Diary of a Destroyerman.. Off Okinawa in 1945

[Hangtime]

From my father in law's papers. USS Chauncy, DD667 A revealing look into the life of a "Tin Can Man'.

March, 16 –

Woke up for G.Q. this morning at 0530. – Was woken up for watch at 0345, but answered in my sleep, I guess. - I don't remember being woken. – Fueled this morning from a tanker. – it was hard to do, because it was so rough. – However, it is not as rough as it was yesterday. – Got many good-luck wishes from the ships escorting the tankers. – The U.S.S. Chicago, a very old cruiser sent – "good luck – give them hell for us." – We are on picket duty, and will be on it for the entire operation. – Picket duty consists of keeping about twelve miles from the main force and reporting any enemy ships, planes, or submarines, and attacking them if it is advisable, which it probably would be in most any case. –

We are all alone, and just about within sight of the main group. - We will stay about twelve miles to the rear of them at all times. - Sort of a "rear gaurd." - We are about a thousand miles south of Japan, and heading north. – We have not yet been told where we are going, but from the scuttlebut, it is an island just a little south of Japan. – Perhaps a raid on Japan itself, and Formosa, too. – We only have food supplies for a month on board, so I hope that the operation doesn't last too long. – We can go about a week at this speed without refueling. –

We can make 1,000 miles in two days if we hurry, but will probably take three. – We should get where we are going, then, the day after tomorrow, or perhaps even the day after. – Tomorrow the captain should let us know. – By the way, he seems to be the best skipper we've yet had. –

March 17 –

Getting quite a bit colder. – At noon today it was 62, but of course it is colder in the wind; and it is very windy. – We were issued fur lined jackets, and padded trousers today. – They are warm. – Still going north. – Tomorrow, I think, is "lucky day." [Day of attack] We are about 5 or 6 - hundred miles from Japan. – Will be near to Japan tomorrow, and will probably see some action. – I hope that we see something. – Passed close to a floating mine at dusk. – It was about 1,000 yds. on our port side. – The U.S.S. Black DD666 who is with us, destroyed it with 40 m.m. fire.- She also got one last night. – Oh, yes, - we are on picket duty yet, but 36 miles forward of the task force now. – There are twelve "cans" on this duty. – They are all in two's, and we can sometimes see them. – Lets see what tomorrow brings. –

March 18 – [Delayed]

Went to G.Q. early this morning, and stayed at G. Q. just about all day. – Saw a few enemy planes. – They did not attack us, - but went after the main group. – They dropped many flares. – Our strikes were effective. – We are 70 odd miles from Japan. – The planes (ours) saw two battlewagons, some cruisers, cans, and D.E.'s in the harbor of the place they attacked. – We are very tired have had little sleep. – There are always Jap planes around us. – One was shot down off of our fantail, by another "can". – We didn't know that the plane was even there. –

March 19. –

Still on picket duty. – G.Q. most all of the time. – Very tired!! – sandwiches for chow. – Plenty of coffee and smokes. – A Jap plane was shot down and we went to investigate. – The U.S.S. - Black was with us. – We tried to pick up the Japs life raft. – The captain was nervous because there were Jap planes in the air near us, and got "down wind." – We did not get the raft. – It was red and white. – The Black picked up the Jap pilot. – He was dead. – They were close to us, so I watched them through glasses. – They took him out of the water with grappling hooks, - pulled him on board and layed him on the deck. – He had on heavy flight clothing, - and was missing a boot. – He had on a large white sock on the foot that was missing the boot. - I could not see his face.

They emptied his pockets, took a few souveniers, and then through him back into the water. –

It was sunny and we saw "Japan," only 24 miles away. – It was the forth largest island. – I don't remember the name of the island, but it sounded like "Shikoku." – The Carrier, the Franklin was hit today by two torpedoes and a bomb. – She is being towed by the Cruiser Philadelphia. – We are escorting her, along with some other cans (two) and one of the battle cruisers, the Alaska, - I think. – Don't know where we are taking her. Probably to Guamn. –

March 20 [delayed]

Stayed at G.Q. all last night, and all day today. – I got a look at who we were with, - this morning. – There are about eight "cans," Two cruisers, the Wichita, and the Philadelphia, and both battle cruisers, - the Guam and the Alaska. – The Franklin was towed at 5.5 knots all night. – We "cans" kept circling her at 15 knots. – Today the Franklin can make 15 knots under her own power. - It is a wonder!! – She burned until about 0600 this morning. - She is all black from the fire. – Her "island" [superstructure] is almost falling off. – [The top part] She is full of holes and listing to port heavily. – She is full of water and they are pumbing her out. – She had about 250 casualties. – 27 killed and the rest wounded. – She will go tothe States of course. – She left there the day before we did. – The Japs keep sneaking planes in to try and get another hit on her, - and sink her. – She had one near-miss today from a Jap dive bomber. – No one knew that the plane was around. – He got away even though we fired at him. – The combat air patrol has gotten a few Jap planes. – I am so tired I am near exhaustion; - Everyone is. –

March 21st

Secured from G.Q. – Slept all day when I wasn't on watch. –

March 22. –

Fueled this morning. – Joined battleships and carriers. – Left the Franklin with the tanker group. –

March 23. –

Air strikes from our carriers on Jap islands, - about 300 miles from Japan, + 300 from China. – G.Q. most all day. –

March. – 24 –

Went with six battleships to the island. – They shelled it from about 15 or twenty miles. – G.Q. all day. – Secured at 1615. – Withdrew from island. – The island has four airstrips. – It is about 60 by 15 miles. – Has a population of about 400,000 people. – 60,000 enemy troops. –

March – 25 – Sunday –

Fueled this morning. – One ship here is supposed to have mail for us. – We don't know which one, though. – Washed clothes and worked in the Post Office, when I wasn't on watch. – Also, read a bit. – Finally got our mail. – There are Jap planes around, but we have not been attacked – here. – Got a letter from Mim, one from Peggy Eckstrom, + one from Warren Daily's girl!!

March. – 26 –

Picked up one of our pilots who made a forced landing near us. – He was O.K.! G.Q. most all day. – On Picket duty. – The main force shot down a few planes at night. –

March. – 27 –

Two years since I left "Boot Camp." –
G.Q. most of the morning. – We were on picket duty this morning, and when it got light, we went along side of the Black to give her some mail. – We had two lines over from us to her, when we spotted a Jap plane heading for us. – [We were out of sight of the main force.-] The plane was a Nell, - a large two motored twin tailed bomber. – The captain gave full left rudder, and the Black went sharply to the right. – I saw a large bomb leave the plane, and grabbed the nearest helmet. – It [the bomb] landed about 25 yards from us, on our starboard side. – Had we not turned so quickly, we would have been hit directly on the bridge, [where I was] or at No. I stack, - just aft of the bridge. – The gun crews were helping with the lines to the Black, and so by the time they were back in the guns, the plane was way off. – However, we got two shots [5 inch] near him. – We tracked him by radar, and he headed back towards us. – [The Black was not near us now] – The plane came in high, again, and No. I + II 5 inch fired at him. – He was hit by the 5th or 6th shot, and burst into flames in his port motor. – He dropped his bombs, and we went sharply to the left. They exploded just off of our starboard bow. – The fire spread to his left wing, and along the fuselage. – He rolled over to his left and tried to dive into us. – He almost did, but our AA guns racked him with a murderous fire, and probably killed the pilot. – He dove into the sea very close, at about 300 M.P.H. There was a terrific explosion, and fire and wreckage on the water. – As he dove into the sea, the Rising Sun, - one on each wing caught my eye. They were very prominent. – The plane [a "Nell"] carries seven men, a bomb load [or torpedo's] and has 5 7.7MM guns, plus a 20MM in the nose. – We all embraced each other, and had a lot of fun telling each other what we had noticed. – It was a narrow escape, and the Jap was a pretty good bomadier. –

Now we have officially 3 twin engine bombers, and 3 fighter bombers to our credit. It was a good day. – The invasion of this island here is scheduled for the first of next month, - I believe. – Hear Tokio Rose today. – She is still lying as much as ever. –

[Hangtime]

March . – 28 –

Fueled this morning. – Passed mail, - picked up a pilot who had his jaw broken in 3 places, and four downed fliers from other cans. – We delivered them to their respective carriers. – Kept buisy. – At night the "old man" passed the word over the speakers that we had just gotten word that we, T.F. #58, were going up north a bit and hunt up the Jap fleet. –

Task Force #58 is made up into three groups. –

March. – 29 –

On picket duty about 90 miles from Japan. – G.Q. most all day. – several planes have come in. – "We" got them, but perhaps not one. – He flew in, dove on a carrier loosed his bomb, and left in a hurry. – I don't know how he got through the flak, it was terrific. – The guy made a near miss on the carrier. –

March – 30 –

On picket duty, again. – The carrier planes made a strike at Kyushu. – The Jap fleet was spotted near Koushu, but went north, rather than fight. – No doubt, they won't really come out until they have a decided advantage, - one way or another. – Headed south-east at about noon, - to fuel. – The landing on Okinawa are to take place the first.

March 31

On picket duty. – Nothing unusual happened.

April – 1 –

Got mail today, - refueled from tanker very rough.– Took long time to get fuel hose over. –

April – 2 –

Still on picket. – Heard Japs claim that they have sunk or damaged 46 of task force 58. – What a laugh. –

April – 3 –

Invasion of Okinawa going O.K. – Still on picket duty. –

April – 4. –

On picket duty. – Went to G.Q. – Got attacked by a Jap dive bomber. – We were 3 "cans" in column. – "He" caught us by surprise. – Dropped his bomb and ran. – Got clean away, too. –

April - 5 –

Fueled this morning. – Got mail. – Got letters from Dad, Mim, and Carroll. – Carroll is an instructor now, - and is not comming out here. – Ferried planes belly tanks from a "ferry carrier," bringing replacements out to these. Also pilots, freight, and enlisted airmen. –

April – 6 –

Stayed with force since we were not finished delivering stuff. – Under a furious air attack today. – Jap suicide dived on a carrier, - he missed. – We got a near bomb hit. – We hit several planes. – Really knocked one down by ourselves. – A battlewagon claimed it, too. – The Essex, (Admiral Mitcher, commanding T.F. 58 aboard) is deciding who shall get credit. – We rate with the Essex, but after all, the battlewagon has an admiral on board and we have only a Leiut.-Commander. –

T.F. #58 bagged about 500 planes today. – Pretty good. – Naturally, most of the credit goes to the fighter pilots, but teamwork is what really does it. –

April 6, 1945 was a good day. – Oh yes, - we were ordered to get our torpedos ready. – May have to use them. – I hope not though. – We'd only use them in making a run on a Jap warship, of large size. – That is almost suicide. –

April 7 –

On picket duty again – [we join main group each night]

Headed north. – Our airmen found part of the Jap fleet. – Sunk their largest and best battlewagon, two light cruisers, three cans, and left two in flames. – Many Jap planes came after us, but our CAP got them. –

April – 8 –

Picket duty again. – G.Q. all day. – No planes came in. – Guess the Japs are getting disgusted. – [We] are going south to fuel tomorrow. – Also expect to provision. – We are very low on food. –

April – 9 –

Provisioned today and took on fuel. – Also, - got mail. - I didn't get any, – but we didn't get much. –

April – 10 –

Back up north, on picket as usual. –

April –11-

G.Q. most all day. – The CAP got all Jap planes. –

April – 12 –


G.Q. – all day. – Several Jap planes tried to suicide dive the division of us [4 cans] while we were on picket duty. – They just barely missed. – We were in the formation –

One Jap came in fast over the Black and strafed them, before they could get him. He then got between the Kidd and the Black, so that neither one could fire at him without hitting the other ship. – He dove right into the Kidd, and hit just aft of the bridge. There was an awful explosion, and the smoke and steam, and flames leaped high in the air. – She blew her out of control siren, and it sounded tragic, as well as looking so. –

We other three circled her, and gradually she got the fire out. – The plane went into the starboard side of the ship and left quite a hole, but oddly enough the port side was much worse off. – The explosion, ruined the forward fire room, tore off the port side of the signal bridge, smashed the boat on the port side, blew one man over board, hurt or wounded about two dozen, and killed 60 men. The doctor was seriously wounded, as also was the captain. – We knew those boys quite well. – Such is war. – I have acquired a hatred for the Japs now – after that affair. –

April – 13 –

G.Q. all day. – Few Jap planes around dropping flares at night. – Headed south to fuel. – Heard that our president has died. – It is sad news, and especially bad at this time. – He had so much planned. – I heard a Jap program talk about him. – They said that he was a great man. – This surprised me. – Of course they pointed out his faults, and said that it would be a serious loss to the Allies. – It will, of course. –

April – 14 –

Fueled today, and will go north tonight. –

April – 15 –

Had small air attack. –

April – 16 –

Had quite an air attack. - A Jap plane tried to suicideon us. – He didn't miss by much. – Our AA fire was so heavy, that he pulled away from us, and headed for the Black, who was in front of us. – We had him burning before they (the Black) even began to fire. He turned and twisted and tried to hit her, but missed. – He landed only 10 yds. – off her port bow. – The Bullard who was astern of us had a plane dive on her. – We set his starboard wing afire, and he crashed and missed her stern by only 2 yards, - they reported. – Both planes looked as though they would make good hits. – Luckily they missed. – They both can thank us for saving them, or at least helping an awful lot. –

April – 17 –

Another "heavy" air attack today. – Perhaps heavy isn't so much the correct word, as is ferocious, - or persistent. – I was indeed both. –

One plane dove down, passed over us, and let his bomb go at the ship next to us. – It missed. – He pulled out of his dive. We were supprised that he didn't crash on the ship. Usually they do. – He went out and started in for his strafing and suicide run, but one of our fighter planes got him. – When he went out, another Jap came in and dropped a bomb astern of us. – He dropped it at us, but he missed. –

Next, a Jap twin engined torpedo-bomber, dove on a ship (one of us pickets) about 3,000 yds. on our starboard side. – We thought sure that it was a suicide and stopped firing when the plan was almost on the ship. – However, he pulled out just in time, and headed for the can in front of the one he dove on. – He was directly between the two cans, then very low on the water. – He strafed the leading can. – Neither of the two cans could fire at the Jap without hitting each other. – We saved the day, by hitting the Jap with 40's, 20's + 5". He hit the water very near the leading can, and exploded. – It was plainly a suiciderun. – (His first and only, - naturally, - and he failed) The can that was strafed lost 4 killed, and 10 wounded. – Our shells burst quite close, but did not hit any one, apparently. – It was filthy with shrapnel there, though. – I thinkit's save to say that we saved them, too. –

The next plane came across the other cans, (I'm jumpy some one just opened a door behind me!) dropped his bomb, came around our bow, and started to suicide on us. – Our AA was so intense that he pulled out of his dive, at us, and went along our side. We knocked his tail off, when he was by the fantail, and he crashed into the ocean. – I was standing on the port side of the bridge, and he was diving right at the bridge. – Everyone was really scared! I was so scared, my legs shook, and my hand wouldn't stop shaking for long time. I was weak, after we shot him down. – It was not the first time we have had close calls, but that time, I was sure my time to go had come. – Every one else was sure that we would be crashed on. – If he had not pulled out of his dive, he couldn't have missed us. – Why he did, we cannot understand. Perhaps it was the natural urge to save his skin, if possible. ThankGod he did, though!

We were supposed to go back to Ulithi or some place for a rest, but so many cans have been hit or sunk, that we can't be spared. – How long we'll last, I don't know. – They (the Japs) can't miss all of the time. – We have been eating our emergency rations for two days now. – No more chow in a couple of days. –

A high flying Jap observation plane was shot down. – The pilot bailed out, and floated near us, on his rubber life raft. The Bullard stopped to pick him up. – When they came along side, he pulled out a pistol, and they had to shoot him. They killed him, and on his body, they found a diary, and six maps. He was about 23 yrs. old, and unhurt before they shot him.

April – 18 –29

The air action has let up. – Probably due to B-29 raids on Jap airfield on Kyushu. Then too, they are using a lot of their planes to hit Okinawa. –

We are still shy on food. – We get some every few days from the carriers and battlewagons. Have had no meat for four days, now. – Eat lots of canned salmon, dehydrated spuds, spagheti, and pan-cakes. – We still get attacked by Jap planes but most of the time our fighters take care of them. –

[Hangtime]

April – 30 –

Left T.F. 58.3 + joined T.F. 58.4 this morning. The two groups are near each other. – The reason for the change, is that T.F. 58.4 has lost so many cans, either sunk or damaged, that they are quite short of them; - so four of us came to join the force. –

We fueled from the Shangrila, and she gave us some fresh provisions, including oranges + lettuce. They alo had their band play for us. –

We are now out by ourselves, in between the two forces, acting as a relay for messages. – It can be a dangerous spot. – Well, we'll see. –

April 31 –

Rejoined T.F. 58.3 fueled – No mail

Got stores

May 1 – 7th –

Still out here. – Got mail yesterday. – Letters from Mom, Mim, + Kris. –

They say that Carroll is coming out here again. – Haven't heard from him lately. –

Germany has surrendered, except for small pockets –

Our president Roosevelt is dead. – Quite a blow to the country, - and world. –

San Francisco Conference seems to be an awful muddle. – That is very bad!!

Russia broke her non-aggression pact with Japan. – I think that she will fight Japan + that the Navy will use Russian bases. – The situation of the war seems good. – The chances for an enduring peace seem slight, - to me. - I pray to God that I am wrong.

Am weary of this mess. – Undecided as to the future. – Disgusted with Navy life. – Guess we've been at sea too long everyone seems the same way. – Still don't know when we'll go into port. –

May – 8 –

Feel better today. – Still not doing much but hanging around.

[Captain Virgil Hilts]

Thanks for posting this.

My uncle Billy was killed on a destroyer when it was sunk by a kamakazi attack. My grandmother had his letters and such, but since the ship sank there was no return of personal effects so the letters is all she had. I don't know where they went. I'd guess that he didn't write much more than Dad did. Dad was building an airstrip with the USAAC on the island where my uncle's destroyer was on picket duty.

[Maverick]

Hang,

Great read thanks very much for that!

!!! to your Father in Law.

[Charon]

That picket duty was some intense ****. A good book on destroyer operations is "Tin Cans."

Charon

[Hangtime]

During just this short period 68 ships were taken out by japanese air attacks. That's more ships than we had in the entire pacific fleet in 1943. There was an overwhelming sense of impending doom in the fleet surrounding the proposed invasion of Japan. Like dad sez.. "we may have been winning... but they were still kicking our bellybutton and making us pay for every day".

The mindnumbing days at a time standing GQ.. the ferocity of the air attacks, the intermitable waiting; the mad dash from here to there and back again, every evolution executed under the terrible consequnces of loss to themseleves and their buddies for the slightest inattention to detail and professionalism, the privations of short water & rations, violent weather..

I poke fun at the squids.. it's an obligation. But I respect 'em.. and any man that stands to their duty. But Destroyermen especially.. terriers of the fleet.

[Nilsen]

Interesting reading hangtime.

Im sure glad im not going to war.

[Seeker]

Originally posted by Nilsen
Interesting reading hangtime.

Im sure glad im not going to war.

What sailor boy said!

[Gunslinger]

Yea hang great post.  Okinawa was one of the bloodiest campaigns of WWII.  I think it was THE major influence to drop the A-bombs.  During this battle the sailors out at sea faught just as hard as the Marines on the beach.  IIRC over 1500 SAILORS dead.  No one wanted to invade the mainland after Okinawa.