Saufley (DD 465) - Naval Cruise Book

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Officer Present Afloat at Zamboanga. Until 21 April, this ship was ancho-red at Zamboanga except during the Sanga Sanga and Jolo operations in which the SAU- FLEY served as flagship, screening vessel, and covering vessel. The landing on Sanga .Sanga was made on 2 April. That afternoon, the SAUFLEY and several other vessels near the beach were fired upon by ,lap machine guns. No counter battery fire was delivered, because the extent of our patrols was not known. From 8 April to 11 April the SAUFLEY partici- pated in the attack on Jolo. Un the 9th, this ship de- livered a pre H-hour bombardment. The next day, this ship silenced a Japanese gun emplacement during a bombardment. From 22 April to 2 May, the SAUFLEY was an- chored in Tawi Tawi Bay, Sulu Archipelago with Com- mander of Sulu Attack Group on board in charge of sweeping operations. This ship then went to Morotai, Halmahera Group and spent the next two weeks escorting convoys between Leyte and Morotai. The SAUFLEY received tender availability alongside the U.S.S. WHITNEY from 21 May to 28 May to effect structural repairs. On 3 June the SAUFLEY left Morotai with a convoy to Brunci Bay, British North Borneo. This ship screened un- loading operations at the objective area on 15 June and then proceeded to the Miri-Lutong area to cover mine- sweeping operations. Three days later the SAUFLEY left for Mo-rotai. On 26 June, the SAUFLEY departed with the at- tack force for Balikpapan. She served both in screen- ing and fire-support assignments. During 7 shore bom- bardments and 2 star-shell missions, this ship expend- 21 I i 3 5 4 5 Q 5 E Z 5 f ! E ,X S 4 1 5 Q b r I 1 i 1 N

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veles. The 11ext day, the SAUFLEY covered the land- ings on Corregidor. Between the 18th and 26th of February, expend- ing 2700 rounds of 5 f38, 70 starshells, and about 2500 rounds of 40MM ammunition, the SAUFLEY engaged in 10 shore bombardments and 3 starshell harrassing missions on Corregidor. An active Japanese 75MM, numerous caves and pill boxes, a Q boat, and two barges were destroyed, and many enemy troop concentrations were neutralized. On one day alone, the spotter on the beach reported that this ship's fire had sealed up 20 caves and killed 159 .laps who had already come out of the caves. The SAUFLEY steamed through mined waters sev- eral times and on one day anchored about 500 yards off Monkey Point to deliver the fire the Army needed. The Commanding Oflicer, Lt. Comdr. F. W. SILK, USN, was commended by Commander Destroyer Division 46 for the excellent performance of his ship during this operation. On 1 March, the SAUFLEY conducted a pre-H hour shore bombardment of Tilic Town, Lubang lsland, Philippine Islands. This ship was flagship for the Lu- bang operation. I After a four-day availability alongside the U. S. S. DOBBIN in Subic Bay, the SAUFLEY went to- Mindoro to join the Zamboanga attack force as a screening ship. During the' Zamboanga operation, the SAUFLEY on 16 March, screened the Basilan Attack Unit and bom- barded Lamitan Town before the landing. On 24 March, the SAUFLEY became flagship of the Commander Sulu Attack Group and the Senior 20

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ed over 1000 rounds of 5 ,f38 ammunition. Many ma- chine gun and coastal-defense-gun emplacements were destroyed, and several harrassing and interdiction mis- sions Were accomplished. This ship departed fo-r Moro- tai on 19 July. The SAUFLEY Went to Leyte from Morotai and re- mained in the Leyte area until 5 August when the ship left for Ulithi, Caroline Islands to report to Comman- der Marianas Group for escort duty because of the sub- marine menace in the area at that time. The last week of the War was spent escorting ships between Ulithi and Leyte. On 25 August the SAUFLEY reported to the Com- mander Yangtze Patrol Force in Subic Bay for duty. This ship arrived at the Saddle Islands, China on 9 September. The Commanding Officer, Lt. Comdr. F. W. SILK, was in charge of mine sweepers clearing the approaches to the Yangtze River mouth. This ship served as mine destruction vessel as Well. On 26 Sep- tember, the .SAUFLEY left for a Week's liberty in Shang- hai - the first liberty since October, 1944. On October 7th, the SAUFLEY went to Tinghai, Chusan Archipelago, China, about 100 miles south of Shanghai, in the mouth of Hangchow Bay, to uassistv the Chinese Governor of Tinghai Archipelago, the Hon- orable Sin Pao, to effect the surrender of 2700 members of the Japanese Naval Garrison stationed on Tinghai Island at the suicide boat base, and who had stubbornly refused to surrender. For the next ten days, the Commanding Officer and several officers and members of the crew participated actively in the disarming and concentration of this gar- rison. These ,Iaps were well-fed, well equipped and 22