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The following
is an excerpt from the book that I am
currently working on, USS LST-783, A WWII Journal. The Book
entwines the ship’s official deck log entries, my
father’s journal notes and excerpts from the Captains letters
home to his wife. Unlike letters that were censored and/or
delayed before being mailed home, journals were not allowed, but
my father kept one anyway, although not a daily account.
This is the only accounting of the perils and adventures of the
LST-783 and her crew.
6 DEC 44 – Kelly - Today we
arrived at Tarraguna Beach which is ruler straight and nearly 30
miles long. The Palm trees here stand straight up and are 100
feet high. Our ship is the first ship on the right on the
beach; nine other LSTs were on our port side, also on the
beach. USS Duffy (DE-27), USS Martin (DE-30) and the two YMSs
were at anchor behind us; USS Martin (DE-30) was the assigned
Fire Control Ship. It seemed like we had Air Raids all day
long. Every time we’d succumb from General Quarters,
bong-bong it’s another General Quarters so finally we
just stayed at General Quarters with guns cocked, loaded
and waiting; we never got any rest from then on. We got our
first taste of action today, shooting down a Japanese “Betty”
Mitsubishi 7 Bomber, a two-engine medium bomber with a crew of
seven. USS Martin (DE-30) said fire and all 10 LSTs opened up
on the Betty. My gun, on the port side, could not fire. We
were facing the other LSTs so we just lay on the deck as 20mms
and 40mms were whizzing overhead toward the Japanese plane only
a few hundred yards off our starboard side. We were throwing
the proverbial kitchen sink at him as he pulled up above the
hundred foot trees, smoking and heading inland, down the coast
above the trees. He crashed five miles down the beach. The
co-pilot was the only one alive. The tail gunner didn’t even
have his head. The Japanese were actually bombing Tacloban, the
capitol of Leyte, up the beach, about five miles. A liberty
ship got another plane off shore with his 20mms; the plane just
blew up in the air - 0245 land sighted, distance about 12
miles; 0340 sounded General Quarters; 0556 secured from General
Quarters; 0816 General Quarters; 1023 anchored 1.5 miles off
Tarraguna, Leyte, traveled 1327 miles, maintaining General
Quarters; 1150 secured from General Quarters; 1302 Set Condition
One, prepared for beaching, underway to beach on Leyte Island;
1316 beached on Tarraguna; 1330 LST-479 beached alongside to
port; 1336 commenced unloading U. S. Army cargo; 1625 sounded
General Quarters; 1635 all engines ahead one-third to remain
beached; 1702 secured from General Quarters; 1835 went to
General Quarters, enemy planes in the area; 1840 opened fire on
enemy planes; 1842 ceased fire, secured from General Quarters;
2000 at General Quarters; 2145 secured from General Quarters;
2315 sounded General Quarters; 2335 secured from General
Quarters – McAllister - You should see the place, it’s
beautiful, but we won’t be here long, besides our beer is
running low, only about 80 cases left. You see we’ve been
getting beer for the crew and allowing them to drink it ashore
at various places where there isn’t such thing. You can sell it
here for $5 a can. Can you believe it? Money means absolutely
nothing to these boys. As I imagined there are no post offices
here so I’ll have to wait till we get back to mail this
episode. The Army troops were fine to have aboard, no trouble
at all and the officers sure hated to leave this paradise. Its
2200 and we just finished a nice Air Raid and I’m dead tired.
The Japs really came in this time and still not a bit of damage
to the ship. We’re sitting ducks here on the beach, but these
ships put up such a terrific anti-aircraft barrage that they
don’t come near us; it would be suicide. We shot down the only
one that dared. You can bet that God has been with us every
minute. Those boys on the guns are really good! For a while it
looked like the Fourth of July; you never saw so much ammo in
the sky. It was a little bit of excitement and a few moments
away from the monotony of it all.
7 DEC 44 – Kelly - Nothing
but Air Raids all day. This afternoon the invasion of Mindoro,
PI, is leaving the harbor. This convoy, plus others will go
around through Surigao Straight and onto Mindoro to launch
another invasion in the Philippine Island area. Also the
invasion of Ormac Bay took place today on the other side of
Leyte - 0030 General Quarters; 0108 secured from General
Quarters; 0215 General Quarters; 0345 secured from General
Quarters; 0645 sunrise; 0800 Mustered at Quarters, no absentees;
1100 published finding in the case of Simmons, J. G. Jr.,
sleeping on watch, punishment: to perform 60 hours extra police
duty and a total loss of pay amounting to $60. Published finding
in the case of Stanek, P. E., sleeping on watch, punishment:
reduction to next inferior rating and a total loss of pay
amounting to $45; 1205 sounded General Quarters; 1210 secured
from General Quarters; 1223 sounded General Quarters; 1229
opened fire on strange aircraft; 1230 ceased fire; 1418 secured
from General Quarters; 1643 sounded General Quarters; 1700
secured from General Quarters; 1703 finished unloading the cargo
and retracted from beach; 1733 in Leyte Gulf about 2.2 miles off
Tarraguna; 1845 small boat alongside commenced loading stores
for YMS-288; 2000 General Quarters for half hour, 1500 rounds of
ammo expended; 2032 secured from General Quarters; 2200 General
Quarters one hour, 1000 rounds of ammo expended; 2255
secured from General Quarters - McAllister - The whole ship
has been sacking in as we got no sleep at all last night. It’s
only noon now, but I find that I have to try and get a letter
off between raids here and they have six or seven of those damn
alerts each day. Even now I can scarcely keep the papers open.
I’ll be ready to move off the ship in one hour when those
orders come. Nothing could please me more. I must go eat as
they just piped “Chow down”. Back from eating; it’s been a
couple hours; there were two Air Raids and by the time we got
back the food was cold. The first decent meal since the Army
left. Pork Chops, mashed potatoes and peas. It’s been three
years of war today; how much more will we have to go through?
Oh how I pray that it will all be over soon. As I suspected,
we were up most all night last night, one Air Raid after
another, but as usual they didn’t amount to anything. Not a
single ship was damaged. We should be leaving here very soon
now too, as soon as we’re unloaded. It has been raining here
the entire time. I’ll be glad to get out of here; I don’t like
sitting on the beach.
8
DEC 44 – Kelly - It was another day of constant General
Quarters. Six miles out in the Gulf, three Corsairs shot down a
Japanese “Kate” torpedo
bomber and high altitude bomber today. USS Duffy
(DE-27) went to the rescue and took the Japanese pilot to
Tacloban. We received word today that the night we shot down
the Betty Bomber he was so low that the 10 LSTs firing at it
also hit the tree tops of the Palm Trees, killing seven of our
soldiers, three natives and injuring eleven soldiers and 14
natives on the beach. It was a tough break that couldn’t be
helped - 0830 sounded General Quarters; 0952 secured from
General Quarters; 1037 YMS-288 alongside the port side to
receive fuel, water and provisions; 1138 General Quarters; 1152
secured from General Quarters; 1528 YMS-288 underway after
receiving fuel, water and provisions – McAllister - We
received another honor, a feather for the cap today. That plane
that we knocked out that night was confirmed and now we’re
painting a nice Jap flag with a plane under it on our Conn. How
bout that? It didn’t take long and we officially have a
Japanese Bomber to our credit. Not bad I say. The Air Raids are
still averaging seven a day, but it seems useless. They don’t
hit anything, but we knock down a couple each day without fail.
Honestly, the crew looks forward to it. It’s like a big game to
see who can knock down the most. The only bad thing is that
it’s awfully annoying. I’m usually in the shower, in the head,
shaving or in the sack or something. Tomorrow is another
Captain’s Inspection. They seem to roll around quicker now and
the weeks seem to slip by quickly while time in general seems to
lag. It’s hard to explain. Another good game of bridge
tonight, we’ve been playing it quite consistently as of late.
After the “victory” of the plane shot down the whole crew seems
to be in good spirits even with the morbid, depressing,
torrential drizzle that seems to persist day and night. The
weather is cool in the evening and one puts in a restful night.
Even I seem to be slightly lifted tonight.
9 DEC 44 – Kelly - This
morning we were at General Quarters and waiting for Japanese
planes when four Marine Corsair F4 fighter planes popped over
Olmog Mountain heading for us and out to sea. No one knew for
sure if they were Japanese or ours. Some trigger happy Army guy
opened up with a 50-calibre machine gun so all ten LSTs opened
up on them. Our gun 6 (aft twin 40mm) was on the tail of the
third Corsair and getting closer with each shell when the order
to cease fire came. They say the last shot was two feet off his
tail - 1700 sounded General Quarters; 1706 secured from
General Quarters; 1714 sounded General Quarters; 1812 secured
from General Quarters - McAllister - Today has been a very
dreary day, drizzling and overcast. As a result of the poor fly
conditions, the Japs haven’t bothered us today so all is quite
peaceful for a change. You’ve never seen such miserable
weather, rains all the time. We’re ready to leave now so we
should be shoving off soon. Captain’s Inspection was very
routine. The ship looked fine so this afternoon we’re on
“Holiday Routine” where everyone just takes it easy. The usual
four of us played bridge all afternoon and I never seem to get
tired of that game.
10 DEC 44 –0831 underway
with Captain at Conn and Navigator at bridge; 1011 anchored 1.5
miles southeast of San Jose, Leyte Island; 1846 General
Quarters, half hour no firing; 2211 General Quarters,
half hour no firing; 2300 General Quarters,
half hour no firing - McAllister - It stopped raining for a
few minutes once today. We have been very lucky today with few
General Quarters. Things have been completely dull today; only
three raids and they didn’t even come within range. As a matter
of fact we spent the afternoon playing seven rubbers of the most
cutthroat bridge you can imagine. You’d think we were playing
for a dollar a point instead of 1/20th of a cent. I
still have complete control of my nerves and this is a lot less
strain than New Orleans and the shakedown. Even school at
Washington was a nightmare compared to this. At long last we
got the laundry fixed. I have clean clothes at last. I bet I
spend an hour in the shower tonight, shave, sh--, whoops,
shampoo etc. The food is better now that we’re rid of the
Army. The sly old Supply Officer was holding out on us, he’s
very clever. Ensign Walker just came in to chat; he can’t
sleep. He’s quite a little guy. He loves to reminisce old
times and places.
11 DEC 44 – 1030
Captain’s Mast for Stark, H. J. shirking duty, punishment: 20
hours extra duty; Wolford, G. C. insubordination and shirking
duty, punishment: 35 hours extra duty; 1118 USS Martin (DE-30)
alongside to starboard for refueling; 1630 USS Martin (DE-30)
finished refueling and underway from alongside to starboard;
1713 sounded General Quarters; 1718 secured from General
Quarters - McAllister - There isn’t the slightest bit of
Xmas spirit out here naturally, just the usual day’s routine.
Fortunately the Nips haven’t bothered us much the last couple
days and I’ve managed a divine nine hours sleep each night,
which has helped pass the time away. As a matter of fact, all
we’ve been doing is eating, sleeping and playing bridge. I had
expected to be out of here by now, but there is a delay
somewhere. We should be on our way in a day or so though.
12 DEC 44 – 1333 LCT-882
alongside to starboard; 1420 LCT-822 got underway from alongside
to starboard; 2000 Latitude 10° 59’ N Longitude 125° 05’ E; 2005
sounded General Quarters; 2020 secured from General Quarters
- McAllister - This is certainly a strange war, just to think,
here we sit literally bored to death with inactivity and just a
few miles from here is the front lines. Now and then of course
there are Air Raids, but such futile attempts that they are
actually laughed away. Yes, it’s hard to figure out and I
suppose there’s no use cluttering up my little head with the
reasons why. There are so many strange things that happen that
I don’t dare mention or discuss. The Pacific, to coin a phrase,
stinks. And here’s a cute one. It is said that if you take a
blanket on the shore, you can trade it off to the native girls
for five “push-pushes”, not one, but five. This morning I slept
until eleven, got up, showered etc, ate lunch, played bridge all
afternoon, read a little, and took a nap. Just review that, the
life of a king, but oh how boring. |
