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SUBJECT: ACTION REPORT, BATTLE OF OKINAWA AT RP STATION #1, 12 April 1945

ENCLOSURE: (A) COMMUNICATIONS LOG.

                            (B)  ATTACK SKETCHES

PDF Version [2.3MB]

PAGE'1'

(ZONE -9, ITEM)

PART 1A.  THIS REPORT COVERS THE PERIOD BETWEEN 1300 TO 2400 12 APRIL 1945.  THIS SHIP WAS ACTING UNDER ORDERS OF COMMANDER DESTROYER DIVISION 126, AS CLOSE SUPPORT PICKET, STATIONED FORTY MILES NOTH OF OKINAWA SHIMA, LAT 27 166, LONG 17 50.5. OTHER SHIPS PARTICIPATING IN THE ACTION WERE USS CASSIN YOUNG (DD 793), USS PURDY (DD 734), USS LCS (L) 114, USS LCS (L) 115, USS LCS (L) 33.  THIS GROUP WAS ASSISTED BY ABOUT 15 HELLCATS AND CORSAIRS WHILE BEING ATTACKED BY ABOUT 25 JAPANESE SUICIDE PLANES VALS AND NATES.  THIS SHIP SUSTAINED 3 HITS BY SUICIDE HITS BY SUICIDE PLANES AS DID LCS(L) 33, WHICH SANK.

PART 11

A.  DURING THE ACTION THIS SHIP OPERATED DIRECTLY UNDER COMMANDER DESTROYER DIVISION 126 ABOARD DD 734.  THIS SHIP WAS DETAILED AS CLOSE SUPPORT RADAR PICKER UNDER ORDERS OF COMMANDER TASK UNIT 52.9.1.

B. SHIP LEFT THE TRANSPORT AREA AT OKINAWA SHIMA OFF WESTERN BEACHES AT 0950, 9 APRIL 1945 WITH ORDERS TO PROCEED TO POINT LAT 27 166 LONG 127 50.5 AND ACT AS CLOSE SUPPORT RADAR PICKED TO DD 793.  REACHED THE AREA AND REPORTED AT 1445, BEING ASSIGNED STATION BEARING 210 (T), 5 MILES FROM BASIC STATION.  THIS WAS ALSO STATION DURING THE ATTACK.  THIS SHIP PATROLLED WITHIN 21/2 MILES OF THIS POINT DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS FOR THE NEXT 3 DAYS.

DURING THE EVENING OF APRIL 1945 AT 2915, DD 793 ADVISED THAT A FRIENDLY PLANE WAS ABOUT TO MAKE A SEA LANDING IN THE AREA.  IT WAS RAINING AT THE TIME, VERY DARK, CILING POSSIBLY 500 FEET. PLANE WITH LIGHTS WAS SIGHTED AND SEEN TO CRASH ABOUT TWO MILES TO THE SOUTH.  JOINED DD 793 IN SEARCH FOR PILOT.  AT 2230 DD 793 APPEARED TO HAVE GIVEN UP SEARCH HAVING PROCEEDED 7 MILES TO THE NORTH AFTER INSTRUCTING THIS SHIP TO PROCEED ON COURSE 152(T) IN SEARCH OF PILOT.  A RADAR FIX WAS TAKEN.  CHANGED COURSE TO 090(T) SPEED 8 KNOTS AT 2242.  AT  2315 SIGHTED PILOT’S FLASH LIGHT.  RESCUED 2ND LT. C.H. COPPEDGE USMCR AT 2340.  CONTINUED PATROL AS BEFORE.

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(16) 0025-FROM RADIUM TO IBEX 7 DO YOU KNOW THE FLIGHT CALL THE PILOT WAS USING LAST NIGHT.  DO NOT WAKE HIM UP BUT IF YOU KNOW PLEASE ADVISE.

(17) 0030-FROM IBEX 7 TO RADIUM SORRY, WE DO NOT KNOW

(18) 0032-IF YOU FIND OUT LET US KNOW X WE NEED THE INFORMATION TO STRAIGHTEN OUT RECORDS.

(19) 0033-FROM IBEX 7 TO RAIUM AFFIRMATIVE.

(20) ????-FROM IBEX 7 TO RADIUM BREAK WE HAVE A DOCTOR ABOARD WHO HAS GIVEN THE PILOT A STRONG SEDATIVE AND IT WILL PROBABLY BE SOME TIME BEFORE WE CAN GET INFORMATION FROM X WE ASKED HIM FLIGHT CALL AND HE SAID INCOHERENTLY SOMETHING LIKE DRAKE TOWER.

(21) ????-FROM RADIUM TO IBEX 7 WE WANT DRAKE AND NUMBER OF CALL BUT DO NOT BOTHER PILOT ANYMORE.

(22) 0500-FROM IBEX 7 TO RADIUM BREAK FLIGHT CALL OF RESCUED PILOT WAS DRAKE 21.

(23) 1110-FRM CORTEZ 5 TO IBEX BREAK MAKE ROUTINE REPORTS ON JAM HANDY X ESPECIALLY ABLE CHARLIE ITEM MIKE X INDICATE HUPMOBILE BREAK 100130

(24) ????-FROM IBEX 7 TO RADIUM BREAK WE BELIEVE WE ARE BEARING FROM YOU 216 DISTANCE 10 MILES

(25) 1209-FROM RADIUM TO IBEX 7 DO YOU NOT HEAR CONTERFIET ON THIS CIRCUIT.

(26) 1210-FROM IBEX 7 TO RADIUM NEGATIVE.

(27) 1213-FROM IBEX 7 TO CORTEZ 5 BREAK ROUTINE REPORTS AS FOLLOWS X ABLE 234-CHARLIE ROGER PETER STATION ONE ITEM NONE MIKE NONE X HUPMOBILE ON HAND 98 HUNDRED BREAK TIME 100310/Z

(28) 1605-FROM CUDGEL 6 TO DOLLY 3 MOHAIR 2 MORNING 4 MORNING 5 IBEX 7 RADIUM BREAK FOLLOWING SUPPORT STATIONS ESTABLISHED BEARING AND DISTANCES IN MILES FROM ROGER PETER ONE:  0700 NITEM TO 1730/1 STATION ABLE 120-10 X EASY 300-15 X CHARLIE 270-10 X DOG 285-13 X EASY 295-16 ROGER PETER ONE STATION IS LOCATED 10 MILES BEARING 200 DEGREESE FROM ITS ESTABLISHED POSITION BETWEEN 1730/1 AND 0700/1 X DURING THAT PERIOD SEAHAWKS PATROL ROGER PETER ONE MODIFIED WITH PATROL LINE 355 AND 135 FIVE MILES EACH SIDE OF NEW CENTER X SEAHAWK RETURN TO ORIGINAL ROGER PETER LOCATION AT 0700/1.  SUPPORT STATION ASSIGNED AS FOLLOWS:  ABLE STATIONS D-3 X BAKER IBEX 7 X CHARLIE MORNING 4 X DOG MOHAIR 2 X EASY MORNING 5 X NOTE THAT MIGHT STATIONS ARE LOCATED WITH REFERENCE ROGER PETER ONE MODIVIED BREAK TIME 100715.

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(29) 1750-FROM CUDGEL 6 TO DOLLY 3 IBEX 7 MOHAIR 2 MORNING 4 MORNING 5 RADIUM BREAK MY 100715 X MODIFY POSITION OF STATION ABLE OCCUPIED BY DOLLY 3 AS FOLLOWS X BERING S AND DISTANCES IN MILES FROM CENTER ROGER PETER ONE X DAYTIME 120-5 X NIGHTIME 150-7

(30) ????-FROM CUDGEL 6 TO IBEX 7 BREAK YOUR PROPER STATION BEARS 110 DISTANCE 85 HUNDRED YARDS FROM YOU

(31) 2018-FROM IBEX 7 TO CUDGEL 6 BREAK WE ARE NOW ON STATION DESIGNATED BY YOU X THIS POINT APPEARS TO BE 06 MILES BEARING 155 FROM ROGER PETER ONE MODIFIED X THIS IS NOT OURASSIGNED STATION PLEASE CHEXK US AGAIN

11 APRIL 1945

(32) 0140-FROM RADIUM TO IBEX 7 BREAK OUR COURSE IS 135

(33) 0505-FROM CUDGEL 6 TO RADIUM GANG BREAK ACTION TO DOLLY 3 MORNING 4 MORNING 5 IBEX 7 INFORMATION TO RADIUM START FOR YOUR DAYLIGHT STATION NOW BREAK 0605 ITEM

(34) 1520-FROM CUDGEL 6 TO RADIUM GANG BREAK THIS CANCELS ALL PREVOIUS INSTRUCTIONS FOR NIGHT STATIONS X FOLLOWING NIGHT STATIONS ARE LOCATED WITH REFERANCT TO ROGER PETER ONE MODIFIED WHICH BEARS 200 TRUE 10 MILES FROM NORMAL ROGER PETER X DOLLY 3 STATON ABLE BEARING 120 TRUE 7 MILES FROM ROGER PETER ONE MODIFIED X IBEX 7 STATION BAKER 210 3 MILES X MORNING 4 STATION CHARLIE 000 4 MILES X MORNING 5 STATION DOG 330 7 MILES X START FOR NIGHT STATIONS AT 1700 ITEM BREAK 110615

(35) 1313-FROM CUDGEL 6 TO ALL STATIONS AT ROGER PETER ONE BREAK FLASH RED CONTROL YELLOW

(36) 1355-FROM IBEX 7 TO RADIUM BREAK WE HAVE BEEN HIT ONCE, SPLASHED ONE OTHER.

(37) 1405-FROM IBEX 7 TO RADIUM BREAK WE HAVE BEEN HIT TWICE BY SUICIDE PLANES X HAVE SPLASHED THREE MORE.

(38) 1406-FROM IBEX 7 FROM RADIUM CONGRATULATIONS ON THIS SPLASHES.

(39) 1431-FROM CUDGEL 6 FROM IBEX 7 WE HAVE BEEN HIT AGAIN X POSSIBLY SINKING

(40) 1433-FROM COUNTERFEIT TO IBEX 7 HOW LONG CAN YOU STAY AFLOAT DOLLY 3 IS GOING TO YOUR ASSISTANCE

(41) 1445-FROM IBEX 7 FROM DOLLY 3 WE ARE CLOSING YOU NOW.

(BLINKER TO DOLLY 3) HELP US SEARCH FOR MEN IN WATER.

(BLINKER TO DOLLY 3) MEN FOUND.

(42) 1500-CUDGEL 6 FROM IBEX 7 TAKING WATER IN ENGINE ROOM FAST X REQUEST PERMISSION TO TRY TO MAKE PORT.

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(43) ????-FROM DOLLY 3 FROM IBEX 7 ARE YOU COMING TO OUR ASSISTANCE

(44) ????-IBEX 7 FROM MORNING 5 WE ARE PICKING UP DOLLY 3 SURVIVORS

(45) ????-IBEX 7 FROM CUDGEL 6 DOLLY 3 WILLL ASSIST YOU TO PORT.

(46) ????-COUNTERFEIT FROM IBEX 7 WE UNDERSTAND THAT DOLLY 3 HAS BEEN HIT AND IS OUT OF COMMISSION.

(47) ????-COUNTERFEIT FROM IBEX 7 WE MAY NOT MAKE IT TO PORT X PLEASE WAIT FOR US.

(48) ????-IBEX 7 FROM COUNTERFEIT DO YOU HAVE ANY FRIENDS WHO CAN STANDBY YOU X WE ARE IN PRETTY BAD SHAPE OURSELVES AND WISH TO PROCEED IN TO PORT.

(49) ????-COUNTERFEIT FROM IBEX 7 NEGATIVE X WE WILL RETURN NORTHWARD TO VICINITY OF OTHER SHIPS.

(50) 2100-MORNING 5 FROM IBEX 7 OUR TCS IS OUT X PLEASE RELAY FOLLOWING MESSAGE TO HIGHJINKS, INFO TO CORTEZ 5 BT SUFFERED 3 HITS BY SUICIDE PLANES X SHOT DOWN 4 OTHERS X PERSONEL CASUALTIES 2 DEAD 2 SERIOUSLY WOUNDED X LIVING COMPARTMENTS WERE FLOODED BUT ARE BEING PUMPED OUT X REQUESTED INSTRUCTIONS AS TO DISPOSITION OF SERIOUSLY WOUNDED AND REQUEST SUITABLE LIVING QUARTERS FOR CREW X MATERIAL CASUALTIES-ONE LARGE HOLE IN PORT QUA TWIN MOUNT 40 MM INOPERATIVE, ONE SINGLE 40 MM DESTROYED X EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO ELECTRICAL WIRING SYSTEM BREAK TIME 1000/Z

(51) 2115-IBEX 7 FROM CRADLE 2 BT WE ESTIMATE OUR POSITION 21/2 MILES FROM YOU X WE HAVE ABOARD MEDICAL FACILITIES TO HANDLE PERSONEL CASUALTIES X PLEASE ADVISE IF YOU WISH TRANSFER OF WOUNDED.

(52) 2120-CRADLE 2 FROM IBEX 7 CANNOT MANEUVER PROPERLY X CANNOT COME ALONGSIDE X WILL PROCEED TO DODGER AREA.

(53) 2130-IBEX 7 FROM CRADLE 2 WILL YOU REQUIRE MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PRIOR ARRIVING DODGER AREA

(54) 2132-CRAKLE 2 FROM IBEX 7 NEGATIVE X ARE YOU ESCORTING US IN

(55) IBEX 7 FROM CRADLE 2 AFFIRMATIVE X WHAT IS YOUR COURSE AND SPEED

(56) 2136-CRADLE 2 FROM IBEX 7 ALL COMPASSES INOPERATIVE X OUR COURSE APPROXIMATELY 245 SPEED 10

(57) ????-IBEX 7 FROM CRADLE 2 SUGGEST YOU CLOSE US SO WE CAN LEAD YOU IN

(58) ????-CRADLE 2 FROM IBEX 7 WE HAVE STOPPED MOMENTARILY OUR COURSE IS NOW 230

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(59) ????-IBEX 7 FROM CRADLE 2 WHAT IS YOUR POSITION RELATIVE YOUR TWO FRIENDS

(60) CRADLE 2 FROM IBEX 7 WE HAVE LOST ONE FRIEND X WE ARE 1800 YARDS EAST OF OTHER ONE

(61) ????-IBEX 7 FROM CRADLE 2 EXECUTE ON RECEIPT 170 CORPEN

(62) ????-CRADLE 2 FROM IBEX 7 PLEASE TAKE US TO BERTH H-83 TO TRANSFER OUR WOUNDED

(63) ????-IBEX 7 FROM CRADLE 2 WE CAN TAKE YOUR WOUNDED AT ANY TIME.

(64) ????-IBEX 7 FROM CRADLE 2 WE WILL TRANSFER THEM ON ARRIVAL DODGER AREA

(65) 0333-HIGHJINKS FROM IBEX 7 WE SUFFERED THREE HITS BY SUICIDE PLANES CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE X WE ARE ANCHORED IN YOUR AREA X DO YOU WISH FULL REPORT BY RADIOUOR VISUAL TOMORROW

(66) 0355-IBEX 7 FROM HIGHJINKS REFERENCE YOUR 121833 BY VISUAL TODAY

(67) 0450-IBEX 7 FROM MORNING 5 YOUR DOCTOR IS ABOARD X REQUEST INFO WETHER OR NOT GUNNERY OFFICER WAS REMOVED FOR MEDICAL

(68) 0555 MORNING 5 FROM IBEX 7 GUNNERY OFFICER WAS REMOVED 2045

(69) 1428-STADIUM 6 IBEX 7 FROM HIGHJINKS CLOSE DODGER AREA AND CONTACT IBEX 7 FN(?) POSITION 180 5 MILES FROM BOLO X WHEN SHE HAS LANDED HER DEAD ESCORT HER TO WISEMAN’S COVE X ADVISE WISEMAN AND ETA UPON COMPLETION REPORT TO ME FOR DUTY

(70) 1440-IBEX 7 FROM SLOCUM WHAT IS YOUR ANCHORAGE X ADVISE

(71) 1505-SLOCUM FROM IBEX 7 PRESENT ANCHORAGE 180 5 MILES FROM BOLO X AM PROCEEDING UNDER ESCORT TO YOUR AREA X ETA 1800

(72) ????-IBEX 7 FROM SLOCUM WHO IS YOUR ESCORT X ADVISE

(73) ????-SLOCUM FROM IBEX 7 OUR ESCORT IS TOBY 6

Published: Wed Jan 23 13:53:51 EST 2019