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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 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. 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 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. 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. 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 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. 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, "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.
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