Tazewell (APA 209) - Naval Cruise Book

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. if. J T? gi' 7 ii . 1 1 . . gixxxxxxxxkx XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX xxS NV'x'X Mlsxxxxxxxv xXXXxxxxxXXXx Nxxxxxxxx'- ' On most nights we would clear the area and cruise around in circles in the vicinity of Okinawa, as it was better to be on the move in case of night air attacks. Each night, at about the time we were getting to sleep, we would be called to General Quarters. Yes Sir, the Mighty T was always on the ballu, always being the first to sound the alarm and the last to secure. How- ever, we accepted the honor of being first with grace, while the other ships by not being on the ball gained a little more sleep. The Japs and everything else which interrupted our sleep were rapidly becoming a nuisance and some of our prophetic or rather lazy shipmates, who just knew GQ would be secured before they could get dressed and to their stations, would stay in their sacks until a deep voice would say: Where is your station, and what is your name? It was April 2nd, just at sundown when the sack boys were cured of their lazy ways by the unexpected rumbling of the big guns of the Tazewell. Yes, April the Second is a night all on this ship will remember, and also should not fail to remember how fortunate we were. That was the show that would make a three-ring circus look like a side-show without freaks. At about 1830 General Quarters was sounded along with the sound of AA fire, and before all could get to their stations the convoy was under attack by enemy planes. It was estimated there were twelve planes, of which number eight were either shot down or fulfilled their mission as suicides. Observers first reported two F413 Wildcats on the tail of two Jap planes. Anti-aircraft fire cause one Jap plane to crash on the horizon, and the other one crash dived into the U. S. S. Henrico CAPA 455 starting a Hre and causing the ship to drop out of formation. This being the first real and close experience for most hands in this Squadron, we humbly acknowledged the credit given to us after the battle was over. You did a swell job, and I am happy to will be with you , reported the squardron commander. But, you fired like a bunch of 'trigger happy' recruits, as was shown when the Jap ships went down, and firing continued at the F4F's. Things were now happening all around, and most of the ships were getting their turn to fire, some were afire. The sun was down, and in the twilight all action and destruction seemed to be at its peak, On the horizon were fires, and ships around us were burning. About that time a lone man in a life raft was seen fioating by our port side. Before we were challenged by the Japs, our sister ship the U. S. S. Telfair C APA 2109, was hit by a suicide plane, the wing tipping the forward mast and glancing off their port bow. It is believed that one wing of the plane hit their 40mm quad, An unconfirmed report listed one man killed, an officer, and four enlisted men wounded. Just then another plane made a suicide dive on the U. S. S. Dickerson C APA 215, one of the screening vessels which was just off our port bow and successfully hit it. 19

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yxXXXXXXxy xxxX'5xxMuNXX xl V ., me xKXXxxxxv9X XXXNXXXXXXXXXXX X V! - l'4 5 'i if One morning while at Dawn Alert , we heard planes. Later we noticed the lights on the planes and knew they were our buddies. At daybreak three carriers appeared on the horizon and our morale lifted perceptibly. Planes coming and going from them gave us assurance. March 25th: still underway and our convoy was growing large as the dangers were becoming closer-dangers such as enemy mines. The following morning General Quarters was sounded and at 0515 all boats were lowered to the water. We had reached Kerama Retro, our secret destination being a small group of islands lying to the west of Okinawa in the East China Sea or better to say, in Japan's backyard. At daybreak it seemed as though everyone was experiencing a few chills, which weren't caused by the cool air. Here we were among the invasion force playing decoy by debarking a part of the 420th Field Artillery Group so that they could get set up and lob shells over on Okinawa from the West. The main, and one of the biggest invasions of the war took place on the east coast of Okinawa on the first of April, thus we were there six days in advance of the main event. At 0630 on this same morning of March 25th, AA fire, the first real thing we had seen, appeared on the horizon, and a few minutes later a fire was noted off our starboard quarter indicating a possible suicide dive into one of the protecting ships. It - was later reported that an enemy plane had dived into the U. S. S. Kimber- ly CDD 5217 and it is assumed that this was the ship seen on the horizon. A few minutes later, two more suicide bombers dived for ships but crash- ed into the sea. Around 0700 another suicide dive was observed and it was believed to be a Jap Val . There was considerable AA fire prior to the dive and it is believed this aided in causing the plane to miss the ship. Observers failed to identify the destroyer under attack. This sort of thing continued each day and night while at Kerama Retro. As yet they hadn't reached us in great force. By the time they had pierced our picket line of ships and carrier planes surrounding the area, their number would be diminished to the extent that only one or two might reach the transport area. 18

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xXXXXXXXX 'xxsa XxxxxxxxxxxwX'xxxxxxxxxWNXXxxxxxxXNXssxxx xxxXXXxxxxxxN 1'xx It was now getting late and as the ,laps were running our ul planes we began to feel as though we would be neglected. Three enemy planes were reported coming in at relative bearings 000U, 020 , and 060' respectively, and several ships opened fire on them. Uur 40mm quad opened fire on the plane at OOOO at extreme range. This plane headed for our bow, but being hir several times by our 40mm quad , winged over and exploded at the stern ol the U. S. S. Goodbye QAPA 1075. The plane at 0200 appeared to receive a direct hit from a five-inch shell and burst into flames, but the pilot held on and went into a dive, heading for the destroyer which had sent up the salvo of five-inch stuff. He overshot his target and made a beautiful splash just alt of the destroyer. Someone better take care of that plane at 0600 which appears to be diving on us , was the report from our control station. In a flash we knew, for in maniacal fashion the pilot headed her in, brushing aside or absorbing our AA as we opened a broadside fire on it with our 40mm guns and the five-inch, thirty eight. We continued firing with our 40mm and as soon as the plane came within range, the 20mm guns took their six short for a quarter, and the continuous firing of lead and trembling of the knees was maintained until the right wing was shot off and faltered like a feather making a splash for Hirohito. Immediately the tremendous cheers arose from the now breathing bodies of those on this ship. Darkness had now l set in and we hoped that sooner or later we would be able to turn inn, but this was not to be for the remainder of the night. Bogey reports and the sight of AA fire in the distance prevented us from securing although the situation was relative- ly quiet until at 0600 when we heard a plane in the low-ceiling fog. A Jap Tony had crashed into the sea. It was at this point that the whole squadron lived up to its name of Trigger happy recruits. Four planes passed overhead in formation and everyone opened lire. They were soon identifled as F6F Hellcats-our air coverage. W7 e were tired and scared, thinking all planes were Japs, Hring first and attempting recog- nition later. Suddenly a giant plane flying at very high altitude appeared overhead 20 , l