Shea (DM 30) - Naval Cruise Book

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vered toward the ship and only by rapid evasive maneuvering on our part, we eluded this member of the Kamikaze Corps . The plane crashed into the sea close aboard on the port bow, so close that the entire Ship WGS splashed With large amounts of water. The ship and topside personnel were also subjected- to con- -siderable amounts of gasoline, parts of the plane and pilot as the plane passed overhead. 23 April 1945-On orders from CTG 51.5, Donald Pryor, CBS, C247 war correspondent, was taken aboard for our next duty cruise, to be aboard a Radar Picket under real combat conditions, and we shoved off on a n.ew assignment to RP No. 4, where in the late afternoon we relieved the USS BROWN. C257 25 April 1945-Possible sonar contact and one unidentified -surface contact proved to be false an.d the only action of the day was the destruction of a floating enemy C267 mine during the morning hours. The SHEA became OTC when the PUTNAM was relieved by the USS BAUER 'CDM 267. 27 April 1945-After an uneventful day we were relieved in the -late afternoon by the USS COWELL, and proceeded at flank speed for Hagushi Beach, but night fell before we had rounded the northern tip of Okinawa and, as usual, the laps were out. A heavy attack occurred during which we were at general quarters practically all down the west coast ofthe island. Off le Shima we were blanketed by enemy planes but in the dark- ness came out un-scathed, but the USS TALBOT CDD 3907 was hit by two planes very close aboard and we were ordered to stand by the TALBOT for assist- ance. Upon word from the TALBOT that she did not require any assistance we had further orders to replace C287 her in her inner screen station, A-3-6A. Shortly before midnight the area was cleared. C277 28 April 1945-In the early hours we went to GQ when an enemy aircraft approached. Evasive action was com- menced, cruisin.g at various courses and speeds, but in some manner the plane came in undetected to a very close range and dropped a single bomb which ex- ploded about 25 yards off the port quarter, causing minor damage to the fantail area and wounding one man superficially. We fired on another as he ap- proached with negative results. At dawn were re- lieved by. the USS SPROSTON, another DD, and we C307 proceeded to the Kerama area for emergen.cy repairs, after having put Mr. Pryor, the war correspondent, aboard a boat for his return to the EL DORADO. At Kerama refueled and anchored near southern entrance. At 1930 an enemy suicider came into Wiseman's Cove undetected and crashed into the USS PINKNEY CAPH27, a hospital evacuation ship anchored 1,500 yards off the port bow of the SHEA. Later we fired a few rounds at another approaching bogey. About midnight all was secured. C297 C317 30 April 1945-Some bogeys again closed the area before dawn but no attack materialized as the anchorage was completely blanketed with smoke. The rest of the day was uneventful, allowing the ship's personnel to provision ship and continue work on repairs. 1 May 1945-During the daily pre-dawn suicide attacks. one lap plane slipped through the screen into the anchor- age and crashed into the USS TERROR, aboard which was CTG 52.2, the mining command. It was anchored close aboard us to port. C327 3 May 1945-Reporting to CTG 51.5 for duty, were ordered to relieve the USS ROBERT H, SMITH CDM 237 as fighter C337 director ship on RP 14. This was the .most distant of all the picket stations from Okinawa, being approximately 7!5 miles northwest of the island. At noon sighted ships on the picket station and relieved the SMITH. In com- pany with the USS ,I-IADLEY CDD 7747, the OTC, and the usual complement of small fellows, started patrol. -I 23 C347 As usual, the laps came down in their dusk attack and we had several contacts, but none closed the station to firing range, and after a numberof general quarters all seemed quiet. Shortly before midnight orders came for the ships on the station to close the island and resume picketing in a new area 20 miles from Point Bolo on a northwesterly bearing. 4 May 1945-During the shift to the new station an almost C357 C367 continuous alert was stood as the laps were in the area in great numbers, and the radar screens were showing more enemy contacts than had been seen at any one time. Few came close enough to fire on. One came within firing range and drew the fire of the ships with questionable results. However, the SHEA sighted one visually as it flew down. the length of the column and opened fire. The plane turned rapidly and opened range and it is believed it was damaged from our bursts. At dawn reports came of a large attacking force of enemy planes from the north. We were now on the new station and visibility had been excellent at dawn but began to diminish as a smoke h-aze cov- ered the area. Reports of ships in our vicinity- being hit and sunk continued to come over the circuits and we were at general quarters again very early in the morning. The USS LUCE CDD 5227 was sunk just north of us and the SHEA took over her CAP division and they were dispatched to intercept the approaching raiders to the north. 08-29 USS MORRISON CDD 535.97 reported sinking, sent us her planes. One plane was sighted visually and the SHEA was in readiness, all guns manned and trained, and the ship maneuvering at 30 knots. At about 0900 .a Betty was seen shot down at six miles on the starboard beam, but almost immediately thereafter a lapanese piloted robot CBaka7 was also sighted at 500 yards closing on the starboard beam at a speed upwards of 4450 knots and in almost the: same instant crashed into the bridge structure, entering the sonar room, traversing the chart house, passageway and hatch, and exploding at water level. The damage was tremendous, both personnel and ma- teriel. One officer and 34 men were killed by concus- sion., shrapnel, burns and shock, and ll officers and 80 men wounded in varying degrees. Fires raged throughout the superstructure, several compartments were flooded and the forward magazines were in great danger until flooding was effected. The ship was ren- dered almost totally inoperative except for the engi- neering spaces and despite loss of all firepower, gyro, radio, radar and electrical installation, was able to proceed under her own power to Hagushi Beach where the dead and wounded were transferred, the deceased for burial on Okinawa and the injured to the hospital ships in the area for evacuation. In the late afternoon the ship, although seriously crippled and with the spirits of all survivors saddened over the fate of so many shipmates, came to the anchorage at Kerama and tied up alongside the USS TOLMAN CDM 287. 5 May 1945-Ship's company began task of clearing debris C377 -and getting the ship back in some kind of operation through repairs that could be effected aboard. During afternoon got underway to go alongside USS OCEANUS, the repair ship which was to make the necessary major repairs to render the ship seaworthy. 6 May-15 May 1945-Duringthis long wait for the completion C387 1- of repairs the daily routine was very regular. The crew did a herculean job in cleaning the ship of the results of the explosion, salvaging what was usable and surveying that beyond repair. The OCEANUS of that ship worked really turned to and the boys almost n.ight and day with their torches, welding arcs, hammers, etc., all oblivious to -alerts which were called as the almost incessant day after day the laps tried to sneak into the anchorage and nightly came to harass everyone. But after these interminable, harrowing days and nights it finally came about that the ship was discharged as ready for sea and the long trek home, and on the morning of May 15 left the area in company with the convoy, designated TU 51.299, for Ulithi, with the SHEA as Screen Commander.

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