmedj. Sweeps were again flown on 15 and 16 December..No air- borne enemy planes were encountered and no aircraft except the wrecks at APARRI observed on the ground. Rockets and ammunition were expended against ground targets. Our tor- pedo planes bombed installations at APARRI on the 16th. destroying buildings and cratering runways. On 17 December the Task Force retired to the fueling area south of Eastern LUZON. The heavy seas and adverse weather forced discontinuation of all fueling and flight operations and a new rendezvous point was designated for the resumption of fueling the following day. Dawn on the 18th found the Task Force and Logistic Units fighting their way through one of the most severe typhoons ever to be encountered and survived by naval units in the Pacific. 'The storm reached its maximum intensity at about 1030 with many ships suffering varying degrees of damage. three destroyers being lost. The SAN JACINTO suffered severe though not crippling damage when the excessive rolling Q42 degreesj and pitching caused a plane on the hangar deek to loosen and snap its heavily reinforced mooring lines. The runaway smashed into other parked aircraft, loosing them in turn, and in short order the hangar deck was a sliding mass of planes, engines, tractors -and other heavy equipment which was smashed from side to side, ripping open and carrying away air intakes and ventilation ducts. Small fires which broke out were quickly extinguished and, by the valiant efforts of repair parties and volunteers, the hangar deck was secured by 1600. The storm gradually abated during the afternoon and repairs were commenced immediately. The ship remained operational and fully able to operate her aircraft, though hangar deck installations were badly smashed and some machinery had suffered salt-water damage. Much of the repair work was accomplished en route by the ship's company as the group commenced retirement toward ULITHI on 19 December. On arrival at ULITHI on 21 December, tender availability was granted and the SAN JACINTO moored alongside the U.S.S. HECTOR from 22 to 27 December to complete repairs. Christmas day was celebrated with religious observances and a mammoth turkey dinner. The repair work on the hangar deck precluded holding the gala smoker planned for the occa- sion, but the wardroom and messing spaces were appropriately decorated and in the morning carol singing was piped over the loudspeaker system. Many Christmas packages from home had arrived well in advance for the most part to contribute greatly toward easing the inevitable heartache of a Christmas away from one's loved ones. On 30 December the SAN JACINTO sortied with other units of Task Force THIRTY-EIGHT for the purpose of once again spearheading an amphibious assault by isolating the prospective invasion point through neutralization attacks on potential enemy staging and reinforcement bases. Mac- AtRTHUR'S troops were to assault the LINGAYEN area of LUZON, in support, we set course for the vicinity of Eastern FORMOSA, and on 3 january 1945, launched strikes against airfields in Central FORMOSA. Our planes encountered no airborne opposition, but ran into accurate though moderate anti-aircraft fire. Two Avengers were lost to flak, but the pilot and crew of one were recovered. The pilot and crew of the other, Ensign C. H. FRISBIE, O. J., GEOFFROY and E. J. PARRISH are missing in action. At least twelve enemy planes on the ground were destroyed and fourteen damaged. Strikes were continued on the 5th in spite of adverse weather, and our planes destroyed four more grounded aircraft, damaged two, and destroyed and damaged numerous ground installa- tions. Again hampered by inclement weather, we directed our attacks on 6 january against Northern LUZON, bombing and strafing installations at APARRI and destroying many enemy small craft at the mouth of the CAGAYAN RIVER. On the 7th, LUZON was again the target. Our planes destroyed two grounded enemy aircraft on BATAN Island and destroyed four of the numerous well-camouflaged and dispersed aircraft at CLARK FIELD, as well as starting numerous fires. On this latter strike, they encountered intense and accurate anti-air- craft fire and one Hellcat returned badly riddled, with the pilot, Ensign D. R. PAUL, wounded slightly by shrapnel. On 9 January QD-day at LINGAYENQ, we returned to the mine-laden waters off FORMOSA and resumed' the attack, our aircraft destroying eleven enemy planes on the' ground and damaging eight others. ' Thatnight, just before midnight, the Task Force dramati- cally threaded BASHI Channel and entered the SOUTH CHINA SEA. We steamed its width and on 12 january launched strikes against CAMRANH BAY and SAIGON, FRENCH INDO-CHINA. Off CAPE ST. JACQUES, our planes obtained torpedo and rocket hits on a destroyer or destroyer-escort, damaged and drove -ashore another and placed two close 500-pound bombs near a moored light cruiser, which was later observed capsized and smoking. They also bombed and fired the Standard Vacuum and Shell Oil plants at SAIGON and scored bomb hits on several cargo ships in- the harbor. They encountered no airborne opposition but flak was. intense and accurate .and one Avenger piloted by Ensign P. LAMBROS was lost near SAIGON. We subsequently learned that he and his crewmen, R. D. FETZER and E. X.

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. ...,. , . '....,- -.,-. .,- :'1',:'zEv','f15-,e-14 21.3-g5..,g.,.. asf.: --'- 4.12111-:: - v e' Le '7:': ,.,, ..2. :.' -..:'f 's-, -1 four hits on a floating drydock just north of CAVITE, sinking it in forty-five feet of water. They also bombed a cargo vessel and caused a large explosion at the CAVITE Naval Base. On the 14th, our planes assumed the group patrol duty and shot down an enemy torpedo plane. We cruised well clear of the area from the 15th through the 18th, but returned to attack MANILA on the 19th. Targets were scarce but our Avenger located a Jap destroyer escort off MORON and set it afire with a 500-pound bomb hit. Other aircraft subsequently attacked it, and the vessel appeared to be either sinking or beached. Our fighters on patrol shot down three enemy twin-engine bombers. On 20 November our Task Group commenced retirement toward ULITHI, making experimental Napalm drops in un- opposed strikes on YAP en route. We arrived at ULITHI on 22 November for a week's replenishment period and the op- portunity to give the crew some rest and much-needed recrea- tion. WVe also had the sad duty to perform of conducting mass Memorial Services for those of our pilots and aircrewmen who had made the supreme sacrihce. The tribute included those missing in action as well as those definitely killed. The services were performed on Thanksgiving Day, 23 November, Chaplain CORDES officiating. The entire crew attended and thecolors were at half-mast. ' On 29 November, the SAN JACINTO sortied, under escort of two destroyers, to proceed to APRA HARBOR, GUAM, to effect the relief of Air Group FIFTY-ONE by Air Group FORTY-FIVE. We dropped anchor in APRA HARBOR on the morning of 30 November, the- first light carrier' to visit that port since the recapture of GUAM. We bade adieu to Air Group FIFTY-ONE, which had been aboard since commissioning, and had established itself as one of the foremost Air Groups of the Fleet. It exactly matched its numerical designation by shooting down fifty-one airborne enemy planes. It sank the ZUIHO, two destroyers, two cargo vessels, and three armed trawlers, plus numerous lesser craft. It destroyed and damaged many aircraft on the ground and heaped destruction on enemy airfields and ground installa- tions. Its pilots and crewmen had won six Navy Crosses, one Silver Star, 28 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 49 Air Medals, 2 Purple Hearts. WVe embarked Air Group FORTY-FIVE fCommanded by Commander G. E. SCHECTER, USNQ, and sortied on the afternoon -of 30 November to effect a rendezvous with other units of the Fast Carrier Task Force in the area north of ULITHI at dawn on 2 December. A week's intensive training for the new air group and ship's company followed. We re- entered ULITHI on 8 December to commence preparations for return to sea. X . . . The Iapanese Light Carrier ZUIHO, exact counterpart of the SAN IACIN TO, sunk by our planes on 25 October 1944. zawa.www,,,xvW N ,.,,,. . . Anxious moments for the SAN IACINTO. ICP Plane Phmging down on-us' , We escape miraculously with one kamikaze hitting water on each side. ,. . , -- .-.-.V-.va .-.-.-, U Y XA V I V WNV, W.- RAM,-is --N - .. . .N-. .a---,-,-V., ...,v-.f.-.Q- A,-,.,,.,- .- -.S .--V -v --L-N ,.,., .,.,.,,, ,,H,,.,,.,.,, - ,,,,,.,,,,nh MN- h A. -X .N--- - nv. . ,-.ta-, .,..a,.,.,,-,..,.,--..-w.-t5...,-,ANL.-c-,.- ,-.--..-ffm, 3, . .-.,.-..,.,.-.-.-f--f-a-.-,...N..,.,. N,.,.,,.,..-..f...-.,..x-P..- f-.-X-, aa h.-, ,.,.,,,, ,, , N, 7 ' -'N --fx-ye -N-Av.-.. .. .....--....,w-.Ave-.-f-,.... . wx- --X-,Q --- V .....-.ffl-v-..-.-.-. M-wa-,-v-M.-,fy:.l.:1.:31,.:1LI,7':,.,.7,l,,3-5,111,323-51.3, 9-50- .,.....-...--.- -.... 5. ..... ,..':f1 ,,. :nz-T. .,'5?-'.:'xa2r::x1.r::at:L': n...:-z:1':- '--- - '--I-' - '---'- -- --- - ' -' K

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SANTO PADR12, were rescued by Free French agents. and spirited to Kunming, China, whence they came back to the States via Africa and South America. I On the 15th, Task Force THIRTY-EIGHT attacked targets on the CHINA COAST and FORMOSA simultaneously. SAN JACINTO planes destroyed four enemy aircraft on the ground and damaged nineteen in attacks on FORMOSA airhelds, sank a destroyer in TOSHIEN HARBOR and heavily bombed TOSHIEN and TAKAO. Several enemy planesattempted to attack the Force at dusk, but were intercepted by our fighter patrols. Five japs were shot down and the rest fled. The Task Force again attacked the CHINA COAST-FOIL MOSA area on the 16th, from a point south of HONG KONG SAN JACINTO planes bombed, rocketed, and strafed two air- fields on HAINAN Island, destroying two grounded planes, damaging several others. ' Adverse weather put a stop to all further operations and course was set on the 18th for a sortie through SURIGAO STRAITS. Moderating weather caused a change in plans and the Force exited through BALINTANG CHANNEL on the evening of 20 january. Our course crossed the direct line of the air-transport route between FORMOSA and LUZON and eleven enemy aircraft which appeared in the' 'vicinity were shot down by the Force fighter patrols. ' On 2l January, Task Force THIRTY-EIGHT, operating off the east coast of FORMOSA, launched strikes against air- craft, shipping, and installations. At noon, while destroyers were being topped off by larger units, warning of approaching enemy aircraft was given. A few minutes later, two enemy air- craft appeared overhead. SAN JACINTO guns opened fire as these aircraft dived on formation. The TICONDEROGA was hit by a crash-diving suicider, causing a large explosion and SAN IACINTO searnanshzp enabled her to refuel under typhoon 5 . conditions when most other ships could not. a fierce fire. An enemy dive-bomber falmost incredibly not a Kamikazej, scored two direct hits with light bombs on the LANGLEY. This second plane opened to the west and was shot down by SAN -IACINTO fighters returning from FOR- MOSA. Additional enemy aircraft attacked the formation, one diving into the listing but still firing TICONDEROGA and starting her fires afresh. Two others were shot down by ship's anti-aircraft fire and in the melee overhead, the fighter patrols shot down twelve more. Our Air Group's score for the day included two enemy planes shot down in combat near the Force, five destroyed and two damaged on the ground, damage to four cargo vessels and numerous ground installations. The damaged units departed that evening while the balance of the Force proceeded to the vicinity of the NANSEI SHOTO to launch attacks on the 22nd with the primary mission' of photographic coverage. Photographic results proved excellent, but SAN JACINTO planes additionally destroyed small ship- ping in NAGO IVAN, OKINAWA, and destroyed six grounded enemy aircraft on IE WSHIMA. U We commenced retirement toward ULITHI on 23- january, arriving early on 26 January for a two-week replenishment and recreation period. Readying the ship for sea took precedence, but recreational parties were held ashore on the well-developed facilities of MOG MOG Island, where every man could enjoy cool drinks and baseball, swimming and shell-hunting, horse- shoes or volleyball. During our stay in port basketball and boxing competitions were held with other ships and movies shown nightly. It was during this stay in port that the Christmas gifts, so thoughtfully furnished by the Baptist Women's'City Union of HOUSTON, Texas, arrived and were distributed to a grateful crew. I SAN IACIN TO planes did extensive damage to ground installations 1r7 . ..- .... no -. -...... at SAIGON, FRENCH INDO-CHINA, on 12 Ianuary.