San Jacinto (CVL 30) - Naval Cruise Book

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'Impressive and solemn memorial services were held aboard ship the next day, Chaplain CORDES officiating. So far as is known, Ensign McILWANElwas the first American pilot tolose his life on SAIPAN in the MARIANAS Campaign. Pre-invasion pounding continued through the 14th. On the 15th, we supported the initial landing of our troops. On this day Ensign S. P. BUTCHART, USNR, landed the 2000th plane aboard. At dusk on 15 June, our Task 'Group was subjected to intensive attack by a large group of enemy aircraft. A SAN JACINTO Combat Air Patrol was airborne at the time and shot down seven Jap planes, probably destroying two more. Eight other planes broke through the screen and made a deter- mined torpedo attack, concentrating on the large carriers. All eight were shot down by anti-aircraftrfire, most of them within the screen. This attack was noteworthy for the manner in which it was pressed home, some enemy aircraft getting within one hundred yards of our major units before crashing. SAN JACINTO guns shot down one plane and assisted in shooting down one other. One man receivedga slight bullet wound. This ship received no damage. It was the first action for the ship and came six months to the day after our commissioning ceremonies. Beauty has no place in total war but more than one remark was passed that night on how luridly beautiful the confused pattern of cherry- red tracers, mushrooming puffs of black fiak, and Hamilng orange-yellow brilliance of the exploding bombers stood out against the backdrop of grey ships of war and the gorgeous colors of the sunset. Operations in support of the landings on SAIPAN continued until l7 June, at which time .the Task Force steamed westward in the hope of engaging the main body of the Japanese fleet, reported: moving eastward in Philippine waters. On 19 June occurred the famous turkey shoot, when upwards of four hundred Japanese Fleet aircraft attacked Task Force FIFTY- EIGHT. The attack was broken up at terrific cost to the enemy. nearly all of his planes being shot down. Our airborne fighters destroyed seven Jap planes and assisted in the destruc- tion of four others. A few enemy planes did get past our air- craft and attackedithe force. SAN JACINTO guns brought down one of the six which attacked our Task Group. No dam- age was incurred by the ship, -although one of our fighters. piloted by Ensign T. E. HALLOWELL, was lost in combat. His body was subsequently found on GUAM by our invading forces and interred there. Memorial services were conducted aboard ship by Chaplain CORDES. A On 20 June the Task Force steamed steadily VVest to attempt J . gf- - -it-A.--,-,-.-. ..-h,- cc-.-.-.W-,--.-,..c..a.,a.,..g,. ... -. v-,.....-.-.N-.-G .. .Q -..... .. .. 1 to close the Japanese units. The distance was so great it became apparent that they would escape if not attacked immediately, so a long-range strike was ordered launched in mid-afternoon. SAN JACINTO torpedo planes participated in the attack. sinking a large destroyer and damaging a HIYATAKA class carrier. For this feat, Lieutenant Commander D. MELVIN, USNR3 and Ensign O. GUY, USNR, were later awarded the NAVY CROSS. The extreme range made it well after dark before the strike returned. with all aircraft dangerously short of gasoline. Searchlights were turned on and aircraft ordered to land on the first open deck, but a high percentage of' losses was sustained by the force as a whole because of ,the lack of fuel. One SAN JACINTO Avenger, piloted by the 'skipper of Torpedo Squadron FIFTY-ONE, Lieutenant Commander D. MELVIN, 'made a water landing near a destroyergand the crew was rescued. XfVe recovered all our other planes -safely and ten strange aircraft from other carriers, one of which made a dead-stick landing on our flight deck, demolishing the plane but the crew was unharmed. f An unusual incident occurred during these recoveries. A strange aircraft entered the landing circle and made not one but two excellent approaches but was waved off each time be- cause his tail hook was not down. After the second wave-off, he flew down the length of our flight deck about fifty feet above the deck into the glare of the searchlight, where his red meatball markings were clearly visible. It was a Judy Uapanese dive- bomberj ! J He made no attempt to strafe or bomb. but veered off. to port and flew out to the VVest. He was tracked by the radar to a distance of fifty miles, then disappeared. Curiosity, courage, or confusion? The next day, 21 June, we continued our westward course and many survivors were rescued in the area of the attack on' the Jap Fleet. On the 22nd, we reversed course and returned to the vicinity of SAIPAN to resumed our attacks upon the entire MARIANAS Chain: PAGAN, SAIPAN, TINIAN. ROTA and GUAM: these were continued without interruption through 5 July. J I During this period, enemy aircraft raids by small groups were consistently intercepted and broken up by our Combat Air Patrols without damage to the ship or workouts for our gunners. adding to our Air Group's mounting tally fourladdi- tional enemy planes. Q , ' Vice Admiral S. MCCAIN, who was soon to become Com- mander SECOND Carrier Task Force and Commander Task Force THIRTY-EIGHT, landed aboard in an Avenger for an informal visit of several hours on 25 June, flying off in the late afternoon. ' J X On 3 July, Lieutenant W. R. MOONEY, who had been shot down near 'GUAM on l6 June, and 'missing since, was returned to the ship, having been recovered by a seaplane from the battleship WASHINGTON. He had got clear of his sink- ing plane, though badly lacerated about the face and limbs, and-into his raft. He spent seventeen days paddling about off- shore in the day-time pushing into an isolated stretch of beach at night to grub at roots, shellhsh, and spring water. 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A ' CHAPTER II f MARCUS-WAKE I HE SAN ACINTO then under the command of Captain Harold M. MARTIN USN departed PEARL HARBOR on 3 May 1944 in company with two large carriers and several support units anti aircraft cruisers and destroyers An un eventful passage brought her to MAJURO in the Eastern MARSHALLS on 8 May 1944 QWest Longitude Datej where she reported to Commander Fast Carrier Task Forces Fifth Fleet for duty and lay at anchor through 14 May On 15 May the SAN JACINTO sortied with the ESSEX and IVASP and supporting cruisers and destroyers to under take her first combat mission strikes against MARCUS and WAKE ISLANDS The Task Group proceeded to the vicinity of MARCUS whence on 18 May the SAN JACIN I'O accompanied by the SAN DIEGO and four destroyers broke off from the rest of the force to perform her separate diversionary mission of searching an area four hundred miles north of MARCUS for the purpose of destroying enemy picket line warcraft Only one sampan was sighted and this was sunk by machine gun fire on 20 May This mission represented the closest penetration to the apanese homeland by a surface unit since the beginning of the war but was otherwise uneventful x . . ' The SAN J NC INTO rejoined Task Force FIFTY on 21 May and participated in effective strikes against installations and harbor craft at WAKE ISLAND on 23 unopposed except for meager anti aircraft fire Upon sion we commenced retirement to MAJURO arriving on May QEast Longitude Datej On this first mission we had no combat casualties but fered our first operational losses in the combat area I J WYKES and aircrewmen R E WHALEN an HAGGARD were declared missing in action when their Avenger failed to return from an anti submarine patrol on 15 May All searches proved fruitless On 31 May we had our first Happy Hour an event which all hands had been anticipating for several weeks The evening was complete with door prize Qwar bond boxing contests and entertainment by our own Flat Toppers orchestra and a world of local singing and acting talent we never knew we had. When we first arrived at MA URO recreation ashore seemed out of the question but cold drinks and enticing tropical islands were available and on 2 and 3 une everyone was granted shore leave for a few hours half going one day and half the other 1 A SUTUPUH WTIO'-Se picketzng days are over SAN IACINTO sailors seem eager to get to their first fecfe ation party IH the Pacific-at MAIURO

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' On 6 july' the Task Group commenced retirement toward ENIWETOK, in the Western MARSHALLS,arr1v1ng there on 9 july for a five-day replenishment period. We got underf way againion 14 July to return to the MARIANAS area. Wye resumed strike operations' on 18 july, emphasis now being devoted to GUAM and ROTA. On 20 July Ensign Jack O. GUY, USNR, made the 3000th landing aboard. We remained in support of our ground forces ,landings on GUAM until 22 July, then we steamed southward to conduct operations against PALAU, YAP and ULITHI. On 25 July, a division of' SAN JACIN TO fighters on an anti- shipping strike, encountered an enemy destroyer, thirty miles northeast 'of BABELTHUAP escorted by a Jake Ensign L. A. BIRD, USNR, attacked and shot down the enemy air- craft while the other three fighters made strafrng runs on the destroyer. The enemy ship, apparently loaded with munitions, blew apart with a terrific mushrooming explosion which sent smoke and debris billowing upwards3,000 feet. The force of .the explosion so severely damaged the airplane piloted by Ensign N. J. ADAMS, USNR, that it was barely able to reach the Task Group where it made a water landing. The pilot was rescued unhurt. H 2 f Pictures of PALAU andlsurroundingislands,taken DYPSAN JACINTO photo planesreceived high praise from authorities in PEARL' HARBOR! and were used in subsequent landing operations. ' A . . One of the torpedo planes, piloted by Lieutenant R. R. HOULE, with'O. E. INGRAM and W.l E. MINTUS as air- crewmen, was shot down over MALAKAL HARBOR on 27 , ' . - X' . I . I - U, ' 1 . 1 W ' craft were observed. putting out from the shore .to effect cap ture. All three were declared missing in action since it was impossible to ascertain which one may have survived A. The Task Group turned northward on 28 July and anchored ,.i4i If GARAPAN SAIPAN n 31 jul to r 1 h 1' ' o , , 0 Y ep enis supp ies July. One parachute was seen to open and JapaneSC Smalllw lid J it ammunition. Artillery ,fire and surface 'bombardment TIN IAN were clearly visible from our anchorage. , g 2555 'We got underway again on 1 August' and proceeded 'north-iq, ward, striking the BONIN and VOLCANO ISLANDS on 'vft 4'f and 5 August. There was no air opposition and we sulferedlnoii, combat losses although anti-aircraft fire was intense and accu-'25, destroyed, runways were cratered and photographic missions successfully carried out. B ' r Task ForceiFIFTY-EIGHT commenced retirementon' rate. Ground installations and shipping were ydamagedlandli l lf JI August and on 9 August anchored at ENIWETOK.,Replenish-AZ, ment of suppliesvand provisions, repairs to machinery, and hundreds of items of deferred maintenance occupied the time' of all hands, both night and day, in preparation for our next. sorties. But in spite of this the crew didx get ashore on' the bomb-pocked and shell-cratered atoll for their tirst series 'bf is ka fl I N formal recreation parties since departure from PEARL HARif4gg BOR three months earlier. Movies were held nightly and volf leyball -matches daily. Boxing competitions were held with' other ships. The Wardroom resounded to cake-cutting cere-V monies traditional to even-thousandth landings., 1 S The MARIANAS Campaign was behind us. A ' ff. w fs t ..- -1 7 ., 1 . J A, Lt: Comdr. CLANCY, Air Group Commander, leads our fourth Group ' A 'U f - y ' aboard on 21 August.- . . X 'lt was a proud day for the SAN IACINTO when the 'Marine detachment was An augury for the future- V picked to land on japan at YOKOSUKA. I ' All hands pause to join the Chaplain 1n prayer after the, f ' that the war is over. -the flight deck in use for recreational purposes. ', l