Countdown to Kickoff

[kingofnerf]

The late, great Del Wilkes.

 

[kingofnerf]

USS New Jersey, BB-62.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_New_Jersey_(BB-62)

 

[kingofnerf]

USS Independence, CV-62.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Independence_(CV-62)

 

[kingofnerf]

USS Natoma Bay, CVE-62.

Battle off Samar

On 25 October, as Natoma Bay, flagship of Rear Admiral Stump, CTU 77.4.2 ("Taffy 2"), cruised off the eastern entrance to Leyte Gulf, the Japanese launched a tri-force offensive to drive the Allies from Leyte, and from the Philippines. During the early morning hours, the enemy's Southern Force was soundly defeated in Surigao Strait. Surviving Japanese ships retreated into the Mindanao Sea pursued by destroyers, PT boats, and after sunrise, by carrier based aircraft.

At 06:58, "Taffy 3", (6 CVEs, 3 DDs, and 4 DEs) cruising off Samar under Rear Admiral C. Sprague, was attacked by the vastly more powerful Japanese Center Force (4 BBs, 6 CAs, 2 CLs, 11 DDs) under Admiral Kurita. At 07:01, having ordered all operational planes launched, Adm. Sprague requested any available assistance. Admiral Ozawa's Northern Force, however, had already accomplished its mission — Admiral Halsey's TF 38 had been drawn off to the north. The cruisers and battleships under Admiral Oldendorf were replenishing after their battle in Surigao Strait. Help could only come from the south. At 07:02, "Taffy 2", 20 miles to the south-south-east, responded and by 07:08 all available planes were en route. Those already dispatched on routine missions were recalled.

In a running battle which ensued, the determination of self-sacrificing destroyers and destroyer escorts of "Taffy 3" and fighters and bombers of the three Taffies resulted in an almost unbelievable, but necessary, victory in the Battle off Samar.

Ordered not to concentrate on any particular ship, but to cripple as many as possible, planes from Natoma Bay conducted two strikes against the enemy within an hour and a half. At 09:26 a third strike, with 500 pound SAP bombs in lieu of torpedoes, was launched. At 11:18, a fourth strike was sent off to push the maneuvering enemy away from Leyte Gulf, but with neither torpedoes nor armor-piercing bombs aboard, the planes took off carrying only general-purpose bombs and depth charges. At noon, Natoma Bay's fighters, launched previously for CAP, were landed, rearmed and sent up again. At 12:56 and at 15:08, the 5th and 6th strikes were launched to further pursue the enemy as it retreated toward San Bernardino Strait. Fighter planes, armed with 250-pound (113 kg) general-purpose bombs, were among those dispatched with the last strike.

At the end of that fateful day's operations, TG 77.4, with "Taffy 3" bearing the brunt of the damage, had turned back the Japanese Force. Praise for the escort carrier group was unbounded. They had "...accomplished a task that only a large carrier task force should be expected to undertake..." Natoma Bay's contribution to the earning of this praise included one heavy cruiser sunk, one torpedo plane shot down, and hits on one battleship, three heavy cruisers, two light cruisers and one destroyer.

The following morning, 26 October, Natoma Bay's planes, continuing to pound the enemy, assisted in the sinking of a light cruiser and her accompanying destroyer in the Visayan Sea and then resumed support of ground forces on Leyte. On the 27th, her fighters strafed Japanese vessels in Ormoc Bay and then swung over Samar where they downed a Kawasaki Ki-61 "Tony". A Mitsubishi G3M "Nell" was bagged on the 28th, and on 30 October the CVE sailed for Seeadler Harbor, arriving 4 November.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Natoma_Bay

 

[kingofnerf]

USS Wainwright, DD-62.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Wainwright_(DD-62)

 

[kingofnerf]

USS Chancellorsville, CG-62.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Chancellorsville

 

[kingofnerf]

USS Birmingham, CL-62.

World War II

1943

Following her shakedown cruise, Birmingham was assigned to the Atlantic Fleet. Departing Norfolk, Virginia on 7 June, she steamed to the Mediterranean and gave gunfire support during the invasion of Sicily (10–26 July 1943). Returning to the United States on 8 August, she was reassigned to the Pacific Fleet and arrived at Pearl Harbor on 6 September.

Joining the fast carrier task force screen, she took part in the raids on Tarawa (18 September 1943) and Wake Island (5–6 October). At the Solomons, she took part in the Battle of Empress Augusta Bay (8–9 November), along with her sister ships Cleveland, Columbia, Montpelier, and Denver. This was the first major action by the new Cleveland-class light cruisers that were entering the fleet. Birmingham's gunners shot down at least four enemy Japanese aircraft. During the daytime, Japanese planes hit Birmingham with two bombs and a torpedo. The ship's casualties included two killed and 34 wounded. The hits kept her out of the night surface battle with the Imperial Japanese Navy fleet that followed. Birmingham retired to Mare Island Navy Yard for repairs which lasted until 18 February 1944, when she rejoined the Pacific Fleet.

1944

Assigned to Task Force 58 (TF 58), she took part in the Battle of Saipan (14 June – 4 August); the Battle of the Philippine Sea (19–20 June); Battle of Tinian (20 July – 1 August); Battle of Guam (21 July); and Philippine Islands raids (9–24 September). She then served with TF 38 during the Okinawa raid (10 October), northern Luzon and Formosa raids (15 October and 18–19 October), and the Battle of Leyte Gulf (24 October). During the latter, she suffered great topside damage from explosions on board the aircraft carrier Princeton while courageously attempting to aid that stricken vessel. 239 men died, 408 were wounded, and the bodies of four were never recovered.  Birmingham retired to Mare Island Navy Yard for repairs which lasted from November 1944 to January 1945.

1945, Iwo Jima, Okinawa

Rejoining the Pacific Fleet, the cruiser supported the battle of Iwo Jima (4–5 March 1945) and joined Task Force 54 (TF 54) for the invasion of Okinawa (25 March – 5 May). On 4 May, after fighting off three attacks, she was damaged for a third time when a Japanese kamikaze plane hit her forward. The resulting explosion killed 47, with 4 missing and 81 wounded.  Returning to Pearl Harbor, she underwent repairs from 28 May to 1 August.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Birmingham_(CL-62)

 

[kingofnerf]

USS Fitzgerald, DDG-62.

USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62), named for United States Navy officer Lieutenant William Charles Fitzgerald, is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the US Navy.

In the early morning hours of 17 June 2017, the ship was involved in a collision with the container ship MV ACX Crystal, seriously damaging the destroyer. Seven of her crew were killed. Several others were injured, including her commanding officer, Commander Bryce Benson.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Fitzgerald

William "Bill" C. Fitzgerald (January 28, 1938 – August 7, 1967) was a United States Navy officer who was killed in action during the Vietnam War, while serving as an advisor to the Republic of Vietnam Navy. He received the Navy Cross posthumously for his role in fighting off a Viet Cong attack.

Early life and Navy enlisted service

Fitzgerald was born in Montpelier, Vermont, the second child and first son of Louis and Mildred Mary Fitzgerald. His father was a career Navy man who retired as a Chief Petty Officer. Fitzgerald grew up in the local area and graduated from Montpelier High School in June 1956.

Following graduation, he followed in his father's footsteps and enlisted in the United States Navy. As an enlisted sailor, Fitzgerald served on USS Samuel B. Roberts (DD-823), USS Hugh Purvis, and USS Gearing. Fitzgerald also served with Utility Squadron Six (VC-6) at NAS Norfolk, Virginia, while working on the Drone Anti-Submarine Helicopter (DASH) program.

U.S. Naval Academy studies

Seaman Fitzgerald eventually earned selection for officer training by appointment to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland with the Class of 1963.

Fitzgerald excelled in naval education, softball, football, fencing, basketball, and tennis.

Service as a commissioned officer

Midshipman Fitzgerald graduated and was commissioned in the United States Navy on June 5, 1963. He then reported to the destroyer USS Charles H. Roan, where he rose from "boot ensign" to weapons department head.

Vietnam service

Following Roan, Lieutenant Fitzgerald reported to Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, California, where he attended counterinsurgency training. Upon completion he was assigned duties as the senior U.S. advisor at Coastal Defense Group Sixteen in Vietnam. This group's compound was located adjacent to the village of Co Luy, near the delta of the Tra Khuc River, and about 70 miles southeast of Da Nang. In this position, he advised the Republic of Vietnam Navy on defense measures and on the capture of military supplies and contraband destined for Viet Cong forces.

At about 0300 on August 7, 1967, Coastal Defense Group Sixteen's compound came under heavy attack by two Viet Cong battalions. The assault began with an intense mortar barrage followed immediately by the advance of troops. Fitzgerald, the senior American commander, immediately ordered a retreat of the civilians within the compound. Because of the compound's location adjacent to a river and the aggressors' position, the only escape route was via water in small boats.

Lieutenant Fitzgerald and three others delayed their retreat as long as possible in order to provide covering fire and to direct fire from surrounding friendly forces. Many calls were made to orbiting gunship aircraft, artillery units, and Fast Patrol Craft to provide defensive fire. The Viet Cong attack, however, was swift and well coordinated. It soon became apparent that the South Vietnamese forces were decimated and that the American bunker was the sole remaining source of resistance. As the situation deteriorated, Fitzgerald ordered his last three remaining defenders to retreat while he used arms fire to cover their escape. Fitzgerald was mortally wounded in this action.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Charles_Fitzgerald

 

[Swayin]

USS George W. Ingram, DE-62.

 

[kingofnerf]

Although the big block 409 cubic-inch engine was available as an option in Chevys from 1961-65, the dual four-barrel carburetor version immortalized in the Beach Boys's song was first introduced in 1962, the same year the song was first released.

'62 Impala SS 409.

 

[kingofnerf]

USS Cofer, APD-62.  Formerly DE-208.

https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/ships/APD/APD-62_Cofer.html

USS Cofer (DE-208/APD-62), a Buckley-class destroyer escort of the United States Navy, was named in honor of John Joseph Cofer (1919–1942), who was killed in action on 13 November 1942 during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, while serving aboard the destroyer USS Aaron Ward.

Cofer was launched on 6 September 1943 by Charleston Navy Yard, sponsored by Mrs. M. J. Cofer, mother of Seaman First Class Cofer; and commissioned on 19 January 1944, Lieutenant Commander Alvin P. Chester in command.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Cofer_(DE-208)

 

[Swayin]

USS Manila Bay, CVE-61.

A running battle ensued between the escort carriers of Rear Adm. Clifton Sprague's Taffy 3 and the larger, vastly more powerful surface ships of Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita's Center Force. The self-sacrificing attacks by American destroyers and destroyer escorts, and the prompt, aggressive, and unceasing torpedo, bomb, and strafing strikes by planes from Taffy 2 and Taffy 3 contributed to the American victory against great odds in the Battle off Samar.

Manila Bay launched two airstrikes during the enemy pursuit of Taffy 3 and two more as the Japanese retreated. At 08:30, she sent four torpedo-laden Grumman TBM Avengers and a seven-plane escort to join the desperate fight. Three launched torpedoes at a battleship, probably Yamato, but they missed. The fourth plane launched her torpedo at a heavy cruiser, most likely Chikuma. It hit the ship to starboard near the fantail, forcing her out of control. The second strike an hour later by two Avengers resulted in one torpedo hit on the portside amidships against an unidentified battleship.

As the Japanese ships broke off attack and circled off Samar, the airstrikes continued. At 11:20, Manila Bay launched four Avengers, carrying 500 pound bombs, and four bombers from other carriers. Escorted by General Motors FM-2 Wildcats and led by Commander R. L. Fowler, they soon joined planes from other Taffy carriers. Shortly after 12:30, some 70 planes surprised and attacked the retiring Center Force, strafing and bombing through intense antiaircraft fire. Manila Bay's bombers made a hit and two near misses on the lead battleship, probably Kongō or Haruna. Manila Bay launched her final strike at 12:45, strafing destroyers and getting two hits on a cruiser.

Later that afternoon, Manila Bay's CAP intercepted a Japanese bomber-fighter strike about 50 miles north of Taffy 2. Her four fighters broke up the enemy formation, and with reinforcements drove off the attackers before they reached the carriers. Her planes continued to attack enemy ships the following day. Laden with rockets and bombs, one of her Avengers scored two hits on the cruiser Kinu and several rocket hits on the destroyer Uranami. Both ships sank about noon in the Visayan Sea after numerous air attacks.

Manila Bay resumed air operations in support of Leyte ground forces on 27 October. During ground support and air cover missions, her planes shot down an Aichi D3A "Val" on 27 October and bagged two Nakajima Ki-43 "Oscars" on 29 October. Late on 30 October she sailed for the Admiralty Islands, arriving at Manus on 4 November. Manila Bay received eight battle stars for World War II service.

 

[Swayin]

USS Iowa, BB-61.

USS Iowa (BB-61) is a retired battleship, the lead ship of her class, and the fourth in the United States Navy to be named after the state of Iowa. Owing to the cancellation of the Montana-class battleships, Iowa is the last lead ship of any class of United States battleships and was the only ship of her class to serve in the Atlantic Ocean during World War II.

During World War II, she carried President Franklin D. Roosevelt across the Atlantic to Mers El Kébir, Algeria, en route to a conference of vital importance in 1943 in Tehran with Prime Minister Winston Churchill of the United Kingdom and Joseph Stalin, leader of the Soviet Union. When transferred to the Pacific Fleet in 1944, Iowa shelled beachheads at Kwajalein and Eniwetok in advance of Allied amphibious landings and screened aircraft carriers operating in the Marshall Islands. She also served as the Third Fleet flagship, flying Admiral William F. Halsey's flag at the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay.

During the Korean War, Iowa was involved in raids on the North Korean coast, after which she was decommissioned into the United States Navy reserve fleets, better known as the "mothball fleet." She was reactivated in 1984 as part of the 600-ship Navy plan and operated in both the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets to counter the recently expanded Soviet Navy. In April 1989, an explosion of undetermined origin wrecked its No. 2 gun turret, killing 47 sailors.

Iowa was decommissioned for the last time in October 1990 after 19 total years of active service, and was initially stricken from the Naval Vessel Register (NVR) in 1995, before being reinstated from 1999 to 2006 to comply with federal laws that required retention and maintenance of two Iowa-class battleships. In 2011 Iowa was donated to the Los Angeles–based non-profit Pacific Battleship Center and was permanently moved to Berth 87 at the Port of Los Angeles in 2012, where she was opened to the public as the USS Iowa Museum.

 

[kingofnerf]

Most folks wouldn't pick up on the perpendicular wake that shows how much a full salvo moves the hull in the opposite direction.  Looks like the ship moved at least 50' or more.

There is no substitute for firepower.

 

[kingofnerf]

USS Ranger, CV-61.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Ranger_(CV-61)

 

[kingofnerf]

USS Jacob Jones, DD-61.  Sunk on December 6, 1917, by U-53.

Sinking

In early December, Jacob Jones helped escort a convoy to Brest, France, with five other Queenstown-based destroyers. The last to depart from Brest on the return to Ireland, Jacob Jones was steaming alone in a zig-zag pattern when she was spotted by Kapitänleutnant Hans Rose on the German submarine U-53.  At 16:20 on 6 December 1917, near position 49°23′N 6°13′W, lookouts on Jacob Jones spotted a torpedo 800 yards (730 m) distant headed for the ship's starboard side. Despite having her rudder put hard left and emergency speed rung up, Jacob Jones was unable to move out of the way, and the torpedo struck her rudder. Even though the depth charges did not explode, Jacob Jones was adrift. The jolt had knocked out power, so the destroyer was unable to send a distress signal; since she was steaming alone, no other ship was present to know of Jacob Jones' predicament.

Commander David W. Bagley, the destroyer's commander, ordered all life rafts and boats launched.  As the ship sank, her bow raised in the air almost vertically before she began to slip beneath the waves. At this point the armed depth charges began to explode, killing men who had been unable to escape the destroyer, and stunning many others in the water.  The destroyer, the first United States destroyer ever lost to enemy action, sank eight minutes after the torpedo struck the rudder, taking with her two officers and 64 men.

In the water, several of the crew — most notably Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Stanton F. Kalk, the officer-of-the-deck when the torpedo struck — began to get men out of the water and into the life rafts.  Kalk worked in the cold Atlantic water to equalize the load among the various rafts, but died of exhaustion and exposure.

Bagley noted in his official account that about 30 minutes after Jacob Jones sank, the German submarine surfaced about two to three miles from the collection of rafts and took one of the American sailors on board. According to Uboat.net, what Rose of U-53 had done was surface and take aboard two badly injured American sailors.  Rose had also radioed the American base at Queenstown with the approximate coordinates of the sinking before departing the area.

Bagley, unaware of Rose's humanitarian gesture, left most of the food, water, and medical supplies with Lieutenant Commander John K. Richards, whom he left in charge of the assembled rafts. Bagley, Lieutenant Commander Norman Scott (Jacob Jones' executive officer) and four crewmen (brought along to row), set out for aid in the nearby Isles of Scilly. At 13:00 on 7 December, Bagley's group was sighted by a British patrol vessel just six nautical miles (11 km) from their destination. The group was relieved to find that the British sloop HMS Camellia had found and taken aboard most of the survivors earlier that morning; a small group had been rescued on the night of the sinking by the American steamer Catalina.

Several men were recognized for their actions in the aftermath of the torpedo attack. Kalk (posthumously) and Bagley received the Navy Distinguished Service Medal.  Others honored included Chief Boatswain's Mate Harry Gibson (posthumously) and Chief Electrician's Mate L. J. Kelly, who both received the Navy Cross; and Richards, Scott, and Chief Boatswain's Mate Charles Charlesworth all received letters of commendation. Rose was awarded the Pour le Mérite and Ritterkreuz des Hohenzollerschen Hausordens mit Schwertern for this and other achievements in the tonnage war.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Jacob_Jones_(DD-61)

The ship's Executive Officer, LCDR Norman Scott, would continue to serve into WWII and later lose his life as a Rear Admiral aboard the light cruiser USS Atlanta in the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal along with Admiral Daniel J. Callaghan on the heavy cruiser USS San Francisco.

 

[kingofnerf]

USS Ramage, DDG-61.

USS Ramage (DDG-61) is an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer of the United States Navy. The ship is named for Vice Admiral Lawson P. Ramage, a notable submarine commander and Medal of Honor recipient in World War II.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Ramage

USS Parche

In May 1943, Ramage assumed command of the new Balao-class submarine, the USS Parche (SS-384). Commissioned in November 1943 at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine, Parche sailed to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Parche's first patrol, in March 1944, was as part of a U.S. submarine wolfpack with USS Bang and USS Tinosa. The "sub" wolfpack sank seven enemy ships for 35,000 tons; Ramage was credited with two of them for 11,700 tons.

In June 1944, Parche's second patrol was also as part of a wolfpack. This was the patrol that established Ramage's reputation. On 30 July 1944, the wolfpack made contact with an enemy convoy. In the dark hours before dawn on 31 July, for 48 minutes ("among the wildest of the submarine war")

Ramage cleared the bridge of all personnel except himself and steamed right into the enemy convoy on the surface, maneuvering among the ships and firing nineteen torpedoes. Japanese ships fired back with deck guns and tried to ram his submarine. With consummate seamanship and coolness under fire, Ramage dodged and twisted, returning torpedo fire for gunfire.... the attack on the Japanese convoy by Red Ramage was the talk of the U.S. submarine force. In terms of close-in, furious torpedo shooting, there had never been anything like it before.

While the description from Clay Blair describes Ramage as being alone, by his own account Admiral Ramage retained a quartermaster on the bridge to keep a lookout aft.

The Parche sank two enemy ships and badly damaged three others. For this action, Commander Ramage became the first living submariner Medal of Honor recipient, which was formally presented to him by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on 10 January 1945.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawson_P._Ramage

 

[kingofnerf]

USS Kephart, APD-61.  Formerly DE-207.

Namesake

William Perry Kephart was born on 9 September 1915 in Meyersdale, Pennsylvania. He enlisted in the United States Naval Reserve on 15 August 1937 and was appointed Aviation Cadet 3 months later. After flight training at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. He was commissioned Ensign on 1 December 1938.

Kephart served with air groups on the USS Saratoga and USS Wasp, and in May 1940 returned to Pensacola as a flight instructor. Six months later he rejoined Scouting Squadron 71 (VS-71) on board Wasp. Promoted to Lieutenant (j.g.) 15 June 1942 and Lieutenant (temporary) 1 October. He was killed in action 14 October while engaging Japanese aircraft over Guadalcanal.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Kephart_(DE-207)

 

[kingofnerf]

 

[kingofnerf]

Miss this guy under center for sure.