The Ironman—A Double Ender's Newsletter
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U S S R E E V E S (DLG-24/CG-24) A SSOCIATION Spring 2011 Volume 4, Issue 1 The Ironman—A Double Ender’s Newsletter Membership Scorebox Deck Log Histories Current 48 From the summary deck log of USS Chevalier (DD-805), USS Decatur (DDG- Past Due 84 Leonard F. Mason (DD-852) : 31), USS Orleck (DD-886), USS O'Calla- han (DE-1051), USS Ramsey (DEG-2), Snail Mail Ad- 95 June of 1972 found Mason embarking and USS Bronstein (DE-1037). dresses Only midshipmen for the Midshipmen's Cruise. Email Address 423 She deployed on the 21st of June. After From the 1973 Command History of some exercises in the SoCal OpArea, Ma- USS BROOKE (DEG-1): Total Shipmates 1,146 son began the transit to Pearl Harbor on Orders were received 27 February to June 24 in company with USS Fox (DLG- proceed to the Northern Search and Res- Dues Notice! 33), USS Horne (DLG-30), USS Decatur cue station (NSAR), the northern-most Please be sure to check your (DDG-31), and USS Orleck (DD-886). station in the Gulf of Tonkin. Enroute to mailing label or email nota- The ships arrived at Pearl Harbor on June station, BROOKE took an opportunity to tion. 30. The Mason got underway again on top off her fuel tanks from USNS TALU- If it doesn’t say Current July 5 in company with USS Horne GA. Early evening found BROOKE on above your name at the top (DLG-30), USS Decatur (DDG-31), USS of the label, you should re- station as escort for USS REEVES (DLG Orleck (DD-886), and USS Reeves (DLG- new your annual dues. To 24). Commanding Officer, USS REEVES reach the greatest number of 24), enroute to Seattle, Washington. The (DLG 24) was CTG 77.0.1, SOPA and shipmates, we will publish Mason and the Orleck were detached on OTC at NSAR. the complete Association July 6 and proceeded to the Barstur Range newsletter to any valid email address. Your dues pay- for ASW exercises. The two ships re- March joined the Horne , Decatur , and Reeves the ments make this possible. Back in the familiar environment next day to resume the transit, with the BROOKE found herself performing the Mason arriving Seattle on July 15. The same tasks which she had mastered so ships resumed the cruise on July 20. Ma- Inside this issue: well at PIRAZ. 01 March sent BROOKE son arrived Pier 26, Embarcadero, San speeding to perform notification duties. President’s Message 2 Francisco, on July 21, with the Orleck Two Russian vessels, the tanker ODESSA moored outboard. The ships got underway Shipmates’ Deck Log 3 and the freighter VEGORLIK, were ac- on July 26. On July 27, Mason and Orleck Believe It or Not 4 complishing a predawn rendezvous. The were detached to conduct a full power run sun rose on three ships as BROOKE stood Next Reunion 5 to the SoCal OpArea. [The Orleck could- by flying notification signals and taking a Financials/Dues 6 n't keep up... -ed.] On July 28, Mason close look at the Soviet activities. Intelli- conducted NGFS exercises off San Have You Heard? 6 gence reports indicated Soviet intelligence Clemente in company with USS Orleck collectors were operating in the area. Af- The Gardener’s Corner 7 (DD-886) and USS Downes (FF-1070). ter submitting the usual thorough reports, Tour Destination—Pentagon? 7 At the conclusion of the exercises later BROOKE rejoined REEVES at NSAR. Billy Goat Reeves 8 that day, Mason headed for San Diego, to Vet Scam 9 prepare for deployment in the fall. During The next day brought another contact. this time, the ship operated along the This one was the ship being sought. The Notes of Interest 9 U.S.A. West Coast, at various times in Soviet AGI Aneroid was intercepted Ruminations 10 company with the USS Reeves (DLG-24), northbound, visually identified and report- ed. Concurrently, REEVES moved to Pet Adoptions 10 USS Bainbridge (DLGN-25), USS Fox (DLG-33), USS Horne (DLG-30), U.S.S POW/MIA 11 (Continued on page 6) PageP a g e 222 The IronmanIronman————AA Double Ender’s Newsletter The President’s PagePage————MemorialMemorial Day Memorial Day US invasion, while a Northern worked together to protect the Es- Thoughts Force of Japanese Carriers was used cort Carriers Greetings to the as decoy to lure the US Navy assets Well, believe it or not, the little Reeves Associa- away from the action at Leyte. Un- ships prevailed in the short-lived tion Family; fortunately, the lure was successful, battle due to the aggressive method and the heavy-hitters from the Third I find myself sit- of their attack, and their diminutive and Seventh Fleets jumped at the silhouette. Fortunately, big guns are ting here on Me- chance to finish off the Japanese morial Day, with difficult to aim at small fast targets, Carriers. thoughts fresh in my mind of broth- and armor piercing shells couldn’t er Navy Veterans that endured an This action left the Seventh find enough resistance to detonate. incredible naval battle during World Fleet Escort Carrier Task Group TG Instead, they punched large holes War II. While it is a nice thought for 77.4 without the protection of capi- directly through the ships. Each the Memorial Day holiday, it is my tal ships and fast carriers when they ship continued launching their tor- desire to focus our holiday celebra- were most needed. TG 77.4 was pedoes, then made run after run with tion more towards the brave veter- comprised of three separate Task only guns. They stopped only when ans that have gone before us, and Forces, known as Taffy 1, 2, and 3. they could absorb no more hits. The less on the traditional start of sum- This story centers on the northern end result was that the Japanese mer which, unfortunately, the holi- most group in the Gulf of Samar, Central Force withdrew instead of day has become. I realize that this is known as Taffy 3 (TF 77.4.3). Taf- pressing on to destroy the remaining not a subject that I normally concen- fy 3 was comprised of six Escort Escort Carriers. Amazingly, only trate on as part of my rambling Carriers (CVE’s), Three Destroyers one CVE (USS Gambier Bay) was Reeves Association messages, but (DD’s), and four Destroyer Escorts lost during the action. It was the one that I think may have improved (DE’s). The task of the screening only US Carrier ever lost to surface my relationship with Memorial Day, ships (DD’s and DE’s) was to pro- gunfire. and may hopefully improve yours. vide close-in support for their de- The valor of the DD and DE fenseless gaggle of CVE’s, while crews against overwhelming odds I just finished reading a book larger fleet combatants protected about one of the finest days in the constitutes probably the finest mo- them from the rest of the world. history of the US Navy. The Last ment of the US Navy. That moment Stand of the Tin Can Sailors , writ- All that suddenly changed when (actually about two hours worth) ten by James D. Hornfischer the Imperial Japanese Center Force was unfortunately overshadowed by (Bantam Press), is a testament to the discovered TF 77.4.3 and attacked. the fabulous mistake that put them bravery of a group of Tin Can Sail- The little screening ships suddenly in that position to begin with. This ors who sacrificed life and limb to had no choice but going toe-to-toe story left me with an astounding directly confront Imperial Japanese with a clearly superior enemy force, admiration for the brave sailors of Battleships and Heavy Cruisers with while the rest of the task force tried USS Hoel (DD-532), USS Heer- DD’s and DE’s. to escape. This pitted Destroyers mann (DD-532), USS Johnston (DD and Destroyer Escorts against Impe- -557), and USS Samuel B. Roberts This all took place in the Gulf rial Battleships and Heavy Cruisers. (DE-413). All four ships sustained Of Samar on October 24, 1944. The The screening ships rose to the oc- significant damage, significant loss Third and Seventh Fleets were as- casion, and unleashed a series of of life, and all of them sunk except signed to provide protection and air wicked attacks against overwhelm- for the USS Heermann. The heavily support for General MacArthur’s ing odds. The air support from the damaged Heermann fought severe invasion of Leyte, Philippine Is- CVEs they were protecting was very flooding to limp back to safety. The lands. That mission changed when limited, as their armaments were heroic actions of the crew survivors the Japanese Navy implemented the geared towards supporting ground went on long after the battle, as the three pronged SHO-1 plan for de- troops during the invasion – and did surviving crew members spent days fense of the Philippines. Japanese not include much needed torpedoes. adrift without any rescue efforts. Southern and Center Surface Battle The combined strength of the Many were lost to shark attacks. Groups were to converge on Leyte screening ships and air forces from different directions to deny the (Continued at Message on page 4) Volume 4, Issue 1 PageP a g e 333 Mail/eMail/Decklog From Our Shipmates ——— Dear Michael, cessful reunions in Patriots Point -- and parently on his return he started to run It’s never a coincidence! The latest we aren't even Navy! I strongly recom- low on fuel and was in danger of not newsletter contains the USS Collett mend Patriots Point, either the Holiday making it back to REEVES.