Tazewell (APA 209) - Naval Cruise Book

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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

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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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XXXXQXXXXXXXXXX X XXXXXXXXNXXXXXX xxx ' 'X X Xxxxxxx Vsxxxxx and all ships sent up AA fire with llack bursting low. This turned out to be a B-29 Super-fortress, but it was far out of range. It was also at about this time that an AKA off our port quarter was taking pot shots with a 20mm at a Mariner coming in at low level for a landing at Kerama Retto. The 2nd and the 3rd of April, 1945, still remain as the days containing our most exciting experiences. Thank God for bringing us through without a scratch. . The next day the strategists agreed that the Japs were getting too rough and whittling us down too much each day, and so our Task Group 51.1 was sent to a waiting area in the Pacific, east of Okinawa, to sail around in circles for ten days awaiting further orders. While in this waiting area we witnessed the performances of one of the Navy's then secret weapons, the method of refueling while underway. On April 13th we received orders to sail to Okinawa, where we were to disperse with the rest of our cargo and troops, the bulk of which was beached on Ie Shima by our sturdy and well-trained boat crews, From the Okinawa anchorage, where we V parked at night without sleep, but with smoke in our eyes, we would leave each morning returning to le Shima, proceeding fi, , fra under Condition 1-A. The main event of this operation occurred on the morning of April 16th when at 0620 we com- menced unloading cargo and troops, the invasion of Ie Shima was on. The . - laps being aware of that fact, sent out a force of approximately two hun- dred planes to stop us. About nine planes got beyond the screening vessels to the transport J pq,-5'-f.-are area, and they were well taken care of by our fighter planes and the iw -ss.. .A -as X- - . . 5 - as-Sift-,ad E . 1 N- -s , . -- fda-xx S -fi t. 1- .,t....--N + surrounding ships. The mt M 'N-'W 21 wuz .Ii in 'i SU1hfvQ3f 5 9-4 KH 5 s e if 4 . I 1 l 1 ,l L r J 1 1 1 l -. 1 1? iv '11 1 ll ,Q