USS BRYANT (DD-665) History of the USS Bryant (DD-665) 1943 - 1945

by Dr. Jackson Lee Allgood, Jr., MD

Edited by Larry Mitchell Colonel USMC (Ret.)

Published by the USS Bryant Association

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USS BRYANT (DD-665)

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USS BRYANT (DD-665) History of the USS Bryant (DD - 665)

Introduction announcer — “Washington, D.C.: The Up to this time (August 18, 1944), I President has announced that Japanese planes have not kept a diary, although it was have attacked the American Fleet at Pearl suggested to me by Elizabeth and others in the Harbor.” The excitement, and the results of family. It is against Naval Regulations to keep that dastardly event, are history and common diaries, and there are several reasons for this knowledge. fact. The primary one is, I believe, that such My future, as a soon-to-be M.D., was would be of value to the enemy should it fall fairly definitely cut out for me from that into its hands. If one should have to abandon moment. It gradually developed for all ship, the average person would take his diary medical students that our immediate future with his other personal effects if the would be either the Army or the Navy. opportunity arose. That is about the only way I still had about two months to decide such a document could become available to where I would intern. Clyde, Cliff, Dunc, and the enemy. I spent hours discussing all possibilities. Three I do not consider this a diary. It is of us decided to apply for Navy internships. rather a recording of many things that have Clyde did not feel that he could do so because happened to me since I joined the Navy. In of his poor vision. We agreed that many top- addition to telling about these things, I expect flight civilian doctors were in Naval Reserve, to include my ideas on a few subjects. I do not and that we could get excellent training in any think anything I write, or could write, would one of many new Naval Hospitals, perhaps be of much value to the enemy. Compared better personal training than could be had in with the hundreds of documents aboard this civilian hospitals during the strain and ship, and the many mechanical devices, this overload of war. The three of us went to writing is as unimportant as the average letter. Charleston, S.C., for three days, and each of Nor would I ever take this “over the side” us succeeded in passing the rather thorough with me. It is not that valuable to me. It could physical and professional examinations which well be written five years from now. My the Navy required. reasons for writing at this time are two: (1) Shortly following graduation our many day-to-day happenings are fresh in my orders arrived. Duncan was to report to mind, and (2) I have quite a lot of spare time Brooklyn Naval Hospital, and Cliff and I to at the present for doing just this. the U.S. Naval Hospital, Jacksonville, Florida. Augusta, Georgia (After his internship, Duncan went to the On Sunday afternoon, December 7, Marine Corps and was stationed on a Pacific 1941, I was lounging in the home of the Island most of the time.) Arnolds on Wrightsboro Road, August, where Jacksonville I was living during my last year in medical Cliff and I reported together to the school. My roommates were Clyde Collins, hospital in Jacksonville on July 13, 1942. We son of a North Georgia Methodist minister were in civilian clothes and had each been whom my father knows well, Clifford C. sworn in as Lieutenant (JG)’s two days before. Chappell, Jr., of Cordele, and Duncan B. The day we arrived we bought uniforms, McRae of McRae, Georgia. Dunc was reading donned them, and put away our civvies for the and listening to a musical program. There was a station break, and the excited voice of an (Continued on page 4)

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(Continued from page 3) everything.” This proved to be more or less duration. true in a minor sort of way. The commanding officer of the There were about 30 medical officers hospital was Captain L.L. Pratt, a fine looking on the staff. The interns examined and wrote man of sixty and a thorough gentleman, a up all new patients which averaged about five good doctor, too, I was told. Because his job or ten daily per man. This was a never ending was administrative, I never observed his drudgery, the paperwork of the Navy, and one medical abilities in practice. never catches up. Each of us had from sixty to There were six of us interns — Judge a hundred patients at a time. The ward Fuller, Tennessee; M.J. Rogers, Texas; medical officer, in most cases a lieutenant Barney Blumberg, Louisiana; and Fred , was the boss, but he usually let Burdette of S.C., were the other four. Fuller the interns do most of the treatment. has since been killed when his ship rammed The doctors over us were reserves another ship at night in the Atlantic. As it from Miami, Jacksonville, Atlanta, and other turned out, we were a congenial group, and in cities. Many of them were excellent short order we assumed our place of specialists. Each of us spent a number of questionable importance on the staff. months on surgery, medicine, eye, ear, nose, The first six months we lived in the and throat, and the other services, so that each BOQ (Bachelor Officers Quarters) which was was under the older men at one time or within walking distance of the hospital, another. They were wonderful fellows, and we nurses’ home, and the officers’ club. Since the became good friends of most of them. They base was about ten miles from town, it were very helpful in teaching, and they let us followed that most of our time would be spent do a lot ourselves. Each of us did eight or ten at one of those places. appendectomies and numerous minor Burdette and Blumberg married within operations. On medicine we followed all a few months of our meeting, each marrying a treatments carefully and were allowed to order girl from “back home.” Fuller had been x-rays and laboratory work as we wished. This married several years and had a little girl. was good training. Cliff fell in love with a Navy nurse, Mary The older men spent quite a lot of time Woituck, of Illinois, and they were married in writing medical surveys, which are medico- November. It was natural, then, that Roge and legal documents by which men are discharged I should spend much time together, and we from the service for disability. They were ultimately rented an apartment in town and rather clever in getting us to learn how to lived together there our last five months. write these surveys “because we need to know Our work was fairly hard, interesting, in the future” — and soon we were writing and the hours were good. We were on duty them, too. from eight to five daily and until noon on My most interesting, probably because Sunday. About one night in four or five we it was the busiest, time in Jax was the two and were on duty at the hospital as medical officer a half months I lived at St. Vincents Hospital of the day. doing obstetrics and gynecology. At one time We did all the dirty work. As I didn’t leave the hospital for nearly three Blumberg once said, “A JG in the medical weeks, but most of the time Roge was corps is one below whom the buck cannot be working with me, and we alternated nights passed.” We had heard early that the formula off. for success in the Navy was “shoot the bull, My good friend Commander Richards pass the buck, and make three copies of (Continued on page 5)

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(Continued from page 4) addition, I was medical officer of the Seven of Jax was our boss. He made ward rounds Seas, a converted schooner which was with me each morning to check what I was anchored several miles out and was used as a doing and to see the patients. Frequently he signal ship. This sounds like a big job, but operated in the mornings, and Roge or I or there were times when I had very little to do. both assisted him. While there, Roge and I The convoys came through irregularly. each delivered over 50 babies, treated Sometimes there were only two or three ships hundreds of women and children for in, at others there were 30 or 40. These ships everything from measles to cancer, and as would signal that they wanted a doctor, or usual did all the paperwork. But we enjoyed it would fly the flag William, which meant the thoroughly. same thing, and I would go out to them in a Nothing unusual happened during the small, fast 30-foot boat. This was all new and year except that I had pneumonia in October strange to me, and I enjoyed it immensely at and was in the hospital two weeks, after which first. I was on ships of all nations — British, I went to Elberton on ten days leave. French, Dutch, Scandinavian, Greek, Cuban, Jacksonville was fun. Roge and I had and many others. I treated colds, venereal quite a time with the nurses there. There were diseases, injuries, and anything that came 90-odd girls at the hospital at all times, and we along. I transferred the more acutely ill to the would take them dancing, to the beach on new Naval Hospital ashore. I often had to Sunday afternoons, or swimming in the send them drugs, which I obtained from a officers’ club pool. We made lots of friends dispensary ashore, and sometimes I brought there and I’ve wished many a time that I were men ashore for x-rays or to see the dentist. back there once more. The only unpleasant thing about this Within a few days, around August 1, duty was that I was on call 24 hours a day. 1943, Cliff, Roge and I got orders. Roge went Consequently, I had to make calls to New York to be medical officer of a large occasionally at night. Aside from the fleet repair ship. He was in the Italian invasion unpleasantness of night work, it was often and saw action before any of us. I was not to hazardous to put to sea in a small boat in the see him until nearly a year later in Pearl black dark. Several times we had to turn back Harbor. Cliff went to Norfolk to a soft shore because we couldn’t find a ship, or because of job inspecting the medical departments of new bad weather. escorts that were joining the fleet. During this time I lived in a small My orders took me to Gulf Sea BOQ. We had fine quarters and the best food Frontier, , Florida. I’ve seen in the Navy. Life in Key West was Key West simple. We played cards, went to movies at I arrived there at midnight, August 4th, night, and on Saturday we often went to the on the bus from Miami. I spent the night in the officers’ club to dance. A few officers had LaConcha Hotel (as all new arrivals do) and their wives with them, and there were a few reported the next morning to the Commanding nurses, waves, and civilian girls in town. We Officer of Convoy Control, Craig Dock. I went out with girls very rarely, though, found that I was to be the only medical officer because there were always about 20 men to every woman. This condition prevails in the there, and that I was to look after the dock personnel (about 150 men), 50 sub-chasers Navy in advanced bases — the ratio in (110-foot boats with a crew of around 15), and Honolulu was 200 to 1, and further west the merchant seamen and Naval gun crews of women were practically extinct. the merchant convoys that passed through. In (Continued on page 6)

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(Continued from page 5) weeks. My supplies and equipment were We had a number of bicycles, and I stored in a warehouse. Most of the crew and rode nearly everywhere I went. At lunch I two of my pharmacist’s mates were in sometimes rode over to a swimming pool and Norfolk. One of my boys, Paul Binkerd, PHM had lunch there (the large pool at N.O.B.). 1/C, from Iowa was on hand. I learned that in Fishing is a great diversion around the addition to his general qualifications he is a Keys. Too, I went crayfishing a few times, dental technician. I was glad to know this for I and it is a lot of fun. We often got enough could leave the treatment of toothaches, gums, crayfish, or Florida lobsters as they are called, etc., to him until dental care was available. to serve a meal at the BOQ, and I became During these few weeks I learned the quite fond of them. officers well as they reported for duty. Too, I Key West was interesting, and my learned to know the Grant’s officers. We all duties there were unusual for a medical went to the club on base for lunch, the only officer. The outstanding fault with the town place to eat. The food was “lousy” and was the climate. The temperature reached a expensive, but the companionship and hundred daily, and I had a heat rash the entire conversation were good. The progress of the time I was there. There was very little to do Bryant and the Grant was a never-ending topic about it, and nearly everyone had a rash. I of conversation. found that a sun-tan was the best cure. Our chief engineer, Lieutenant Phil After nearly three months of Hughes of Mississippi, had procured a pick-up continuous duty, I finally got a weekend off truck, and this was our sole means of and went to Miami with a friend. On my transportation. Each night we loaded and went return I found that my orders had arrived and to town to our various homes. We all met at that I was heading for sea. My next place of the downtown officers’ club for dinner each duty was to be Charleston, S.C. night. Here we could get a very good meal for a dollar. Charleston was so crowded that one Joining the Bryant could hardly eat elsewhere, and the food, service, and prices in most restaurants were Charleston and Bermuda terrible. When I arrived in Charleston This historic city had little interest for November 15, I found that the Bryant was not me, although I had hoped to be there when the yet commissioned and that she was scheduled gardens were in bloom. The old homes and to be commissioned on December 4th, 1943. I buildings were so decrepit, particularly to met the Captain, Commander Paul Laverne have to live in, that their historic significance High of the Academy class of ’27, and about was lost in the discomfort and hustle of an five of our officers. We had an office in the overcrowded city in wartime. The home I Navy Yard near the ship, and the office joined lived in was nearly 200 years old, next door to with the office of the USS Albert W. Grant, one of the oldest Baptist churches in America, our sister ship. and a few blocks from the slave market, but I I found a room in a private home in took little note of all this. town and moved in. It would be several weeks By December 4th the entire crew and before the ship would be completed enough to officers had arrived, and at 3:00 p.m. we had move into the quarters. The other officers our commissioning exercises, the admiral lived in private homes, and we all reported to turned the ship over to the skipper, and the the office each morning. first watch was set. We moved aboard that day There was nothing for me to do for (Continued on page 7)

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(Continued from page 6) runs, and antisubmarine training. We had and the next. That night we had a huge lectures and movies for all hands on every commissioning party with about 200 guests. phase of ship life. For the next six weeks we worked hard We came into port every Saturday getting the ship completed. My other afternoon, and the officers and crew got pharmacist’s mates were J.C. Veylupek of liberty. Bermuda is a lovely spot and is very Nebraska and Bob quiet, clean, and Persun of USS Bryant (DD-665) entirely different from Williamsport, Specifications anything in the U.S. I , both A Fletcher Class destroyer went all over the excellent men. Persun, Displacement: 2,050 tons (2,924 countryside by train, tons full load). like many reserve Length: 376 feet 5 inches jeep, and carriage. PHMs, was an Beam: 39 feet 7 inches While there I went to undertaker in civilian Draught: 17 feet 9 inches several dances and met life, and there were Machinery: Four Babcock & Wilcox quite a few British and naturally many jokes to boilers: 2-shaft G.E.C. Portuguese girls, very geared turbines. the effect that no one Performance: 60,000 shp for 35 different from U.S. wanted him working knots. girls, and something of on him! We spent Bunkerage: 492 tons a novelty. We returned weeks loading Range: 6,500 nautical to Charleston, and on supplies, compounding miles at 15 knots. March 4th I went to Guns: Five 5/38s; five twin drugs, checking mount 40mm; six Elberton for three days, inventories and 20mm taking my roommate, equipment. We had to Torpedoes: Ten 21 inch Lieutenant R.L. Gilbert have all the crew take Complement: 329 officers and men of Scottsbluff, numerous arm shots, Nebraska, with me. and the paperwork was Gilbert had had 18 enormous. The sick bay on a 2100-ton can is months destroyer duty in the Pacific in the topside and just about amidships. It is only early days of the war. I knew at that time that about seven by ten feet but is the largest sick our next port would be Boston, but I was not bay ever built on a destroyer. There are many allowed to say anything about it. shelves for drugs, books, instruments and the We were in Boston for only two days, like, and it is an amazingly compact and well and I saw very little there. I was busy most of equipped place. I am reminded of the wave the time, and soon learned that days in port ensign who came aboard one of these ships were always busy ones. and on seeing sick bay said, “Oh, look! A Panama Canal drugstore!” We found the new huge carrier Wasp The Grant was completed first and left there, and learned that we were to escort her for Bermuda on January 1st. We left st through the canal. One other destroyer was to Charleston on January 31 , and after a rough go with us, the McNair. trip, arrived in Bermuda two days later. The The trip to the canal was uneventful. next month, known as the shake-down of a Much to our amazement, the sea was glassy ship, was rugged. We were at sea most of the calm the entire time, very unusual for the time drilling and practicing constantly. For 85 Atlantic. We arrived off Panama at 4:00 p.m. percent of the crew this was the first sea duty. We had battle drills, firing practice, (Continued on page 8)

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(Continued from page 7) I went to the Naval hospital there for in the afternoon about March 20th. Everyone supplies. It is one of the largest, and has over who could get on deck was out for a look. 5,000 beds. Directly ahead was what appeared to be Pearl Harbor gigantic concrete steps. This was the first set We set sail for Pearl Harbor and points of locks. I believe there were three sets of west the latter part of March. We had as locks in all, and it took us several hours to go passengers three ensign pilots (fly-flies). They through. Most of the way we were in fresh were nice, eager kids about 20 years old and water lakes. Parts of the canal were very thrilled to be aboard a destroyer. (I saw one of narrow, and it was difficult to understand how them six months later in Manus.) They were our large carriers could get through. The going to carrier duty and to plenty of action. project is so vast that I hardly see how it was The trip to Pearl was uneventful. We ever completed with the methods and were still escorting the Wasp. My first view of equipment of even 30 years ago. the islands was of a blue haze of a mountain We arrived at Balboa around 9:00 which shaped to from the famous Diamond p.m., and several of us went ashore for a look Head on the outskirts of Honolulu. As we around. I saw practically nothing of the town, approached, we were greeted with a squadron but enough to know that it was hot and sultry, of 20-odd planes, which dived and zoomed and that I didn’t care much for the native around us in mock battle. It was a bit population. The streets and buildings were terrifying for it was impossible for our guns to dirty, and there were a lot of cafes and bars bear on many of them at once. I hoped at the filled with dirty, loud people. I understand that time that the Japs were not as good flyers as Cristobal and some of the other cities are our boys. cleaner and more modern. The next day we Again, all hands not on watch were shoved off for San Diego, taking two army topside to see our entrance. As we entered, I officers and several other men as passengers was standing on the forecastle with my friend for the trip. They had been in that area around Ensign Chester T. Shablowski of New Jersey, 20 months and could think and talk of nothing who had been a first class gunner’s mate on but home. the Tennessee on the famous December 7th. We were in San Diego two days and He was amazed at the improvements about. nights. It is another large and overcrowded Huge buildings and barracks were in all Navy town, but was cleaner and more directions. Ford Island is now a big airfield beautiful than most busy ports. It greatly with hundreds of planes all over. resembled Florida cities such as Jacksonville On all sides one could see the hulls and Orlando. While there I called a Navy and masts of half-sunk ships, grim evidence nurse whom my friend Rogers had gone with still of the devastation suffered by our fleet in Jacksonville, and she was able and that day. Shablo, as we call him, was in new delighted to come aboard for dinner that night. whites that morning (Sunday the 7th), all ready I showed her over the ship — the guns, to go ashore on liberty. His first thought when torpedoes, and everything. All of our stairs are he saw the Jap planes coming in was, “This is called ladders, and most of them are very a heck of a time to have a drill!” His second steep with a small handrail. We go down them thought as he realized that he was under as you do stairs and usually in a fast walk or enemy attack was that he would get his whites even a trot. She said that on her first visit to a dirty. Get them dirty he did — he didn’t get ship she had backed down a ladder, much to everyone’s amusement. (Continued on page 9)

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(Continued from page 8) from the air. out of them for 48 hours. His was one of the While there I saw several doctors I had first guns to open fire, and his gun crew shot known in Jax and Key West, and I saw several down a Jap plane. The Tennessee, as he people I had known in college six years described it, was moored between two other before. A destroyer transport tied up alongside , one of which was sunk and the one day, and the doctor was a former intern in other badly hit and burning. The Tennessee Jax whom I had known for a few months. took a 3,000-pound bomb near a magazine, Roge’s ship, a net-carrying transport, showed but the bomb was a dud. up before I left, and Roge came aboard for a As we entered the harbor, we were few hours. I was glad to see him. Pearl is fronted with scores of ships, a thrilling sight to called the crossroads of the Pacific for me and one I was to view many times. On one everyone goes through there at one time or occasion in Pearl I counted 55 , 9 another. carriers, 6 battleships, 14 cruisers, and scores We left Pearl the latter part of May and of uncountable transports, smaller ships, subs, set sail for Eniwetok. This was to be a and others I couldn’t see. And this was only a “staging area” for the next invasion. It was a part of the fleet! bit rough on the way down, but we soon got We were in Pearl most of April and accustomed to the sea again. On arrival the part of May, about six weeks in all. The ship usual sight of hundreds of ships almost blotted went out a few times for several days of shore out the small atolls. While there, we got new bombardment and anti-aircraft gunnery. We provisions, movies, and there was much saw the Grant for two days, but she shoved off planning and talk of the coming battle. We left for the Hollandia invasion, which we missed. Eniwetok around June 10th for . There were many hush-hush rumors about Saipan and “something big” coming off, which everyone Saipan, Tinian, and Rota were to be was careful not to discuss. I remember one the center of our activities for days to come. day Gilbert received a lot of secret mail with We were not in the bombardment group, and which our room was always overflowing. As thus were stationed five or more miles out as a he opened it up, I saw his face get red, and he screening ship on the look-out for subs and ran off to the safe to lock it up. With fervor he planes. I could see very little of the invasion. said, “Geez, Doctor, don’t ask me anything. On June 17th we were in a terrific air raid. Don’t even talk to me. I know so much that if The planes were too high for us to damage, I even open my mouth I’ll probably get court- but all ships put up a terrific barrage. During martialed.” I later learned that he was the weeks at Saipan, I saw five or six planes referring to Saipan which, at that time, was shot down. nearly a month away. Most of our work there was dull. We Pearl was very crowded, and there was bombarded the Japs a few times in support of little to do when one went ashore. I often went our Marines ashore, and sometimes we to Waikiki Beach, which is very pretty and is illuminated the front lines with star shells at much like our Florida beaches. Several times I night. went over to Ford Island (by ferry) to see One day at Saipan was rather full for Lieutenant Jack Bermingham, whom I had nd us. it was about June 22 . Around 3:00 in the known in Jax. He took me flying in his SBD afternoon we got word to stand by for a crash. (dive-bomber) a couple of times. Once we I hurried out on deck and saw a TBF (torpedo flew over Diamond Head and Doris Cromwell’s home. Honolulu is very beautiful (Continued on page 10)

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found ourselves in another air raid — about The Greater Marianas 30 planes. We drew away from the big ship 1944 and set up an AA barrage. Four or five planes were shot down by the ships present. The only damage to our group was one minor hit on a carrier. Since it was almost dark, we kept our guests aboard overnight, transferring them the next day. While in the Saipan area, I got ashore only once. There were still Jap snipers on the island, so I couldn’t go far, and I only had 30 minutes there. There was little to see. There was evidence of American destruction of trees and buildings, and our construction battalions were hard at work building roads and barracks. [N.B. - Because of snipers, all men going ashore were ordered to be armed — the only time Jack, as a doctor, wore a gun.] The Bryant was never in great danger during this invasion. One or two ships struck mines. On one occasion during the invasion of Tinian around July 5th we went in close to relieve a destroyer which had been damaged by shore batteries, but, as far as I know, we were not fired on. On the whole the Saipan invasion was long and dull as far as we were concerned. It was much tougher for the men (Continued from page 9) on the beach. bomber) circling us. She crashed about a Eniwetok, Second Time hundred yards off our starboard bow. Her After 70-odd days at sea, it was crew of three inflated their lifeboat, and we thrilling to see the land of even Eniwetok. picked them up unhurt. The plane sank We were among the last ships to leave quickly. The pilot had been unable to lower Saipan, consequently as we arrived one her wing flaps, and thus could not reduce could see ships in every direction. While we speed sufficiently for a carrier landing. were at Eniwetok there were about 300 ships Within a few minutes of this there, of all sizes from the small sub-chasers happening we got a sub contact. We circled to the huge carriers. What a sight! A city of the area for about an hour and dropped ships with a population as great as many an several patterns of depth charges. We American metropolis. eventually lost the contact and left the area, The wardroom radio was tuned to never knowing whether there was a sub Radio Station Eniwetok “On the road to below. ,” and the musical and news programs We then proceeded to the carrier to were excellent. Word quickly flew through transfer the pilot and crew and to fuel. Just as we got alongside, we got a “flash red” and (Continued on page 11)

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(Continued from page 10) the ship that the captain had had 20-odd cases of beer put in the icebox. There would be liberty — such as it was — for all hands. Most had not left the ship since May, and this was August 4th. We went alongside the tender Piedmont, along with four other cans. This group is called a destroyer nest. The Grant, with my friend Dr. Mathieu, was anchored about three miles from us near the large island where the air strip is located. We were about a mile from Runnit Island, which is only a mile long and a few hundred yards wide. I made dental appointments for 20-odd men on the tender. They had two dentists who were sadly overworked; one filling per man was the rule unless his teeth were exceptionally bad. Clemons, our supply officer, hurried to a provision ship and Eniwetok obtained fresh stores and meat — our cupboard was nearly bare. I obtained drinking glasses for the wardroom (We had 15 left out drinking beer, playing ball, swimming, of dozens we had had in the states). I was climbing trees, eating coconuts, and having amused at the lieutenant commander in supply fun in general. We lined the men up to see that from whom I obtained the glasses. He just each got his allotment of beer. There were couldn’t understand why we broke them, also plenty of canned peanuts to go around. because they never did on his ship. I had to One section of the area was set off as restrain myself to keep from telling him how officers’ country. There was a good beach and we sometimes ate with our chairs lashed several tables and log benches. There were together with fiddle-boards on the table to hundreds of officers swimming, playing ball, hold the dishes in place, and with metal poles looking for shells, etc. One was constantly in place between the deck and overhead for meeting old friends from the states, and it was braces for the chairs. I wanted to tell him too always fun to go to the “beach.” of the tremendous jarring of the ship when we We stayed at Eniwetok about ten days, fired five-inch salvos, with lights breaking and and counting our next stop, we were actually dishes flying, and pandemonium in general. underway only about a week of August. We the Piedmont was a new tender, and she got a few letters from home while there, but hadn’t much experience with destroyers as found that most of our first-class mail and all yet. She was built, incidentally, in Tampa and our second-class had been sent to Saipan. is the largest ship ever built in Florida. Would we ever get it!? The first liberty section went ashore The food was better, the recreation the next afternoon, about 90 men and four simple but at least recreation, and we all went officers. What a surprise we had as we pulled to work to straighten out the ship. We fueled, into the pier at the beach. There were literally took on ammunition and did painting, which thousands of sailors — in the palm trees, (Continued on page 12)

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(Continued from page 11) had not been together. Our squadron, like has to be done almost continuously at sea. others, is made of two divisions, DESDIV 111 While at Eniwetok a tragedy occurred of 5 ships, and ourselves in DESDIV 112 of 4 when one of our men was fatally injured by ships. We are told that we are to be with a the screws of a small boat while attempting to cruiser and outfit as a striking force push her off the beach. Two doctors from the and shore bombardment group. We expect to tender and I worked for hours suturing his bombard the beaches on the next operation, many lacerations. He had about six five-inch and at the same time be on call to repel hit and lacerations, and the chest cavity was run attacks from fast enemy surface units. We penetrated in two places. He received plasma, don’t know just what it will be, but it sounds transfusions, oxygen, and all the therapy of exciting. modern medicine to no avail. Autopsy showed Purvis Bay, Florida Islands a huge laceration of the liver from which he About the third week in August we would have died even had we known of it. We proceeded to Purvis Bay, escorting cruisers had funeral services on the fantail of the ship, and a small carrier. The cruisers were the with a Catholic chaplain officiating. He was Honolulu, Cleveland and, I believe, the buried on the island. Denver. I think the carrier was the Callander Such accidents are inevitable with so Bay. many men working around dangerous On the way down, we practiced equipment. I am no longer surprised at our torpedo runs and other maneuvers. One day frequent casualties, such as smashed heads we had planes towing sleeves for gunnery and hands, falls from ladders and decks, and practice. The cruisers fired on the first few the like. At night we are completely blacked runs, and later the destroyers, or “little boys”, out topside, yet hatches and doors must be fired. The Bryant officers and crew were opened and closed, ladders climbed, and the exuberant after the practice. We shot down functions of the ship carried out as in daytime. three out of four sleeves that day with five- Imagine, for example, the call to General inch guns. The distance was one to two miles, Quarters at midnight, with 300 men running to the speed of the sleeve around 200 knots. If battle stations and manning them in about you consider the speed of our own ship, our three minutes in the black dark. The rolling and pitching, you realize the possibilities for accidents are unlimited. mathematical problems involved. At Eniwetok we had movies on deck We fired only 38 rounds that day, and each night, and often had two. The ships get we were sure we shot down more than any new movies flown from the states and other ship. If we keep that up, we should get a exchange with each other daily. It was not plane or two on the next operation. unusual for us to sit in the rain to watch — The day we crossed the equator the what else to do? entire morning was devoted to the initiation. We learned here that our squadron (56) We had only 20-odd shellbacks aboard and was to operate as a unit for the first time. Our around 300 pollywogs to be initiated. The squad commander was Captain Libbey, who is crew got quite a kick out of the officer one of the best destroyer men in the fleet, and pollywogs. We had to man a bow watch and is an authority on shore bombardment, etc. keep a sharp lookout as we approached the This explains why squad dog 56 had some of line. We were dressed in blue coat with tie but the assignments we later got, and why we did no shirt, underwear shorts but no trousers, very little convoying and “safe” jobs as many cans have to do. Up till this time, our ships (Continued on page 13)

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(Continued from page 12) souvenirs, I have made very little effort to get white cap cover with black tie around it them. We are so crowded aboard ship that trailing in the wind, shoes of different color there is no place for such things, and I don’t and khaki leggings. In addition, we carried a think I shall be able to carry much with me hose nozzle for a spyglass and had to search when I am transferred. I would like to get a the horizon at different intervals “looking for few things to mail home, but so far I have the line.” Following this, we donned rough seen nothing worth having. The natives are clothes and went through the rest of the very poor, and the things they have and make initiation consisting of fanny-paddling, hair are hardly worthwhile. cutting, and the like. Many of the crew shaved On the whole I was rather bored and their heads, and all the officers had their hair anxious to start the next operation. We are cut very short. We are a funny sight! interested to see what our next “invasion,” We arrived at Purvis Bay about 36 , will be like. There is an airfield there, hours later, everyone possible being topside and the island is known to be a Jap stronghold. for a look. Guadalcanal in sight about 20 We do not expect it to be as difficult as miles away, Tulagi on our left, and Purvis Saipan, except that we will be within range of dead ahead. What thoughts enter our minds: dozens of airfields on Mindanao and Lozon. The slot — iron bottom bay — the Tokyo No one knows whether the Jap fleet will come Express. Some of our men were here a year out and fight, but it is generally considered and a half ago when a destroyer stopped only unlikely. long enough for fuel and ammunition. In sight Palau (Peleliu) were the waters where the Vincennes, Astoria, We left the Tulagi area on September Quincy, and Canberra were sunk. The Atlanta th 6 for the five or six day journey to Palau. We was lost here, and scores of American and Jap had all known for weeks that this was our next ships fought it out for this island outpost. objective. As a part of Task Force 35, we are We anchored in Purvis Bay alongside an impressive sight with a force of 50-odd the Grant and Leary. There are many large ships in formation, ships of every fighting ships here, too. The list of ships around would class. fill several pages. Again it is the old story of The journey to Palau was uneventful. repairs and procurement of supplies. We spent We arrived on D-4 (D day was set for a week or more in the Purvis area and September 15th) and made plans for the procured many provisions and new equipment coming engagement. The ship was thoroughly of various types. prepared in all respects. My own preparations There was, as usual, very little to do. were slight for we have kept our battle There was a very good officers club, and we dressing stations adequately equipped at all could go ashore in the afternoons for beer and times. cokes, to hear an orchestra, and to meet At 11:30 p.m. on D-4 the ship went to friends from other ships in the bay. General Quarters, for we were in the battle There were a lot of black natives in area some 30 miles from Palau. At the least it Purvis, and they would paddle around to the would be three or four days of heat, dirt, and ships in their dug-out canoes. They had mostly irregular eating and sleeping. The first night shells to trade for flour and personal articles, we were at condition one easy, which means but they had very little worthwhile to offer. that all hands were at battle stations with The natives are rather civilized, and most about 75% of personnel asleep on deck at their speak English. British missionaries have been in these islands for years. On the subject of (Continued on page 14)

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(Continued from page 13) by them. They then mark lanes with buoys so stations. the invasion barges have a clear path to land. Most of the officers not actively busy These boys are all volunteers and are expert did not choose to go below to sleep, although swimmers, as much of their work is done we could have done so. It was very hot in the while swimming with heavy loads and often sleeping quarters for the ventilation system is under fire from the beach. always secured (or cut off) at GQ. The We secured from GQ in the early prospect of sleeping in a watertight, air-tight afternoon and retired to sea to rest before the compartment is not a pleasant one. Though next day’s work. On the morning of D-2, we there are three escape hatches and doors from went to GQ at 5:00 a.m. and stayed until this compartment, we all know that a nearby around noon. We fired intermittently at the hit by bomb, mine, or torpedo often springs shore all morning and were in quite close. doors so that they cannot be opened. During the morning a fast landing barge Consequently, most of us stay topside at GQ. containing 20 marines drew alongside the That first night was uneventful. I ship. An officer came aboard to confer with talked in the wardroom for hours and the captain regarding our shore firing. This attempted sleeping in a chair, but the heat and officer and his men were part of a UDT group discomfort would not allow it. Finally, I went and were going in to blast the reefs and boat up to the flying bridge and got a few hours obstacles a few yards from the enemy under sleep on deck. There were a couple of enemy cover. While they were alongside, we gave the planes flying around within 15 miles of us marines two dozen oranges and a gallon and a most of the night, but they didn’t come very half of ice cream. Needless to say, they were close. delighted with the gifts, particularly with the At dawn, we moved into position to ice cream. screen battleships and cruisers from sub attack The afternoon was quiet, and we didn’t while they shelled the beaches. We secured go to battle stations again until 10:30 p.m., from GQ for two hours and ate breakfast and got an hour’s sleep. At 10:30 we went back to Peleliu GQ, and with the other cans and big ships, began shelling the beach. We went about 2,000 yards from shore and opened up with 40 mm machine guns as well as five inch. Our planes were all over the island, diving low to strafe and drop bombs. We could hear their guns plainly and could watch their bombs leave the planes and hit the island. Several oil fires were started by them and the ship gunfire. There was very little sign of life ashore. Several boats containing our underwater demolition teams (UDTs) headed for the beach. These daredevils are from fast transports converted from old four-stack destroyers. They go into the beach and blow up underwater boat obstacles, barbed wire, and even coral reefs if the water is obstructed (Continued on page 15)

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(Continued from page 14) The first wave of marines hit the beach. and that for only 15 minutes. Nothing Within 30 minutes, the Bryant was in happened. During the night we learned that a radio communication with an observation post destroyer had rammed a smaller ship and that ashore, and we began receiving directions as 50 men on the small ship had been killed. to what areas to cover with shell fire — this is During that day, too, one of our minesweeps called “call-fire.” We fired throughout the day hit a mine and sank shortly after. Most of the at the areas that the marines wanted hit. crew were saved. During the day numerous shell splashes On D-1 we didn’t go to quarters again landed close to the ship, but we received no until 1:00 p.m., but then we fired all hits. The Japs reserved most of their fire for afternoon. We were in close and were again the landing craft. If they should open on us, supporting UDTs. We could see occasional we could see their gun flashes and wipe out flashes of fire from small areas which the their guns with counter-battery fire. Our firing enemy were firing at our men, and we fired was extremely accurate, and I believe we continuously in those areas to keep the enemy could almost put a shell in a barrel at that under cover as much as possible. range. I saw only one of our planes shot down During the afternoon I watched one of today. The Bryant hit a few enemy tanks our air attacks on the island. What a sight! I during the day, and also shelled some enemy could see our dive bombers streak down and planes we could see on their air strip. could watch their bombs leave the plane and A mountain almost as large as hit the ground, and I could hear the clatter of Kinnesaw (later called “Bloody-Nose Ridge”) their machine guns distinctly. was shelled until it was devoid of its dense We have had no air opposition, and trees and looked as if it had been burned. Yet have lost only one plane to antiaircraft fire. our troops found stiff opposition. I later We expect air raids after our landing forces learned that the enemy had a maze of caves arrive, but the Japs are unpredictable in that and trenches throughout the hills, and it respect. ultimately took months to drive them out. At sunrise on D day, September 15th, The next day, D plus 1, was the same. the ship took position about two to three We found at dawn that the Japs had set up gun thousand yards from shore. We and other positions on the bare mountain and were firing destroyers of our squadron plus a few of the rapid fire at our troops and landing craft. I larger ships opened up with a terrific barrage. could see their gun flashes distinctly. We I had never seen anything like it. The whole opened with rapid five-inch fire on them and island was covered with smoke and at times wiped them out with high explosives and the could not be seen. As I watched through the deadly white phosphorous in a few minutes. glasses, I could see tracers of shells falling all One of the admirals on the Mississippi radioed over the island. How could anyone live under the Bryant a “well-done.” such fire? I believe H hour — the hour of At the end of the day we were low on landing — was set for 8:30. Our hundreds of ammunition and fuel, since we hadn’t fueled small landing barges were drawing close to for nearly a week. We had only enough ammo shore, supported by LCIs (landing craft, left for one good air raid, which we expected infantry). At 8:15 the LCIs let go their almost any time. On D plus 3 we fueled and hundreds of rockets so that every yard of the loaded ammunition and thus felt more secure. landing area was blasted with high explosives. Still no air raids; we can hardly believe it! All Meanwhile our planes were bombing and of us expected continuous air raids for days, strafing. Promptly at 8:30 all firing ceased. (Continued on page 16)

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(Continued from page 15) At Manus the usual routine followed. and we were almost a little disappointed. Supplies and dental appointments for me, and The next day we learned that the I was able to get chest x-rays for several men Bryant, another destroyer, and the cruiser who had had influenza. I found one with T.B. Denver were going up to bomb . and transferred him to a hospital ashore. As Undoubtedly this would be a minor affair. usual, there was very little to do. Ulithi is a beautiful atoll of about ten small I much prefer being at sea than in one islands, only one being large enough for an of these advanced ports. At sea all are busy airfield. They are in a circle with a deep and time goes quickly. In port, I have ten lagoon in between. The day after our slight complainers in sickbay for every one at sea, bombardment, the UDT’s went in to explore and one gets awfully tired of the belly-aching. one of the beaches. Finding no opposition, A certain percentage, though small, is they toured the island and learned from the constantly looking for an excuse to get friendly natives that the Jap garrison had fled. transferred to shore duty. I have to crack down When the dozen ships of the assault force on these men and keep them off the sick list, arrived, the islands were in our hands without so they have to stand their watches. As a the loss of a man. The next day we departed result, some of them think me rather hard- for Kossol Passage in the northern Palau hearted. It’s sort of a joke that the only way to group. We stayed at Kossol overnight and left get off the Bryant is to break a leg. It’s the with several other ships for Manus Island. same problem on all ships at sea, and really Manus Island isn’t a very difficult one. Manus was to be our staging area or At Manus I learned that our next operation was to be Leyte, Philippines. Look resting place for the next operation. We had no idea whether we would be there for a few on the map at Leyte. As one of our high- days or weeks. After a voyage of several days, ranking admirals expressed it, it is easy to see we arrived at Manus and were surprised to see that no Navy man selected this point of a huge display of electric lights stretching for invasion. This is MacArthur’s baby, and it’s miles, more light than we had seen in many a up to us to get him there. The bay where we day. We found hundreds of ships there; in are to land troops, bombard, etc., is almost fact, there were about 500 ships at Manus completely land-locked. It is shallow enough while we were there. I was told that there was throughout for mines of every description. an equal number at Hollandia further south. Surrounding us for hundreds of miles are hundreds of islands which may serve as bases I had dreaded Manus, for it is situated only a few degrees south of the equator, and for Jap torpedo boats. Because of the usually when we anchor in such places it is surrounding land, our radar cannot pick up suffocatingly hot. On the contrary, there was a approaching enemy planes until they are fine breeze continuously for our two weeks almost on top of us, and we are within range there, and it rained quite a lot, which tended to of dozens, almost hundreds, of airfields. make it rather pleasant. Those are the problems. We of Task Force 77 The Bryant anchored six miles out in call ourselves MacArthur’s fleet, and refer to this huge harbor. This meant that it was our Navy planes as MacArthur’s carrier-based fighters. On our side is the fact that we have almost an hour’s ride by whaleboat or gig to the beach. We have a saying in the Navy to so much of everything that we can afford to cover such a situation — “Lots of liberty but lose many ships and men, and we still will no boats,” — for the boat problem in such win. Our fast task forces have shot up the cases is terrific. (Continued on page 17)

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(Continued from page 16) ten million dollars, you understand why Japs’ ships, shot down their planes, and salvage is important out here. bombarded many enemy bases and airfields. It Prior to our entry to the Gulf, we remains to be seen how much opposition we received a dispatch stating that a Jap Task will receive. Those of us with a bit of Force consisting of 6 battleships, 12 cruisers, imagination are naturally apprehensive. and 20 destroyers was west of Mindanao and Before leaving Manus on October 12th, on a course which would bring it through we loaded with the maximum of ammunition, either Surigao or San Bernado Straits, fuel, and food (it proved to be two months flanking our landing forces. (When I mention before we got dry provisions again). We numbers, it is not always accurate, as such received more fresh food than we had ever messages are often conflicting, and sometimes had since Charleston — tomatoes, lettuce, it takes months to be sure of the facts.) This celery, cabbage, fruit, and tons of spuds. We same message from CINCPAC (Nimitz) urged had 700 pounds of turkey alone. We had so TF38 to hasten south to protect us. How we much food that we couldn’t store it all below did want the air cover from her 30 or 40 decks. As my Harvard friend Tom Bridge carriers! Our force consisted of about six old said, “The ship is now loaded beyond the battleships and an equal number of cruisers, so point beyond which we positively must not that we were hardly a match for the Jap force, load.” We were heavy and low in the water, nor did we want our plans for invasion but happy to have it all. interrupted. After several hours of anxious Leyte, Philippine Islands waiting, we learned that TF38 was on its way The journey to Leyte was uneventful to our aid and further, that the enemy force had reversed course and was retiring. except that the day before arrival, September 16th, we encountered a terrific storm. It would Up to this time, TF38 had been be considered a mild storm as typhoons are occupied with a daring and brilliant raid on judges in this area, but it was storm enough Formosa, which resulted in the destruction of for us. All of us felt bad with headaches, loss over 500 enemy planes and many ships, with of appetite, and indigestion, and many were the loss of only 45 of our planes. We listened “downright sick.” We felt sorry for the boys in frequently to the broadcasts from Tokyo the smaller ships and all envied the huge which twisted the victory around for their battlewagons and cruisers which ride such propaganda purposes. We got lots of laughs storms with ease. from their claims. They claimed to have sunk 17 of our carriers and a ridiculous number of The minesweeps swept prior to our entering on October 18th. The our new battleships and cruisers. Halsey, in a water was then glassy calm. As I mentioned, message of congratulations to the combined the Gulf is huge and in places can hardly be fleets, stated: “The carriers and other ships seen across. we had been told previously that reported sunk by the Japanese have been we were to enter the Gulf, mines or no mines. salvaged and are retiring toward the enemy.” During the first night the USS Ross, one of the After entering Leyte Gulf, we took our four ships in my division, hit two mines. At station several miles from the island, and this writing, several days later, she has not yet began our two-day bombardment. We were at GQ most of this time with the usual minor sunk, and she will probably be towed back to discomforts. a large base. Ships in forward areas that th cannot be towed are beached and salvaged. At dawn of October 20 (Dog Day), When you consider that even a destroyer has we looked out at a sea of ships which can priceless equipment aboard and is worth about (Continued on page 18)

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(Continued from page 17) officer and several men were wounded. We hardly be described. There was difficulty retired to a safer distance about noon. maneuvering because there were so many. That day and the next we had sporadic The landing forces had arrived. The first wave air raids at dawn and dusk. The Leary, another was to land at 10:00 in the morning. Such a ship of Squadron 56, was strafed and had a bombardment beforehand! The small gunboats few wounded. The cruiser Honolulu took an were in 500 yards from the beach. We were aerial torpedo in a magazine and suffered about 2,000 yards out. The water was covered tremendous casualties. It was thought that she with landing craft loaded with men, tanks, and would have to be beached, but she was supplies. Precisely at 10:00 a.m. one of the somehow saved. cruisers fired eight star shells into the air, At 9:00 a.m. on October 21st, which was a sign to all that the first troops had MacArthur, from the cruiser Nashville, landed. We were in, as I said, very close, and broadcast his “I have returned” message to the with glasses I could plainly see the men on the world. I believe this was around 8:00 p.m. on beach. Without glasses I could see water October 20th in the States. spouts all around the small craft, which meant I come now to what I earnestly hope is that the Japs were firing cannon and mortars. the climax of this narrative. You will We were firing broadside after broadside understand this better if you have a map of the throughout this time. Soon a mortar found our Philippines nearby. range, and time after time we were straddled The next two days were uneventful. with near-misses off the bow and stern. We all We had a couple of minor air raids each day. felt that sooner or later we would be hit. One Then, the night of the 22nd and morning of the of our men received a minor shrapnel wound 23rd, things began to happen. I was up from of the leg. The Bennion, one of our squadron 12:00 to 4:00 that night, and decoded about stationed ahead of us, received a hit and one ten urgent messages. From various sources (subs, planes, and Philippine intelligence), it was known that we could expect heavy daylight air raids in the Leyte area. Prior to this time, the raids had been light and at dawn Battle of Leyte or at dusk. Gulf We went to GQ at 5:30 a.m. on the 24 October 1944 24th, as usual about 40 minutes before sunrise. Within a few minutes we received the usual designation of “flash red,” and from our own radar and communication with other ships we knew that large bogies, or formations of enemy planes, were approaching. Many of the transports and freighters had unloaded and left the Gulf, but there were still over 200 ships at anchor. Our air cover of carrier-based fighters from 50 miles east was overhead ready to intercept the enemy. In the next hour and a half our planes shot down over 40 Japs, and the combined AA from the ships got about six more. During the (Continued on page 19)

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(Continued from page 18) Jesse B. Oldendorf) was day we were at battle stations three more organized. We formed a formation of six old times for air raids, each one lasting over an battleships, eight cruisers, and 20 destroyers hour, and many planes were shot down. Four including squadron 56 and the Bryant, less the of our ships were damaged and two small ones Ross. Our plan was to patrol the Surigao sank. During the melee one of our transports entrance to Leyte Gulf and to oppose the was getting underway and rammed the enemy should she arrive. We sent some 30 Tennessee. We learned that the damage to the fast torpedo boats (PTs) into the strait to form Tennessee was negligible, which was the first attack and to warn us when the enemy fortunate — we needed our wonderful old was near. Many of us did not think the Japs battlewagons later! I mentioned “melee” — in could close, for although they had faster, more an air raid all the destroyers are going round modern battleships, they were out-numbered. and round, in and out, among the anchored We believe now that they thought their air transports and large fighting ships, belching raids had been more effective in neutralizing black smoke from our stacks and spewing our fighting ships than was the actual case. forth white smoke from smoke pots on our The skipper predicted at 7:30 that if fantails. This smoke screen covers the area they came in, we would meet them at 3:00 and is very effective in hiding our ships from a.m., which proved correct. The Battle of planes overhead. Surigao Strait would be a night battle. We were at GQ for our last air raid of For the next few hours we sat and the 24th at 6:00 p.m. This raid lasted until 7:30. waited. In the wardroom we drank coffee, The day had been hard, and no one got rest, played records, and mostly discussed the and practically no food. About this time the possibilities of battle. Coffee and sandwiches urgent radio messages again began popping. were served to all hands at stations throughout The Battle of Surigao Strait the night. Every man aboard was more A Jap task force believed to consist of frightened than at any time in his life. One or two battleships, eight cruisers, and six two 14 or 16” hits would sink the mighty destroyers had been observed 100 miles to the Bryant as if she were a rowboat, and we all west on a course that would bring them into knew that in such an action destroyers (both Surigao Strait and into Leyte Gulf. When we ours and the enemy’s) would probably deliver got this information, we remained at battle a torpedo attack. stations. Our engines were throbbing and vibrating for we were going in at 30 knots Soon we learned that another Jap force was northeast of Samar (heading south) and plus. Nine destroyers were going in together still a third was northeast of Luzon heading (we on the left flank), and our objective was south. It would be up to T.F. 38 to intercept the “big boys.” When the Bryant was about the last two groups. It was soon apparent that 12,000 yards from the enemy, our heavy ships the heavy air raids and the Jap TFs were opened fire. The Japs were firing star shells as making every effort to trap our forces in Leyte they approached, and several exploded off our Gulf and make another “iron-bottom bay.” starboard bow. We were sure they had This would, of course, be disastrous for our illuminated us brightly. Huge caliber shells were splashing all around us, but most of them troops ashore and for the whole Philippine campaign. The most terrific sea battles of the were short of our heavy ships. war were brewing and were destined to The battle was the most brilliant and determine definitely our status here. spectacular event imaginable. Our big ships Our Leyte Gulf striking force (under (Continued on page 20)

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(Continued from page 19) From the Official After Action Report filed by were firing so fast that their salvos of red USS Bryant, 25 October 1944 (Part II) shells looked like machine gun fire. There At 0310 USS WEST VIRGINIA reported were dozens and hundreds of big caliber shells contact on two enemy targets bearing 166ºT., 42,000 in the air at once, making an arc trajectory to yards. At 0335, CTG 77.2 ordered CDS 56 to attack land on the enemy. We closed to 7,000 yards with torpedoes. of the Jap battleships — if observed, they could sink us in a moment at point blank Section 2 composed of USS ROBINSON, HALFORD and BRYANT in column in that order, range. With a pop and a swoosh, five of our was ordered by COS 56 to attack from sector 090º to fish hit the water, and with relief we heard the 045º closing to range of intermediate speed torpedoes words “torpedoes away” ring throughout the and using individual target plan. This section, in ship. We made a tight turn left and reversed column, commenced approach to position on course at full speed, smoke pouring from our starboard bow of enemy formation. At 0339 this ship picked up enemy on Sugar George radar, bearing stacks to cover our retreat. The next five or ten 187ºT., 29,000 yards. Target appeared on the radar minutes seemed hours, and we expected to be screen as a single large pip and the operator could hit at any moment. Huge explosions were make no estimate of the number of targets. Tracking occurring in the enemy’s direction as the fish was commenced at this time. and shells found their mark. As our range increased, we felt more A high speed approach was made, working up to 32 knots at 0347. Various courses were steamed safe and relaxed. While the firing was going following movements of guide. on, we heard that our sister ship, the Grant, had been hit. We had no report of the amount At 0340 Gun Control was coached on target of damage. at range of 23,000 yards, this time two additional In less than an hour it was all over. It targets were detected astern of the leading target which was selected for our point of aim. would soon be daylight. We learned that the Grant was hit badly and was dead in the water By 0348 an enemy course of 349ºT. speed 16 with many casualties. knots had been determined by computer selection. At 0351 track indicated that target had changed course

Area to the right to course 030ºT. Track from 0352 to 0354 Depicte gave indication that target had come further right to d course 056ºT., plot occurred [sic] in this.

USS Bryant At 0354 there were five targets on the screen appearing to be disposed in two columns, the second column being 2,000 yards southeast of the landing ship.

The order “Stand by to fire torpedoes” came from CDD 112 at 0345 at which time it appeared that Hibuson target was continuing to the right and had increased speed to 18 knots. Torpedo Control was therefore given target speed 18, target course 058ºT. for the final firing set-up.

At 0355 CDD 112 ordered torpedoes to be fired. Torpedo Control was ordered to fire one half salvo of torpedoes. At the same time another plot was Japanese Sketch from Official obtained indicating that the target had not turned Contact Report (Continued(Continued onon pagepage 2121))

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(Continued from page 20) pistols, and tommy guns. We tried our best to right as had been deduced from previous plots. This coax some Japs aboard, but they would not information however, was obtained too late for use come. A few ships managed to get one or two by Torpedo Control. Torpedoes were fired, range to target was 8,800 yards, bearing 222ºT., own ship’s prisoners. course 172ºT. Own ship’s speed 32 knots. Torpedoes Our plan was to pursue the fleeing were fired on the following set-up: ships, but we made an emergency turn and headed east to the other end of Leyte Gulf. Target course 058ºT. The southern Jap force was shelling our Target speed 18 knots Torpedo course 212ºT. undefended small, slow carriers on our right Torpedo speed 34 knots flank some 75 miles east of us. There were 12 Torpedo spread 1º of them, and each had only one five-inch gun Torpedo depth 6 feet — sitting ducks for the fast enemy ships. All Latitude correction 0º we know of them now is that several of them Tube effect 0º Intercept effect 1º left were damaged along with several of their Gyro angle 312º destroyers. Target angle 342º It has developed that two of these Track angle 330º carriers were sunk and several damaged. The At 0355 on orders to make maximum speed destroyers with them made a gallant daylight and to make smoke, started making chemical and stack smoke. Just after this, at 0356½, an order, torpedo attack on our ships and two of our “Emergency 000 turn, watch out for the beach!” destroyers and one destroyer escort were sunk. came from CDD 112. Tracking of this target was At the same time, the carrier planes attacked discontinued while the Sugar George radar was used the Japs, and the combined effort managed to for ranges on Hibuson Island close aboard to port. save most of our carriers. The range to the island at that time was 1400 yards. Retirement occurred [sic] was altered to 330ºT. to The Grant, we have learned, received clear Hibuson Island. from 15 to 20 direct hits by six and eight inch shells. It is a miracle that she is afloat. I At 0359 the Sugar George was again shifted understand that she sustained over 100 killed to the target and the plot obtained indicated that the and wounded. target had changed course to the left instead of to the right as had been calculated in arriving at the final For the past two days we have been set-up. By this maneuver the leading enemy ship escorting the small carriers east of Leyte, and probably avoiding the torpedoes fired by this vessel. there has been little of interest happening. It is possible that either enemy vessels astern which After that, I had an opportunity to go over to were probably maneuvering radically, were enclosed the Grant with the captain. As we approached in the spread. in our boat, we could see much evidence of damage. There were shell holes and patches all over, and she was listing badly. The executive officer met us as we climbed over the side and conducted us to their wardroom. (Continued from page 20) Their skipper was unhurt. I learned that their At dawn we headed toward the Jap doctor, Mathieu, whom I knew so well, had area. The ships that could had retired, and been killed. One of their two pharmacist's there were many burning ships on the horizon. mates had been killed, and they had been in a We came to a heavy oil slick, and the sea was terrible way with so many wounded. My covered with floating debris and Jap sailors. friend Ensign Tom Ham of Atlanta was We stopped to pick up survivors. Our deck unhurt. was lined with officers and men with rifles, (Continued on page 22)

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(Continued from page 21) ships, including three battleships and four The old Grant was a sad sight. It had cruisers. For 18 hours we were under air been “nip and tuck” for hours as to whether attack. The Jap planes, mostly dive bombers, she would stay afloat. She had received over seemed to be aiming for destroyers. In one 20 hits. She is now on the way to the States attack the destroyer ahead and the one astern for repairs. of the Bryant were hit. One of them appeared The Battle of Surigao Strait has been to be dangerously low in the water. Another proclaimed an outstanding American victory, was hit by a bomb in an engine room. A huge and the radio reports we get from home sound fire was started, and, as I watched, one of her good. Who would have believed that the old magazines exploded. She sank five or ten battlewagons, the second team, would ever minutes later, leaving oil burning on the meet and defeat fast new Jap forces! The West surface for hours. Two other destroyers with Virginia was “in there pitching.” It is rather us were damaged during these raids. One of definite that she sank a battleship with her them was crashed by a suicide plane, and both brilliant, accurate fire. She had been sunk at her stacks were knocked off. Pearl, and now her revenge was sweet. Had We all put up intense AA fire. The our battleship fire not been so accurate, many Bryant definitely shot down one, and probably of our destroyers and cruisers would have got one or two more planes. In spite of this, been destroyed. It is now known that our the planes continued to do us damage. Now, a capital ships in this force were dangerously few days later, we have our own air cover low in armor-piercing ammunition. They were again, but we still have two or three raids a loaded with shore bombardment stuff that day. November 2nd was the beginning of a would be ineffective against battleships. They new, and most terrible method of Jap warfare. were never expected to engage the Jap fleet. The Abner Reed, which was the ship that I Each wagon and cruiser had less than 15 saw sunk, was hit by a suicide plane. It seems rounds of A.P. [armor piercing] per gun, that the enemy is using this as a new weapon, average. They had to make each shell count, called a “special attack team.” Their flyers are and count they did. The score: two battleships, told to go out and crash a ship, and they are four cruisers, and six destroyers sunk. The expected not to return. You may imagine how credit goes to the combined force. We had this makes us feel! only the Grant badly damaged. Those figures The next week and longer were quiet are not complete, but at any rate it was one of except for a few air raids. We were on picket the greatest naval victories of all time. station at the southern entrance to Leyte Gulf Leyte Gulf Continued for several days, the area of our previous night The next event that stands out in my battle. The Bryant and another can were memory was the day of November 2nd. stationed there to warn of surprise attacks by Because our small carriers had been damaged planes or surface forces on the Gulf. The Japs as mentioned, we had practically no air cover have reinforced their troops on the island. in Leyte Gulf. We had a few planes on They have had several cruisers and cans in Tacloban airfield on the island, but they were Ormoc Bay, only a few hours travel from us, constantly under air attack so that field was and they brought several troop transports into that area. We have not had sufficient air cover useless much of the time. TF 38 had not yet arrived, and we were praying that she would to control this area, but have managed to sink hurry on down. and damage several of their ships with our On this day, the Bryant was in planes. We don’t dare, as yet, send our surface formation in Leyte Gulf with some 20-odd (Continued on page 23)

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(Continued from page 22) enemy is a tough and aggressive fighter, and vessels into the Ormoc area. The enemy has though we will win eventually, it is far from so many planes protecting their forces that it being a bed of roses. would be foolish to risk our ships. We left Leyte on the night of A ship can adequately protect itself November 17th, I believe, and cleared the from a handful of planes, but if more attack passage after sundown during an air raid. The one ship, it is doomed unless it is Bryant shot down one of the planes. exceptionally fortunate. All of us have feared At Manus we were alongside the attacks by a large number of planes when we tender Whitney for about a week, and I got my are on an isolated station. Many destroyers physical examination there for promotion to have been damaged and sunk in this way. Too, Lieutenant. I transferred several men to the we fear suicide plane attacks as much as hospital there, most of them needing hernia anything. Often when a Jap plane is hit and operations and the like. burning, the pilot dives it into the nearest ship, We returned to Leyte, arriving about and there is very little you can do to stop this. November 29th. The next few days were A burning plane on deck, or crashing into the uninteresting. We cruised about with several bridge can cause havoc. We received word cruisers and destroyers both inside and outside yesterday (November 12) that enemy planes the Gulf. During these days several of our crashed into seven of our anchored transports cans were going into Ormoc Bay each night to and cargo ships. Because of this danger, we look for enemy shipping, and they returned to increase speed and zigzag furiously when the Leyte area by dawn. The third night one of under attack, and in this way present as them, the Cooper, was sunk — either by a difficult a target as possible. One of the mine or by torpedoes. About half the destroyers in our group, as I may have personnel were rescued the next morning by mentioned, has had both stacks knocked off our PBYs, which landed in the bay and picked by such a plane. A few feet lower, and she them up. would have been damaged severely. As it is, Since our return there have been she is functioning well and wll remain with us repeated reports of enemy subs in the Gulf, until we are relieved. and we have kept a careful watch for them. We expect to leave for Manus around Too, we celebrated the first birthday of the the 15th. It will be such a relief to get plenty of ship on December 4th. rest, see movies, get mail, and to stretch our The next couple of weeks we were on legs on the beach. Too, you can’t blame screening and picket stations most of the time, anyone for wanting to get out of this area. The but occasionally we anchored in the Gulf situation looks good for us, but our men both overnight. There are many “flash reds” around on the beach and in the Navy have taken a lot. Leyte, but we have so many planes and ships The constant air raids do great damage to our in the immediate area that it is not much airfields, ships, and supplies, and we just bother. Most of the time we don’t even go to aren’t ready yet to gain the air superiority we battle stations. need. The Japs have made an issue of Leyte, During this same time it has been very and it will be weeks before the island is ours. “hot” in the Ormoc area on the other side of Their fleet is still potent though we damage it the island. The enemy has air cover there from more each day. their bases on nearby Cebu, Negros, Masbate, We will no doubt move into Luzon Panay, and other islands. We have sent many soon. It will be the same old story of planes troops and ships and made new landings in the and raids, and possibly surface action. The (Continued on page 24)

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(Continued from page 23) LSTs and liberty ships, and that there would Ormoc area. I know of one destroyer that was be 11 destroyers as escorts. It is one of the few attacked by 12 planes. She shot down the first times that I have seen the skipper really three, but three planes crashed into her. She worried. We were to be “slow moving freight” was very lucky and had only six men killed. for the speed of advance was to be eight and a This is the exception. Usually the planes half knots. We had roughly 300 miles to go explode and flaming gasoline burns and expected to be back in Leyte for everything in sight, setting off the magazines. Christmas Eve. One destroyer crashed by a plane exploded The day before leaving I received mail and sank within two minutes. It is a common from home and finally learned that the family sight in the Gulf to see 10 or 20 damaged cans had moved from Elberton to Atlanta. I wrote a anchored near each other, one or maybe two quick letter (which didn’t leave the ship until smokestacks missing here, a gun turret blown we returned) stating that I expected to spend a off there, the bridge burned and wrecked on “quiet” Christmas, but giving no hint of what I another, and so on. Many of these ships are expected to do in the six days beforehand. operating in spite of their defects for they We left the Gulf on the afternoon of can’t be spared for repairs at this time. the 19th. That night and the next day, when we On December 15th U.S. forces were around southern Negros, were occupied Mindoro. This was a bold and uneventful. We had Army air cover much of strategic move. These forces left Leyte and the trip. We dreaded the day of the 20th went south around Negros, then north to because we would be approaching even nearer Mindoro. There were only a thousand Japs on the objective. Sure enough, about an hour the island, and by December 21st the island before sundown we began getting radar was ours, an airfield had been built, and Army contact on several flights of enemy planes fighter planes were based there. On the way approaching 20 or more miles away. We think up, the cruiser Nashville (the command ship) there were from 30 to 50 in the attacking was crashed by a plane; 100 were killed and group. an equal number wounded. This happened in We went immediately to battle spite of daylight, American planes overhead, stations, and the destroyers “closed” the and constant lookout from scores of ships both transports to offer a smaller target of visually and by radar. There are so many concentrated ships which would have more factors involved that one is never absolutely effective gunfire than if we were too far apart. safe. During these times, the cans increase speed to We aboard the Bryant were surprised 20 or even 30 knots and zigzag continuously at not being sent on this mission. It is the first all around the other ships. major landing we have missed since June Just a word about my personal (excluding Guam, when at the time we were at occupation at GQ and during raids. My battle Saipan and Tinian). station is in the wardroom, which offers a However, on December 17th we got the degree of protection from our own AA flak. It exciting and shocking news that we were is hot and lonely though, but if we are at leaving for Mindoro the next day. After the stations for hours and hours various officers troops and supplies were landed there on the drop in a few at a time for coffee and 15th, all ships returned to Leyte, so that there sandwiches. Often I walk around the ship, were no friendly fighting ships anywhere talking to different ones at their duty stations. around Mindoro. It developed that this first Usually, in a raid I go on deck to watch the resupply convoy would consist of 20-odd (Continued on page 25)

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(Continued from page 24) and followed us in. We stayed at GQ until the firing and only return to the wardroom if moon went down sometime after midnight, shells from other ships start bursting There were many planes around us dropping overhead, or if it looks as if a plane is flares, and we fired several times by radar “making a run on us.” Many personnel topside although we couldn’t see them. are hit by burning gasoline and fragments The next morning we were at GQ when a ship is hit, so that all who can do so before sunrise. As it grew light, there was are ordered to take cover under those little to be seen. Mindoro appeared as any circumstances. But no place on a can is safe; a island with ships offshore and a cloud of dust 50 caliber machine gun bullet will go through overhead from the airfield and congested any bulkhead in the ship and often through roads. The 11 destroyers stood offshore about several of them. three to five miles, waiting for the ships to Within a few minutes of going to GQ, unload so that we could start the trip back. We I saw 10 or 12 enemy planes approaching our had formed a large circle and were cruising formation. The Japs at this time were going round and round in column at 15 knots, over the cans and heading for the troops and presenting a defensive circle similar to the old cargo ships. All of us were firing furiously circle of defense in Indian days. Overhead one although at first most of the planes came in on could see as many as 15 of our P-38s circling the opposite side of the convoy from me. I high in the sun. Occasionally there was saw three or four planes dive down to crash antiaircraft fire on the beach, but, on the ships, miss, and hit the water, exploding into whole, it was quiet. flames. One plane hit a troop-loaded LST and About 9:00 a.m. it happened. The covered it with flames. Almost immediately captain happened to look up, and he spied a another was hit, and then a liberty ship. (All Jap plane (a zero) coming in on our starboard this happened in about a minute and a half.) bow rather low and only about 2,000 yards The three burning ships dropped back along away. He issued three rapid commands: with two destroyers to cover them and pick up commence firing, all engines ahead flank, and survivors. The ammunition on one LST was left full rudder. We don’t understand till yet burning and exploding at short intervals. One how our lookouts and those of the other ships hardly realized that dozens and hundreds of missed seeing this plane minutes earlier. All troops were being killed. After a few minutes’ ships missed him on radar because he came in lull, a Jap was seen circling and heading behind and below a flight of our own planes. around astern of us. Two other cans were It took a few seconds for the guns to firing as he circled the rear of the formation, bear, and we started firing when he was about and when he came in range, we opened up 1500 yards away. He banked away for a with everything we had. The plane burst into moment, and then headed straight for the flames and crashed about 500 yards from us. Bryant. We were zigzagging wildly and Then, about a minute later, a big bomber picking up speed. The guns were blazing closed us on our starboard beam. We fired and away, and in he came. When I realized he was fired and fired, and after what seemed an coming in, I jumped for cover, as did eternity, he exploded and crashed 500 yards everyone in sight. In “control” the range was off our bow. We know we got him, for we coming in over the phone — 1,000, 800, 600, were the only ones firing at the time. 400, 200, 000 — in just about the time it takes The sun was about down. One LST to read it. He cleared our after torpedo mount was burning astern and finally sank. The other by about eight feet, missing the after stack by LST sank later, but the liberty got her fires out (Continued on page 26)

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(Continued from page 25) Comments by Commanding Officer High on suicide a few feet, then he wheeled right and crashed attack on the USS Bryant on 22 December 1944 50 feet from our port bow and exploded. As 1. The suicide attack attempt on this ship followed the one of the men said later, “I hit the deck, and general pattern which has been employed most frequently against destroyers; i.e., a steep dive to low when I got up, I was covered with souvenirs!” altitude followed by a nearly horizontal approach with The decks were covered with bits of steel and the pilot obviously trying to crab around to make his run aluminum. One piece of the tail was nearly -in from the quarter. The initial maneuver began with two feet long. When I left my “hole,” he was what appeared to be a feint although it could have been burning by our wake a short distance astern. a move by the pilot to counter the ship’s first evasive Only one man was injured. He was hit effort. 2. The ZEKE was first sighted by the Commanding in the face and lost three teeth, and received a Officer 30º on the starboard bow, position angle 45º at nasty cut of the hand, which I fixed up without an altitude of 4,000 feet in level flight paralleling the difficulty. The captain flashed a signal to our ship. The ship was at general quarters making 20 knots boss “Close but no cigar.” He later reported with four boilers on the line steaming in column with officially that we had one minor casualty and seven other destroyers, distance 1,000 yards, formation describing a rectangle to seaward of the transport area. 23 holes in the port bow near the waterline. Ship was approaching the southern end of the seaward The largest was only three inches in diameter, leg on course 170º true, the next ahead having already so we repaired them without difficulty. turned left on the eastward leg. We had fired for only two minutes and 3. Simultaneous to the command of “flank speed” and in that time shot 34 five inch shells and directing control on the target, the plane nosed down dozens and hundreds of 40 and 20 MM. None and executed a half turn to the left. The Commanding of the other ships saw him in time to open fire. Officer, interpreting the move as an attempt by the pilot to run in from ahead, ordered “left full rudder.” The ship We think he may have been hit before he had scarcely commenced to swing when the plane began crashed, but we were not sure. a complete turn to the right indicating a quartering The rest of the day and the return trip approach. Rudder was immediately shifted to right full to Leyte was uneventful. We were at GQ a lot to keep the starboard battery unmasked and present and had a few planes around, but no more maximum deflection to the approaching plane. By this time all guns were firing to starboard. At no time during excitement. We arrived at anchor around the approach were any guns masked until the plane midnight on Christmas Eve, in time for that passed over the ship. The plane did not strafe. The pilot quiet Christmas I had written that I hoped to kept crabbing to the left trying to work around on my spend. We had gone through the most exciting tail but the ship was swinging too rapidly. Five inch experience since our big battle, and no one bursts were not close but 20’s and 40’s were hitting. It appeared that the plane could not miss. Just before cared to repeat. reaching the ship starboard side abreast frame 170 the pilot executed the conventional steep bank and right turn in an apparent effort to plow into No. 2 stack from The next few days were leisurely astern. Having overshot, he crossed diagonally from the spent, and there was much talk of the next starboard quarter, his right wing barely missing 40mm invasion — Lingayen Gulf — which was mount No. 45. He apparently still had hopes of turning scheduled for January 9th. into the ship’s port side, but crashed steeply into the While in Leyte I went ashore to look water 50 yards abreast of the bridge. The plane seemed to disappear in the water before it exploded violently, around and to buy some khaki clothes from showering the ship’s weather deck with dural fragments the Army. Tacloban is not a lovely town. If from the tail assembly. One man on the starboard you picture the most rundown town of 2,000 forward 40mm was struck by a small piece of dural in Georgia during the height of the depression, which cut his lip and broke off three upper teeth. No Tacloban is worse. I went through several other personnel casualties were sustained although some of the fragments which came aboard could easily have stores in search of a souvenir that would be inflicted fatal injuries. small enough to carry, but there was (Continued on page 27)

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4. The plane apparently carried some type of absolutely nothing to buy. The counters were fragmentation bomb which threw out fragments with bare and contained such articles as rusty sufficient force to produce ten small holes ranging from 1” to 3” in diameter through the ship’s port side into safety pins and faded stationery. The streets compartments A-301, A-302 and A-303. No other were very muddy, and there is filth material damage was sustained. Ship’s battle efficiency everywhere. The buildings have all been taken was not impaired. over as storehouses and offices for the Army. I spent only a couple hours ashore and was glad to get back to the ship. In anticipation of the coming operation, I expected it to be relatively easy. The Army had been pounding the airfield on Luzon and adjacent islands for weeks. TF 38 was to hit Formosa for several days prior to our landings. The Bryant was to be part of TG 77.2 under Vice Admiral Oldendorf. We were under him in the Surigao Strait. we were to have about ten carriers, several battleships and cruisers and scores of destroyers. The fighting forces, preceding the transports, were split into two groups of about 35 ships of equal strength, I think largely for the purposes of communications and tactical movements. Bryant was in the first group proceeding about 30 miles ahead of the 5. The Commanding Officer’s maneuvers were second. rd predetermined as a result of his observation of similar We left Leyte January 3 and were attacks on other ships and damage sustained by those scheduled to arrive off Lingayen on the 6th for hits. In a great majority of those cases it seems that three days bombardment. Our main worry was ships hit from ahead or astern suffer most damage to material and personnel. Few, if any, have been hit mines and PT boats. This was thought to be below the main deck level by single suicide dives. The the most heavily mined area in the danger of presenting the broadside to a waterline hit is Philippines. fully realized but the following factors seem to Our first action occurred off Mindoro outweigh this consideration. on January 4th. Some enemy planes broke (a) Broadside presentment gives maximum fire power. through our air cover around 4:00 p.m. and (b) Broadside presentment gives maximum deflection, came in fast. We all opened fire, and several requiring the pilot to manipulate all the controls at his crashed in flames in the formation. One came command. in low over us and crashed near a carrier about (c) Broadside presentment at high speed tends to thwart the apparent effort of most suicidal planes to work in on 700 yards inside the formation from us. One the tail and makes the pilot’s final maneuver more of the carriers in the force behind us was hit difficult. by a suicide plane and a huge explosion (d) Broadside presentment offers smaller target area to followed. Most of her crew were picked up, anything but a perfect waterline or near waterline crash but she sank that night. which the Commanding Officer believes is the most The next day we were in a huge raid difficult aim a pilot could attempt. again. I saw six or eight planes crash. One hit the Louisville and burst into flames. I saw (Continued on page 28)

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(Continued from page 27) ships we know so well have been hit — the another hit the Australian destroyer Arunta, Leary, Newcomb, Robinson, Walke, Sumner and she was dead in the water for several — to mention a few of the destroyers. As hours but was finally able to regain her usual, the Bryant has been lucky. We have had position in the formation. In that afternoon two minor casualties from flying missiles — one carrier, two cruisers, one destroyer and a one man has two holes in his back, and destroyer escort were hit. We began to get another a flesh wound of the arm. Both are jittery. In spite of every precaution, their healing without complications. I must admit planes were getting through, and it seemed that we are all tired and “jumpy.” We have that all were bent on suicide missions. been at battle stations daily from 6:00 a.m. to By the morning of January 6th there 7:00 p.m. at night, and we have fired at dozens had been a total of 17 fighting ships hit by of planes, expecting at any time for one of these planes. An Australian cruiser was hit by them to head into us. I have seen a couple of three planes in three days, the Louisville was men crying merely from exhaustion and fear. hit by three planes, and many ships were hit We left the Lingayen area about by one or two. January 18th, and spent the last week or more Our minesweeps swept the Gulf and found only two mines. We entered on the a.m. Lingayen Gulf th of January 6 in the grandest formation ever. 1945 There were about ten capital ships in column, flanked on either side by destroyers. The Bryant was only 300 yards from the , which was the flagship. With glasses, I could plainly see Oldendorf on the bridge. Just as we got into the Gulf, we were in another air raid. I saw three planes dive straight through a terrific barrage. Two of them missed, but one landed squarely on a cruiser. One came in low, and I thought she was coming for us. She turned slightly and crashed into the California just behind her bridge, bursting into flames as they all do. We went on in close to the shore and began our bombardment. On the morning of January 9th, the Gulf was filled with four or five hundred ships. Only a few planes got in, but several ships were hit during the day. The landings went off successfully at 9:30 a.m., after a very mighty bombardment. We all fired so much that I could hardly see, hear, or think. On January 10th the bombardment ships left the Gulf. We expect now to cruise around outside the Gulf as the Tingayen Defense Unit for several days. In the past few days there have been about six ships sunk, and over 30 hit by suicide planes. Many of the (Continued on page 29)

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(Continued from page 28) and destroyers and smaller ships in close. The cruising round and round as a protective force. North Carolina’s salvos went over our heads We stopped off in Leyte overnight for mail, with the roar of a freight train. I spent some then proceeded on to Ulithi. time watching our B-29s from Saipan bomb Ulithi lagoon was filled with hundreds the island, and our carrier planes dive bomb and hundreds of ships, a sight which is rather and strafe continuously. Their rockets are an commonplace out here. You recall that I had amazing and thrilling sight. There was seen Ulithi several months before when, with moderate AA fire from the island. During the two other ships, we went there to bombard morning the Pensacola was hit and badly and “capture” it. We were in Ulithi several damaged by shore batteries. She had many weeks, and I had a great deal of paper work to casualties and a hit in one of her control do, reports and such, and annual physical rooms. The Bryant was firing frequently up to examinations for the officers. I did a little 10:00 a.m. from a distance of about two miles. minor surgery I had been postponing, and After the landings were started, we procured the usual supplies. moved in with about six other cans to less On January 28, 1945, Commander than a mile from the beach very close to the Paul Laverne High was relieved by landing area. Our object was to furnish fire in Commander G. C. Seay as Commanding the areas the beach-spotters wanted hit, and Officer of the USS Bryant. Cdr. High was we did this all day. At one time we were only given command of Destroyer Division 104 and 800 yards from the beach. I could plainly see transferred his flag to the USS Hickox. our men, tanks, and lines with the naked eye. It was a terrible sight. I watched scores and hundreds of enemy mortar shells land in our We learned here that we would be in the Iwo Jima operation, scheduled for the lines, tanks burn, men fall, stretcher-bearers at middle of February. While in Ulithi, I ran into work, and the whole works. Many mortar Dr. Alper, who was one of the interns who shells landed near us during the day and were replaced me in Jacksonville. He is on an a constant danger, though most of the mortar attack transport. fire was directed at the men on the beach. We left Ulithi around February 12th Around 1:00, I got three casualties and proceeded to Iwo. Some of the fellows from a boat nearby. One of them was shot call Iwo “Two Jimmy” because of the through the head with a rifle bullet; another similarity in spelling. had a finger shot off, and two others badly fractured; while the third had half a foot Arriving off Iwo, we took part in the mighty shore bombardment which lasted for blown off. I transferred the first, in excellent three days, prior to the landings at 10:00 a.m. condition, to a battleship at sundown. But I on February 17th. Iwo is, of course, a very kept the latter two aboard for a week before small island and appears to be volcanic in putting them on a hospital ship. This kept me origin. It is very rugged looking, and in the busy most of the afternoon, which was hilly sections is covered with rocks, caves, fortunate, for we were all rather nervous, I and ravines. The Marines (who seem to be must admit. We were still (not moving) in the used for the tough jobs) expect to take it in water, and within rifle range of the beach the whole afternoon. three days, but many of us wondered. The bombardment on D day was During the next week we alternated terrific. Literally scores of ships fired from with other destroyers on shore bombardment dawn to 10:00 a.m. The battleships were out and patrolling. We fired thousands of rounds from three to eight miles, cruiser two to four, (Continued on page 30)

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(Continued from page 29) area during the morning. We had been firing and loaded ammo several times. After the star shells all night. As we rounded the Tokyo raids by our carriers, we had very few northern end of the island, about 7,000 yards Jap planes to worry about. Only a few from shore, we began hearing loud explosions snoopers at night. Two nights we had raids of all around. We quickly increased speed to a few planes and fired on several occasions by flank and began zig-zagging. We were being radar. Two ships that I know of were hit by fired on by six-inch shore batteries. The next bombs or suicides during these raids. ten minutes seemed hours, and the firing On February 20th I saw a message continued until we were 11,000 yards from stating that the Keokuk had 120 killed and shore. We were “straddled.” Shells hit many injured. This was the ship my friend forward, aft, and on either side of us. When it Rogers was on, and naturally I was worried. was over, every man aboard was quaking in The last I heard he had been aboard about 16 his boots. We fired a few rounds back, but our months, so I hoped he had been transferred. object was to get out of range. We’re no Three days later I saw the Keokuk, a large match for six-inch shore batteries. attack cargo ship, about 500 yards from us. I This is no doubt the battery that hit the could see several shell holes forward and aft. I Pensacola, and probably the one that hit the sent a message by light. “Greetings, Dr. Keokuk. But for our speed and Rogers. Are you all right?” The answer came maneuverability, they would have blown us back, “Dr. Rogers is dead.” This was the out of the water. These abilities are a worst blow of all, and I had been dreading it destroyer’s best defense. The Japs keep their for three days. He was one of the best friends I big guns hidden in rocks and caves, and only have ever had, and the third medical officer bring them out when there is a lone ship for a killed whom I have known well. target. Today, February 27th, we left the beach I neglected mentioning the excitement we had around the 22nd. We were about four miles from the island and there were a lot of ships within sight. The word came over the loud speaker to stand by for a plane crash. I went out on deck and saw a flier paddling toward us in a rubber boat. His plane made a water landing and sank about a hundred yards from the ship. He was O.K. when he got aboard, and we gave him some dry clothes and a bath. It seems that he had been flying a patrol for five hours and was out of gas. He returned to his carrier, the Saratoga, and found her burning. She had been hit by a suicide Jap plane. He had then picked out a destroyer and landed nearby. (This was his third water landing.) He had looked for another carrier, the Bismark Sea, which was in the area, but he Iwo Jima couldn’t find her on his limited gas supply. An February 1945 hour after he got aboard we received word that the Bismark Sea had been hit by enemy planes (Continued on page 31)

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(Continued from page 30) to be very difficult, we have done much less and had sunk. He was mighty glad he shore bombardment than we had intended couldn’t find her! We learned the next day doing. that the Saratoga had put her fire out and was On April 6th, D plus 6, occurred one returning to Ulithi. We transferred him to of the most devastating air raids in naval another ship for transportation to Ulithi. history. This raid happened between 2:00 and We left Iwo and proceeded to Ulithi 6:30 in the afternoon. At this time, the Bryant with an overnight stopover at Saipan. We was on picket station about 60 miles north of stayed in Ulithi about a week, getting Okinawa, and to the west, so that we were not supplies as always. in the line of flight of planes from the Jap Okinawa mainland. We shot at, and drove off, only one The next operation is to be Okinawa or two planes at this time. in the Ryukyus Islands. This is the operation The Japs sent in 182 planes on this we have known about and dreaded for raid. Our own air cover shot down 55 of this months because it is so much nearer the number, and 35 were shot down by ships. Empire. The Bryant is to be in the However, there were 24 suicide attempts by bombardment group again, except that this theses planes, and 22 hits! The Bush, on time we start bombarding on D-8, which is picket station about 20 miles east of us, was eight days prior to the landings on April 1st. hit and was in a sinking condition. The We left Ulithi on about March 19th, Calhoun was sent to her aid, and while taking arriving off Okinawa on D-9. We had about survivors was hit by two planes. The Calhoun 20 capital ships and even more destroyers, so sank four hours later, and the Bush earlier. The Bennett picked up survivors of both we were a mighty force ready for most anything. The islands are very pretty – ships, and was herself hit and badly damaged wooded, cool, and with nice beaches. by a plane. The Leutze, one of the ships in Our bombardments went off without my squadron, was hit by two planes and was much difficulty. We have seen lots of planes, left in sinking condition and dead in the and there have been about ten ships hit by water. The fleet minesweeper who went to suicides. One destroyer hit a mine and her aid was attacked by three planes. She shot quickly sank. Only one-fourth of the crew got down one, but two crashed her. Only very off, and only one officer. There have been slight damage was done, and she towed the many mines, which are a constant dread. A Leutze to a safe anchorage, where the Leutze was beached successfully. The Newcomb, minesweeper sank near us one morning. There have also been many enemy subs, and squadron flagship of my squadron, was hit by much PT boat action, although I have yet to two planes. Both stacks and everything aft of see either a sub or PT. They use suicide the bridge were leveled. Here casualties must swimmers and small boats actively, and we have been high. A destroyer whose name I have to be on constant look-out for such don’t know was sunk. Another was left in a when we are near the shore. Several of our sinking condition, and innumerable others ships have been unsuccessfully attacked by were hit. To my knowledge, at least eight them. transports were hit, and two, perhaps three, ammunition ships were “destroyed.” The tin The landings went off successfully on April 1st, and the troops seem to be advancing cans really took a beating on that day! There rapidly. Two airfields were captured the first doesn’t seem to be any defense against day. Because the land forces met practically suicides except luck and expert gunnery, and no opposition in areas where it was expected (Continued on page 32)

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(Continued from page 31) I think luck plays the greater role. Small wonder that we are all “jittery!” That night we got word that a Jap TF consisting of one battleship, two cruisers, and nine destroyers was coming our way. Immediately all ships made plans for battle. This time, TF 58 to the east of us came to our aid, launching 380 planes against this force. The Yamato battleship was hit with eight torpedoes and eight 500-pound bombs. She sank. The two cruisers and three tin cans were sunk, and the others left damaged. So now, except for planes, we can Okinawa relax. Radar Picket Stations During the first three weeks of April, April 1945 there were several days when huge numbers of enemy planes attacked our ships, and on some days as many as eight or ten ships were planes all around us at ten, six and four miles hit. The attacking planes seemed to be in nearly every direction. I was standing concentrating on isolated ships such as about two feet from the wardroom when our destroyers on picket station. five-inch guns opened fire. Soon, our 40 MM On April 12th or 13th the Bryant and 20 MM guns opened up, which meant the refueled and loaded ammo in Kerama Retto. planes were very close. Some shouted, We had received orders to go to a picket “They’re coming in from all sides!” station north of Okinawa. We arrived on The ship was attacked by six planes at station, and for about three days nothing once. One of them turned away; a friendly much happened. There were several air raids, plane shot down one; one we were firing at but for the most part our own planes tried to crash us and missed; we shot down prevented the enemy from getting in. two more; and one crashed us behind and Then, on April 16th, there was an below the bridge, crashing into our combat enormous raid of about 150 planes which information center. There was a terrific lasted all morning. Around 8:00 in the explosion (He carried a bomb, probably a 500 morning, six or eight Jap planes flew over the -pound one.), and I saw a blinding light and a ship at high altitude. We shot at them, but confused picture of flying beams and they were too high for our AA to be effective. equipment. A few seconds later I was out on One or two planes came close to us, but were deck, somewhat dazed, but not seriously hurt. driven off by gunfire. Then, we received I do not remember getting there. word that a destroyer about 15 miles from us We had 66 casualties – 33 killed and had been hit by several planes, and we were missing, and 33 wounded. There was quite a to proceed to her rescue. fire, which was quickly put out. (All of this Our damage control parties began happened at about 9:30 in the morning of breaking out lines and fire hose and getting April 16th.) things in readiness as we raced toward the We gathered the wounded on the ship at 30 knots. Suddenly, we began main deck (forecastle), and quite a few men receiving reports and contacts of enemy (Continued on page 33)

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(Continued from page 32) Portion of the Official After Action Report came to my aid. I had 19 stretcher cases on by the USS Bryant dated 28 April 1945 my hands, most of them with generalized 16 April 1945 burns, and several broken arms and legs in On radar picket No. 2 as before. Shortly after the group. I was handicapped because my daylight numerous enemy aircraft began to appear on right eye had been blinded by the flash, and it the radars. Many were splashed by the CAP within sight and on the horizon. The exact number is not was several days before I could see with it. known because the fighter director officers were My right part of the face and arm were killed and their records were burned. At burned (second degree), and my right leg. My approximately 0900 received word on TBS and MAN trousers had been blown completely off, as radio that the U.S.S. Laffey and LCS 116 on picket well as my right shirt sleeve. I did not realize station No. 1 had been hit and needed assistance. Permission was obtained from the senior fighter that my trousers were gone until I heard a director base to proceed to their assistance; LCS 32 sailor say, “What’s the doc doing on deck and LCS 35 were directed by CDD 112 to follow. without his trousers?” My belt stayed on (I While enroute to picket station No. 1, the Bryant was am wearing it now!), with the part of my subjected to sporadic attacks which were beaten off trousers the width of the belt under it, and and at 0934, to a skillfully coordinated attack by six some short tatter of khaki cloth hanging down enemy planes. my left thigh. My heavy kapok lifejacket had The main battery took a “DWTT” under fire bearing 080º relative, distance 1000 yards and been ripped down the back. splashed him. The machine guns took a “DWTT” Hours later, a sailor brought me my bearing 020º relative under fire. This plane dove at wallet which he had picked up somewhere on the ship but missed and crashed into the water on the deck. I had not missed it, and was so busy at port beam after crossing the ship at a very low the time that I did not notice who handed it to altitude. While the main battery and starboard machine guns were still firing, three “ZEKES” closed me, a thing I have since regretted. the ship in column from about 260º relative in a The pharmacist mates and I bandaged shallow glide. The port machine gun battery took the wounded and gave plasma and morphine these planes under fire. The leading plane was to those who needed it. This was an all-day splashed about 500 yards from the ship. The next job, and it was not until 5:30 that we arrived plane was observed being smoking before crashing the ship on the port side under the bridge in the in Kerama Retto and could get more medical vicinity of the main radio room. At the same time a assistance. The stretcher cases were put on a bomb exploded in this area. The third “ZEKE” was hospital ship which left immediately for splashed by the CAP. The sixth plane escaped Guam. The rest of us who were hurt slightly without being taken under fire by the ship. At the went to another hospital ship for a few days. I time of the hit the Bryant was making 32 knots with right full rudder; it is believed that this assisted learned there that my eye was not seriously considerably in avoiding additional hits. damaged, and in a week I was able to see After the explosion the Bryant continued for perfectly again. I returned to the ship after a some time to circle to starboard. The bridge structure couple of days, though I wore dark glasses was in flames but the fire was under control in a very and stayed bandaged for a week or ten days. few minutes. All damage control personnel were The Okinawa campaign proved tough standing by to fight fires on the Laffey; all hoses were out of their racks, handy-billies were warmed up and for the Navy. There have been over 50 rescue breathing apparatus were ready for instant use. destroyers damaged and at least 15 ships It is believed that this readiness for fire fighting sunk. We lost seven officers killed, and two contributed materially to the success with which all more who were stretcher cases. The ship is damage was controlled. As a specific instance, two seriously damaged and must return to the hoses were successfully combating fires which enveloped No. 41 ready service room within two States for extensive repairs. We stayed in Kerama Retto until the (Continued(Continued onon pagepage 3434))

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(Continued from page 33) (Continued from page 33) 28th, when we left for Guam with a crippled minutes after the ship was hit. ship convoy that could make only seven Major damage was as follows: Combat knots. We expect to arrive at Guam on May Information Center, radar room, main radio, sonar 6th. room and sonar stack were completely demolished. All plotting room and main battery director The night that we left Kerama Retto equipment were heavily damaged. The forward stack there was a rather heavy air raid in the area. I was partly severed. The port side of the pilot house later heard that the Pinkney, the hospital ship deck was in flames. The main gyro was out of I was on in the harbor, was hit by a suicide commission; however, no underwater damage was plane that night. Around 9:30 we went to sustained. The boilers and main engines were uninjured; however, there was a large hole leading to battle stations because there were enemy No. 1 fire room in the vicinity of the potato locker. planes near us. The hospital ship, Comfort, Small fires broke out in the forward fire room and could be plainly seen about five miles away, smoke poured down through the hole leading through glowing like a Christmas tree and steaming in the blower section. Also, quite a bit of salt water ran our general direction. From our bridge a down through these holes. It was necessary to secure the forward two boiler for a few minutes to clear the terrific explosion was observed on the space of smoke. Comfort. Soon she was sending radio calls While the fires were being fought, LCS 32 for help. She had been hit by one of the and LCS 35 approached. Communications were planes. established by semaphore flags and both ships were The Bryant was ordered to turn back notified that the Bryant did not have steering control. to help, and we thought that we might have to LCT 32 was directed to proceed to the aid of LCS 116. It has been learned that the latter took that ship pick up survivors. On arrival near her, it was in tow. Lcs 35 was directed to stand by and pick up found that she was making good speed, so we Bryant survivors who had been blown over the side. were able to rejoin our group. We were glad Communication to the after steering station was to see that she soon turned off all lights! quickly established by emergency sound powered The rest of the trip was dull and slow. telephone. The Bryant again proceeded to the assistance of the Laffey, after observing LCS 35 After the first night, we didn’t worry much rescuing Bryant survivors and believing the Laffey to about enemy planes, and we grew more be in dire need of assistance. It was thought that she carefree with every passing day. On arrival in possibly had uncontrollable fires and that the Bryant Guam on May 6th, we learned that we would could still lend valuable assistance. However, the be there for several days, so I felt that I would U.S.S. McComb approached from the east at high probably get to look around. speed and was directed by CDD 112 to assist the Laffey. I soon learned that the Comfort, By this time the emergency radio was in which was loaded with wounded, had been operation. The Commanding Officer and hit in Surgery and that all her surgeons and ComDesDid 112 were apprehensive that the bridge six nurses had been killed. Quite a few structure and mast might collapse. In addition, the hospital corpsmen and patients were killed ship’s doctor was wounded while a large number of and wounded. This is quite tragic. The plane injuries required additional attention. CDD 112 advised CTF 51 that the Bryant was proceeding to had circled the ship once, and then had come Kerama Retto at high speed unless otherwise in with machine guns firing and had crashed directed. through the large and well lighted cross on Speed was increased to 23 knots. After her upper deck. It is difficult to understand steering and main engines were controlled by why a Jap would do this, except that it has emergency phones from the bridge. The boat long been suspected that the Japanese use compass from the starboard whale boat was used to set the course. To assist in steering, the magnetic their own hospital ships to carry troops and compass from the secondary conning station on No. 2 supplies. stack was brought back to after(Continued steering station. on page 35)

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(Continued from page 34) Guam is quite a nice island, and although I had never seen it before, I was amazed at the vastness of our work projects there. Huge four lane highways criss-cross the island. Some of them are 30 or 40 miles long. Everywhere one looks there are Navy, Army, or Marine camps. There are enormous airfields everywhere one goes, for it is from here and Saipan that our B-29s leave for the Empire raids. I visited three of Sketch from Official our fleet hospitals there, Report and found many of our wounded men in one of them. Five of our men were able to return to the ship, and the others seemed to be in good shape though in bed. One of our seriously burned cases, and one man with a fractured skull and burns, had died. While there I ran into two nurses I had known in Jacksonville and had a long talk with them. It was impractical for me to see them again, for their hospital was about 20 miles from the ship. We stayed in Guam seven days, then left for Eniwetok. The trip from Guam to Eniwetok took three days, and from Eniwetok to Pearl Harbor five days. We expect to arrive at Pearl on May 21st.

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Dr. Allgood’s diary (or description of events) ends here. The Bryant made it back to the states and was repaired at United Engineering Co., Ltd. yards in Alameda, California, until September 1945. She arrived at San Diego on 27 September. On 9 July 1946 she was inactivated and placed in reserve commission. She was placed out of commission in reserve on 15 January 1947. During her short but busy fighting career in World War II she received the Navy Unit Commendation medal and seven battle stars.

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THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY WASHINGTON

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the SILVER STAR MEDAL to

LIEUTENANT JACKSON LEE ALLGOOD, JR. MEDICAL CORPS UNITED STATES NAVAL RESERVE for service as set forth in the following

CITATION:

“For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as Medical Officer of the U.S.S. Bryant during operations against enemy Japanese forces in the vicinity of Okinawa on April 16, 1945. Although seriously wounded when his ship was hit by an enemy suicide plane, Lieutenant Allgood effectively treated the many casualties that resulted, thereby contributing materially to the saving of many lives. His professional skill and courageous devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest tradition of the United States Naval Service.”

For the President,

John L. Sullivan Secretary of the Navy

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