Shea (DM 30) - Naval Cruise Book

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it iff iff Meuaqu Receiaec! is if is From: CTF 51 Admiral Turner CO1'1.QTCIlU1CI'fiO1'1iS Ure exteflded to YOU OH YOU? Splendid record against enemy aircraft. You have done an excellent job against enemy planes. Well done to all hands. 'ik iff ik' From: CinCPac Admiral Nimitz Congratulations to you for your excellent job in downing enemy aircraft. 'kirifk From: AdComMinPac Admiral Sharp Welcome to a gallant ship and a hearty Well done from the staff of MintPac Pearl, ifrikil' From: ComMinRon 3 Your departure is going to leave a big hole and will be comforting to the laps. Hurry back to resume your excellent Work. Admiral joins his Ibest wishes to mine. ikvfrik General Simon B. Buckner. U. S. Army, Commander Tenth Army: With full .concurrence and congratulations on behalf of the Tenth Army I am delighted to express my appreciation of the splendid services given by the personnel of the picket vessels in contributing to the antiaircraft protection of our forces at Okinawa. The bulk of enemy air attacks were directed at them which have resulted in their suffering serious casualties. Without their skill in warning and guiding our aircraft our forces would have suffered heavily in life and equipment. For their performance of their hazardous duties with cheerful efficiency and display of heroic courage they are deserving of the highest commendations. ' These are a few of the hundreds of congratulatory messages received. Lt. Donald W. Love Lt. Cjgl Charles B- OWGHS -I 27 l- I I I I I I I II I W. I I I I I I I I I I I I I I

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1 lr . ,. .1 1 1 1 4 ' 4 1 1 I jzflzi, f ........... 1' iz, 1 ' ' A 11.. ,...W-1 ' . 1 1 .,,,.....::. -rfz 1 g. a 1 -, . 1 4 kcai incc cccncic cicc if . Ag 4 Q BOX SCORE+DAMAGE TO ENEMY AIRCRAFT 1 1 Time Location Type Plane and Degree oi Damage Weapon Evidence 2315 3123 S.E. of Okinawa Not sighted. Possible damage. 5 NOHG. P10119 turned Off, Did T101 PTGSS- 0049 3127 East of Okinawa Hamp, Possible damage, 5 N-one. Plane turned off, did not press attack. 0120 3127 East of Okinawa Not identified. Probably destroyed. 5 Plane seemed to be on fire as it passed over vessel. Large ball of fire seen to hit sea in ' direction of plane's travel. 0154 31271 East of Okinawa Not sighted. Possible damage, 5 6140 mm None. Plane turned off, did not press attack. 0220 3127. East'ofOkinawa Not sighted. Possible' damage, 5 6:40 mm. None. Plane turned off, did not press attack. 0240 3127 East of Okinawa Not sighted Possibly destroyed. 5 ci 40 mm Large splash seen in direction ofp1ane's travel. Plane suddenly disappeared from radar screen 03115 31247 East of Okinawa Not sighted Possible damage. 5 6:40 mm None. Plane turned off, did not press attack. 0019 3109 S.W. of Okin.awa Not sighted Possible damage. 5 6140 mm None. Plane turned- off, did not press attack. 2340 411 S.W. oiOkinawa Not sighted Possible damage. 5 640 mm None. Plane turned off, did not press attack. 0158 412 S.W. of Okinawa Not sighted. Possible damage. 5 G40 mm None. Plane turned off, did not press attack. ' 05-50 413 S.W. of Okinawa Not sighted. Possible damage. 5 Plane fired on by other vesselsg was downed. y 0950 4118 West of Okinawa Oscar. Destroyed. 5 Plane crashed in flames, 0951 4116 West of Okinawa Oscar. Destroyed. 5 Plane crashed in flames, 0953 4116 West ot Okinawa Oscar Destroyed 5 5:40 mm. Plane crashed in flames, I 5 0954 4116 West ofOkinawa Oscar' Destroyed 5 cS40 mm. Plane crashed. l ' 0956 4116 West of Okinawa Oscar. Destroyed. 5 Plqne Crqshed in Humes- 0957 4116 West of Okinawa Nate. Destroyed. 5 Plane crashed in flames, 1000 41116 West of Okinawa Nate. Destroyed. 5 6.401 mm, Plane crashed in flames? l93B 411212 Westof Okinawa Nick. Destroyed, 5 6.40 mmh Plane crashed' parts of plane recovered. 0130 4123 WeSfOfOkiT1f1W4'I BGUY- POSSHIPIS diimflge- 5 None. Plane turned off, didi not press attack. 0200 514 Westof Okinawa Not sighted. Possible damage. 5 None. Plane turned off, didi not press attack. 01427 514 West of Okinawa Betty. Possible damage. 5 5:40 mm. Non-e. Plane turned off, did not press attack. 0859 514 West of Okinawa Pilot-controlled Rocket Bomb. 40,20 mm. ol Destroyed. -1261- 50 Cal. Bomb exploded on impact. as it hit ship.

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DENIZENS or THE ETHER WAVES eft Norfolk with the Pacific as its destination, the igdngqecoiilslgtzdl of K. T. Knuteson, our first class, who is well known about the ship for his stories. Knute's. from 'a place called Wisconsin Rapids, which he claims is in Wisconsin, he still has its existence to prove to the rest of us-, W. B, Williams C43 points at time of writingl, one of those sons of the soil from Oklahoma, reported aboard after two years duty in Trinidad and British Guiana, I. W. Stresky, from the coal fields of western Pennsylvania, was another Trinidad sailor for a couple of years. C. A. Waara, better known as CY , hailed from northern Michigan and will always be remembered for his cheerfulness, ever-present smile and' continuous good nature. Cy was the BDF operator during G.O. and? died at his battle station on the morning of May 4th, G. L. Kane, the only regular in the gang, reported aboard after the shakedown from the SC-l3U2 after three years of Atlantic duty. B. T, Woodward, the Ioisey Kid, came to us from the old four-piper DALLAS after quite a bit of time in the Mediterranean. W. R. McArthur, oft mistaken for Dick Haymes, was one of the Chi Mob . Mac was a RDP' operator at Casco Bay before coming aboard. O, E. Cordell was- sent to us from a PC boat after several years of Panama duty. Cordy is a civilian now+probably back with his wife in the swamp country tLouisianaD Dick Perrault . , a survivor of a DD, the GLENNON, DD-630, lost off Normandy on D-D . . . ay, still claims he was almost a Coxswain and then a GM. The only two ment without previous sea duty were I.. I, Clavin from the Bronx and G. L. Barker from Weymouth, Massachusetts, both reported aboard from school l-lerby Wallenb k . ac was through five campaigns in the Pacific on an escort carrier. Wally died on his battle station-a 20 MM-fighting to the end. And last but n.ot least, V. L. Babb, CRM 'Know civilianl, who after 28 years in this outfit decided he should have been a Metalsmith. Later addi- tions- to the gang after -our loss were C, W, Rebel Tucker and S. B Love. After our arrivalin Ph'll .A hb . , r 1 y, s y and Ropski reported aboard from school. The Casablanca Kid -C, E. Kiser, came on in Philly also, Amona other things, our shack had the doubtful distinction of being the on-ly radio shack in the DesPac without a lo pot. Through an odd coincidence, Waara, Williams-, Stresky and Kane, who all had served together at one time on the Rum and Coca-cola island, all were together once again, though the ll y a reported aboard at different times and from different stations, One of the luckiest ones in the gang was Stresky, who was one of three survivors -of the 13 men inthe handling room of Mount Two. One of the toughest jobs in the 'gang was ably handled by Kane-that of putting out six pages of press e h ' f ac and every day in addition to standing his regular watches. l. W. Stres-ky, BM2fc, USNR. MEDICAL DEPARTMENT . the non-combatants of the fleet. Our weapons don't spit lead but they are potent enough against our enemy-disease. We are The ship was put into commission in Brooklyn, N, Y., by lohn W. Markson Lt. U99 fMCD USN, and lim Duffy, PhMlfc, while Pete Paglrilaro, PhM3fc was at Norfolk with the crew. With this staff and .Pat Pierce, CPhM, who was formerly with the Marines in the initial landings at Guadalcanal, The Solomons and Tulagi, we made our shakedown to Bermuda. While at gunnery practice at sea, which was a rough one, we had our first taste of a real emer- QGUCY, When a large wave splashed high over the bow and knocked three men against 5 Mount, seriously injuring them. Shakedown over and back to the States where Duff was transferred to a P.C.E., and Bob Ran. I Y Away we sailed for the We t C dies' PhM2!C Came aboard .th I u s oast and from there to Pearl Harbor wi practically no strain for the department except for routine treatments. Stan Thornton PhM3!c 1' , , re ieved B dl t P 1 and PQQIICITO became second class. With a compclelteecsoniiplerrfelrlt we sailed .for Okinawa. Stan was seriously wounded when the SHIP was hit and the forward battle dressing station was com wiped out. pletely I Y 4, 1945, was a real test for us all. Most f th f it was the only day the docs really worked, aid wee Gigi Sigh hands didna splendid Job saving the lives of many men on the fantail which had been converted into a field hospital. A few Ma -I 28 lg