San Jacinto (CVL 30) - Naval Cruise Book

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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.

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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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With other units of Task Force FIFTY-EIGHT, we sortied from ULITHI on 10 February 1945 and set course for the vicinity of Southern HONSHU, our mission being to touch off the impending amphibious assault upon IWO JIMA by fulfilling the Navy's long-cherished, long-planned dream of launching strong car- rier attacks on TOKYO, seat of the Stolen Empire, Shrine of Shintoisrn, fountainhead of the treachery of PEARL HARBOR. p Dawn of 16 February found Task Force FIFTY-EIGHT about one hundred and fifty miles off the coast of Southeastern HONSHU. Interdiction patrols by land-based search planes ranging far ahead had cleared our path by engaging and destroying enemy picket craft and reconnaissance aircraft. At least partial surprise was achieved, as many planes were still on the ground when our dawn fighter sweeps reached their targets. Aggressive interception by numerous well-trained enemy fighters prevented full exploitation, however, and the number of enemy planes destroyed in air combat far exceeded those destroyed on the ground. Our fighters on these sweeps shot down nineteen enemy planes and probably destroyed five more. The Hellcat piloted by Lt. J. E. HOOD was so seri- ously damaged it made a water landing near the Force. The pilot was not recovered and was declared missing in action. Several other fighters were badly shot up but returned safely. It should be pointed out here that SAN JACINTO pilots were among the first to hit TOKYO. Our Task Group sent in the first strikes that morning and our pilots were included in that strike. just as SAN JACINTO planes came closer to the Empire in the MARCUS and WAKE foray of May, 1944, than any previous Naval aircraft, so now they were in the van on those TOKYO strikes. The fact that only nine months sep- arates these two series- of action is a compellingreminder of the speed with which the United States Navy moved in the Pacific. Our Avengers attacked the OTA and KOIZUMI aircraft engine plants, causing numerous fires and explosions with re- sulting severe damage. They and our escorting fighters were jumped by an aggressive group of forty enemy fighters just after leaving the target and fought a running battle clear to the coast. Our torpedo squadron gunners shot down two enemy planes while our fighters destroyed eight and probably five more. Many of our aircraft were damaged, but all returned safely. Enemy counter-activity in the vicinity of the Force was sur- prisingly small. Three enemy planes were shot down by our Combat Air Patrols and one was shot down by anti-aircraft fire from a picket destroyer. The Task Force again attacked the TOKYO area on 17 February but'adverse weather forcedicurtailment and then cancellation of most of the effort. The SAN JACINTO launched one strike against KISARAZU airfield but most of the torpedo planes were forced back short of the target. One Avenger and five Hellcats got through and bombed and rocketed with unobserved results. The Avenger was so seri- ously damaged that it was forced to make a water landing. The pilot and his crew were rescued by a destroyer. We retired southward toward IWO JIMA to commence operations in direct support of the landings on 19 February. Our aircraft bombed, rocketed, and strafed ,enemy artillery - t .,., ' ,.- ,,., ... '- ,,, - . - , - .-.-V-.... F-vi'-vim, ,Avg f- f-.-V-.,.,.-.....,-.,-,-....,. ,-....,.,-.,.,,a.... ,- V - -- 'and commenced the run-in toward NAGOYA, but adverse and mortar positions. Enemy aircraft appeared in the area in the evening and one was shot down within the formation but no ships were damaged. P On the 20th, we retired to the fueling area to add another to our book of tricks by replenishing ammunition at sea for the first time, an accomplishment of obvious logistic value. So far as is known the SAN JACINTO was the first carrier of its class, and probably the first of any class, to effect a com plete replenishment of ammunition at sea. Our debutwas very successful and soon we became so adept at transferring material at sea that even torpedoes did not phase us. We returned to IWO for further support missions on the 21st and 22nd. One of our fighters crashed off the island after being damaged in a strafing run on the 2lst. The pilot, Lt Qj.g.j M. A. MOSELY, was rescued by friendly forces and re turned to the ship. Heavy attacks were made on the amphib ious support ships that evening fthe SARATOGA being seri ously damaged among othersj and many enemy planes were in our own areas, though no attacks were pressed home. Hampered by extremely unfavorable weather, the Task Force returned to the coast of HONSHU to launch further attacks on the TOKYO area. on 25 February. SAN JACINTO aircraft attempted twenty-five sorties but only six Hellcats were able to get through to their targets. They attacked HYAKURIGA HARA airfield and destroyed fourteen aircraft on the ground damaging ,nine others and various ground installations. They also strafed numerous small' craft on their return. N The enemy made no attempt at counteraction. A X , During the night of 25-26 February, the Task Force threaded the passage between SUMISU SHIMA and TORI SHIMA weather forced our southward retirement. l On 27 February while the SAN .IACINTO was fueling from the tanker U.S.S. MERRIMACK in an area west of the BONINS, the tanker suddenly yawed off course and struck our number one stack with her superstructure. She opened and then yawed again, the two sterns meeting. We sustained con siderable damage to our-starboard catwalk installations, but it was nogsuflicient to impair our battle efficiency. We proceeded westward toward OKINAWA and on.l March launched heavy strikes and photographic missions against the entire RYUKYUS Chain. SAN JACINTO planes destroyed four enemy aircraft on the ground, bombed and rocketed ground installations, and strafed small craft. The photographic coverage was excellent. The Force commenced retirement toward ULITHI on 2 March and arrived there late in the afternoon of 4 March. The SAN JACINTO was. granted tender availability to effect re pairs of collision damage and was moored alongside the 'U.S.S JASON from 6 to 12 March. , . Recreational parties were sandwiched in between the para mount effort of readying the ship for sea. .On ll March, Commodore A. A. BURKE, Chief of Staff to Vice Admiral MITSCHER, Commander, First Carrier Task Force, paid the ship an ofiicial visit. Duringthe evening of the Same daYf two Japanese suicide planes made a surprise night attack on the anchorage. One of them crashed into the after end of the RANDOLPH, which was anchored in the next berth to the SAN JACINTO, causing large fires and ex plosions. The other harmlessly crashed a small island of the atouf aPPaTf3Htly mistaking its silhouette for that ofa carrier , , ,.,. ..,.., '-NN.,- ..,,,, .--WN, Mc. ,,., v. , . , - . ......,,.- .--.. -:, ,,.,...,.N.,.a..,..ac,,,.,,,,,,., N-.fw-N..-.,, ,....,.-...,,.....,.. ...- , - r. - ...... f. .-.-4---4-----W ... -.-K . , . ' , ,.. -..., -... W-N-...,,..-,... . - V.-.-.-.s,.-,.,...-,..,.,.,.,.,.,, , . - - .,.,., . -. . , ' 'T '-ym- .. s..:. 4' r.-.t 3.3:-Q ..,.v..,...-I-.i. ..... ,..,,..... , ' 14414-iff' aus - -1, ,, . , , '-4 1's -4 5.4.---vw-i. .. . ...., ,,,,, , M M, -..-,-.... --.ne .:.:f: -E-z..:m2.f:r. Lffwafsfsa-1-:xr-'fm '-vm.-.1-,pave 1: v--.M .-