Brave Ship, Brave Men by Arnold S. Lott

Author:Arnold S. Lott [Lott, Arnold S.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781612512853
Publisher: Naval Institute Press

Now’s the day and now’s the hour . . . . — ROBERT BURNS

Chapter Six

Second Dog Watch

18-20 Steaming as before. 1822, bogies reported bearing 090°T, distant twenty-seven miles. Sounded general quarters. 1828, all stations manned and ready, condition ABLE set. Bogies closing. 1830, enemy plane making run from starboard, low on water. Commenced firing. From 1830 until 1921, the ship and the formation was under constant air attack. This vessel took at least five direct hits from Japanese suicide planes, at least two of which were carrying bombs, and shot down four others. The engine of the first plane making a run on us came on board on the starboard side of the fantail. Little took two suicide planes amidships and went down at approximately 1900. LSMR 195 took one plane and went down. 1922, dead in the water, weather deck and superstructure deck aft of number 1 stack a complete shambles, blazing fiercely, number 1 fire room, number 2 fire room, number 2 engine room and compartment C-203-L completely flooded, six-foot hole at the water line, port side at frame 81, deck and side plating blown loose, port side, from frame 129 to frame 158, and completely open to the sea. Mounts 1 and 2, main battery, still able to fire in manual, guns 41 and 42 still able to fire in local, and guns 21, 22, 23 and 24 still able to fire. Electrical power out, no pressure in fire and flushing mains. Repair parties fighting with handy billies and bucket brigades. Our casualties heavy, but not determined. 1935, LSC 83 tied up to our port quarter and commenced fighting our fires. Other remaining small craft engaged in rescuing survivors from Little and LSMR 195.

T. L. Wallace, Lt., U. S. Naval Reserve

Steaming as before. Section two was on deck for the second dog watch. According to the Plan of the Day, the routine for Thursday, 3 May, was nearly finished. About 1837 the ship would go to routine general quarters. The sun would set at 1907. About 1930 the ship would secure from general quarters and the condition watch would take over. Right after secure, they would make eight o’clock reports, the navigator would make another little mark on the chart to show the ship’s “2000 posit” and the third section would come on at 2000 to take the night watch. Drink coffee, watch the wheels go around, keep a bright lookout for four hours, and that would be the end of Thursday. As soon as the Exec and his yeoman could get out another Plan of the Day, they would see what was coming up for Friday.

Meanwhile, men killed a little bit of time. In the slanting rays of the sun, some of them perched on the superstructure deck watching the evening splendor spread across the East China Sea. Sunset was still an hour away. Some of them were not going to live that long. On the after deck house, Pete Peterson and Joe Zaloga played checkers. They were on their third game when the general quarters alarm interrupted them.

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