San Jacinto (CVL 30) - Naval Cruise Book

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11 11.21. 1 --.W 4 V ,, -, .V ,F V A, . . Tx? x,?,r:,?1,: mng mzff-n,:.EY:.,,.:, WA,-1 H555-...iz F-E,?.5?:,:q:F1??,?:5:qZ:27'+VQ.: -1 . ,. J,-.-L it-. . 1 ..-. Q. Y.,-...,... ..-.-. ...-...-w...+-..-,.- , , ,-. , . ,, .,, -1-.9-.-N.-- . - --.Q .......e.,, -...f::f-2-frrrfrg-, .21----tm -,, , ,.- - Our own orchestra, The Flat-toppers, always available for entertamment in port. ,... ff, .ms f f .v 1 Smoke billows up from the Nalrajima aircraft plant at KOIZUMI following I a visit by SAN IACIN TO planes on the first TOKYO strikes. C . L l 1 l s .,,,,,o.t ,. One ot our 40mm guns practices. It had plenty of enemy targets to shoot at later. .,,l M . .. .. . . -..,.,.,--N...,.,..s..,,,.-.A-,M,.,.,-f .gf.,,,V.: 'LTg:?'- - 4 .. . f.-,-.wx-.-..f,.-.-J-,-,N..,.,,...-i.. . ,V-.,-f..-.,,,... 7 'W'-'-Ns-f.v..,,......,. ,.,,..,,.,,,.,.., N-,.,......-.-1....-....,..,...,, . L , . ., mxw'-.-.., , ., . . I H - - - --N-A---ff--.-.N.,.,.N,,.,.,,,,,..q,,,,V-, K 'V v, N-,o-.A-....,.........,,....,-..,.. -. ,... .-.....-. ' 'N ' 1 -'f-V'-'wr-n.-,..:--.. -. .. .. - - .,-.V . ' ' ' ' 'NV - www-rw-wv.,.- fvwqnr Ny- .. ' 'm'f,-vw--,va-o- , 1 ,1 3 O...-.. 'N 22 - f'.,....... 1f'Y'5'C 4'f- P '- S - 'T ' - 'A' W3 4 . . . 1 Q WW, ,...,..A..s.. ..,. . x ,V ,-.......,..........--..- ...':..-- ,f:v:.fs.1vzif'e, nws2i'ezv. ..Q'-:-f--'::+.::-:-1-:--------M-1251 9 -M f-1:sw-1'- w-1,-1'-11.--- f-4-12225:-:f'-'--Q----f--'T3'---A-4-'-f- -'-'- ' R N N,-:,k.'L,4..-.u.n,,g..,,,,. . is .rum-za 9s.....-----KN.. , . . -M -- -I . ., . - .-.,-....-,.-..,. v..N-..-a,-- -.,:., ' f -- . . . ,...-s.,,-JV... -N..,.-,.,.,,.

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.. ..- - - -- -- 4,--1 .tr L11-:L-5: 4.:.:f::..1.n:4:.:::: rt:-' -:v::'::'::.'r.::':1: 'wx-.5 ,-11122251-arg-11-3-5,--Q-.gf -ff-y,sE-rL5-:1Lv?- 5-57, .-.,.Q..-.,:..':j.-'.r.:-1. ...........- ...a-v.-. .-,..., -,.-- 1 ., 1 -V, .,v... ft A ,f 1.1 -2 1 4. . .. ., ,Q ' f,,,,,, ,, ,-,.,,,r,,, , ,,,,,,,. ,-,, ,-Ln' E43-V-mg P 1-L MLQLA-D.-t Vp- ,DZ-l.f.'.',.' 4 CHAPTER vu E IWO JIMA AND-FIRST TOKYO RAIDS URING the replenishment period in ULITHI following the operations in support of MacARTHUR, the SAN -IACINTO was detached from the Third Fleet and assigned to the First Carrier Task Force, Fifth Fleet. 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 .-

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CHAPTER vm OKINAWA CAMPAIGN N 14 March 1945, the SAN JACINTO sortied from ULITHI with other units of Task Force FIFTY-EIGHT to begin what was up to that time the longest and most arduous of its combat missions, the bloody and costly subjugation of OKINAWA JIMA, where American forces were no longer only breaking through the outer and inner defense rings, but were seizing a part of the Empire itself. OKINAWA was the strategic key to the whole Pacific tactical situation. Japanese resistance was determined and fanatic and for a while the Navy's price in casualties exceeded that of the Army and Marine Corps combined. With its fall V-J Day was advanced by an incalculable number of months. . Task Force FIFTY-EIGI-IT was to inaugurate the campaign with a two-day smash at airfields on KYUSHU and combatant naval units in the INLAND SEA. Course was set for the Empire after refueling in an area north and west of SAIPAN on I6 March. On the 17th, our forces were temporarily bolstered by the voluntary attachment of a large whale, who took up a position about six hundred yards on the port beam of the SAN JACINTO and maintained station for about ten minutes, making good the course and seventeen-knot speed of the forma- tion. We were deserted soon after, however. Perhaps it was the mating season and we failed to pass inspection? On the morning of I8 March, Task Force FIFTY-EIGHT was deployed off the Southeast coast of KYUSHU. Attacks in force were launched at dawn and continued throughout the day. SAN JACINTO planes destroyed fourteen grounded enemy aircraft at MIYAKANOJO and damaged many more. Numerous buildings were bombed and rocketed and a large section of an aircraft assembly plant at KAGOSHIMA was destroyed. Successful photographic missions were flown and several small luggers destroyed. Our Air Group Commander, Commander Gordon E. SCHECTER, USN, was declared miss- ing in action when his fighter was shot down on the first sweep. One Avenger made a water landing but the pilot and crew were rescued. Throughout the day, enemy aircraft snooped and attacked the Task Force. Although enemy planes could be seen making numerous attacks on the other Task Groups fthe INTREPID being grazed by a suicider within easy sight distance from usj and the Combat Air Patrols shot down many planes in our hvicinity, our own Task Group was not actually attacked. On the 19th, Task Force FIFTY-EIGHT launched strikes against naval shipping at KURE HARBOR from waters South of SHIKOKU. SAN JACINTO aircraft damaged a large carrier, and an escort carrier with 500-pound bomb hits, also scoring bomb and rocket hits on four cargo vessels. From early morning until nightfall, enemy planes snooped the vicinity of the forces. Shortly after daybreak, an enemy bomber dropped out of the clouds directly overhead, dived over the SAN JACINTO, and loosed its bomb on the FRANK- LIN with disastrous results. The stricken ship was a mass of smoke and flame within secondsg it was repeatedly racked by terrific explosions and soon was listing heavily. Several of our support units moved to cover her and render aid while the re- mainder of our Task Group maneuvered in close vicinity, less than fifty miles from the SHIKOKU coast. In midmorning, the ENTERPRISE joined our Task Group as reinforcement to replace the FRANKLIN. Additional enemy planes attempting attack- were intercepted and destroyed by the Combat Air Patrols, SAN JACINTO planes shooting down five. The order of the day for Task Force FIFTY-EIGHT was the successful salvage of the battered FRANKLIN and all else took second place. Our own Task Group remained close by with the other groups of the Task Force in the general area, as the Japs mounted determined attacks against us throughout the daylight hours of the 20th, following all night snooping raids. Over one hundred enemy planes attacked the Force at intervals during thegday. Most of them were shot down by our lighter patrols but many got through to the Force. In midafter- noon, one enemy plane made a suicide run on the HANCOCK. The SAN JACINTO and many other ships threw up so much flak that the aircraft burst into flame and swerved in its course, missing the HANCOCK 'but unfortunately hitting the stern of the destroyer HALSEY POWELL, close aboard the big carrier. Shortly afterward, two dive-bombers made runs on the ENTERPRISE. The first one 'missed his target narrowly with his bomb, but demonstrated some beautiful evasive tactics to elude the intense anti-aircraft fire directed at him and escaped, one of the very few Japanese who have attacked Task Force FIFTY-EIGHT and lived even a short time to think about it. This plane was later intercepted and shot down by the Combat Air Patrol. The second Jap scored a direct hit on the ENTER- PRISE but was shot down by anti-aircraft fire as great fires broke out on the Big Four other Jap planes attacked before dusk, one apiece diving on each of the four carriers of our group. The still burn- ing ENTERPRISE blasted' her attacker apart as his bomb missed. The SAN JACINTO shot her Jap down early in its dive before its bomb had been released. Both of the other planes also missed their marks and were shot down going away, one of them having its tail shot off by our guns as it crossed our bow at close range. A Hellcat fighter which had followed this last plane in its dive was recognized too late and also shot down in flames by the intense anti-aircraft fire of the group. The pilot escaped with minor injuries. Our guns fired l2,924 rounds that day to score two kills and two assists. V The Japs continued their harassment as our forces reached extreme range of the 21st, keeping us at battle stations for most of this fourth consecutive day of intense action. Many planes were shot down by our fighter patrols, but others got through and a carrier fthe WASPJ in another Task Group, was hit and seriously damaged. A twin-eugined bomber dove on the SAN JACINTO shortly after noon. It was shot' down in flames by our guns but released a heavy bomb which fell short by several hundred yards, erupting a huge geyser of water but doing no damage. Five-inch shells- burst all around the SAN JACINTO during this attack and five men received shrapmfl W0UHdSS none proved serious, however. OU the 22I1d, the Task Force had cleared the danger area. Our Task Group was dissolved and our damaged units retired while the SAN JACINTO reported to another Fast Carrier THSIC Group of Task Force FIFTY-EIGHT as replacement fOr 'the damaged WASP, -fv-'-,-.--,v..5J.-.-f.-.f.i. -.-.'.a-f.w-v-.-...-.4-Q-Q-.-H.-.1-.-V--., - . . K -'-Hwifmvmevfffqmwfr. :-.N sf ....- .. 1-3-vt--1m1.,..,,.-. , .. WL .. ,-..... . .., ..-.. -. .. .... 1. . - V - , --.m...v -vm Q...-. . .i