SEPTEMBER 1, 1943

 

COMMENDED FOR RESCUE OF ENTIRE SHIP'S COMPANY OF STRICKEN MINESWEEPER

 

Commander Alfred J. Homann, USN, 620 Menchino Avenue, Santa Rosa, Calif., has been commended for outstanding seamanship which made possible the rescue of all aboard the minesweeper, USS Wasmuth, when that vessel was so badly battered by storm and exploding depth charges that it was abandoned in the Aleutian area on December 27, 1942.

Loss of the Wasmuth, converted from a 1,190‑ton destroyer and com­manded by Lieutenant Commander Joseph Leverton, Jr., 1712 16th Street, N. W., Washington, D. C., has not been previously announced.

The Wasmuth was escorting a convoy in a raging gale 30 miles of the Aleutians when two depth charges were wrenched from their racks by the waves. The depth charges exploded under the Wasmuth's fantail and carried away a portion of the ship's after section.

 

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With the damaged Wasmuth slowly, but surely sinking, Commander Homann skillfully brought the Ramapo, a tanker, alongside after a three and a half hour battle with the raging sea and took off everyone aboard the minesweeper.

 

 

CINCPAC PRESS RELEASE NO. 155, SEPTEMBER 5, 1943

 

Admiral Ernest J. King, Commander in Chief, United States Fleet and Chief of Naval Operations, and Admiral William F. Halsey, Commander, South Pacific Force and South Pacific Area, have returned to their headquarters after conferences at Pearl Harbor, T. H., with Admiral C. W. Nimitz, Com­mander in Chief, Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas.

Principal members of the staffs of Admiral King, Nimitz and Halsey also participated in the conversations, which concerned plans for the Pacific campaign.

 

 

SEPTEMBER 7, 1943

 

U‑BOAT SUNK BY U. S. PATROL CHASER

 

Shattered by the depth charges of USS Patrol Chaser‑565, a German submarine was sunk in the Atlantic, not long ago, as it stood in to attack a convoy which the tiny patrol boat was protecting.

The underseas raider was destroyed so swiftly that she had no oppor­tunity to fight back, plunging under in less than 10 minutes with water pour­ing through the open hatch of her conning tower.

Trapped below deck as the submarine sank was all of the ship's com­pany except her commanding officer, who swam clear and was taken prisoner.

 

 

SEPTEMBER 8, 1943

 

NAVY CARRIER‑BASED AIRCRAFT AND ESCORT SURFACE SHIP EACH DESTROYS U‑BOAT IN SINGLE DAY'S ACTIONS

 

Coordinated participation of both air and surface Naval units in pro­tecting vital convoys to the Mediterranean theatre was exemplified a few weeks ago when two U‑boats were blasted to the bottom of the Atlantic and another severely damaged in one day's action.

Screening against suspected enemy submarines, miles ahead of a large convoy carrying tanks, ammunition, food and other supplies, was famed Escort Carrier "B", the "baby flat‑top" which had scored two certain kills, four very probables and four probables out of 11 attacks on a previous mis­sion, as announced by the Navy Department on July 16, 1943, and Carrier "B's" own small group of escort vessels. One of these escort ships was the USS George B. Badger, an old four‑stacker destroyer, since modernized, which was completed at the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company 25 years ago. Carrier "B" and the Badger each scored a kill this day; Carrier "B" was credited with "severely damaging" another.

 

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CINCPAC COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 11, SEPTEMBER 8, 1943

 

A task force commanded by Rear Admiral Charles A. Pownall, U. S. Navy, attacked Marcus Island at dawn on 1 September, 1943, East Longitude Time. The first wave of the attack apparently caught the enemy completely by surprise. It is estimated that the attack, made in several waves through­out the day, destroyed 80 per cent of military installations on the island. Our losses totaled two fighters and one torpedo plane.

Some antiaircraft fire was encountered by the initial wave, but was eliminated by succeeding attacks. Fires started throughout the island were still burning the day following the attack.

No enemy planes left the ground. Seven twin‑motored bombers which were parked on the runway were destroyed by our fighters. Installations destroyed included hangars, fuel and ammunition storage, shops, and living quarters. The two landing strips were severely damaged by heavy bombs. A small tanker caught near the island was sunk by our bombers.

 

 

N. D. COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 462, SEPTEMBER 9, 1943

Pacific and Far East.

 

1. U. S. submarines have reported the sinking of six enemy vessels and the damaging of four others in operations against the enemy in waters of these areas, as follows

 

Sunk:

2 large freighters.

1 large cargo.

1 medium tanker.

1 small freighter.

1 medium cargo.

 

Damaged:

1 large cargo.

2 small cargo.

1 medium freighter.

 

2. These actions have not been announced in any previous Navy De­partment Communiqué.

 

 

JOINT STATEMENT, SEPTEMBER 10, 1943

 

The following statement is issued by the Office of War Information and the British Ministry of Information after consultation with the British Ad­miralty, United States Navy Department, and Canadian Department of Na­tional Defense for Naval Services

 

1. August has been another successful month in U‑boat warfare. Owing perhaps to rearmament and other causes, there appear to have been fewer U‑boats at sea than in recent months, and shipping losses have continued to decrease.

2. It is significant that the enemy made virtually no attempt to attack North Atlantic shipping, and opportunities for attacking the U-boats have been relatively few. Nevertheless, U‑boats have been hunted relentlessly on all stations wherever they have appeared and a heavy toll has been taken of the enemy. In fact more U‑boats have been sunk than merchant ships.

 

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3. Surface and Air forces have both contributed to this satisfactory month's work by the efficiency of their escorts, patrols and offensive operations. Shore‑based aircraft have often had to face powerful enemy. Air opposition, and carrier‑borne aircraft have played a most important part.

4. We are ready to attack the enemy with utmost vigor should be provide the opportunity by resuming a general attack on our shipping with the very large number of U‑boats at his disposal.

 

 

N. D. COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 463, SEPTEMBER 13, 1943

North Pacific.

 

1. On September 13, (Paramushiru time) a formation of Army Liberator (Consolidated B‑24) heavy bombers and Mitchell (North American B‑25) medium bombers successfully attacked enemy shipping and ground installa­tions in the Paramushiru Island area.

2. In spite of spirited enemy opposition, in the form of heavy antiaircraft fire and fighter interception, the U. S. bombers scored numerous hits on ground installations, set on fire a transport, which was left in a sinking condition, damaged another transport, scored hits on three cargo vessels, one of which exploded, and strafed numerous small craft, setting many on fire.

3. Upwards of twenty‑five enemy fighters attacked the U. S. planes, and in a running engagement, which lasted for fifty minutes, the U. S. bombers shot down ten enemy fighters and probably three more. Four U. S. planes are known to have been lost due to enemy action, and six others failed to return.

 

 

N. D. COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 464, SEPTEMBER 14, 1943

 

1. The U. S. Submarine Grenadier has failed to return from patrol opera­tions and must be presumed to be lost. The next of kin of personnel in the Grenadier have been so informed.

 

Mediterranean Area.

 

2. On August 23, the USS Submarine Chaser 694 and the USS Submarine Chaser 696 were sunk as a result of enemy bombing. The next of kin of all casualties have been notified.

 

Pacific Area (All dates are East Longitude).

 

3. On September 13, during the night, fifteen Japanese planes attacked Funafuti, Ellice Island. One enemy plane was shot down by antiaircraft fire. Material damage sustained was slight.

 

 

N. D. COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 465, SEPTEMBER 16, 1943

South Pacific (all dates are east longitude).

 

1. On September 13‑14, during the night Japanese planes bombed the Lunga Point Area on Guadalcanal Island. Some minor damage was sustained.

2. On the same night a Japanese bomber attacked U. S. positions on Russell Island, but caused no damage.

3. No personnel casualties resulted from either of the above raids.

 

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N. D. COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 466, SEPTEMBER 17, 1943

 

1. The destroyer USS Rowan was sunk as the result of an under water explosion in Italian waters on September 11, 1943.

2. The tug USS Navajo was sunk as the result of an under water ex­plosion in the South Pacific area on September 12, 1943.

      3.         The tug USS Nauset was sunk as a result of enemy action in the Mediterranean on September 9, 1943.

4. Next of kin of all casualties aboard the Nauset have been notified. The next of kin of casualties aboard the Rowan and the Navajo will be notified as soon as possible.

 

 

CINCPAC COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 12, SEPTEMBER 18, 1943

 

Strong Pacific Ocean Area forces today conducted heavy raids on the Japanese bases at Tarawa Island, in the northern Gilbert group, and on Nauru Island, west of the Gilbert group.

These operations were carried out according to plan during the night preceding and for a good portion of the day of September 19, east longitude date.

Details of the operations are not immediately available.

 

 

N. D. COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 467, SEPTEMBER 19, 1943

South Pacific (all dates are east longitude).

 

1. During the night of September 15, a Japanese plane bombed Guadal­canal Island. Some minor damage was sustained and one man was injured.

 

 

N. D. COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 468, SEPTEMBER 21, 1943

South Pacific (all dates are east longitude).

 

1. On September 19, in the early morning, several enemy planes bombed Guadalcanal Island. Slight material and personnel casualties were sustained.

 

 

CINCPAC COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 13, SEPTEMBER 22, 1943

 

Supplementing Pacific Ocean Areas Communiqué No. 12, the following information concerning our operations against enemy installations in the Gilbert Islands region during the night preceding and throughout the day of 19 September, east longitude date, is available:

Attacks were made by carrier‑based aircraft and by land‑based Army and Navy aircraft from various bases in the Central and South Pacific areas.

More than 200 sorties were carried out by our planes against Tarawa, Makin and Apamama Islands, in the Northern Gilberts, and Nauru Island, west of the Gilbert group.

Damage to the enemy included: At Tarawa: Airdrome facilities heavily damaged, eight bombers destroyed on the runway, one small vessel sunk; At Makin: Air base damaged, three four‑engine seaplanes and one patrol plane destroyed; At Apamama : Enemy camp installations heavily hit; At Nauru: Damage to installations.

 

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In addition to destroying aircraft on the ground, our forces shot down six Zeros, probably destroyed four others and damaged eight more fighters, and shot down two medium bombers.

Despite attempted interception by day and night fighters and intense antiaircraft fire encountered, our losses totaled only four planes.

 

 

N. D. COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 469, SEPTEMBER 23, 1943

South Pacific (all dates are east longitude).

 

1. On September 20, during the early morning, six Japanese planes bombed the vicinity of the air strip on Guadalcanal. Light damage to material and installations was sustained. No casualties were suffered.

2. On September 21, in the morning, about 12 or 16 enemy bombers were over Guadalcanal. Light damage and some casualties were sustained. Two of the enemy planes were shot down by one of our fighters.

 

 

SEPTEMBER 28, 1943

 

NAVY PILOT SINKS THREE U‑BOATS

 

Lieutenant Robert Pershing Williams, USNR, 26‑year‑old Naval pilot of Snoqualmie, Wash., during a period of six weeks destroyed two U‑boats, bombed another into such helplessness that it was readily sent to the bottom by another plane, and possibly damaged a fourth underseas raider.

Lieutenant Williams, pilot of a Grumman Avenger bomber, is attached to one of the Navy's new escort aircraft carriers assigned to antisubmarine patrol and escort duty in the Atlantic.

 

 

SEPTEMBER 29, 1943

 

MARINE SERGEANT TELLS OF THE SINKING OF THE JOHN PENN

 

Guadalcanal—(Delayed)—Although knocked across the deck and injured by a falling 12‑ton beam, Marine Captain William C. Roberts, of 501 Twenty-second Avenue, San Francisco, Calif., the son of a banker, probably saved the lives of several badly wounded men last night by tying life jackets on them and lowering them over the side of the torpedoed and sinking USS John Penn.

(The 9,000‑ton John Penn, a transport cargo ship, was formerly the Excambion of the American Export Lines. Her loss was revealed September 23, 1943, in a communiqué issued at the headquarters of General Douglas A. MacArthur, U.S.A. Next of kin of casualties have been notified by the Navy Department.)

The action was described this morning by Marine Sergeant William F. Stoddard, Jr., of 138 Quincy Road, Riverside, Ill., while Stoddard was lined up on the beach with the other survivors.

These torpedoed survivors, clothed in pajamas and cover‑alls given them by Navy Hospital Corpsmen, were answering a roll call to check the missing.

"A Jap plane put her fish right in our engine room," related Stoddard. "The bow began going under almost immediately, and the entire ship was out of sight in less than 20 minutes.

 

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"Captain Roberts was injured when the explosion occurred. He was injured by a 12‑ton beam that instantly killed two men standing right next to him. He picked himself up, bleeding, and right away began to help the other wounded lying around the deck.

"He tied life jackets around the unconscious and lowered them to the water, hoping the rescue boats would pick them up. The bow was the last to go under, and when I left the ship he was still up there helping men to get aft before the whole thing went down."

"We still don't know how many men we lost," explained Stoddard.

Even while he was relating the story another alarm sounded and our interview had to be finished in a foxhole.

"It was an all‑Navy crew," he continued, "except Captain Roberts and myself, the only Marines permanently attached to the ship.

"Ever since I got ashore I've been looking for him. I was afraid he went down with the ship, but I finally located him just a little while ago. He's at one of the hospitals with a bad right shoulder and a couple of burns, but he says he's okay and should be out within a week."

The torpedoing last night was not Sergeant Stoddard's first contact with the Japs. He is a Guadalcanal veteran who landed with the first invasion troops August 7, 1942. After two months under fire he was transferred to ship duty, and since then has been serving in and out of Solomon waters.