Introduction DUE TO THE CRITICAL NEED FOR AIRCRAFT CARRIERS IN THE PACIFIC FORWARD AREA DURING THE EARLY PART OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR, NINE SHIPS ORIGINALLY LAID DOWN FOR CONSTRUCTION AS LIGHT CRUISERS (CL) WERE REORDERED TO BE COMPLETED AS AIRCRAFT CARRIERS (CV) ON MARCH 18, 1942. THE ACTUAL DATES THAT EACH SHIP WAS CLASSIFIED CV VARIES. THE FIRST FIVE CARRIERS OF THE CLASS WERE COMMISSIONED AS CV'S. TO DISTINGUISH THEM FROM THE LARGER CARRIERS OF THE FLEET, THEY WERE AGAIN RECLASSIFIED ON JULY 15, 1943 AS CVL. THE REMAINING FOUR CARRIERS WERE COMMISSIONED AS CVL'S. THE INDEPENDENCE CLASS CARRIERS, AS THE CVL'S WERE KNOWN, WITH THEIR INTENDED LIGHT CRUISER NAMES FOLLOWS:

1. USS INDEPENDENCE CVL-22 USS AMSTERDAM CL-59 2. USS PRINCETON CVL-23 USS TALLAHASSEE CL-61 3. USS BELLEAU WOOD CVL-24 USS NEW HAVEN CL-76 4. USS COWPENS CVL-25 USS HUNTINGTON CL-77 5. USS MONTEREY CVL-26 USS DAYTON CL-78 6. USS LANGLEY CVL-27 USS FARGO CL-85 7. USS CABOT CVL -28 USS WILMINGTON CL-79 8. USS BATAAN CVL-29 USS BUFFALO CL-99 9. USS SAN JACINTO CVL-30 USS NEWARK CL-100

NOTE --- THE LANGLEY WAS FIRST CALLED CROWN POINT, AND THE SAN JACINTO WAS FIRST CALLED REPRISAL. THE INDEPENDENCE CLASS CARRIERS DISPLACED 11,000 TONS: 15,800 TONS FULL LOAD; OVERALL LENGTH, 623 FEET; BEAM, 71 1/2 FEET; WIDTH, 109 FEET; DRAFT 26 FEET; SPEED 33 + KNOTS; TWENTY-SIX 40MM AND FORTY 20MM AA MOUNTS, AIRCRAFT IN EXCESS OF 45. COMPLEMENT OF 1,569 MEN. ALL NINE OF THE LIGHT CARRIERS SAW EXTENSIVE ACTION IN THE PACIFIC DURING WW II. USS BATAAN CVL-29 THE UNITED STATES SHIP BATAAN WAS NAMED IN HONOR OF THAT GALLANT GROUP OF AMERICAN AND FILIPINO FIGHTING MEN WHO DEFENDED THE PENINSULA OF BATAAN. IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE WAR, THESE MEN PUT UP ONE OF THE MOST MAGNIFICENT BATTLES IN THE WHOLE HISTORY OF HUMAN WARFARE. DEPRIVED OF AIR SUPPORT, FACED BY VAST SUPERIOR NUMBERS, SHORT OF AMMUNITION, SUPPLIES AND FOOD, THESE BRAVE MEN FOUGHT A BITTER STRUGGLE AGAINST INSURMOUNTABLE ODDS, BUT, A STRUGGLE THAT PROVED THE FIGHTING METTLE OF FILIPINO AND AMERICAN ALIKE. BATAAN FELL, BUT THE SPIRIT THAT MADE IT STAND FOR MONTHS AGAINST THOSE OVERWHELMING ODDS -- A BEACON TO ALL THE LIBERTY LOVING PEOPLES OF THE WORLD -- THAT SPIRIT, INVINCIBLE, THE SPIRIT OF BATAAN, CAN NEVER FALL. IT IS TO THE MEMORY OF THE BRAVE HEROES WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES AT BATAAN THAT THE ACTIVITIES OF THE USS BATAAN, IN OUR ENDEAVOR TO ASSIST IN MAKING THIS WORLD A BETTER PLACE IN WHICH TO LIVE, ARE DEDICATED.

August ‘43–February ‘44 Commissioning SUNDAY 1 AUG., '43: TODAY A SHIP WAS BORN AND CHRISTENED BATAAN. SECRETARY KNOX DECLARED IN A MESSAGE THAT SHE "HAS A RENDEZVOUS WITH DESTINY WHICH WILL NOT BE DENIED." THE LAUNCHING TOOK PLACE WITHOUT CEREMONY AT THE NEW YORK SHIPBUILDING CORPORATION, CAMDEN, N.J. MRS. GEORGE MURRAY, WIFE OF THE REAR

1 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org ADMIRAL COMMANDING NAS, PENSACOLA, SPONSORED THE NEW CARRIER. MISS MARIA OSMENA, DAUGHTER OF VICE PRESIDENT SERGIO OSMENA, OF THE PHILIPPINE COMMONWEALTH, SERVED AS MAID-OF-HONOR. THE BATAAN THUS BECAME THE FIRST SHIP TO BE NAMED AFTER A WW II BATTLE.

WEDNESDAY 17 NOV., '43: THE USS BATAAN JOINED THE NAVY TODAY. THE COMMISSIONING WAS HELD AT PIER #2, PHILADELPHIA NAVY YARD. MORE THAN 600 GUESTS ATTENDED. IT WAS THE FIRST WARTIME COMMISSIONING IN THE DELAWARE RIVER VALLEY AND THE SECOND IN THE NATION TO BE PUBLICIZED. CAPTAIN VALENTINE H. SCHAEFFER, USN, FIRST COMMANDING OFFICER, RECEIVED THE SHIP FROM REAR ADMIRAL N. F. DRACMEL, USN, COMMANDANT OF THE FOURTH NAVAL DISTRICT.

CAPTAIN SCHAEFFER STATED --

"THE UNITED STATES SHIP BATAAN IS NOW IN COMMISSION. THE DESIGNERS, SHIPBUILDERS, AND WORKERS HAVE DONE THEIR JOB. OUR WORK IS NOW CUT OUT FOR US: PLENTY OF IT. I CAN PROMISE YOU DRILLS AND MORE DRILLS, AND THEN SOME DRILLS, INTENSIVE TRAINING ACTIVITY TO UTILIZE TO THE UTMOST THE LIMITED TIME THAT IS AVAILABLE.

"A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF HIS SHIP'S COMPANY ARE INEXPERIENCED. FOR MANY OF YOU, THIS IS YOUR FIRST TOUR OF DUTY ABOARD A FIGHTING SHIP. HOWEVER, WE ALSO HAVE ON BOARD A NUMBER OF OFFICERS AND ENLISTED MEN WHO ARE SEASONED VETERANS OF MANY OF THE MAJOR BATTLES OF THIS WAR.

"WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN A NAME WHICH HAS AS MEANING TO IT -- BATAAN. THE USS BATAAN COMMEMORATES A CAMPAIGN THAT HAS BECOME A SYMBOL OF THE FORTITUDE AND ENDURANCE OF FREE MEN IN THE FACE OF OVERWHELMING ODDS. IT HAS A RENDEZVOUS WITH DESTINY THAT SHALL NOT BE DENIED.

"FROM THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC COMES THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE FROM GENERAL MAC ARTHUR; 'I FEEL THAT IF GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY, THE USS BATAAN WILL ADD FRESH LAURELS TO THAT HALLOWED NAME'.

"I UNDERSTAND THAT MAC ARTHUR'S HEADQUARTERS IN AUSTRALIA STILL ANSWER ALL PHONE CALLS WITH THE WORDS 'BATAAN SPEAKING.'

"BEFORE LONG THIS SHIP GOES INTO ACTION, THE WORLD AGAIN WILL KNOW THAT BATAAN IS SPEAKING -- THIS TIME FROM THE DECK OF AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER BEARING THAT NAME "BATAAN FEEL, BUT THE SPIRIT THAT MADE IT STAND FOR MONTHS AGAINST THOSE OVERWHELMING ODDS -- A BEACON TO ALL THE LIBERTY LOVING PEOPLES OF THE WORLD -- THAT SPIRIT, INVINCIBLE, THE SPIRIT OF BATAAN CAN NEVER FALL.

"IT IS IN HONOR OF THESE MEN THAT THIS SHIP BEARS THE NAME THE UNITED STATES SHIP BATAAN. IT IS A FIGHTING NAME AND WITH GOD'S HELP, WE WILL MAKE IT A FIGHTING SHIP."

February–March 1944: Shakedown TUESDAY, 15 FEB. '44 TO WEDNESDAY, 1 MARCH '44: OUR POST SHAKEDOWN OVERHAUL PERIOD BEGAN IN EARNEST. THE SHIP'S PERSONNEL WAS DIVIDED INTO THREE SECTIONS WITH FOUR AND ONE HALF DAY LEAVE PERIOD FOR EACH SECTION -- OFFICERS HAD A FIVE DAY LEAVE FORTHCOMING.

AS THE FIRST LEAVE SECTION WENT OVER THE BOW, THE NAVY YARD PAINTERS STARTED THEIR CAMOUFLAGE TASK. CURIOSITY RAN HIGH AS PAINTERS STARTED SPRAYING, SEEMINGLY AT RANDOM, WITH BLACK, WHITE, LIGHT GRAY, AND DARK GRAY. "WHAT AREA IS THIS COLOR?" BECAME THE $64,000 QUESTION.

AS THE THIRD LEAVE PARTY RETURNED, THE OVERHAUL PERIOD WAS APPROACHING ITS END. OUR CAMOUFLAGE WAS COMPLETE -- A PANORAMA OF DISMAL BLACK. ENLIVENED WITH AN OFF-SETTING WHITE BORDER. INTERMINGLED

2 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org WITH BATTLESHIP GRAY AND A SOFTER GRAY HORIZON BLENDING EVERYTHING -- STACKS, MOTOR WHALE BOATS, JEEPS, TRACTORS, GUN MOUNTS -- FELT THE ARTIST'S BRUSH. IT CONVEYED STARK REALITY. WE WERE RAPIDLY APPROACHING OUR "D-DAY".

AMMUNITION BY THE THOUSANDS OF ROUNDS COVERED THE HANGER DECK. AT THE AFTER BOW A SEEMINGLY ENDLESS HUMAN CARAVAN BEARING CRATES OF FRESH PROVISIONS POURED OVER THE AFTER BOW. MORNING BROUGHT THE AIR GROUP PERSONNEL ABOARD.

AS NEW PLANES WERE LIFTED ABOARD, HEARTS POUNDED AND SPECULATION WAS RIFE -- "THIS IS IT." BUT --WHERE WERE WE HEADING; WHAT WAS OUR DESTINATION? LIBERTY ON MARCH 1 ADDED THE FINISHING NOTE -- NINE O'CLOCK FOR ENLISTED MEN, TEN O'CLOCK FOR CHIEFS, AND TWELVE O'CLOCK FOR OFFICERS -- CINDERELLA LIBERTY. TOMORROW WAS THE DAY.

THURSDAY, 2 MARCH '44: DAWN BROKE CLEAR AND COOL. THE SHARP NOTES OF QUARTERS SOUNDED, AND THEN THE NEWS -- UNDERWAY. THE PILOT CAME ABOARD; FRESH WATER LINES, TELEPHONE CONNECTIONS, AND THE BROWS WERE REMOVED. AT 0800 THE FAMILIAR STRAINS OF THE SHIP'S SONG CAME OVER THE LOUD SPEAKER, FOLLOWED BY THE STIRRING MUSIC OF "ANCHORS AWEIGH". THE USS BATAAN HAD STARTED ON HER "RENDEZVOUS WITH DESTINY".

THE PILOT DISEMBARKED AND WE WERE HEADED DOWN THE RIVER PAST MEMORY-FILLED GLOUCHESTER, BIRTHPLACE CAMDEN, AND INTO THE BAY PAST CHESTER AND WILMINGTON. IN COMPANY WITH THE USS BENNION, WE HEADED OUT TO SEA. THE GUNNERY DEPARTMENT HAD FIRING PRACTICE. AS A PLANE TOWING A SLEEVE MADE SEVERAL RUNS. SCORE: ONE SLEEVE DOWNED. ONE TORN TO SHREDS -- A REMARKABLE FEAT -- BOTH CREDITED TO MOUNT NO. 11, LT. WM. BARNETT, USN R IN CHARGE.

FRIDAY, 3 MARCH '44: OUR FIRST GENERAL QUARTERS IN THREE WEEKS BROKE THE MORNING SILENCE, REMINDING ONE AND ALL THAT WE WERE AGAIN IN DANGEROUS WATERS. THE HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS HELD THEIR FIRST UNDERWAY MEETING AND ROUTINE FLIGHT OPERATIONS WERE SCHEDULED.

SATURDAY, 4 MARCH '44: GAS MASKS WERE ISSUED. A NEAR DISASTER OCCURRED ON THE 20MM MOUNT NO. 6 AS THE CUT-OUT AM FAILED TO FUNCTION PROPERLY AND THE ADJOINING GUN SHIELD WAS HOT. FORTUNATELY NO SERIOUS CASUALTIES ENSUED. ONE MAN WAS LACERATED AROUND THE FACE, ARMS AND BODY, AND A FEW MORE WERE SLIGHTLY BRUISED. OFFICER OF THE DECK INSTRUCTIONS WERE RESUMED IN THE WARDROOM UNDER THE TUTELAGE OF LT. COMDR. SHARP.

SUNDAY, 5 MARCH THRU TUESDAY, MARCH '44: THROUGH MONA PASSAGE AND A SWING TOWARD THE WEST. A FAKE SUB SCARE RAN HURRIEDLY THROUGH THE SHIP. ROUTINE FLIGHT OPERATIONS WERE HELD WITH THE ONLY CASUALTIES A FEW BUSTED TIRES. MONDAY'S PLAN OF THE DAY CONTAINED THE TERSE STATEMENT, "THE SHIP WILL ARRIVE AT THE CANAL ZONE ON WEDNESDAY." FAILURE OF PERSONNEL TO OBSERVE WATER TIGHT INTEGRITY WAS BROUGHT OUT AND ALL HANDS WERE REMINDED OF THEIR OPPORTUNITY TO REQUEST OFFICIAL WAR BALLOTS. WE WERE AGAIN REMINDED TO CONSERVE FRESH WATER.

TOMORROW WE ARRIVE AT THE CANAL. THE PLAN OF THE DAY FOR TUESDAY LISTED NUMEROUS DEFICIENCIES IN CLEANLINESS AND ALL HANDS WERE AGAIN REMINDED THAT LIFE BELTS MUST BE WORN TOPSIDE AT ALL TIMES. HOWEVER, THE ANTICIPATION OF OUR TRANSIT THROUGH THE CANAL CAPTIVATED THE FANCY OF ALL HANDS. THE BOS'N DEPARTMENT WORKED FEVERISHLY RIGGING THE NECESSARY PLUMB BOBS. GUN TURRETS DISMANTLED TO SQUEEZE US UNDER THE 100 FT. LIMIT ABEAM. OUR "WHITE ELEPHANT", THE GREAT FLIGHT DECK CRANE, WAS USED FOR THE FIRST TIME -- NOT AS WAS INTENDED, BUT FOR A PLATFORM FOR THE CANAL PILOT. IT WAS SECURED JUST AFT

3 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org OF THE FORWARD ELEVATOR AND A PLATFORM INSTALLED ON THE TOP WITH A CHAIR ON IT FOR THE PILOT. ALL WAS IN READINESS.

WEDNESDAY, 8 MARCH '44: OUR DAY OF TRANSIT THROUGH THE CANAL DAWNED COOL AND CLOUDY, BUT SOON THE PENETRATING HUMIDITY ROSE AND THE SHIP FROM FOC'SLE TO FANTAIL WAS CLUSTERED WITH THE MORNING DEW. OUTLINED IN THE MORNING HAZE WERE NUMEROUS MERCHANTMEN, FREIGHTERS AND TANKERS SWAYING GENTLY IN THE TIDE, A LAST MINUTE CHECK WAS MADE TO INSURE CORRECT PREPARATORY MEASURES FOR OUR TRANSIT. OUR MOTOR WHALE BOATS WERE HOISTED ABOARD AND SECURED ON THE FLIGHT DECK. THE PILOT EMBARKED. AT 0900 WE STARTED OUR SLOW JOURNEY TOWARD GATUM LOCKS. WE ENTERED LOCK NO. 1 AT 1131 AND IN LESS THAN AN HOUR WE HAD COMPLETED OUR TRANSIT OF THE FIRST SET OF LOCKS. PASSING THROUGH GATUM LAKE WE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF AN OPPORTUNITY TO CLEAN THE SHIP. OUR PASSAGE WAS SLOW BUT EVENTFUL. THE ENTIRE COMPLIMENT LINED THE FOC'SLE, CAT WALKS, FLIGHT DECK, GUN TURRETS, AND FANTAIL. FOR 85 PERCENT OF THE CREW, IT WAS THEIR FIRST TRIP THROUGH THE "DITCH". EXCITEMENT AND CURIOSITY REIGNED SUPREME. MANY WERE AMAZED AT THE INNUMERABLE WELL-CAMOUFLAGED GUN PLACEMENTS IN EVIDENCE EVERYWHERE. AT 1706 WE PASSED THROUGH MIRA FLORES LOCKS. WE MOORED STARBOARD SIDE TO AT 1856 AT BALBOA, AND THE PORT SECTION WAS GRANTED LIBERTY.

TUESDAY, 9 MARCH '44: QUARTERS FOR MUSTER WERE HELD ON THE FLIGHT DECK. WE RECEIVED A GASOLINE LIGHTER ALONG THE PORT SIDE. DURING THE DAY, MANY OF THE CREW VISITED ADJACENT SHIP'S SERVICE STORE TO PURCHASE SOME CANAL ZONE SOUVENIRS. FIELD DAY WAS HELD AND A ZONE INSPECTION WAS MADE TWENTY SOLDIER PASSENGERS WERE TAKEN ABOARD AND BUNKED IN THE MESS HALL ON COTS. LATE IN THE AFTERNOON, ACCOMPANIED BY THE SHRILL BLASTS OF OUR TUGS, WE GOT UNDERWAY AGAIN IN COMPANY WITH THE USS BENION.

FRIDAY, MARCH 10 '44: THE DAY STARTED WITH ROUTINE FLIGHT OPERATIONS AND COMMENCED AS ANY DAY AT SEA WOULD, WHEN LATE IN THE MORNING, LT. WHITE, FLYING AN F6F, LANDED, VEERED SHARPLY TO PORT, AND CRASHED IN THE PORT CAT WALK, RUINING SEVERAL MARK 14 GUN SIGHTS ATOP THE 20MM GUNS, TEARING UP SEVERAL FEET OF FLIGHT DECK PLANKING, AND NARROWLY ESCAPED SERIOUS INJURY HIMSELF. THE VENTILATION SYSTEM, WHICH HAD BEEN CAUSING SOME TROUBLE, UNDERWENT A THOROUGH CLEANING UNDER THE SURVEILLANCE OF THE C & R OFFICERS.

SATURDAY, 11 MARCH '44 THRU THURSDAY, 16 MARCH '44: THE WRECKED PLANE FUSELAGE WAS JETTISONED OVER THE FLIGHT DECK RAMP AFTER SALVAGING ALL USABLE PARTS. ROUTINE FLIGHT QUARTERS WERE HELD THROUGHOUT THE ENSUING TRIP. OFFICERS CHANGED ROOMING ASSIGNMENTS FOR THE THIRD TIME.

SUNDAY, USUALLY A DAY OF REST, WAS QUITE FULL FOR THE BOS'N DEPARTMENT. AT 0800 A DESTROYER WAS FUELED, AND, UPON SECURING FROM THE FUELING, THE TOWING SPARS WERE RIGGED AND PUT OVER THE SIDE. ALL HANDS NOT ON DUTY WERE TOP SIDE AS OUR PLANES ZOOMED IN AND CUT LOOSE WITH ALL SIX BARRELS. THE RICOCHETING TRACERS SHOWING EVIDENCE OF OUR PILOTS' DEADLY ACCURACY. THE

FOLLOWING DAY A SUB ATTACK WAS SIMULATED. LATE IN THE DAY IT APPEARED THAT A DYED-IN-THE-WOOL SUBMARINE WAS PRESENT, AS, AT 1430, A SHIP-JOLTING THUMP WAS ENCOUNTERED AND THE PITOMETER SWARD WAS BENT ALMOST IN HALF. MEN ON THE FANTAIL SAW A HUGE RED SPOT APPEAR ON THE WATER AND LATER A WHALE WAS SEEN TO SURFACE FAR ASTERN. IT WAS ASSUMED THAT THE WHALE COMING IN CONTACT WITH THE SHIP HAD BENT THE PITOMETER SWARD AND CAUSED THE JOLT. AN INSPECTION OF THE SHIP BY REPAIR PARTIES FOUND NO FURTHER DAMAGE. UNIFORM OF THE DAY AS ANNOUNCED IN THE PLAN OF THE DAY WAS SERVICE DRESS "B" THUS, IN AN INDIRECT MANNER, WE CONCLUDED THAT WE WERE TO DOCK SOME TIME TODAY, THE 16TH. AT 0900 WE ENTERED SAN DIEGO HARBOR AND PROCEEDED TO OUT MOORING SPACE. FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE CREW IT WAS THEIR FIRST GLIMPSE OF SUNNY CALIFORNIA. AT 1115 THE SHIP MOORED STARBOARD SIDE AT THE DESIGNATED PIER ON NORTH

4 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org ISLAND. OUR TWENTY SOLDIER PASSENGERS LEFT, AND HUGE CRANES IMMEDIATELY STARTED LIFTING STORES AND SUPPLIES ABOARD. BY THE TIME LIBERTY WAS DECLARED, HALF THE HANGER DECK WAS ENCASED WITH A HUGE BIN CONTAINING MARINE STORES, MACHINE GUNS, AMMUNITION, RIFLES, BEDDING, ETC. LATER IN THE NIGHT, THEIR ROLLING STOCK CAME ABOARD: TRUCKS, JEEPS, TRACTORS, CRANES, MOBILE MACHINE SHOPS, AND RADIO UNITS.

FRIDAY, 17 MARCH '44: QUARTERS FOR MUSTER WERE HELD AS THE LOADING OF MARINE STORES CONTINUED. WE TRANSFERRED SEVERAL MEN WHO WERE RATED IN EXCESS OF OUR ALLOWED COMPLEMENT, AND RECEIVED MANY NEW SEAMEN IN RETURN. AT 1100 THE FIRST CONTINGENT OF MARINES ARRIVED. IN THE GROUP WERE FORTY-NINE FIGHTER PILOTS AND TWO HUNDRED FIFTY ENLISTED MEN WITH MAJOR McLOEGHLIN IN COMMAND. THE VMF SQUADRON'S MASCOTS, A PAIR OF DOGS, CAME ABOARD CARRYING THEIR OWN PACKS ON THEIR BACKS IN TRUE MARINE FASHION.

LATER IN THE DAY, THE 44TH MARINE REPLACEMENT BATTALION BOARDED THE BATAAN. LIBERTY WAS GRANTED AND HALF THE CREW WENT UPTOWN TO CELEBRATE ST. PATRICK'S DAY.

SATURDAY, 18 MARCH '44: 0700 THE REMAINDER OF OUR PASSENGERS ARRIVED AND WERE TAKEN ABOARD. THE SHIP WAS CRAMMED TO OVERFLOWING. EVERY AVAILABLE SPACE -- FLIGHT DECK, HANGER DECK, MESS HALLS, AND BERTHING SPACES -- WAS UTILIZED. AT 1130 WE SAID GOOD-BYE TO SAN DIEGO AND THE USA. THE FORECASTLE AND FLIGHT DECK WERE LINED WITH STRANGELY QUIET MEN. ALL IN A SOBER, REFLECTIVE MOOD. "IS THIS OUR LAST LOOK AT HOME?" WAS THE CONSENSUS: FOR INDEED THIS CALIFORNIA, THIS USA, IN ITS ENTIRETY, WAS HOME TO ALL OF US.

PRECEDED AS USUAL BY OUR FAITHFUL COMPANION, THE USS BENNION, WE HEADED SEAWARD AND WEST, DESTINATION, AS ALL HANDS THEN REALIZED, WAS PEARL HARBOR, T.H. AS ONE WAG PUT IT, "THIS CERTAINLY IS THE LONG ROUTE TO BROOKLYN."

THE TEDIOUS TASK OF ISSUING LIFE JACKETS TO ALL PASSENGERS BEGAN WITH THE C & R DEPARTMENT UTILIZING THE HANGER DECK AND MESS HALLS FOR THE TASK. DIVINE SERVICES WERE POSTPONED DUE TO CROWDED CONDITIONS AND ROUGH PASSAGE.

SUNDAY'S NOTE ON "ROUGH PASSAGE" BECAME EVIDENT ON MONDAY. THE MAJORITY OF PASSENGERS SEEMED STRICKEN WITH DIRE CASES OF "MAL DE MER". BUCKET BRIGADES WERE FORMED AND UTILIZED. THE MALADY EVEN REACHED THE MARINE MASCOTS AND BOTH DOGS STAGGERED ABOUT THE HANGER DECK IN TRUE LAND-LUBBER FASHION.

THE DIFFICULT TASK OF FEEDING OUR ALMOST DOUBLED COMPLEMENT WAS EFFECTIVELY HANDLED BY CSP TARBELL. EVERYONE HAD THREE MEALS A DAY, AND, ALTHOUGH SOME HAD BREAKFAST WHILE OTHERS SITTING ALONGSIDE WERE EATING DINNER, NO COMPLAINTS WERE HEARD. THE SHIP'S ORCHESTRA "GAVE OUT" ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY EVENING. AN INSTANCE WHERE EVEN AN INFORMAL GROUP IS A GREAT BOOSTER FOR MORALE.

THE REMAINDER OF THE TRIP WAS UNEVENTFUL. ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22, WE SIGHTED MAUI, OUR FIRST GLIMPSE OF LAND. THE SHIP MOORED STARBOARD SIDE TO FOX 10, FORD ISLAND. OUR MARINE PASSENGERS DISEMBARKED AND ALL WAS AGAIN SERENE. BUT WAS IT? FIFTY YARDS AHEAD OF BATAAN'S BOW, TWO-THIRDS SUBMERGED, WAS THE RUSTY HULL OF THE ONCE PROUD USS UTAH. IT WAS AN OMINOUS SIGN, ONE THAT SEEMED TO ASK "WE WERE NOT PREPARED; ARE YOU PREPARED, BATAAN?"

SATURDAY, 25 MARCH '44: TODAY WAS THE FIRST "QUARTERS FOR MUSTER" WE'D HAD IN SOME TIME. THE FLIGHT DECK WAS CLEARED FOR THE PILOT QUALIFICATION JOB ASSIGNED US BY COMAIRPAC. ALL HANDS WORE LIFE JACKETS TO QUARTERS AS A CHECK. A FEW SLY REMARKS WERE PASSES; THE WORD WAS THAT WE WERE TO BE CALLED THE

5 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org "DIS-CHARGER" AND WOULD EVENTUALLY RUN THE RENOWNED "CHARGER" OF CHESAPEAKE BAY FAME OUT OF BUSINESS.

SEVERAL PASSENGERS CAME ABOARD DURING THE MORNING FROM VARIOUS STATIONS ON THE BEACH; FOUR OFFICERS, THE LANDING SIGNAL OFFICER WHO WILL WORK WITH THE SQUADRONS TO BE QUALIFIED, AND THE ASSISTANT AIR OFFICER ON THE HAWAIIAN SEA FRONTIER STAFF.

A BATTLE PROBLEM WAS RUN OFF AT 1330. A MYTHICAL 15-FOOT HOLE IN THE FLIGHT DECK CAUSED BY A MYTHICAL BOMB WAS COVERED WITH A PRE-FABRICATED PATCH.

FLIGHT DECK EMERGENCY PATCHES WERE GIVEN A COAT OF PAINT BY REPAIR VIII. THE ARRESTING GEAR OFFICER AND HIS COHORTS FROM THE BEACH GAVE THE DECK PENDANTS AND BARRIERS THE FINAL CHECK. EVERYONE EYED THE QUALIFYING SIGNAL OFFICER IN PITYING MANNER.

GETTING UNDERWAY WAS AT 1558. INSTEAD OF DOUBLING BACK FROM OUT PIER, WE WENT AROUND FORD ISLAND, GETTING A GOOD VIEW OF THE BASE. THE HULKS OF THE ARIZONA AND OKLAHOMA WERE PASSED ON THE WAY AROUND.

SEVERAL HOURS WERE SPENT CALIBRATING THE RADIO DIRECTION FINDER ON DIAMOND HEAD. AFTER THAT WE STEAMED OUT TO POINT "LUCKY". FROM THERE TOMORROW MORNING WE WILL GO TO EITHER "FAITH", "HOPE", OR "CHARITY", DEPENDING ON WHICH DIRECTION THE WIND IS FROM AT THE TIME. THE NAMES, BESIDES COMING FROM THE THIRTEENTH CHAPTER OF I CORINTHIANS, WERE ORIGINATED BY LT. COMDR. ERNIE BUTOW, THE "STORM KING", WHO THINKS WE NEED A RELIGIOUS AND PRAYERFUL ATTITUDE FOR THIS OPERATION.

SUNDAY, 26 MARCH '44: THE FIRST DAY WASN'T AS BAD AS WE THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE. THE SCORE WAS A TOTAL OF 44 PILOTS QUALIFIED OUT OF THE NECESSARY 100 PLUS FOR THE THREE DAY OPERATION. THE FORTUNATE PART OF IT WAS THAT THERE WERE NO SERIOUS ACCIDENTS AND NO INJURIES TO PERSONNEL.

THERE WAS, HOWEVER, ONE BAD CRACK UP, LATE IN THE DAY WHICH MIGHT HAVE PROVED SERIOUS. ENSIGN RICHARDSON, IN HIS FIRST LANDING ABOARD A CARRIER, TOOK THE CUT; THEN, WHEN SETTLING TO THE DECK, STARTED TO SLIP TOWARD THE PORT SIDE. ALTHOUGH HE HIT THE DECK FAIRLY WELL AFT, HIS TAIL HOOK DIDN'T CATCH A WIRE. HE KEPT ON GOING TOWARD THE PORT WALKWAY. FINALLY THE HOOK CAUGHT, THE CABLE REEVED OUT, AND THE PLANE CAME TO A STOP JUST AFTER THE LEFT WHEEL HAD JUMPED THE FLIGHT DECK. THE PLANE DIDN'T CATCH FIRE, BUT PART OF THE LEFT LANDING GEAR ASSEMBLY AND THE LEFT INBOARD FLAP WASHED OUT.

THE "TOURNEAUPULL" WAS BROUGHT UP FROM THE HANGAR DECK AND LIFTED THE CRIPPLED PLANE BACK TO THE FLIGHT DECK. OTHERWISE, ACCIDENTS WERE STRICTLY MINOR; ONE F6F PROP NICKED THE BARRIER AFTER CATCHING A LATE WIRE, AND AN SBD BLEW A TIRE THAT COULDN'T BE REPLACED BECAUSE WE DON'T HANDLE SBD PARTS.

EVERYONE TOOK A DEEP BREATH AND HOPED WE COULD DO AS WELL THE NEXT DAY.

MONDAY, 27 MARCH '44: EVIDENTLY THEY GAVE US THE BEST OF THE BUNCH THE FIRST DAY. THE SECOND DAY'S OPERATIONS WERE ROUGHER WITH FEWER PILOTS GETTING ABOARD, AND MORE WAVE-OFFS AND BARRIER CRASHES.

THE WHOLE THING WAS HARD FOR OUR AIR DEPARTMENT TO UNDERSTAND. OUR AIR GROUP HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY QUALIFIED BY OUR OWN LANDING SIGNAL OFFICER; THEY HAD BEEN OPERATING TOGETHER ON THE BEACH FOR SEVERAL MONTHS PRIOR TO COMING ABOARD. THEIR PROCEDURE IN THE LANDING CIRCLE WAS GOOD AND THEY HAD BEEN GIVEN PLENTY OF "BOUNCE DRILL". BUT THE PILOTS TRYING TO QUALLIFY ABOARD TODAY WERE OBVIOUSLY NOT READY TO QUALIFY -- THEY HADN'T BEEN TRAINING ON THE BEACH LONG ENOUGH AND HADN'T BEEN GIVEN ENOUGH BOUNCE DRILL.

6 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org THE FIRST CRASH WAS AN SB2C; THE IMPACT OF THE PLANE'S NOSE AGAINST THE BARRIER WAS TERRICIC -- HE FLEW RIGHT IN. ON THE REBOUND AFTER THE NOSE-OVER, THE ENTIRE ENGINE ASSEMBLY BROKE COMPLETELY AWAY FROM THE FUSELAGE AND DROPPED ON THE DECK.

A SECOND CRASH MERELY INVOLVED A PROP GETTING WRAPPED UP IN THE BARRIER CABLE. A HOLE IN THE DECK MADE BY THE SPINNING PROP WAS PATCHED BY REPAIR VIII.

DURING THE AFTERNOON ONE HELLCAT PILOT WHO COULDN'T GET ABOARD CALLED IN FOR INSTRUCTIONS ON THE RADIO. THE POOR FELLOW COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS THE MATTER, SO AIR PLOT CALLED THE SIGNAL OFFICER AND RELAYED THE PROPER "WORD" BACK ON THE RADIO.

ANOTHER PILOT LET OFF STEAM BY SINGING TO HIMSELF OVER THE RADIO (TO THE TUNE OF "THE BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC"), "ALL I EVER GET IS WAVE-OFFS"

ONE FLIGHT OF PLANES MISSED THE SHIP BY 30 MILES AND CALLED IN FOR DIRECTIONS. THEY WERE GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS BUT DUE TO POOR COMMUNICATIONS, THEY MISSED THE SHIP AGAIN, THIS TIME BY 40 MILES. FINALLY AIR PLOT TOLD THEM TO GO BACK TO THE BEACH. SURE ENOUGH, ON THE WAY HOME THEY COULDN'T MISS THE SHIP AND REPORTED OVERHEAD READY TO LAND, JUST AS THE SHIP STARTED TO RUN DOWN WIND. AIR PLOT REPEATED THE "RETURN TO THE BEACH" INSTRUCTIONS.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PILOTS QUALIFIED, THIRTY EIGHT, WAS SOMEWHAT DISAPPOINTING. WE WERE FAR FROM THE NUMBER THAT MUST BE QUALIFIED AT THE END OF THE THREE DAYS OF OPERATIONS. HOWEVER, THE TWO BARRIER CRASHES HAD DELAYED OPERATIONS WHILE THE ARARESTING FEAR OFFICER AND HIS CREW FITTED THE NEW CABLES. AND WAVE-OFF AFTER WAVE-OFF WAS GIVEN BY THE SIGNAL OFFICER BECAUSE "DISQUALIFIED".

THEY NEEDED MORE BOUNCE DRILL BEFORE THEY COULD TRY AGAIN.

FIREWORKS FINISHED OFF THE DAY WITH NIGHT BATTLE FIRING AT AN ILLUMINATED SLEEVE. A JM-1 (B-26) CAME OVER WITH A LONG LINE AND A BRIGHTLY LIGHTED SLEEVE. BOTH 40'S AND 20'S FIRED -- THE TRACER FROM THE 40'S BEING BRIGHT RED AND THAT OF THE 20'S SOMEWHAT LIGHTER. THE PATTERN WAS PRETTY, BUT EVIDENTLY THE LUCK THAT CUTS THE CABLE AND BRINGS DOWN THE SLEEVE WASN'T THERE. ONE OF THE GUN BOSSES SAID IT WAS "ONLY A LITTLE BIT OF A THING ANYWAY" AND NO ONE WAS PARTICULARLY ALARMED. EVERYONE JUST HOPED THAT WHEN -- OR RATHER, IF -- THOSE NIGHT TORPEDO ATTACKS DEVELOP, THE BOYS GET "RIGHT ON."

THE MOVIE TONIGHT WAS "MY LOVE COMES BACK". WE WISH WE COULD RIGHT NOW.

TUESDAY, 20 MARCH '44: TODAY WAS THE LAST DAY OF OUR PILOT QUALIFICATION JOB. WE TOOK PLANES ABOARD MOST OF THE FORENOON, INTERRUPTED FREQUENTLY BY BARRIER CRASHES. THE ARRESTING GEAR CREW WAS GETTING MORE PROFICIENT EACH TIME A PLANE CRASHED. NONE OF THE TANGLES WITH THE BARRIERS WAS SERIOUS, HOWEVER, AND AT THE END OF OPERATIONS -- AND OF THE QUALIFICATION PERIOD -- NO PILOT OR FLIGHT DECK CREWMAN HAD BEEN INJURED.

LT. RUSS CHERRY AND FIVE OF HIS GREEN-HELLMETED CREW HAD A CLOSE CALL. AN F6F CAUGHT NO. 2 PENDANT. ONE MAN WENT OVER TO INSPECT THE CABLE AND WHEN HE FOUND IT IN A QUESTIONABLE CONDITION, GAVE THE "FOUL DECK" SIGNAL TO CHERRY BY CROSSING HIS ARMS OVER HIS HEAD. CHERRY CAME RUNNING, AS DID CREWMEN. MEANWHILE, PLANE PUSHERS HAD CLEARED THE TAILHOOK AND HAD THE F6F IN A POSITION FOR TAKE OFF. LT. ROLAND BOSEE, FLIGHT DECK OFFICER, DID NOT SIGNAL. THE SLIPSTREAM CAUGHT THE CREW -- EVERYONE HUGGED THE DECK AS 2,000 HORSEPOWER AND A THREE-BLADED PROB ADDED HURRICANE FORCE TO THE 30 KNOTS OF WIND ALREADY COMING OVER THE DECK. LUCKILY THE PENDANTS WERE IN AN "UP" POSITION AND PROVIDED SOMETHING

7 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org TO GRAB. EVERYONE RELAXED WHEN THE PLANE WAS AIR BORNE AND THE SLIPSTREAM DISSIPATED. THE CREW WENT RIGHT ON INSPECTING THE PENDANT AS IF NOTHING HAD HAPPENED.

OUR ELATION AT BEING LUCKY ENOUGH NOT TO HAVE ANY PERSONNEL CASUALTIES DIDN'T LAST LONG. AS SOON AS WE DOCKED, THE TWO SQUADRON ACI OFFICERS CAME ABOARD. THEY LOOKED SORT OF FUNNY. LT. "SPIDER" REINHARDT, AIR OPERATIONS OFFICER, ASKED TOM HAMBLETON, "HOW'S EVERYTHING ON THE BEACH, TOM?"

"NOT TOO GOOD A DAY, SPIDER," TOM SAID QUIETLY. "WE LOST CHESTNEY. HE AND FANNING HAD A MID-AIR COLLISON. FANNING BAILED OUT BUT CHESS WAS KILLED IN THE CRASH."

THE SQUADRONS' LUCK HAD HELD FOR A LONG TIME. NO VF OR VT PILOT HAD BEEN KILLED PREVIOUSLY. "FEARLESS" FRASER HAD CRACKED UP AND HAD BEEN BADLY BURNED, BUT HE WAS FLYING AGAIN. NOW "CHESS" WAS GONE -- LIEUT. (JG) BROUNE R. CHESTNEY. WE ALL COULD REMEMBER A HUNDRED THINGS ABOUT HIM -- HIS GEORGIA DRAWL, THE STRANGE FEAR HE HAD OF BEING THE LAST PLANE TO MAKE A LANDING ABOARD, AND HIS CASUAL HANDS-IN- POCKETS POSE.

WE HAD TIED UP JUST BEFORE CHOW, AND EVEN THOUGH IT WAS AFTER HOURS FOR THE DAY SHIFT IN THE NAVY YARD, THERE WAS A FLOOD OF WORKMEN ACROSS THE GANGWAY. LATER IN THE EVENING A CRANE BROUGHT US A NEW RADAR ANTENNA

WEDNESDAY, 29 MARCH '44: IN A WAY, THIS WAS A LAZY DAY, YET AGAIN IT WAS CRAMMED WITH ACTIVITY. THE LAZY SIDE WAS LIBERTY AT 1200 FOR THE PORT WATCH; THE WORK WAS MOSTLY PLANING FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS. IN THE MORNING COMDR. MATTER, THE AIR GROUP AND VT SKIPPER, AND LT. COMDR. JOHNNIE STRANGE, THE VF SKIPPER, CAME ABOARD TO TALK WITH THE AIR OFFICER AND THE CAPTAIN, PRESUMABLY REGARDING REFRESHING THE AIR GROUP AND TRAINING OPERATIONS..

WE HAD AN UNPLEASANT JOB -- THAT OF ORDERING TWO CRUISE BOXES FROM THE YARD. ONE FOR THE EFFECTS OF THE MISSING VF 50 DEVIL CAT CHESTNEY, AND ONE FOR FIGHTER DIRECTOR HOWELL McGAUGNEY. MAC WAS BEING TRANSFERRED TO BASE EIGHT HOSPITAL ON THE BEACH FOR RECOVERY FROM AN EMERGENCY APPENDECTOMY AND RESULTING COMPLICATIONS. OTHER COMPLICATIONS SET IN WHEN THE COMBINATION TO MAC'S DESK SAFE WOULDN'T WORK. A LOCKSMITH FROM THE YARD WAS CALLED AFTER THE NAVIGATOR AND FIRST LIEUTENANT HAD TRIED TO OPEN IT WITHOUT LUCK. THE YARD WORKMAN FINALLY HAD TO DRILL IT OPEN.

THURSDAY, 30 MARCH '44: NOT A LOT WENT ON TODAY. THE COMMUNICATION WATCH OFFICERS STARTED OFF PLENTY EARLY -- AT 0400 -- DELIVERING SECRET MESSAGES REGARDING OUR PLANNED MOVEMENTS TO THE VARIOUS COMMANDS ON THE BEACH. AFTER WE CLEARED THE CHANNEL, WE CALIBRATED DIRECTION FINDING EQUIPMENT AND COMPASSES. A SPEED RUN WAS SCHEDULED, BUT NOTHING HAPPENED; MOST OF THE SPEED WAS AT FIVE KNOTS GOING AROUND IN CIRCLES.

TWO "CANS" WERE WITH US, OUR OLD FRIEND OF THE PHILADELPHIA-TO-PEARL HARBOR CRUISE, THE BENNION; AND THE A.W. GRANT. IT SEEMS THAT WE HAD TROUBLE GETTING AN ESCORT, SO THESE TWO DD'S, WHICH WERE SCHEDULED FOR AN AIRCRAFT EXERCISE ANYWAY, WERE NOMINATED. ON THE FIRST NIGHT, HOWEVER, WE WERE ACTUALLY "TAFFING ALONG". DURING THE EVENING HOURS A LOW-ALTITUDE AIRCRAFT ATTACK WASSCHEDULED AND WE WERE TO BE JUST OBSERVERS.

BAD WEATHER WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR A CHANGE OF PLANS, THOUGH, AND A "SKYHOOK" (A PB4Y THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO ACT AS AN ELEVATED C.I.C.) NEVER ARRIVED OVERHEAD ON STATION.

8 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org FRIDAY, 31 MARCH '44: WHEN THE NOSE OF AN SB2C "BEAST" DROPPED OFF AFTER A BARRIER CRASH ON OUR RECENT QUALIFICATION SORTIE, SOMEONE SAID, "I'VE SEEN EVERYTHING". TODAY HE TOOK IT BACK. ON A REFRESHER LANDING, ENSIGN "RED" TARLETON IN F6F 20 CAME IN, HIT THE DECK AND BOUNCED. HIS HOOK SEEMED TO HAVE AN AVERSION FOR A WIRE AND WHAM -- RIGHT THROUGH ALL THREE BARRIERS HE WENT, LEFT A PROPELLER TIP IN THE FORWARD ELEVATOR AND KEPT RIGHT ON GOING OVER THE STARBOARD SIDE JUST AHEAD OF THE FORWARD 40MM GUN MOUNT AND SANK, FAST.

TARLETON STRUGGLED TO GET OUT AS SOON AS THE PLANE HIT THE WATER BUT WAS HELD BACK AT FIRST BY A CHUTE STRAP. JUST AS THE PLANE WENT UNDER HE FREED HIMSELF AND, AS THE COCKPIT FLOODED, HE CAME TO THE SURFACE AND STARTED PADDLING. THE "CAN" ASTERN STEAMED OVER AND PICKED HIM UP -- A PLENTY LUCKY PILOT. A VISUAL BLINKER MESSAGE GAVE US THE WORD THAT HE WAS OKAY; TWO MINOR BRUISES AND A HALF INCH CUT OVER ONE EYE. AFTER THAT INCIDENT THE MORNING'S OPERATIONAL PLAN WAS HELD UP WHILE ALL PLANES IN THE AIR WENT BACK TO THE BEACH TO CHECK TAILHOOK PRESSURES.

QUALIFICATION REFRESHER LANDINGS CONTINUED IN THE AFTERNOON. A PLANNED COORDINATED GROUP ATTACK WAS CALLED OFF BECAUSE OF BAD WEATHER.

AT DINNER TONIGHT RUSS CHERRY RECEIVED A PRESENT FROM AIR GROUP 100, THE PILOTS WHO HAD FOULED UP HIS BARRIERS. THERE WAS MANY BOXES OF CANDY, EVIDENTLY FOR KEEPING A "SWEET" DISPOSITION IN SPITE OF ALL THE CRASHES.

IT WAS GOOD TO HAVE AIR GROUP 50 BACK ABOARD, TO HAVE OUR OWN PLANES COMING IN OVER THE FANTAIL. IT'S LIKE TAKING AWAY THE THE GUNS OF A BATTLEWAGON TO TAKE AWAY THE PLANES OF A CARARIER. IT'S LIKE "OLD HOME WEEK" ON BATAAN.

April 1944: Crossing the Line & Majuro

SATURDAY, 1 APRIL '44: SCHEDULED FLIGHT QUARTERS WERE DELAYED BY BAD WEATHER, BUT AT 1030 THE AIR GROUP WAS LAUNCHED FOR PRACTICE OPERATIONS WITH A COMBAT AIR PATROL OF FOUR PLANES.

EXERCISES INCLUDED GUNNERY AND A 60 DEGREE SECTOR RENDEZVOUS. THE LATTER OF COURSE WILL BE NECESSARY WHEN OPERATING WITH A LARGE CARRIER FORCE. TWO PLANES, A FIGHTER AND A TORPEDO PLANE, WERE DISPATCHED TO GET RECONNAISSANCE PHOTOS OF A SMALL TOWN ON THE BEACH.

AT 1225 THE GROUP MADE A SIMULATED ATTACK ON THE SHIP. THE ATTACKING GROUP WAS INTERCEPTED 25 MILES AWAY BY THE FOUR PLANE CAP LED BY LT. COMDR. JOHNNIE STRANGE. DURING THE AFTERNOON, AN ANTI-SUB PATROL OF ONE TBM AND ONE F6F WAS LAUNCHED AND RECOVERED JUST BEFORE SUNSET. THE GUNNERY DEPARTMENT FIRED AA PRACTICES "ABLE ABLE" AND "TARE CHARLIE". THE ANTI-SUB PLANES WERE WARNED TO KEEP THEIR DISTANCE FROM THE "LITTLE BLACK PUFFS".

DARKNESS BROUGHT "NIGHT FLIGHT QUARTERS": THE AIR GROUP WAS DUE TO BE CATAPULTED. THERE WAS A MOON, BUT ALSO SOME CLOUDS. ONE MINUTE THE DECK WAS BATHED IN SOFT LIGHT, REVEALING THE MEN AND PLANES MOVING CAUTIOUSLY, THEN THE MOON WOULD BE UNDER A CLOUD AND ONLY PLANE DIRECTORS WANDS AND FIREFLY-LIKE EXHAUSTS WOULD SHOW. ALL WENT WELL AND THE PLANES LANDED AT N.A.S. BARBER'S POINT.

MONDAY, 3 APRIL '44: EVERYONE PACKED HIS GAS MASK, HELMET, AND LIFE JACKET FOR MORNING QUARTERS. AS DIVISION OFFICERS INSTRUCTED, MEN PULLED AND SQUEEZED TO ADJUST FACE PIECES ON THE GAS MASK AND GOT THE WORD ON HOW TO MANIPULATE THE DEVICE. MOST OF THE MEN HAD BEEN THROUGH THE GAS CHAMBER AT

9 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org PHILADELPHIA NAVY YARD, AND SO KNEW SOMETHING ABOUT IT. A FIELD DAY FOR ALL HANDS WAS BEGUN, BUT INSPECTION WAS DELAYED DUE TO THE NECESSITY FOR GETTING AMMUNITION AND FUEL ABOARD IN A HURRY. EVIDENTLY WE WEREN'T GOING TO BE AROUND PEARL MUCH LONGER.

LIBERTY WAS GRANTED TO THE STARBOARD WATCH, THE WORD BEING PASSED, "NO OVERNIGHT PASSES WILL BE GRANTED", MEANING -- UNDERWAY PLENTY EARLY. MAJURO BOUND: 4 APRIL 1944 TO 12 APRIL 1944

TUESDAY, 4 APRIL '44: THE DAY BEGAN WITH OUR EARLY DEPARTURE FROM PEARL. OUR NEXT LOOK AT LAND WOULD BE SOMEWHAT OF A GUESS AS TO JUST WHERE, SO EVERYONE TOOK A LAST LONG LOOK AT DIAMOND HEAD. TEST FIRING OF THE FIFTY CALIBERS OF THE F6F'S WENT ON DURING THE AFTERNOON. NO PEA SHOOTERS, THEY REALLY PUT OUT A MEAN SLUG. SOMEONE REMARKED TODAY, WHEN THE GENERAL ALARM WAS TESTED, "THAT SOUNDS MORE LIKE THE REAL THING THE CLOSER WE GET TO TOKYO."

BEFORE WE TURNED IN WE FOUND OUT JUST SPECIFICALLY WHAT THE WORD WAS. THE NEXT DAY'S PLAN OF THE DAY HAD A MESSAGE FROM THE CAPTAIN: "WE ARE NOW HEADED FOR THE COMBAT ZONE, IMMEDIATE DESTINATION THE MARSHALL ISLANDS, WHERE WE JOIN ONE OF THE FASTEST AND HARDEST HITTING TASK FORCES IN THE PACIFIC."

WEDNESDAY, 5 APRIL '44: THE DAY'S OPERATIONS BEGAN WITH AN ANTI-SUB PATROL -- SOMETHING THAT WAS GOING TO BE PRETTY ROUTINE FROM NOW ON. THE DESTROYERS WITH US ARE THE REMEDY AND A.W. GRANT, NEW AND SLEEK 2100-TONERS. WITH OUR FLIGHT DECK UNENCUMBERED BY TRANSIENT AIRCRAFT, WE WERE ALL READY TO FIGHT IF NEED BE. MORNING AND AFTERNOON TRAINING FLIGHTS WERE LAUNCHED. ON BOTH HOPS THE AIR GROUP MADE SIMULATED ATTACKS AND INTERCEPTIONS WERE MADE BY A CAP VECTORED OUT FROM THE SHIP.

CREW'S PAY DAY WAS HELD AFTER EVENING CHOW AND A SPECIAL NOTE IN THE PLAN OF THE DAY CAUTIONED -- "DRAW ONLY THE MONEY YOU NEED." IN THE LIGHT OF THE NOTE THAT CAME OUT LAST NIGHT, IT WAS PROBABLY GOOD ADVICE.

THURSDAY, 6 APRIL '44: ANOTHER DAY OF EARLY FLIGHT QUARTERS FOR THE ANTI-SUB PATROL. LATER IN THE MORNING A TRAINING FLIGHT WAS LAUNCHED WITH AN ATTACK GROUP BEING SENT OUT TO 70 MILES. A FLIGHT OF FIGHTERS WAS LAUNCHED TO INTERCEPT. IN THE AFTERNOON, PLANE CAPTAINS TURNED TO ON WAXING PLANES AND SPOTTING THEM FOR GUNNERY TESTS. DIVISION OFFICERS WERE GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS TODAY REGARDING THE IMPORTANCE AND USE OF ANTI-FLASH CLOTHING. OTHER INSTRUCTIONS INCLUDED RECOGNITION TRAINING FOR GUNNERY OFFICERS AND GUN CAPTAINS. WE'RE GETTING CLOSER TO THE INTERNATIONAL DATE LINE AND THE "GOLDEN DRAGON" MONNIKER.

FRIDAY, 7 APRIL '44: NO TRAINING FLIGHTS TODAY -- THIS IS THE REAL THING. A FOUR PLANE CAP OVERHEAD FROM DAWN 'TILL DARK. ANTI-SUB PATROL AND MORNING AND EVENING SEARCHES.

THE DAY STARTED EARLY WITH PRE-DAWN GENERAL QUARTERS. THE SEARCH AND CAP TOOK STATION AND WAITED FOR SOMETHING TO COME ALONG. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MORNING THE CAP WAS VECTORED TO THE NORTH TO TEST RADAR DETECTION RANGE AT LOW ALTITUDES. AT 25 MILES DUE NORTH, LT. COMDR. STRANGE, LEADER OF BLACK ONE FLIGHT, CALLED IN A CONTACT REPORT: "ONE FRIENDLY CVE AND FOUR ESCORTING DESTROYERS". SHORTLY AFTERWARD MANY FRIENDLY GROUPS OF AIRCRAFT APPEARED ON THE SCREEN, OBVIOUSLY LAUNCHED FROM THE ESCORT CARRIER. A FEW MINUTES LATER THE RETURNING SEARCH GROUP WAS SENT TO THE NORTH EAST TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE CVE. LT (JG) CONNERS LOCATED THE SHIPS WITH HIS PLANE'S RADAR GEAR AND REPORTED THE CARRIER CONDUCTING FLIGHT OPERATIONS.

THE SECOND CAP AND ANTI-SUB PATROL WAS SENT OUT TO RELIEVE. IN A FEW MINUTES AN UNIDENTIFIED PLANE APPEARED FROM THE EAST. LT. LEMMON'S BLACK TWO FLIGHT WAS VECTORED TO INTERCEPT AND THE PLANE WAS

10 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org IDENTIFIED AS A LIBERATOR EXPRESS. PRIOR TO THE VISUAL RECOGNITION, THE FIGHTERS CHARGED THEIR GUNS AND WERE READY TO DIG IN ON THAT $160 POOL FOR THE PILOT TO GET THE FIRST JAP. THE PILOTS WEREN'T THE ONLY ONES GETTING ITCHY TRIGGER FINGERS. GUNNERS WERE GETTING MORE EAGER. THE WORD GOT AROUND THAT ENEMY SUBS WERE OPERATING IN THE AREA THROUGH WHICH WE WERE PASSING.

SATURDAY, 8 APRIL '44: ALTHOUGH WE WERE DRAWING CLOSER TO THE JAPS' FRONT YARD, WE HAD NO SURFACE CONTACTS, NEITHER ENEMY NOR FRIENDLY. ABOUT 1100 OF THE FOUR PLANE CAP WAS VECTORED OUT IN THE DIRECTION OF A FRIENDLY LIBERATOR EXPRESS. THE MORNING AND AFTERNOON SEARCHES REPORTED NEGATIVE RESULTS. ALL DURING THE DAY ANTI-SUB AND COMBAT AIR PATROLS WERE MAINTAINED. THE DAY'S OPERATIONS WERE PRECEDED, AS YESTERDAY, BY GENERAL QUARTERS.

TOMORROW WE ARRIVE AT MAJURO. EVERYONE IS ANXIOUS TO GET TO AN ADVANCE BASE TO TALK TO SOMEONE WITH A PARALLEL JOB ON ANOTHER SHIP -- TO TRADE IDEAS AND IN GENERAL "GET THE WORD". ALSO WE WANT TO GET A LOOK AT THAT TASK FORCE WE'RE JOINING.

SUNDAY, 9 APRIL '44: IT MAY BE AN EASTER BONNET IN NEW YORK, BUT ON BATAAN TODAY, IT'S A BATTLE BONNET. THIS AFTERNOON WE DROPPED OUR HOOK IN THE CORAL BOTTOM OF MAJURO LAGOON; EASTER SUNDAY IN THE LESSER MARSHALLS, SOME DISTANCE FROM PHILADELPHIA, WHERE WE HAD SPENT OUR CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY. ON THE WAY WE PASSED WITHIN TWENTY MILES OF ISLANDS WHERE JAPS WERE STILL HOLDING OUT. ABOUT THAT TIME EASTER SERVICES WERE HELD IN THE CREW'S MESS HALL. THEN, LATE IN THE MORNING, SPECIAL GENERAL QUARTERS FOR ENTERING PORT WAS HELD.

MANY FRIENDLY AIRCRAFT WERE IN THE VICINITY OPERATING FROM THE MAJURO AIR STRIP. ONE KINGFISHER FLOATPLANE GOT IN THE "LANDING CIRCLE". ONE OF THE FIGHTER PILOTS TOOK OVER THE SIGNAL PLATFORM AND "WAVED HIM IN." HE MADE A BEAUTIFUL CARRIER LANDING -- NOT ON THE DECK, BUT IN THE WATER TO PORT OF THE SIGNAL PLATFORM. "ARE YOU THE BATAAN?", HE ASKED. WE SAID "YES", AND, EXPLAINING THAT HE WAS A FIGHTER PILOT OUT FOR A RIDE, HE SHOUTED, "WELCOME TO MAJURO."

AS WE NEARED THE ATOLL, WE SAW SOME CARRIERS AND BATTLEWAGONS IN THE DISTANCE. "SOME" INCREASED TO "MANY" AND THEN TO "MORE SHIPS THAN I'VE EVER SEEN BEFORE IN MY LIFE". THIS WAS OUR TASK FORCE -- THE FAST CARRIER TASK FORCE. CARRIERS WITH FAMOUS NAMES WERE IN THIS FORCE AND NOW WE WERE JOINING IT. SOMEONE SAID, "WITH ALL THESE SHIPS WE COULD SAIL AWAY TO TOKYO, JAPAN, RIGHT NOW." A LITTLE TOO EAGER.

MONDAY, 10 APRIL '44: ALTHOUGH WE WERE AT MAJURO, IT LOOKED AS IF WE WEREN'T GOING TO SEE MUCH OF IT. BACK HOME IT SEEMED, WASN'T THE ONLY PLACE WHERE THERE WAS A WARTIME SHORTAGE OF TRANSPORTATION. WE HAD ANCHORED FARTHEST AWAY FROM THE BEACH OF ANY OF THE SHIPS, SO OUR SHIP'S BOATS WERE REALLY IN DEMAND.

FIRST CALL, OF COURSE, WAS FOR OFFICIAL BUSINESS -- THE VISITS TO THE FLAG AND OTHER SHIPS BY DEPARTMENT HEADS AND THE CAPTAIN. THEN CAME DEMANDS FROM THE SUPPLY DEPARTMENT FOR THE STORES, SPARE PARTS, AND OTHER ITEMS. AND, OF COURSE, THE GUARD MAIL TRIPS HAD TO BE MADE. ALL IN ALL, IT KEPT THE OOD IN A STATE OF DISTRACTION AND THE BOAT CREWS BUSY FROM EARLY MORNING UNTIL LATE AT NIGHT. THERE WAS ALWAYS SOME OFFICER FROM ANOTHER SHIP WHO "JUST HAD TO GET BACK", AND COURTESY TO OTHER SHIPS HAD TO BE OBSERVED.

WE WERE QUICKLY "GETTING THE WORD" ON WHAT WAS IN STORE FOR US. OUR PILOTS LOOKED WITH AWE AT A VISITOR FROM THE YORKTOWN WHO HAD JUST RETURNED FROM THE PALAU RAID AND HAD MORE THAN FIVE JAPS TO HIS CREDIT. VAGUE RUMORS BEGAN TO CIRCULATE ABOUT FORTHCOMING OPERATIONS. EXTENSIVE PREPARATIONS INDICATED SOMETHING BIG WOULD HAPPEN SOON.

11 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org TUESDAY, 11 APRIL '44: THE "IN PORT" ROUTINE CONTINUED WITH A TREMENDOUS FIELD DAY STAGED BY ALL HANDS; THE REASON -- THERE WOULD BE AN ADMIRAL'S INSPECTION ON THE MORROW. THE WORD THAT THINGS WERE ABOUT TO HAPPEN HAD NOW BECOME PRETTY MUCH OF A CERTAINTY. WE WERE TO OPERATE WITH A TASK GROUP CONSISTING OF USS HORNET, USS BELLEAU WOOD, AND USS COWPENS UNDER THE COMMAND OF READ ADMIRAL J. J. CLARK, LATE IN COMMAND OF THE USS YORKTOWN AND A VETERAN CARRIER SKIPPER.

WITH SO MANY SHIPS PRESENT THERE WAS A NATURAL DESIRE FOR MEN AND OFFICERS TO SEE THEIR "BUDDIES" ON OTHER SHIPS. INTER-SHIP BOAT TRAFFIC PERMITTED SOME VISITING AND THERE WAS A PERMANENT WAITING LINE AROUND THE QUARTERDECK FOR WOULD-BE VISITORS READY TO LEAVE THE SHIP AND ALSO VISITORS TRYING TO GET BACK TO THEIR OWN SHIP.

WEDNESDAY, 12 APRIL '44: THE DAY BEGAN WITH LAST MINUTE TOUCHES BEING PUT ON ALL CLEANING STATIONS AND MEN "STANDING BY" WITH FOX TAIL IN HAND. WORD WAS PASSED FOR SIDE BOYS -- SIX FOR REAR ADMIRAL CLARK'S TWO STARS -- TO "LAY UP TO THE QUARTERDECK."

ALL THE PROPER COURTESIES WERE RENDERED WITH THE SENIOR WATCH OFFICER TAKING OVER THE DECK SO NO SLIP- UPS WOULD BE MADE, BUT WHEN THE ADMIRAL STARTED HIS INSPECTION THERE WAS NOTHING VERY FORMAL ABOUT IT. THE CAPTAIN TOOK HIM FIRST TO THE FLIGHT DECK AND FROM THERE THEY WORKED DOWN. EVERYWHERE THE ADMIRAL WENT HE PUT EVERYONE AT EASE. "MY NAME'S CLARK", HE'D SAY AND EXTEND HIS HAND TO THE NEAREST OFFICER. HE SHOOK HANDS WITH ALL THE OFFICERS NEAR HIM AND LOOKED OVER THE SITUATION WITH AN APPRAISING BUT PLEASANT EYE. THE ADMIRAL SPOKE BRIEFLY TO THE PILOTS IN BOTH READY ROOMS, GIVING THEM A LITTLE HINT OF THE FORTHCOMING OPERATION. AND THERE WAS NOW NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT, SOMETHING WAS GOING TO HAPPEN, THE ADMIRAL HAD SAID SO. AND THERE WAS NO MISTAKE ALSO THAT EVERYONE LIKED THE ADMIRAL.

A SHORT BATTLE PROBLEM WAS CONDUCTED BY THE ADMIRAL AND HIS INSPECTION PARTY. BOMB HITS WERE PROFUSE AND PRESENTED A BIG PROBLEM FOR THE DAMAGE CONTROL PARTIES. THE FLIGHT DECK PATCH DESIGNED BY LT. (JG) HATCHELL WAS GIVEN A WORKOUT ON A CHALKED UP BOMB HIT. LATER ON IN THE DAY AFTER THE INSPECTION HAD BEEN COMPLETED, THE ADMIRAL SENT US THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE FROM HIS FLAGSHIP:

"THE GENERAL APPEARANCE AND CLEANLINESS AND THE EFFICIENT MANNER IN WHICH THE DRILLS WERE HANDLED AT INSPECTION THIS MORNING IS A CREDIT TO THE OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE BATAAN. I AM CONFIDENT THAT THE SHIP WILL PUT UP A GOOD FIGHT WHEN SHE MEETS THE ENEMY."

EVERYONE "TURNED TO" ON THAT LAST LETTER, FOR THE WORD HAD GOTTEN AROUND THAT WE WERE SHOVING OFF SHORTLY AND THAT MAIL LEAVING THE SHIP IN THE AFTERNOON WOULD BE THE FINAL ONE FOR SOME TIME. A LAST MINUTE CONFERENCE ON THE GROUP FLAGSHIP, THE HORNET, WAS HELD IN THE AFTERNOON WITH THE CAPTAIN, AIR GROUP COMMANDER, AIR OFFICER AND SEVERAL OTHERS ATTENDING.

THURSDAY, 13 APRIL '44: AT 0700 A SQUADRON OF DESTROYERS STEAMED PAST THE SHIP. SHORTLY AFTERWARDS THE CRUISERS STARTED TO GET UP STEAM AND SOON FOLLOWED THE DESTROYERS, AND AT 0900 THE BATAAN MOVED OUT OF THE MAJURO LAGOON TO RENDEZVOUS WITH TASK GROUP 58.1. THE BATAAN WAS IN THE CENTER AND FORWARD OF THE FORMATION -- CRUISERS NEXT, THEN THE DESTROYER SCREEN. NO BATTLESHIPS. THE REST OF THE DAY WAS SPENT WAITING FOR 58.2 AND 58.3 TO JOIN UP AND THEN WE PROCEEDED TOWARD THE SOUTHWEST.

FRIDAY, 14 APRIL '44: OUR FIRST DAY OF AIR OPERATIONS FOR TASK GROUP 58.1 CONSISTED OF AN 8 PLANE CAP AND 4 PLANE ANTI-SUB PATROL. THE LAUNCH WAS EXECUTED PROMPTLY AT 1230, TAKING SEVEN MINUTES FOR THE 12 PLANES.

12 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org SHORTLY AFTER THE LAUNCH, THE FIRST TBM WATER LANDING CASUALTY OCCURRED. ENS. J. J. FITE, TBM PILOT, AND THREE CREWMEN HAD TAKEN OFF TO FLY AN ANTI-SUB SECTOR. ON THE FIRST CHECK-IN, FITE SIGNALED FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING. PLANES WERE IMMEDIATELY TAXIED FORWARD AND THE SHIP TURNED INTO THE WIND. NOT SOON ENOUGH, HOWEVER, AS THE PLANE SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER AND WENT IN THE WATER. TWO FIGURES CAME TO THE SURFACE AND A YELLOW LIFE RAFT INFLATED. A CRASH BOAT AND DESTROYER STEAMED TO THE SCENE AND THE DESTROYER EFFECTED THE RESCUE. THE TWO CREWMEN IN THE TBM TUNNEL HAD NOT ESCAPED.

LATER DURING THE FLIGHT, TWO OTHER TBM'S REPORTED IN FOR EMERGENCY LANDINGS, ONE WITH A HYDRAULIC LEAK AND ANOTHER WITH A FAULTY GASOLINE PRESSURE GAUGE. THE DECK WAS SPOTTED FORWARD AT THE TIME SO NO DIFFICULTIES WERE ENCOUNTERED.

SUNDAY, 16 APRIL '44: THIS WAS "POLLYWOG DAY"; TOMORROW WILL BE "SHELLBACK DAY" -- SAY THE SHELLBACKS.

A FULL DAY'S AIR OPERATIONS INCLUDED A TRAINING FLIGHT OF 14 FIGHTERS AND 4 TBM'S, PLUS A REGULAR PATROL. AT VARIOUS INTERVALS BETWEEN WORKING HOURS THERE WERE SHELLBACK AND POLLYWOG BATTLES, MOSTLY INVOLVING WILD ESCAPADES WITH SHEARS AND UNSUSPECTING HEADS. AFTER DINNER, OFFICER POLLYWOGS ROUNDED UP ALL AVAILABLE SHELLBACKS, INCLUDING THE AIR OFFICER, FIGHTER COMMANDER, AND THE AGROLOGICAL OFFICER AND ADMINISTERED "HAIRCUTS". AT 2115, THE LINE WAS CROSSED AND THE SHELLBACKS SAT "BALDLY" IN THE READY ROOMS, PLANNING REVENGE.

THE LAUNCH AND RECOVERY WERE EXCELLENT TODAY AND WE LOOKED GOOD. NO SCHEDULED OPERATIONS FOR TOMORROW, SO THE VISIT OF NEPTUNUS REX AT 0800 SHOULD BE WELL ATTENDED.

MONDAY, 17 APRIL '44: TRUE TO PREDICTION, THIS WAS SHELLBACK DAY -- IN A BIG WAY. ALL THOUGHTS OF JAPS, OUR NEARNESS TO TRUK AND OTHER ENEMY INSTALLATIONS WERE SUBORDINATED (BUT NOT FORGOTTEN) FOR SOME HIGH CLASS TOMFOOLERY. AND IF THERE'S ANYBODY ON THE SHIP WHO ISN'T A SHELLBACK NOW, IT'S HIS OWN FAULT. UNIFORMS FOR THE CEREMONIES WERE VARIED; OFFICERS WORE BLUES WITH WHITE GLOVE AND WHITE CAP COVERS FOR BREAKFAST; ENLISTED MEN WORE BLUES, P-COATS AND LEGGINGS. THE UNIFORM FOR QUARTERS WAS STANDARD KHAKIS AND DUNGAREES. A GOOD THING, FOR THE TWO HOURS FROM 0800 TO 1000 ALLOWED FOR KING NEPTUNE'S VISIT WERE CRAMMED FULL OF SCUFFLING, PADDLING, AND HAIR CUTTING.

THE KING AND HIS COURT CAME OVER THE FORWARD END OF THE FLIGHT DECK. ALL POLLYWOGS WERE MOST REVERENT AND BOWED LOW ON THEIR KNEES. A FEW SPECIAL CHARACTERS WERE PICKED OUT OF THE CROWD FOR DUE CONSIDERATION BY THE MASTER OF CEREMONIES, LT. CDR. CLAPHAM; LT. CDR. SMITH, THE GUN BOSS; LT. LAAKE, FIGHTER PILOT WHO LED THE SHELLBACK HAIR-CUTTING RAID THE NIGHT BEFORE, AND OTHERS. THE LINES WERE FORMED AND THE ROYAL BARBERS CALLED OUT IN FORCE. MASS PRODUCTION STARTED AND AS FAST AS THE SHEARS COULD CLIP, ALL OFFICER POLLYWOGS WERE SENT THROUGH THE LINE -- AND AS FAST AS THEY COULD RUN. AS SOON AS ALL THE OFFICERS HAD MADE THE TRIP, THE MEN CAME THROUGH BY DIVISION -- HOWLING, JUMPING. THE LINE GREW LONGER AS THE POLLYWOGS BECAME SHELLBACKS. AT THE END, THE LINE EXTENDED FROM THE ISLAND TO THE FORWARD END OF THE FLIGHT DECK AND BACK ON THE PORT SIDE TO THE ISLAND.

AT 1000 THE WAR AGAIN CAUGHT UP WITH THE PROCEEDINGS AND KING NEPTUNE AND HIS COURT SHOVED OFF, LEAVING IN THEIR WAKE A FLIGHT DECK COVERED WITH HAIR, TORN CLOTHES, PIECES OF "CLUBS" AND SCATTERED NEOPHYTE SHELLBACKS ADMIRING EACH OTHER'S HAIRCUTS AND VARIOUS STAGES OF UNDRESS. THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY WAS SPENT IN "FIELD DAY" AND PREPARING FOR TOMORROW'S AIR OPERATIONS. IN THE LATE FORENOON, A DESTROYER BROUGHT BACK J. J. FITE, TORPEDO SQUADRON 50 PILOT, AND HIS CREWMAN, AND TRANSFERRED THEM TO BREECHES BUOY.

13 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org LATEST DEVELOPMENT IN THE TACTICAL SITUATION WAS THE REPORT THAT OUR FUELING FLEET HAD BEEN DETECTED BY THE JAPS. THE NEXT DEDUCTION WAS THAT WE WOULD BE DETECTED -- PROBABLY SOONER THAN WE HAD HOPED.

TUESDAY, 19 APRIL '44: TODAY WE WERE ASSIGNED THE FIRST PATROL, LAUNCHING SHORTLY AFTER 0500 BY CATAPULT. IN ADDITION TO THE REGULAR EIGHT PLANE CAP AND TBM FOUR PLANE ANTI-SUB, A FIGHTER ACCOMPANIED EACH TBM AS AN "ANTI-SNOOPER".

JUST BEFORE SECURE FROM MORNING GENERAL QUARTERS, THE CAPTAIN SPOKE OVER THE BATTLE ANNOUNCING CIRCUIT: "ATTENTION ALL HANDS THIS IS THE CAPTAIN SPEAKING. NOW THAT THE ENTIRE SHIP'S COMPANY OF THE U.S.S. BATAAN ARE DULY INITIATED AND PROPERLY DESIGNATED AS HARD-BOILED SHELLBACKS, YOU ARE ENTITLED TO SOME INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON IN THIS PART OF HIS MAJESTY'S KING NEPTUNE'S DOMAIN.

AS I TOLD YOU SHORTLY AFTER LEAVING PEARL HARBOR, WE WERE ON OUR WAY HEADING WEST TO JOIN ONE OF THE FASTEST AND HARDEST HITTING TASK FORCES IN THE PACIFIC. WE ARE NOW PART OF THAT OUTFIT, TASK FORCE 58, COMMANDED BY VICE ADMIRAL MARC A. MITSCHER, AND COMPOSED OF THE CARRIERS, BATTLESHIPS, CRUISERS AND DESTROYERS WHICH YOU SAW IN THE HARBOR AT MAJURO AND WHICH ARE NOW ON THE HIGH SEAS WITH US, SPREAD OUT TO THE HORIZON AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEE.

WE ARE HEADING WEST AND SOUTHWEST INTO AN AREA BETWEEN THE NORTH COAST OF NEW GUINEA AND THE CAROLINE ISLANDS, WHICH, UP TO THE PRESENT TIME, HAS BEEN MORE OR LESS UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE ENEMY. OUR MISSION IS TO STRIKE ANOTHER POWERFUL BLOW AT BASES HELD BY THE ENEMY AND TO SWEEP THIS AREA CLEAR OF ANY JAP OR ENEMY NAVAL UNITS ENCOUNTERED. IT IS ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE STRIKES WHICH YOU HAVE BEEN READING ABOUT IN THE PRESS NEWS. THE TIME FOR ACTION WILL COME MOST ANY DAY NOW. HOW TOUGH THE ENEMY OPPOSITION MAY BE, REMAINS TO BE SEEN. WHATEVER IT MAY BE, WE ARE PREPARED TO TAKE THEM ON. WE ARE OPERATING IN CONJUNCTION AND COORDINATION WITH OTHER POWERFUL TASK FORCES -- LAND, SEA, AND AIR. WE ARE IN THE BIG LEAGUE NOW, SO BE PREPARED TO ACT ACCORDINGLY.

I QUOTE WITH A GREAT DEAL OF PRIDE A MESSAGE WHICH WAS SENT TO THIS SHIP BY ADMIRAL CLARK, OUR TASK COMMANDER, ON COMPLETION OF THE MATERIAL AND BATTLE READINESS INSPECTION OF THIS VESSEL, "THE GENERAL APPEARANCE AND CLEANLINESS AND EFFICIENT MANNER IN WHICH THE DRILLS WERE HANDLED AT INSPECTION THIS MORNING IS A CREDIT TO THE OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE BATAAN. I AM CONFIDENT THAT THE SHIP WILL PUT UP A GOOD FIGHT WHEN SHE MEETS THE ENEMY. ADMIRAL CLARK."

REAR ADMIRAL J. J. CLARK, OUR TASK GROUP COMMANDER (ON THE HORNET) IS A WAR VETERAN OF THE PACIFIC, HAVING TAKEN PART IN MOST OF THE ENGAGEMENTS WHICH HAVE BEEN FOUGHT IN THIS AREA. A DISPATCH LIKE THE ABOVE COMING FROM HIM IS A REAL COMPLIMENT. IT INDICATES, I BELIEVE, THAT WE HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB IN PREPARING OURSELVES FOR ACTION. I THINK WE CAN TAKE FURTHER ENCOURAGEMENT FROM THE FACT THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TAKE OUR PLACE IN THE FLEET FORMATION AND OPERATE WITH SMOOTHNESS AND RAPIDITY COMPARABLE WITH THAT OF MORE EXPERIENCED AND VETERAN CARRIERS. THE REAL TEST OF BATTLE, OF COURSE, IS STILL TO COME, BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I FEEL, AND YOU CAN FEEL, FULL OF CONFIDENCE THAT WE WILL GIVE A GOOD ACCOUNT OF OURSELVES WHEN THE TIME ARRIVES. THAT IS ALL."

TWO DESTROYERS CAME ALONGSIDE TODAY, ONE TO PICK UP SOME MUCH NEEDED RADIO TUBES, THE OTHER TO TAKE OFF AND TRANSFER OFFICIAL MAIL. THE MAIL SACK STIRRED A VAIN HOPE AT FIRST -- IT LOOKED AS IF IT MIGHT CONTAIN PERSONAL MAIL. NO LUCK. THE CONTENTS WERE CHANGES IN OPERATIONAL PLANS AND SECRET CHARTS OF OUR STRIKE TARGETS.

PART OF THE FUELING FLEET CAME IN SIGHT TODAY AND WE SLOWED OUR SPEED TO INSURE THEIR STAYING WITHIN OUR SCREEN DURING THE NIGHT. TOMORROW'S A BIG DAY -- VITAL FUEL TO BE BROUGHT ABOARD. PREPARATIONS

14 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org WERE MADE THIS AFTERNOON. OUR COURSE TOOK US BACK ACROSS THE LINE, BUT NO CELEBRATION THIS TIME. THE BARBER SHOP RAN AT CAPACITY "TRIMMING" THE ROYAL BARBERS' CUTS TO A RESPECTABLE SHAPE.

WEDNESDAY, 19 APRIL '44: THE JAP IS LOOKING FOR US -- TWICE TODAY WE THOUGHT HE HAD FOUND US; ONCE IT WAS A PBY AND THE OTHER TIME IT WAS A BETTY JAP BOMBER WHICH CRASHED IN FLAMES UNDER THE IMPACT OF THE GUNS OF FOUR F6F'S FROM THE PRINCETON. GENERAL QUARTERS SOUNDED SHORTLY BEFORE 0400, A BOGEY WAS CLOSING ON THE FORCE FROM DUE NORTH. THE GENERAL ALARM SOUNDED OMINOUSLY AS ALL HANDS GRABBED CLOTHES HURRIEDLY AND RAN ON THE DOUBLE.

NIGHT FIGHTERS ON HORNET HAPPENED TO HAVE A TRAINING FLIGHT SO THEY WERE LAUNCHED EARLY AND VECTORED TO INTERCEPT. THE ADMIRAL GAVE "STAND BY TO REPEL AIR ATTACK" ON THE TBS AND ALL HANDS BRACED THEMSELVES AND HOPED THAT THE NIGHT FIGHTERS WOULD INTERCEPT. AT 20 MILES THE BOGEY TURNED TO THE EAST AND THE NIGHT FIGHTERS CALLED IN "BOGEY IS BLACK CAT PBY".

FUELING OPERATIONS BEGAN SOON AFTER DAYLIGHT AS PER SCHEDULE AND OUR COURSE FOR THE OPERATION WAS DUE EAST. NORMAL ROUTINE FLIGHT OPERATIONS BEGAN AT NOON WITH AN EIGHT PLANE CAP AND FOUR TBM'S ON ASP.

JUST BEFORE 1400 THINGS STARTED POPPING -- A BOGEY STARTED TO CLOSE THE FORCE FROM THE SOUTH. A CHECK WITH OTHER SHIPS CONFIRMED THE BOGEY AND THE CAP STATIONED OUT IN THAT DIRECTION WAS VECTORED TO INTERCEPT. GENERAL QUARTERS WAS SOUNDED AGAIN. "SCRATCH ONE BETTY" SOMEONE SHOUTED OVER THE RADIO. WE HOPED THAT IT WAS ONE OF OUR FIGHTERS, AND STARTED TO CELEBRATE THE FIRST VICTORY OF THE MISSION. A LATER CHECK, HOWEVER, REVEALED THAT ANOTHER CVL HAD DONE THE JOB -- THE PRINCETON.

THURSDAY, 20 APRIL '44: AGAIN, OVER THE BATTLE ANNOUNCING CIRCUIT, CAME THE CAPTAIN'S VOICE:

"ATTENTION ALL HANDS, THIS IS THE CAPTAIN SPEAKING. THE CURTAIN IS ABOUT TO GO UP ON THE BIG SHOW. TODAY WE CONTINUE OUR COURSE TO THE WESTWARD TOWARD THE LAND OF THE SETTING SUN. TAKE A LOOK AT THE CHART SKETCHES FURNISHED YOU, WHICH WERE DRAWN CORRECTLY TO SCALE, IN ORDER THAT YOU MAY KNOW APPROXIMATELY WHERE WE ARE, PARTICULARLY RELATIVE TO THE ENEMY BASES AND TO OUR OWN BASES. STUDY THIS GEOGRAPHY CAREFULLY SO THAT IT BECOMES FIXED IN YOUR MIND, AS THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN IT MAY BECOME USEFUL TO YOU AT SOME LATER TIME. YOU MAY KEEP THE CHART SKETCHES FOR FUTURE REFERENCE. AS YOU WILL NOTE, AT NOON TODAY WE WILL BE AT 600 MILES FROM TRUK, TO THE NORTHEASTWARD; 350 MILES FROM WOLEAI TO THE NORTH; AND 625 MILES FROM THE PALAU ISLANDS TO THE NORTHWESTWARD. TO THE SOUTH OF US, SOME 250 TO 300 MILES AWAY ARE THREE IMPORTANT JAP BASES, WAKDE, HOLLANDIA, AND AITAPE. TONIGHT, AFTER IT IS COMPLETELY DARK, WE CHANGE COURSE TO THE SOUTHWARD.

TOMORROW, AS THE FIRST GRAY STREAKS OF DAWN APPEAR ON THE EASTERN HORIZON, WE STRIKE. OUR OBJECTIVES ARE THE LAST THREE MENTIONED JAP BASES, WAKDE, HOLLANDIA, AND AITAPE. OUR TASK FORCE IS DIVIDED INTO THREE TASK GROUPS. WE ARE TASK GROUP 58.1. WE CONDUCT THE ATTACK AGAINST WAKDE AND CONTINUE OUR AIR ATTACKS UNTIL THAT PLACE IS PUT OUT OF COMMISSION. THE OTHER TASK GROUPS ATTACK HOLLANDIA -- HUMBOLDT BAY AREA IN SUPPORT OF LANDING OPERATIONS CONDUCTED BY AN ARMY FORCE UNDER GENERAL DOUGLAS MACARTHUR. THIS FORCE IS TO TAKE POSSESSION OF THE ENEMY BASES IN THAT AREA AND WE MAY JOIN IN THESE OPERATIONS LATER WHEN WE HAVE FINISHED WAKDE.

THE INDICATIONS ARE THAT WE HAVE BEEN SPOTTED BY THE ENEMY PATROLS AND THEREFORE MAY EXPECT AIR ATTACKS FROM ENEMY PLANES STARTING AROUND DUSK THIS EVENING AND POSSIBLY CONTINUING THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT. OUR TASK FORCE COMMANDER, VICE ADMIRAL MITSCHER, HAS SENT US THIS MESSAGE, "WE FACE THE

15 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org ENEMY TOMORROW. MAY GOD GRANT THAT HE RECEIVES HIS JUST DESERTS, WHICH CAN ONLY BE A HELL OF A POUNDING." I CAN DO NO BETTER THAN TO SECOND THAT MOTION. THAT IS ALL."

FINAL PREPARATIONS WERE BROUGHT TO A PEAK. WE HAD THE DAWN PATROL, AFTER WHICH ALL PLANES WERE GIVEN A FINAL CHECK. THERE WAS A STRANGE ATMOSPHERE ABOUT THE SHIP. WE WERE OBVIOUSLY WITHIN THE JAP SEARCH AREAS AND GETTING POISED FOR THE NIGHT RUN TO THE SOUTH FOR TOMORROW'S LAUNCH AT OUR TARGET. MOST OF THE OFFICERS AND MEN HAD NEVER SEEN ACTION AND TOMORROW WE'D HAVE IT. EVERYONE WAS OVER- NONCHALANT, ESPECIALLY THE PILOTS. AFTER ALL, YOU CAN'T TRAIN FOR A YEAR AND A HALF TO FLY A PLANE IN COMBAT AND NOT HAVE A STRANGE FEELING ABOUT YOUR FIRST "IN" ON A TARGET. IT WAS HOT AND EVERYONE SEEMED TO BE WANDERING AROUND -- SPRAWLED OUT IN THE WARDROOM AND IN THE READY ROOMS. IT'S TOUGH SLEEPING WHEN YOU LIE IN YOUR BUNK; IN A FEW MINUTES YOU'RE COVERED WITH SWEAT AND EVERYTHING AROUND YOU IS DAMP.

FRIDAY, 21 APRIL '44: THIS WAS THE DAY. EARLY MORNING GENERAL QUARTERS SOUNDED AND EVERYONE WENT TO HIS STATION AND WATCHED AND WAITED AND WAITED FOR AN ENEMY ATTACK. NOTHING CAME OUT. FOUR HORNET FIGHTERS TOOK OFF IN THE PITCH DARK, TWO OF THEM CIRCLING THE FORMATION AND TWO GOING OVER THE TARGET AS "INTRUDERS".

IN BOTH READY ROOMS PILOTS WERE GETTING LAST MINUTE BRIEFING, THEN WAITING FOR THE TAKEOFF. BAD WEATHER SLOWED UP THE STRIKE FROM THE OTHER CARRIERS OF THE GROUP AND CONSEQUENTLY OUR STRIKE WAS DELAYED.

JUST BEFORE THE SCHEDULED TAKEOFF, CHAPLAIN McHUGH HAD OFFERED A PRAYER OVER THE ANNOUNCING SYSTEM FOR THE SUCCESS OF OUR MISSION AND THE SAFETY OF OUR PILOTS. SO ABOUT AN HOUR LATER AS LT. CMDR. STRANGE CATAPULTED OFF THE DECK IN F6F NO. 1 WITH A 12 FIGHTER 4 TBM STRIKE, EVERYONE'S PRAYERS WENT WITH THEM.

THE PREPARATIONS STARTED IMMEDIATELY FOR THE SECOND STRIKE. OTHER THAN THAT WE COULD DO NOTHING MORE THAN WAIT. THE TARGET FOR STRANGE'S STRIKE WAS SAWAR AIRSTRIP. INTELLIGENCE PHOTOS SHOWED ANTI- AIRCRAFT, BUT OTHER THAN THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT AIR OPPOSITION, SO ABOUT 0830 IT WAS A RELIEF TO HEAR FROM OUR PLANES THAT NO ENEMY FIGHTERS WERE OVER THE TARGET; THERE WAS HEAVY AA, HOWEVER, ESPECIALLY ON THE WEST END OF THE FIELD.

LT. LEMMON WAS FIRST OFF ON THE SECOND STRIKE FROM THE BATAAN, LAUNCHED AT 0819. NO WORD WAS RECEIVED FROM HIM UNTIL HE LANDED ABOARD SEVERAL HOURS LATER. EVERYONE SWARMED AROUND THE PILOTS WHO RETURNED FROM THE FIRST STRIKE. THE LANDINGS HAD BEEN WELL EXECUTED. THEY CAME THROUGH WHEN IT COUNTED, AND THE WAVE-OFFS WERE AT A MINIMUM. EVERYONE TOOK A LOOK AT THE COWLING OF ENS. "BUZZIN" RUDA'S PLANE. IT HAD AN AA HOLE IN IT, AND THE IMPACT OF THE EXPLOSION HAD FLIPPED HIM AROUND CONSIDERABLY, HE REPORTED.

THE PILOTS WERE PLENTY EXCITED -- AS IF THEY'D JUST COME OFF THE FIELD FROM A CLOSE FOOTBALL GAME; ONLY THIS GAME WAS FOR KEEPS, AND THEY KNEW IT. "THOSE LITTLE BLACK PUFFS" WERE WHAT THEY LIKED TO AVOID. FOR ALL BUT A FEW, THIS HAD BEEN THE FIRST TASTE OF THE "REAL THING". ACCORDING TO REPORTS, THE FIGHTERS HAD REALLY USED THEIR FIFTY CALIBERS, SPRAYING THE GUN EMPLACEMENTS AND ANYTHING THAT LOOKED GOOD ENOUGH TO SHOOT UP WITH ALL SIX GUNS. AND THE TBM'S HAD DROPPED THEIR BOMBS RIGHT ON TARGET.

AS OUR THIRD STRIKE TOOK OFF AT 1100, THE AIR WAS SWARMING WITH THE RENDEZVOUSING OUTGOING PLANES, AND THE RETURNING SECOND STRIKE PREPARING TO COME ABOARD. WHEN THE FLIGHT DID LAND, WE FOUND THAT THE $160 POOL FOR THE MAN OF THE FIGHTER DIVISION TO SHOOT DOWN THE FIRST JAP HAD BEEN COLLECTED. ON

16 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org THE WAY BACK FROM SAWAR, LT. LEMMON, LEADER OF OUR FIGHTER DIVISION, SPOTTED A JAP "BETTY" LOW ON THE WATER APPROACHING THE FORCE AND ABOUT FIVE MILES AWAY. LEMMON'S DIVISION WENT IN FOR THE KILL AND FLAMED THE JAP IN SHORT ORDER. TO POLISH OFF THE PROCEDURE, LT. ED LAAKE CAME PAST WITH HIS RECONNAISSANCE CAMERA AND TOOK A PICTURE OF THE PLANE, ENVELOPED IN FLAMES WITH IT'S LEFT "MEATBALL" SHOWING.

AFTER THE THIRD STRIKE, THE AA STARTED TO THIN OUT; THE GUNNERS EVIDENTLY DIDN'T LIKE THE FIFTY CALIBER COMING AT THEM. AND ON THE FOURTH STRIKE, LEMMON'S DIVISION HAD SOME MORE LUCK. AS THEY CAME IN OVER THE TARGET, LEM SAW A JAP "SALLY" FAIRLY LOW, FLYING AGAINST THE JUNGLE BACKGROUND TO THE WEST, EVIDENTLY TRYING TO ESCAPE. SO HE PULLED AWAY FROM THE TARGET AND WHAM! ANOTHER JAP FLAG FOR THE MECHS TO PAINT ON THE ISLAND. DURING THE SAME STRIKE, JUST FOR GOOD MEASURE, LEM TOOK HIS DIVISION OVER A BARGE, STRAFING IT THOROUGHLY AS JAPS JUMPED MADLY INTO THE WATER.

BY THE FIFTH STRIKE, THE PILOTS WERE HAVING A FIELD DAY, BOMBING AND STRAFING WITHOUT AA FIRE BEING MUCH SAFER. ENS. "ROSY" VEACH AND OTHERS MADE LOW ALTITUDE RUNS, SHOOTING UP PLANES, BARRACKS AND ANYTHING HANDY. THE LATER STRIKES INCLUDED WAKDE ISLAND AIRSTRIP.

IT WAS A BIG DAY ACCORDING TO EVERYONE FROM THE CAPTAIN ON DOWN. NO PLANES, NO PILOTS LOST, BUT A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF DAMAGE DONE TO THE ENEMY. AT SECURE FROM EVENING GENERAL QUARTERS, THE CAPTAIN SPOKE, COMMENDING THE SHIP, AND ESPECIALLY THE PILOTS, FOR A FINE PERFORMANCE. THEN WE HAD A FIRST HAND REPORT ON OPERATIONS FROM COMMANDER MATTER, LT. CMDR. STRANGE, AND LT. LEMMON.

THE BATAAN HAD FLOWN 76 OUT OF A SCHEDULED 80 SORTIES, A HIGH PERCENTAGE, AND A TRIBUTE TO THE MAINTENANCE CREWS THAT KEPT THE PLANES FLYING. WE WERE ASSIGNED 84 SORTIES, BUT HAVING LOST ONE TBM EARLIER, WE COULD NOT SCHEDULE THE "VACANT" BOMBER. PERSONNEL ON WATCH DIDN'T HAVE TROUBLE SECURING TONIGHT AND WE STEAMED TO THE NORTHWARD WITH ALL HANDS TIRED, BUT HAPPY AFTER A GOOD DAY'S WORK.

SATURDAY, 22 APRIL '44: OUR JOB FOR THE SECOND DAY OF THE STRIKE -- THE "D" DAY FOR THE OPERATION -- WAS THE COMBAT AIR PATROL. THE FIRST PART OF A DULL DAY FOR THE PILOTS WAS SPENT WITH HALF THE FIGHTER FORCE PROVIDING COVER FOR THE CRUISERS RETURNING FROM THE BOMBARDMENT OF HOLLANDIA.

AS DUTY CARRIER, SOME EXCITEMENT WAS OFFERED BY AN F6F SHORT OF GAS FROM THE COWPENS COMING ABOARD AT 1015. THE PILOT, ENSIGN H. A. SANCHES, HAD BEEN A STAND-BY PILOT ON A STRIKE. WHEN HE GOT OFF THE DECK LATE, HE HAD RENDEZVOUSED WITH THE WRONG STRIKE. WHEN HE CAME BACK FROM THE TARGET, THE COWPENS WASN'T READY TO RECEIVE HIM ABOARD AND HE BEGAN RUNNING LOW ON GAS. THE ABSENCE OF RADIO COMMUNICATIONS COMPLICATED THINGS. HE FINALLY BUZZED THE ISLAND ON THE COWPENS AND THEY POINTED TO THE BATAAN. HE CAUGHT ON QUICKLY AND LANDED ABOARD WITHOUT MISHAP.

WORD FROM THE BEACH REGARDING THE SUCCESS OF OPERATIONS WAS SCARCE, BUT WE HAD SEEN PART OF THE LANDING FORCE MOVING IN. EVIDENTLY FROM THE INTERCEPTED MESSAGES OF THE AIR COORDINATORS OVER THE TARGET, EVERYTHING WAS ON, OR AHEAD OF, SCHEDULE.

FUELING WAS THE BIG ITEM ON TODAY'S PROGRAM. IT BEGAN AT 0900 FROM ONE OF THE FLEET OILERS. GASOLINE AND FUEL OIL BOTH CAME ABOARD RAPIDLY, AND WE WOULD HAVE COMPLETED EVERYTHING OKAY -- EXCEPT FOR THREE BETTYS INTERCEPTED BY AN ANTI-SNOOPER FIGHTER FROM THE HORNET WHICH RESULTED IN ONE BETTY SHOT DOWN. THIS HAPPENED AT 1052. THE ADMIRAL IMMEDIATELY PASSED THE WORD ON THE TBS TO BE ON AN AIR ALERT. GENERAL QUARTERS WAS SOUNDED, AND IN ORDER TO BE PREPARED FOR ATTACK AND CONSEQUENT LAUNCHINGS OF PLANES, FUELING LINES WERE CAST-OFF EVEN THOUGH WE WERE SHORT OF OUR FUEL OIL CAPACITY.

17 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org AT 1200 WE WERE SUPPOSED TO LAUNCH A CAP, BUT EVIDENTLY DUE TO THE LOW GAS CONDITION OF THE HORNET'S FIGHTERS AND THE LIKELIHOOD OF AN ATTACK, WE WERE ORDERED TO LAUNCH AT 1145. THE TWO BETTYS THAT GOT AWAY DIDN'T COME BACK. NOTHING CAME NEAR THE FORCE EXCEPT SIX B-24'S WITHOUT THEIR IDENTIFICATION EQUIPMENT OPERATING. LT. BARACKMAN'S FLIGHT INTERCEPTED THEM 60 MILES AWAY. NO NEWS OF ACTIVITY ON THE BEACH.

MONDAY, 24 APRIL '44: ANOTHER CARRIER LAUNCHED THE EARLY PATROL SO THINGS WENT EASILY UNTIL ABOUT 1005. AT THAT TIME, 4 BAKER OUTLOOK, THE HORNET'S ANTI-SNOOPER FIGHTER SHOT DOWN ONE BETTY -- NO SURVIVORS.

NOTICE WAS SERVED BY THE ADMIRAL ABOUT 1030 TO BE PREPARED FOR A POSSIBLE STRIKE ON A TARGET. NOTHING MORE WAS HEARD, HOWEVER, SO PREPARATIONS WERE MADE TO LAUNCH THE SCHEDULED CAP. JUST PRIOR TO THE NOON CAP LAUNCH WORD CAME TO STRIKE AT WAKDE AND OTHER TARGETS IN THE AREA AS ASSIGNED BY THE STRIKE AIR GROUP COORDINATOR, WHO WOULD BE THE AIR GROUP COMMANDER OF THE HORNET. THE PILOTS DIDN'T NEED MUCH BRIEFING -- THEY'D TAKEN THE TARGET APART BEFORE. THE TROUBLE WAS WITH CHANGING THE BOMB LOADS FOR THE TBM'S FROM ANTI-SUB. SOME OF THE DEPTH CHARGES WERE GIVEN INSTANTANEOUS FUSES INSTEAD OF HYDROSTATIC FUSES. THE RELIABLE CATAPULT, WHICH HAD NEVER GIVEN ANY TROUBLE BEFORE, WOULDN'T FIRE; THIS HELD UP THE LAUNCH, BUT THE STRIKE FINALLY GOT AWAY. THE REPORT CAME IN A SHORT TIME: "NO AA OR FIGHTER OPPOSITION OVER THE TARGET."

PREPARATIONS WERE MADE TO LAUNCH A SECOND STRIKE, TO BE LED BY COMMANDER MATATER, ON TARGETS TO BE DESIGNATED BY THE AIR GROUP COMMANDER OF THE FIRST STRIKE, WHO WAS TO REMAIN OVER THE TARGET. JUST PRIOR TO LAUNCHING, HOWEVER, WORD CAME FROM THE FLAG TO CANCEL THE STRIKE.

THE NEXT ORDERS FROM THE FLAG DIRECTED AN ANTI-SUB PATROL WITH ANTI-SNOOP FIGHTER PLUS TWO DIVISIONS OF CAP. THE SCHEDULED LAUNCH WAS HELD UP BY MORE CATAPULT TROUBLE AND ALL PLANES HAD TO GO OFF FLYAWAY. TWO FORCED LANDINGS ALSO COMPLICATED THE OPERATIONS. LT. (JG) ZIARKO, RETURNING FROM THE WAKDE STRIKE, CALLED IN FOR A DEFERRED LANDING AND WAS ORDERED TO THE HORNET. ENS. KENDRICK REPORTED ENGINE DIFFICULTIES SHORTLY AFTER HIS CAP TAKEOFF AND LANDED ON THE HORNET ALSO. SOON AFTER PLANES WERE AIRBORNE, THE HORNET PASSED THE WORD TO THE LEXINGTON (OF TASK GROUP 58.3) THAT "AIR ATTACK WAS IMMINENT". THE DOPE ALSO CAME BY VISUAL THAT THE ENEMY WAS MARSHALLING ALL HIS FORCES FROM VARIOUS ISLAND BASES FOR A STRIKE AT OUR TASK FORCE.

ABOUT 1745 A BOGEY INDICATION WAS REPORTED FROM ANOTHER SHIP ON THE TBS, COMING FROM THE NORTHWEST. THIS PROVED TO BE CLOSING AND SOON IT WAS PICKED UP BY THE COWPENS. APRICOT 6, LED BY LAAKE, WAS VECTORED TO INTERCEPT. THE BOGEY CIRCLED THE TASK GROUP CLOCKWISE ABOUT 40 MILES OUT FROM NORTHWEST, COMING AROUND TO THE SOUTHEAST. LAAKE REPORTED MANY SQUALLS, CLOUDS, AND BAD VISIBILITY IN GENERAL. HE WAS AT 7 MILES RANGE FROM THE BOGEY, BUT ABOUT 1615 IT WAS REALIZED BY THE HORNET WITH THEIR SM (FIGHTER DIRECTOR) RADAR THAT THE BOGEY WAS AT 20,000 INSTEAD OF 2,000. LAAKE WAS TOLD TO CLIMB TO 20,000. ABOUT THAT TIME THE HORNET FDO DECIDED TO CHECK ON GAS. LAAKE'S DIVISION WAS RUNNING LOW, SO HE WAS VECTORED HOME. THE HORNET FDO ALSO CALLED BY RADIO TO CHECK ON OUR PILOT'S QUALIFICATIONS FOR NIGHT LANDINGS. MOST OF THE PILOTS HAD CHECKED OUT ONCE IN THE GULF OF PARIA, BUT SOME HADN'T, SO WE ANSWERED "NEGATIVE". THE FLAG ORDERED AN IMMEDIATE "CHARLIE" AND THE PLANES STARTED TO COME HOME IN THE GATHERING DARK. EVERYONE MADE IT OKAY, ALTHOUGH LT. MIKE HINN SAID HE "COULDN'T SEE A DAMN THING EXCEPT THOSE SIGNAL WANDS". NO FURTHER BOGEY CONTACTS CLOSED TOWARD THE SHIP DURING NIGHT, BUT ONE WAS PICKED UP AT 2030 HEADED SOUTH TOWARD TASK GROUP 58.3. LATER "FRIENDLIES" WERE SEEN IN THE SAME AREA AND IT WAS BELIEVED THAT PERHAPS NIGHT FIGHTERS WERE LAUNCHED TO INTERCEPT THE SNOOPER TO THE SOUTH.

18 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org TUESDAY, 25 APRIL '44: NO PATROLS, NO NOTHING! MECHS WORKED TO GET ALL PLANES "UP" AND READY FOR ANYTHING ELSE TO COME. SOMETHING DID COME, FOR IN AN AFTERNOON DISPATCH ACI OFFICERS WERE INSTRUCTED TO START BRIEFING PILOTS FOR AN ATTACK ON TRUK.

THINGS WERE EVIDENTLY UNDER CONTROL AT HOLLANDIA. A RADIO BROADCAST FOR REBROADCAST TO JAPAN AND THE U.S. WAS HEARD DIRECT FROM THE HUMBOLDT BAY AREA. THE ANNOUNCER GAVE A ROSY DESCRIPTION OF OUR CONQUESTS, HIS MAIN PHILOSOPHY BEING THAT "THE JAP HAS FLED."

WEDNESDAY, 26 APRIL '44: THIS WAS A QUIET DAY AND THE FIRST ONE IN QUITE A WHILE WHEN WE HAVEN'T HAD CONTACT WITH THE ENEMY IN SOME WAY OR OTHER. THE HORNET'S "BATS" STARTED IT OFF BEFORE FIVE IN THE MORNING. ROUTINE PATROLS CONTINUED THROUGHOUT THE DAY. WE HAD THE SECOND PATROL. AN INTERESTING MESSAGE CAME FROM THE CAPTAIN AFTER GENERAL QUARTERS. HE ANNOUNCED WE WERE HEADED FOR THE VICINITY OF SEEADLER HARBOR WHERE WE COULD GET REPLACEMENT AIRCRAFT AND FURTHER ORDERS.

SEVERAL SUB CONTACTS BY OUR SCREEN LIVENED UP THE DAY. OUR ANTI-SUB PATROL, WHICH WAS OPERATING IN THE SECTOR WHERE THE SUB CONTACT OCCURRED, HOWEVER, OVER THE SCENE WAITING TO GO TO WORK ON SOMETHING. A FEW DEPTH CHARGES WERE FELT, BUT NO RESULTS WERE ANNOUNCED. ANOTHER EVENT TO BREAK THE DAY'S ROUTINE WAS THE FUELING FROM THE TANKER AND, MORE IMPORTANT TO THE INDIVIDUAL THAN THE FUEL AND GASOLINE WE RECEIVED, WAS THE MAIL THAT WENT OFF THE SHIP. IT WAS GOING TO MEAN A LOT TO THE FOLKS AT HOME. IT WAS TOUGH TO GO WITHOUT MAIL, BUT TOUGHER TO KNOW THAT THE FOLKS AT HOME COULDN'T GET OURS.

THURSDAY, 27 APRIL '44: REMEMBER HOW EVERYONE GATHERED AROUND TO INSPECT A NEW CAR IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD BACK HOME? HOW WE LOOKED OVER THE DASHBOARD, THE TIRES, OPENED THE HOOD? TODAY A REPLACEMENT FLEW ABOARD FOR OUR TBM NO. 8, WHICH CRASHED AT SEA. ALL THE V-2 DIVISION SWARMED OUT TO LOOK THINGS OVER. THE RADIO OFFICER WAS HEARTBROKEN TO FIND IT CONTAINED NO VHF RADIO EQUIPMENT; THE PROPELLER EXPERTS WERE NOT PLEASED TO NOTICE A PROPELLER LEAK; AND THE ORDNANCE MEN WERE UP ON THE GUNS CHECKING TO FIND THAT THE PLANE HAD BEEN SENT OUT WITH ITS FIFTY CALIBERS EMPTY. OTHER EVENTS OF THE DAY INCLUDED TAKING A DESTROYER ALONGSIDE FOR OFFICIAL REPORTS AND PICKING UP SOME BADLY NEEDED RADIO TUBES FOR ANOTHER SHIP. AT 1520 WE LAUNCHED OUR CAP OF FOUR F6F'S AND ASP OF FOUR TBM'S AND FOUR FIGHTERS. THE RESULTS OF THE PATROL WERE NEGATIVE AND THE PILOTS WERE VERY EAGER TO GET BACK ABOARD AS SOON AS THE SUN DROPPED INTO THE PACIFIC.

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SOME DAYS WE DID NOT HAVE GENERAL QUARTERS IN THE MORNING -- OR EVENING. CONDITION THREE WAS SET AND THE OLD FAMILIAR SIGHT OF MEN ON THEIR CLEANING STATIONS WAS SEEN. ALL PORTS WERE OPENED IN THE AFTERNOON TO AIR OUT THE SHIP. EVERYONE WAS RELAXING BEFORE THE NEXT STRIKE.

FRIDAY, 28 APRIL '44: WE WERE ALL SET TO LAUNCH OUR 0900 CAP ANDASP WHEN ORDERS FROM ADMIRAL CLARK TO CANCEL THE FLIGHT AND PROCEED WITH TWO DESTROYERS TO SEEADLER HARBOR. THE TRIP WAS TO PICK UP BOMBS AND, MOST IMPORTANT, MAIL. U.S. MAIL, NOT OFFICIAL MAIL.

SHORTLY BEFORE NOON WE ARRIVED AT SEEADLER WITH DESTROYERS BANCROFT AND CALDWELL, THE ORDNANCE MEN MADE PREPARATIONS FOR TAKING THE BOMBS AND THE DESTROYERS CONTACTED THE INDIANA AND TOOK OFF 120 SACKS OF MAIL FOR OUR TASK GROUP. BY 1700 WE HAD COMPLETED TAKING OUR BOMBS ABOARD AND ALSO OUR SHARE OF THE TASK GROUP'S MAIL. WE GOT UNDERWAY BEFORE DINNER AND HEADED NORTH TO RENDEZVOUS WITH THE TASK GROUP TOMORROW.

19 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org "MAIL CALL" SOUNDED VERY SWEET TO OUR EARS. THIS HAD BEEN THE LONGEST TIME YET WITHOUT MAIL -- 14 DAYS. AN OLD, BUT GOOD, MOVIE "GEORGE WASHINGTON SLEPT HERE" WAS THE RESULT OF SOME GOOD TRADING WITH OTHER SHIPS AT SEEADLER.

SATURDAY, 29 APRIL '44: THIS IS "D-MINUS-ONE" DAY. TONIGHT WE ARE STEAMING INTO THE ONCE FAMOUS STRONGHOLD OF THE JAP NAVY -- TRUK. SOMEHOW, THOUGH, THERE'S NOT THE TENSION NOR THE EXCITEMENT THAT WE FELT BEFORE OUR NEW GUINEA STRIKE. MAYBE ITS BECAUSE TOMORROW WE HAVE THE CAP THE ENTIRE DAY, OR MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE WE WENT THROUGH IT ONCE BEFORE AND NOW WE KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE. THE USUAL "SNOOPER A DAY KEEPS THE JAPS AWAY" CAME THROUGH THIS MORNING WITH THE YORKTOWN MAKING THE KILL FROM ANOTHER TASK GROUP 58.2.

THE FUELING FLEET PROCEEDED PART WAY WITH US DURING THE EARLY PART OF THE DAY, BUT DURING THE AFTERNOON, THE SPEED WAS ACCELERATED TO PUT US IN RANGE OF THE TARGET.

D-DAY PUT US ABOUT 110 MILES FROM TRUK WITH THE JAP STRONG-HOLD BEARING 030. THE ASSIGNED CAP AND ASP WOULD GIVE US A DULL OR EXCITING DAY DEPENDING ON WHETHER ENEMY AIRCRAFT TRIED ATTACKING THE FORCE. THE WEATHER WAS WHAT THE STORM KING WOULD CALL "DEFINITELY UNFAVORABLE FOR FLYING". ALL THE LAUNCHINGS WERE DELAYED BY CTG 58.1 FOR ABOUT THIRTY MINUTES UNTIL THERE WAS A GOOD HORIZON. AT 0645 THE VF SWEEP TOOK OFF AND WE FOLLOWED AT 0700 WITH OUR CAP.

IN THE EXCITEMENT OF THE LAUNCH AT 0650, A BOGEY CONTACT APPEARED FROM THE NORTHEAST, EVIDENTLY LOW ON THE WATER. NO CAP WAS AIRBORNE BUT THE HORNET FDO VECTORED ONE OF THE DIVISION OF THE VF SWEEP TOWARD THE CONTACT. NO LUCK HOWEVER, SO THE FIGHTER SWEEP CONTINUED OVER THE TARGET AND OUR PATROLS TOOK STATION. ABOUT AN HOUR LATER, BOGEY INDICATIONS SHOWED UP TO THE NORTHEAST AND THE FLAG ORDERED US TO LAUNCH THE FIGHTERS OF THE SECOND PATROL IMMEDIATELY. THIS WAS DONE JUST ABOUT THE TIME THAT THE ALABAMA OF ANOTHER TASK GROUP SHOT DOWN THREE ZEROES. NOTHING ELSE SHOWED UP AND THE ROUTINE OPERATIONS CONTINUED.

LT. ROLLA LEMMON AND LT. MIKE HINN HAD THEIR DIVISIONS ON PATROL AROUND NOON WHEN A BOGEY CONTACT APPEARED 30 MILES NORTH. BOTH DIVISIONS WERE ORDERED BY THE HORNET FIGHTER DIRECTOR TO BE VECTORED TO INTERCEPT. THE BOGEY WAS JUST SOUTH OF THE OUTER FRINGE OF THE ATOLL AT THE TIME OF ORIGINAL CONTACT AND REVERSED COURSE AND WENT OVER THE TARGET AREA, SO THE INTERCEPTING VECTOR TOOK THE PLANES RIGHT OVER THE TARGET AREA. THE HORNET FDO WAS ASKED IF HE WANTED THE CHASE CONTINUED, AND HE SAID "LET ONE DIVISION LOOK SOME MORE AND HAVE THE OTHER DIVISION RETURN TO BASE". HINN'S TEAM WAS ORDERED TO DO THE LOOKING AND LEMMON CAME HOME. MIKE DIDN'T RUN INTO ANY JAP PLANES, BUT, ON THE WAY BACK AFTER HIS LOOK AROUND, HE SAW A JAP SHIP BLOW UP, EVIDENTLY AS A RESULT OF A MINE. EVERYTHING REMAINED ROUTINE ON THE BATAAN THE REST OF THE DAY. ANTI-AIRCRAFT FIRE WAS TAKING ATOLL OF PLANES FROM OTHER SHIPS. ONE COWPENS TBM, WHICH PICKED UP A 20MM SLUG IN THE FUEL SYSTEM AND ENGINE, MADE A FORCED LANDING ON OUR DECK. WHEN HE STARTED INTO THE LANDING CIRCLE HIS ENGINE WAS SMOKING AND OIL COVERED HIS FUSELAGE. MIKE MIKRONIS, THE LSO, GAVE HIM A WAVE OFF ON HIS FIRST APPROACH AND EVERYONE WAS SURE THAT HE WAS GOING TO DROP IN THE DRINK ON THE NEXT TURN AROUND. TO EVERYONE'S RELIEF, HE MADE A PERFECT APPROACH THE SECOND TIME AND HIT THE DECK OK -- A VERY LUCKY FELLOW.

AN UNSCHEDULED OPERATION WAS CARRIED OUT BY LT. (JG) FOX AND LT. GUS SERMOS. AT THE END OF THE AFTERNOON, WE WERE OPERATING ABOUT 60 TO 70 MILES FROM THE CENTER OF TRUK AND THE ASP SECTOR INCLUDED A SMALL ISLAND ON WHICH WAS PARKED A JAP PLANE. BOTH BATAAN PLANES TURNED THEIR 50 CALIBER GUNS ON THE SINGLE PLANE AND THOROUGHLY STRAFED IT, THE BATAAN'S ONLY WORK OF DESTRUCTION FOR THE DAY.

20 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org SUNDAY, 30 APRIL '44: IT WAS PERFECT WEATHER FOR LAZY PILOTS, BUT NOT FOR PILOTS ON A CARRIER STRIKE. THE SQUALLS AND LOW VISIBILITY WERE WORSE THAN ON THE PRECEDING MORNING, AND ALL FLIGHTS WERE HELD UP. THE VF SWEEP AND STRIKE 2-ABLE MADE IT OFF AT 1000 WITH LT. CDR. STRANGE LEADING THE FIGHTERS IN FOX 1 AND COMDR. MATTER LEADING THE BATAAN SHARE OF THE STRIKE IN TBM NO. 1.

THE FREQUENCY FOR THE RESCUE SUBMARINE WAS BEING KEPT BUSY AND WE WERE MONITORING IT IN AIR PATROL. BUT, WE BECAME PLENTY INTERESTED WHEN WE HEARD 8 PALISADE, LT. LEMMON'S CALL, RADIOING THE SUB AND GIVING A REPORT THAT 99 PALISADE -- THE CALL FOR COMMANDER MATTER -- WAS DOWN IN THE WATER SOUTHEAST OF TRUK. LEM REPORTED THAT THE RUBBER BOAT AND PERSONNEL HAD MADE IT OUT OF THE PLANE OKAY, AND ALL WE WANTED TO HEAR WAS A MESSAGE FROM THE SUB SAYING THAT THEY HAD PICKED UP THE SURVIVORS ALL RIGHT. THE CALL CAME THROUGH SHORTLY -- ALL PERSONNEL SAFE ABOARD WITH NO INJURIES. EVERYONE WAS READY TO GIVE ALL HANDS ON THE SUBMARINE A BIG MEDAL.

THE FIGHTER SWEEP WAS FIRST BACK TO THE SHIP. ONE BY ONE, THE DIVISIONS CAME PAST THE STARBOARD SIDE AND EVERYONE LOOKED ANXIOUSLY TO SEE IF ALL FOUR PLANES WERE THERE. ABOUT HALF WAY THROUGH THE RECOVERY, ALL PLANES WERE WAVED OFF TO GIVE ENS. "BRONKO" RICH A CHANCE TO GET IN WITH HALF OF HIS LEFT ELEVATOR SHOT AWAY. HE MADE A FAIRLY GOOD APPROACH BUT HE WAS SLIGHTLY TO PORT AND MIKE GAVE HIM A WAVE-OFF. "BRONKO", KNOWING THAT HIS STABILITY WAS IMPAIRED BY THE LOSS OF PART OF HIS PORT CONTROL SURFACE, DIDN'T THINK HE COULD "FEED THE COAL" TO THE PLANE AND TAKE THE THE WAVE OFF WITHOUT SPINNING IN. SO, HE TOOK THE CUT, LANDED ON THE PORT SIDE WELL FORWARD, ENGAGED A WIRE AND VIBRATED TO A STOP, HIS TAIL TWISTING AS THE ARRESTING HOOK SLID CROSSWISE ON THE CABLE. AFTER HE HAD TAXIED FORWARD AND CUT HIS MOTOR, BRONKO GAVE HIS PLANE A BIG SMILE AND ENTERED THE INJURED ELEVATOR ON THE "YELLOW SHEET". HE WASN'T PARTICULARLY WORRIED ABOUT ALMOST GETTING SHOT DOWN, BUT WAS EAGER TO EXPLAIN HIS LANDING AGAINST ORDERS.

THE ADDITIONAL STRIKES HAD NO DIFFICULTIES, BUT, THE COMMENTS WERE PRETTY STRONG. THE MAIN THEME WAS THAT ON WAKDE, SARMI, AND SAWAR, THE STRAFING HAD SILENCED THE AA FIRE. NOT SO AT TRUK. THERE WERE TOO MANY GUNS -- AND IF YOU SHOT UP ONE EMPLACEMENT, ONE NEXT TO IT WOULD KEEP RIGHT ON BANGING AWAY AT YOU.

NOTHING HAPPENED AT THE EVENING GQ; JUST BEFORE "SECURE" THE CAPTAIN, LT. CDR. STRANGE, AND LT. SWANSON SPOKE, TELLING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE DAY'S WORK. THE CLOUDS HAD BEEN A HELP AS WELL AS A HINDRANCE, GIVING PROTECTION FROM AA FIRE AFTER THE TARGET RUN. THE AA FIRE HAD BEEN GOOD AND BATAAN'S PLANES HAD BEEN LUCKY TO HAVE ONLY ONE TBM SHOT DOWN, AND OF COURSE EVERYONE WAS GLAD THAT CDR. MATTER AND CREW HAD BEEN RESCUED. THE SUB, THE PILOTS SAID, WAS REALLY "SCOOTING AROUND", PICKING UP SURVIVORS ALL OVER THE PLACE. AN OS2U KINGFISHER FROM A CRUISER WAS ALSO IN THE RESCUE BUSINESS, GOING RIGHT INTO THE TRUK LAGOON TO RESCUE PILOTS AND CREWS FORCED DOWN RIGHT UNDER THE JAP'S NOSE. IN FACT, AT ONE TIME THE SITUATION HAD BECOME SO CROWDED THAT AN OS2U HAD TO TOW A LIFE RAFT FILLED WITH A TBM CREW OUTSIDE SO THE SUBMARINE COULD GET AT THEM. TALK ABOUT UNSUNG HEROES, THERE'S WHERE THEY WERE.

May 1944: Kwajalein & Forward Elevator MONDAY, 1 MAY '44: THE BATTLEWAGONS HAD THE SHOW TODAY. DURING THE NIGHT, WE HAD STEAMED EASTWARD TOWARD PONAPE SO AT "HOW" HOUR THE BATTLESHIPS DIVISIONS WOULD BE IN A POSITION TO SLING THEIR 16-INCH SHELLS AT THE JAP ISLAND. OUR PART IN THE OPERATION WAS TO FLY AN 8 PLANE CAP AND 3 PLANE ASP FOR THE BATTLE LINE STARTING WITH AN 0900 PATROL. THE NORTH CAROLINA CONTROLLED THE PLANES. AIR OPERATIONS WERE UNEXCITING AND EVERYONE LOOKED FORWARD TO THE 1530 "HOW" HOUR, THE BEGINNING OF THE BOMBARDMENT. IT WAS A NEW SIGHT FOR MOST HANDS. WE WERE WITHIN 28 MILES OF THE ISLAND AND IT WAS

21 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org POSSIBLE TO SEE THE GUN FLASHES -- AND THE SMOKE FROM THE EXPLOSIONS ON THE TARGET. PONAPE TOWN WAS OBVIOUSLY NOT WORTH LIVING IN AS EVIDENCED BY THE SMOKE COMING UP FROM THE VICINITY.

OUR FIRST BARRIER CRASH IN MANY LANDINGS OCCURRED AS THE LAST CAP FLIGHT LANDED. ENS. FORREST SMITH, IN F6F-20, HAD HIS TAIL HOOK PULL OUT AND CRASHED THE BARRIER. REPAIR WAS QUICKLY MADE AND THE REMAINING PLANES CAME ABOARD. NO NIGHT GQ, AND A MOVIE WAS SHOWN IN THE WARDROOM AND IN THE CREW'S MESS. JUST LIKE OLD TIMES. WE'RE IN ROUTE TO OUR CENTRAL PACIFIC HOME -- MAJURO, WHERE MAIL AND SLEEP ARE WAITING FOR ALL.

TUESDAY, 2 MAY '44: SQUALLY WEATHER PREVAILED MOST OF THE DAY, MAKING THE PATROLS DIFFICULT. WE WERE STILL HEADED FOR MAJURO. AT 1500 WE WERE SCHEDULED TO LAUNCH 8 FIGHTERS FOR CAP AND 4 TORPEDO PLANES FOR ASP. FOUR FIGHTERS AND THREE TBMS GOT OFF JUST BEFORE A HEAVY SQUALL HIT; CONSEQUENTLY, LAUNCHING OF THE REST OF THE FLIGHT WAS DELAYED FOR ABOUT THIRTY MINUTES. RECOVERY WAS MADE EARLY DUE TO HEAVY SQUALLS AHEAD OF US.

WEDNESDAY, 3 MAY '44: A RATHER DULL DAY WITH THE ONLY OPERATION FOR US BEING A 4 PLANE CAP AND A 4 PLANE ASP. EVERYONE WAS GETTING SET FOR THE MAIL THAT WAS WAITING AT MAJURO, WHEN A MESSAGE CAME FROM THE COMMANDER TASK FORCE TO COMMANDER TASK GROUP 58.1 -- WE WERE DETACHED TO THE KWAJALEIN. WE WERE TO LOAD BOMBS, AMMUNITION, AND FUEL AT ONCE, AND REPORT WHEN READY. PART OF OUR DESTROYER SCREEN WAS TO STAY WITH US AND PART WAS TO MOVE ON TO MAJURO. SOUNDS LIKE A BIG DEAL.

THE ACTION REPORT OF COMMANDER TASK GROUP 58.1 (REAR ADMIRAL J. J. CLARK) COVERING THE HOLLANDIA AND TRUK OPERATIONS, CONTAINED THE FOLLOWING GENERAL COMMENT CONCERNING THIS VESSEL: "THIS OPERATION PROVIDED THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY FOR THE BATAAN TO DEMONSTRATE HER STATE OF READINESS FOR COMBAT. SHE PERFORMED ALL HER ASSIGNED TASKS IN A HIGHLY SATISFACTORY MANNER."

FRIDAY, 5 MAY '44: CLEANING, PROVISIONS, PAINTING, AND RESTING WERE THE ORDER OF THE DAY. ALL HANDS LOOKED BEACH WARD AT THE ISLANDS AND WHAT REMAINED ON THE COCONUT TREES. ONLY AIR GROUP 50 OFFICERS MADE IT, BUT A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL, AS EVIDENCED BY CONDITION OF THE RETURNING PARTICIPANTS.

SATURDAY, 6 MAY '44: POTATOES, MEAT, AND 500 POUND BOMBS WERE AMONG THE MANY THINGS COMING ABOARD FROM SUPPLY SHIPS VIA THE TWO LANDING BOATS ASSIGNED TO US. ONE HUNDRED HAND WORKING PARTIES AND 60 HAND WORKING PARTIES LABORED TO STOW THESE ARTICLES BELOW.

MOST OF THE SHIP WAS TAKING A GOOD REST -- AT LEAST THOSE WHO WEREN'T ON WORKING PARTIES. THE INEVITABLE SHUTTLE OF VISITORS FROM SHIP TO SHIP IN ORDER TO FIND HOME TOWN BUDDIES, BROTHERS, AND TRAINING SCHOOL PALS KEPT UP, GIVING THE OFFICER-OF-THE-DECK A BIG HEADACHE. TWO SMALL OFFICER RECREATION PARTIES LEFT THE SHIP. ON RETURN, THEY REPORTED A MINIMUM OF LUCK IN HUNTING JAP RELICS. EVENING MOVIES WERE TEMPORARILY DELAYED ON THE HANGER DECK UNTIL A WORKING PARTY COULD BE REINFORCED BY MORE MEN.

SUNDAY, 7 MAY '44: THIS WAS T HE FIRST SUNDAY IN PORT SINCE PHILADELPHIA AND "CHURCH-LIKE" SERVICES WERE ABLE TO BE HELD. AN ALTAR WAS SET UP ON THE FORWARD PART OF THE HANGER DECK FOR BOTH PROTESTANT AND CATHOLIC SERVICES. A PROTESTANT CHAPLAIN CAME OVER FROM THE HORNET TO CONDUCT COMMUNION SERVICES.

PROVISIONING AND LOADING OF BOMBS AND AMMUNITION CONTINUED THROUGHOUT THE DAY. SMALL RECREATION PARTIES FOR OFFICERS AND 1ST AND 2ND CLASS PETTY OFFICERS LEFT THE SHIP IN THE AFTERNOON.

22 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org MONDAY, 8 MAY '44: THE WORKING PART OF OUR STAY AT KWAJALEIN WAS COMPLETED MONDAY, WITH THE LAST OF THE 1,000 LB. BOMBS BEING BROUGHT ABOARD WITH FUSES. THE AVIATION ORDNANCE MEN NOW SETTLED DOWN TO THE TEDIOUS AND ENDLESS JOB OF BELTING FIFTY CALIBER AMMUNITION FOR THE PLANES' WING GUNS.

ONE HUNDRED FIRST CLASS AND SECOND CLASS PETTY OFFICERS LEFT THE SHIP ON A SWIMMING PARTY. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THE CREW HAD SET FOOT ON LAND SINCE THE LAST LIBERTY IN PEARL HARBOR.

AT DINNER TIME, NO. 2 WHALEBOAT BROUGHT LT. HOWELL McGAUGHEY BACK TO THE SHIP AFTER HAVING RECOVERED FROM AN APPENDECTOMY AT BASE EIGHT HOSPITAL, PEARL HARBOR. THE LT. HITCH-HIKED A PLANE RIDE WITH THE UTILITY SQUADRON.

F6F NO. 20, THE FIGHTER THAT HAD CRASHED THE BARRIER AND HAD BEEN STRIPPED, WAS LEFT LIGHTER IN ALL ITS NAKEDNESS. EVERYTHING OF SPARE PART VALUE HAD BEEN CAREFULLY TAKEN OFF BY THE CREW -- RADIOS, INSTRUMENTS, WINGS, AND TAIL SURFACES -- ALL THAT WAS LEFT WAS THE FUSELAGE. IT MUST BE VERY EMBARRASSING FOR A PLANE WHICH SAW ACTION OVER WAKDE, SAWAR, SARMI, AND TRUK TO BE RELEGATED TO THE JUNK HEAP. THE LIFE SPAN OF A FIGHTER -- BORN IN BETHPAGE, LONG ISLAND, LIVED AND FOUGHT GLORIOUSLY OVER ENEMY BASES, TO DIE AN ACCIDENTAL DEATH ON THE FLIGHT DECK OF THE BATAAN, AND BURIED ON A JUNK HEAP ON KWAJALEIN ISLAND.

TUESDAY, 9 MAY '44: THE BIGGEST ITEM ON THE DAY'S PROGRAM WAS A "BATAAN BOTTLE BUSTER" INCLUDING HALF THE SHIP'S OFFICERS. "CHIEF BUSTER" (COMMANDER H. H.) HEMMING DREW UP A FANCY OPERATIONAL PLAN INCLUDING A FUELING PLAN, BOAT SCHEDULE, TBS VOICE CALLS, RECREATIONAL SCHEDULE, AND MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL, A PROVISIONING PLAN. "HOW HOUR FOR D DAY" WAS 0845 WHEN THE FIRST BOAT ASSEMBLED ON THE QUARTERDECK. WITH THE "STAR SHOOTER" (NAVIGATOR LT. COMDR. SHARP) IN CHARGE. NO. 2 WHALEBOAT WAS SHOVED OFF WITH DUE CEREMONY FOR LOI ISLAND WITH OFFICERS AND PROVISIONS (LIQUID). ADDITIONAL TRIPS WERE MADE THROUGHOUT THE DAY WITH MORE OFFICERS, PROVISIONS (SOLID), AND AT 1300 A WARRANT OFFICERS' SPECIAL SHOVED OFF.

ADMIRAL CLARK, COMMANDER TASK GROUP 58.1, CAME ABOARD FOR A FIFTEEN MINUTE VISIT EARLY IN THE AFTERNOON.

THE "RETIREMENT" OF THE "BOTTLE BUSTERS" WAS MADE WITHOUT INCIDENT. ALTHOUGH THE CHIEF BUSTER HAD THE AVIATION CRANE STANDING BY WITH A CARGO NET; ALL HANDS BADE IT ACROSS THE QUARTERDECK IN GOOD SHAPE. THE SHIP'S FIRST "HAPPY HOUR" WAS HELD IN PLACE OF THE MOVIE WITH THE RAISED ELEVATOR PROVIDING THE STAGE. CHIEF YEOMAN THOMPSON "EMCEED" A LIVELY SHOW LED BY THE SHIP'S BAND. AND TO TOP IT OFF, ICE CREAM WAS SERVED TO ALL HANDS -- AT LEAST TO THOSE WHO LIVED THROUGH THE MAD RUSH TO THE MESS DECK.

WEDNESDAY, 10 MAY '44: THE "DE DAY PLUS ONE" EDITION OF THE "BATAAN BOTTLE BUSTERS" WAS CARRIED OUT TODAY AS WELL AS A SWIMMING PARTY FOR THE CREW. BENNETT WAS THE SITE FOR THE CREW'S EXPEDITION AND WAS UNIQUE IN THAT PART OF IT HAD NOT BEEN CLEARED OF LAND MINES AND DUDS. ONLY A MIRACLE PREVENTED SEVERAL BATAAN SAILORS FROM BEING BLOWN TO BITS AS THEY UNKNOWINGLY HAD PICKED UP "LIVE" MINES. LT. RUSS CHERRY CONDUCTED A SURVEY BEFORE THE PARTY CAME BACK ABOARD, AND ALL THE LIVE MINES ENDED UP ON THE BOTTOM OF THE LAGOON. ALTHOUGH PART OF THE SHIP HAD LIBERTY, THE OTHER HALF STOOD BY FOR A ZONE INSPECTION.

LT. AL STONER, FIGHTER PILOT, RETURNED TO THE SHIP AFTER HAVING UNDERGONE MEDICAL TREATMENT AT PEARL HARBOR. HE HAD STARTED OUT WITH LT. McGAUGHEY, BUT SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE HADN'T BEEN SO LUCKY WITH TRANSPORTATION.

23 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org THURSDAY, 11 MAY '44: "QUARTERS FOR MUSTER" WAS PASSED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SOME DAYS -- WITH FUL EQUIPMENT. THE LUGGING OF HELMET, GAS MASK, FLASH-PROOF CLOTHING, AND LIFE BELT TO THE FLIGHT DECK PROVED TO BE THE HARDEST WORK OF THE DAY. MEN ON CLEANING STATIONS GOT TO WORK TO CORRECT THE DISCREPANCIES OF THE PREVIOUS DAY'S INSPECTION WHICH CAME OUT IN PRINTED FORM FROM THE FIRST LIEUTENANT'S OFFICE.

CHIEF PETTY OFFICERS HAD THEIR TURN AT VISITING THE BEACH, SHOVING OFF AT 1030.

THAT WELCOMED "MAIL CALL" CAME OVER THE ANNOUNCING CIRCUIT AND ALL HANDS GLORIED IN SOME RECENT MAIL FROM HOME. AIR MAIL LETTERS BORE SUCH LATE POSTMARKS AS "MAY 3RD" AND IT SEEMED AS IF YOU WERE PRETTY CLOSE TO HOME AFTER ALL.

FRIDAY, 12 MAY '44: ANOTHER 0815 "ASSEMBLY" AND "ALL HANDS TO QUARTERS" STARTED THE DAY. THE TENTACLES OF CIVILIZED LIFE WERE REACHING OUT TO THE "FORWARD AREA". WE WERE ORDERED TO SUPPLY A SHORE PATROL AND LIFE GUARD DETAIL FOR THE BEACH.

THE WORD THAT WE WERE GETTING UNDERWAY TOMORROW GOT AROUND QUICKLY. THERE WAS A LAST MINUTE RUSH FOR THE MAIL BOX AND THE CENSORS DID A BIG BUSINESS DURING THE MORNING TO GET ALL THE MAIL COMPLETED BEFORE THE AFTERNOON GUARD MAIL TRIP.

THE SECOND LIBERTY PARTY FOR THE CREW LEFT FOR BENNETT ISLAND. AN ITEM IN THE PLAN OF THE DAY DISCOURAGED SOUVENIR HUNTERS -- "NO AMMUNITION WILL BE BROUGHT ABOARD SHIP." OTHER SHIPS HAD BEEN HAVING BAD LUCK. ONE MAN HAD BEEN KILLED AND ANOTHER HAD HIS HAND BLOWN OFF FROM "DUD" AMMUNITION.

EVERYONE ELSE WAS TAKING IT PRETTY EASY, BUT THE AVIATION ORDNANCE MEN KEPT "BELTING AWAY" AT THE 50 CALIBER AMMUNITION FOR THE F6F'SAND TBM'S.

DURING THE AFTERNOON WARM UP, TWO F6F'S DECIDED TO DO THEIR OWN VERSION OF EUGENE FIELD'S "GINGHAM DOG AND CALICO CAT", WHO WERE REPUTED BY THE "CHINESE CLOCK" TO HAVE EATEN EACH OTHER UP. ONE HELLCAT WAS REVVING UP AT HIGH SPEED, JUMPED ITS CHOCKS, AND CHEWED INTO THE REVOLVING PROPELLER OF THE NEIGHBOR HELLCAT ON ITS RIGHT SIDE. RESULT -- TWO NON-OPERATIONAL AIRCRAFT LEFT THE SHIP BY LIGHTER IN THE LATE AFTERNOON AND TWO NEW FIGHTERS WILL FLY ON FROM THE BEACH TO REPLACE THEM TOMORROW.

SATURDAY, 13 MAY '44: BATAAN AND TG 58.1 LEFT THE WORLD'S LARGEST ATOLL WITHOUT INCIDENT. WE BADE FAREWELL TO OUR LANDING BARGES FOX 5 AND TARE 17, SENDING THEM TO THE BEACH WITH MOVIES AND PILOTS TO FLY OUR FOUR REPLACEMENT PLANES.

SHORTLY AFTER NOON WE LANDED A TRAILING FLIGHT OF16 FIGHTERS AND 5 TORPEDO PLANES TO RENDEZVOUS WITH THE FLIGHTS FROM THE THREE OTHER CARRIERS TO MAKE A SIMULATED ATTACK ON THE SHIP. THE FIRST WAVE OF THE ATTACK CONSISTED OF PLANES BOMBING A SLED TARGET TOWED BY THE HORNET. SUCCESSIVE WAVES OF FIGHTERS AND BOMBERS MADE STRAFING AND BOMBING RUNS. DURING THE TRAINING LAUNCH, LT. ED LAAKE AND ENS. BILL McCORMICK REPORTED OVERHEAD IN NEW F6F'S TO REPLACE THE PREVIOUS CASUALTIES. THE OTHER TWO REPLACEMENT PLANES HAD BEEN UNABLE TO GET OFF THE BEACH. LT. AL STONER CAME OUT IN ANOTHER FIGHTER A HALF HOUR LATER. THEN AT 1500, LT. (JG) FOX, IN A BATTERED TBM, CAME ABOARD WITH OUR PART OF THE TRAINING FLIGHT. TO THE DISGUST OF THE MAINTENANCE OFFICER BOB JOHNSON, THE TORPEDO PLANE HAD 15 BOMBS PAINTED ON THE SIDE OF THE COCKPIT. A SLIGHTLY "USED" AIRCRAFT.

WE WERE EXCUSED FROM ANY PATROL DUE TO OUR AILING FORWARD ELEVATOR. A "SETTLING" OF THE SHIP HAD THROWN IT OFF BALANCE AND IT WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY.

24 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org SUNDAY, MAY 14 '44: THIS WAS THE DAY OF THE "ADVENTURE THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN". WE CAME TO ANCHOR AT 0808 AT MAJURO AND THE CAPTAIN LEFT ABOUT TWO HOURS LATER TO VISIT VARIOUS OTHER SHIPS. HE WAS ACCOMPANIED BY COMDR. HEMMING AND ONE BIG ITEM OF DISCUSSION WAS EVIDENTLY GOING TO BE OUR DEFUNCT FORWARD ELEVATOR. THE CAPTAIN RETURNED AT NOON AND INDICATED THAT THE COMMANDER TASK FORCE 58 WAS EXTREMELY INTERESTED IN GETTING OUR ELEVATOR BACK IN SHAPE.

DURING THE MORNING WE WERE VISITED BY THE CHIEF OF STAFF, CRUISER DIVISION ELEVEN, WHO WENT OVER AN OPERATION PLAN WITH THE AIR OFFICER, SQUADRON COMMANDERS, AND THE A.C.I. OFFICER. THE "HOT DOPE" WAS THAT WE WERE ASSIGNED TO A NEW TASK GROUP -- 58.6 - THE ESSEX, WASP, AND SAN JACINTO, AND THE BATAAN WERE TO GO ON A 12 DAY MISSION TO RAID MARCUS ISLAND. THE BATAAN WOULD LEAVE THE MAIN GROUP TO RUN SEARCHES TO THE NORTH TOWARD TOKYO IN COMPANY WITH A CRUISER AND DD SCREEN, LOOKING FOR SUBS AND SURFACE FORCES -- STRICTLY "BOGEY-BAIT".

WOULD WE GO? ALL AFTERNOON THE SCUTTLEBUTT GOT HOTTER AND HOTTER, WITH THE ELEVATOR BEING THE ONLY "CATCH". THE DISTANCE WE WERE TO BE FROM TOKYO VARIED FROM 300 TO 700 MILES. THE HIGHER FIGURE BEING MORE CORRECT.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT SEEMED APPARENT THAT THE BIG ADVENTURE WAS OFF. WE WOULD "SAIL AWAY FOR TOKYO, JAPAN" AT A LATER DATE.

MONDAY, 15 MAY '44: TASK GROUP 58.6 LEFT IN THE MORNING -- MINUS THE BATAAN.

WE WENT TO FLIGHT QUARTERS FOR LAUNCHING EIGHT FIGHTERS AND FOUR TORPEDO PLANES; THEY WERE TO BE SHORE BASED AT THE MAJURO AIR STRIP IN ORDER TO PROVIDE SOME WORK FOR OUR PILOTS. THEY HADN'T DONE MUCH FLYING SINCE THE OPERATION AGAINST TRUK, SO WE NEEDED SOME FLYING TIME INSTEAD OF EXCLUSIVELY "SACK TIME".

PRIOR TO FLIGHT OPERATIONS, WE GOT UNDERWAY TO CHANGE OUR BERTH. ON COMING TO ANCHOR, OUR POSITION WAS MUCH CLOSER TO THE BEACH AND ALSO TO THE REPAIR SHIP THAT WAS GOING TO HAVE A HAND IN FIXING THE FORWARD ELEVATOR.

ALL PLANES WERE CATAPULTED AS WE SWUNG AT ANCHOR, A NEW EXPERIENCE FOR US. ALL WENT WELL, EXCEPT FOR A NEW F6F, NO. 13; EVIDENTLY THE FLAT TENSION HAD NOT BEEN ADJUSTED PROPERLY, SO UNDER THE IMPACT OF THE "SHOOT" THE FLAPS "CAME UP". THIS LEFT PILOT MIKE HINN DROPPING OFF THE BOW DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO THE WATERS OF MAJURO LAGOON.

THE PILOTS HAD A GREAT DAY ON THE BEACH AFTER LANDING. A FORMER JAP RESIDENCE SERVED AS AN OFFICERS CLUB AND THERE WAS SWIMMING INSIDE THE LAGOON ON THE "MOST BEAUTIFUL BEACH IN THE WORLD".

ON THE SHIP, BOLD SPLOTCHES OF YELLOW ZINC CHROMATE APPEARED AROUND THE DECKS; THE NEVER ENDING FIGHT AGAINST RUST CONTINUED.

SERVICE SQUADRON AND TENDER REPRESENTATIVES STARTED THEIR INVESTIGATION OF OUR FORWARD ELEVATOR. THE CHIEF ENGINEER AND LT. LOBATO, THE "A" DIVISION OFFICER, WERE RELIEVED TO HAVE SOMEONE ELSE WORRYING ABOUT IT FOR A CHANGE.

THE ELEVATOR TROUBLE HAD FIRST BEEN NOTICED ON 27 APRIL; AT THAT TIME THERE HAD BEEN SCORING ON THE PLUNGER, THE LARGE STEEL CYLINDER WHICH PUSHES THE PLATFORM FROM THE HANGER DECK TO THE FLIGHT DECK IN NINE SECONDS. SO, AFTER THE TRUK STRIKE WHEN WE CAME INTO KWAJELEIN, THE ENGINEERS HAD GONE TO WORK AND POLISHED AND STONED THE PLUNGER. ON MAY 6, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE ELEVATOR WAS TWISTED IN A

25 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org COUNTER CLOCKWISE CONDITION AS VIEWED FROM ABOVE AND THAT THE FORWARD GUIDES WERE ONE-HALF INCH CLOSER AT THE TOP THAN THEY WERE AT THE BOTTOM. COMPLICATIONS AND TROUBLES, TO SAY THE LEAST.

NOTHING SEEMED TO WORK. HOWEVER, WHEN THE ELEVATOR WAS OPERATED FOR ABOUT 20 TRIPS ON 11 MAY, SCORING WAS AGAIN NOTICED. SO, IT WAS PUT BACK "OUT OF COMMISSION" AND FURTHER ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO "SHIM" THE ELEVATOR SO AS TO RELIEVE THE BINDING ON THE STARBOARD SIDE. THE PLUNGER WAS POLISHED AGAIN AND THE PACKING REMOVED, CLEANED AND WASHED. ANOTHER TRIAL RUN, AND THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT DECIDED THEY "DIDN'T KNOW", AND WERE GLAD TO HAVE THE "EXPERTS" FROM THE SERVICE SQUADRON TAKE OVER AND INVESTIGATE.

TUESDAY, 16 MAY '44: THE FORWARD ELEVATOR WAS STILL THE FOCAL POINT OF INTEREST. ON IT HUNG OUR MOVEMENTS FOR THE COMING WEEKS. OF COURSE, SCUTTLEBUTT HAD US GOING BACK TO PEARL HARBOR, MARE ISLAND, AND EVEN PHILADELPHIA TO GET IT REPAIRED. BUT THE EXPERTS HADN'T MADE UP THEIR MIND, SO WE REMAINED PEACEFULLY AT ANCHOR.

EARLY IN THE MORNING, A GROUP OF PILOTS AND CREWMEN LEFT THE SHIP FOR THE BEACH; GUNNERY AND BOMBING EXERCISES WERE RUN IN THE MORNING AND AFTERNOON, FOLLOWED WITH SWIMMING IN THE LAGOON. ALTHOUGH OUR PILOTS DIDN'T MIND THE REFRESHMENTS AT THE OFFICERS CLUB AND ALSO THE SWIMMING, THEY CAME BACK TO THE SHIP APPRECIATING THE FACT THEY WERE CARRIER BASED. THEIR BUDDIES ON THE BEACH DIDN'T HAVE THE CONVENIENCES OF A SHIP. THEY DID THEIR OWN LAUNDRY, WASHED IN A TIN HELMET, HAD NO ICE WATER SCUTTLEBUTTS AND THE MINIMUM OF TOILET FACILITIES. WHEN IT RAINED, THE SHORE BASED BOYS RAN OUTSIDE FOR A "FREE SHOWER". A CREW'S RECREATION PARTY LEFT THE SHIP FOR SWIMMING; OFFICERS MADE A TRIP TO THE "O- CLUB" ON THE BEACH.

AT NOON THE BATAAN ASSUMED THE CARRIER RADAR GUARD FROM THE LEXINGTON, STANDING A FULL UNDERWAY CONDITION THREE WATCH IN RADAR PLOT.

WEDNESDAY, 17 MAY '44: THIS WAS A DAY OF "WATCHFUL WAITING" AND RAIN. PILOTS FOR ALL PLANES ON THE BEACH WERE SENT TO THE AIR STRIP BY MOTOR LAUNCH WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO STAND BY THE PLANES. IT WAS EXPECTED THAT WE WOULD GET UNDERWAY FOR PEARL HARBOR AND THE PLANES WOULD COME ABOARD SOMETIME IN THE AFTERNOON.

AFTER BREAKFAST, ALL WAS QUIET ON THE QUARTER DECK WHEN A LANDING BARGE FROM ANOTHER SHIP CAME ALONGSIDE THE PORT GANGWAY. A SINGLE OFFICER CAME ABOARD; THE JUNIOR OFFICER OF THE DECK TOOK A LOOK AND WONDERED WHY AN OFFICER WOULD COME ABOARD ON THE PORT SIDE WHEN THE STARBOARD WAS USUALLY USED BY OFFICERS. HE STOPPED HIS LOOKING AND RAN AFTER THE OFFICER, WHEN HE SAW THE GOLD ON THE CAP VISOR AND ONLY THEN DID HE REALIZE THAT HE WAS RECEIVING AN ADMIRAL.

IT WAS REAR ADMIRAL J. J. CLARK, COMMANDER TASK GROUP, TO SEE THE CAPTAIN. ON THE WAY TO THE CAPTAIN'S CABIN WITH THE OFFICER OF THE DECK, HE NATURALLY WANTED TO KNOW HOW THE WORK ON THE ELEVATOR WAS COMING, AND, IF WE WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK TO PEARL. AFTER A SHORT CONFERENCE WITH THE CAPTAIN, THE ADMIRAL LEFT THE SHIP. THIS TIME, THE OFFICER OF THE DECK GETTING THE WORD OF HIS DEPARTURE.

FORTY-EIGHT HOURS OF INVESTIGATION BY THE SERVICE SQUADRON AND THE TENDER REPRESENTATIVES AND THEY TURNED OUT A VERDICT THAT IT WAS NECESSARY FOR THE BATAAN TO RETURN TO PEARL HARBOR WHERE DRY DOCK FACILITIES WERE AVAILABLE. THIS WOULD PERMIT THE USE OF MACHINIST'S LEVELS, PLUM LINES, GUNNER'S QUADRANTS, AND OTHER INSTRUMENTS WHICH COULD NOT BE UTILIZED WHILE THE SHIP WAS AFLOAT. IT WOULD ALSO MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR THE ENTIRE ELEVATOR TO BE ALIGNED IN RESPECT TO COMMON BASE LINE AND VERTICAL PLANE.

26 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org IN THE LATE MORNING IT WAS THOUGHT THAT WE WOULD GET UNDERWAY; THE RAIN-SOAKED PILOTS ON THE BEACH WERE ALERTED AND TOLD TO BE READY TO COME ABOARD DURING THE AFTERNOON. RAIN CONTINUED TO POUR DOWN, AND NOBODY SEEMED TO BE VERY PLEASED ABOUT IT.

IT WAS FINALLY DECIDED THAT WE WOULD GET UNDERWAY EARLY TOMORROW MORNING. THE PILOTS CAME BACK TO THE SHIP LOOKING MORE LIKE DROWNED RATS THAN AVIATORS; THEY HAD BEEN USING A SHACK AS A READY ROOM WITH A ROOF THAT DIDN'T DESERVE THE TITLE. THEY WERE REALLY GLAD TO GET HOT SHOWERS AND ENJOY THE NICETIES OF BEING SHIP-BASED.

SOME 60 RUGGED MARINES CAME ABOARD FOR PASSAGE TO PEARL. VETERANS OF PACIFIC ACTION WITH AS MUCH AS TWO YEARS OF SERVICE AWAY FROM THE STATES, THEY ALL LOOKED FORWARD TO THAT "30 DAYS" IN THE STATES AND SHORE DUTY. THEY DESERVED IT. UNDER THE CARE OF OUR MEDICAL OFFICER, WERE 20 NAVAL MEDICAL PATIENTS. THEIR LIST OF AILMENTS INCLUDED "EVERYTHING IN THE BOOKS"; THAT WAS THE "UGLY" SIDE OF THE WAR WE FIGHT.

THURSDAY, 18 MAY '44: UNDERWAY EARLY IN THE MORNING FOR PEARL HARBOR. BEFORE HOISTING THE ANCHOR, A LAUNCH WAS SHOVED OFF WITH PILOTS TO BRING THE PLANES BACK ABOARD. OUR ESCORTS WERE THE IRISH -- THE HALLIGAN, DD588, AND THE HARADEN, DD585. ALL AIRCRAFT WERE ABOARD BY 0830 AND FLIGHT OPERATIONS WERE SECURED.

STRICTLY "HEAVY WEATHER", AN UNUSUAL EVENT FOR THE PLACID PACIFIC, DOMINATED THE PROGRAM OF THE DAY. THE PICKET FENCE FOR THE FLIGHT DECK, THE "PALISADES", WAS ERECTED FORWARD TO BREAK THE EFFECT OF THE WIND OVER THE DECK. OUR SPEED PLUS AN 18 KNOT WIND DIRECTLY OVER THE BOW MADE EVERYONE WATCH THEIR STEPS. THE FOC'SLE WAS OFTEN AWASH AND SPRAY CURLED HIGH OVER THE FLIGHT DECK WETTING UNSUSPECTING MARINES TOPSIDE TO WATCH CARRIER LIFE.

THE ROLLING AND PITCHING DIDN'T MAKE THE FOOD ANY MORE APPETIZING, THOUGH; A FEW OF THE PASSENGERS AND SHIP'S COMPANY "GAVE THEIR ALL" AT THE RAIL.

ON THE BRIDGE, THE OFFICER OF THE DECK TOOK IT EASY. FOR THE FIRST TIME UNDERWAY, HE DIDN'T HAVE A TASK GROUP AROUND HIM AND A GUIDE ON WHICH TO KEEP STATION. THE DESTROYERS HAD TO KEEP STATION ON US -- WHAT A CINCH. JUST LIKE THE OLD SHAKEDOWN DAYS.

FRIDAY, 19 MAY '44: "STEAMING AS BEFORE" WAS THE SUBSTANCE OF THE OOD'S LOG WITH NO ACTIVITY ABOARD, ONLY THE ACTIVITY OF THE SHIP ROLLING IN HEAVY WATER.

VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS WERE ASSEMBLING WORK ORDERS FOR JOBS TO BE DONE AT PEARL HARBOR NAVY YARD. CHANGES AUTHORIZED BY BUREAU OF SHIPS LETTERS WOULD BE ROUTED VIA THE FIRST LIEUTENANT, THEN THE CAPTAIN, AND FINALLY THE WORK WOULD BE ACCOMPLISHED AFTER IT HAD BEEN ARRANGED BY THE YARD PLANNING SECTION. ANOTHER ITEM WAS OUR SC-2 RADAR ANTENNA. AFTER MUCH WORK ON IT BY THE ELECTRICAL GANG, IT WAS STILL REFUSING TO WORK. SO, WE HOPED TO GET A NEW ONE THAT WOULD LAST THROUGH THE NEXT OPERATION.

SATURDAY, 20 MAY '44: THE WEATHER WAS LOTS BETTER TODAY AND AT 0923, THE FIRST PLANE LEFT THE DECK ON A TRAINING FLIGHT. TWO ANTI-SUB AND ANTI-SNOOPER TEAMS FLEW FORTY-FIVE DEGREE SECTORS ON EITHER SIDE OF THE BOW AND THE FIGHTER AND TORPEDO PLANE FLIGHTS PRACTICED GUNNERY AND BOMBING. PRACTICE ATTACKS WERE MADE ON THE BATAAN AND OUR TWO ESCORTS. THE FLIGHT LANDED ABOARD ABOUT NOON, THE LAST PLANE GETTING ABOARD AT 1220. THE AFTERNOON LAUNCH AT 1430 WAS A REPEAT OF THE MORNING FLIGHT, GUNNERY AND BOMBING WITH NOTHING UNUSUAL HAPPENING DURING THE 1700 RECOVERY.

27 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org JUST BEFORE MIDNIGHT WE PICKED UP JOHNSTON ISLAND ON THE RADAR 35 MILES AWAY. NOW, NO MORE LAND UNTIL PEARL HARBOR.

SUNDAY, 21 MAY '44: LAST NIGHT THE CAPTAIN TALKED ON THE TBS TO THE SKIPPER OF ONE OF THE DD'S WHICH WAS APPROACHING THE SAFETY MARGIN ON FUEL NECESSARY TO MAKE PEARL HARBOR. THE PLAN WAS TO "SERVE REFRESHMENTS FROM OUR LUNCH COUNTER". THE CAPTAIN OF THE DESTROYER REPLIED IN THE TBS CODE SYSTEM IN POPULAR USAGE THAT HE HAD NEVER "TAKEN REFRESHMENTS" FROM OUR SIZE "LUNCH COUNTER -- WE'VE ALWAYS WORKED WITH THE BIG ONES."

IN SPITE OF THE PREPARATION, A SLIGHT SWELL WAS STILL RUNNING AT 0800 THIS MORNING, SO, INASMUCH AS THE DESTROYER THOUGHT SHE COULD MAKE IT, NO FUELING OPERATION TOOK PLACE.

UNDERWAY STYLE CHURCH SERVICES WERE HELD IN THE STARBOARD MESS HALL WITH BOTH CATHOLIC MASS AND A GENERAL PROTESTANT SERVICE. LATE IN THE DAY, PREPARATIONS WERE MADE TO LAUNCH THE AIR GROUP EARLY THE NEXT MORNING; THEY WILL BE BASED AT THE BEAUTIFUL KANEOHE N. A. S. MONDAY, 22 MAY '44 IT WAS EARLY REVEILLE FOR THE AIR GROUP PERSONNEL; ALL FIGHTER AND TORPEDO PLANES LEFT THE SHIP AT 0630 FOR KANEHOE NAVAL AIR STATION TO ASSUME A TEMPORARY SHORE BASED STATUS. THE EARLY LAUNCH WAS NECESSITATED BY ANTI-AIRCRAFT FIRING WHICH BEGAN AT 0700. FIRING CONTINUED UNTIL LATE IN THE MORNING; GUNNERS ON THE 40MM MOUNTS BURNED UP 4605 ROUNDS AND THE 20'S HAD SHOT UP 2975 ROUNDS. THE GUNNERS HADN'T SHOT AT ANYTHING SINCE OUR DEPARTURE FROM PEARL THE LAST TIME, BUT DID VERY WELL IN SPITE OF THE LAY OFF. TWO JM- 1'S PROVIDED MULTIPLE TARGETS.

AS WE CAME INTO PEARL HARBOR PROPER, ONE THING WAS OBVIOUS; IT WAS FULL. WHAT WE'D SEEN ON OUR PREVIOUS VISIT WAS MIDWEEK BUSINESS. TODAY IT WAS AS CROWDED AS A LABOR DAY WEEKEND. CARRIERS, BATTLESHIPS, DESTROYERS, AND LANDING CRAFT WERE ALL AROUND US. NO DRY DOCK WAS AVAILABLE. WE THOUGHT OUR ELEVATOR REPAIR JOB HAD A HIGH PRIORITY, BUT EVIDENTLY THERE WAS OTHER WORK TO BE DONE. SO, WE MOORED AT 1231 IN BERTH C-6 AND PROCEEDED TO WAIT.

THE AFTERNOON WAS SPENT IN GETTING OUR MARINE AND NAVAL PASSENGERS OFF TO THEIR DESTINATION AND TRYING TO FIND SOME TRANSPORTATION FOR THE AIR GROUP PERSONNEL THAT DID NOT FLY OFF WITH THE PLANES. PILOTS AND MECHANICS STEWED AS NONE CAME.

A GREAT VICTORY WAS ACCOMPLISHED, HOWEVER, IN THE PROCURING OF TWO BOATS -- AN OFFICERS MOTORBOAT AND A LARGE MOTOR LAUNCH FOR THE CREW -- FROM THE FLEET BOAT POOL. THERE WILL BE LIBERTY TOMORROW AND THERE ARE BOATS!

TUESDAY, 23 MAY '44: SIXTY-FIVE OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE AIR GROUP LEFT THE SHIP AT 0800 TO JOIN THE PILOTS AND PLANES AT KANEOHE NAVAL AIR STATION.

THE SELDOM SOUNDED "LIBERTY CALL" WAS HEARD AT 0850, AND AT 09900 LIBERTY STARTED FOR THE PORT WATCH. THE LARGE MOTOR LAUNCH MADE THREE TRIPS WITH THE CREW AND THE OFFICERS' MOTORBOAT MADE SCHEDULED TRIPS TO THE FORD ISLAND LANDING.

FIELD DAY CONTINUED ON THE SHIP. A DETAIL FROM THE C & R DEPARTMENT WAS SENT TO THE BEACH TO OBTAIN MUCH NEEDED PAINT. LOOKOUT BINOCULARS AND OTHER DELICATE INSTRUMENTS WERE TAKEN TO THE NAVY YARD FOR OVERHAUL. THE SUPPLY DEPARTMENT BEGAN THE JOB OF PROCURING THE SHIP'S STORES AND OF COURSE THE MAIL CLERK WENT LOOKING FOR SOME MAIL.

WEDNESDAY, 24 MAY '44: THE SHIP GOT UNDERWAY TO MOVE FROM BERTH "CHARLIE SIX" OUT IN "THE STREAM" TO FOX TWO PIER ON FORD ISLAND. THE MANEUVER WAS ACCOMPLISHED SOON ENOUGH, BUT ALL TOO SLOWLY FOR THE

28 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org STARBOARD SECTION WHICH WAS TO GO ON LIBERTY. HOWEVER, BEFORE NOON, A BROW WAS PUT OVER FROM THE DOCK TO THE FOC'SLE AND THE MEN STARTED TO STORM OFF TO HIT THE HIGH SPOTS OF HONOLULU.

IT WAS A FULL WORKING DAY FOR THE DUTY AND STANDBY SECTIONS; ALL HANDS TURNED TO ON THE SHIP'S PAINTWORK ON THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE. PLENTY OF PAINT WAS NOW ON BOARD AND IT WAS BEING PUT TO GOOD USE.

MORE OF THAT PRECIOUS MAIL CAME ABOARD AFTER A QUICK TRIP FROM THE STATES. POSTMARKS WERE AS LATE AS "21 MAY" -- WE FELT AS IF WE WERE PRACTICALLY HOME.

THURSDAY, 25 MAY '44: ANOTHER DAY OF CLEANING AND PAINTING FOR THE DUTY SECTIONS AND HONOLULU AND VICINITY FOR THE LIBERTY SECTIONS. NO DRY DOCK WAS YET AVAILABLE, BUT IT WAS RUMORED THAT WE WOULD LEAVE TOMORROW FOR THE NAVY YARD AND WORK WOULD BEGIN ON OUR ELEVATOR.

FRIDAY, 26 MAY '44: WE SET A FEW RECORDS TODAY, TO START WITH, WE GOT UNDERWAY, MOORED, GOT UNDERWAY, AND DRY DOCKED ALL IN THE PROCESS OF AN HOUR AND TWO MINUTES. AT 0948 WE STARTED FROM OUR FORD ISLAND BERTH TO DRY DOCK NO. 4. HOWEVER, AS WE REACHED THE MIDDLE OF THE STREAM, A MESSAGE CAME FROM THE CAPTAIN OF THE YARD THAT NO DRY DOCK WAS AVAILABLE AND TO RETURN TO OUR FORMER BERTH. SO, AT 1007 WE MOORED AGAIN, HOWEVER, WE GOT AN OKAY ON THE DRY DOCK IN A FEW MINUTES AND AT 1023 WE WERE UNDERWAY AGAIN FOR DRY DOCK.

THIS TIME IT WAS THE REAL THING AND WE CROSSED THE SILL OF DRY DOCK NO. 4 AT 1050. THE NEXT FEW HOURS WERE SPENT GETTING THE SHIP ON THE KEEL BLOCKS, ARRANGING FOR THE VARIOUS DOCK SERVICES -- POWER, FRESH WATER, AND TELEPHONE.

ANOTHER RECORD WAS MADE BY ASSEMBLING A 400 HAND CLEANING DETAIL TO PREPARE THE SHIP'S BOTTOM FOR PAINTING. ALL DIVISIONS CONTRIBUTED MEN, AND, ARMED WITH BIG WIRE BRUSHES AND LIFE LINES, THE WORKING PARTY THEN WENT OVER THE SIDE AND DOWN INTO THE IMENSE DRY DOCK.

STAGES HAD BEEN RIGGED BY THE YARD AND THE WORK PROGRESSED RAPIDLY WITH NO CASUALTIES. THE BOTTOM HAD TO BE READY BY 0800 FOR THE PAINTERS; SO, THE WORK CONTINUED LATE INTO THE EVENING -- BY WHICH TIME ALL HANDS WERE READY TO TURN IN THEIR SACKS.

MEANWHILE, PROVISIONS WERE ON THE DOCKS TO RESTOCK OUR STOREROOMS AND REFRIGERATORS. SO A HUNDRED HAND WORKING PARTY WAS CALLED AWAY TO STOW THE PROVISIONS BELOW.

BOTH WORKING PARTIES CONTINUED INTO THE NIGHT. THE 400 HANDS BEING SECURED BEFORE MIDNIGHT, BUT THE PROVISIONS PARTY CONTINUING UNTIL EARLY MORNING HOURS.

ON THE REPAIR END OF THE PROGRAM, YARD ENGINEERS AND OFFICERS BEGAN WORKING ON THE FORWARD ELEVATOR IMMEDIATELY. THEIR FIRST JOB WAS TO ESTABLISH A TRUE CENTER LINE; SO TRANSIT READINGS WERE MADE ON THE PLUNGER AND ALL GUIDES. THEY WERE FOUND TO BE LEANING FORWARD -- THE LONGITUDINAL AND TRANSVERSE GUIDES WERE OUT OF ALIGNMENT BY SEVEN-EIGHTS OF AN INCH. WHILE THE YARD MEN TRIED TO DEVISE A METHOD OF COUNTERACTING THE MISALIGNMENT, RAMS WERE REMOVED AND POLISHED. THE CYLINDER, THE RECEPTACLE FOR THE PLUNGER, WERE CAREFULLY CHECKED AND FOUND TO BE ALL RIGHT.

A TRAGEDY OF A SMALL SCALE OCCURRED IN THE AMUSEMENT FIELD ABOARD SHIP; LT ROSS CHERRY, ENTERTAINMENT COMMITTEE MOVIE MAN, HAD, BY A STROKE OF LUCK, PROCURED "LADY IN THE DARK" FROM THE MOVIE EXCHANGE. EVERYONE WAS ANXIOUS TO SEE A LATE FILM WITH COLOR AND GINGER ROGERS. BUT, NO LUCK; WORK CAME FIRST

29 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org AND THE WORKING PARTIES AND SHIP'S BUSINESS KEPT GINGER FROM GRACING THE MOVIE SCREEN OF THE BATAAN. SO, WE WILL ENJOY IT JUST THAT MUCH MORE WHEN WE DO GET TO SEE IT.

SATURDAY, 27 MAY '44: NAVY YARD PAINTERS STARTED TO WORK ON BOTH THE SHIP'S BOTTOM AND SIDES. OUR PAINT JOB WE'D RECEIVED IN PHILADELPHIA WAS COPIED; THE LINES BETWEEN THE TWO COLORS WERE NOT SHARPLY DIFFERENTIATED, BUT BLURRED, THEREBY MAKING THE DECEPTIVE ASPECT OF IT MORE EFFECTIVE.

ELEVATOR REPAIR PERSONNEL PUT THE PARTS BACK TOGETHER AFTER HAVING POLISHED THE PLUNGER AND BRONZE LINER AND PACKING HOUSING. ACCORDING TO THE WORD FROM THE ENGINEERING FORCE, WE WERE GOING TO HAVE THINGS REPAIRED IN TIME TO GET BACK TO MAJURO FOR THE NEXT BIG SHOW.

A "ROUND THE ISLAND" TOUR ARRANGED BY THE CHAPLAIN FOR THE CREW LEFT THE SHIP IN THREE "HORSE CART" TRAILERS. FOOD AND REFRESHMENTS SERVED ON A BEACH HALF WAY AROUND THE ISLAND MADE THE TRIP VERY ENJOYABLE. SPOTS OF INTEREST WERE SUGAR AND PINEAPPLE PLANTATIONS, A SUGAR MILL, THE MORMON TEMPLE, AND THE FAMOUS "BLOW HOLE".

SUNDAY, 28 MAY '44: PAINTING AND ELEVATOR WORK CONTINUED AND OUR LOCATION WAS STILL DRY DOCK NO. 4. ALL GUIDES FOR THE ELEVATOR WERE SHIMMED IN ORDER TO CORRECT THE ALIGNMENT. ALL INDICATIONS WERE THAT IT WOULD BE READY FOR GETTING UNDERWAY TOMORROW.

LIBERTY WAS GRANTED FOR THE STARBOARD WATCH AND ANOTHER "ROUND THE ISLAND" TOUR RAN IN THREE MORE "HORSE CARTS".

THE RUSH OF LETTER WRITING BEGAN AGAIN; TUESDAY MORNING WOULD BE THE LAST U.S. MAIL TO LEAVE THE SHIP UNTIL WE ARRIVED AT MAJURO.

MONDAY, 29 MAY '44: WITHOUT USING THE KLAXON WARNING HORN, THE FORWARD ELEVATOR WAS TESTED AT THE EARLY HOUR OF 0300, AND IT WORKED. WE WERE GOING TO HAVE A FORWARD ELEVATOR ON OUR NEXT STRIKE.

IN THE MORNING, PREPARATIONS ERE MADE TO CLEAR AWAY FOR FLOODING THE DRY DOCK AND AT 1300, THE ACTUAL FLOODING COMMENCED. AN HOUR LATER WE WERE WATER BOURNE AND THE SHIP WAS MOVED AFT IN THE DOCK.

LT. S. L. "SPIDER" REINHARDT AND LT. GEORGE BLISS, TWO "ORIGINAL" OFFICERS WHO HAD BEEN WITH THE SHIP EVER SINCE THE PRE-COMMISSIONING DETAIL, LEFT FOR THE STATES TODAY. BLISS WENT TO DALLAS FOR FLIGHT TRAINING, AND SPIDER TO THE N.A.S., GLENVIEW, ILLINOIS.

LATER IN THE AFTERNOON, A GASOLINE LIGHTER CAME ALONGSIDE TO FILL OUR TANKS IN PREPARATION FOR GETTING UNDERWAY TOMORROW.

THURSDAY, 30 MAY '44: OUR LAST MAIL -- A WHOLE TRUCKLOAD -- LEFT THE SHIP EARLY IN THE MORNING FOR THE FLEET POST OFFICE. OUR TWO MOTOR WHALEBOATS RETURNED FROM THE BOAT REPAIR SHOP IN A-1 CONDITION; THE PREVIOUSLY OPEN NUMBER 2 HAD A CANOPY PUT OVER THE FORWARD COCKPIT. THE USUAL EXCITEMENT AND LAST MINUTE PREPARATIONS FOR GETTING UNDERWAY OCCUPIED THE MORNING. THE FIRST LT., COMMANDER A.A GOODHUE, WAS DETACHED FROM THE SHIP WITH ORDERS BACK TO THE STATES. A NEW OFFICER HAD BEEN ASSIGNED TO TAKE HIS PLACE AND HAD NOT ARRIVED AT PEARL; SO LT. COMDR. JOHN METCALF HAS BEEN DESIGNATED ACTING FIRST LIEUTENANT. FOUR HUNDRED SACKS OF MAIL CAME ABOARD -- NOT FOR US -- FOR THE OTHER SHIPS AT MAJURO. ALSO, SPARE PARTS AND FLIGHT DECK TRACTORS FOR OTHER CARRIERS OF TASK FORCE 58.

30 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org AT 1102 WE GOT UNDERWAY, AND HALF AN HOUR LATER WE HAD CLEARED THE CHANNEL AND RENDEZVOUSED WITH THE USS LANDSDOWNE DD486, AND THE USS LARDNER, DD487.

WHOEVER ASSIGNS US DESTROYERS MUST LIKE TO KEEP THE DESTROYERS OF THE SAME FIRST LETTER TOGETHER; LAST TIME IT WAS HARADEN AND HALLIGAN, AND NOW THEY GIVE US TWO CANS BOTH BEGINNING WITH "L".

AFTER LUNCH WE STARTED AA FIRING WITH SHIPS STEAMING IN COLUMN. THE RUNS WERE SIMILAR TO THE ONES CONDUCTED ON OUR ENTRANCE TO PEARL WITH TWO YELLOW JM-1 TOW PLANES. CREWS WERE SHIFTED AROUND A GREAT DEAL SO THAT EVERYONE HAD A CHANCE TO FIRE. THE FIRST RUNS WERE FOR THE 20'S AND THEN THE TOW PLANES SHIFTED TO TORPEDO RUNS FOR ALL GUNS. SEVERAL SLEEVES WERE SHOT DOWN AND THE RESULTS WERE CONSIDERED VERY GOOD. THE LAST RUNS WERE AT HIGH ALTITUDE FOR THE DESTROYERS; THE 40'S TOOK A CRACK AT THE SLEEVE, BUT BECAUSE OF THE CLOUDS AND LACK OF RADAR CONTROL, THE RESULTS WEREN'T SO GOOD. IN ALL, 2241 ROUNDS OF 40MM AMMUNITION WERE USED AND 2178 ROUNDS OF 20MM.

AFTER THE HOUR OF CIRCLING OVERHEAD, THE AIR GROUP CAME ABOARD AT 1500 FROM KANEOHE NAVAL AIR STATION. THE PILOTS REPORTED A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL ON THE BEACH, EXCEPT, ENS. W. Y. "YOKE" IRWIN. FLYING A NEW F6F IN A DIVE, THE PLANE HAD REFUSED TO PULL OUT EVEN THOUGH IRWIN PUT ALL THE PRESSURE HE COULD ON THE STICK. JUST WHEN HE THOUGHT HE WAS A DEAD DUCK, IRWIN REMEMBERED AN ARTICLE HE READ ONE TIME ABOUT A PILOT IN A SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCE WHO USED THE TRIM TABS TO LEVEL OFF THE PLANE. SO HE STARTED TO WORK THE TABS. SURE ENOUGH, THE PLANE LEVELED OFF, AFTER TEARING OFF PART OF THE ELEVATOR SURFACES. A LANDING WAS MADE IN GOOD SHAPE AND NEEDLESS TO SAY, THE F6F WAS TRADED IN FOR A NEW ONE.

WEDNESDAY, 31 MAY '44: MEMO TO ALL HANDS -- WE ARE OFF ON ANOTHER BIG JOB; PROCEEDING FIRST TO MAJURO WHERE WE REJOIN THE FAMOUS TASK FORCE 58. UPON LEAVING PEARL HARBOR WE RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE FROM THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THE PACIFIC FLEET:

"MY CONFIDENCE AND BEST WISHES TO YOU AND ALL UNDER YOUR COMMAND. GOOD HUNTING." SIGNED NIMITZ AND ADDRESSED TO THE BATAAN, OUR TWO DD ESCORTS, THE LANDSDOWN AND THE LARDNER, AND TWO OTHER TASK GROUPS DEPARTING PEARL YESTERDAY. V. H. SCHAEFFER, CAPTAIN

THE CAPTAIN'S PLAN OF THE DAY MESSAGE WAS WHAT WE'D ALL BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO FOR SOME TIME. LIBERTY IN HONOLULU IS ALL RIGHT, BUT THE PRIZE PACKAGE IS IN THE STATES. AND THE BEST WAY TO GET BACK IS TO WIN THE WAR. SO LET'S GET STARTED.

"ANOTHER BIG JOB" SOUNDED QUITE IMPRESSIVE. THE AMOUNT OF AMPHIBIOUS CRAFT, THE CONVOYS MOVING WESTWARD, THE CONVERSATIONS IN OFFICERS' CLUBS, THE SCUTTLEBUTT PASSED BY THE NAVY YARD WORKMEN -- YOU COULD TAKE IT FROM ANY ON OF THOSE SOURCES AND MAKE OUT JUST ONE THING -- THE BIGGEST LANDING OPERATION EVER ATTEMPTED BY THE COMBINED UNITED STATES FORCES IN THE PACIFIC.

"FLIGHT QUARTERS" SOUNDED AT 0820 FOR THE 0900 LAUNCH OF SIX FIGHTERS AND FOUR TBM'S FOR FIGHTER DIRECTION EXERCISES. THE FIGHTERS WERE SPLIT INTO THREE TWO PLANE SECTIONS AND THE TBM'S INTO TWO SECTIONS. THE FIGHTERS WERE PUT OVERHEAD AS A COMBAT AIR PATROL AND THE TORPEDO PLANES WENT OUT TO 50 MILES AND RETURNED ON AN ATTACK.

THE GUNNERY DEPARTMENT MANNED ALL 20 AND 40MM BATTERIES FOR THE FIRST TORPEDO PLANE ATTACK. INTERCEPTION WAS MADE BY THE FIGHTERS AT A 20 MILE RANGE FROM THE SHIP AND THE ATTACKING GROUP CONTINUED ON IN TO GIVE THE GUNNERS SOME PRACTICE.

31 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org THE PROCESS WAS REPEATED THE SECOND TIME WITHOUT THE GUNNERY DEPARTMENT CONTRIBUTING.

DURING THE MORNING, A FORTY SHIP CONVOY, WHICH INCLUDED THE CVE'S MIDWAY AND FANSHAW BAY, WERE OPERATING ABOUT FIFTY MILES TO THE SOUTHEAST OF US. THEY WERE APPROXIMATELY ON THE SAME COURSE AS WE WERE, BUT MAKING LESS SPEED.

FOLLOWING FLIGHT QUARTERS AND THE OPERATION OF THE FORWARD ELEVATOR, THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT BROKE THE SAD NEWS -- THE ELEVATOR STILL WASN'T OPERATING PROPERLY. AT FULL SPEED, THE PLUNGER WAS BEING SCORED BADLY. HOWEVER, AT ONE-THIRD SPEED, THE SCORING WAS NOT NOTICEABLE -- SO, WE NOW HAD A SLOW FORWARD ELEVATOR.

June 1944: Great Marianas Turkey Shoot THURSDAY, 1 JUNE '44: THERE WERE NO FLIGHT OPERATIONS, SO "EMERGENCY DRILLS" WERE CALLED DURING THE MORNING; "CRASH BOAT CREW" AND "FIRE AND RESCUE PARTY" WERE CALLED AWAY FOR MUSTER ON THE HANGER DECK.

EVERYONE WAS WAITING FOR THE "ABANDON SHIP DRILL". THE PREVALENCE OF OTHER DRILLS REMINDED EVERYONE TO CHECK UP ON WHERE THEY COULD REACH THEIR LIFE BELT AND GET TO A LIFE RAFT IN A HURRY.

WARDROOM MESS TREASURER, WEISHEAR, COLLECTED $35.00 FROM OFFICERS FOR THE MONTHLY MESS BILL; THE EXTRA FIVE WAS RUMORED TO BRING THE SHARE UP TO VALUE.

OUR WEST-SO'WESTERLY COURSE TOOK US ACROSS ANOTHER TIME ZONE; ALL SHIP'S CLOCKS WERE SET BACK ONE HOUR AT 1800, STICKING DOG WATCH STANDERS WITH THREE INSTEAD OF THE USUAL TWO HOURS OF DUTY.

PAINTERS WORKED LIKE FIENDS TODAY GETTING THE INSIDE OF THE SHIP IN SHAPE. EVERY SPACE IN THE OFFICERS' COUNTRY WHERE THE STEEL DECK SHOWED THROUGH, WAS CIRCLED WITH CHALK; AND A MAN WITH A CAN OF DECK PAINT CAME ALONG AFTER THE CHALKER AND "OLD MAN RUST" WENT DOWN FOR THE COUNT. PASSAGEWAYS WERE PAINTED BY THE "FIFTY PER CENT" METHOD; HALF OF IT WAS PAINTED, LEAVING THE OTHER HALF FOR TRAFFIC WITH BIG CHALKED SIGNS AND ARROWS -- "WET DECK". IT WAS OKAY AS LONG AS YOU WATCHED WHERE YOU WERE GOING. COMPLICATIONS SET IN AFTER LIGHTS OUT, AND ONLY THE BATTLE LIGHTS WERE ON IN THE PASSAGEWAY. YOU STOPPED AND HOPED THAT THE PAINT HAD DRIED BY THAT TIME.

FRIDAY, 2 JUNE '44: THE CAPTAIN INSPECTED ALL COMPARTMENTS THROUGHOUT THE SHIP WITH DIVISION OFFICERS STANDING BY. HE WAS ACCOMPANIED BY THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS. THE TOUR STARTED AT 1300. ARMED WITH FLASHLIGHTS AND AS LONG CLIPBOARD, THE FIRST LIEUTENANTS COPIED COMMENTS WHICH WOULD COME OUT IN A REPORT TOMORROW.

AT 1500, THE INSPECTION WAS SECURED AND DIVISION OFFICERS WITH A "VERY GOOD" COMMENT, PATTED THEMSELVES ON THE BACK -- AND -- OTHERS NOT-SO-LUCKY, MADE PLANS TO CORRECT DEFICIENCIES AT MAJURO. OTHER THAN THAT, THE DAY WAS UNEVENTFUL. ANOTHER TIME CHANGE WAS MADE PUTTING ALL CLOCKS BACK ONE HOUR AT 1800 AND MOVING INTO 12 PLUS ZONE.

EVERYONE IS WONDERING IF THERE WILL BE ROOM FOR US AT MAJURO. SOMEONE SUGGESTED THAT THE LARGER NUMBER OF SHIPS SHOULD DO AWAY WITH THE NECESSITY FOR SHIP'S BOATS. YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET TO THE BEACH BY JUMPING FROM SHIP TO SHIP.

SATURDAY - SUNDAY, 3 AND 4 JUNE '44: THIS WAS ONE OF THOSE "DOUBLE DAYS"; AT 1200 WE SET ALL CLOCKS AHEAD 23 HOURS TO ZONE MINUS 11 TIME. IT CONFUSED THE PADRE ALL TO PIECES BECAUSE HE DID NOT GET THE

32 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org WORD AND HADN'T PLANNED ON CHURCH SERVICES. SO, ON TOP OF THE USUAL LACK OF "SUNDAY-NESS", WE HAD THE ADDITION OF ONLY HAVING "HALF" A SUNDAY.

AS WE APPROACHED MAJURO AT NOON, THE SHIP-FILLED LAGOON WASN'T THE BIG THRILL IT WAS THE FIRST TIME. OUR OWN FORCE -- THE FAST CARRIER FORCES OF THE PACIFIC -- THE FAMOUS TASK FORCE 58, WAS AGAIN SPREAD OUT BEFORE US. WE HAD HOPED TO SEE PART OF THE INVASION FLEET -- THE AMPHIBIOUS FORCES, BUT EVIDENTLY THEY WERE BEING STAGED ELSEWHERE.

AFTER WE ANCHORED AT 1248, THE CAPTAIN LEFT THE SHIP IN HIS GIG TO VISIT REAR ADMIRAL J. J. CLARK ON THE HORNET. WITH THE CAPTAIN WERE SEVERAL DEPARTMENT HEADS WHO WERE CONCERNED WITH GETTING UP TO DATE ON OUR COMING OPERATIONS.

WE WERE HOME WITH THE FIGHTING FLATTOPS; WHO KNOWS -- PERHAPS THERE MAY BE MAIL CALL TOMORROW.

MONDAY, 5 JUNE '44: TO ADD TO THE DAYS EVENTS, A "RED ALERT" WAS SOUNDED. "ENEMY AIRBORNE OVER ISLAND". WE SET CONDITION 1 ON ALL ANTI-AIRCRAFT BATTERIES AT 1257 AND WONDERED WHAT THE STORY WAS. PREPARATIONS WERE MADE FOR GETTING UNDERWAY, AND AT 1317, GENERAL QUARTERS WAS SOUNDED.

THE MAJURO COMBAT AIR PATROL WAS SENT AFTER THE BOGEY WHICH HEADED IN THE DIRECTION OF JALUIT ATOLL. BY 1340, EVERYTHING QUIETED DOWN; A "FLASH WHITE" COME AND WE WERE SECURED FROM GENERAL QUARTERS.

DURING THE AFTERNOON, PREPARATIONS FOR GETTING UNDERWAY TOMORROW PROGRESSED NORMALLY AND SAW THE ARRIVAL OF LT. COMDR. HORACE C. LAIRD, JR., THE NEW FIRST LIEUTENANT AND DAMAGE CONTROL OFFICER. HE REPLACED COMMANDER GOODHUE WHO LEFT THE SHIP AT PEARL HARBOR.

ANOTHER BOGEY AT 1750, CAUSED THE SHIP TO SET "CONDITION ONE ON THE AA BATTERIES". THINGS WENT TO NORMAL TEN MINUTES LATER AND WE HAD NO MORE EXCITEMENT THE REST OF THE DAY.

TOMORROW WOULD BE THE DAY; ON OUR WAY TO SOMETHING EXCITING. NO SNAP LIKE THE HOLLANDIE LANDING, BUT BIG AND TOUGH. WHETHER WE HAD A SLOW FORWARD ELEVATOR OR NOT, WE WERE GOING TO THIS OPERATION…AND THE JAPS WOULD REALLY HEAR "BATAAN SPEAKING".

TUESDAY, 6 JUNE '44: THE DAY EVERYONE HAS BEEN WAITING FOR SINCE DUNKIRK -- D-DAY ON THE COAST OF FRANCE -- CAME TODAY AND OVERSHADOWED THE HISTORICAL FACT THAT THE FAST CARRIER FORCE OF THE PACIFIC FLEET LEFT MAJURO ATOLL. BUT, AFTER ALL, PERHAPS IT IS JUST AS WELL THE WORLD DOESN'T KNOW OF OUR DEPARTURE, FOR 93 COMBAT SHIPS PLUS THE OILER FLEET WAS A LOT OF BAD MEDICINE FOR THE JAPS AND MORE EFFECTIVE IN A SURPRISE DOSE.

DURING THE MORNING, ALL PREPARATIONS WERE MADE FOR GETTING UNDERWAY. A LAST MINUTE MAIL TRIP WAS MADE TO THE FLEET POST OFFICE WITH THE LAST LETTER THE FOLKS BACK HOME WOULD BE GETTING FOR A LONG TIME. THE BIG UNFINISHED ITEM WAS OUR FUEL AND GAS. NO "GONDOLIER" HAD COME ALONGSIDE, BUT AFTER SOME WRANGLING OVER THE RADIO, ONE CAME ALONGSIDE AND WORD WAS PASSED -- "NOW THE SMOKING LAMP IS OUT THROUGHOUT THE SHIP."

THE DEPARTURE WAS DELAYED BY THE FUELING; FORTUNATELY FOR LIEUT, (JG) IRVING S. FISHER AND NO. 2 WHALEBOAT, WHICH WAS SO LONG DELAYED IN RETURNING FROM THE MAIL TRIP THAT IT WAS BELIEVED A SPECIAL UNIT WOULD BE ADDED TO THE TASK FORCE -- TASK GROUP 58.X, ONE MOTOR WHALEBOAT.

AT 1419 THE HOOK WAS RAISED AND WE GOT UNDERWAY IN COMPANY WITH OTHER UNITS OF 58.1 IN A TROPICAL SQUALL AND LIMITED VISIBILITY. NO PLANES WERE LAUNCHED DURING THE DAY.

33 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org WEDNESDAY, 7 JUNE '44: THIS WAS A DAY FOR TRAINING. THE RADAR GANG'S WORKOUT STARTED AN HOUR BEFORE SUNRISE WITH SURFACE TRACKING EXERCISES, AND IN THE AFTERNOON, THE AA BATTERIES WENT TO WORK ON THE TARGET SLEEVES. WE FIRED AT TWO TBM TOWS IN TORPEDO TYPE RUNS ON EACH SIDE OF THE SHIP. ONE SLEEVE WAS NEATLY CLIPPED NEAR THE CABLE CONNECTION BY A 20MM BATTERY. THE 40'S DIDN'T GET A SLEEVE, BUT THEIR FIRE PATTERN WAS EXCELLENT. FROM ALL THE VIEWPOINTS, THE SHOOTING WAS PROFITABLE, FOR IT GAVE ALL CPO'S AND OFFICERS THE STANDING CONDITION WATCHES A CHANCE TO CONTROL THE MOUNTS WHEN FIRING. ROUTINE ASP OF FOUR TBM'S AND A CAP OF FOUR VF'S WAS FLOWN OVER TASK GROUP 58.1, AND DUPLICATE PATROLS OVER TASK GROUP 58.7 WHO WERE CONDUCTING MANEUVERS IN THE VICINITY. THERE WAS A WORLD OF FIRE POWER IN 58.7 -- BATTLESHIPS NORTH CAROLINA, WASHINGTON, IOWA, NEW JERSEY, INDIANA, SOUTH DAKOTA, AND ALABAMA; HEAVY CRUISERS BOSTON, BALTIMORE, CANBERRA; CL(AA)S OAKLAND, SAN JUAN, SAN DIEGO, RENO; CL'S SANTA FE, MOBILE, BILOXI, HOUSTON, VINCENNES, MIAMI, AND 11 DESTROYERS. WHAT AN IMPRESSIVE SIGHT, AND ABOVE ALL, COMFORTING! IN THE FINAL PATROL TO BE TAKEN ABOARD AT 1817, WAS ENSIGN H. C. "BUZZ" RUDA, OF BARABOO, WIS. HIS PRESENCE WAS NOTABLE IN THAT HIS LANDING WAS THE 2,000TH ON THE BATAAN DECK. THURSDAY, 8 JUNE '44 FLIGHT QUARTERS SOUNDED AT 0545 AND A GROUP OF FIVE TBM'S AND 18 F6F'S TOOK PART IN A TRAINING MANEUVER LED BY AIR GROUP COMMANDER OF THE HORNET. WE FLEW A ROUTINE ASP AND CAP FROM 1207 TO 1604 AND HAD A STANDBY CAP ALOFT FROM 1303 TO 1610. AMONG THE LAUNCHING WAS THE 1,000TH PLANE SHOT FROM THE DECK BY "JELLY BEAN", AS lIEUT. (JG) GEORGE ALT'S CATAPULT IS AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN. IN THE AFTERNOON, WE AGAIN RENDEZVOUSED WITH THE FUELING FLEET.

FRIDAY, 9 JUNE '44: AN EIGHT PLANE ASP AND FOUR PLANE CAP WAS LAUNCHED AT 0847 AND RECOVERED AT 1217 FOR THE DAY'S ONLY FLIGHT OPERATION. AT 1300 A TANKER PULLED ALONG SIDE AND MORE AVIATION FUEL OIL WAS TAKEN ABOARD. THE AIR GROUP HELD A SPECIAL CELEBRATION IN THE WARDROOM AT EVENING CHOW. A FANCY CAKE, FASHIONED TO RESEMBLE THE BATAAN, BUT LACKING ONE STACK, WAS PRESENTED TO ENSIGN RUDA, WHO CUT IT WITH A FLOURISH MUCH FANCIER THAN THE SPEECH THAT ACCOMPANIED IT. COMMANDER HOUSE AND LT. COMDR. STRANGE ALSO SPOKE BRIEFLY.

SATURDAY, 10 JUNE '44: A QUIET AND UNEVENTFUL DAY, SOMETHING WHICH PROMISES TO BE A RARITY ON THIS OPERATION. WE DREW THE EARLY PATROL AND LAUNCHED EIGHT FIGHTERS FOR CAP, A FOUR PLANE ASP FOUR ANTI- SNOOPERS AT 0427. THEY WERE TAKEN ABOARD AGAIN AT 0833. OFFICIAL MAIL ARRIVED VIA DESTROYER IN THE AFTERNOON. IT CONTAINED LAST MINUTE PLANS, CHARTS, AND PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE TARGET AREAS. DRILL CALL SENT THE VARIOUS DIVISIONS TO WORK BRIEFLY, BUT "SACK DRILL" WAS THE MOST POPULAR OF THE DAY AS EVERYONE TRIED TO STORE UP SLEEP FOR THE DAYS TO COME. AT 1800 GENERAL QUARTERS WAS SOUNDED AND CAPTAIN SCHAEFFER SPOKE BRIEFLY AND INSPIRINGLY TO ALL HANDS, OUTLINING OUR OBJECTIVES.

"ATTENTION ALL HANDS, THIS IS THE CAPTAIN SPEAKING -- AGAIN WE ARE HEADING WEST TOWARD THE LAND OF THE SETTING SUN, IN COMPANY WITH THE FAMOUS TASK FORCE 58, OF WHICH WE ARE NOW AGAIN A PART. TONIGHT AT SUNSET, WE ARE APPROXIMATELY 420 MILES TO THE EASTWARD OF THE MARIANAS. IN THE MARIANAS ARE THE JAPANESE BASES OF SAIPAN, TINIAN, ROTA, AND GUAM. THESE BASES ARE OUR OBJECTIVES WHICH WE WILL ATTACK AND OCCUPY.

"AGAIN, AS HERETOFORE, THE FAST CARRIER TASK FORCE OF VICE ADMIRAL MITSCHER IS THE SPEARHEAD OF THIS ATTACK. FOLLOWING, SEVERAL HUNDRED MILES BEHIND US, IS THE FIFTH AMPHIBIOUS FORCE UNDER VICE ADMIRAL TURNER. THE AMPHIBIOUS FORCE IS COMPOSED , FOR THE MOST PART, OF THE LANDING CRAFT, BATTLESHIPS, CRUISERS, AND DESTROYERS WHICH YOU SAW ASSEMBLED IN PREPARATION FOR THIS OPERATION IN PEARL HARBOR. THE FIFTH AMPHIBIOUS FORCE WILL TAKE OVER THE JAPANESE ISLAND BASES OF SAIPAN, TINIAN, AND GUAM AFTER WE HAVE CLEARED AWAY ENEMY AIR AND SURFACE NAVAL OPPOSITION.

34 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org "WE HAVE A FULL WEEK'S WORK AHEAD OF US AS FOLLOWS: SUNDAY, 11 JUNE -- LATE AFTERNOON FIGHTER SWEEP OVER GUAM AND ROTA. MONDAY AND TUESDAY, 12 AND 13 JUNE -- ATTACK AND BOMB GUAM AND ROTA. WEDNESDAY, 14 JUNE -- WE RETIRE TO THE NORTHEASTWARD OF SAIPAN AND REFUEL. UPON COMPLETION AND ON THE FOLLOWING DAY, THURSDAY, 15 JUNE -- WE HEAD ON A NORTHERLY COURSE TO THE BONIN ISLANDS, WHICH WE WILL ATTACK ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, 16 AND 17 JUNE.

"TASK GROUP 58.4 WILL ALSO ATTACK THE BONIN ISLANDS THE SAME TIME AS WE DO. TASK GROUP 58.2 AND 58.3 WILL ATTACK AND BOMB SAIPAN AND TINIAN AND COVER THE LANDING OPERATIONS OF THE FIFTH AMPHIBIOUS FORCE, WHICH START ON THE 15TH OF JUNE. THAT, BRIEFLY, IS THE OPERATIONS AS PLANNED. WHAT ENEMY OPPOSITIONS WILL BE ENCOUNTERED, REMAINS TO BE SEEN. A MAJOR NAVAL ENGAGEMENT WITH THE JAP FLEET MAY RESULT FROM OUR ATTACK AND OCCUPATION OF THEIR MARIANA BASES.

"IT IS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT THE BONIN ISLANDS, WHICH WE ATTACK ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY OF NEXT WEEK, ARE EXACTLY 511 MILES FROM TOKYO, JAPAN. SO, IT WOULD APPEAR, THAT WE ARE BEGINNING TO GET CLOSE TO FULFILLING THE LAST TWO LINES OF OUR BATAAN SONG -- THAT IS ALL."

SUNDAY, 11 JUNE '44: FOUR MORE PLANES FELL TO THE PILOTS OF VF 50 TODAY AS WE LAUNCHED A SWEEP AGAINST ROTA A DAY AHEAD OF SCHEDULE. THE BIG DISAPPOINTMENT WAS THE FACT THAT THE PILOTS DIDN'T FIND MORE JAPS TO TANGLE WITH AND NOT EVEN ANY PLANES TO STRAFE ON THE GROUND AS OUR DRIVE AGAINST THE MARIANAS OPENED.

FITTINGLY, AS CAPTAIN SCHAEFFER PHRASED IT LATER IN A BRIEF SPEECH TO ALL HANDS, THE SURGEON WHOSE SCALPEL DREW FIRST BLOOD FOR THE TASK FORCE WAS LT. COMDR. STRANGE, SKIPPER OF THE FIGHTER SQUADRON AND C.C. OF AIR GROUP 50. STRANG EWAS LEADING THE CAP -- ASP LAUNCHED AT 0500, AND AT 0830 CAME THE CHEERING NEWS THAT HE HAD BAGGED A "HELEN". AFTER THE LAST PLANE HAD LANDED SAFELY AT 0904, STRANGE TOLD HIS STORY. FLYING WITH ENSIGNS FASH, NELSON, AND VEACH AT 2,000 FEET, HE HAD SPOTTED THE JAP SKIMMING LOW OVER THE WATER AT BETWEEN 500 AND 800 FEET. THE PILOTS BRACKETED THE JAP AS THEY DOVE ON HIM, STRANGE AND FASH CHASING ON THE RIGHT AND NELSON AND VEACH ON THE LEFT. ALMOST AT THE WAVE CREST, THE JAP TURNED TO THE RIGHT IN A DESPERATE EVASIVE GESTURE BUT SWUNG STRAIGHT INTO THE SIGHTS OF STRANGE, WHO WAS BARRELING ALONG AT 250 KNOTS. A LONG BURST SENT FLAMES SPURTING FROM BOTH ENGINES AND THE JAP WENT INTO THE WATER, WITH FASH ADDING SOME BURSTS FOR GOOD MEASURE. LT. COMDR. STRANGE, NOT SATISFIED WITH HIS RECOGNITION OF THE JAP AS A HELEN, STUDIED ALL POSSIBLE IDENTIFICATION PHOTOS AND FINALLY CAME TO THE CONCLUSION HE MIGHT HAVE BAGGED ONE OF THE NEW "FRANS" OR Y-20'S. IF SO, IT WAS THE FIRST FRAN TO FALL TO U.S. GUNS. MESSAGE WAS RECEIVED FROM THE FLAG -- "WELL DONE ON DRAWING FIRST BLOOD."

A B-24 BAGGED ANOTHER JAP SHORTLY AFTERWARD AND WHEN IT BECAME FAIRLY CERTAIN THAT THE JAPS HAD SPOTTED THE TASK FORCE, SCUTTLEBUTT FLEW TO THE EFFECT THAT A FULL-FLEDGED STRIKE WOULD BE LAUNCHED. AT 1040, WORD CAME THAT GUAM HAD BEEN ALERTED AND THAT THE TASK FORCE WOULD LIKELY BE UNDER ATTACK SOON. AT 1048 CAME THE OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT THAT A FIGHTER SWEEP WOULD BE STAGED OVER THE ASSIGNED TARGETS IN THE MARIANAS STARTING AT 1300. THE CAP (NOW FLOWN BY OTHER CARRIERS) REPORTED A JAP FLOAT PLANE SHOT DOWN AT 1210. GENERAL QUARTERS WERE SOUNDED AT 1240 WHEN A JAP WAS REPORTED ATTACKING. FOUR MINUTES LATER, WITHIN SIGHT OF THE TASK FORCE, THE CAP BROUGHT DOWN A FOUR-ENGINED EMILY IN FLAMES. ONE MINUTE LATER, A NELL SUFFERED A SIMILAR FATE. LATER, THIS PLANE WAS REPORTED TO HAVE BEEN CARRYING MAIL; THREE BAGS BEING RECOVERED, ONE FULL OF OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. TWO SURVIVORS WERE ALSO PICKED UP.

35 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org AT 1250, THE FIRST OF OUR 12 VF WERE LAUNCHED ON THE SWEEP AT ROTA AND THE ENTIRE GROUP WAS AIRBORNE IN 5 1/2 MINUTES, A FEAT THAT BROUGHT PRAISE FROM THE AIR OFFICER. THIS TIME BETTERED THAT OF THE YORKTOWN AND EQUALED THAT OF THE BELLEAU WOOD AND HORNET. MOST OF THE BOGIES THAT DEVELOPED DURING THE AFTERNOON OF ANXIOUS WAITING, TURNED OUT TO BE FRIENDLY, BUT ONE EMILY WAS DOWNED BY THE CAP 21 MILES FROM THE FORMATION.

THE BEST NEWS OF THE DAY CAME AT 1610 WHEN ALL 12 OF THE BATAAN'S PLANES WERE SEEN CIRCLING THE SHIP. THE NEWS WAS TEMPERED WITH DISAPPOINTMENT WHEN THE FIRST FEW PILOTS TO LAND REPORTED HAVING ENCOUNTERED NO OPPOSITION AND SEEING NOT SO MUCH AS A SINGLE JAP PLANE. DISAPPOINTMENT TURNED TO HILARITY WHEN LT. BARACKMAN BOUNCED OUT OF HIS PLANE WITH THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT HE AND ENSIGN RUDA HAD ACCOUNTED FOR THREE ZEKES. BARACKMAN AND RUDA WERE AMONG FOUR PILOTS DETAILED TO THE SUPPOSEDLY IRKSOME TASK OF FLYING PATROL OVER THE SB2C RESCUE PLANES FROM THE HORNET. THE TOUR OF DRUDGERY TURNED TO ONE OF REAL FULN WHEN THE THREE ZEKES WERE SPOTTED. LT. BARACKMAN OPENED FIRE ON THE FIRST ONE, WHICH LITERALLY DISINTEGRATED BEFORE HIS EYES. THE SECOND BURST INTO FLAME AND CRASHED, AS DID THE THIRD WHEN RUDA GOT IT IN HIS SIGHTS. THE REMAINDER OF THE SWEEP SIGHTED NO JAP PLANES AND FOUND THE AIRSTRIP AT ROTA BARREN, BUT, THEY MANAGED TO STRAFE AN AK, A TRAWLER, AND A BARGE AS WELL AS SOME TRUCKS ON THE AIRFIELD. THERE WERE NO ACK-ACK BUT, ENSIGN DENNES HAD A BULLET HOLE IN ONE WING AND LT. BARACKMAN HAD ONE IN HIS PROPELLER.

THE EVENING CAP OF 8 VT AND 6 VF WAS A DRAB AFFAIR IN COMPARISON WITH THE REST OF THE DAY'S AERIAL CHORES. IT TOOK OFF AT 1531 AND LANDED AT 1846 WITH NARY A JAP SIGHTED. UPON COMPLETION OF THE DAYS WORK, THE FOLLOWING CAME FROM THE FLAG -- "MESSAGE TO THIS TASK GROUP -- DARN WELL DONE -- UPWARDS OF 30 AIRBORNE ENEMY AIRCRAFT DESTROYED AGAINST ONE OF OUR SHOT DOWN -- ADMIRAL CLARK."

MONDAY, 12 JUNE '44: TODAY BEGAN AUSPICIOUSLY WITH OUR PLANES BAGGING TWO MORE JAPS AND ENDED TRAGICALLY WHEN THE GUNS OF ONE OF OUR HELLCATS WERE DISCHARGED ON LANDING AND SPRAYED THE DECK, WOUNDING SEVEN MEN; LUCKILY, NONE OF THE WOUNDS WERE SERIOUS.

THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT 1852 WHEN A PLANE LANDED WITHOUT HAVING ITS' SWITCHES PROPERLY SECURED. THE JOLT OF LANDING SET OFF THE 50 CAL. MACHINE GUNS IN THE WING. A SHOWER OF LEAD RATTLED AGAINST THE BRIDGE AND OVER THE DECK, WHICH WAS CROWDED WITH PLANES RECENTLY LANDED, PLANE HANDLERS, AND ORDNANCE MEN.

LESS THAN ONE HOUR AFTER HE LED HIS FIGHTERS OFF THE DECK AT 0520, A JAP JUDY FELL TO THE GUNS OF LT. COMDR. STRANGE. GQ SOUNDED AT 0533 AND AT 0601 CAME WORD THAT STRANGE HAD SHOT DOWN A JUDY 30 MILES FROM THE FORMATION. IN GETTING HIS SECOND JAP IN TWO DAYS, STRANGE ATTACKED FROM THE BEHIND AND BENEATH. WHEN THE LANE WENT OUT OF CONTROL, THE JAP BAILED OUT, BUT, HIS PARACHUTE FLOATED FOR SOME TIME; THE PILOT WAS OBVIOUSLY DEAD WHEN HE HIT THE WATER.

ONLY 14 MINUTES AFTER THE NEWS OF STRANGE, CAME THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT LT. BARACKMAN HAD RUN HIS STRING TO THREE IN TWO DAYS. HIS VICTIM WAS ALSO A JUDY. BARACKMAN BORE IN ON THE JUDY WITH A LONG BURST THAT SET HIM IN SMOKE. THE JUDY TRIED TO PULL UP, BUT WAS SMOKING AND FELL AWAY ON THE LEFT WING OUT OF CONTROL. ENSIGN RICH FOLLOWED THE PLANE DOWN TO MAKE SURE IT DIDN'T GET AWAY. IT DIDN'T.

THE BATAAN FLEW CAP AND ASP FOR THE REST OF THE DAY WITH THE USUAL FISHERMAN'S LUCK, UNABLE TO RAISE A HEALTHY BOGEY. THIS SORT OF THING GAVE THE PILOTS A BIG PAIN IN THE VICINITY OF THEIR SEAT PACKS, ESPECIALLY THOSE OF THE SECOND PATROL. SOME WERE ALOFT FOR MORE THAN FIVE HOURS WITHOUT RELIEF AND CAME ABOARD WITH ABOUT ENOUGH GAS FOR A GOOD BELCH. THIS PATROL WAS LAUNCHED AT 0710 AND THE LAST PLANE RETURNED AT 1232. TWO MORE PATROLS WERE FLOWN DURING THE DAY, THE LAST ONE BEING A MERRY SCRAMBLE

36 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org WHICH STARTED OUT THREE VF SHORT (ALL OUR AVAILABLE PLANES WERE IN THE AIR AND TWO WERE DOWN ON THE HORNET) AND WOUND UP FOUR PLANES OVER THE NORMAL ALLOTMENT WHEN SEVEN WERE LAUNCHED AS QUICKLY AS AVAILABLE TO AUGMENT THE PATROL.

THE SICK CHICKENS WHICH CAME TO ROOST ON THE HORNET WERE LT. (JG) LLOYD BROWN AND ENSIGN BARLO TARLETON. BOTH WERE ABLE TO RETURN TO BASE AFTER MINOR REPAIRS.

TUESDAY, 13 JUNE '44: NO JAPS FOR OUR FIGHTERS TODAY, BUT, OUR TBM'S DROPPED PLENTY OF TROUBLE ONTO TOJO'S POSITIONS ON ROTA AND GUAM. OUR GOOD LUCK ALSO CONTINUED WHEN A CRASH ON THE FLIGHT DECK, SPOTTED WITH AVENGERS LOADED WITH GAS AND BOMBS, DIDN'T START A FIRE. THIS EVENT HAPPENED AT 1055 AFTER WE HAD BEEN ASKED TO TAKE ABOARD FOUR SB2C'S, WHO, HAD BEEN OUT ON A LONG SEARCH WHICH LOCATED A JAP CONVOY AND WHICH COULDN'T LAND ABOARD THE HORNET BECAUSE THE PARENT SHIP HAD THE AFTER PORTION OF THE DECK FULL OF PLANES. THE FIRST THREE BIG HELLDIVERS CAME IN SAFELY, BUT THE FOURTH ONE, PILOTED BY LT. (JG) A. F. DOHERTY, NOSED DOWN ON LANDING, DID A KANGAROO HOP OVER THE BARRIERS AND CRASHED INTO THE PLANES SPOTTED FORWARD. ALL FOUR SB2C'S WERE SO BADLY DAMAGED THAT THEY WERE JETTISONED. ONE OF OUR HELLCATS ALSO WAS TOSSED OVER THE SIDE.

AIR GROUP 50 MADE A TOTAL OF 53 SORTIES OVER ENEMY POSITIONS, FLEW 10 CAP, AND DROPPED 16 TONS OF BOMBS. EIGHT ONE-TON BOMBS LANDED IN THE TARGET AREA AT PITI NAVY YARD, GUAM, AND OTHERS ON ANTI- AIRCRAFT POSITIONS. ONE SAMPAN WAS SUNK BY STRAFING AT ROTA, TWO SINGLE-ENGINE PLANES WERE STRAFED ON THE GROUND, AND THE SUGAR MILL WAS BOMBED.

LT. LAAKE AND ENSIGN DENNES WERE FORCED TO MAKE EMERGENCY LANDINGS ABOARD THE HORNET AFTER THE MORNING SORTIES OVER ROTA. LAAKE LOST MOST OF HIS TAIL COMING OUT OF A DIVE. DENNES, WITH HIS HYDRAULIC SYSTEM DAMAGED BY ENEMY FIRE, COULDN'T LOWER HIS FLAPS AND HAD TROUBLE GETTING HIS WHEELS DOWN, SO HE SELECTED THE BIG DECK OF THE HORNET FOR LANDING. INASMUCH AS DENNES WAS FLYING A PHOTOGRAPHIC PLANE, THIS RUINED THE DAY FOR THE PHOTO INTERPRETATION OFFICER. OTHER PHOTOS WERE SPOILED BY LOW CLOUDS OVER THE TARGET.

WEDNESDAY, 14 JUNE '44: ANOTHER JAP FOR LT. COMDR. STRANGE TODAY. WONDER WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM YESTERDAY? NO PLANE SHOT DOWN! OTHERWISE, A PLANE-A-DAY AVERAGE FOR THE AIR GROUP SKIPPER. THIS TIME HE GOT A BETTY AFTER A LONG CHASE THAT TOOK HIM 65 MILES FROM THE FORMATION. NONE OF OUR OTHERS, FLYING COVER FOR THE ASP DURING THE OPERATION, HAVE EVEN SO MUCH AS SIGHTED A JAP, BUT, IT DIDN'T TAKE STRANGE LONG TO SPOT ONE. THE PATROL WAS LAUNCHED AT 0826 AND AT 0910 HE REPORTED HIS THIRD NIP SCALP. THE SKIPPER NORMALLY DOESN'T FLY THESE BORING PATROLS BUT TOOK THIS ONE ON THE HUNCH HE'D "GET A JAP."

THIS WAS A DAY WITHOUT AN 0300 CALL FOR THE AIR DEPARTMENT. IT WAS ALSO HOMECOMING DAY. THE FOUR PILOTS FROM THE HORNET WERE SENT HOME VIA DESTROYER. LT. LAAKE AND ENSIGN DENNES RETURNED FROM THE HORNET.

WE REFUELED IN THE AFTERNOON AND THEN SET OUT ON THE SECOND PHASE OF THIS PARTICULAR ADVENTURE.

THURSDAY, 15 JUNE '44: AT 0822, A CAP AND ASF IS LAUNCHED AS WE MOVE ALMOST INTO TOJO'S BACKYARD. ONCE AGAIN WE ARE GOING TO STRIKE A DAY AHEAD OF SCHEDULE, THIS TIME HITTING IWO JIMA, HAHA JIMA, AND CHICHI JIMA -- ONLY 500 MILES FROM TOKYO. HERE ARE THE DAY'S HIGH SPOTS:

1145: AIR PILOT SITS IN ON A THRILLING AND HILARIOUS RADIO CONVERSATION BETWEEN LTS. WOOD AND BARACKMAN WHO ATTACHED A JAP AK OF 1500-2500 TONS ABOUT 25 MILES AHEAD OF THE FORMATION. BARACKMAN MADE A FEW STRAFING RUNS TO KNOCK OUT THE DECK GUNS, THEN WOOD MOVED IN AND

37 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org STRADDLED THE SHIP WITH DEPTH CHARGES. THE AK SLOWED TO ABOUT TWO KNOTS AND BEGAN CIRCLING TO THE RIGHT, AS WOOD AND BARACKMAN KEPT UP STRAFING RUNS TRYING TO SINK THE SHIP BEFORE THE DD SCREEN COULD COME UP AND DO THE JOB. LT. (JG) FELIX HART DROPPED HIS DEPTH CHARGES IN A STRADDLE, BUT THE AK REMAINED AFLOAT UNTIL LT. (JG) JOHN MIDDLETON'S LAST CHARGE DROPPED INTO THE WATER EVEN WITH THE BRIDGE AND BLEW THE FORWARD FOURTH OF THE SHIP RIGHT OFF. THE JAP TURNED OVER SHORTLY AFTERWARDS AND 112 SURVIVORS WERE PICKED UP. THE SHIP WAS IDENTIFIED AS THE TATSUTAKAWA MARU, OF 1900 TONS.

1220: ALL PLANES WERE TAKEN ABOARD SAFELY IN A SQUALL AND HEAVY SWELLS THAT MAKES LANDINGS DIFFICULT. REPORTS FROM A WEATHER PLANE INDICATE MOTHER NATURE IS AGAINST US AND THAT THE CEILING IS 000 FOR MORE THAN 100 MILES TO THE WEST, WHICH WOULD MEAN THE TARGET IS OBSCURED. COULD IT BE THAT WE'LL HAVE TO SIT IN THE WEATHER FRONT ALL NIGHT AND STRIKE TOMORROW? NOT SO GOOD, FOR THE AK MUST HAVE NOTIFIED TOKYO OF OUR PRESENCE.

1330: THE SUN CAME OUT JUST AS WE LAUNCHED THE FIRST PLANE, RIGHT ON TIME, FOR A FIGHTER SWEEP ON THE BONINS. THE BATAAN WAS THE FIRST CARRIER TO COMPLETE LAUNCHING, PUTTING 12 PLANES INTO THE AIR IN 7 MINUTES, LAUNCHING AT INTERVALS OF 35 SECONDS. THE AIR OFFICER COMMENDED ALL HANDS, AND THE CHAPLAIN OFFERED A PRAYER OVER THE BULL HORN.

1700: STILL NO WORD FROM OUR PLANES BUT WORD IS THAT THE CLOUDS ARE DOWN TO THE WATER OVER THE TARGET AND THAT WE'LL BE LUCKY TO GET IN AND TO OUR ASSIGNED JOB. THE ADMIRAL HAS GIVEN US A COUPLE OF PATS ON THE BACK, HOWEVER, SO ALL HANDS ARE ELATED. ONE PAT WENT TO THE PILOTS WHO BAGGED THE AK, THE OTHER TO THE ENGINEERS. UNKNOWN TO ALMOST EVERYONE ABOARD SHIP, SOMETHING WENT WRONG WITH THE ENGINES ABOUT NOON SO THAT WE COULD MAKE NO MORE THAN 25 KNOTS. THE TROUBLE WAS CORRECTED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, EARNING A "WELL DONE" FROM THE ADMIRAL.

1720: FIGHTER PLANES LANDED; 12 OF THEM IN 13 MINUTES

1740: THE TORPEDO PLANES ARE COMING IN, ONE OF THEM WITH A WOUNDED MAN ABOARD, AND MOST OF THEM SHORT OF GAS. WITH THE WEATHER BAD AND THE SEA ROUGH, IT WILL BE TOUGH TAKING THEM ABOARD. LT. (JG) HAROLD CONNORS MAKES A PERFECT LANDING, EASING GENTLY TO THE DECK UNDER THE DIRECTION OF MIKE MIKRONIS. WILLING HANDS RUSH TO REMOVE THE WOUNDED RADIO MAN, ALONZO, R. J., ARM2C, WHO HAS A JAP 7.7 MACHINE GUN BULLET IN HIS THIGH. THE TBM, LOW ON GAS HAS GONE INTO THE DRINK, BUT THE PILOT, LT. (JG) ALANSON HALL, AND HISCREWMEN, ANGELO, P. L., ARM2C, AND REX, A. K., ARM1C, WERE PICKED UP BY A DD.

1930: NEARLY EVERYONE LAYS UP TO THE FLIGHT DECK TO WATCH A FIRE ON THE DECK OF THE BELLEAU WOOD, WHICH BLAZED FOR TEN MINUTES. ONCE AGAIN WE FEEL LUCKY.

FRIDAY, 16 JUNE '44: FOUL WEATHER HANGS ON. COMDR. CARR VOICED THE SENTIMENTS OF ALL DURING EARLY FLIGHT QUARTERS WHEN HE ANNOUNCED OVER THE SQUAWK BOX: "THE MEDICAL OFFICER DOES NOT APPROVE OF THIS WEATHER." WE MOVED SOUTHWARD, ABANDONING FURTHER SCHEDULED ATTACKS ON CHICHI JIMA AND HAHA JIMA BECAUSE OF (1) WEATHER, (2) THE ABSENCE OF WORTH-WHILE TARGETS AND, (3) A REPORT THAT TWO POWERFUL JAP NAVAL UNITS ARE CONVERGING TOWARD THE MARIANAS. AN EARLY STRIKE AGAINST IWO JIMA WAS DELAYED BY THE RAIN, LOW VISIBILITY, AND HEAVY SEAS; BUT AT 1303, OUR FIGHTER SWEEP TOOK OFF IN THE RAIN. ANOTHER FOLLOWED AT 1320.

THE TBM'S AND COVER TOOK OFF AT 1429 WITH SUCH SPEED THAT THE AIR OFFICER CONGRATULATED ALL HANDS. PLANES WERE CATAPULTED AT INTERVALS OF 37 SECONDS AND FLOWN AWAY AT 20 SECOND INTERVALS. NO

38 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org AIRBORNE AIRCRAFT WERE ENCOUNTERED, AND SOME 30 PLANES SEEN ON THE GROUND, HAD PROBABLY BEEN DAMAGED PREVIOUSLY. EIGHT TONS OF BOMBS WERE DROPPED ON THE AIRFIELD, STARTING FIRES AMONG THE SERVICE BUILDINGS ADJACENT TO THE LANDING STRIPS. LT. FRANCIS PARKED HIS F6F IN THE PORT CATWALK IN MAKING A LAUNCHING AT 1557, BUT, ESCAPED UNHURT.

SATURDAY, 17 JUNE '44: IT LOOKS LIKE WE MAY GET A CHANCE TO TANGLE WITH THE JAP FLEET AT LAST. THOSE TWO TASK FORCES REPORTED LEAVING THE PHILIPPINES SEA HEADED FOR SAIPAN. SO, WE'RE OFF TO INTERCEPT THEM IF POSSIBLE, AND FORCE A SHOWDOWN BATTLE. MOST OF THE DAY WE MAINTAINED A COURSE OF 140 DEGREES TO THE WESTWARD OF SAIPAN. FLIGHT OPERATIONS WERE ROUTINE. WE FLEW TWO CAP AND ASP PATROLS, LAUNCHING AT 0835 AND 1537. WE ALSO TOOK TIME OUT TO TOP OFF DESTROYERS. DURING GQ AT 1900, CAPTAIN SCHAEFFER GAVE A BRIEF RESUME OF DEVELOPMENTS IN THE SAIPAN LANDING OPERATIONS AND INFORMED ALL HANDS OF THE JAP FLEET MOVEMENTS AND OUR INTENTIONS REGARDING SAME.

SUNDAY, 18 JUNE '44: STILL JAP-HUNTING WITHOUT SUCCESS EXCEPT FOR LT. (JG) CHUCK WOOD AND LT. CLIFF FANNING ON EARLY ASP. THEY SPOTTED A LIFE RAFT WITH MANY PEOPLE ON IT, APPARENTLY DEAD. WHEN A DD REACHED THEM, THE "DEAD" MEN TURNED OUT TO BE VERY LIVE JAPS. AS SOON AS THE SHIP APPROACHED THEM, SOME JUMPED INTO THE WATER AND STARTED TO SWIM TO TOKYO. THEY DIDN'T GET FAR. IN ALL, THE CAN PICKED UP 14 FROM THE RAFT, WHICH MIGHT BE TERMED A RAFT OF JAPS.

GQ AT 0500 AND AGAIN AT 1430. WE LAUNCHED TWO CAPS -- ASPS AT 0514 AND 1215; SOME RETURNED AT 0932 AND 1658. AT NOON WE RENDEZVOUSED WITH TASK GROUP 58.2, 58.3, AND 58.4 AT 15 DEGREES NORTH AND 143 DEGREES EAST. A FEW BOGIES WERE REPORTED AND THREE SHOT DOWN.

MONDAY, 19 JUNE '44: THE DAY DAWNED LIKE ANY OTHER ONE, BUT WE WERE UP LONG BEFORE THAT WITH GQ SOUNDING AT 0500. WE HAD BEEN ON A COURSE AT 250 DEGREES DURING THE NIGHT, BUT IT WASN'T UNTIL A HALF HOUR AFTER WE LAUNCHED THE ROUTINE CAP AND ASP AT 0825 THAT WE HAD NEWS OF THE JAP FLEET. A TBM, ON SEARCH OUT OF ENIWETOK, REPORTED SIGHTING A LARGE FORCE MORE THAN 300 MILES WEST OF US AND OUT OF OUR TASK FORCE SEARCH AREA. AT 0925, ENSIGN H. L. NELSON BROUGHT HIS SICK CHICKEN ONTO THE BELLEAU WOOD BECAUSE OUR DECK WAS SPOTTED FOR TAKEOFF. LT. LARRY ABBOTT REPORTED AT 0940, THAT HIS TEAM HAD SHOT DOWN A RUFE. AT 0930, WE SAW GUNFIRE ON THE STARBOARD BEAM AND THE DETONATION OF A COUPLE OF DEPTH CHARGES WERE FELT AS A CAN APPARENTLY DETECTED A SUB IN THE VICINITY. AT 1003, THE POWER PLANT FAILED, AND FOR A MINUTE OR MORE, WE WERE AS THOROUGHLY IN THE DARK BELOW DECKS AS WE WERE CONCERNING THE JAP FLEET MOVEMENTS. ALL IN ALL, IT APPEARED TO BE A ROUTINE DAY WITH NOTHING TO SET IT APART.

CLANG! CLANG! AT 1014 WE WERE JOLTED OUT OF OUR COMPLACENCY BY THE GENERAL ALARM; THE GONG ECHOING IMPERIOUSLY, TREMULOUSLY, AND EXCITEDLY THROUGHOUT THE SHIP ...... "A 30-PLANE RAID COMING IN AT US FROM 270 DEGREES" SAID THE BATTLE ANNOUNCING SYSTEM. THIS WAS IT. A THRILL RAN THROUGH THE SHIP. TOJO WAS TRYING TO GET IN THE FIRST PUNCH, BUT, WE WERE READY, AND HOW. EIGHT FIGHTER PLANES WERE LAUNCHED IN A MINUTE AND A HALF AND CLIMBED UP TO AUGMENT THE CAP. LET 'EM COME, WE'LL FIX 'EM. THE GUN CREWS WERE HAPPY ..... HERE PERHAPS WAS A CHANCE TO TEST THEIR AIR AGAINST A BETTER TARGET THAN A SLEEVE.

FROM THE DECK, THE PICTURE WAS IMPRESSIVE. THE SEA WAS CALM, WITH ONLY AN OCCASIONAL WHITE CAP AND THE CURLING WAVES OF THE FLEET TO DISTURB ITS DEEP, PURPLISH-BLUE COMPLACENCY. IT WAS STILL THE PACIFIC, REGARDLESS OF MAN'S BATTLES ABOUT TO RAGE ON OR ABOVE IT. THE SKY WAS A LIGHTER, BRIGHTER, CONTRASTING BLUE THAT LOST ITSELF INTO A FRINGE OF CLOUDS ON THE HORIZON. THE BATTLE STADIUM WAS A DEEP BLUE BOWL, AND HIGH ABOVE, SOME OF THE PLAYERS WERE WARMING UP, TRACING LACY WHITE PATTERNS ON THE COBALT DOME WITH THEIR VAPOR TRAILS. THEY LOOKED PRETTY UP THERE, OUR PLANES, BUT HOW DEADLY THEY SOON WERE TO BECOME.

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ALL ABOUT US, EXTENDING BEYOND THE HORIZON, SPRAWLED THE GREATEST NAVAL FORCE IN HISTORY --- THE MIGHTY CARRIERS, WITH THEIR BIRDS OF PREY, EITHER SOARING ABOVE, OR FLYING OUT TO TRACK DOWN THE ENEMY -- THE HUGE BATTLESHIPS AND SLEEK CRUISERS, WITH GUNS BRISTLING AND THEIR ANTI-AIRCRAFT BATTERIES REACHING EAGER FINGERS TOWARD THE SKY -- AND, AROUND ALL OF THIS FIGHTING POWER, WERE THE BUSY DESTROYERS, SCAMPERING LIKE A FLOCK OF MOTHER HENS CLUCKING OVER A BROOD OF FULL-GROWN FIGHTING COCKS.

DEATH AND DESTRUCTION WERE TURNING A BEAUTIFUL, BUT DESTRUCTIVE, FACE TOWARD THE JAPS -- A FITTING WELCOME FOR THEIR TREACHERY. THE SETTING WAS SET, NOW FOR THE ACTION BY THE CLOCK:

1030: A LARGE GROUP OF TWIN-ENGINE BOMBERS WERE SPOTTED AT GUAM. NOW THE JAP STRATEGY IS CLEAR. THEY INTEND TO HIT US FROM ONE DIRECTION WITH CARRIER-BASED PLANES, AND FROM THE OTHER WITH LAND-BASED PLANES. THEY HOPE TO GET US IN THE NUT CRACKER. THEIR OWN TASK FORCE IS BEYOND OUR REACH, SO THE ATTACKING FIGHTERS MUST BE INSTRUCTED TO LAND AT GUAM, TINIAN, OR ROTA AFTER THEY STRIKE US FROM THEIR CARRIERS. WELL, THEY ARE IN FOR A SURPRISE, OUR TASK FORCE IS ALREADY ATTACKING GUAM. THE BOMBERS WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO TAKE OFF, AND, THE FIGHTERS, IF THEY EVER REACH GUAM, WILL BE SHOT DOWN LIKE FLIES.

1038: ENSIGN KENDRICK CAME BACK TO THE DECK FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING, BUT HIS TROUBLES ARE NOT SERIOUS. THE VOICE OF THE CAPTAIN COMES OVER THE BULL HORN -- "ENEMY PLANES ARE COMING IN. PREPARE FOR ACTION." WE ARE READY. TOPSIDE, THE MEN ARE DONNING ANTI-FLASH CLOTHING AND THE GUN GALLERIES AND WALKWAYS ARE ALIVE WITH CREATURES THE LIKES OF WHICH ORSON WELLES MUST OF HAVE DREAMED OF WHEN HE SCARED THE WORLD WITH HIS BROADCAST OF AN INVASION FROM MARS. FUNNY WHAT A TRANSFORMATION OCCURS WHEN A GOOD-LOOKING YOUNG FELLOW PUTS ON HIS HELMET, LONG GLOVES, HOOD, GOGGLES, AND MASK. THIS MAN NOW BECOMES A BLUE BOGGIE-MAN.

1040: "MANY PLANES AT 20,000 FEET," SAYS THE BULL HORN. "SIXTY-FIVE MILES, BEARING 160 DEGREES RELATIVE."

1051: MORE JAP PLANES ARE REPORTED APPROACHING, 20 MILES AWAY, BEARING 260 DEGREES.

1053: SHIPS ON OUR PORT QUARTER OPEN FIRE, BUT WE CAN SEE NOTHING.

1054: MORE JAPS 15 MILES TO THE WEST.

1055: PLANES SIGHTED COMING IN AT 080 DEGREES AND 180 DEGREES. JAPS AREN'T FOOLING.

1100: THEY MAY NOT BE FOOLING, BUT THEY ARE FALLING. THERE'S A BOGIE IN SIGHT NOW. OUR HELLCATS HAVE BROKEN UP THEIR FORMATIONS AND SCATTERED THEM ALL OVER THE SKY. IT MUST BE TRUE WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT THE JAP PILOTS -- THAT THEY CAN'T HOLD FORMATION UNDER ATTACK, AND THEY DON'T KNOW THE VALUE OF TEAMWORK. WE DO. OUR BOYS ARE ATHLETES, AND OUR TEAM IS BEGINNING TO RUN UP THE SCORE.

1104: WORD IS PASSED TO BRING UP ALL AVAILABLE PLANES FROM THE HANGER DECK FOR LAUNCHING. LT. COMDR. ROLLA LEMMON AND ENSIGN BOB FASH, WHO HAVE BEEN SLOWLY GOING CRAZY IN AIR PLOT, START DANCING WITH JOY. THEY'VE BEEN PACING AROUND LIKE CAGED CATS OR LIKE A COUPLE OF FOOTBALL PLAYERS STALKING THE SIDELINES WAITING FOR A CHANCE TO GET INTO THE BIG GAME. IT'S TOUGH TO BE GROUNDED WHEN YOUR SQUADRON MATES ARE UP THERE TAKING A FEW NIPS.

40 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org 1108: LT. WANBURG, FROM THE YORKTOWN, LANDS ABOARD; WE'LL HAVE HIM FLYING AGAIN IN A FEW MINUTES.

1112: FIVE BURSTS OF ACK-ACK ARE SEEN ON THE STARBOARD BEAM, BUT NO BOGIES.

1120: THIS WAITING IS AGGRAVATING. THE ESSEX CUTS LOOSE WITH A SALVO. MAYBE A JAP SNEAKED IN AFTER ALL.

1122: ANOTHER BUNCH OF JAPS ARE COMING IN. THE MEDICAL OFFICER ADVISES ALL HANDS TO DON ANTI- FLASH CLOTHING. EVERYBODY LAUGHS AT EVERYONE ELSE. EVEN YOUR BEST FRIEND CAN'T TELL YOU IN THIS GARB. IT HAS BEEN HOTTER THAN THE HINGES OF HELL BELOW DECKS ANYHOW, AND NOW, WRAPPED IN THESE POWDER BLUE MONSTROSITIES, MEN BEGAN TO MELT AWAY.

1138: TWO RAIDS HAVE BEEN SPOTTED, ONE AT 258 DEGREES AT 75 MILES AND ONE AT 000 DEGREES AT 100 MILES. THE FIGHTER DIRECTORS ARE ON THEIR TOES IN LOCATING THESE BOGIES. NOT MANY JAPS CAN GET THROUGH WHEN WE SPOT 'EM SO SOON.

1143: THE YORKTOWN PILOT TAKES OFF AGAIN; WE FOLLOW IMMEDIATELY BY LAUNCHING THREE FIGHTERS AND FOUR AVENGERS FOR A STRIKE AT ROTA.

1203: BLACK PUFF BALLS OF A/A DOT THE HORIZON OFF THE STARBOARD QUARTER. SUDDENLY THERE IS A BURST OF FLAME AND A JAP PLANE, LIKE A COMET WITH A FLAMING YELLOW BODY AND A LONG BLACK TAIL, CRASHES INTO THE SEA. A SPONTANEOUS CHEER ERUPTS FROM THE THROATS OF ALL ON THE FLIGHT DECK.

1225: NO MORE BOGIES VISIBLE ANYWHERE.

1234: ALL PILOTS ABOARD NOW BUT ABBOTT, SMITH, THOMAS, TARLETON, MILLER, AND McCORMICK. STILL, NOT ANOTHER RISING SUN TO PAINT ON THE ISLAND.

1248: THOMAS HAS BEEN HEARD FROM. HE LANDED ON THE PRINCETON.

1255: THE SAN JACINTO SPOTS 12 PLANES LOW OVER THE WATER. HERE COMES THE TORPEDO ATTACK WE'VE BEEN EXPECTING. BUT, IT DOESN'T COME FAR. ONCE AGAIN OUR FIGHTERS GO TO WORK. PERIOD.

1309: WE LAUNCH AN 8-PLANE CAP AND 3 VF FOR ASP. NELSON TAKES OFF FROM THE BELLEAU WOOD TO JOIN UP.

1316: "16 ZEKES COMING IN," COMES THE WORD. THEN -- "15 SPLASH!" ANOTHER CHEER FROM ALL HANDS AND SOMEONE CRACKS -- "THE FELLOW WHO MISSED ON NO. 16 WILL BE BROKEN TO SEAMEN SECOND.

1320: ANOTHER ATTACK IS COMING IN FROM 210 DEGREES, VERY LOW. AN A/A CRUISER, 1,500 YARDS AWAY, OPENS FIRE WITH ITS' FIVE-INCHERS. WE MAKE AN EMERGENCY TURN TO THE RIGHT TO AVOID A POSSIBLE TORPEDO. BUT, THERE WAS NO TORPEDO. WE LEARN THAT THE ATTACK WAS MADE BY A LONE PLANE AND THAT IT WAS SHOT DOWN.

1346: OUR COURSE IS NOW 110 DEGREES. OUR PLANES FROM THE ROTA STRIKE COME ABOARD WITH A STRICTLY NEGATIVE WORD. THEY HAVE SEEN NO JAPS IN THE AIR, NONE ON THE GROUND AND ENCOUNTERED NO A/A FIRE. THE VT'S DUMPED THEIR LOADS ON THE WESTERN HALF OF THE RUNWAY.

AFTER THAT, THINGS QUIETED DOWN TO NOTHINGNESS, ALTHOUGH ALL HANDS REMAINED AT GQ. HAMBURGER SANDWICHES AND BATTLE RATIONS HELPED TO REVIVE WEARY SPIRITS AND WATER WAS TURNED ON IN A FEW SCUTTLEBUTTS, TO THE DELIGHT OF ALL HANDS. WE CHANGED COURSE TO 250 DEGREES AT 1425 AND AT 1545 TO 300

41 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org DEGREES. A LONE BOGIE APPEARED AND DISAPPEARED AT 1431. AT 1604, WE LAUNCHED A STRIKE OF FOUR VF'S AND FOUR VT'S TO BOMB THE RUNWAYS AT ROTA AND THEN FLY CAP OVER THE ISLAND FOR TWO HOURS. THE GROUP CAME BACK ABOARD AT 1856, REPORTING THE MISSION ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT A JAP BEING SEEN.

A FINAL CHECK OF ALL PILOTS REVEALED THAT THE DAY HAD NOT BEEN A FUTILE ONE FOR THE AIR GROUP. WE HAD ADDED 10 DEFINITE KILLS TO OUR BAG AND TWO OTHER PROBABLES. THE DEFINITES WERE DISTRIBUTED AS FOLLOWS: REHM, 3 ZEKES; McCORMICK, 2 JUDIES; TARLETON, 2 JILLS; AND MILLER, 1 ZEKE. MILLER GOT A PROBABLE ZEKE AND McCORMICK A PROBABLE JUDY. CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT THESE FIVE MEN AND THOMAS WERE THE ONLY BATAAN PILOTS TO ENCOUNTER THE ENEMY, THE SHOWING WAS EXCELLENT!

THE TOTAL FOR TASK FORCE 58.1 WAS ANNOUNCED AS 109 DEFINITE KILLS, WITH OTHER GROUPS SCORING IN PROPORTION; THAT MEANS THE JAP CARRIERS HAVE BEEN STRIPPED OF THEIR PLANES, AND BETTER, THEIR PILOTS. UNFORTUNATELY, THE TACTICAL SITUATION NECESSITATES THAT WE REMAIN FAIRLY CLOSE TO THE MARIANAS TO PROTECT THE GROUND TROOPS, SO IT LOOKS LIKE TOJO'S FLEET CAN MAKE A GET AWAY. SO SORRY.

TUESDAY, 20 JUNE '44: ANOTHER DAY THAT STARTED CALMLY AND THEN WENT BERSERK, WINDING UP AT 2130 WITH A MYRIAD OF LIGHTS WINKING ON AND OUT; TOO MANY OF THEM IN THE WATER, AS A COUPLE OF HUNDRED OF OUR PLANES ATTEMPTED THE FIRST MASS NIGHT LANDING IN NAVAL HISTORY, AFTER A CRIPPLING SUNSET STRIKE AT THE FLEEING JAP FLEET.

THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT OF 19/20, WE HAD BEEN ON COURSE 260 DEGREES, SPEED 15 KNOTS, AND WORD CAME FROM THE FLAG THAT A STRIKE WOULD BE LAUNCHED AT 0530, COURSE 305 DEGREES TRUE, AT MAXIMUM DISTANCE, TO SEARCH FOR THE JAPS. THE AIR DEPARTMENT WAS ROUTED OUT OF THE SACK BY ANOTHER 0400 REVEILLE AND LAUNCHED A ROUTINE CAP-ASP WITH ANTI-SNOOPER AT 0528. THIS GROUP WAS TAKEN ABOARD AGAIN AT 0930 AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER, CAPTAIN SCHAEFFER READ A DISPATCH FROM ADMIRAL MITSCHER CONGRATULATING ALL HANDS ON THE PREVIOUS DAY'S WORK.

"THE AVIATORS AND GUN SHIPS OF THIS TASK FORCE HAVE DONE A JOB TODAY WHICH WILL MAKE THIS COUNTRY PROUD OF THEM. THEIR SKILLFUL DEFENSE OF THIS TASK FORCE ENABLED THE FORCE TO ESCAPE A VICIOUS, WELL COORDINATED AIRCRAFT ATTACK, CARRIED OUT WITH DETERMINATION. MITSCHER."

OUR SECOND CAP-ASP WAS AIRBORNE AT 1227, AND AT 1301, CAME WORD THAT LT. (JG) LLOYD BROWN, WHO HAD BEEN A STAND-BY PILOT, WAS IN THE AIR BECAUSE WE HAD A SICK CHICK, AND HAD SHOT DOWN A BETTY. OUR COURSE HAD BEEN VARIED. AT NOON WE HAD GONE TO ONE OF 330 DEGREES, AND AT 1313, HAD SWUNG TO 000 DEGREES. THE AFTERNOON WAS WEARING ON AND IT SEEMED THE JAPS WOULD ESCAPE UNTIL ANOTHER DAY, AT LEAST; AND, OUR FUEL WAS RUNNING SO LOW WE COULDN'T CHASE MUCH LONGER. ALREADY WE WERE WELL WEST OF GUAM AND ALMOST STRAIGHT NORTH OF YAK.

AT 1530 CAME THE NEWS. THE JAP FLEET HAD BEEN SIGHTED BY A SEARCH PLANE AT LATITUDE 15 DEGREES 15'NORTH AND LONGITUDE 134 DEGREES 35'EAST, COURSE 270 DEGREES, SPEED 20 KNOTS. THE SNOOPER REPORTED NO JAP PLANES AIRBORNE OR ON THE DECKS OF THE CARRIERS. BOY, WE REALLY DID KNOCK OUT THEIR AIR ARM! WHAT AN OPPORTUNITY TO DELIVER ANOTHER KO WALLOP AT THE FLEET! IT HAS NO FIGHTER PROTECTION. UNFORTUNATELY, IT IS SO LATE THAT NO STRIKE CAN REACH THEM AND RETURN BEFORE DARK. BESIDES THEY ARE 275 MILES TO THE WEST AND NORTH -- THE ABSOLUTE MAXIMUM FOR PLANES CARRYING BOMB LOADS.

THE ADMIRAL DECIDED TO STRIKE! AT 1613, WE LAUNCHED 10 VF, EACH CARRYING A 500 POUND CP OR SAP BOMB, AND JUST ENOUGH GAS TO GET BACK IF THEY WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO ESCAPE THE JAP A/A. FOR THE FIRST TIME, THERE WAS A FEELING OF TENSENESS ABOARD AS WE REALIZED THAT SOME OF THESE PILOTS MIGHT NOT COME BACK.

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THE ROUTINE PATROL LANDED ABOARD AT 1645 AND AS SOON AS THE PILOTS AND CREWMEN COULD BE FED, GQ WAS SOUNDED AT 1730. AT 1815, THE CAPTAIN EXPLAINED THE SITUATION OVER THE BULL HORN. TIME PASSED WITH EXASPERATING SLOWNESS AS THOUGH IT WERE DRAGGING ANCHOR. AT 1940, THE BULL HORN SNAPS ALL HANDS TO ELECTRIFIED ATTENTION. AN AMERICAN SUBMARINE REPORTS SINKING A JAP CARRIER. ONE OF THE BIG ONES! WHAT A CHEER THAT BROUGHT.

IT IS ALMOST 2015 BEFORE WE HAVE ANY WORD FROM OUR PILOTS. WE HEAR THAT LT. MIKE HINN, WHO IS KNOWN AS "OLD GOAT" TO HIS SQUADRON SINCE HE ADDED A POINTED BEARD TO HIS MOUSTACHE, IS LEADING A FOUR PLANE SECTION HOMEWARD, ONLY 15 MILES FROM THE SHIP. GOOD OLD MIKE. IT WAS PITCH DARK OUT THERE NOW. NIGHT LANDINGS ARE TOUGH ENOUGH AT BEST. A FEELING OF APPREHENSION RAN LIKE A CHILL WHEN THE PROBLEM OF LANDING SO MANY PLANES ON SO MANY CARRIERS, WITHOUT REVEALING OUR POSITION TO POSSIBLE ENEMY SUBS OR SNOOPERS, BECAME APPARENT.

AT 2035, THE FIRST WHEELS SETTLED ON THE DECK WHO WAS IT? IT WAS TOO DARK TO SEE THE PLANE NUMBER. PLANE HANDLERS PUSHED FORWARD AS THEY HAD BEEN DOING ALMOST WITHOUT REST FOR DAYS. THIS WAS NONE OF OUR BOYS. IT WAS A PILOT FROM THE YORKTOWN. ANOTHER PLANE CAME IN AND FOULED THE DECK BY SMASHING THE FIRST BARRIER. HE TOO, WAS FROM THE YORKTOWN. THE CRASH WAS SUCH THAT WE COULD NOT TAKE ABOARD ANOTHER PLANE. WE STOOD BY HELPLESSLY AND WATCHED HELLCATS GO INTO THE WATER AS THEY RAN OUT OF GAS.

THE SCENE WAS ONE THAT NO ONE WILL FORGET. NO ONE, THAT IS, WHO WAS TOPSIDE AND COULD SEE. THE SEA WAS ALIVE WITH LIGHTS. ABOVE, THE BRIGHT TROPICAL STARS HUNG ALMOST WITHIN REACHING DISTANCE. THE CARRIERS, THEIR FLIGHT DECKS OUTLINED BY LAUNCHING LIGHTS, LOOKED LIKE HUGE INDISTINCT SPOOKS. THE WING LIGHTS ON THE PLANES IN THE LANDING CIRCLE LOOKED LIKE EXPLODING COLORED BALLS FROM A MAZE OF ROMAN CANDLES. MORE AND MORE WINKING LIGHTS BEGAN TO APPEAR IN THE BLACKNESS OF THE WATER. THESE WERE THE PILOTS, BLINKING THEIR FLASHLIGHTS FOR HELP AFTER BEING FORCED TO SPLASH. HUGH BLINDING STABS OF LIGHT REACHED OUT FROM SEARCHLIGHTS AND SWEPT THE WATER AS ALL PRETENSE OF SECRECY WAS ABANDONED AS WE HUNTED OUT LOST PILOTS, AND TO HELL WITH THE JAPS IN THE VICINITY. THE NAVIGATOR AND GUNNERY OFFICER THREW OVER FLARES AND DIRECTED DD'S TO PICK UP AT LEAST ONE MAN.

STAR SHELLS FROM A CRUISER LEAPED INTO THE HEAVENS AND HUNG LIKE GREENISH-YELLOW BALLS IN THE BLACKNESS, CASTING AN UNEARTHLY GLOW OVER THE SCENE BELOW. THE YORKTOWN'S DECK BURST FULLY INTO LIGHT AS FLOODS WERE TURNED ON TO GUIDE LOST AIRMEN HOME. THE HORNET'S SEARCHLIGHTS, POINTING STRAIGHT UP, BEGAN WINKING ITS IDENTIFICATION SIGNAL. IT WAS LIKE CONEY ISLAND, BUT, THIS WASN'T FUN. IT WAS A GRIM BUSINESS.

IT SEEMED STRANGE NOT TO HAVE BROUGHT ANY OF OUR PLANES HOME. BUT, WORD CAME THAT HINN, FRANCIS, BEARD, IRWIN, LAAKE, AND FRASER HAD LANDED ON THE YORKTOWN, ROBERTS AND KENDRICK WERE ON THE HORNET, AND FANNING WAS ON THE WASP. THAT LEFT ONLY LT. WILELY STONNER UNACCOUNTED FOR. WE SAID A PRAYER THAT HE MIGHT BE PICKED UP SAFELY BY ONE OF THE DESTROYERS THAT WERE SEARCHING THE SEA AND RESCUING FLIERS BY THE CARLOAD.

WEDNESDAY, 21 JUNE '44: THE TWO HOURS WE SPENT LAST NIGHT TRYING TO LAND OUR PLANES AND HUNTING FOR MISSING PILOTS WHO HAD BEEN SPLASHED NEAR THE FORCE HAD GIVEN THE JAPS TOO MUCH OF A LEAD. AT 0611 WE LAUNCHED A STRIKE OF 8 VF AND 4 VTR, BUT IT WAS A BARREN SEARCH, ALTHOUGH A COUPLE OF OIL SLICKS WERE OBSERVED NEAR THE SIGHT OF THE NIGHT'S RAID AND SOME SURVIVORS WERE SEEN IN THE WATER. LIFE RAFTS WERE DROPPED TO THESE SURVIVORS. AT 0800, A TBM REPORTED SIGHTING THE JAP FLEET, WITH ONE CARRIER TRAILING OIL, BUT, THE ENEMY WAS 325 MILES TO THE NORTHWEST -- MUCH TOO FAR AWAY. OUR CHANCE TO CATCH THE JAP

43 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org FLEET AND DESTROY IT HAS ESCAPED US. ALL HANDS ARE DOWNCAST, PARTICULARLY AS THE DAY BRINGS NO WORD OF LT. STONER, OUR MISSING FLIER. OTHERS ON THE STRIKE REPORT SEEING HIM LAST WHILE IN HIS DIVE OVER THE TARGET WITH A ZEKE ON HIS TAIL. ALL PILOTS WHO LANDED ON OTHER CARRIERS CAME BACK ABOARD EXCEPT KENDRICK AND FANNING.

ENSIGN BEARD, ON HIS RETURN ABOARD, REPORTED TWO ZEKES SHOT DOWN OVER THE JAP FLEET. WORD WAS THAT LT. FANNING SCRATCHED ONE TOO, BUT, CONFIRMATION WILL HAVE TO AWAIT HIS RETURN. HE IS STILL ON THE WASP NURSING A LAME BACK. LT. (JG) IRVIN ALSO GOT A ZEKE.

THURSDAY, 22 JUNE '44: RETIRING ON COURSE 110 DEGREES UNTIL DAYLIGHT, THEN PARALLELING COURSES OF THE PREVIOUS DAY IN SEARCH OF SURVIVORS. LAUNCHED PATROL OF 8 CAP AND 4 ASP WITH 4 ANTI-SNOOP AT 0547 FOR OUR ONLY FLIGHT OPERATION OF THE DAY. OUR DIMINISHING FUEL SUPPLY WAS REPLENISHED AT 1639 WHEN THE TANKER COHARA CAME ALONGSIDE. WE ALSO TRADED MOVIES WITH THE TANKER AND DID NOT DO BADLY IN THE TRANSACTION, GETTING ONE GOOD ONE AND ONE STINKER. SAW THE STINKER TONIGHT, THE FIRST MOVIE IN A LONG TIME.

FRIDAY, 23 JUNE '44: STEAMING ON COURSE 050 DEGREES WITH TASK GROUP 58.1, HEADED FOR A STRIKE AGAINST PAGAN ISLAND WHICH, EVERYONE IS ASSURED, IS NOT THE LOCAL OF THE PAGAN LOVE SONG. LAUNCHED OUR FIRST PATROL AT 0850, ENSIGN VEACH BEING FORCED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON THE BELLEAU WOOD AT 0912. GENERAL QUARTERS WERE SOUNDED AT 1300 AND 29 MINUTES LATER WE LAUNCHED A STRIKE OF 13 PLANES, 10 OF THEM VF, AGAINST PAGAN. FIVE TONS OF BOMBS WERE DROPPED, FOUR OF THEM ON THE RUNWAY OF THE AIR STRIP. EIGHTEEN LUGGERS AND SAMPANS WERE STRAFED HEAVILY AND LEFT BURNING, BUT FIVE PLANES STRAFED ON THE FIELD WERE BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN DAMAGED EARLIER.

OUR FINAL PATROL DREW AN "EXTRA SPECIAL" WELL DONE FROM ADMIRAL CLARK FOR SHOOTING DOWN FIVE JAPS. EIGHT VF AND FOUR VT MADE UP THIS PATROL, THE SAME AS THE ONE IN THE MORNING.

SATURDAY, 24 JUNE '44: ANOTHER DAY OF MISERY WE CAUSED FOR THE ENEMY. OUR FIGHTER SQUADRON SETTING A NEW HIGH FOR THEMSELVES BY ACCOUNTING FOUR TWENTY FIVE PLANES, BUT, WHAT A COST! THREE MORE PILOTS WERE LOST. LT. COMDR. ROLLA S. LEMMON, ONE OF THE BEST, FAILED TO RETURN FROM A LATE AFTERNOON CAP TANGLE WITH A JAP FORCE ATTACKING THE FLEET. EARLIER, DURING A MORNING SWEEP AGAINST IWO JIMA, LT. (JG) JAMES A. DE BELL AND ENSIGN ROBERT S. "FEARLESS" FRASER WERE MISSING AT THE RENDEZVOUS AND WERE NOT HEARD FROM AFTERWARD. A MESSAGE WAS SENT REQUESTING SEARCH.

GENERAL QUARTERS SOUNDED AT 0545 AND AT 0559 WE LAUNCHED 17 VF FOR A SWEEP AT IWO JIMA. WE HAD BEEN STEAMING NORTHWARD ALL NIGHT FOR A RETURN CRACK AT THE BUSY JAP BASE IN THE PAGAN ISLANDS. AT 1015, THE PLANES RETURNED....THOSE THAT DID RETURN....WITH 16 JAPS TO THEIR CREDIT IN A FURIOUS DOG FIGHT AFTER BEING INTERCEPTED BY A LARGE FORCE OF THE ENEMY WHICH HAD BEEN HIDING IN HIGH CLOUD COVER. THEY WERE FORCED TO JETTISON THEIR BOMB LOAD. GENERAL ALARM CLANGED AT 1018 WHEN A 12 PLANE BOGIE APPEARED AT 1101 ABOUT ONE POINT BEYOND THE POINT BEAM AND THE DD'S OPENED FIRE. THE BELLEAU WOOD CAP FLEW RIGHT INTO OUR OWN A/A FIRE TO BRING THE JAP DOWN THREE MINUTES LATER. PROMPTLY AT NOON, THE GENERAL ALARM SOUNDED AGAIN FOR A BOGIE RAID 20 MILES TO STARBOARD, BUT NOTHING DEVELOPED.

AN 8 PLANE CAP WITH A FOUR PLANE ASP WITH FOUR ANTI-SNOOP WAS LAUNCHED AT 1529 BY THE BATAAN AND QUICKLY TANGLED WITH A BIG BOGIE RAID THAT BROUGHT ANOTHER GENERAL ALARM AT 1640. NINE PLANES FELL BEFORE OUR CAP.

THE FOURTH GENERAL ALARM OF THE DAY SOUNDED AT 2127, REPRESENTING, PROBABLY, THE GREATEST DANGER TO WHICH THE SHIP WAS SUBJECTED DURING THE ENTIRE OPERATION. IT WAS RUNG WHEN MANY BOGIES WERE

44 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org DETECTED, MOST OF THEM AT A DISTANCE OF UPWARDS TO 50 MILES. IT SEEMED CERTAIN THAT THE TASK GROUP WAS ABOUT TO UNDERGO A NIGHT TORPEDO ATTACK. THE NIGHT WAS PITCH DARK AFTER MOONSET AROUND 2130, ALTHOUGH ONLY A FEW CLOUDS SCUDDED ACROSS THE STARS -- AFFORDING THE JAPS AN IDEAL OPPORTUNITY TO SNEAK IN, DELIVER THEIR ATTACK, AND GET OUT UNMOLESTED.

ONE PLANE DID COME WITHIN EIGHT MILES AND, ONCE FLARES WERE DROPPED, SETTING A SORT OF SICKLY BONFIRE ON THE HORIZON TO STARBOARD, BUT EVENTUALLY THE BOGIE DISAPPEARED AND THE ATTACK NEVER DEVELOPED. WHETHER ESCAPE WAS DUE TO A CHANGE IN COURSE AND SPEED, TO THE FACT THAT WE WERE JUST OUT OF RANGE FOR THE JAP PLANES, OR A COMBINATION OF BOTH FACTORS, IS NOT KNOWN. ANYHOW, IT WAS WITH OF FEELING OF VAST RELIEF THAT THE WEARY CREW FINALLY CRAWLED INTO THE SACK.

CREDIT FOR JAP PLANES SHOT DOWN DURING THE MORNING STRIKE WAS DISTRIBUTED AS FOLLOWS: LT. COMDR. STRANGE, 2 ZEKES; ENSIGN H. L. NELSON, 1 ZEKE AND 1 JILL; LT. W. E. LAAKE, 1 ZEKE AND 1 PROBABLE; ENSIGN W. A. McCORMICK, 2 ZEKES; ENSIGN R. P. FASH, 2 ZEKES; LT. (JG) M. J. ZIARKO, 2 ZEKES AND 1 PROBABLE; ENSIGN C. C. MILLER, 1 ZEKE; LT. B. BARACKMAN, 2 ZEKES; ENSIGN R. RUDA, 1 ZEKE; ENSIGN C. RICH, 2 ZEKES AND 1 PROBABLE.

THE NINE PLANES DESTROYED BY THE AFTERNOON CAP WERE DISTRIBUTED AS FOLLOWS: LT. COMDR. R. LEMMON, 1 JUDY; ENSIGN R. FASH, 1 JUDY; ENSIGN R. VEACH, 1 JILL; ENSIGN FRANCIS, 2 ZEKES; ENSIGN J. KENDRICK, 1 ZEKE; LT. HILL, 1 JUDY AND 1 ZEKE.

SUNDAY, 25 JUNE '44: THE BATAAN, IN COMPANY WITH OTHER UNITS OF THE TASK GROUP 58.1, MAINTAINED A COURSE OF 125 DEGREES TRUE ON ROUTE TO ENIWETOC FOR REPLENISHMENTS. THE DAY'S ONLY FLIGHT OPERATION WAS A ROUTINE CAP OF EIGHT PLANES AND AN ASP OF FOUR PLANES. LAUNCH TIME WAS 0446, WHICH MEANT THAT THE AIR DEPARTMENT WENT WOEFULLY SHORT OF SLEEP. CHURCH SERVICES WERE WELL ATTENDED AND THE PADRE LED ALL HANDS IN A SPECIAL PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING FOR OUR ESCAPE FROM THE ENEMY AND FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR PILOTS.

MONDAY, 26 JUNE '44: A DAY OF COMPARATIVE REST FOR ALL HANDS EXCEPT ACI, WHICH WAS BUSY WITH A RAFT OF REPORTS THAT KEPT ALMOST ALL YEOMEN ABOARD HAMMERING AWAY AT THEIR TYPEWRITERS. A FLIGHT OF 4 ASP AND 4 CAP WAS LAUNCHED AT 1559 AS WE MAINTAINED A SOUTHEASTERLY COURSE.

TUESDAY, 27 JUNE '44: THE END OF ANOTHER JOURNEY. THE HOOK WAS DROPPED AT 1300 IN THE LAGOON AND ENIWETOC AND OUR MOST EVENTFUL OPERATION WAS COMPLETED. HOWEVER, AFTER THAT EXPERIENCE AT IWO JIMA, WE HAVE A NOTION A LOT MORE EXCITEMENT IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER.

WEDNESDAY, 28 JUNE '44: THIS WAS ACHIEVEMENT DAY ON THE BATAAN. OUR FIRST FULL DAY IN PORT AND THE FIRST DAY NOT STEAMING UNDERWAY FOR OVER THREE WEEKS. SO WE HAD A PARTY!

AS COMMANDER HOUSE PUT IT DURING HIS AFTER DINNER INTRODUCTIONS IN THE WARDROOM, "NOW'S THE TIME TO LOOK AT THE SCORE." SO ALL FIGHTER PILOTS WHO HAD SHOT DOWN JAPS WERE CALLED UPON FOR A BOW AND COMMANDER HOUSE GAVE THE NUMBER OF THEIR TALLY.

THEN AT THE END OF THE SCORE GIVING, WHICH TOTALED 56 NIP PLANES THAT DIDN'T GET BACK, OUR TWO "ACE" PILOTS WERE CALLED UPON: LT. COMDR. STRANGE AND LT. "BOOTY" BARACKMAN, EACH WITH FIVE TO THEIR CREDIT.

THE COMEDY OF THE EVENING WAS WHEN JOHN STRANGE CALLED UPON THE GUEST OF THE EVENING, FORMER AIR GROUP COMMANDER, COMDR. A. R. MATTER, NOW NAVIGATOR OF THE YORKTOWN. AFTER A WINDY PRESENTATION SPEECH, JOHN STARTED TO PIN A KING SIZE SET OF SUBMARINE DOLPHINS OVER COMMANDER MATTER'S PILOT'S WINGS. AT THE CRUCIAL MOMENT, THE CLASP BROKE AND THE "QUALIFIED SUBMARINER" WAS STUCK WITH A "DOLPHIN IN THE HAND."

45 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org COMMANDER MATTERS MADE SOME VERY FLATTERING REMARKS REGARDING THE COMMENTS HE'D HEARD ABOUT THE BATAAN'S PERFORMANCE AT THE LAST OPERATION AND SAID THAT HE HIMSELF WAS PROUD OF THE RECORD THAT AIR GROUP 50 AND THE BATAAN WERE MAKING.

AS A CURTAIN OPENER TO THE EVENING'S MOVIE ON THE HANGER DECK, THE SHIP'S ORCHESTRA DID SOME SWING SPECIALTIES AND THE STEWARDS' QUARTET SANG SOME SPIRITUALS AND OLD TIMERS. THEN VOCALIST JOE BATTAGLIA DID A COUPLE OF FRANK SINATRA STYLE MELODIES. OUR HANGER DECK SOUNDED JUST LIKE A FLOOR SHOW FROM THE STATES!

THE CLIMAX OF THE SHOW WAS THE INTRODUCTION TO THE ENTIRE CREW OF THE "ACE" PILOTS. AFTER THE WARDROOM ROUNDUP, BOTH PILOTS DID EVEN BETTER. COMMANDER STRANGE TOLD ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCES WHEN HE WAS ON THE "TAKING" END OF THE PROPOSITION. "THAT'S WHY I GET A LOT OF FUN OUT OF IT NOW -- ON THE GIVING END."

"AND, ALTHOUGH WE GET THE GLORY, THE PUBLICITY, AND THE FUN -- IT'S EVERYONE BACK ON THIS SHIP THAT MAKES IT POSSIBLE FOR US UP THERE -- SHOOTING 'EM DOWN. AS LONG AS YOU WORK HARD TO PUT US OUT THERE WHERE WE CAN GET AT THE JAPS -- WE'LL DO OUR BEST TO KEEP KNOCKING 'EM DOWN."

THE MOVIE WAS A "KNOCKING 'EM DOWN" PROPOSITION. A FULL LENGTH HISTORY OF BOXING -- FROM JOHN L. SULLIVAN TO JOE LOUIS.

TODAY WE HAD STARTED TO REPLENISH IN SPITE OF THE CELEBRATION AND REST. PROVISIONS AND SOME BOMBS STARTED TO COME ABOARD AND THE USUAL "100 HAND WORKING PARTIES" WERE CALLED AWAY. WE'RE STILL LOOKING FOR THE MAIL. LOTS OF IT!

THURSDAY, 29 JUNE '44: "WHO'S GOT A LETTER, WHO'S GOT A LETTER?" BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL "MAIL CALL" SOUNDED TODAY -- NOT ONCE, BUT SEVERAL TIMES. OUR EARLY MORNING MAIL TRIP HAD LOCATED 60 SACKS OF MAIL. AS SOON AS IT CAME ABOARD, THE WORD GOT AROUND. SPIRITS ROSE IN ANTICIPATION AND MAIL PETTY OFFICERS WERE POISED FOR THE MOMENT WHEN THEY WOULD PICK UP THAT FIRST BUNDLE OF LETTERS FOR THE MEN OF THEIR DIVISION.

THE RUSH FOR THE MAIL WAS FOLLOWED BY A RUSH FOR LETTER WRITING EQUIPMENT -- AND A HURRIED REPLY TO ALL THE QUESTIONS, THE COMMENTS ON THE NEWS FROM HOME, AND A HUNDRED THINGS YOU FORGOT TO PUT IN WHEN YOU WERE OUT AT SEA.

BUT IN SPITE OF IT ALL, SOME WORK WAS DONE ON THE SHIP. WITH MAIL STUCK IN THEIR POCKETS AND SMILES ON THEIR FACES, WORKING PARTIES TURNED TO ON LAST MINUTE STORES, ADDITIONAL BOMBS AND SPARE PARTS.

FRIDAY, 30 JUNE '44: OUR FIRST, LAST, AND ONLY "QUARTERS FOR MUSTER" WITH FULL GEAR STARTED OFF THE DAY. ARRIVALS BY BOAT WERE FOUR REPLACEMENT PILOTS WITH THEIR GEAR -- BOTH PILOTS AND GEAR WERE COMPLETELY SOAKED. LEAVING THE SHIP WERE EIGHT PILOTS TO FLY OUR REPLACEMENT PLANES ABOARD.

AT 1230, WE WEIGHED ANCHOR AND SORTIED WITH THE REST OF THE TASK GROUP. WE WERE WITH THE HORNET AND YORKTOWN, CRUISERS BILOXI, MOBILE, DENVER, AND SANTA FE, PLUS THE AA CRUISER OAKLAND AND THE DESTROYER SCREEN.

WE STARTED TO LAUNCH A FOUR TORPEDO PLANE ASP AT 1500, BUT AFTER TWO PLANES HAD LEFT THE DECK, WE WERE TOLD TO STOP LAUNCHING. SO, THE OTHER TWO PLANES WERE LAUNCHED AN HOUR LATER. THE PATROLS WERE UNEVENTFUL, AND THE RECOVERY WAS MADE AT SUNSET.

46 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org WE'RE AT IT AGAIN; EVERYONE IS HAPPY WITH MAIL CALL AND JUST THAT MUCH MORE ANXIOUS TO FINISH OFF THIS WAR AND GET HOME.

July 1944 Iwo Jima, Guam, back to Pearl Harbor SATURDAY, 1 JULY '44: EVIDENTLY THE FAILURE OF A SHIP'S AA FIRE TO SHOOT DOWN THE LONE TORPEDO PLANE THAT SLIPPED PAST THE CAP DURING THE LAST BONINS TRIP IMPRESSED ADMIRAL J. J. CLARK. TODAY ALL SHIPS FIRED AT A SLEEVE TOWED BY A YORKTOWN TBM, AND, THE BATAAN'S GUNS LOOKED VERY GOOD, KNOCKING DOWN SEVERAL TOWS. IN FACT, OUR 40'S DID BETTER THAN THE 5 INCH BATTERIES FROM OTHER SHIPS.

AT 1215, WE LAUNCHED THE THIRD PATROL CONSISTING OF A FOUR PLANE CAP AND FOUR VT-VF ANTI-SUB PATROLS. NO BOGIES APPEARED AND THE ONLY DIFFICULTY WAS KEEPING THE PLANES OUT OF THE LINE OF AA FIRE FROM OTHER SHIPS. RECOVERY WAS MADE AT 1605 AND WE STEAMED OUR WAY TOWARD THE BONINIS.

SUNDAY, 2 JULY '44: IN SPITE OF WORRIES TO THE CONTRARY, IT WAS A QUIET SUNDAY WITH TWO CATHOLIC SERVICES AND ONE PROTESTANT SERVICE CONDUCTED BY CHAPLAIN McHUGH. ALL WERE DEDICATED TO OUR FOUR MISSING PILOTS, THE SERVICES WERE WELL ATTENDED.

OUR CAP AND ASP HAD NO BUSINESS WHATSOEVER, ALTHOUGH WE WERE CRUISING WITHIN A 500 MILE RADIUS OF JAP HELD MARCUS ISLANDS TO THE NORTHEAST OF US.

MONDAY, 3 JULY '44: CHANCES FOR A KILL BY OUR DAWN AND SUNSET PATROLS LOOKED GOOD TODAY AS WE CLOSED THE BONINI ISLANDS. HOWEVER, OUR EARLY CAP-ASP HOP HAD NO CONTACTS OUTSIDE OUR TASK GROUP 58.2. WE JOINED WITH OUR GROUP EARLY IN THE MORNING TO FUEL DESTROYERS FROM BIG CARRIERS.

AT 0818, WE WERE ADVISED BY A REPORT FROM THE FLAG THAT OUR FORCE HAD BEEN SIGHTED. EVERYONE SAID; "TOLD YOU SO; WE CAN NOT KEEP DOING THIS AND EXPECT TO GET AWAY WITH IT EVERY TIME. THEY'LL PROBABLY SEND OUT THOSE LAND BASED BOMBERS AND...... "

ADMIRAL J. J. CLARK, HOWEVER, DID NOT HAVE ANY ASSURANCE THAT SOME NIP RECEPTION COMMITTEE WOULD NOT BE OPERATING TONIGHT WITH THE AID OF A BEAUTIFUL NEAR-FULL MOON. NO "TOJO WITH LAMPLIGHTER" WITH FLARES WOULD BE NEEDED THIS TIME; THE MOON WOULD BE SUFFICIENT.

SO, A "CALLING COMMITTEE" OF OUR OWN WAS ORGANIZED: A FIGHTER-BOMBER SWEEP CONSISTING OF 48 HELLCATS. ALL OF THE BATAAN'S 12 FIGHTERS WERE TO BE LOADED WITH A 500 POUND GENERAL PURPOSE BOMB, TO BE DROPPED ON ENEMY AIRCRAFT AT THE JAP'S MAIN FIELD ON IWO JIMA. IT WAS TO BE A LONG RANGE HOP STARTING AT 1400, WHEN WE WOULD BE ABOUT 300 MILES FROM THE TARGET.

LT. COMDR. STRANGE LED OUR FIGHTERS, WITH LARRY ABBOTT'S AND ED LAAKE'S DIVISION MAKING UP THE REST OF THE FLIGHT. AS WE APPROACHED THE TARGET, WE GOT THE WORD BACK ON THE SHIP FROM THE FLAG: "THE JAPS AT IWO JIMA HAVE ANNOUNCED CONDITION RED!" SO WE KNEW THAT OUR PLANES HAD ARRIVED OVER THE TARGET OKAY.

THE BOMBING RUNS WERE MADE FROM NORTH TO SOUTH WITH STRAFING TO SOFTEN THE GUNNERS. THE AA WASN'T SO BAD, HOWEVER, AND THE BOMB DROPS WERE MADE FROM 2000 TO 4000 FEET, WITH EACH DIVISION PICKING OUT A GROUP OF PARKED BOMBERS. OUT OF ABOUT 50 UNDAMAGED PLANES, THE EXPLOSIONS OF THE 500 POUNDERS AND THE FIRES STARTED, MUST HAVE DESTROYED A THIRD OF THEM, WITH ANOTHER THIRD BEING BADLY DAMAGED.

AFTER THE BOMBING RUNS, THE FUN BEGAN. AS SOON AS THE RENDEZVOUS HAD BEEN ACCOMPLISHED, ALL DIVISIONS HEADED NORTH TOWARD THE OTHER END OF THE ISLAND WHERE THEY HAD HEARD OVER THE RADIO THAT SOME

47 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org BOGIES WERE ON THE LOOSE. SURE ENOUGH, DOWN FROM ABOVE CAME A SINGLE ZEKE WITH POPULAR MARKINGS -- A BLACK SPINNER AND A BLACK RING AROUND THE NOSE. NO DOUBT HE WAS ONE OF THE "HOT" NIP PILOTS -- A SQUADRON OR GROUP COMMANDER -- BECAUSE HE GAVE THE BOYS QUITE A CHASE. THE JAP WOULD MAKE HEROIC RUNS ON THE HELLCATS AND THEN PULL AWAY SHARPLY -- SO SHARPLY THAT THEY COULDN'T GET A SHOT AT HIM.

FINALLY, PAT DENNES GOT THE HERO'S NUMBER AND PUT HIS SIGHT AHEAD OF HIM FOR A LONG BURST; GAS STREAMED FROM THE COCKPIT AS THE PLANE WENT INTO A GLIDE FOR THE WATER. THE NIP JOINED HIS ANCESTORS.

ED LAAKE'S DIVISION HAD SIMILAR GOOD LUCK. THEY SPOTTED A JAP CIRCLING A PARACHUTE IN THE WATER; ED STARTED A RUN ON HIM, BUT JUST THEN THE JAP JUMPED INTO A CLOUD. DANNY REHM PICKED UP WHERE ED LEFT OFF AND FLAMED HIM WITH A NO DEFLECTION SHOT -- SO -- THERE WERE TWO PARACHUTES IN THE WATER.

SOME MORE JAPS MADE THE MISTAKE OF RUNNING INTO LAAKE'S DIVISION. THIS TIME IT WAS CHUCK MILLER WHO GOT THE FLAMER. DANNY REHM AND BILL McCORMICK STARTED AFTER THE OTHER TWO -- AND -- EACH TOOK CARE OF ONE AS THE ZEKES HIGH-TAILED IT FOR HOME.

LARRY ABBOTT'S FLIGHT HAD A BAD DAY, SPOTTING ONLY ONE JAP ABOUT EIGHT MILES AWAY AND BEFORE THEY COULD CATCH HIM, HE DUCKED INTO THE CLOUD COVER.

NO MORE ZEKES, AND IT WAS TIME TO GO HOME. THE BATAAN WAS CLOSING IWO JIMA SO THE TRIP BACK WAS ONLY 230 MILES. ALL THE PLANES LANDED SAFELY ABOARD FROM THEIR "VISITING". THE FEELING WAS GOOD -- GETTING FIVE JAPS AND HAVING LEFT THOSE 500 POUND "CALLING CARDS". WE WERE SURE THAT THE JAPS WOULDN'T HAVE ENOUGH PLANES TO RETURN THE CALL TONIGHT --- AND THEY DIDN'T.

TUESDAY, 4 JULY '44: OUR FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION BEGAN AT 0400 WHEN THE HORNET AND YORKTOWN LAUNCHED NIGHT FIGHTER HECKLERS AS WE STEAMED CLOSE TO CHICHI AND HAHA JIMA, SOME 500 MILES FROM THE JAP MAINLAND. THE ENSUING DAY WAS PROBABLY THE MOST INTERESTING FOURTH THAT ANY OF US EVER SPENT. THE PLANES OF THE BATAAN, HOWEVER, SAW A LIMITED AMOUNT OF ACTION PATROLS FOR THE TASK GROUP -- ONE AK PUT OUT OF ACTION AND AN ESCORT MISSION FOR A KINGFISHER RESCUE HOP.

AT 0550, WE LAUNCHED OUR DAWN PATROL AND IT WAS ON THIS HOP THAT LT. (JG) FELIX (TIGER) HART, VT PILOT, AND LT. BENNETT, HIS FIGHTER ESCORT, KNOCKED OFF THE SMALL AK. AT THE END OF THE NORTHWEST ASP SECTOR, THEY NOTICED THE MERCHANT SHIP TRYING TO ESCAPE FROM HAHA JIMA AND GET BEHIND A SMALL ISLAND AND OUT OF THE WAY OF AIR ATTACKS; SO, TIGER ATTACKED IMMEDIATELY. NOTHING WAS DROPPED ON THE FIRST RUN THROUGH, AS HIS AIR CREWMAN DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO GET THE BOMB BAY OPEN. THEN ON THE SECOND RUN, THIS TIME THE ELECTRIC RELEASE FAILED TO DROP THE DEPTH CHARGES. AND ON NUMBER THREE RUN, HIS LOAD DROPPED SHORT OF THE TARGET WHEN THE BOMB BAY DOORS WERE OPENED. SOME REALLY TOUGH LUCK.

ALL THAT WAS LEFT BETWEEN THE FIGHTER AND THE TBM WAS 50 CALIBER BULLETS; LT. BENNETT AND HART BEGAN A SERIES OF STRAFING RUNS. AFTER FIVE RUNS APIECE, THE ENEMY CREW BEACHED THE AK AND SCRAMBLED OVER THE SIDE, HEADING FOR SHORE.

BY THIS TIME, THERE WERE SEVERAL FIRES ON THE SHIP AND NO ONE TO FIGHT THEM. SO, WITH THE BATAAN'S NUMBER TWO AK TO THE CREDIT, THEY HEADED BACK FROM THE PATROL AND HEADED BACK TO THE SHIP. LATER IN THE DAY, THE AK WAS REPORTED GUTTED BY FIRE, SO THE NIPS DEFINITELY HAD ONE LESS CARGO SHIP.

WE CONTINUED TO GIVE THE TASK GROUP CAP AND ASP COVER THROUGHOUT THE DAY; CONTINUOUS STRIKES WERE LAUNCHED FROM THE HORNET AND THE YORKTOWN. AT NOON OUR CRUISERS AND A SQUADRON OF DESTROYERS LEFT THE GROUP TO JOIN THE BOMBARDMENT DETACHMENT WHICH WAS TO "THROW A FOURTH OF JULY PARTY" AT IWO JIMA.

48 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org WE HEARD NOTHING FROM THE GROUP UNTIL AT 1300 WE WERE ASKED TO PROVIDE A CAP TO COVER A RESCUE KINGFISHER, AND TO RELIEVE SOME FIGHTERS CIRCLING OVER THE MAN IN THE WATER. ONE OF THE FIGHTER PILOTS FROM THE HORNET HAD RECEIVED A HIT FROM AN AA GUN ON A LOW STRAFING RUN AND HAD GONE INTO THE DRINK JUST OFF THE COAST OF HAHA JIMA.

LT. (JG) MITCH ZIARKO AND ENSIGN BOB FASH STARTED OFF TO MEET THE KINGFISHER AND LT. HARDIN AND ENSIGN HOWIE SMITH WENT TO COVER THE DOWNED PILOT. WHEN HARDIN ARRIVED ON THE SCENE, HE FOUND THAT EVERYTHING WAS OK AT THE TIME, BUT, PREVIOUSLY THE SHORE BATTERIES HAD BEEN TAKING POT SHOTS AT THE PILOT.

THE OS2U MADE A SUCCESSFUL WATER LANDING AND THE PILOT CLIMBED IN -- A VERY HAPPY AVIATOR INDEED. THE KINGFISHER WAS SAFELY ESCORTED BACK TO THE CRUISER FORMATION AS HARDIN AND SMITH TOOK A STRAFING RUN ON SOME SMALL BOATS IN THE HARBOR. AND FOR GOOD MEASURE, SMITH KNOCKED OUT A SMALL LOOKOUT POST NEARBY. ON ONE OF THE RUNS, HOWEVER, A LUCKY 20MM SHELL FOUND THE FUSELAGE OF SMITH'S PLANE JUST FORWARD OF THE TAIL ASSEMBLY.

IN SPITE OF THE HOLE, EVERYTHING FUNCTIONED PERFECTLY AND THE TAIL HOOK EXTENDED. JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT NOTHING WOULD DEVELOP, HOWEVER, HE MADE AN EARLY LANDING ON THE HORNET.

THE LAST HOP OF THE DAY WAS SUPPLEMENTED BY A TWO PLANE PHOTO MISSION; ENSIGN PAT DENNES FLEW THE NO. 24 FIGHTER WITH THE K-17 TRIMETRAGON CAMERA INSTALLATION AND LT. ED LAAKE WAS IN NO. 23. THEY WERE TO TAKE POST-BOMBARDMENT PICTURES OF IWO JIMA TO SEE HOW WELL THE CRUISERS AND DESTROYERS HAD BEEN PUTTING THEIR 8", 6" AND 5" SHELLS INTO THE VARIOUS TARGETS.

THE PHOTO RUNS WERE NOT TOO HEAVILY OPPOSED BY AA, BUT ED LAAKE MANAGED TO GET A JAGGED HOLE PUT THROUGH HIS LEFT WING BY A 20MM SHELL AND JOINED SMITH BY LANDING SAFELY ON THE BROAD EXPANSE OF THE HORNET'S FLIGHT DECK. THE PHOTOS WERE SO GOOD THEY MERITED SPECIAL MENTION FROM THE FLAG.

THIS WAS AN UNLUCKY DAY FOR FLIGHT DECK OPERATIONS; TWO MATERIAL CASUALTIES -- A CATAPULT SHOT FAILURE AND AN ARRESTING CABLE PULLOUT, THE FIRST IN THE SHIP'S HISTORY, OCCURRED A FEW HOURS APART. ON THE 1600 PATROL LAUNCH, THE CATAPULT "FIZZLED" AND DUMPED LT. (JG) THOMAS OVER THE BOW. A QUICK RECOVERY WAS MADE AND "PC" WAS PICKED UP IN GOOD CONDITION.

DURING THE EVENING RECOVERY, LT. LARRY ABBOTT MADE A NORMAL LANDING SLIGHTLY TO STARBOARD OF THE CENTER LINE; AS HE CAUGHT NUMBER THREE WIRE IT SNAPPED AT THE STARBOARD SIDE AND LASHED TO PORT. NO ONE HAD TIME TO DUCK AND VINCENT SWAGER S2c OF THE GUNNERY DEPARTMENT, WAS KILLED INSTANTLY.

WEDNESDAY, 5 JULY '44: A FULL WORKING DAY FOR THE BATAAN; WE STARTED OUT WITH A COMPARATIVELY EASY SCHEDULE, BUT ENDED UP MUCH DIFFERENTLY.

AT DAWN, IN ACCORDANCE WITH PREVIOUS PLANS AND WITH PERMISSION OF ADMIRAL J. J. CLARK, WE LAUNCHED A SEARCH TO LOOK FOR LT. COMDR. ROLLA LEMMON. WHILE ON A CAP MISSION WHEN THE JAPS ATTACKED US ON 24 JUNE OFF IWO JIMA, "LEM" HAD RUN INTO 12 ZEKES AND 6 JUDYS WITH HIS DIVISION. ALL PLANES HAD RETURNED TO THE SHIP EXCEPT HIS FOX 19. THE FIRST SEARCH RETURNED AT 0930 WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS AND A SECOND FLIGHT CONTINUED.

DURING THE MORNING WE TOOK A SOUTHWARD COURSE TAKING US PAST A TARGET OF A PREVIOUS STRIKE -- PAGAN ISLAND. A DOUBLE CHECK TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL PLANES ON THE AIRSTRIP WERE OUT OF COMMISSION,, A STRIKE WAS ORDERED. THE BATAAN WAS TO SEND IN EIGHT FIGHTERS AND SIX TORPEDO PLANES TO BE MATCHED WITH A

49 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org SIMILAR GROUP FROM THE MONTEREY OF TASK GROUP 58.2. WORD WAS SENT TO THE SECOND SEARCH TO RETURN TO THE SHIP IMMEDIATELY SO THE PLANES COULD BE READIED WITH BOMBS FOR THE STRIKE.

AT THE TIME OF THE STRIKE, WE WERE ONLY 125 MILES FROM PAGAN. LT. COMDR. STRANGE LED THE HOP WITH LT. BARACKMAN'S DIVISION ROUNDING OUT THE EIGHT FIGHTERS, HALF OF WHICH HAD 500 POUND BOMBS. LT. COMDR. SWANSON LED THE SIX VT, WHICH WERE ALL LOADED WITH FOUR 500 POUNDERS.

ARRIVING OVER THE TARGET, IT WAS FOUND THAT THERE WAS NO ENEMY AIR OPERATION AND SO THE BOMBERS PROCEEDED TO PUT THEIR LOAD DOWN ON THE RUNWAY, MAINTENANCE BUILDINGS, AND HANGERS.

THE REST OF THE WORK CONSISTED OF STRAFING RUNS AND PICTURE TAKING; THE AA WAS MEAGER AND NONE OF OUR PLANES RECEIVED ANY HITS. A TBM FROM THE MONTEREY TOOK A HIT IN THE WING, UNFORTUNATELY, AND SPUN IN.

ALL PLANES LANDED SAFE ABOARD AT 1650 AND WE CONTINUED SOUTHWARD IN COMPANY WITH TASK GROUP 58.2 TO LEND A HAND WITH THE COMING INVASION OF GUAM.

WHILE THE PLANES WERE OFF ON THE STRIKE, FUNERAL SERVICES WERE HELD ON THE FLIGHT DECK FOR VINCENT SWAGER, S2c, KILLED IN AN ACCIDENT THE PREVIOUS NIGHT. THE SOUND OF CHURCH CALL, FOLLOWED BY THE ANNOUNCEMENT "ALL HANDS BURY THE DEAD" HAD A SOBERING INFLUENCE ON THE SHIP AND ROUTINE DUTIES WERE PERFORMED IN A HUSH MANNER.

THE BODY, PROPERLY COVERED WITH THE FLAG, WAS PLACED AT THE BOMB DISPOSAL CHUTE, FLANKED BY PALLBEARERS. OFFICERS IN KHAKI AND ENLISTED MEN IN UNDRESS WHITES, WITHOUT NECKERCHIEFS, STOOD IN ORDERLY RANKS AS THE SERVICES WERE READ. THE SHIP WAS HEADED INTO THE WIND SO THAT THE CHAPLAIN'S WORDS WERE WHIPPED OVER THE SIDE AND INAUDIBLE TO ALL BUT A FEW. ALL HANDS STOOD WITH BARED HEADS WHILE THE BODY WAS COMMITTED TO THE SEA. THEN THE MARINE FIRING SQUAD FIRED THREE VOLLEYS, THE BUGLER SOUNDED TAPS, AND THE SHIP WENT BACK TO THE ROUTINE BUSINESS OF MAKING WAR.

THURSDAY, 6 JULY '44: OUR PLANES MUST MAKE GOOD PRE-DAWN TAKEOFFS BECAUSE WE GOT THE DAWN PATROL AGAIN. NO BOGIES, NO VECTORS, AND A VERY QUIET DAY AS WE PROCEEDED SOUTHWARD TO A POSITION TO THE EAST OF THE MARIANAS. LATE IN THE MORNING, WE RECEIVED ORDERS TO HAVE A STRIKE READY TO LAUNCH AT GUAM IN THE AFTERNOON.

ON 45 MINUTES NOTICE, WE WERE ORDERED TO LAUNCH 12 FIGHTERS TO HIT AGANA TOWN. ORDNANCE AND FLIGHT DECK CREWS DID A SPEEDY JOB OF GETTING THE PLANES READY AND THE LAUNCH WENT OFF ON SCHEDULE AT 1430. THE BOMB LOADING FOR EACH FIGHTER WAS ONE 375 POUND DEPTH CHARGE WITH AN INSTANT ANEOUS NOSE INSTEAD OF THE USUAL HYDROSTATIC FUSE.

LT. LARRY ABBOTT LED THE HOP, THE TARGETS WERE ADMINISTRATION AND WAREHOUSE BUILDINGS, THE DEMOLITION OF WHICH WOULD SERIOUSLY HAMPER THE JAP RESISTANCE TO THE AMERICAN LANDING. AFTER A 220 MILE TRIP IN FROM THE SHIP, THE OBJECTIVES WERE LOCATED AND ALL PLANES MADE GOOD BOMBING RUNS. THE DEPTH CHARGES HIT THE ASSIGNED TARGET AND THREW UP A TREMENDOUS CLOUD OF SMOKE AND DUST.

AFTER STRAFING, THE FIGHTERS ALL RENDEZVOUSED NORTH OF THE ISLAND. JUST THEN, ENSIGN RED TARLETON'S PLANE BEGAN TO SMOKE, EITHER FROM AN AA HIT OR AN OPERATIONAL FAILURE --HE HEADED DOWN IN A GLIDE FOR THE DRINK. THE REST OF THE FLIGHT CIRCLED OVERHEAD AND WATCHED RED MAKE A PERFECT WATER LANDING AND SAFELY CLIMB OUT OF THE COCKPIT WITH HIS LIFE RAFT AND PARACHUTE BACKPACK.

50 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org TWO FIGHTERS WERE SENT BACK TO THE SHIP IMMEDIATELY TO CALL FOR RESCUE FACILITIES WHILE THE REMAINING PLANES CIRCLED RED IN THE WATER. THE RETURNING PLANES WERE SOON WITHIN RADIO RANGE AND CALLED US GIVING THE LOCATION OF THE DOWNED PLANE. HE WAS 15 MILES DUE EAST OF THE NORTH TIP OF GUAM.

AS SOON AS WE RECEIVED WORD FROM THE RETURNING PLANES, WE REQUESTED THAT ADMIRAL J. J. CLARK ASK FOR A "DUMBO" SEAPLANE FROM SAIPAN. THE REQUEST WAS APPROVED AND THE MESSAGE WAS RELAYED TO A SEAPLANE TENDER VIA THE PLANES IN THE AIR.

AT THE SAME TIME, TWO DESTROYERS, THE BOYD AND THE BRADFORD, WERE DETACHED FOR PATROL DUTY OFF GUAM AND WERE GIVEN TARLETON'S POSITION. THAT GAVE US THE HOPE THAT RED WOULD BE PICKED UP ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.

IT WAS NICE TO KNOW THAT WE HAD "DELUXE" RAFT ACCOMMODATIONS WITH FOOD AND WATER FOR TWO MEN, PLUS, HIS OWN PARACHUTE KIT AND ONE MAN RAFT. AN SB2C, ASSIGNED TO THE STRIKE AS A RESCUE PLANE, HAD SEEN HIM AND DROPPED THE BIG RAFT.

ALL OTHER PLANES OF THE FLIGHT LANDED SAFELY ABOARD AT 1830. IN THE CAMERAS OF THE PHOTO FIGHTERS WERE VALUABLE PICTURES OF THE ISLAND. IN DAYS TO COME, THESE WERE GOING TO PROVE MOST VALUABLE; OUR CAMERAS AND PHOTO PILOTS WERE GETTING A REPUTATION FOR "BRINGING HOME THE PICTURE."

FRIDAY, 7 JULY '44: THE "DAWN PATROL" AGAIN, BUT THIS TIME WE PUT IT TO GOOD USE. AS SOON AS LT. BARACKMAN'S FLIGHT NO. 3 WAS SQUARED AWAY ON STATION AT 10,000 FEET, WE STARTED TO CHECK ON RED TARLETON'S WHEREABOUTS.

THERE WAS NO LUCK AT FIRST, WITH THE SEAPLANE TENDER REPORTING ONLY THAT A "DUMBO" HAD BEEN SENT OUT LATE LAST NIGHT WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS. SO WE TRIED REACHING THE DESTROYER BOYD -- STILL NO LUCK. FINALLY, AT 0700, THE BOYD CALLED BARACKMAN AND SAID THEY WERE APPROACHING TWO RAFTS IN THE WATER IN THE APPROXIMATE POSITION WHERE "RED" WENT DOWN.

THERE WERE A FEW ANXIOUS MOMENTS -- THEN CAME THE CALL -- "POSITIVELY IDENTIFIED SURVIVOR AS ENSIGN TARLETON, HE HAS BEEN PICKED UP AND IS IN GOOD SHAPE!"

WE LATER LEARNED THE STORY: AFTER PULLING OUT OF A STRAFING RUN AT 2500 FEET, "RED" NOTICED HIS ENGINE WAS CUTTING OUT AND WAS LOSING OIL. HE WAS ABLE TO GET BACK UP TO ALTITUDE AND MADE THE RENDEZVOUS POINT WITH THE REST OF THE FLIGHT. AFTER SWITCHING TANKS AND MAKING SEVERAL ADJUSTMENTS TO BE SURE SOMETHING COULDN'T BE DONE, WITH FLAPS DOWN, HE MADE A 50 KNOT GLIDING APPROACH AND WENT IN NEATLY.

THE ONE MAN RAFT CAME OUT OK AND HE SET UP "HOUSEKEEPING" AND WAS PRETTY SURE THAT HIS TEAMMATES WOULD CALL FOR SOME RESCUE FACILITIES. THE ONLY THING THAT WORRIED HIM WAS THE FACT THAT HE MUST HAVE BEEN VISIBLE FROM SHORE WHEN HE WENT IN, AND HE THOUGHT THE JAPS MIGHT SEND OUT A SMALL PATROL BOAT TO KNOCK HIM OFF. SO, HE "ROWED LIKE HELL" ALL NIGHT IN SPITE OF THREE RAIN SQUALLS THAT FILLED HIS BOAT WITH WATER. THE TWO MAN RAFT THE SB2C HAD DROPPED HIM WAS NICE AND BIG, BUT IT CAUGHT A LOT OF WATER. THE "GIBSON GIRL" RADIO TRANSMITTER THAT HAD BEEN DROPPEN BY THE SB2C WOULD HAVE HELPED, BUT, THE PARACHUTE FAILED TO OPEN AND IT CAME DOWN SO FAST THAT HE COULDN'T FIND IT.

ABOUT 2100 THAT NIGHT, HE STARTED TO NOTICE PLANES OVERHEAD; HE COULDN'T TELL IF THEY WERE JAPS OR NOT, SO HE DIDN'T GIVE THEM A LIGHT. A WET AND COLD NIGHT WAS SPENT ON HIS RUBBER RAFT. THE WIND WAS DIRECTLY TOWARD GUAM AND "RED" CONTINUED TO ROW IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. COME THE DAWN AND THE DESTROYER BOYD, AND HE WAS A HAPPY AVIATOR.

51 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org THIS WAS RED'S SECOND DUNKING, AND, IN A PLANE THAT HAD THE SAME NUMBER --20. ON THE PEARL HARBOR REFRESHER TRIP, HE HAD JUMPED THE BARRIERS AND GONE OVER THE SIDE.

"WHEN I WAS OUT ON THAT RAFT I KEPT THINKING -- THEY WILL NEVER GET ME TO FLY ONE OF THOSE AIRPLANES AGAIN," RED SAID. "I WAS A LITTLE UNHAPPY THEN; NOW ALL I ASK IS THAT THEY DON'T ASK ME TO FLY AN F6F WITH THE NUMBER 20 ON THE TAIL."

WITH ALL HANDS ACCOUNTED FOR, WE SETTLED DOWN TO THE BUSINESS OF THE DAY, A STRIKE AT GUAM AT 1000. TASK GROUP 58.1 WAS TO BOMB GUAM AND ROTA ON ALTERNATE DAYS, WITH TASK GROUP 58.2 HITTING THE TARGETS ON THE DAYS WE WERE NOT THERE -- A "MILK RUN" TYPE OF OPERATION DESIGNED TO DENY THE ENEMY THE USE OF THE AIRSTRIP AND ALSO TO KNOCK OUT AS MUCH OF THE DEFENSE INSTALLATIONS AS POSSIBLE.

ACCORDINGLY, EIGHT VF AND TWO VT WERE LAUNCHED AT 1000 WITH 500 POUND BOMBS. THE TARGET WAS AGANA TOWN, AND THE BOMBING WAS CARRIED OUT UNEVENTFULLY. AFTER THE BOMBING RUNS, THE PLANES FLEW OVER THE ISLAND LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO GET NEXT TIME. ALL PLANES RETURNED ABOARD AT 1210.

THERE WAS NO MORE ACTIVITY UNTIL THE LAUNCHING OF THE SUNSET PATROL, AT WHICH TIME WE PUT UP A DIVISION OF CAP AND FOUR ANTI-SUB AND SNOOPER TEAMS. HOWEVER, AT SUNSET WHEN THE LAST PLANE HIT THE DECK, WE PICKED UP A SINGLE BOGIE APPROACHING FROM THE SOUTHEAST.

FROM THAT TIME UNTIL 2230, WE WERE TREATED TO THE RARE SIGHT OF WATCHING AND ALSO ASSISTING IN NIGHT FIGHTER INTERCEPTIONS. THREE RADIO EQUIPPED HELLCATS WERE LAUNCHED FROM THE HORNET AND STARTED BOGIE-CHASING UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE HORNET AND THE YORKTOWN.

ALTHOUGH THE BATAAN DID NOT CONTROL THE INTERCEPTIONS, PILOTS FROM OUR RADARS WERE PHONED TO THE CONTROLLING SHIPS VIA TBS RADIO, PROVIDING THEM A BASIS ON WHICH TO PUT THE FIGHTER IN A CONTACT POSITION. OUR ORIGINAL PICKUP DISTANCE WAS THE BEST FOR ANY OF THE SHIPS AND OUR LONG RANGE SET WAS WORKING VERY WELL.

FIVE SINGLE PLANES CAME CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE GROUP TO BE CHASED EFFECTIVELY. TWO BETTYS WENT DOWN IN FLAMES AND WERE VIEWED FROM THE SHIP BY A BIG CROWD ON THE FLIGHT DECK. THE FIRST ONE DOVE OUT OF CONTROL AND EXPLODED IN A TREMENDOUS ORANGE FLAME JUST BEFORE HITTING THE WATER 35 MILES AWAY. NUMBER TWO WAS A "HANGER ON" AND ONLY HAD ONE ENGINE ON FIRE AS SHE MADE A PERFECT WATER LANDING. ALTHOUGH THE USS BURNS WENT OUT TO LOOK FOR SURVIVORS, ONLY A BIG GASOLINE SLICK WAS FOUND.

ONE PLANE THAT GOT AWAY WAS CHASED CLEAR TO GUAM; THE LIGHTS WENT ON AT THE AIRSTRIP AND THE JAP MADE A LANDING. OTHER PLANES SUCCEEDED IN EVADING THE NIGHT FIGHTERS BY CHANGING ALTITUDE.

ALL THE BOGIES WERE ON A NORTHWESTERLY COURSE HEADED FOR SAIPAN OR GUAM. SOME THAT SLIPPED PAST OUR FIGHTERS WERE WORKED OVER BY THE P-61 BLACK WIDOWS FROM THE ARMY FIGHTER COMMAND AT SAIPAN. THE ARMY BOYS DIDN'T HAVE ANY LUCK, HOWEVER, THEY DID HAVE TROUBLE WITH AA CONTROL. THE NAVY KEPT SHOOTING AT THE NIGHT FIGHTERS AND THE ARMY PILOTS BECAME SLIGHTLY IRRITATED AS THE BURSTS CAME CLOSE.

THE NUISANCE RAIDERS HAD GIVEN DEANNA DURBIN SOME COMPETITION FOR THE EVENING'S ENTERTAINMENT, AS THE SHIP SETTLED DOWN FOR A QUIET NIGHT SOME 70 MILES EAST OF GUAM.

SATURDAY, 8 JULY '44: "RED" TARLETON REPORTED ABOARD FROM HIS RUBBER BOAT AND DESTROYER DUTY.

ONE STRIKE AGAINST ROTA AND ONE PATROL WERE FLOWN; THE TASK GROUP REMAINING IN A POSITION TO THE EAST OF GUAM. A CAP OF FOUR PLANES, PLUS A 4-PLANE ASP AND A 4-PLANE ANTI-SNOOPER WAS LAUNCHED AT 1215 AND

52 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org RECOVERED AT 1624. EIGHT VF AND TWO VT TOOK OFF AT 1400 TO STRIKE AT ROTA , DROPPING 1.5 TONS OF BOMBS ON THE RUNWAY, DISPERSAL AREAS, AND BUILDINGS. SIX PLANES WERE SEEN ON THE GROUND IN THE DISPERSAL AREAS, ALL APPARENTLY PREVIOUSLY DAMAGED. A SPECIAL SEARCH FOR A GRASS-COVERED AIRSTRIP WAS NEGATIVE. THE STRIKE WAS LANDED AT 1625. LT. (JG) PRAETE LANDED ABOARD THE YORKTOWN AND A PILOT FROM THE HORNET WAS TAKEN ABOARD THE BATAAN WHEN HIS PLANE DEVELOPED A GAS LEAK.

SUNDAY, 9 JULY '44: A POSITION EAST OF GUAM WAS MAINTAINED THROUGHOUT THE DAY, DURING WHICH TIME ONE PATROL AND ONE STRIKE WERE FLOWN. A 12 PLANE PATROL, EQUALLY DIVIDED INTO CAP, ASP, AND ANTI-SNOOP, WAS AIRBORNE FROM 0850 TO 1255. A STRIKE OF EIGHT VF AND THREE VT WERE OFF AT 1001. THREE 500 POUND BOMBS WERE DROPPED ON BUILDINGS AT AGANA TOWN, GUAM, AND THIRTY-ONE 100 POUND BOMBS ON AGAT. THE HITS WERE CONCENTRATED, THE STRIKE WAS RECOVERED AT 1147.

WEDNESDAY, 12 JULY '44: WITH MAIL, PASSENGERS, AND A HOSPITAL PATIENT ABOARD FOR PEARL, WE TOOK DEPARTURE FROM TASK GROUP 58.1 AND STEERED TOWARD ENIWETOK AS TASK UNIT 58.1.6, CAPTAIN SCHAEFFER AS OFFICER-IN-TACTICAL COMMAND. OUR ESCORTS WERE THE CASE, DD 370 AND THE COWELL, DD 547.

AS A FINAL ACT, WE FLEW THE DAWN PATROL. THEN AT DAYBREAK, THE US MAIL COLLECTIONS FROM ALL THE SHIPS BEGAN. WE ALSO RENDEZVOUSED WITH A FUELING FLEET, AND ALL SHIPS, EXCEPT THE BATAAN, ASSUMED FUELING STATIONS.

DESTROYERS CAME ALONGSIDE - BOTH PORT AND STARBOARD - AND THE NECESSARY BUOYS KEPT THE DECK DIVISIONS BUSY. LT. RUSS CHERRY, PROPRIETOR OF "CHERRY'S CHOICE CINEMA", GOT A WORKOUT RUNNING FROM ONE SIDE OF THE SHIP TO THE OTHER TRYING TO TRADE SOME OF OUR FILMS WITH THE VISITING CANS.

INASMUCH AS WE WERE LEAVING THE COMBAT ZONE, THE HORNET AND YORKTOWN PUT IN REQUESTS FOR SPARE PLANES AND AVIATION EQUIPMENT. OUR TWO PHOTO PLANES WERE TURNED OVER TO THE TASK GROUP, THE ONE WITH THE SPECIAL K-17 TRI-METRAGON INSTALLATION GOING TO THE HORNET, AND THE OTHER TO THE YORKTOWN.

OTHER MATERIAL LEFT WITH THE TASK GROUP INCLUDED RADIOS, PILOTS' GEAR, AND AVIATION SPARES. TO THE TASK GROUP COMMANDER WENT OUR ACTION REPORTS AND THE COMPLETE AVIATION COVERAGE OF GUAM.

AFTER LEAVING THE TASK GROUP, WE MAINTAINED A TWO PLANE CAP AND ONE TEAM OF ASP.

THURSDAY, 13 JULY '44: RUDELY AWAKENED BY THE "GENERAL ALARM" AT 0450, THE SHIP WENT TO GENERAL QUARTERS FOR THE RECEPTION OF A SINGLE UNIDENTIFIED AIRCRAFT WHICH APPROACHED THE FORMATION FROM THE EAST. OUR TWO ESCORTS CLOSED IN FOR AIRCRAFT DEFENSE, AND EVASIVE MANEUVERS WERE TAKEN TO GET OUT OF THE WAY OF THE PLANE, HEADING RIGHT TOWARD US ON A COURSE OF280 DEGREES AT AN ALTITUDE OF 10,000 FEET.

IN THE MEANTIME, WE PREPARED TO LAUNCH FIGHTERS TO INTERCEPT; THE BOGIE CONTINUED TO CLOSE AND AT HIS NEAREST POINT, WAS FIVE MILES AWAY. HIS COURSE WAS UNCHANGED, HOWEVER, AND POSSIBLY AT HIS HIGH ALTITUDE, HE WASN'T AWARE OF OUR PRESENCE. LT. LARRY ABBOTT WAS OFF THE DECK BY THE TIME THE BOGIE WAS 20 MILES TO THE WEST. THE CHASE STARTED, WITH LT. ABBOTT CLIMBING ALL THE WAY, TRAILED BY ENSIGN FASH AND LT. (JG) MITCH ZIARKO. LAST OFF, ENSIGN McQUADY, WAS STUCK WITH PATROLLING OVERHEAD.

THE INITIAL ALTITUDE ADVANTAGE AND 20 MILES HEAD START, MADE THE CHASE A FUTILE ONE, SO, ALL PLANES WERE RECALLED OVERHEAD. AN ANALYSIS OF THE TRACK OF THE BOGIE AND THE FREQUENCY OF PATROLS AND TRANSPORT FLIGHT IN THE AREA LATER IN THE DAY, LED US TO BELIEVE THAT OUR EARLY MORNING VISITOR MIGHT WELL HAVE BEEN AN ARMY CARGO HOP ON ROUTE TO SAIPAN FROM ENIWETOK.

53 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY'S OPERATION CONSISTED OF ROUTINE PATROLS WITH TWO PLANE CAP AND A SINGLE ANTI-SUB AND SNOOPER TEAM OF ONE VT AND ONE VF. NUMEROUS SEARCH PLANES -- PBY'S, PBM'S, AND B-24'S -- CAME WITHIN THIRTY MILES OF OUR FORMATION AND BROKE THE MONOTONY FOR THE CAP.

COMMANDER DEAN STARTED OFF ANOTHER LITTLE CELEBRATION IN THE WARDROOM TONIGHT WITH THE ORDER FOR EVERYONE TO FEED THEIR FACES AS THE FIRST EVENT ON THE PROGRAM. THE OCCASION WAS A BUFFET DINNER, 3,000 LANDING CELEBRATION, AND THE "ACE" AWARD CEREMONIES.

AFTER EVERYONE HAD CARRIED OUT THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER'S ORDERS ON THE FEEDING PROPOSITION, COMMANDER HOUSE TOOK OVER AS MASTER OF CEREMONIES AND PROCEEDED WITH THE ANNOUNCEMENTS. OUR OPERATIONS, SINCE OUR SORTIES FROM ENIWETOK HAD NETTED FIVE MORE ENEMY AIRCRAFT, ONE ENEMY AK GUTTED BY STRAFING AND ABANDONED ON THE BEACH, AND DAMAGED ENEMY INSTALLATIONS AT IWO JIMA, PAGAN, GUAM, AND ROTA, ALL HELPED IN THE FESTIVITIES.

PILOTS LT. (JG) DANNY ROHM AND ENSIGN BILL McCORMICK, WITH A TOTAL OF SIX AND FIVE PLANES RESPECTIVELY, WERE CALLED ON FOR THE USUAL "FEW THOUSAND WORDS" AND GAVE OUT WITH THE STANDARD MODEST SPEECHES. ENSIGN PAT DANNES AND CHUCK MILLER WERE ALSO RECOGNIZED FOR THE SINGLE ZEKES THEY PICKED UP ON THE IWO JIMA SWEEP.

THE PILOT WHO MADE THE 3,000TH LANDING WAS LT (JG) A. ST. HALL OF THE VT SQUADRON. LT. (JG) MIKE NIKRONIS AND LT. VIC STRUB TOOK A BOW AND MODESTLY CONGRATULATED THE PILOTS ON THEIR FINE RESPONSE TO THE SIGNALS AND CONFIDENCE THEY PUT IN THE LSO'S.

THE SPEECHMAKING PART OF THE PROGRAM WAS CONCLUDED BY THE CAPTAIN: "YOU'VE HEARD FROM THE SIGNAL OFFICERS, OUR TWO NEW ACES, AND OTHERS THAT WE ARE HONORING THIS EVENING. WE NOW HAVE "FOUR ACES" IN AIR GROUP 50 -- WHICH IS A WINNING HAND IN ANY GAME. THE BOX SCORE NOW IS 61 PLANES; SCORES LIKE THAT ARE GOING TO WIN THE WAR. IT IS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT OUR AIR SUPREMACY OVER THE MARIANAS WAS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS IN THE SUCCESS OF THE CAMPAIGN. IF WE HAD NOT HAD AIR SUPREMACY, THE OUTCOMES OF THE BATTLE MIGHT HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT. I'M VERY PROUD OF OUR AIR GROUP, AND INDEED, OUR CREW. I'M PROUD, NOT ONLY OF SHOOTING DOWN OF JAP PLANES, BUT OF THE ROUTINE PATROLS FLOWN; THE MONOTONOUS ASP AND CAP HOPS. ALSO, I'M PROUD OF THE 3,000TH SUCCESSFUL LANDING; ON THAT PARTICULAR DAY, THE WIND WAS FROM ALL DIRECTIONS AND IT LOOKED AS IF THE "GREMLINS" WERE CONSPIRING TO MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR US. HOWEVER, THROUGHOUT ALL LANDINGS, THE WORK OF THE SIGNAL OFFICERS HAS BEEN OUTSTANDING. DURING THE ORIGINAL OPERATION AGAINST IWO JIMA, WHEN THE SEA WAS ROUGH AND ANOTHER CARRIER HAD A DECK CRASH, THE PILOTS WERE GIVEN THE CUT AT THE RIGHT MOMENT AND LANDED ON THE DECK SAFELY."

THE "PHOTOGRAPHIC PHASE" OF THE EVENING'S OPERATION FOLLOWED. EACH HONORED GUEST HAD HIS PICTURE TAKEN WITH THE CAKE BEFORE IT UNDERWENT THE KNIFE.

THE SURPRISE EVENT OF THE EVENING WAS A SPECIAL PRESENTATION CEREMONY; CAPTAIN WILKINSON, MARINE DETACHMENT BOSS AND MESS CATERER PRESENTED LT. (JG) JOHN MIDDLETON AND MEDICAL OFFICER LT. JOHN RANKIN, WITH "SPECIAL" CAKES. "MESSY MIDDLETON, THE PILOT WHO NEVER FAILS TO GIVE US A THRILL ON ANY LANDING" RECEIVED A PIECE OF LAST NIGHT'S CAKE (ABOUT WHICH HE HAD COMPLAINED) WITH A BIG "AK" ON IT.

"RIPPER RANKIN, FOR THE COMPLETION OF HIS 20TH SUCCESSFUL APPENDECTOMY" WAS THE CITATION SPEECH ACCOMPANYING THE JUNIOR SIZED CAKE OOZING WITH BLOODY RED ICING WHERE A MEAT CLEAVER PERFORATED THE FLESH COLORED FROSTING. THE PRESENTATION WAS COMPLETE WITH STERILIZED RUBBER GLOVES. NEEDLESS TO SAY,

54 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org "THE GRAND OLD MAN OF AVIATION", AS BALDING MIDDLETON IS CALLED, AND THE "GRAND OLD NAVY DOCTOR" WERE MOST GRATEFUL.

FRIDAY, 14 JULY '44: SQUALLS AND A LOW OVERCAST CANCELED OUR DAWN PATROL SCHEDULE. BY NOON, HOWEVER, THE WEATHER CLEARED SUFFICIENTLY FOR US TO LAUNCH TO THE BEACH ALL OF OUR PLANES THAT WERE DECREED TO BE IN THE FIRST RATE COMBAT CONDITION. SEVERAL PLANES WITH A LONG RECORD, WHICH PUT THEM NEAR THE "FLYABLE DUD" CLASSIFICATION, WERE LEFT ON BOARD UNTIL IT COULD BE DETERMINED AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THEY WERE WANTED.

IN THE AFTERNOON, AS WE CLEARED ENIWETOK, WE RECEIVED WORD TO SEND IN THE REMAINING PLANES -- ALL EXCEPT ONE FIGHTER THAT DIDN'T HAVE AN ARRESTING GEAR HOOK. OUR FLIGHT DECK WAS BARE AND THE LONE FIGHTER WAS PARKED WITH WINGS FOLDED ON THE OTHER PART OF THE FLIGHT DECK.

AS WE CAME CLOSER TO THE ATOLL, WE NOTICED ANOTHER GROUP OF SHIPS IN THE DISTANCE LEAVING, TASK GROUPS 58.3 AND 58.4. EVIDENTLY, WE WERE GOING TO BE PRETTY MUCH ALONE WITH THE SHIPS OF THE TRAIN AT ENIWETOK.

OUR BIG WORRY WAS THAT WE HAD MISSED OUR MAIL. LT. CMDR. SULLIVAN, SHIP'S SECRETARY, AND MAIL CLERK DICKINSON, HAD BEEN SENT OFF IN A TBM TO TRACK DOWN SOME OF THE PRECIOUS STUFF. BUT, IF IT HAD ALREADY GONE TO SAIPAN, WE WERE NOT GOING TO GET VERY MUCH. ALSO, WE HAD TO FIND OUT ABOUT MIKE MIKRONIS'S BABY. FOR THE LAST THREE "MAIL CALLS" MIKE HAD BEEN IN AGONY BECAUSE HIS WIFE HAD BEEN "EXPECTING". FOR TWO MONTHS NOW, MIKE HAD BEEN WORRYING AND IT CAME TO BE THE INTEREST OF THE ENTIRE SHIP. SOME OF THE PILOTS TOLD MIKE IT MUST BE TRIPLETS.

AS WE CAME INTO THE CHANNEL, WE SAW WHAT WE HAD EXPECTED -- SHIPS IN THE TRAIN; A FEW CVE'S AND AN ABUNDANCE OF MERCHANT VESSELS, INCLUDING ONE FLYING THE FREE FRENCH FLAG. WE WERE ASSIGNED A VERY DESIRABLE BERTH, CLOSE TO THE CURTISE, SOPA, AND THE ISLAND LANDING.

WE DROPPED THE HOOK AT 1844 AND RETIRED TO THE WARDROOM TO VIEW "MAJOR BARBARA" AND STAND BY FOR THE MAIL. BEFORE HALF OF THE 14 REELS OF THE MOVIE HAD GONE THROUGH THE MACHINE, OUR MAIL WAS DISTRIBUTED AND A SCRAMBLE STARTED FOR WHAT CAME OUT OF 18 BAGS THAT WERE BROUGHT ABOARD.

THE LETTERS WERE FEW, BUT GOOD -- AND MIKE MIKRONIS WAS THE FATHER OF A BOUNCING BABY BOY -- AND TO GO WITH THE GOOD NEWS, AN ALNAV CAME ABOARD THAT PROMOTED MIKE FROM "JG" TO LIEUTENANT.

WELL, WE WERE BACK FROM THE ADVANCED COMBAT AREA AND STARTING ON THAT "WELL DESERVED REST" THAT THE CAPTAIN TALKED ABOUT LAST NIGHT. OUR BIG WORRIES FROM NOW ON WERE GOING TO BE MAIL AND OUR FORWARD ELEVATOR.

23 JULY, '44: ARRIVED AT PEARL, AND OUR ORDERS ARE -- RETURN TO THE STATES !! AIR GROUP 50 DETACHED, TO EVERYONE'S DISAPPOINTMENT. A WONDERFUL GROUP, THEY HAD BECOME PART OF THE SHIP AND WE WERE PROUD OF THEIR RECORD, INCLUDING 61 NIPS SHOT OUT OF THE AIR.

30, JULY '44: ANCHORED IN BERTH #14, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA. 1918, UNDERWAY FOR BERTH #3, UNITED STATES NAVAL DRY DOCKS, HUNTERS POINT, CALIFORNIA. 1942, USS BATAAN MOORED.

31 JULY '44: COMPLETED UNLOADING AMMUNITION.

55 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org AUG-SEPT, 1944: More Pearl Elevator repairs THE USS BATAAN RECEIVES THE FOLLOWING YARD WORK:

REPAIR OF FORWARD ELEVATOR

INSTALLATION OF WND CATAPULT (STARBOARD)

SHIP'S BOTTOM AND SIDES PAINTED

SP RADAR INSTALLED

NEW FLIGHT DECK LANDING LIGHT SYSTEM INSTALLED. SHIP PREPARED TO QUALIFY AND OPERATE WITH NIGHT FIGHTERS.

ROCKET STOWAGE AND HANDLING FACILITIES INSTALLED.

INSTALLED $4 AIRCRAFT BARRIER.

26 AUGUST '44: CAPTAIN V. H. SCHAEFFER, USN, RELIEVED BY CAPTAIN J. P. HEATH, USN.

October ‘44–February ‘45: Qualifying Pilots FROM 18 OCTOBER, 1944 UNTIL 1 MARCH, 1945 THE BATAAN TOOK ON DUTIES OF QUALIFYING PILOTS. THIS MAY SEEM LIKE THE LIFE -- SIX DAYS OUT, 3 DAYS IN, LIBERTY IN HONOLULU, USO SHOWS, MOVIES, -- WELL LET ME TELL YOU, IT STARTS TO WEAR. THE MONOTONY IS TOO GREAT, THE HOPE OF THE EVENTUAL RETURN WITH THE FLEET BECOMES STRONGER WITH EACH DAY. YES, WE KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF PILOT QUALIFICATIONS; SOMEONE MUST DO IT. BUT WE FEEL THAT HAVING COMPLETED 7,474 LANDINGS, BOTH DAY AND NIGHT, REFRESHER LANDINGS FOR 23 DIFFERENT AIR GROUPS, 14 MISHAPS, F6F'S, TBM'S, F4U'S, NAVY PILOTS, MARINE PILOTS -- WE DID IT ALL. IT'S ABOUT TIME FOR ANOTHER SHIP TO TAKE OUR PLACE!

March 1945: Ulithi, TG 58.2, USS Franklin 28 FEBRUARY '45: AIR GROUP 47 REPORTS ABOARD.

1 MARCH '45: REFRESHER LANDINGS FOR AIR GROUP 47.

3 MARCH '45: DEPARTED PEARL HARBOR FOR ULITHI, ARRIVING 13 MARCH, 1945.

14 MARCH '45: BATAAN SORTIED FROM ULITHI AS PART OF THE FAMED TASK GROUP 58.2. WE HAD MADE IT. WE ARE NO LONGER THE "WAIKIKI RAIDERS". THE BATAAN IS HERE TO FIGHT A WAR! JUST LOOK AT WHAT WE ARE A PART OF:

Task Group (TG) 58.2

CARRIERS: FRANKLIN CV13, HANCOCK CV 19, SAN JACINTO CVL 30, BATAAN CVL 29

BATTLESHIPS: WASHINGTON BB56, NORTH CAROLINA BB55

CRUISERS: BALTIMORE CA 68, PITTSBURGH CA 72

Destroyers: OWEN DD 536, SULLIVANS DD 537, TINGEY DD 539, HUNT DD 674, MARSHALL DD 676, HALSEY POWELL DD 686, UHLMANN DD 687, WEDERBURN DD 684, STOCKHAM DD 683, MILLER DD 535, STEPHEN POTTER DD 538, HICKOX DD 673, LEWIS HADCOCK DD 675, CUSHING DD 797, COLAHAN DD 658, DENHAM DD 796, TWINING DD 540.

56 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org AND, THAT'S NOT ALL -- OPERATING WITH THE FIFTH FLEET -- ADMIRAL R. A. SPRUANCE, USN, COM FIFTH FLEET; ADMIRAL MITCHER, USN, COM TASK FORCE 58; ADMIRAL R. DAVISON, USN, COM TASK GROUP 58.2.

WE ARE A PART OF WHAT WOULD BE THE GREATEST STRIKING FORCE IN HISTORY!

14 - 17 MARCH '45: THE TASK GROUP CRUISED ON A NORTHWESTERLY COURSE AT 18 KNOTS. SCHEDULED EXERCISES WERE CONDUCTED. CRUISING FORMATION 5-R WAS GENERALLY IN USE DURING THE CRUISE TO THE FORWARD AREA, 125 MILES EAST OF THE SOUTHERN COAST OF KYUSHU. FORMATION 5-R WAS USED WHEN AIR ATTACKS WERE NOT IMMINENT. WHEN ENEMY PLANES WERE AIRBORNE IN THE VICINITY DURING DAYLIGHT, FORMATION 5-V(D) WAS USED, AND 5-V(N) WAS USED WHEN THERE WERE AIR ATTACKS DURING DARKNESS.

18 MARCH, 1945: SUNRISE 0617, SUNSET 1820; OFF THE COAST OF KYUSHU; FRESH NNW WINDS VEERED TO MODERATE NE AS HIGH PRESSURE TO THE NORTH MOVED EASTWARD. VISIBILITY 25 TO 30 MILES; MODERATE SEA.

0540: SWEEP 2B OF 11 VF LAUNCHED AGAINST MIYAKONOJO AIRFIELD.

0652: STRIKE 2C, 8 VF AND 9 VT LAUNCHED AGAINST KAGOSHIMA AIRFIELD.

0914: SWEEP 2B RECOVERED. RESULTS OF SWEEP -- 9 PARKED AIRCRAFT DESTROYED; 20 ROCKETS PUT INTO THE MAIN HANGER, AND 25 INTO THE POWER PLANT AT ABURATSU.

1000: SWEEP 2E OF 8 VF LAUNCHED AGAINST MIYAKONOJO AIRFIELD.

1052: STRIKE 2C RECOVERED, HAVING DAMAGED OR DESTROYED AS ASSEMBLY PLANT AND 5 HANGERS AT KAGOSHIMA; A BRIDGE, RAILWAY TRAIN, BARRACKS, AND LUGGERS WERE STRAFED. ONE TBM WAS LOST, PRESUMABLY TO ANTI-AIRCRAFT FIRE. ENSIGN J. A. MARVIN, USNR, AND E. H. HINTZ, AOM2C, USNR, MISSING IN ACTION WEST OF KAGOSHIMA AIRFIELD, KYUSHU. WHEN LAST SEEN AFTER THE ATTACK, THEIR TBM WAS IN A SHALLOW DIVE, ON FIRE, AND IS BELIEVED TO HAVE CRASHED INLAND.

1223: STRIKE 2F OF 8 VF, 1 VF(R) AND 8 VT LAUNCHED AGAINST IZUMI AIRFIELD.

1316: SWEEP 2E RECOVERED. RESULTS OF THE SWEEP INCLUDED 6 PARKED AIRCRAFT AT MIYAKONOJO - DAMAGED OR DESTROYED; ARMY POST BUILDING NEAR AIRFIELD AND POWER PLANT AT ABURATSU ROCKETED.

1418: SWEEP 2H OF 8 VF LAUNCHED AGAINST KAGOSHIMA AIRFIELD.

1624: STRIKE 2F RECOVERED. RESULTS OF THE STRIKE -- 8 TWIN ENGINE PLANES ON IZUMI AIRFIELD DESTROYED OR DAMAGED; ONE HANGER, 6 OR 7 SMALLER BUILDINGS IN THE SW CORNER OF THE AIRFIELD DESTROYED; RAILWAY BRIDGE, BARRACKS AND SAMPANS STRAFED. ONE TBM WAS LOST, THE CAUSE BEING UNKNOWN; ENSIGN D. C. LOOMIS, USNR, AND G. P. CAWLEY, AOM2C, USNR, MISSING IN ACTION.

1754: SWEEP 2H RECOVERED. THE KAGOSHIMA ASSEMBLY PLANT WAS AGAIN ROCKETED AND LEFT IN BURNING CONDITION; ONE TWIN ENGINE PLANE WAS BURNED, 7 TWIN ENGINE AND 8 SINGLE ENGINE PLANES DAMAGED BY STRAFING ON THE FIELD AT IZUMI.

NO ENEMY AIRCRAFT WERE ENGAGED BY THE BATAAN PLANES DURING THE ENTIRE DAYS OPERATION OVER KYUSHU.

RESCUE OPERATIONS WERE CONDUCTED FOR THE DOWNED AIRMEN, BUT WITH NO AVAIL. (ENSIGN EDWARD HINTZ AND CREWMAN JAMES MARVIN, DECLARED KIA. ENSIGN LOOMIS AND CREWMAN GLENN CAWLEY WERE ALSO BELIEVED KIA BY THE BATAAN ASSN., BUT, TO THE AMAZEMENT OF ALL AT THE ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI REUNION, GLENN CAWLEY ATTENDED. IT WAS THEN LEARNED THAT ENSIGN LOOMIS'S TBM CRASHED INTO THE WATER AND HE AND

57 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org GLENN CAWLEY WERE PICKED UP BY THE JAPANESE. BOTH SPENT THE REMAINDER OF THE WAR IN JAPANESE PRISON CAMPS.)

THE JAPANESE HOMELAND HAS TAKEN A STEADY DIET OF OUR BOMBING; THIS SHOULD SOFTEN THE RESISTANCE OF THE JAPANESE AND THE EVENTUAL ENDING OF THE WAS. LITTLE DID WE EXPECT WHAT WAS TO HAPPEN!

19 MARCH '45: THE ENEMY HITS BACK WITH A VENGEANCE. THE BATAAN WAS STEAMING ON VARIOUS COURSES SOUTHEAST OF SHIKOKU ISLAND, JAPAN, THE SHIP WAS 65 MILES DISTANT AT ONE POINT. GENERAL QUARTERS WERE SOUNDED AT 0334. ABOUT 10 BOGIES WERE SEEN OFF OUR PORT BOW. THE ENEMY PLANES BROKE OFF INTO SMALLER GROUPS AS THEY WERE ENGAGED WITH OUR NIGHT FIGHTERS. BY 0400, THE BOGIES WERE DISPERSED AND CONDITION ONE EASY WAS SET. OUR TARGET TODAY WILL BE THE SHIPPING IN KOBE HARBOR. AT 0556, RAPCAP OF 4 VF WAS LAUNCHED AND 0650, STRIKE 2B OF 11 VF, 1 VF(P), AND 5 VT WERE LAUNCHED.

THEN IT HAPPENED!

0700: GENERAL QUARTERS WERE SOUNDED AS OUR OBSERVERS PICKED UP AN ENEMY PLANE AT 3000 YARDS TO OUR PORT SIDE. IT IS BELIEVED TO BE A JIL, BUT LATER IDENTIFIED AS A MYRT, DROPPED TWO BOMBS INTO THE FORWARD ELEVATOR OF THE USS FRANKLIN CV 13. (LT. MIKE MIKRONIS, BATAAN'S LSO OFFICER WAS JUST TRANSFERRED TO THE FRANKLIN.) A BURNING INFERNO OF FUEL WITH EXPLODING AMMUNITION WAS THE RESULT.

CDR. ARCH ATKINSON RECALLS THAT THE PLANES FROM OUR SHIP WERE ON THE FLIGHT DECK FUELED AND ARMED FOR THE STRIKE. HE CANNOT, TO THIS DAY, UNDERSTAND WHY THE PLANES OF THE FRANKLIN WERE ON THE HANGER DECKS ARMED WITH ROCKETS, "FRAG" BOMBS, AND FUELED, INCLUDING BELLY TANKS. CDR. ATKINSON BELIEVES THAT IF THE PLANES OF THE FRANKLIN HAD BEEN ON THE FLIGHT DECK, THE ENSUING HOLOCAUST WOULD NEVER HAVE OCCURRED. 832 WERE TO DIE AND 270 WOUNDED.

LT. (JG) LOCKE TRIGG -- VF 47, JUST LAUNCHED BY THE BATAAN FOR A STRIKE AGAINST KOBE, FLEW THROUGH OUR TASK FORCE'S FLACK AND FORTUNATELY WAS NOT HIT. LT. (JG) TRIGG CHASED THE JAP FOR 20 MILES AND SHOT IT DOWN. ALTHOUGH MANY REPORTS GIVE THE KILL TO THE COMMANDER OF THE FRANKLIN AIR GROUP, OBSERVERS ABOARD THE BATAAN VERIFY, WITHOUT RESERVATION, LT. TRIGG'S KILL.

THE FRANKLIN LOST ALL STEERING CONTROL AND CAME TO A HALT. THE LIST TO STARBOARD INCREASED TO ABOUT 13 DEGREES AND THE SHIP STARTED TO TURN IN THAT DIRECTION -- DIRECTLY AT THE BATAAN. CDR. ATKINSON RECALLS PUTTING THE BATAAN TO RIGHT RUDDER and flank (FULL)speed to keep the Franklin from ramming the Bataan.

58 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org

THE AIR STRIKE RETURNS FROM KOBE BEARING VERY GOOD NEWS. THE AIR GROUP REPORTS THAT A CV, A CVE, AND A SMALL MERCHANT VESSEL WERE BOMBED AND SET AFIRE. LATER IN THE DAY, OUR CAP SHOOTS DOWN ONE TOJO.

20 MARCH '45: THE BATAAN, WITH TASK GROUP 58.2, FURNISHES AIR COVER FOR THE FRANKLIN ON THE RETIREMENT SOUTH FROM KYUSHU. THE FIRST OF THREE MORNING CAP'S OF 8, 4, AND 8 VF RESPECTIVELY, PLUS AN ASP OF 3 VT'S WAS LAUNCHED; ALL NEGATIVE.

EARLY IN THE AFTERNOON, WHEN THINGS SEEMED SERENE, AND CV'S WERE TOPPING OFF TIN CANS, CIC REPORTED A BOGEY AT 12 MILES. THE CONDITION WATCH WAS ALERTED, MOUNTS SHIFTED TO AUTOMATIC - GUNS POINTED SKYWARD AND AMMO BROKEN OUT. A JAP PLANE WAS SEEN DIVING IN ON THE USS HANCOCK. SKY CONTROL GAVE THE ORDER TO TRACK THE TARGET. THE MOUNTS SWUNG NERVOUSLY FOR A MOMENT AND THEN SETTLED DOWN AS THE DIRECTOR OPERATORS BEGAN TRACKING THE TARGET. AT 1456, THE WHOLE PORT BATTERY OPENED UP INSTANTLY AND EFFECTIVELY. THE BATAAN WAS CREDITED WITH EITHER A KILL, OR AN ASSIST IN SHOOTING DOWN A JILL THAT WAS MAKING A KAMAKAZE ATTACK ON THE HANCOCK. THE JILL CRASHED IN FLAMES ON THE STARBOARD SIDE OF THE HANCOCK AND HIT THE DESTROYER HALSEY POWELL THAT WAS REFUELING ALONGSIDE THAT SHIP. IT WAS THE NO. 1 KILL FOR OUR GUN CLUB.

OUR 4TH CAP OF 12 VF RETURNED AND REPORTED THAT 1 JUDY AND 1 MYRT WERE SHOT DOWN OVER THE TASK FORCE.

LIEUT. SAM HIBBARD, USNR, WAS RESCUED AT SEA SOUTH OF KYUSHU ISLAND. WHILE FLYING CAP, LIEUT. HIBBARD'S F6F WAS HIT BY MACHINE GUN FIRE FROM A JUDY HE LATER SHOT DOWN, AND THEREAFTER WAS HIT BY ANTI- AIRCRAFT FROM TASK FORCE 58. HE MADE A WATER LANDING ALONGSIDE THE DESTROYER NORMAN A. SCOTT OF THE SCREEN. HE GOT OUT OF HIS PLANE, INFLATED HIS RUBBER RAFT, AND WAS PICKED UP BY THE DESTROYER. HE WAS RETURNED TO THE BATAAN WITHOUT INJURY.

AT 1613, THE BATAAN'S ANTI-AIRCRAFT BATTERIES OPENED UP ON A BOGEY DIVING ON THE FORMATION. THE PLANE DROPPED A BOMB ON THE ENTERPRISE, MISSED AND RETIRED.

59 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org THEN, AT 1626, ANOTHER BOGEY WAS SIGHTED AS IT BOMBED THE ENTERPRISE. THE BOMB WAS A NEAR MISS; FIRE BROKE OUT ON THE FLIGHT DECK FORWARD OF THE ISLAND. ENEMY AIR ATTACKS ON THE TASK GROUP WERE TO OCCUR ALMOST CONTINUOUSLY. THEN, AT 1652, IT WAS THE BATAAN'S TURN TO BECOME A TARGET. A JUDY, CROSSING THE BATAAN'S BOW LOW IN THE WATER FROM STARBOARD TO PORT, WAS TAKEN UNDER FIRE AND HIT BY THE SHIP'S GUNS. THE JUDY DROPPED ITS BOMB 200 YARDS ON THE STARBOARD BEAM AND CRASHED IN FLAMES 1000 YARDS OFF THE PORT BOW.

DURING THE FIRING, THE SHIP TAKES IT'S FIRST COMBAT LOSSES. SHELLS, BELIEVED TO BE 5 INCH, FROM ANOTHER SHIP OR SHIPS IN THE GROUP, FIRES ON A LOW FLYING PLANE AND HITS THE BATAAN. ONE CREWMAN KILLED AND 11 WOUNDED.

THE KAMAKAZE ATTACKS CONTINUED. AT 1708, A JUDY STARTED ITS DIVE ON THE BATAAN. THE STARBOARD BATTERIES OPENED UP AND STARTED THE PLANE ON ITS FINAL DIVE; BUT NOT BEFORE THE JAP DROPPED ITS BOMB CLOSE ABOARD. THE PLANE SPLASHED 300 YARDS ASTERN, THE BATAAN HAVING EITHER SHOT IT DOWN OR ASSISTED IN DOING SO. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, ANOTHER JAP DROPS OUT OF THE SKY AT THE BATAAN. FROM THE STARBOARD QUARTER, THE PLANE DROPS ITS BOMB SO CLOSE ABOARD, THAT THE EXPLOSION CAUSES A BULGE AT GUN MOUNT 11. THE PLANE WAS TAKEN UNDER FIRE BY THE BATAAN'S BATTERIES AND WAS SMOKING BADLY WHEN IT PASSED OUT OF RANGE, SUBSEQUENTLY BEING FINISHED OFF BY SHIPS OF THE SCREEN.

DURING CAP 6, CDR. WALTER ETHRIDGE, USN, COMMANDER OF AIR GROUP 47, WAS PURSUING A JUDY THROUGH INTENSE FLAK, AND WAS SHOT DOWN BY ANTI-AIRCRAFT FIRE FROM THE TASK FORCE. HIS PLANE WAS SET AFIRE, CRASHING ON THE PORT BOW OF THE DESTROYER CUSHING. THE DESTROYER MADE AN IMMEDIATE SEARCH OF THE AREA OF THE CRASH, BUT NOTHING BUT AN OIL SLICK REMAINED.

21 MARCH '45: THE BATAAN IS CONTINUING SOUTHWARD FROM KYUSHU WITH TASK GROUP 58.2. DURING THE DAY, 3 CAPS OF 12 VF, 8 VF, AND 12 VF WERE LAUNCHED.

DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING OF AN F6F FROM THE FIRST LAUNCH, THE PLANE CAUGHT FIRE WHEN THE BELLY TANK DROPPED OFF AND BURST INTO FLAMES. THE PILOT WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED AND THE DAMAGED PLANE WAS JETTISONED.

A JAP PLANE MAKES A RUN ON THE USS SAN JACINTO TWO MILES OFF OUR STARBOARD BOW. THE FRANCES IS SHOT DOWN BY SHIPS OF THE TASK GROUP.

22 MARCH '45: THE BATAAN IS FUELED BY THE AO MILLICOMA. AT 1600, THE BATAAN LEAVES TASK GROUP 58.2, LANDS THE REPLACEMENT PLANES, AND REPORTS TO TASK GROUP 58.3. 23 MARCH '45 CRUISING IN THE VICINITY OF LAT. 52 DEGREES NORTH, LONG. 128 DEGREES EAST. (Editor: ????)

60 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org AT 0600, 12 VF WERE LAUNCHED AGAINST MINAMI DAITO JIMA. LT. CMDR. A. H. CLANCY, JR. LED THE ATTACK, BUT, BECAUSE OF THE THICK LOW OVERCAST, THE TARGET WAS UNABLE TO BE LOCATED. THE LANES DROPPED THEIR BOMBS ON A PHOSPHATE PLANT. THIS MISSION TOOK ON THE NAME OF "CLANCY'S DUMP".

SWEEPS OF 12 VF, 8 VF, AND 9 VT WERE LAUNCHED AGAINST MINAMI DAITO, BUT, THEY TOO WERE TO FIND LOW CEILING CONDITIONS AND HAD TO JETTISON THEIR BOMBS; RESULTS WERE UNOBSERVED.

24 MARCH '45: CRUISING IN THE OPERATING AREA SE OF OKINAWA. TWO SWEEPS OF 12 VF AND 6 VF WERE LAUNCHED AGAINST MINAMI DAITO. TWO STRIKES OF 8 VF AND 9 VT WERE LAUNCHED AGAINST MINAMI DAITO AIRFIELD WITH RESULTS OF 2 RUNWAYS CRATERED AND ADMINISTRATION BUILDINGS ROCKETED. ENSIGN J. W. MURPHY, USNR, MADE A WATER LANDING AFTER HIS TBM WAS HIT BY FLAK. ENSIGN MURPHY AND CREWMAN E. F. MUEGER, ARM3C, WERE RESCUED AT SEA 40 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MINAMI DAITO JIMA. THEIR RAFT WAS LOCATED BY OS2U'S FROM THE CRUISER WILKSBARRE. BOTH MEN WERE PICKED UP IN GOOD CONDITION; AFTER SPENDING 8 HOURS IN THE RAFT. BOTH WERE RETURNED TO THE BATAAN.

25 MARCH '45: FUELING IN THE VICINITY OF LAT. 22 DEGREES NORTH, LONG. 128 DEGREES EAST. A CAP OF 12 VF WAS LAUNCHED WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS. AMMUNITION WAS RECEIVED FROM THE AE MAUNA LOR, AND AVIATION GAS AND FUEL FROM THE AO TALLULAH.

26 MARCH '45: CRUISING IN THE OPERATION AREA SOUTHEAST OF OKINAWA.

STRIKES WERE CONDUCTED AGAINST THE ENEMY AT MINAMI DAITO AND SOUTHERN OKINAWA. HITS RECORDED WERE AIRFIELDS, BARRACKS, RADIO STATIONS, STORAGE DUMPS, PIERS, AND AMPHIBIOUS CRAFT. SUPPORT "G" DESTROYED ONE SINGLE ENGINE AIRCRAFT ON THE GROUND. ON THE FLIGHT BACK TO BASE, VT PLANES OF SUPPORT "G" BECAME LOST AS A RESULT OF YE SIGNALS SENT OUT BY ESCORT CARRIERS OF ANOTHER TASK GROUP ON A FREQUENCY DUPLICATING THAT OF TASK GROUP 53.8'S YE, OR VERY CLOSE TO IT. SIX VT'S LANDED AFTER DARK ON 3 ESCORT CARRIERS; THE SEVENTH, THE TBM OF ENSIGN KENNETH LORING, USNR, AND CREWMAN J. S. SNELSON, AOM2C, MADE A WATER LANDING DUE TO FAILURE OF THE WING TANK FEED SYSTEM. BOTH MEN, AFTER 45 MINUTES, WERE RESCUED FROM THEIR RUBBER RAFT OFF OF OKINAWA BY THE MINESWEEPER SPEAR, AND SUBSEQUENTLY RETURNED TO THE BATAAN IN GOOD CONDITION. THAT EVENING, A HEAVY SMOKE SCREEN WAS THROWN UP TO HIDE THE FORMATION FROM NIGHT RAIDERS.

27 MARCH '45: CRUISING IN THE OPERATING AREA SE OF OKINAWA. STRIKES WERE CONDUCTED THROUGHOUT THE DAY OVER MINAMI DAITO, OKINAWA, KADENA, AND KATSUREN. AT 2042 HOURS, THE BATAAN DEPARTED FOR THE FUELING AREA ON A COURSE OF 115 DEGREES.

28 MARCH '45: ENROUTE TO THE FUELING AREA, THE BATAAN LAUNCHES 8 VFS AND 7 VTS AGAINST MINAMI DAITO. AFTER THE SHIP IS FUELED BY THE AO PATUXENT, AND AMMUNITION FROM THE AK MERCURY, THE BATAAN SETS COURSE IN SEARCH OF THE ENEMY FLEET REPORTED TO BE MOVING UP THE WEST COAST OF KYUSHU. 29 MARCH '45 CRUISING IN THE VICINITY ABOUT 100 MILES FROM THE SOUTHERN TIP OF KYUSHU.

0517: STRIKE OF 12 VF AND 9 VT LAUNCHED WITH ORDERS TO STRIKE THE ENEMY FLEET REPORTED ON THE PREVIOUS DAY. IF THE ENEMY WAS NOT FOUND, THE STRIKE IS TO ATTACK KANOYA AIRFIELD ON KYUSHU.

0758: IT WAS REPORTED THAT TWO CABOT PILOTS WERE DOWN IN THE WATER ABOUT 60 MILES FROM THE FORMATION. THE BATAAN LAUNCHES 4 VFS AS COVER FOR TWO CRUISER 0S2U'S AS THE CABOT'S PILOTS ARE RESCUED.

0948: BATAAN AGAIN LAUNCHES 4 VFS TO COVER OS2U RESCUES. PILOTS PICKED UP AND THE ESCORT WENT ON A ROVING MISSION AROUND KAGOSHIMA BAY DESTROYING TWO FLOAT PLANES AND SETTING TWO

61 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org LUGGARS AFIRE. A JUDY TRIES TO BOMB THE CABOT, BUT MISSES. OUR ESCORT TALLYHOED THE JAP, AND LT. SAM HIBBARD SHOOTS IT DOWN AS IT WAS PREPARING TO LAND.

1014: STRIKE RECOVERED. KANOYA FIELD BEING CLOSED IN, CHIRAN FIELD ON SOUTHERN KYUSHU WAS ATTACKED.

30 MARCH '45: THE PRE LANDING ATTACKS ON OKINAWA CONTINUED. OUR PLANES ARE JOINED WITH FLIGHTS FROM OTHER CARRIER PLANES IN A SATURATION RAID ON CONCENTRATED CAMOUFLAGED BUILDINGS. COVERED CAVE DEFENSIVE AREAS WERE HIT WITH BOMBS AND NAPALM. ANTI-AIRCRAFT EMPLACEMENTS WERE ALSO TARGETED. BUT, WHAT WAS TO COME WILL BE REMEMBERED FOREVER IN THE ANNALS OF HISTORY!

April 1945: Invasion of Okinawa 1 APRIL '45: THE INVASION OF OKINAWA BEGINS. THE INVASION BEGINS WITH COMPARATIVELY LIGHT OPPOSITION WITH COVER FROM 500 PLANES FROM THE ESCORT AND LIGHT CARRIERS.

THE BATAAN PLANES BOMB CAVE DEFENSES, DESTROYING ONE BUILDING, ONE TRUCK, AND LEAVE BUILDINGS BURNING IN TANCHEA AND YAKADA. THE SHIP IS MADE SECURE AT 2000 BECAUSE OF HEAVY WEATHER.

2 APRIL '45: NO FLIGHT OPERATIONS. THE BATAAN GETS FUEL FROM AO CACAPON, BUT, NO AMMUNITION REPLENISHMENTS RECEIVED BECAUSE OF HEAVY SEAS. TASK GROUP 58-3 RETURNS FOR A RESUMPTION OF ATTACKS ON OKINAWA.

3 APRIL '45: STEAMING IN THE OPERATION AREA OF OKINAWA WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS FROM OUR MORNING CAPS. THE 12 VFS LAUNCHED FOR AMAMI SWEEP AT 1522 WERE JUMPED BY 14 JAPS. THE SWEEP SHOT DOWN 4 ZEKES AND 3 TOJOS. ONE HELLCAT WITH ITS PILOT, ENSIGN R. L. WESTBROOK, IS MISSING AFTER THE ENGAGEMENT (SEARCHES WERE CONDUCTED OVER THE AREA WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS). ANOTHER HELLCAT IS LOST -- THAT OF ENSIGN C. L. SWISHER. HIS F6F WAS DAMAGED WHEN HIT BOTH BY FLAK AND ENEMY FIGHTERS IN AN ENGAGEMENT OVER KIKAI ISLAND. HE WAS ABLE TO RETURN TO THE FORMATION BUT DID NOT LAND ABOARD BECAUSE OF A LOOSE BELLY TANK. ON MAKING A WATER LANDING ABEAM OF THE DESTROYER AULT (DD-698), HIS ENGINE CUT OUT. HE INFLATED HIS LIFE JACKET AND STEPPED INTO THE WATER CARRYING HIS CHUTE. THE WATER LOGGED CHUTE STARTED TO DRAG HIM DOWN, AT WHICH TIME A SAILOR FROM THE DESTROYER JUMPED INTO THE WATER AND CUT THE PARACHUTE CLEAR. HE WAS PICKED UP BY THE DESTROYER AND RETURNED TO THE BATAAN, 5 APRIL, IN GOOD CONDITION. OUR CAP 4 WAS RECOVERED AT 1842 WITH GOOD RESULTS -- 2 NICKS AND 1 TONY SPLASHED.

4 APRIL '45: STEAMING IN OPERATING AREA EAST OF OKINAWA. AIR STRIKES AGAINST KIKAI AND TORUNO AIRFIELDS CONDUCTED. A RESERVE FLIGHT FOR ENSIGN WESTBROOK WAS NEGATIVE. LT. WHEELER OF VT 47 KNOCKS OVER THE LE SHIMA LIGHTHOUSE WITH FIRST BOMB DROPPED. FLAK REPORTED TO BE INTENSE AND ACCURATE. COURSE SET FOR REFUELING TO THE SOUTHEAST.

5 APRIL '45: FUELED FROM THE AO LACKAWANA AND AMMUNITION REPLENISHMENT FROM AE MAUNA LOA. TASK GROUP 58-3 SETS ITS COURSE FOR THE OPERATING AREA.

6 APRIL '45: STEAMING IN THE OPERATING AREA EAST OF OKINAWA. AIR STRIKES ARE CONDUCTED OVER KIKAI. SHIPS OF TASK GROUP 58-3 UNDER ATTACK BY ENEMY AIRCRAFT. TASK GROUP IS CREDITED WITH SPLASHING TWO ENEMY AIRCRAFT THAT TRIED TO BOMB THE CABOT. A SUICIDE BOMBER MISSED THE CABOT, CRASHING CLOSE ABOARD ON THE STARBOARD BEAM. CAP OF 8 VFS RECOVERED HAVING SHOT DOWN ONE ZEKE.

62 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org 7 APRIL '45: STEAMING IN THE OPERATION AREA EAST OF OKINAWA TO MAKE GOOD POINT OPERATION FOR ATTACK ON ENEMY FLEET UNDERWAY OFF THE COAST OF KYUSHU. OUR SUBMARINES REPORT THAT THE YAMATO WAS STEAMING TOWARD OKINAWA.

1016: STRIKE AGAINST THE JAPANESE FLEET LAUNCHED; 12 VFS WITH TWO FIVE HUNDRED POUND BOMBS EACH, AND 9 VTS CARRYING ONE TORPEDO EACH. FLEET REPORTED TO CONSIST OF 1 BB, 1 OR 2 CLS AND 8 TO 10 DDS. ONE VT RETURNED TO BASE EARLY BECAUSE OF PROPELLER PITCH TROUBLE.

1211: A KAMIKAZE DIVING ON THE HANCOCK IS TAKEN UNDER FIRE BY THE BATAAN'S GUNS. THE PLANE HIT THE HANCOCK, STARTING FIRES ABOARD HER.

1420: BATAAN OPENS FIRE ON ENEMY PLANE DIVING ON THE ESSEX. THE PLANE IS SHOT DOWN BY CONCENTRATED FIRE OF THE ENTIRE TASK FORCE.

1529: STRIKE RECOVERED. RESULTS OF THE BATTLE OF THE EAST CHINA SEA IS REASON FOR JOY. THE BATAAN'S CONTRIBUTION IS 4 TORPEDO HITS ON THE STARBOARD SIDE OF THE BATTLESHIP IDENTIFIED AS THE YAMATO; ONE DIRECT HIT ON A CL, FOLLOWED BY AN EXPLOSION WITH CLOUDS OF SMOKE; 2 DIRECT BOMB HITS ON A DESTROYER, FOLLOWED BY EXPLOSIONS, SMOKE AND FLAMES; ONE DIRECT BOMB HIT PLUS A NEAR MISS ON A SECOND DESTROYER FOLLOWED BY AN EXPLOSION, SMOKE, AND FLAMES. ON DEPARTURE OF STRIKE, ALL 4 SHIPS WERE DEAD IN THE WATER. ANTI-AIRCRAFT WAS INTENSE, ACCURATE, AND OF ALL TYPES, INCLUDING THE MAIN BATTERIES OF THE YAMATO. FOUR PLANES OF THE STRIKE WERE BADLY DAMAGED. NO ENEMY AIRCRAFT WAS SEEN. LT. TRIGG MADE A WATER LANDING BECAUSE OF FLAK DAMAGE TO HIS HELLCAT WHICH CAUSED LOSS OF RUDDER CONTROL. HE LANDED IN THE WATER CLOSE TO THE DD JOHN W. WEEKS, AND WAS PICKED UP IN GOOD CONDITION FROM HIS RUBBER RAFT.

1640: CAP RECOVERED, HAVING SHOT DOWN 2 FRANCES OVER THE TASK FORCE

8 APRIL '45: STEAMING IN THE OPERATING AREA OF OKINAWA. CAPS LAUNCHED WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS. AT THE CONCLUSION OF FLIGHT OPERATIONS, TASK GROUP 58-3 HEADED IN A SOUTHEASTERLY COURSE TOWARDS THE FUELING AREA.

9 APRIL '45: FUELING FROM THE AO MILLICOMA AND AMMUNITION FROM THE AE LASSER AND WRANGELL. TASK GROUP, AFTER REFUELING, RETURNS TO THE OPERATING AREA.

10 APRIL '45: STEAMING IN OPERATING AREA. CAPS OVER OKINAWA AND STRIKES AGAINST MINAMI DAITO. TWO OF OUR PLANES ARE IT BY FLAK, BUT BOTH RETURN SAFELY.

11 APRIL '45: STEAMING EAST AND NORTHEAST OF OKINAWA. THE ENEMY MAKES AN ALL OUT ATTACK ON THE TASK FORCE WITH COUNTLESS SUICIDE PLANES. EARLY CAPS AND SWEEPS WERE RECOVERED WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS, BUT THE AMAMI SWEEP RESULTED IN 8 LUGGERS, SMALL FREIGHTERS AND BOATS STRAFED IN KOURYA KO AND OTHER INLETS, SHOP BUILDINGS AT KOUIYA SEAPLANE STATION ROCKETED.

1355 – 1404: ANTI-AIRCRAFT FIRE BY OTHER SHIPS OBSERVED ON THE STARBOARD QUARTER.

1406: SUICIDE PLANE CRASHED CLOSE ABOARD THE PORT QUARTER OF THE ENTERPRISE.

1407: ENEMY AIRCRAFT, HIT REPEATEDLY BY ANTI-AIRCRAFT, FELL INTO THE SEA CLOSE ABOARD THE STARBOARD BEAM OF THE BUNKER HILL.

1410: BATAAN'S ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUNS SHOT DOWN OR ASSISTED IN SHOOTING DOWN A ZEKE 1500 YARDS OFF THE SHIP'S PORT QUARTER.

63 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org 1414: FIRING FROM SHIPS ON THE STARBOARD QUARTER OBSERVED; AN ENEMY PLANE BURST INTO FLAMES AND CRASHED INTO THE SEA.

1430: A ZEKE MADE A RUN ON THE ENTERPRISE, CROSSING AFT OF THE BATAAN, WHICH TOOK IT UNDER FIRE. THE ZEKE CRASHED IN THE WATER. A PROJECTILE FROM ANOTHER SHIP, BELIEVED TO BE A 20MM SHELL, STRUCK THE BATAAN AND EXPLODED A 40 MM SHELL ON A GUN MOUNT; MEN WERE WOUNDED BY SHELL FRAGMENTS.

1444: FIRING TO STARBOARD FROM OTHER SHIPS.

1454: KAMIKAZE HIT OFF THE BOW OF THE ENTERPRISE. A FIRE BROKE OUT SHORTLY AFTERWARD ON A PLANE ON ONE OF THE CATAPULTS, CAUSE UNKNOWN. THE PLANE WAS JETTISONED BY BEING CATAPULTED OVERBOARD.

1459: BATAAN OPENED FIRE ON 2 ENEMY PLANES ; THEY PASS OVERHEAD FROM AFT FORWARD AND ESCAPED.

1504: OPENED FIRE WITH OTHER SHIPS ON AN ENEMY PLANE DIVING ON THE ESSEX; THE PLANE DROPPED ITS' BOMB NEAR THE ESSEX AND CRASHED. FIRING CONTINUED AT OTHER ENEMY AIRCRAFT.

1506: ENEMY PLANE CRASHED OFF THE STARBOARD BOW.

1510: OPENED FIRE WITH OTHER SHIPS AT A BOGIE WHICH DUCKED INTO THE CLOUDS; CEASED FIRE WHEN BOGIE WAS EVALUATED AS A FRIENDLY PLANE.

1558: CAP 4 OF 8 VF LAUNCHED; RESULTS NEGATIVE.

1616: FIRING FROM SHIPS ON THE STARBOARD QUARTER AT A ZEKE 12,000 FEET OVERHEAD. ZEKE DEPARTED, APPARENTLY UNDAMAGED.

1634: FIRING OBSERVED ON BOTH PORT AND STARBOARD QUARTERS.

1639: AMAMI SWEEP 2 RECOVERED. RESULTS INCLUDE 15 SMALL FREIGHTERS, LUGGERS AND OTHER SIMILAR CRAFT IN ANCHORAGE. ONE TOJO, CARRYING A BOMB, SHOT DOWN.

1708: ENEMY PLANE SHOT DOWN IN FLAMES BY 5 INCH FIRE FROM OTHER SHIPS AT NIGHT RAIDERS OR HECKLERS USING FLAMES.

12 APRIL '45: STEAMING IN WATERS OFF OKINAWA. IN ANTICIPATION OF A RENEWAL OF ENEMY ATTACKS OF 11 APRIL, AIR OPERATIONS WERE CONFINED TO 36 CAP SORTIES, ALL WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS.

13 APRIL '45: STEAMING IN WATERS EAST OF OKINAWA. ALL PATROLS NEGATIVE. AT THE CONCLUSION OF FLIGHT OPERATIONS; TASK GROUP 58-3 PROCEEDED ON A SOUTHWESTERLY COURSE TOWARDS THE FUELING RENDEZVOUS.

14 APRIL '45: WE AGAIN RENDEZVOUS WITH OILERS AND SUPPLY SHIPS TO TAKE ON FUEL, AMMUNITION, AND PROVISIONS. OUR FRESH FOOD HAS BEEN GONE, SO, THE PRESENCE OF THE "REEFER", AS THE REFRIGERATOR SHIPS WERE CALLED AMONG THE SHIPS OF THE SUPPLY TRAIN, WAS PARTICULARLY WELCOME. EGGS, POTATOES, AND ORANGES AGAIN! ANOTHER CAUSE FOR REJOICING; NEW MOVIES ARE ACQUIRED BY THE SHIP, AND ABOVE ALL IN IMPORTANCE, WE RECEIVED MAIL -- "UNCLE SUGAR MAIL."

15 APRIL '45: STEAMING AT A DISTANT POINT FROM THE NORTH TIP OF OKINAWA. CAPS LAUNCHED WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS. SWEEPS FROM TOKINO RECOVERED WITH REPORTED DAMAGES TO THE AIRFIELD, AIRCRAFT NORTH OF THE FIELD, AND BUILDINGS SET AFIRE.

64 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org 16 APRIL '45: CAP OF 12 VF LAUNCHED AT 0537. A REPORT WAS RECEIVED THAT A LARGE GROUP OF ENEMY PLANES WERE APPROACHING. AT 0754, A SCRAMBLE OF 8 VF WERE LAUNCHED TO REINFORCE OUR CAP. THE BATAAN PLANES ENGAGED ABOUT 40 SOUTHBOUND ENEMY AIRCRAFT IN THE VICINITY OF AMAMI AND KIKAI ISLANDS. THE RESULTS WERE VERY GOOD -- 13 ZEKES, 7 TOJOS, 2 TONYS, AND 1 FRANCES SHOT DOWN -- TOTAL 23 ENEMY PLANES. BATAAN LOSES ONE PLANE. ENSIGN RICHARD STEPHANSKY USNR, RESCUED AT SEA AFTER HIS F6F HAD BEEN DAMAGED BY ENEMY FLAK AND MACHINE GUN FIRE IN THE AERIAL ENGAGEMENT. ENSIGN STEPHANSKY WAS ABLE TO FLY FROM THE SCENE OF THE ENGAGEMENT, BUT WAS FORCED TO MAKE A WATER LANDING WHEN HIS ENGINE CUT OUT. HE INFLATED HIS LIFE JACKET AND ENTERED THE WATER WITH HIS PARACHUTE PACK STILL STRAPPED TO HIM. WHEN THE WATER LOGGED CHUTE STARTED TO PULL HIM DOWN, HE WAS FORCED TO CUT IT LOOSE SO THAT HE COULD REMAIN AFLOAT. HE WAS RESCUED BY THE DESTROYER CHARLES S. SPERRY AND RETURNED TO THE BATAAN.

ENSIGN VICTOR RINK IS WOUNDED AND HIS HELLCAT SHOT-UP. AS HE LANDS ABOARD THE BATAAN, HIS PLANE TURNS OVER ON ITS' BACK AND BREAKS IN TWO. (A FEW WEEKS LATER, ENSIGN RINK IS BACK IN THE AIR AGAIN.)

THE BATAAN OPENS FIRE, WITH OTHER UNITS OF THE TASK GROUP, ON A TWIN ENGINE ENEMY BOMBER. THE BOMBER IS SHOT DOWN 3000 YARDS OFF THE PORT QUARTER AS A RESULT OF THE CONCENTRATED FIRE OF THE GROUP.

17 APRIL '45: ENEMY AIR ATTACKS CONTINUE. FIRING IS OBSERVED EARLY AS OTHER UNITS FIRE ON ENEMY AIRCRAFT. 40 CAPS ARE FLOWN FROM THE BATAAN AND THE EARLLY RAPCAP REPORTS 2 ZEKES SHOT DOWN. A JUDY STARTS A DIVE ON THE BUNKER HILL. THE BATAAN GUNNERS OPEN FIRE AS THE JUDY HITS THE WATER ON THE PORT SIDE OF THE BUNKER HILL. AN ENEMY PLANE, IDENTIFIED AS A RADIALENGINE JUDY, DIVES ON THE BATAAN. OUR 40MM AND 20MM GUNS OPEN FIRE WITH DEADLY ACCURACY. THE JUDY PASSES JUST AFT OF THE ISLAND, BARELY CLEARING THE RADAR ANTENNA AND CRASHING IN THE WATER ABOUT 100 FEET ON THE PORT BEAM AND SPRAYING THE DECK WITH FRAGMENTS.

ON TWO OCCASIONS DURING THE FIRING AT ENEMY AIRCRAFT, ANTI-AIRCRAFT SHELLS, BELIEVED TO BE 40MM FROM UNKNOWN SOURCES, HIT THE BATAAN CAUSING CASUALTIES AMONG PERSONNEL STATIONED ON THE FORECASTLE AND SINGLE BRIDGE. ONE MAN WAS DEAD OF WOUNDS RECEIVED AND 14 OTHERS WOUNDED.

AT 1729, BATAAN LEAVES TASK GROUP 58-3 TO REPORT TO REAR ADMIRAL RADFORD, COMMANDER TASK GROUP 58-4.

JUST BEFORE MIDNIGHT, SUBMARINE CONTACT REPORTED BEARING 310 TRUE, DISTANCE 8 MILES.

18 APRIL '45: THE BATAAN LAUNCHES THREE SUCCESSIVE FLIGHTS OF 2 VT EACH FOR HUNTER-KILLER OPERATIONS WITH DESTROYERS OF THE FORMATION AGAINST THE ENEMY SUBMARINE REPORTED 17 APRIL. THE SUBMARINE IS CONSIDERED SUNK WHEN EVIDENCE, INCLUDING THREE HUMAN LUNGS AND A BREADBOARD WITH RICE IMBEDDED IN IT IS FOUND. A BATTLE STAR IS AWARDED TO THE PILOTS AND CREW OF THE HUNTER-KILLER VTS THAT ASSISTED THE DD COLLETT IN SINKING THE JAP SUB.

19 APRIL '45: THE BATAAN LAUNCHES STRIKES AGAINST OKINAWA COORDINATED WITH THE PUSH SOUTHWARD BY THE 10TH ARMY FORCES THE CITY OF SHURI IS BOMBED, ROCKETED, AND DOUSED WITH NAPALM BY PLANES OF THE BATAAN AND OTHER SHIPS OF TASK GROUP 58-4. IN THE EVENING, TASK GROUP 58-4 SETS COURSE FOR THE FUELING RENDEZVOUS.

20 APRIL '45: FUELING AND REPLENISHING FROM THE AE MAUNA AND AE ESCALANTE. CAP OF4 VF ARE LAUNCHED WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE FUELING OPERATIONS, TASK GROUP 58-4 RETURNED TO THE OPERATING AREA OFF OKINAWA.

65 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org 21 APRIL '45: 4 CAPS OF 29 VFS ARE LAUNCHED WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS. ONE SUPPORT OF 4 VTS LAUNCHED FOR A STRIKE AGAINST OKINAWA. THE SUPPORT BOMBED AND ROCKETED AN AREA CONTAINING BARRACKS AND SUPPLY DEPOT, AND STRAFED JAPANESE TROOPS IN A LARGE CAVE.

22 APRIL '45: AIR STRIKES CONTINUE. OUR TARGETS TODAY ARE ENEMY CAVES AND DEFENSE POSITIONS IN SOUTHERN OKINAWA AND GUN POSITIONS IN SENAGA SHIMA BY OUR SUPPORTS. THE CAPS RETURN WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS.

23 APRIL '45: OUR TARGETS ARE KIKAI AND TOKUNO. CAPS OF 16 VFS ARE LAUNCHED AGAINST KIKAI. OUR CAPS CRATERED WAM AIRFIELD AND SHOT DOWN ONE JUDY AFTER IT HAD TAKEN OFF FROM THE AIRFIELD. ON THE WAY BACK TO THE SHIP, AN OIL SLICK IS OBSERVED IN THE AREA OF REPORTED ENEMY SUBMARINES -- APPROPRIATE UNITS OF THE TASK GROUP WERE NOTIFIED. TOKUNO AIRFIELD AND BARRACKS WERE STRAFED BY A CAP OF 4 VFS. THE SUPPORT GROUP BOMBED AND ROCKETED ENEMY ARTILLERY POSITIONS IN SUPPORT OF GROUND FORCES. CAPS AND RAPCAP WERE LAUNCHED WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS. AFTER CONCLUSION OF FLIGHT OPERATIONS, TASK GROUP 58-4 SETS COURSE FOR THE FUELING RENDEZVOUS.

24 - 25 APRIL '45: THE BATAAN IS FUELED BY THE AO AUCILLA AND RECEIVES AVIATION LUBRICATING OIL FROM THE OA MANATEE AND AMMUNITION FROM THE AE VESUVIUS.

26 APRIL '45: BATAAN LEAVES TASK GROUP 58-4 TO REPORT TO 58-3. THE TASK GROUP SETS COURSE FOR THE FUELING RENDEZVOUS.

27 APRIL '45: BATAAN IS FUELED BY THE AO SARANAC. GUNNERY EXERCISES FOR ANTI-AIRCRAFT BATTERIES ARE HELD. A CAP OF 8 VFS ARE LAUNCHED WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS.

28 APRIL '45: STEAMING EAST OF OKINAWA; 2 RCAPS OF 16 VFS ARE LAUNCHED WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS. KIKAI AGAIN IS THE TARGET FOR OUR VFS. WAN AIRFIELD WAS CRATERED AND WOODED AIRCRAFT DISPERSAL AREAS ADJACENT TO THE FIELD WERE ROCKETED. A REPORT WAS RECEIVED THAT A FRIENDLY SUBMARINE WAS IN TROUBLE NORTH OF KIKAI. OUR CAP OF 8 VFS WAS ORDERED TO THE AREA, BUT WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE SUBMARINE. THE FLIGHT DID FIND A MYRT FLYING IN THE AREA BUT COULD NOT DESTROY IT AS THE ENEMY HEADED NORTH AND OUTRAN THE CAP. OUR SUPPORT WAS RECOVERED, HAVING BOMBED AND ROCKETED AN ENEMY CAVE AND THE TOWN OF DAKESHI. AT 2040 - 2105, THE BATAAN MADE SMOKE TO CONCEAL THE FORMATIONS.

29 APRIL '45: RAPCAP LAUNCHED WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS. A SUPPORT WAS LAUNCHED FOR STRIKES AGAINST ENEMY ARTILLERY INSTALLATIONS AND DEFENSE POSITIONS ON OKINAWA. UNITS TO THE PORT AND STARBOARD OF THE BATAAN OPEN FIRE AT ENEMY PLANES WITH THEIR 5 INCH GUNS.

30 APRIL '45: 0150, GUN FLASHES ARE OBSERVED ON THE PORT QUARTER FROM TASK GROUP 58.4; NO FIRING BY TASK GROUP 58.3. OUR GROUND FORCES REPORT THAT THERE IS HEAVY FIRING FROM AN ENEMY CAVE POSITION. TEN TONS OF BOMBS ARE DROPPED ON THE CAVE DEFENSE BY OUR SUPPORT OF 4 VFS AND 8 VTS. TWO OPENINGS TO THE CAVES ARE BELIEVED SEALED, CAVE STORAGES ARE BOMBED, AND TWO BUILDINGS ARE DAMAGED. AT THE END OF OPERATIONS, THE BATAAN SETS FOR FUELING RENDEZVOUS.

66 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org May 1945 – Kamikazes hit USS Bunker Hill

1 MAY '45: BATAAN RECEIVES AMMUNITION FROM AE VESUVIUS AND FUEL FROM AO VACILLA. ONE CAP OF 8 VFS ARE LAUNCHED WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS. F6F REPLACEMENTS LANDED IN EXCHANGE FOR FLYABLE DUD FROM THE SHIP. THE BATAAN SETS A NORTHWESTERLY COURSE FOR THE OPERATING AREA.

2 - 6 MAY '45: AIR OPERATIONS CONTINUE OVER NORTHEASTERN OKINAWA. THE TARGETS ARE AIRFIELDS AND CAVES. THERE ARE NO ENEMY AIRCRAFT SIGHTED. ON THE 4TH OF MAY, LAND IS SIGHTED (TOKUNO SHIMA), THE FIRST IN 51 DAYS. THE BATAAN, WITH TASK GROUP 58.3, IS REPLENISHED AND RETURNS TO THE OPERATING AREA OFF OKINAWA.

7 MAY '45: THE DAY STARTED AS USUAL-- CAPS PLUS A PHOTOGRAPHIC MISSION TO AMAMI. A JAP FRANCES WAS SIGHTED VISUALLY ASTERN 15 MILES THE ENEMY PLANE WAS SHOT DOWN BY THE CAP, SPLASHING 15 MILES OFF THE PORT QUARTER. A SPECIAL SHIPPING SORTIE OF 8 VFS AND 9 VTS ARE LAUNCHED PURSUANT TO REPORTS OF CONCENTRATION OF ENEMY LUGGERS AND SMALL SHIPPING IN KONIYO KO. THE RESULTS ARE 1 LUGGER SUNK AND 1 LUGGER DAMAGED.

8 MAY '45: ALL OPERATIONS CANCELED BECAUSE OF BAD WEATHER CONDITIONS. Note: While this was the day Nazi Germany surrendered, the vicious Pacific War continued.

9 MAY '45: TWO PATROLS, ALONG WITH A PHOTOGRAPHIC MISSION WITH ESCORTS, WERE LAUNCHED. SMALL CRAFT ALONG THE WEST COAST OF AMAMI WERE STRAFED; AN ADJACENT STORAGE AREA WAS ROCKETED.

THE PHOTOGRAPHIC MISSION WAS RECOVERED, HAVING OBTAINED PHOTOGRAPHS OF TOKUNO, SHITOOKE AIRFIELDS, AND OF NAZE KO. ENSIGN JACK EZELL, USNR., DID NOT RETURN. ENSIGN EZELL'S F6F WAS HIT BY ENEMY AA AND CRASHED IN FLAMES IN THE WATER. ENSIGN EZELL DID NOT LEAVE THE PLANE.

PATROL NO. 3 RECOVERED, HAVING PUT HITS INTO NISSIN MARU, A SUGAR TWO STACK LYING IN NAZE HARBOR. THE KAKAI STRIKE, ALONG WITH PLANES FROM THE ESSEX, BURNED DOCK INSTALLATIONS ON THE WEST COAST OF THE ISLAND WITH NAPALM.

10 MAY '45: FUELING AND REPLENISHING; LAUNCHED 1 VF DUD FOR TRANSFER. MINAMI STRIKE CRATERED ONE RUNWAY. AFTER FUELING, TASK GROUP 58.3 RETURNS TO THE OPERATING AREA.

11 MAY '45: THE JAPS ARE OUT IN FORCE AGAIN. THE USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) IS HIT BY TWO ENEMY SUICIDE PLANES; FIRES START AFT OF THE ISLAND. Just as what happened March 19th when the USS Franklin (CV-13) was hit by two bombs, the Bunker Hill IS TEMPORARILY OUT OF CONTROL AND HEADS STRAIGHT FOR THE BATAAN'S BEAM; EMERGENCY TURNS ARE MADE TO CLEAR IT CLOSE ABEAM TO STARBOARD.

TASK GROUPS 58.3 AND 58.4 ARE BOTH FIRING AT ENEMY PLANES. THE BATAAN'S CAPS HAVE A GOOD DAY -- TARGET CAP 1 SHOOTS DOWN 10 TOJOS, 1 IRVING, 1 ZEKE, AND 1 HAMP. LT. M. C. REPLOGLE, USNR. WAS RESCUED AT SEA AFTER A WATER LANDING IN HIS F6F WAS MADE NECESSARY BY ENGINE TROUBLE DURING THE ENGAGEMENT. LT. REPLOGLE WAS PICKED UP IN GOOD CONDITION FROM HIS RUBBER RAFT SHORTLY AFTER HIS WATER LANDING BY A PBM FROM KERAMA RETTO (HE WAS RETURNED TO THE BATAAN 12 MAY '45).

TARGET CAP 2 RECOVERED, HAVING SHOT DOWN 1 BETTY CARRYING A BAKA. FOR THE DAY -- 14 ENEMY PLANES AND 1 BAKA.

THE SUPPORT AND AMAMI -- KIKAI STRIKES HIT MORTAR POSITIONS, REVETMENTS AND DEFENSE INSTALLATIONS BOMBED AND ROCKETED, AND 2 RADIO STATIONS DAMAGED BY BOMB HITS.

67 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org ADMIRAL MITSCHER TRANSFERS HIS FLAG FROM THE BUNKER HILL TO THE ENTERPRISE.

12 MAY '45: MORE LAUNCHES ARE MADE FOR STRIKES AGAINST OKINAWA. SHURI AND O SHIMA ARE TARGETS. TROOP CONCENTRATIONS AND ARTILLERY POSITIONS ARE BOMBED. LATER IN THE AFTERNOON, ADMIRAL SPRUANCE ORDERS ADMIRAL MITSCHER TO STEAM NORTHWARD WITH TWO TASK GROUPS TO BLAST EIGHTEEN AIRFIELDS ON KYUSHUI AND FIVE ON SHIKOKU WITH REPEATED CARRIER STRIKES -- THE BATAAN WILL BE ONE OF THE CARRIERS. (THE KAMIKAZES HAVE CAUSED GREAT DAMAGE TO OUR RADAR PICKETS AND OTHER SHIPS OF THE FORCE. THESE PLANES TOOK OFF FROM THE AIRFIELDS OF KYUSHU AND SHIKOKU -- THEY HAD TO BE SILENCED!)

13 MAY '45: ANOTHER VISIT TO KYUSHU. THE BATAAN PLANES, ALONG WITH THOSE FROM THE RANDOLPH, HIT KIKUCHI AND WAIFU AIRFIELDS CAUSING DESTRUCTION TO HANGERS AND NUMEROUS FACILITIES. PHOTO MISSIONS WERE ALSO LAUNCHED AND OBTAINED ASSIGNED COVERAGE.

14 MAY '45: THE ENEMY RETALIATES. THE TASK FORCE IS UNDER ATTACK THE ENTIRE MORNING. A JUDY, UNDER FIRE ON THE PORT QUARTER, DIVES ON THE ENTERPRISE. HITS ARE MADE ON THE DIVING JAP, BUT, IT DOES NOT STOP HIM. THE ENEMY CRASHES ON NO. 1 ELEVATOR. FLAMES AND EXPLOSIONS ARE SEEN. JOE MIDOLLO, PHOTOGRAPHERS MATE, TAKES ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS ACTION SHOTS OF WWII.

A ZEKE WITH A BELLY TANK IS SIGHTED AT APPROXIMATELY 4000 YARDS. THE BATAAN'S BATTERIES, 5 TWIN AND 1 QUAD 40MM START TO FIRE. THE JAP IS HIT, BUT CONTINUES TO DIVE AND STARTS TO DROP OFF ON THE RIGHT WING AS CONCENTRATED FIRE CONTINUED TO HIT IT. THE ZEKE CRASHES INTO THE SEA ABOUT 100 FEET ASTERN ON THE PORT QUARTER. WE DID NOT HAVE MUCH TIME TO CELEBRATE AS A TOJO EMERGES FROM THE CLOUDS SECONDS LATER AT A RANGE OF2000 YARDS IN A SWEEP TO CROSS OUR BOW. THE BATTERIES OF THE SHIP COMMENCED FIRING ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. GUNS IN BOTH GALLERY WALKWAYS AS WELL AS THE QUAD MOUNT ON THE FORECASTLE CONTINUE TO FIRE UNTIL THEY ARE STOPPED FOR SAFETY ANGLES. TRACERS FROM THE SHIP'S GUNFIRE WERE SEEN TO HIT THE PLANE AND A PIECE OF THE TAIL WAS SEEN TO FALL OFF AS THE PLANE PASSED OVER THE SHIP. IT WASN'T OVER YET -- A PLANE, BELIEVED TO BE A JUDY, COMES BELOW THE CLOUD COVER DIVING AT AN OBLIQUE ANGLE TO THE COURSE OF THE FORMATION. THE BATAAN OPENS FIRE UNTIL THE PLANE IS SEEN TO BURST INTO FLAMES AND LOSES CONTROL. THIS ACTION TOOK PLACE AT 0815. THEN -- AT 0816 THE BATAAN IS HIT! HIT BY FOUR 5 INCH ANTI- AIRCRAFT SHELLS CAUSING FOUR HOLES 3 FEET ABOVE THE WATER LINE AT THE PORT QUARTER. A SMALL FIRE STARTS, BUT, IS UNDER CONTROL IMMEDIATELY. DAMAGE WAS CAUSED TO THE ARRESTING GEAR CONTROLS, EMERGENCY EVAPORATOR ROOM, RADIO EQUIPMENT, GASOLINE STATIONS, ONE GUN MOUNT, CATWALKS, AND MANY OTHER AREAS. CASUALTIES -- FIVE KILLED IN ACTION, TWO DIE OF WOUNDS, AND TWENTY-SEVEN ARE WOUNDED. (THE HIT ON THE BATAAN WAS CAUSED BY FRIENDLY ANTI-AIRCRAFT FIRE.)

CAP 1 RECOVERED, RESULTS; MANY BUILDINGS, HANGER AND FACILITIES AT THE AIRFIELD ARE DESTROYED OR BADLY DAMAGED. PHOTOS TAKEN AFTER STRIKE BY PHOTO MISSION 1 SHOWED 75 TO 80% OF THE BUILDINGS IN THE AREA DESTROYED BY THIS AND PRIOR STRIKES. ALSO, ONE AND PROBABLY MORE GROUNDED AIRCRAFT DESTROYED.

ENSIGN T. F. HENLEY, USNR, AND G. T. WEIDENFELLER, ARM3c, USNR, MISSING IN ACTION. THEIR TBM WAS SET AFIRE BY FLAK OVER USA AIRFIELD, KYUSHU; THE PLANE CRASHED AT SEA IN SUO NADA, ONE MILE FROM THE TARGET. THERE WERE NO SURVIVORS.

STRIKE B, ALONG WITH PLANES FROM THE RUDOLPH, DESTROYED NUMEROUS BUILDINGS AND STRAFED 6 SINGLE ENGINE AND 8 TWIN ENGINE PLANES, LEAVING AT LEAST 4 SMOKING.

15 MAY '45: CAP OF 8 VFS LAUNCHED BUT RECALLED BECAUSE OF BAD WEATHER. BATAAN IS FUELED FROM AO GUADALUPE AND AMMUNITION FROM AE MAUNA LOA. WOUNDED FROM THE ACTION OF 14 MAY ARE TRANSFERRED TO THE AH BOUNTIFUL. (NURSES ON THE BOUNTIFUL -- THE FIRST SIGHT OF ANYTHING FEMININE SINCE PEARL

68 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org HARBOR. SO NEAR AND YET SO FAR. THE WOLF HOWL IS HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR.) THREE FLYABLE DUDS ARE LAUNCHED FOR TRANSFER AND 5 VF AND 2 VT ARE LANDED AS REPLACEMENTS.

16 MAY '45: CONTINUED REPLENISHING. AMMUNITION FROM AE LASSEN AND PROVISIONS FROM THE AE ALDEBARAN. CAPS LAUNCHED WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS.

17 - 28 MAY '45: PATROLS AND RECONNAISSANCE FLIGHTS OVER AMAMI, YOKOATE, YAKU, TOKUNO, KAKEROMA, AND OTHER ISLANDS OF THE RYUKYU CHAIN, WITH TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY BEING ATTACKED ON 24 MAY '45 -- OUR CLEAN-UP SWEEP SHOT DOWN 2 ZEKES OVER KUSHIRA AIRFIELD. THIS IS THE LAST TIME, 24 MAY '45, THAT AIR GROUP 47 MAKES A FLIGHT OVER KYUSHU FROM ABOARD THE USS BATAAN.

29 - 31 MAY '45: THIS CAMPAIGN IS OVER -- 80 DAYS OF IT, AND NOW IT IS FINALLY OVER. FOR ALMOST THREE MONTHS, ARMY, NAVY, AND MARINE FORCES BATTLED TO WREST THIS ISLAND FROM JAPAN. WHEN THE FINAL SHOT WAS FIRED, MORE MEN HAD FALLEN THERE THAN ANY OTHER BATTLE IN THE PACIFIC. THIS ISLAND, ONLY 360 MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE JAPANESE HOMELAND, WILL BE REMEMBERED AS THE BLOODIEST BATTLE OF THE PACIFIC. THIS ISLAND IS CALLED OKINAWA.

THE BATAAN HAS DONE IT'S JOB AND IS NOW HEADING TO A REAR BASE AT LEYTE GULF IN THE PHILIPPINES -- FOR A MUCH DESERVED REST.

June 1945 – Replenishment and Sacktime 1 - 30 JUNE '45: LEYTE GULF FOR REPLENISHMENT, REHABILITATION, RECREATION, AND WINNING THE PHILIPPINE LIBERATION RIBBON -- WITH A BEER BOTTLE CAP AS A STAR. OSMENA, TACLOBAN, SAN ANTONIO, MACARATA, AND JINAMOC. LIBERTY PARTIES; LONG, SLOW TRIPS IN THE LCT. UNDER A BROILING SUN, FOR A FEW CANS OF BEER AND A SWIM -- BUT WE ALL WENT. SOUVENIRS -- SHELL BEADS AND COOLIE HATS, JAP INVASION MONEY AND ONE SAMURAI SWORD. AN EXCHANGE VISIT WITH MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES. USO SHOWS ON THE HANGER DECK WITH FEMALE ENTERTAINERS WHO ROCK THE AUDIENCE MERELY BY WALKING ON AND OFF THE STAGE; AND, A FEW GOOD MOVIES FOR A CHANGE. SUNBATHING, BASKETBALL, AND SACKTIME -- ALL THAT WONDERFUL SACKTIME.

July 1945 - Admiral Halsey’s Task Force 38 1 JULY '45: 0753, THE BATAAN IS UNDERWAY AS PART OF ADMIRAL HALSEY'S TASK FORCE 38. WE ARE ASSIGNED TO TASK GROUP 38.3, REAR ADMIRAL BOGAN, COMMANDING.

2 JULY '45: TASK GROUP 38.3 CONDUCTS STRAFING, ROCKETING, AND BOMBING EXERCISES ON SLED TOWED BY BATAAN. SCHEDULED AA GUNNERY EXERCISES WERE HELD. TWO VT PLANES ARE LAUNCHED FOR STRAFING, ROCKETING AND BOMBING EXERCISES. ONE TOW PANE RETURNED WITH INJURED AIR CREWMAN L. SCHULTZ, AMN3C, USNR, HAVING SUSTAINED COMPOUND FRACTURE OF THE RIGHT RADIUS AND ULNA; HE WAS STRUCK BY A PIECE OF FLYING METAL FROM THE IMPELLER OF THE BROKEN TOWING MECHANISM.

3 - 8 JULY '45: CONTINUATION OF GROUP EXERCISES AS TASK GROUP 38.3 HEADS FOR THE JAPANESE MAINLAND. 8 JULY '45 -- LT. (JG) RICHARD STEPHANSKY, USNR, RESCUED AT SEA AFTER HE HAD BEEN COMPELLED TO MAKE A WATER LANDING WHEN HIS ENGINE FAILED. HE WAS PICKED UP SHORTLY THEREAFTER BY THE USS SOUTERLAND AND RETURNED IN GOOD CONDITION TO THE BATAAN THE SAME DAY.

9 JULY '45: ON A HIGH SPEED RUN IN A NORTHWESTERLY COURSE FOR STRIKES ON TOKYO BAY AREA. NO AIR OPERATIONS.

69 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org 10 JULY '45: ON THIS DAY 41 SORTIES ARE FLOWN OVER JAPAN. ALL STRIKES BEING IN CONJUNCTION WITH STRIKES FROM THE USS RANDOLPH. TARGETS ATTACKED INCLUDED MOBARA, NIYAKAWA, NARUTO, YACHIMATA, AND YOKOSUKA. SUBCAP #4 ESCORTED LIFEGUARD SUBMARINE TO LOCATION OF 3 SURVIVORS FROM THE USS MONTEREY; SURVIVORS PICKED UP BY THE SUBMARINE. BATAAN PLANES DESTROYED OR DAMAGED AT LEAST 26 PARKED PLANES. NOT A SINGLE JAPANESE AIRBORNE PLANE IS SEEN. LT. ROBERT TALBOT, USNR, HAD PROPELLER GOVERNOR TROUBLE AND HAD TO MAKE A WATER LANDING. LT. TALBOT WAS PICKED UP ALMOST IMMEDIATELY BY THE USS CABILAN SS252.

11 - 13 JULY '45: STEAMING NORTH FOR ATTACKS ON HOKKAIDO AND NORTHERN HONSHU.

14 JULY '45: WE HIT NORTHERN JAPAN IN THE FIRST CARRIER ATTACK OF THE WAR AGAINST THIS AREA. AIRCRAFT ON GROUND OR WATER AND SHIPPING ARE THE PRIMARY TARGETS. ENSIGN ROBERT GRAHAM SINKS ONE OF THE HOKKAIDO - HONSHU RAILROAD FERRIES UNASSISTED; THESE FERRIES WERE TARGETS OF THE HIGHEST PRIORITY. IN ADDITION, SHIPS SANK OR DAMAGED INCLUDED 10 MERCHANT VESSELS, A TUG, A SEA GOING DREDGE, LUGGERS, LAUNCHES, SAMPANS, PLUS A FLOAT PLANE IN THE WATER. IN ADDITION, FERRY CLIPS AND OTHER INSTALLATIONS IN NORTHERN HONSHU WERE SUCCESSFULLY ATTACKED. JAP AA GUNS AT HOKODATE GIVEN A WARM "HELLO". LT. BENJAMIN DOUGLAS, USNR. AND CREWMAN W. L. BREWER MADE A WATER LANDING ON ACCOUNT OF DAMAGE TO THEIR TBM FROM ENEMY AA FIRE. THE LANDING WAS MADE SUCCESSFULLY WITHOUT FLAPS, RUDDER, OR AILERON CONTROL. THE TWO WERE ABLE TO GET INTO THEIR LIFE RAFT FROM WHICH THEY WERE PICKED UP, UNINJURED, BY THE USS McNAIR. THE PLANE SANK IN 50 SECONDS. TWO HELLCATS ARE ALSO HIT IN THE MORNING. FIVE OF THE SEVEN TORPEDO PLANES IN THE AFTERNOON STRIKE COME BACK WITH FLAK DAMAGE.

THIS WAS A SAD DAY FOR THE AIR GROUP AND THE SHIP. A WEATHER RECONNAISSANCE FLIGHT OF ONE TORPEDO PLANE AND ONE FIGHTER WAS LOST. LT. JOHN WRIGHT, JR., USNR., LT (JG) CLIFFORD FLUITT, USNR, WM. R. BROWNING, CAERM, USN, AND ROBERT THOMAS, AOM2C, USNR, MISSING. THE FLIGHT WAS SENT OUT WITH ORDERS TO FLY OUT 200 MILES ON A TRUE BEARING OF 115 DEGREES. OBSERVATIONS WERE TO BE TAKEN AND A REPORT IN FLIGHT MADE TO CTF 38. THE VF WAS LOADED WITH 400 GALLONS OF GASOLINE, THE VT WITH 435. NO RECOVERY TIME WAS SPECIFIED. EFFORTS BY THE BATAAN TO ESTABLISH COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE FLIGHT AND VECTOR IT BACK TO BASE BEGAN AT 1015. AT 1135, COMMUNICATION WAS ESTABLISHED WITH LT. (JG) FLUITT VIA AN ESSEX CAP PLANE RELAY. FLUITT WAS DIRECTED TO FLASH HIS EMERGENCY IFF AND TO FLY ON A SE COURSE. NO PLANES SHOWING EMERGENCY IFF ON THE BATAAN RADAR SCREEN WERE OBSERVED TO FLY SUCH A COURSE. AT 1230, THE ESSEX RELAY PLANE WAS RELIEVED BY A BATAAN PANE. AT 1240, FLUITT WAS DIRECTED VIA THE RELAY PLANE TO FLY A HEADING OF 330 DEGREES. HE ACKNOWLEDGED BY KEYING HIS TRANSMITTER BUTTON, AS FURTHER DIRECTED. AT 1255 FLUITT REPORTED HE HAD 80 GALLONS OF GASOLINE. FROM THERE ON, NO FURTHER TRANSMISSION FROM THE FLIGHT WAS HEARD. ALTHOUGH FLUITT OCCASIONALLY ACKNOWLEDGED RECEIPT OF MESSAGES BY KEYING HIS TRANSMITTER BUTTON. FROM 1315 ON, NO FURTHER SIGNALS WERE RECEIVED FROM THE FLIGHT.

15 JULY '45: MORE STRIKES AGAINST NORTHERN HONSHU AND HOKKAIDO TARGETS. MERCHANT VESSELS ARE BURNED, RADAR INSTALLATION, A RADIO STATION, A LIGHTHOUSE, OIL TANKS AND AN OIL REFINERY ARE BURNED, ROCKETED, AND STRAFED. AIRFIELDS ARE RECONNOITERED AND A FOUR MOTORED EMILY FLYING BOAT IS SET ABLAZE. VF-47 DEVELOPS A NEW AND LUCRATIVE PASTIME -- STRAFING LOCOMOTIVES. SIX ARE BLOWN UP BY THIS TREATMENT WITH SATISFACTORY EXPLOSIONS RESULTING. A RESCUE SEARCH OF 4 VF AND 4 VT ARE LAUNCHED TO SEARCH FOR THE WEATHER RECONNAISSANCE FLIGHT MISSING SINCE 14 JULY '45 -- RESULTS NEGATIVE.

16 JULY '45: LAUNCHES OF THE EARLY MORNING FLIGHTS RECOVERED WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS.

17 JULY '45: ENROUTE TO TOKYO BAY, STRIKE BAKER 2 WAS UNABLE TO REACH THE TARGET BECAUSE OF LOW OVERCAST. STRIKE JETTISONED BOMBS AND RETURNED TO BASE. ALL FURTHER STRIKES CANCELLED BECAUSE OF BAD WEATHER.

70 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org 18 JULY '45: OUR VT PLANES TAKE PART IN A COORDINATED ATTACK BY THE TASK FORCE ON THE 34,000 TON BATTLESHIP NAGATO IN TOKOSUKA HARBOR. FLAK FROM THE HARBOR AND SHIPS IN THE HARBOR WAS ACCURATE WITH ALL CALIBERS. THIS WAS THE MOST INTENSE VOLUME OF FIRE ENCOUNTERED BY VT-47, BATTLESHIP NAGATO SUSTAINS SERIOUS DAMAGE.

19 -22 JULY '45: UNDERWAY FOR REFUELING AND REPLENISHING RENDEZVOUS. FLYABLE DUDS TRANSFERRED AND REPLACEMENTS LANDED.

23 JULY '45: ON A HIGH SPEED RUN FOR STRIKES AGAINST KURE SHIPPING PLUS OTHER TARGETS. VTS LAUNCHED FOR AIR GROUP EXERCISES IN SQUADRON TACTICS. LAUNCHED DAY CAP OF 8 VFS; UPON RECOVERY, ONE VF HAD A DECK CRASH IN LANDING, BROKE IN TWO AND WAS JETTISONED; PILOT UNINJURED.

24 JULY '45: STEAMING ABOUT 120 MILES SOUTH OF THE SOUTHERN TIP OF HONSHU. SUBCAPS LAUNCHED WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS. STRIKE CHARLIE 3 LAUNCHED WITH THE PRIMARY ASSIGNMENT OF THE STRIKE BEING AA PROTECTING KURE SHIPPING. TWO VF AND ONE VT OF THE STRIKE DROPPED ON THE BATTLESHIP HYUGA, SINCE MOST OF THE FLAK WAS COMING FROM IT. TWO OF THE TBM BOMBS, EQUIPPED WITH VT FUZING, BURST ABOVE THE DECK OF THE HYUGA, DECREASING THE AA FROM THE SHIP FOR THE TIME BEING. THREE LUGGERS AND ONE SMALL PATROL CRAFT WERE DAMAGED IN THE INLAND SEA. ONE VF OF THE STRIKE ASSISTED IN SPLASHING A ZEKE NEAR YA SHIMA. PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE HYUGA AND AA POSITIONS ON KURAHASHI SHIMA AND NASAKA SHIMA. THE CV ASO WAS BOMBED AND A SUGAR DOG WAS LEFT BURNING AND IN A SINKING CONDITION; TWO LUGGERS AND THREE SAMPANS WERE LEFT BURNING, AND A TUG AND TWO SMALL CRAFT DAMAGED BY STRAFING.

25 JULY '45: STRIKES CANCELED BECAUSE OF BAD WEATHER. SUBCAP #5 HELPED DIRECT A RANDOLPH VF TO THE LIFEGUARD SUBMARINE. IT WAS BELIEVED THAT THE RANDOLPH PILOT COULD NOT HAVE FOUND THE LIFEGUARD SUBMARINE WITHOUT THE HELP OF OUR SUBCAP. THE RANDOLPH PILOT WAS RESCUED IN GOOD CONDITION.

26 - 27 JULY '45: FUELING AND REPLENISHING. UNDERWAY FOR STRIKES AGAINST KURE.

28 JULY '45: ALL DAYCAPS LAUNCHED WERE RECOVERED WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS. STRIKE CHARLIE 3 LAUNCHED AGAINST SHIPPING IN KURE AREA. TWO VTS RETURNED BECAUSE OF ENGINE TROUBLE. THE 7 VTS LEFT IN THIS STRIKE OBTAINED 8 HITS WITH 500 POUND GP BOMBS ON THE CA TONE AT ANCHOR. THE SHIP IS BADLY DAMAGED AND SUBSEQUENTLY REPORTED AS BEACHED. AA POSITIONS WERE ALSO HIT BY PLANES OF THE BATAAN. THE PHOTO PLANE SECURED PHOTOGRAPHS CONFIRMING THAT THE BB HYUGA WAS BADLY DAMAGED AND RESTING ON THE BOTTOM OF NASAKE SHIMA. FLAK FROM THE TONE AND LAND BASED AA CONSISTED OF INTENSE MEDIUM AND MODERATE HEAVY FIRE. IN THE AFTERNOON, OUR PLANES SPOT A GOOD SIZE MERCHANT SHIP IN THE INLAND SEA. SIX QUARTER TON BOMB HITS SINK IT WITHIN 2 OR 3 MINUTES.

29 JULY '45: REPLENISHING. TWO DAYCAPS LAUNCHED WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS.

30 JULY '45: TWO STRIKES AGAINST TOKOROZAWA AIRFIELD. FLAK WAS MODERATE BUT ACCURATE. TWO VF AND ONE VT WERE DAMAGED BY AA FIRE. BESIDES THE AIR FIELD, 3 FACTORIES AND A POWER HOUSE ARE DAMAGED. TWO VF OF SUBCAP #5 COVERED AN OUTBOARD MOTOR BOAT CONTAINING A LEXINGTON VF PILOT AND CREW WHICH WAS FORCED DOWN. THE BOAT, WHICH HAD BEEN DROPPED TO THE SURVIVORS BY A RESCUE PLANE, WAS HEADING TOWARDS A LIFEGUARD SUBMARINE. THE SURVIVORS WERE RESCUED BY THE SUBMARINE.

August 1945: Typhoons and Atomic Bombs

71 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org 31 JULY - 8 AUGUST '45: WE ARE INTRODUCED TO A FEW OF THE MANY TYPHOONS THAT HIT THE JAPANESE WATERS. DURING THIS TIME WE ARE FUELED, TAKE ON AMMUNITION, TOWED SLEEVES, CONDUCT GUNNERY EXERCISES AT TOWED SLEEVES, AND LAUNCHED AIRCRAFT FOR EXERCISES IN SQUADRON TACTICS. FOR THIS PERIOD OF TIME, NO STRIKES AGAINST THE ENEMY BECAUSE OF TYPHOON CONDITIONS.

August 6, 1945: A new item is added to our vocabulary – Atomic Bomb. We hear that an atomic bomb has been dropped on the military city of Hiroshima.

9 AUGUST '45: A second atomic bomb has been dropped on the city of Nagasaki.

THE WEATHER HAS FINALLY STARTED TO COOPERATE. WE FLY STRIKES AGAINST NORTHERN HONSHU AND HOKKAIDO. OUR PART OF THE STRIKE IS TO ATTACK THE AIR FIELD OF MISAWA. AA POSITIONS ON THE AIRFIELD WERE BOMBED; 3 SMALL FISHING VESSELS WERE STRAFED, OF WHICH 2 CAPSIZED; 6 UNIDENTIFIED AIRCRAFT DESTROYED ON THE GROUND AND 4 IDENTIFIED (3 SINGLE ENGINE AND 1 TWIN ENGINE) STRAFED AND DESTROYED. ONE FTD, ANCHORED IN MIYAKO HARBOR, WAS SUNK BY ONE OF OUR SUBCAP FLIGHTS. DURING THE STRIKES, THE FLAK WAS MODERATE AND MEDIUM ACCURATE. ONE TBM AND ONE F6F WAS DAMAGED BY ENEMY FLAK.

10 AUGUST '45: AS A FAREWELL TO NORTHERN JAPAN, AIR GROUP 47 BURNS 7 "SITTING DUCKS" FLOAT PLANES NEAR AOMORI, SETS AFIRE A LARGE MERCHANT VESSEL, BURNS OIL STORAGE TANKS, BOMBS AND ROCKETS FACTORIES, RAIL YARDS, A DESTROYER AND SMALL SIZED SHIPPING. THE FIRST REPORT OF A JAPANESE OFFER TO SURRENDER IS RECEIVED. WE LISTEN TO DESCRIPTIONS OF PEACE CELEBRATIONS IN MANILLA, CHUNGKING, LONDON, AND NEW YORK. WE PREPARE FOR OUR NEXT STRIKE.

11 - 12 AUGUST '45: MORE PEACE REPORTS AND CELEBRATIONS, BUT, THE PLANES ARE GASSED AND ARMED FOR STRIKES AGAINST TOKYO.

13 AUGUST '45: TWO STRIKES are SENT OUT; THE FIRST ATTACKS A LARGE INDUSTRIAL PLANT IN HACHIOJI, THE OTHER HITS KISARASU AIRFIELD, ACROSS THE BAY FROM TOKYO. THE AFTERNOON SUBCAP FLIES COVER FOR A DUMBO WHICH PICKS UP A PILOT AND TWO AIR CREWMEN FROM TOKYO BAY (See Appendix under Harold Azbell).

14 AUGUST '45: TENSIONS KEEP INCREASING. INDICATIONS --- PEACE IS IN THE AIR.

August 15 – Japanese Surrender and Peace 15 AUGUST '45: A STRIKE IS SENT OUT AGAINST TOKYO. AT 0635, RADIO MESSAGE RECEIVED FROM GROUP, FORCE, AND FLEET COMMANDERS TO RECALL ALL STRIKES. OUR PLANES RETURN TO THE SHIP WITH THE PILOTS SINGING "OH WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MORNING" INTO THEIR MIKES -- THEIR FIRST REAL BREACH OF RADIO DISCIPLINE. THEY LAND ON DECK AS GRINNING MECHS POINT TO THE LETTERS "V-J" CHALKED ON THE SIDE OF THE ISLAND. THE WAR IS OVER. PEACE -- IT'S WONDERFUL!

16 - 19 AUGUST '45: WE ENJOYED THE FIRST SWEET DAYS OF PEACE AND WAITED TO PLAY OUR PART IN THE OCCUPATION OF JAPAN.

20 AUGUST '45: THREE DETACHMENTS OF THE BATAAN'S PERSONNEL ARE TRANSFERRED FROM THE SHIP FOR TEMPORARY ADDITIONAL DUTY IN CONNECTION WITH THE OCCUPATION. THEY ARE CAPTAIN FRANK WILKINSON AND THE SHIP'S MARINE FORCE OF 2 OFFICERS AND 35 MEN, LT. HERMAN AND 34 MEN, AND LT. (JG) LAWRY AND HIS GROUP OF 4 BOMB DISPOSAL EXPERTS. THE PREVIOUS EVENING, COMMANDER N. K. BEAR AND 2 HOSPITAL CORPSMAN WERE TRANSFERRED FOR THE SAME REASON. THESE ARE THE BATAAN'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE OCCUPYING FORCES.

72 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org 21 AUGUST '45: We say goodbye to Air Group 47 which is transferred to our sister “light carrier” the USS San Jacinto CVL-30 for transportation home. In exchange, we get Air Group 49 from the San Jacinto (future US President #41 George Herbert Walker Bush’s ship and group); relations between the ship and squadron continue to be the best.

25 AUGUST - 1 SEPTEMBER '45: WE CONDUCT AIR OPERATIONS IN SUPPORT OF THE OCCUPATION. THE ONLY ANTI- AIRCRAFT ACTIVITY CONSISTS OF SOME STONE THROWING BY A FEW SMALL BOYS. OUR PLANES ALSO RECONNOITER ALLIED PRISONER OF WAR CAMPS AND ARE GREETED BY JUBILANT WAVES FROM PRISONERS.

31 AUGUST '45: THE BATAAN TODAY has steamed 150,000 NAUTICAL MILES SINCE COMMISSIONING.

August 1945: The Landing Party, part 1:

From the recollections of Arthur Bode

THE GROUP, COMMANDED BY LT. R. HERMAN, WAS INTENDED TO TAKE OVER A JAPANESE PATROL BOAT AND THEN PATROL TOKYO BAY. THE GROUP CONSISTED OF VARIOUS RATINGS WHICH INCLUDED CHIEF STEVENS, CHIEF STUCKRATH, W. T. WUNCH, AND ART BODE, TO MENTION A FEW. WE WERE TRANSFERRED TO A DESTROYER TRANSPORT AND LANDED IN YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE THE MORNING OF 20TH AUGUST 1945. ALL THE PATROL BOATS WERE DAMAGED AND THAT CAUSED US TO TAKE OVER A BARRACKS AT THE ENGINEERING SCHOOL ON THE BASE. MY DUTIES AS THE QUARTERMASTER OF THE GROUP WAS TO KEEP A ROUGH LOG OF THE ACTIVITIES. I REMEMBER HELPING CHIEF STUCKRATH GET A JAPANESE MOTORCYCLE RUNNING AND RIDING IN THE SIDE CAR WITH HIM AS WE SURVEYED THE AREA FOR FIREFIGHTING EQUIPMENT. A LARGE CAVE NEAR OUR BARRACKS WAS FILLED WITH STORES OF RICE AND ROTTING FISH HEADS. WE ALSO EXPLORED A CAVE FILLED WITH MUNITIONS.

August 1945: The Landing Party, part 2: FROM AN ARTICLE WRITTEN BY BERNARD MAC DONALD THAT APPEARED IN SEA CLASSICS MAGAZINE:

FOR MILLIONS OF AMERICAN GIs, THE FALL OF JAPAN SPELLED THE END OF FOUR GRUELING YEARS OF WAR. BUT FOR THOSE SHIPS AND MEN SELECTED TO BE THE FIRST TO ENTER THE DEFEATED ENEMY'S HOME PORTS, THE SPECTER OF UNCERTAINTY AND DANGER STILL HUNG LIKE A PALL OVER THEIR HEADS. SO IT WAS WITH A HANDFUL OF AMERICAN SAILORS FROM THE USS BATAAN (CVL-29) WHO WERE AMONG THE FIRST YANKS TO ENTER AND OCCUPY THE JAPANESE CITY OF YOKOSUKA ON AUGUST 30, 1945.

(AUGUST 15, 1945, A MESSAGE WAS RECEIVED TO RECALL ALL STRIKES. JAPAN HAS SURRENDERED. THIS WAS THE FIRST REAL SIGN OF PEACE THAT WAS RECEIVED BY OUR SHIP.) THE NEXT FEW DAYS WE SPENT GETTING READY FOR THE OCCUPATION OF JAPAN. IN ORDER TO GET A PRESENCE ASHORE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, LANDING FORCES WERE ASSEMBLED FROM THE FLEET. OUR MARINE DETACHMENT WOULD GO ASHORE, OF COURSE, BUT ANOTHER CONTINGENT WAS FORMED FROM THE BLUEJACKET SHIP'S COMPANY.

THE BATAAN'S LANDING FORCE PREPARATION CONSISTED OF MARCHING UP AND DOWN THE FLIGHT DECK.

WHEN WE LANDED AT YOKOSUKA, THE PLACE WAS SO TORN UP THAT THERE WASN'T A LEVEL PLACE FOR US.

73 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org THE ONLY BENEFIT OF OUR MARCHING WAS THAT SOME INVENTIVE PERSON HAD US ISSUED MARINE BOONDOCKS IN PLACE OF OUR LOW CUT NAVY SHOES. THE OTHER BLUEJACKET LANDING FORCES WERE SCRAMBLING OVER PILES OF DIRT AND DISCARDED BOMBS IN THEIR ONCE-SHINED NAVY OXFORDS; WE AT LEAST, HAD REAL SHOES FOR THE LANDING.

ONE DAY A FRIEND AND I FOUND A DINGHY, PRECARIOUSLY AFLOAT, AND ROWED OVER TO ANOTHER SECTION OF YOKOSUKA. WE WERE CLIMBING IN AND OUT OF SCUTTLED SHIPS UNTIL OUR DINGHY SANK ON US. WE FOUND OURSELVES OUTSIDE THE WALL OF THE NAVY YARD ON THE STREETS OF YOKOSUKA. WE FOLLOWED THE NAVY YARD WALLS, LOOKING FOR AN ENTRANCE TO WHAT WE THOUGHT OF AS SANCTUARY. WE WERE NOT HAPPY WALKING THE STREETS OF JAPAN.

THE JAPANESE WE ENCOUNTERED WERE NOT HAPPY EITHER. AT THE SIGHT OF TWO LARGE ARMED BARBARIANS, ANY JAPANESE WE MET ON THE SIDEWALK IMMEDIATELY CROSSED TO THE OTHER SIDE.

WE FINALLY CAME TO A GATE IN THE WALL, MANNED BY US MARINES WHO LOOKED AT US IN ASTONISHMENT. "CAN WE COME IN?" WE ASKED. "YOU CAN, BUT YOU CAN'T GO OUT AGAIN!" WAS THE REPLY. BUT WE DIDN'T WANT TO GO OUT AGAIN BEING ALONE ON THE STREETS OF JAPAN IN THE FIRST DAYS OF SEPTEMBER 1945 WAS UNNERVING ENOUGH NOT TO CALL FOR REPETITION.

OUR CAMP YOKOSUKA EXPERIENCE FINALLY CAME TO AN END. WE WERE DISCOVERED, DENOUNCED FOR LOOKING LIKE A BUNCH OF GYPSIES, LOADED INTO TRUCKS, AND FINALLY SHIPPED OFF TO TOKYO WHERE WE BOARDED A TROOP TRANSPORT. AFTER A FEW HOURS, WE WERE CALLED TO BE FERRIED TO THE BATAAN.

September 6, 1945 – Tokyo Bay None of the US aircraft carriers were in Tokyo Bay for the September 2, 1945 surrender ceremony – just in case.

6 SEPTEMBER '45: THE BATAAN STEAMS INTO TOKYO BAY, THUS FULFILLING THE DESTINY FORECAST BY THE SHIP'S SONG. WE DROP ANCHOR BETWEEN YOKOSUKA AND YOKOHAMA, ABOUT FIVE MILES OFF SHORE. IN THE AFTERNOON, THE SHIP SAILS OUT OF TOKYO BAY, BOUND FOR OKINAWA TO PICK UP PASSENGERS FOR THE LONG TRIP HOME. AT DUSK, WITH FUJIYAMA ON THE STARBOARD BEAM, THE USUAL ORDER "DARKEN SHIP" IS HEARD. THEN AFTER A FEW SECONDS, THE BOATSWAIN'S MATE CALLS OUT, "LIGHTEN SHIP." THE LIGHTS GO ON AGAIN TO THE SOUND OF CHEERING, FOR THE WAR AT LAST SEEMS REALLY OVER, AND THE BATAAN IS HOMEWARD BOUND.

8 - 10 SEPTEMBER '45: The ship is anchored in Buckner Bay, Okinawa. All aircraft are parked on the flight deck aft, to make room in the hanger bay for 549 passengers taken aboard (the beginnings of Operation Magic Carpet to bring all the troops home). Unfortunately, no fresh provisions are available, so Spam and Apple Butter remain the mainstays of our meals. On September 10th we weigh anchor and are off for Pearl Harbor along with other units of the Third Fleet, heading for New York Harbor (and other east coast ports) to participate in Navy Day celebrations on October 27 (chronicled in Life Magazine’s November 5, 1945 issue).

10 - 20 SEPTEMBER '45: The Third Fleet is underway for Pearl Harbor, but Spam, Spam, and more Spam! For variety, different ships take turns in leading the fleet column and doing navigation for the homeward-bound Task Force.

20 -25 SEPTEMBER '45: At Pearl Harbor, we lose our west coast passengers, including USS Bataan personnel with enough points for mustering out, such as Sr. Lt. Jim Ward who is headed home to Chicago. After leaving USS Bataan CVL-29, Jim boards USS Saratoga (CV-3) for the journey from Pearl Harbor to San Diego, then catches a train to get home to Illinois. At Pearl Harbor, we pickup some east coast passengers AND we also receive some badly needed fresh

74 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org provisions. PEACE is wonderful, but fresh vegetables are wonderful too! On September 25th Third Fleet weighs anchor and we are homeward bound again – next stop Panama! We fly the “Homeward Bound” pennant, stretching from Mainmast to Flight Deck, and buoyed up by some optimistic balloons, it’s a gay and happy sight!

September 25, 1945: Homeward bound 25 September - 8 October 1945: Underway for Panama. The demobilization contingent is hard at work.

9 - 11 October 1945: The Bataan transits the Canal successfully, in spite of a perceptible starboard list. This transit of the Bataan is recorded by photographers from LIFE Magazine and featured as "Picture of the Week" in the October 22, 1945 issue. Many feminine spectators lined that side of the locks. Liberty was enjoyed at Christobal and Colon on the Atlantic side in a very orderly fashion. The ship's crew did it's share of balancing the Panamanian budget by buying souvenirs and gifts for their families and friends, and by other expenditures of a less permanent nature.

75 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org October 1945 – The Last Lap 12 - 17 October 1945: Underway for New York -- The Last Lap (from Tokyo Bay).

17 October 1945: The U.S.S. Bataan is greeted by the "Lady with the Torch." The long journey is over.

76 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org

October 27, 1945 Navy Day THE FOLLOWING IS FROM THE REMINISCENCE OF CMDR. ARCH ATKINSON:

THE THIRD FLEET ENTERED NEW YORK HARBOR AS DAWN WAS BREAKING. WE WERE GREETED BY FIRE BOATS SENDING UP SHOWERS OF WATER AND SOME PORTLY SOPRANO SINGING "GOD BLESS AMERICA."

WE WERE ON A VERY TIGHT SCHEDULE; WE WERE SLATED TO GO TO PROVIDENCE FOR NAVY DAY, THEN TO QUONSETT, R. I. TO OFF LOAD ALL UNNEEDED SUPPLIES, THEN TO DRY DOCK IN THE BOSTON NAVY YARD FOR INSTALLATION OF BUNKS TO BRING TROOPS BACK FROM EUROPE. NEW YORK WAS GOING MAD OVER ADMIRAL HALSEY. HIS SHIP WAS BESIEGED WITH VISITORS. CAPTAIN GILBERT DECIDED THE BATAAN SHOULD NOT BE OVERLOOKED. HE NOTIFIED THE BROOKLYN NEWSPAPERS THAT THE BATAAN WOULD HAVE OPEN HOUSE. THE CAPTAIN COMPLETELY UNDERESTIMATED THE YOUTH OF BROOKLYN. THEY SWARMED OVER THE SHIP, WENT HAND-IN-HAND OUT ON THE YARDARMS, INVADED EVERY CORNER OF THE SHIP, RANG THE SHIP'S BELL, ACTIVATED THE SIREN, AND CONSTANTLY RANG THE SHIP'S WHISTLE. A QUARTERMASTER HAD TO WRESTLE MY PRIZE CHRONOMETER FROM ONE YOUNG BURGLAR AS HE SHOUTED -- "IT'S MINE, ME OLE MAN IS A TAXPAYER." IT IS NO WONDER THAT THE CAPTAIN ORDERED THE SHIP CLEARED.

WITH THE PILOT ABOARD, WE LEFT FOR PROVIDENCE, R. I. OFF BLOCK ISLAND. WE WERE FOLLOWED UP THE CHANNEL BY THE NEWLY COMMISSIONED CRUISER, USS PROVIDENCE, WHICH HAD RUN AGROUND AND HAD TO BE PULLED OFF BY TUGS.

AFTER "SHOWING THE FLAG" ON NAVY DAY IN PROVIDENCE, WHERE THE PEOPLE WERE DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSITE TO THE BROOKLYNITES, WE DEPARTED EARLY IN THE MORNING AND HEADED FOR BOSTON.

November 1945: Operation Magic Carpet by Art Bode

WE WERE IN BOSTON FOR ABOUT A MONTH AND WERE OUTFITTED AS A TROOP TRANSPORT. THE FORWARD ELEVATOR WELL WAS MADE INTO A HEAD AND THE AFT WELL INTO A GALLEY. BUNKS WERE WELDED ONTO THE HANGER DECK; I BELIEVE THEY WERE FOUR OR FIVE HIGH. WE SAILED FOR NORFOLK AND STOPPED AT THE NAVY AMMUNITION DEPOT AT YORKTOWN, VA TO UNLOAD OUR REMAINING AMMUNITION.

I AM NOT SURE OF THE DATES, BUT IN LATE NOVEMBER OR EARLY DECEMBER 1945, WE SAILED FROM NORFOLK WITH ITALIAN SOLDIERS ABOARD (WE WOULD MAKE TWO TRIPS WHICH WERE KNOWN AS THE "MAGIC CARPET"). THE PRISONERS HAD BEEN CAPTURED IN NORTH AFRICA AND WERE IN POW CAMPS IN THE UNITED STATES.

AFTER UNLOADING OUR ITALIAN PASSENGERS IN NAPLES, WE BOARDED AMERICAN TROOPS FOR THE RETURN TRIP TO NORFOLK. OUR STAY IN NAPLES WAS SHORT, BUT I REMEMBER DRINKING CHIANTI AND VERMOUTH AT A SIDEWALK CAFE ON THE VIA ROMA. I CAN'T REMEMBER TOO MUCH ABOUT THE STORM EXCEPT THAT OUR PASSENGERS WERE REALLY SEA SICK AND THE HANGER DECK WAS A REAL MESS. MY DUTY STATION WAS THE PILOT HOUSE AND I REMEMBER GREEN WATER COMING OVER THE FORWARD END ON THE FLIGHT DECK AND TAKING WATER ON THE BRIDGE.

77 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org AFTER OUR SECOND TRIP TO NAPLES WITH PRISONERS, AND THE RETURN TO NORFOLK WITH OUR TROOPS, THE BATAAN SAILED FOR PHILADELPHIA FOR DECOMMISSIONING. AT THE CEREMONY, CAPTAIN GILBERT GAVE OVER THE COMMAND TO COMMANDER E. G. OSBORN.

1946 WW2 Decommissioning WORLD WAR II WAS OVER, THE USS BATAAN WAS HOME. HISTORY WILL RECORD THE WORDS OF FRANK KNOX, SECRETARY OF THE NAVY, WHEN HE SAID:

"...NO SHIP BEARS A MORE ILLUSTRIOUS NAME. THE USS BATAAN COMMEMORATES A CAMPAIGN THAT HAS BECOME A SYMBOL OF THE FORTITUDE AND ENDURANCE OF FREE MEN IN THE FACE OF OVERWHELMING ODDS. IT HAS A RENDEZVOUS WITH DESTINY THAT SHALL NOT BE DENIED..."

AS POET-LAUREATE JOHN McCRAE WROTE ..."IF EVER AN AMERICAN FIGHTING SHIP WAS CHARGED WITH THE TWIN RESPONSIBILITIES OF A GREAT TRADITION AND A GREAT PURPOSE IT IS THIS -- THE U.S.S. BATAAN."

SO IT IS THAT THE FIRST CHAPTER OF A MIGHTY SHIP COMES TO A CLOSE.

SLEEP WELL BATAAN, YOU DESERVE THE MUCH NEEDED REST.

US Marines aboard USS Bataan CVL-29 By HERBERT ROSER, MAJOR, USMC, RETIRED:

MARINES FIRST WENT ABOARD NAVAL VESSELS AS "SNIPERS" DURING THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR. THEY WERE EXPERT RIFLEMEN EMPLOYED TO "PICK-OFF" THE LEADING MEN OF THE OPPOSING SHIPS AS THEY APPROACHED ONE ANOTHER IN BATTLE. THEY ALSO WERE THE MAIN FORCE IN "BOARDING PARTIES" AND IN CHARGE OF THE SHIP'S BRIG. OVER THE YEARS, THE SNIPERS BECAME GUNNERS ASSIGNED TO THE GUNNERY DEPARTMENT ABOARD ALL U.S. NAVY (CAPITOL) SHIPS WHICH INCLUDED LIGHT AND HEAVY CRUISERS, BATTLESHIPS AND CARRIERS. THE MARINES WERE NOT ON DESTROYERS OR GUN BOATS EXCEPT "THE BANANA BOAT FLEET" (OLD TWO, AND FOUR STACK TIN CANS) WHICH PROTECTED THE PANAMA CANAL FROM ITS INCEPTION UNTIL AFTER THE WAR.

THE VARIOUS MARINE DETACHMENTS, LIKE THE 6TH DIVISION OF THE BATAAN, MADE UP THE LANDING FORCE BRIGADE WHICH WERE THE FIRST AMERICAN FORCES TO LAND AND OCCUPY JAPAN -- TWO DAYS PRIOR TO THE SURRENDER IN TOKYO BAY.

THE BATAAN ATTACHMENT BECAME A LIGHT MACHINE GUN PLATOON ATTACHED TO A RIFLE COMPANY MADE UP OF ANOTHER LARGER DETACHMENT. CAPT. FRANK WILKINSON, USMC, OUR DETACHMENT SKIPPER, WAS THE COMPANY COMMANDER WHEN WE ORGANIZED PRIOR TO LANDING ASHORE AT THE YOKOSUKA NAVAL AIR STATION JUST SOUTH OF YOKOHAMA.

I WAS THE FIRST OFFICER ASSIGNED TO THE DETACHMENT IN JUNE 1943 AT THE SEA SCHOOL, MARINE BARRACKS, NORFOLK NAVY YARD, PORTSMOUTH, VA. ED SULLIVAN WAS ONE OF MY FIRST MARINES. I HAD BEEN AN INSTRUCTOR - PLATOON SERGEANT AT OCS IN QUANTICO, VA, AND WAS COMMISSIONED IN MARCH OF 1943; I WAS THEN ORDERED TO VIRGINIA TO ORGANIZE AND TRAIN THE DETACHMENT FOR SEA DUTY. IT

78 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org WAS A KIND OF "LOVE" JOB IN A WAY BECAUSE I SPENT MY FIRST TWO YEARS IN THE CORPS ABOARD THE BIG "E" WHICH WAS DUBBED THE GREATEST WARSHIP OF THE PACIFIC FLEET -- ADMIRAL HALSEY'S FLAGSHIP -- WHICH THE JAPS NEVER SUNK.

MARINES ARE TRAINED FOR SHIP TO SHORE MANEUVERS, LANDING, OCCUPATION, AND IN ADDITION TO NUMEROUS SHIPBOARD DUTIES INCLUDING MANNING 40MM AND 20MM GUN BATTERIES ON THE BATAAN (ON OTHER SHIPS, IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THE "GUN BOSS" ASSIGNED). ALSO INCLUDED IN THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE ASSIGNMENTS AS ORDERLIES FOR THE CAPTAIN, EXECUTIVE OFFICER, AND NAVIGATION OFFICER. THESE POSTS ARE MANNED 24 HOURS EACH DAY AS ARE THE OTHER "WATCHES" ON THE SHIP. THE FIRST SERGEANT HANDLES THE ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS OF THE DETACHMENT, SHIP AND HEADQUARTERS MARINE CORPS RECORDS, AND SUPPLY STOREROOM. THE MARINES ARE RESPONSIBLE TO CLEAN AND MAINTAIN THEIR ASSIGNED GUNS AND TO PROVIDE A COOK AND MESSMEN FOR DUTY IN THE GALLEY.

ON THE BATAAN, WE HAD BASICALLY TWO DETACHMENTS. THE FIRST WAS FORMED IN JULY '43 AND ORDERED TO PHILADELPHIA FOR THE COMMISSIONING OF THE BATAAN AND THE FIRST TRIP TO THE PACIFIC. THE COMMANDING OFFICER WAS CAPTAIN ROBERT LEASURE, USMC. CAPTAIN LEASURE WAS PROMOTED TO MAJOR AND TRANSFERRED BEFORE THE DETACHMENT LEFT FOR THE PACIFIC. CAPTAIN WILKINSON, A FINE OFFICER WHO ALSO SERVED IN KOREA AND VIETNAM, WAS HIS REPLACEMENT. THE SECOND DETACHMENT SERVED ABOARD THE SHIP UNTIL THE WAR WAS OVER. DURING THE BATTLE OF OKINAWA, THE BATAAN WAS ONE OF ONLY TWO SHIPS IN THE ENTIRE FLEET TO SERVE FOR ALL OF THE 81 DAYS OF BATTLE.

79 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org Bridge Reminisces By CMDR. ARCH ATKINSON, NAVIGATOR

Excerpts from "THROUGH A FORTY-SIX YEAR HAZE" (circa 1991)

WITHIN THE PAST TWO OR THREE YEARS, "SUNDAY MORNING" THE CBS PROGRAM OF CHARLES KURALT HAD A SEGMENT ON THE RETURN OF JAMES MICHNER TO ISLANDS IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC WHERE HE WAS STATIONED BY THE US NAVY DURING WWII. JAMES MICHNER IS THE AUTHOR OF BOOKS OF FICTION BASED UPON WELL RESEARCHED FACTS OF HAWAII AND THE SOUTH PACIFIC. DURING MICHNER'S RETURN TO THE SOUTH PACIFIC, A WOMAN INTERVIEWER ASKED HIM THE QUESTION; "WHO WAS THE GREATEST HERO OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR?" MICHNER COULD HAVE EASILY SAID EISENHOWER, PATTON, BRADLEY, MACARTHUR, NIMITZ, HALSEY, SPRUANCE, MITCHNER, OR THIRTY KNOT BURKE. MICHNER SAID THE GREATEST HERO OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR WAS A HOMESICK 17 YEAR OLD BOY WHO HAD BECOME A MAN OVERNIGHT IN A FOREIGN ATMOSPHERE UNDER HARSH, HOSTILE, AND DANGEROUS CONDITIONS. THAT NAMELESS BOY WAS THE GREATEST HERO OF WORLD WAR TWO.

AS NAVIGATOR AND FORMER PERSONNEL OFFICER OF THE BATAAN, I OBSERVED THESE YOUNG HEROES. I HAD A NUMBER OF THESE BATAAN HEROES IN MY "N" DIVISION -- GENSKE, DAVIDSON, RATAJCZAK, CUMPSTON, SONDRUP, THE SPEIGHT TWINS, TURNER, AND MANY MORE. EACH DIVISION OF THE SHIP HAD THESE WONDERFUL PEOPLE. THE REUNION OF THE BATAAN PERSONNEL BRINGS OUT THE POINT OF JAMES MICHNER. THE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WERE CALLED TO DEFEND THEIR COUNTRY ARE NOW THOSE WHO HAVE BUILT A FINE AND WONDERFUL UNITED STATES, THE ENVY OF THE WORLD.

WHEN WE ARRIVED AT HUNTER'S POINT, MANY OF THE OFFICERS WANTED LEAVE FOR THEIR MEN, MOST OF WHOM WERE FROM THE EAST COAST WHERE THE SHIP WAS BUILT. THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER TOLD ME, THE PERSONNEL OFFICER, NO LEAVE SINCE MUCH WORK HAD TO BE DONE. AT THAT TIME, I WAS THOROUGHLY DISLIKED FOR THE EXECUTIVE LET ALL THE BLAME FALL ON THE PERSONNEL OFFICER. I WAS HUNG OUT TO DRY. CAPTAIN HEATH COUNTERMANDED THE ORDER SAYING THAT THERE WAS A STRONG POSSIBILITY THAT MANY COULD BE KILLED IN ACTION. THE CAPTAIN INITIATED A VERY LIBERAL LEAVE POLICY.

TRAVEL FROM THE WEST COAST TO THE EAST COAST AND BACK WAS A VERY PRECARIOUS TASK. HOWEVER, BATAAN PERSONNEL WERE EXCEEDINGLY RESPONSIBLE. THEY RETURNED ON TIME.

WITH A HURRICANE HEADING UP THE EAST COAST, MANY PRUDENTLY LEFT EARLY TO ENSURE GETTING BACK TO THE SHIP ON TIME.

TWO BOYS FROM NEW YORK ARRIVED EIGHT DAYS LATER. NATURALLY, THEY HAD TO BE PLACED ON CAPTAIN'S MAST. I SAT THE TWO OF THEM DOWN IN THE PERSONNEL OFFICE AND LISTENED TO THE MOST INCREDIBLE TRAVEL SAGA I HAVE EVER HEARD. I TOLD THEM TO WRITE IT DOWN AND TO TELL THE SKIPPER EXACTLY WHAT THEY AUDI RECOUNTED TO ME.

THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER, COMDR. DEEM, TOOK THE MAST. THE MORE THE TWO TALKED, THE FURTHER THE EXECUTIVE'S JAW DROPPED. WHEN THEIR STORY WAS ENDED, COMDR. DEEM THREW UP HIS HANDS, LAUGHED, AND DISMISSED THE CHARGES AND COMMENDED THE TARDY TWO ON THEIR VALIANT EFFORTS TO RETURN TO THE BATAAN.

FORTY-SIX YEARS LATER, I WILL ATTEMPT TO RECOUNT THE TRIP.

THE ONE MISTAKE THE TWO MADE WAS NOT TO LEAVE PRIOR TO A HURRICANE HITTING NEW YORK. THEIR FREE DEADHEAD PASSAGE IN A NAVY PLANE WAS SCRUBBED. THEY MANAGED TO GET AN ARMY FLIGHT INTO, I BELIEVE,

80 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org INDIANA. THEY THEN HITCHHIKED TO THE ST. LOUIS AREA AND GOT AN ARMY FLIGHT TO COLORADO. THEY RODE IN TIN FLIVVERS AND EVEN RODE HORSES OVER A ROCKY MOUNTAIN DIVIDE TO GET TO ANOTHER AIR BASE. BETWEEN RIDING IN TRUCKS, AND LIFTS FROM KINDLY SOULS WHO WERE SUBJECT TO TIGHT GAS RATIONING, THEY AT LAST, EIGHT DAYS LATE, REACHED THE BATAAN.

CAN ANYONE TOP THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THOSE TWO YOUNG MEN?

THE BATAAN CREW -- AT LEAST A FEW -- WERE KNOWN TO HAVE PLAYED A JOKE OR TWO. THOSE ON THE RECEIVING END OF THE JOKE WERE NOT IMMUNE BECAUSE OF RANK OR RATE. ALLOW ME TO CONTINUE WITH COMDR. ATKINSON'S "REMINISCENCE"

THE ADMIRAL IN CHARGE OF FORD ISLAND HAD A MOTOR SCOOTER AS HIS PERSONAL TRANSPORTATION AROUND HIS DOMAIN. THE ENLISTED PERSONNEL OF THE BATAAN DECIDED TO CONFISCATE THE SCOOTER SO THEY COULD ROAR AROUND THE FLIGHT AND HANGER DECKS.

UNFORTUNATELY, THE ADMIRAL WITNESSED THE ABDUCTION AND THREATENED TO DETAIN THE BATAAN FROM SAILING THE FOLLOWING MORNING UNLESS HIS SCOOTER WAS RETURNED. A "THOROUGH" SEARCH WAS MADE OF THE SHIP AND NO SCOOTER COULD BE LOCATED. HOWEVER, THE MISSING VEHICLE MYSTERIOUSLY APPEARED DURING THE NIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FLIGHT DECK. AS A RESULT, WE LEFT FOR ULITHI ON TIME. RUMOR HAD IT THAT THE ADMIRAL'S SCOOTER WAS LISTED AS A SIDE OF BEEF AND LOCATED IN THE REFRIGERATOR ROOM.

81 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org Appendices

USS Bataan CVL-29 USS Bataan’s transit of the Wikipedia details Panama Canal is recorded by photographers from Associated Press and featured as "Picture of the Week" in the October 22, 1945 issue of LIFE Magazine. (original black and white image)

USS Bataan CVL-29 Reunion Association

Note: Google Books has digitized ALL issues of LIFE Magazine from 1936 to 1972 and placed them online.

USS Bataan heads to Korea with jets

82 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org USS Saratoga CV-3

Wikipedia details

USS Franklin CV-13

Wikipedia details

Video: Saga of the Franklin

83 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org Kamikazi

Video: Suicide for Glory: Victory at Sea

USS Bunker Hill CV-17

Wikipedia details

Video: Bunker Hill hit by 2 kamikazes

84 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org Awards related to USS Bataan crew

Distinguished Flying Cross

Harold J. Azbell, pilot For heroism and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flights, as Pilot of a carrier- based plane in operations against the enemy. On 10 May 1945, he carried out his twentieth mission, a strike against Minami Daito. In the process of the execution of the twenty missions, he attacked Japanese airfields and installations, shipping, aircraft and ground forces, the action taking place over Kyushu, Honshu, and the Nansei Shoto.

The following incident occurred three months AFTER Harold J. Azbell was awarded his Distinguished Flying Cross. Historical Perspective: August 10, 1945. The previous day, B-29s had dropped the 2nd Atomic Bomb on Nagasaki (Kokura was the primary target, but was obscured by cloud cover). Also the Soviet Union ended its neutrality in the Pacific, and declared war upon Japan. No airstrikes were made August 11-12 (altho the aircraft were ready. Two airstrikes were made the morning of August 13th, and the incident described the afternoon of the 13th. Emperor Hirohito’s radio broadcast accepting the terms of the Allies’ Potsdam Declaration wouldn’t occur until August 15th, so the Pacific War was still going.

Maplink for Kisarazu, Japan

With that, here’s the story from the USS Bataan’s Cruise Log.

85 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org

86 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org Silver Star

C. Edgar “Iron Mike” Mikronis, LSO For gallantry in action during the occupation of French Morocco, 8 to 11 November 1942. Vigorously attacking hostile machine gun emplacements and aircraft on the ground, Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Mikronis inflicted heavy damage to weapons, and planes, during an attack on the Cazes Airdrome. When his engine was knocked out by a hostile shell, he succeeded in landing his plane, lapsing into unconsciousness as his plane touched the ground.

87 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org Japanese Surrender, September 2, 1945

Wikipedia details

Video: Surrender Airpower flyover

Google Maplink Included in the flyover was Air Group 47 including Harold J. Azbell (Distinguished Flying Cross), formerly of CVL- 29 USS Bataan, but exchanged for CVL-30 USS San Jacinto’s Air Group 49 on August 21. Air Group 49 was not in the flyover as on September 2nd USS Bataan was 500 miles away providing air cover protection off Kyushu “just in case”.

88 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org Aircraft carriers weren't allowed in Tokyo Bay during the surrender ceremony, as they'd have been too vulnerable a target if the Japs tried to pull something (and some hotheads nearly did!). In 2012, War Diaries and navigation charts were declassified, and attached is a plot of CVL-29 USS Bataan's positions from the August 16 surrender up to the September 2nd surrender ceremony.

Excerpt from “In Search of History” by Theodore H. White (Time Magazine correspondent)

The rain of Saturday had ended, the skies were lightening, and now the clouds over the ship (USS Missouri BB-63) were breaking with sun patches when a drone sounded. It began as a light buzzing in the distance, then a roar, then the deafening tone of countless planes converging. Four hundred B-29s, the firebombers that had leveled Japan, had taken off from Guam and Saipan hours before; the fleet carriers had coordinated their planes. They were to appear over the Missouri all at once. And they did. The four hundred B-29s came low, low over the Missouri, and fifteen hundred fleet planes rose above and around their wings. There they were, speckling the sky in flecks of scudding gray; it was American power at zenith. They dipped over the Missouri, passed on over Yokohama, inland over Tokyo to brandish the threat, then headed back out to sea again.

They had laid waste this country (Imperial Japan), its empire, its sea lanes; they had blasted open not only its cities but its mind. Ours had been Victory Through Air Power, and the planes paraded their triumph over Tokyo Bay as Caesar’s legionnaires had paraded theirs in Rome when the short sword was queen of the battlefield. It was the supreme moment of Air Power.

89 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org Photos of Navy carrier airpower flyover of the USS Missouri and the Third Fleet in Tokyo Bay. The word “swarms” comes to mind…!

90 Copyright © 2018 USS Bataan CVL 29 Association http://www.bataancvl29.org