Saufley (DD 465) - Naval Cruise Book

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with one. Full radar control of the 5 f38 battery was used. The occupation of Vella La Vella began on 15 August 1943. The SAUFLEY screened the first echelon of LC1's and assisted in repelling four to six enemy planes. Six underwater explosions rocked the ship. The next night, the SAUFLEY was ordered to assist in the uAction off Vella La Vellaw, but was recalled when the beachhead was brought under heavy air at- tack. During the attack this ship closed the flaming LST 396 to within 700 yards, and lay to in order to pick up survivors. All rescue nets were lo-wered and the whaleboat was put in the water. The Torpedo Ofli- cer, Lieutenant James Marion Coulling, USNR, of 48 S. Long Beach Ave., Freeport, Long lsland, New York, was in charge of the boat. ln the face of both a heavy air attack and flying debris from the LST, he courage- ously carried out his task. The SAUFLEY rescued 93 men including 10 officers and the SC 1266 picked up the rest of the crew. The only fatality was a pharmacist's mate who died shortly after he was picked up by the SAUFLEY. The next morning the SAUFLEY was attacked by 8 to 10 dive-bombers coming down sun. The machine guns fired at two planes which dropped two bombs close aboard, while the main battery was iiring at two lanes attacking the beachhead The gunnery officers p . slewed on the attacking planes after he saw the bombs, but by then they were almost out of range. He then shifted to a single bomber which was also going out on the starboard side. After a right spot was applied, a 5 burst hit the plane which circled and crashed close to the beach. 7

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tug towing LCT's on several occasions. The next ten days were spent on anti-submarine patrol off Guadal- canal. On 15 March the SAUFLEY joined the SS PETER SYLVESTER en route to Noumea. The next day two bombs were dropped near the SYLVESTER by an enemy plane. The last eight Q85 days of March were spent along- side the USS RIG-EL in Havannah Harbor, Efate, New Hebrides. April, May, and J une were divided between exercising with the fleet out of Havannah Harbor and escort duty in the New Hebrides except for one week7s availability alongside the USS DOBBIN in Sydney, Aus- tralia in early May. The next quarter was spent in support of the op- erations in the middle .Solomons. On 3 J une, the SAU- FLEY participated in the first bombardment of the Shortland lslands. ' While searching for barge trafiic off Kolombangara a week later the SAUFLEY was ordered to investigate a sho-rt range surface contact, shortly thereafter identi- fied as a submarine. This ship fired two torpedoes and all batteries before the sub submerged. A sonar con- tact was made and two depth-charge attacks followed. The submarine was believed sunk. On 12 July, the SAUFLEY, operating with a cruiser task force, bombarded Munda Point, silencing several shore batteries. Flare dropping planes were taken un- der fire and the SAUFLEY got its first plane. Six nights later, the SAUFLEY and four destroyers were attacked by six enemy planes. Seven sticks of bombs were dropped close aboard this ship. Three planes were shot down of which this ship was credited 6

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About 1600 that afternoon a single plane attacked the USS PHILIP astern of this ship and was taken un- der fire by all batteries as he pulled out. He dropped three bombs off the port quarter and then attempted to pull out of his dive passing astern from port to star- board. Smoking, he dropped close to the water and passed up the starboard side at about 10,000 yards. A friendly fighter reported that it was shot down just before 44Cease Fire was given. The machine guns got the credit. Shortly afterwards three planes with target angle 090 were seen over the beach. The 40MM machine guns took one under fire and the main battery another. Friendly fighters reported that both planes that were seen to drop behind a hill were actually shot down. During these attacks the destroyers were laying smoke screens to cover the landing craft. On 22 August the SAUFLEY, RENSHAW and CUNY proceeded up the slot to interrupt the Tokyo Express. Early in the morning of the 23rd, enemy planes were continuously present. The three destroy- ers were laying smoke screens, and the SAUFLEY, lead- er of the column, was the only ship attacked. Several planes were fired on. At 0305 a torpedo was launched which was avoided by an emergency back full and radi- cal maneuvering. Shorly thereafter, another torpedo passed 20 yards asterng Captain Brown had the conn. On 26 August enroute from Kokumbona, Guadal- canal to Barakoma, Vella La Vella, the SAUFLEY was a re-supply echelon which was bombed by several enemy planes. No damage was done to any ship. The SAU- FLEY was on a similar mission of 31 August when 4- out of 10 to 12 planes attacked this ship. About 6 bombs 8 ,