Archive for category Timeline

Journal Entry, Tuesday, April 3, 1945

This morning’s raids were a little more exciting. Two Jap planes (Tony) came in on us. Ack-ack drove one of them away. The second one being hit, saw he was going down anyway, so started a suicide dive at us. Believe me I gave him all I could get out of the old gun. The closer he got, the faster and harder we hit him. Not more than a second too soon he noticed a big LST to the left of him. He turned and in a split second hit her amid-ships (causing 17 casualties). I don’t know why I was shaking, because I wasn’t scared. I wasn’t the only one, so I feel better. At dusk, we had the usual raids. Sometimes you can see what you are shooting at, and other times you just guess.

Journal Entry, Monday, April 2, 1945

We again had three air attacks before dawn. So far I have done very little shooting. They seem to fire on bigger ships. Probably because we are pretty hard to hit. At dusk brought the usual air raids. They are getting to be like regular routine.

Journal Entry, Sunday, April 1, 1945

By daybreak we could see our destination (Okinawa Islands) 300 miles from the Japanese mainland. We refueled, took on water, and was anchored in the early afternoon. 0400 general quarters sounded Japanese air attacks. This lasted off and on until the full of dawn. Again at dusk GQ sounded. Things were pretty hot for a while.