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"The boys call the PENNSYLVANIA "Old Falling Apart" because she turns out such a volume of gun fire you'd think she was falling to pieces"
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The PENNSYLVANIA was commissioned June 12,
1916, after having been authorized by Congress August 22, 1912. Her keel was laid on
October 27, 1913, and she was launched at Newport News Shipbuilding Company, March 16,
1915. America's and the worlds biggest Battleship slid down the skids into
her native element at 10:11 am while 20 thousand spectators cheered.
Special trains from Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia brought thousands to
Newport News. Governor Stewart of Virginia and
Governor Brumbaugh of
Pennsylvania and Secretary of the Navy Daniels, were among the honored
guests.
Miss Elizabeth Kolb of Germantown,
daughter of Louis J. Kolb of Philadelphia and a student at National Park
Seminary, had been invited to the launching ceremonies by Governor Brumbaugh,
who called her "the most beautiful and sweetest girl in
Pennsylvania". She arrived with her maids of
honor, Miss Katherine
Kolb, Miss Katherine Martin and Miss Mildred Harold. Following the
prayer and with the words "I
Christen thee Pennsylvania", Miss Kolb broke a bottle of champagne
on the bow and set in motion one of the greatest battleships of all time.
More to come on this story.
In the Fall of 1917 when Allied Naval Forces began
collecting to form what was to be known as the Allied-British Grand Fleet, Sixth Battle
Squadron, there was great unhappiness aboard the USS PENNSYLVANIA, flagship of the
United States Fleet. The USS PENNSYLVANIA, together
with the USS NEVADA joined the Fleet in 1916 as the first two oil burning U.S.
Battleships, was told that she could not hope to operate with the forces seeking out the
German Navy because she was "too modern". Only coal-burning dreadnaughts were to
be included in the Allied Force because no tankers could be spared to carry fuel to the
British Isles.
Perhaps that disappointment in 1917 had a great deal
to do with one of the most remarkable ship histories in World War II. The present crew of
the PENNSYLVANIA is as happy and proud a crew as can be found in Uncle Sam's front
line Forces because it feels it has in generous measure made up for its absence in the
battle line on World War I.
The Grand Old Lady of the Fleet has probably housed
more gold braid in her time than any other ship. From the morning of October 12, 1916
until the expanding Pacific offensive made impractical the centralization of command on
one floating unit, the USS PENNSYLVANIA served as a flagship.
As an ally in 1917, Japan sent representatives of
its Naval General Staff aboard the PENNSYLVANIA to observe fleet maneuvers and
Admiral Isamu Takeshita, then a Vice Admiral and Vice Admiral Masataka Ando, then a
Commander, spent a week aboard. Takeshita later became Commander in Chief of the Combined
Japanese fleets, Supreme War Councilor and as a reserve, represented Japan at the Los
Angeles Convention of Veterans of Foreign Wars in 1940.
At 0755 on the morning of December
7, 1941, the USS PENNSYLVANIA was sitting in
dry-dock in the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard. Her screws had been removed from their shafts and
were resting on the bottom of the dock. She had been scheduled to leave the dock on the
sixth and berth at Ten Ten Dock, immediately adjacent, but delays had been encountered,
those delays probably saved the ship.
It was a normal quite Sunday morning and there was
little activity aboard. The watch had just been set and the Chaplain was making
preparations for the eight o'clock mass on the quarterdeck. Virtually all of the Ships
Company were aboard. In view of the existing conditions general over-night liberty had not
been granted.
Suddenly and with complete surprise, Japanese dive
bombers and torpedo bombers roared out of the high overcast. The PENNSYLVANIA was
one of the first ships in the harbor to open fire. Her 50 caliber machine gun crews had
their guns in action even before General Quarters was sounded. Official
Report
Japanese Planes tried repeatedly to torpedo the caisson
of the dry-dock but never succeeded. If they had, a wall of water would have swept into
the dry-dock, causing
incalculable damage to the PENNSYLVANIA. The ship and the surrounding dock areas
were strafed severely, and a medium bomb struck the starboard side of the boat deck, and
burst inside encasement 9. The crew of the 5"/51 was wiped out, The destroyers
CASSIN
and DOWNES, just forward of the PENNSYLVANIA in the dry-dock, were hit and
seriously damaged. The intensity of the fires in the DOWNES caused her fuel oil tanks to
explode with further extensive damage. The torpedoes on her deck were armed with warheads,
and at least two of these went off with a mighty roar, sending flames more than 100 feet
high and showering that section of the harbor with metal fragments. A portion of a torpedo
tube weighing about 1,000 pounds was blown onto the forecastle of the PENNSYLVANIA,
and bomb fragments pockmarked the battleship. At 0945, almost two hours from the time it
had begun, the raid ended. The damage in Pearl Harbor was appalling, although it might
have been worse. The ARIZONA,
the PENNSYLVANIA'S sister ship, was smashed beyond hope of salvage.
The OKLAHOMA was capsized. The WEST VIRGINIA and CALIFORNIA were resting on the bottom,
and the NEVADA had been beached. Of the eight battleships in the harbor only the PENNSYLVANIA,
TENNESSEE, and MARYLAND had received minor damage. Our light forces had fared better.
Three light cruisers had suffered moderate damage, but three other light cruisers and
three heavy cruisers had gone untouched. Three destroyers were heavily damaged.
Not quite two weeks later the PENNSYLVANIA
stood out of Pearl Harbor. She spent Christmas underway and arrived in San Francisco on
December 29. The damage caused by the one bomb hit at Pearl Harbor was repaired, and the
four 3"/50's on the boat deck were replaced with LL's. Throughout the greater part of
1942 the PENNSYLVANIA served in Task Force 1, consisting of seven OBB's, and
carried the Task Force Commander, Vice Admiral W.S. Pye. From February through July the
Task force operated out of, though sometimes at considerable distance from, San Francisco.
Task Force 1 entered Pearl Harbor in mid-August.
Except for a couple of practices, the PENNSYLVANIA sat at FOX-3, next to Ford
Island, from then until the last days of September, at which time she and the IDAHO shoved
off for the West Coast and yard periods. The IDAHO went to Bremerton, and the PENNSYLVANIA
to the Bethlehem Steel Company, San Francisco.
The PENNSYLVANIA remained in the yard four
months, undergoing modernization and overhaul. Her tripod mainmast was removed and
replaced with a fire control tower and a pole mast. The donning tower was removed. The two
boat cranes were removed; the two booms were added to take their place. The catapult on
top of Turret 3 was removed. New radar's were installed, two search and four fire control,
bringing the total to six. But the most extensive changes were made in the AA battery. The
5"/51 broadside guns and the 5"/25 AA guns were replaced with eight 5'/38 dual
purpose, twin mounts. The LL's replaced with ten 4O-mm quads. Additional 20-mm's was
installed. At the completion of the yard period the ship bristled with guns, twelve
l4"/45, sixteen 5"/38, forty 40-mm, fifty 20-mm, and eight .50 caliber. At that
time the AA battery was as formidable as any in the fleet.
On April third Captain C.M. Cooke was relieved as
Commanding Officer of the PENNSYLVANIA by Captain T.S. King II. In July Admiral
Chester W. Nimitz, Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet, was awarded the Distinguished
Service Medal by the Commander in Chief, United States Fleet, Ernest J. King, in a brief
ceremony on the quarterdeck of the PENNSYLVANIA in San Francisco.
The PENNSYLVANIA left San Francisco on
February 6 and arrived at Long Beach the next afternoon. The following day Captain
W.A.
Corn relieved Captain King. During the next two and a half months the ship operated out of
Long Beach and conducted practices in preparation for a coming combat operation. The crew
naturally could not know what was in the wind, and there were loudly voiced complaints
that the PENNSYLVANIA would serve as nothing more than a training ship throughout
the war. Nevertheless the PENNSYLVANIA shoved off form Long Beach on April 23, 1943
and arrived a week later at Cold Bay, Alaska. This bleak harbor lies at the tip of the
Alaska Peninsula, and the PENNSYLVANIA stood in during a miserable, wet windstorm.
No one questioned the aptness of the name, Cold Bay.
Rear Admiral F.W. Rockwell, Commander Amphibious
Force, Pacific Fleet, hoisted his flag in the PENNSYLVANIA and on May fourth a
force Consisting of three battleships, the PENNSYLVANIA, IDAHO, and NEVADA, one
escort carrier, the NASSAU, Transports, and destroyers stood out from Cold Bay. It
proceeded to the westward, south of the Aleutian chain, through Amukta Pass into the
Bering Sea, and on westward. Its objective was the island of Attu.
Japanese forces were known to have occupied the
islands in the Aleutians, Attu and Kiska. It was decide to strike first at Attu, the less
strongly garrisoned of the two and the westernmost island in the chain. The weather in the
Aleutians is notoriously
bad. It is cold, the fogs are thick and almost continuous, and the seas are usually rough.
More unfavorable conditions for an amphibious operation would be difficult to find.
"Dog" Day was set tentatively for May
8,1943 but on that day the seas were too heavy to permit a landing. The PENNSYLVANIA
patrolled first to the northeast of Attu and then with two other battleships
and a cruiser force to the west. "Dog" Day was set definitely for 11 May 1943.
On the afternoon of May l0, the battle-ships joined with the transports of the task force.
That night in a dense fog two approach dispositions were formed, one of the transports and
fire support ships, including the PENNSYLVANIA and IDAHO, to operate in the Holtz
Bay-Chinchagof Harbor area and the other of the vessels to operate in the Massacre Bay
area.
On the morning of 11 May the task group to which the
PENNSYLVANIA had been assigned arrived in the vicinity of Red Beach, which had been
occupied before daylight by scout troops landed from submarines and an APD. The J.
FRANKLIN BELL commenced landing troops and supplies on Red Beach while the PENNSYLVANIA
and IDAHO withdrew to the northward and prepared to execute fire support missions as
directed.
The PENNSYLVANIA'S first bombardment mission
was ordered that afternoon. A heavy fog covered the area, and the approach had to be made
entirely by radar. Likewise, the bombardment had to be conducted entirely by radar and
indirect fire methods, land was never sighted. At 1514 hours the starboard secondary
battery opened fire at a range of about 9000 yards. 672 pounds of AA common set for both
air and ground bursts were expended during the shoot, and only the secondary battery
fired. There was no observation of the fall of shot.
The secondary bombardment mission was ordered the
following morning. Again there was a dense fog, and again the approach was made by radar.
Both the main and secondary batteries fired, simultaneously during part of the run. The
fire was spotted by a shore fire control party and after the fog had lifted, by surface
spotters.
The PENNSYLVANIA bombarded a third time on
the afternoon of the l4th in support of the "Love" hour infantry attack on the
west arm of Holtz Bay. This time there was sufficient visibility to make the approach and
first leg of the firing run by visual bearings, but then fog set in and visibility
remained low for the remainder of the day. A shore fire control party spotted all firing
on the Holtz Bay area. The secondary battery, while firing at targets in the Chichagof
Harbor area, was controlled by the ship's planes. The ship was maneuvered in a restricted
area entirely by radar for over two hours, during which the main and secondary batteries
fired indirect fire at designated target areas without endangering our own infantry 500
yards to the right of the area and scout troops 1500 yards beyond.
This bombardment materially weakened enemy
resistance in the west arm of Holtz Bay, permitting our ground forces to advance into and
occupy the area.
Torpedoes were fired at the PENNSYLVANIA on
two occasions. First, on 12 May, as the ship was proceeding to the northward, away from
the island, to rejoin the IDAHO, a PBY on anti-submarine patrol suddenly radioed,
"Look out for torpedo, torpedo headed for ship". The ship was maneuvered at full
speed, and lookouts sighted the torpedo wake passing safely astern. The
PBY, which had
made the report, flew back along the track of the torpedo and dropped a smoke bomb on the
point from which the torpedo had been fired. Two destroyers, the EDWARDS and
FARRAGUT,
were detached to destroy the submarine, They conducted a relentless attack for about ten
hours, until the sub was finally forced to the surface and sunk by gunfire from the
EDWARDS, in water more than 1000 fathoms deep. Five days later a definite oil slick
covering about five square miles was still visible.
In the morning, two days later the ship's
OS2U's
were launched and directed to proceed to the Casco, a seaplane tender, anchored in Unnamed
Cove, Massacre Bay. The planes and pilots operated from the Casco until the 24th May,
strafing enemy positions on Attu.
From the 16th until the 19th the PENNSYLVANIA
operated with the NASSAU in an area about fifty miles north and east of Attu. On the 19th
she headed for Adak. That afternoon, during a false air alert, an explosion occurred in
the gasoline stowage compartment in the forward part of the ship. There were no
casualties, but there was some structural damage. The PENNSYLVANIA paused for one
day at Adak and then proceeded to Bremerton. She remained in the Puget Sound Navy Yard
through all of June and July, undergoing repairs and overhaul. Also additional radar and
radio equipment was installed. On the evening of June 2, while the ship was in dry-dock, a
second explosion occurred in the gasoline stowage compartment. Two men on fire watch duty
were injured, one seriously and one fatally. Audley
Franklin Johnson, S2c, USNR, Killed Accidentally June 2, 1943
On August 1,1943 the PENNSYLVANIA departed
from Bremerton for Adak. She waited there six days and on August 13 the Kiska Attack Force
got underway. Again the PENNSYLVANIA was serving as a flagship for Admiral
Rockwell. However she had not been assigned the duties of a fire support vessel in this
operation, as that would reduce the efficiency of the ship as a command ship, particularly
by restricting her freedom of movement. If needed, though, the ammunition was
ready. By August the weather in the Aleutians was considerably milder
than it had been in May for the Attu operation, although it was still cool by ordinary
standards and the area was as always, covered by patches of dense fog.
Assault troops landed without opposition on the
Western beaches of Kiska on the morning of August l5, 1943 and pressed inland. By the
evening of the l6th it was evident that the island was completely uninhabited, that the
Japanese had evacuated under cover of fog some time prior to the landing. The only living
creatures found on the island were two ragged, lonely dogs. As a memento of the operation,
ship fitters aboard the PENNSYLVANIA made and presented to Admiral Rockwell a
miniature fire hydrant.
The PENNSYLVANIA cruised off Kiska for a week
and then returned to Adak. From there she steamed southward for Pearl Harbor. In
September, with no other job to do at the time, she was assigned the duty of transporting
790 men from Pearl Harbor to the West Coast and of bringing another draft out. The ship
remained at San Francisco only five days. She was not to see the States again for over 17
months.
After numerous practice shoots, including a
bombardment of Kahoolawe, and then rehearsal assault landing on Maui, the PENNSYLVANIA
left Pearl Harbor on November 10, 1943 for the Gilbert Island Campaign, our first assault
on Japanese positions in the Central Pacific. The PENNSYLVANIA carried the 5th
Amphibious Force Commander Rear Admiral R.K. Turner, and was a part of the Northern Attack
Group, whose objective was Makin Atoll. This atoll lies slightly north of the equator, but
the route of the task force, in an attempt to confuse the Japanese led to the south of the
equator and then northwestward from the vicinity of the Phoenix Island. The task force,
composed of four battleships, four cruisers, three escort carriers, transports and
destroyers, approached, Makin Atoll from PENNSYLVANIA southeast on the morning of
the 20th. Ukiangong Point, the southernmost point of Butaritari Island, was picked up by
radar at 0348 at a range of 23 miles. At 0436 the task force deployed, the fire support
ships proceeding to their assigned areas and the transports to the transport area. At 0640
the PENNSYLVANIA opened fire on Butaritari Island with her main battery, initial
range 14,200 yards (8.1 miles). At 0700 the secondary battery joined in, and the
bombardment was continued until 0821, when it had to be broken off abruptly for an air
strike which commenced a few minutes earlier than scheduled. During the brief shoot the
main battery expended, in 2", 3", and 6" gun salvos, 403 rounds of high
capacity ammunition and the secondary battery, 246 rounds of AA common. In general, all
the target areas were well covered, and the bombardment was considered fully effective.
The heat was a decided handicap, temperatures in the
after magazines mounted to as high as 115º, and during the bombardment seven men in the
magazines fainted and several others were temporarily incapacitated from the combined
effect of the heat, fumes from the powder bags, and their own exertion.
As flagship of the 5th Amphibious Force, the PENNSYLVANIA
carried 24 radio transmitters and 41 receivers. The communications on "Dog" Day
and thereafter until retirement from the area required the manning of all this equipment
plus about 25 remote operating position, 127 radiomen were being used. At no time during
the entire operation was there a casualty, which disrupted communications.
Just before general quarters on the morning of
November 24, 1943, as the PENNSYLVANIA was returning to a screening sector off
Makin after her usual night retirement, a tremendous explosion took place off her
starboard bow. At almost the same instant a screening destroyer reported a sound contact.
The disposition immediately executed an emergency course change. For several minutes after
the explosion a large fire lighted up the entire area. It was not at once apparent to
those aboard the PENNSYLVANIA what had happened, but word soon came through that
the "Liscombe Bay", a CVE, had been torpedoed. She sank shortly with tremendous
loss of life.
On the 25th and 26th the task force was taken under
determined night air attack by torpedo planes. It was estimated that at times on the
evening of the 25th there were as many as fifteen torpedo planes inside the destroyer
screen of that disposition. None of our ships, however, were damaged.
On the 30th the PENNSYLVANIA left the Makin
area for Pearl Harbor. During the first part of January 1944, she conducted various
practice shoots and took part in another practice assault on Maui. On January 22, she
shoved off from Pearl Harbor for another major operation. This time against Kwajalein
Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Kwajalein Atoll is the largest atoll in the world, its
lagoon measuring sixty miles in length. The assault force was divided into two parts, one
to strike at Roi and Namur Islands at the northern end of the Atoll and one at Kwajalein
Island at the southern end. The PENNSYLVANIA was assigned to the southern group.
At 0618 on the last day of January the main battery
of the PENNSYLVANIA opened fire on Kwajalein Island. It was still dark at the time,
and as the first salvo thundered out, a sailor standing top-side yelled in the direction
of the island, "Reveille".
The secondary and 40mm batteries joined in and the
bombardment continued throughout the day. During most of the firing the ship, discovering
that at short ranges enemy guns and fortifications could not only be neutralized but
actually be destroyed by using the individual guns and fortifications as points of aim,
was held between 2000 and 4000 yards from the beach. By this method Japanese guns, blockhouses,
pillboxes and blockading sea walls built along possible landing beaches were demolished.
Ammunition dumps and fuel stowage's were seen to blow up and burn. Large numbers of the
enemy troops were killed.
At one time the 14" high capacity projectiles
being used seemed to be taking no effect on a blockhouse built into the seawall. The
Gunnery Officer ordered a shift to armor piercing projectiles. The first one fired hit the
blockhouse, penetrated the thick concrete wall leaving a hole some three feet in diameter,
and burst inside. It seemed reasonable to assume that everything and everyone inside the
blockhouse had been destroyed, but just for good measure one more AP was fired that
exploded inside the blockhouse, after passing through the hole left by the other
projectile.
At 1000 and again at 1600, high and low tides, four
reconnaissance boat teams approached to within 100 yards of the landing beaches, taking
soundings, studying the reefs, currents and landing facilities, and getting all other
available data. The PENNSYLVANIA and MISSISSIPPI were assigned the task of coving
these boat teams from close range, but enemy guns did not fire upon the boats.
The PENNSYLVANIA'S air spotters did
outstanding work during the Kwajalein Campaign. They were invaluable not only in spotting
fall of shot but also in picking out targets that could not be seen from the ship.
On the morning of February 1, 1944, the PENNSYLVANIA
carried out her scheduled bombardment before, during and after the landing on the island
by army troops. Although Kwajalein Island was heavily fortified, all troops made the
landing unopposed.
On the evening of the third the PENNSYLVANIA
entered the Lagoon and anchored near Kwajalein Island. Heavy fighting was still in
progress on the northern end of the island, where the Japanese were slowly being driven, and
the PENNSYLVANIA had a front row seat. During the day shell fire, dive bombing, and
strafing were clearly visible from the ship, and at night there were continuous streams of
tracers crisscrossing over the island, while fire support ships lay close inshore and
maintained star-shell illumination. All this was to become commonplace to the crew of the PENNSYLVANIA
in later operations, but now it was novel and exciting.
With the success of the Kwajalein Operation ensured
the PENNSYLVANIA proceeded to Majuro Atoll, which had just been occupied, to
replenish ammunition. On the afternoon of February 9, 1944, an ammunition ship, the MAUNA
LOA, was alongside to the starboard, and 14" powder tanks were being received on the
forecastle and then struck below. Suddenly one tank, which had just been received aboard
and which was sitting with about 20 others on the starboard side of the forecastle,
exploded and burned furiously. Within a few seconds hoses from the MAUNA LOA and the PENNSYLVANIA
were brought into action, and after a short period the fire was extinguished.
There were several men burned or otherwise injured
by the accident but there were no fatalities. The fact that the heat from the fire failed
to set off the surrounding powder tanks was amazing, and it undoubtedly saved the PENNSYLVANIA
and the MAUNA LOA from a disaster.
Shortly after midnight on February
10,1944, 14"
powder tanks were again being taken aboard, this time from a lighter alongside to Port.
One tank had been struck below to the handling room of Turret One and was being lifted
across the coaming of a door into the right ready service magazine where it exploded,
flames swept over the powder cans stacked in the magazine. Again, by some sort of miracle,
no powder charge ignited, the magazine and others adjacent were promptly flooded. On this
occasion there were numerous casualties, of whom four died. One of which was Charles
David Burchell.
With the necessity after each of the powder
explosions of condemning all of that lot of powder already received on board and of
transferring it off the ship and then receiving another load. It looked very much as
though the PENNSYLVANIA would not complete loading ammunition in time to take part
in the next operation. But, by the afternoon of the l2th, after more than seventy-nine
hours of almost continuous work, the job was finished. Forty-five minutes later the ship
got underway.
The operation against Kwajalein Atoll had proved so
successful that the operation against Eniwetok Atoll, the westernmost in the Marshall's,
was undertaken earlier than originally planned, At 0900 on the l7th of February 1944 the PENNSYLVANIA
steamed boldly through Deep Entrance into Eniwetok Lagoon, her entire 40mm and 20mm
batteries blazing away at the enemy-held islands of Japan, to starboard, and Parry, to
port, each about 1000 yards away. She proceeded up a swept channel in the lagoon to a
position off Engebi Island and at 1125 commenced bombarding enemy installations. This
action was continued throughout the day.
The PENNSYLVANIA and TENNESSEE were assigned
the duty of protecting the reconnaissance boat teams, and when they made their approach to
the landing beaches at 1700, the PENNSYLVANIA covered them with main and secondary
battery fire. They completed their mission without interference.
On the morning of the l8th the PENNSYLVANIA
bombarded Engebi before and during the approach of the assault waves to the beach. During
approximately eighty percent of the bombardment the beach areas were enveloped in heavy
smoke and dust, and this cover drifted down on the ship, making it extremely difficult and
at times impossible to pick out the targets.
When Engebi had been secured, the PENNSYLVANIA
moved southward through the lagoon to the vicinity of Parry Island. On the 20th and 2lst
she delivered preparation fire on this island. Parry, who is just over a mile long and
less than 600 yards wide, was subjected to a naval bombardment that for volume of fire per
square yard had never been equaled elsewhere. At the beginning of the bombardment the
island was covered with a dense growth of palm trees extending down to the waters edge,
and at its conclusion not a single tree remained standing. The ground was littered with
broken tree trunks and palm fronds. The air spotter of the PENNSYLVANIA reported
that all visible installations were destroyed, trenches demolished and unserviceable, and
areas he designated as containing Japanese troops covered with blood upon completion of the
firing periods.
He further reported that the Japanese appeared to become
hysterical during the bombardment and ran frantically up and down a trail on the far side
of the island, into the bushes, and out into the water.
On the morning of the 22nd the PENNSYLVANIA's
secondary and 40mm batteries delivered supporting fire prior to the landing on Parry.
During the assault LCI 440, which had an observation party aboard and was lying off the
landing beach, received a direct hit by a medium caliber projectile and suffered numerous
casualties. With most of his crew in desperate need of medical attention, the skipper of
the LCI steered his craft for the nearest large ship, the PENNSYLVANIA. When the
LCI came along the starboard quarter of the battleship, her deck was literally running
with blood. Casualties were promptly taken aboard the PENNSYLVANIA, and the injured
given medical treatment until they could be transferred to a hospital ship later in the
day, Three officers from the COLORADO, who had been in the observation party aboard the
LCI, were returned to their ship.
While the LCI was still alongside, the PENNSYLVANIA
was taken under fire by an enemy shore battery and was later straddled several times. From
the size of the splash and the fragments recovered aboard later it was estimated that a
75mm gun or mortar was firing. There were no casualties.
After the conclusion of the Eniwetok Operation there
was a lull of almost four months before the next amphibious operation in the Central
Pacific. The PENNSYLVANIA steamed to Majuro and then southward to Havannah Harbor,
Efate, in the New Hebrides. There she lay through most of March and April. At one time,
when the Japanese had been surging toward Australia, Efate had been one of our most advanced
bases, but now with the front lines far to the northward Efate was in the backwash of the
war. There was little activity of any kind. Life aboard the PENNSYLVANIA settled
into an inflexible routine, Recreation Parties were sent to "PENNSYLVANIA
Beach", where the men were doled two cans of beer apiece and where they could go
swimming and hunt for cat-eyes, or barter with the natives for coconuts and grass skirts.
CAPTAIN C.F. MARTIN relieved Captain Corn on April
23, 1944. Shortly before this time scuttlebutt had begun to circulate that the ship would
make a visit to Sydney, Australia, and for once the scuttlebutt was right. The PENNSYLVANIA,
NEW MEXICO, and IDAHO arrived in Sydney on the 29th and stayed exactly one week. To their
crews, Sydney turned out to be just about what Paris was to our troops in France during
World War I. The sailors had a little difficulty in dealing in pounds and shillings and in
understanding certain Aussie expressions but had no difficulty at all with the girls. The PENNSYLVANIA
gave two dances, one for each watch, at the Sydney town Hall. Half of the female
population of the city must have been present.
After this brief vacation, which was the only thing
of the sort that the crew of the PENNSYLVANIA received during a period of seventeen
months, the ship returned to Efate for a short while and then continued northward into the
Solomon's. She steamed westward along the north shore of Guadalcanal, past the beaches
where the first landings had been made two years before, past Henderson Field, and then
across Iron Bottom Bay, named for a good part of the U.S. and Japanese fleets, to Port
Purvis, Florida Island. Using Port Purvis as a base, the PENNSYLVANIA sortied three
times to bombard simulated targets on Cape Esperance, Guadalcanal, and to take part in a
practice amphibious assault. She then returned to Efate a to replenish ammunition, after
which she proceeded northward again to Roi.
On June 10, 1944 the PENNSYLVANIA as one of a
force of battleships, cruisers, escort carriers and destroyers, put to sea bound for
Saipan, the first of our objectives in the Mariana's. That night a destroyer in the screen
of the disposition reported a sound contact. An emergency ships left 90 degree was
ordered. As a result of the maneuver, the PENNSYLVANIA collided with the TALBOT, an
APD. The PENNSYLVANIA sustained only minor damage, but the TALBOT was forced to put
into Eniwetok for emergency repairs. It was not until some time after the accident that
those aboard the PENNSYLVANIA learned that the TALBOT was carrying, for underwater
demolition work, a large amount of TNT.
The PENNSYLVANIA bombarded Saipan for only
one day, June 14,1944 the day prior to the assault landing. The targets were Japanese
installations in the Nafutan Point-Magicienne Bay area. Some damage was effected, although
the long ranges at which the bombardment had to be conducted limited it. Enemy guns on
Nafutan Point are known to have been knocked out.
On "Dog" Day the PENNSYLVANIA
cruised up and down off the northeastern shore of Tinian, which lies just south of
Saipan,
ready to take under fire any enemy batteries which might open up on our landing beaches on
Saipan. Four times during the day enemy fire or other activity was observed on
Tinian, and
each time the PENNSYLVANIA took enemy planes under fire.
On the afternoon of June 22, 1944 the force anchored
in Garapan Anchorage, off the western coast of Saipan, to refuel destroyers. At dusk a
Betty slipped around a large hill on Saipan and was over our force before it had been
sighted or picked up by radar. It dropped its torpedo almost on top of the PENNSYLVANIA
and was gone before any ship fired a shot. The torpedo landed in the water just a few
yards off the starboard bow of the PENNSYLVANIA, and a few seconds later the sound
of an explosion came from the direction of the Maryland, anchored about 600 Yards astern.
The task group, with the exception of the MARYLAND, promptly got underway.
By June 25, the Japanese Fleet had been mauled and
turned back by aircraft of the 5th fleet, and the PENNSYLVANIA departed from the
Saipan area. She remained at Eniwetok from June 28 until July 9, 1944 when she left to
resume the Guam Operation. On the July 12,13 and 14 the PENNSYLVANIA bombarded in
preparation for the eventual assault and landing on Guam. Fire was delivered in
coordination with the NEW MEXICO and was directed at predetermined targets and targets of
opportunity, the object being destruction rather than neutralization. Upon the completion
of firing on the evening of the July 14, the PENNSYLVANIA returned to Saipan to
take on more ammunition.
The pre-assault bombardment was again resumed on the
morning of the July 17. In support of underwater demolition operations, the PENNSYLVANIA
executed close-in protective fire support, covering all points from which fire might be
brought to bear on demolition parties. At the same time she continued deliberate
destructive fire on predetermined targets. This type of fire was continued on July 18,19
and 20.
Early on the morning of the July 21, the PENNSYLVANIA
assumed a position between Agate Beach, where one of the two landings on Guam was to be
made, and Orote Peninsula at 0539 she commenced bombarding the beach areas in immediate
preparation for the assault. This firing was continued throughout the period that troops
and equipment were being loaded into landing craft and landing waves were being formed.
The ship lay generally between 2000 and 3000 yards, and at times only 1500 yards, from
Orote Peninsula. At 0830, when the assault waves headed in for the beach, the main and
secondary batteries went to rapid fire. A tremendous barrage was laid down on the beach
area to provide protection for the landing waves. When the first wave reached a line 1000
yards from the beach and any further fire on the beach itself would endanger our own
troops, the PENNSYLVANIA lifted her fire back into the hills. Not until twenty
minutes after the first troops had landed did she cease firing.
Upon establishment of the beachhead, the PENNSYLVANIA
stood by to execute whatever fire support missions might be called for by shore fire
control parties. From July 2l through July 30 she delivered supporting and harassing fire
and star-shell illumination. On the last day of July and 1 August the same types of
missions were executed from positions off the northwest coast. Many times the ship fired
at enemy troops while our own troops were close to the enemy positions, but in no case did
a projectile from the ship fall dangerously close to our own troops.
In the Guam Operation alone the PENNSYLVANIA
expended not counting the false start on 16 June almost l800 rounds of l4", 10,000
rounds of 5", l4,000 rounds of 40mm and 1600 rounds of 20mm. This is probably a
greater amount of ammunition than any other ship has ever fired during a single operation.
And it was done without any personnel or material casualties.
Air spotters reported that the PENNSYLVANIA
put out of action fifteen planes, six large guns, eight medium guns, three 5" guns,
twelve 3" guns, nineteen dual purpose guns, two coast defense guns, eight large AA
guns, four twin mounts, nine heavy AA guns, twelve machine guns, two anti-boat guns,
numerous mortars, and much field artillery. The ship discovered and destroyed a very large
ammunition storage near Adelup Point, at the time of the landing and permanently silenced
them.
On the morning of August 3, 1944 the PENNSYLVANIA
fired her last fire support mission and then shoved off for Eniwetok. She lay at anchor
there for two weeks and then proceeded southward to Espiritu Santo, in the New Hebrides,
then northward again to take part in another practice assault on Cape Esperance,
Guadalcanal and finally into Port Purvis. She stood out from Port Purvis on September 6,
1944 with the Palau Bombardment and Fire Support Group.
For three days prior to the landing on
Peleliu, the PENNSYLVANIA
bombarded Japanese installations on the island. The object was again the complete
destruction of known targets. On the morning of the l5th of September the PENNSYLVANIA
delivered the same sort of intensive fire support before and during the landing that had
been given at Guam. Fifteen minutes after the first wave had hit the beach, enemy mortars
were observed firing on the beach from inland. The secondary battery took them under fire
and neutralized the area.
On the morning of the September 12, 1944 APD
"NOA" collided with a destroyer west of Peleliu. The NOA was badly damaged and
quickly sank. Survivors were picked up by the NOA's boats, which had been launched before
she went down and they were brought to the PENNSYLVANIA. They remained aboard one
week, through all the ensuing firing missions.
Three days later in the afternoon several large
caliber shells landed close to the PENNSYLVANIA, The ship cleared the area. Again
the following morning, as the ship was laying to about 5000 yards south of
Peleliu, a
medium caliber projectile splashed and exploded 50 yards off the port bow. As the ship was
maneuvered clear, two more splashes were caused by ricochets from friendly tanks on the
island rather than enemy fire.
At Angaur the PENNSYLVANIA delivered a
bombardment so devastating that there was no return fire from the enemy emplacements on
the rocks and cliffs flanking Red Beach.
Peleliu and Angaur, the 2 southernmost islands in
the Palau group and the only ones we assaulted, afford no fleet anchorage. To replenish
ammunition, the PENNSYLVANIA was directed to Kossol Passage, at the northern end of
the Palau Islands. Kossol Passage is nothing more than a large expanse of water,
surrounded by a submerged coral reef. Babelthuap, the largest island in the Palau's and a Japanese
strongpoint, lies a few miles to the south.
On September 25, 1944 the PENNSYLVANIA left
Kossol Passage and proceeded southward to Seadler Harbor in the Admiralty Islands. On the
first of October she entered a floating dry-dock for emergency repairs to number four
strut bearing, which had caused trouble since April when considerable vibration developed
in 4 shaft. At Sydeny, divers had reported excessive clearance in the strut bearing.
Thereafter, whenever possible, divers had effected such repairs as they could and had
managed to keep the shaft turning. At Manus the ship was allowed but seven days in
dry-dock, a period inadequate to accomplish a thorough repair job, even if the dry-dock
had the facilities, which it did not.
On October 12, 1944, the PENNSYLVANIA,
serving as one of the six battleships in Rear Admiral Jesse B; Oldendorf's Bombardment and
Fire Support Group, and under the general command of Vice Admiral Thomas Cassin Kinkaid,
Commander Central Philippine Attack Force, got underway from Seadler Harbor for the
Philippines. The ensuing operation was to become the most memorable of the war in the
Pacific especially to the crew of the PENNSYLVANIA. The Pennsylvania's bombardment, while not as prolonged as at Guam, was heavy; she was subjected to incessant
air attacks; she participated in a major (and her only) surface engagement; and she
remained in the area longer than during any other operation.
On the morning of the October 18, 1944 the Bombardment and Fire Support Group arrived off the eastern entrance of Leyte Gulf. At
0805 a special column, consisting of three cruisers and one battleship, the PENNSYLVANIA,
was formed, and this column fell in astern of minesweeping group and proceeded into and
across Leyte Gulf. At 1407 the PENNSYLVANIA reached assigned fire support station
off the eastern coast of Leyte and commenced bombardment, As usual, fire was directed at
predetermined targets and targets of opportunity, the object being destruction whenever
possible. Chief emphasis however was placed on covering beach reconnaissance and
underwater demolition teams and minesweeping units operating in Leyte Gulf and San Pedro
Harbor. This action was continued until 1714 when the ship took its retiring position
within Leyte Gulf.
From 0830 until 1555 the following day the PENNSYLVANIA
continued the bombardment of Leyte. On the mooring of "Able" Day, two days
later, she delivered fire in support of the landing. Negligible enemy gunfire gas observed
coming from the beaches. Of the PENNSYLVANIA'S bombardment on this morning, CBS
overseas correspondent, Willey Edwards, had this to say in a radio broadcast.
The boys call the PENNSYLVANIA "Old
Falling Apart" because she turns out such a volume of gun fire you'd think she was
falling to pieces. Actually she is solid and sound although one of the oldest U.S.
battlewagons. Recently in a Pacific bombardment action somebody yelled to me, come here
and look The old Pennsy is hit and she is on fire. It turned out the old gal shoots so
fast and so much that at times she really does look like she is afire.
Throughout the nights of October 20 & 21, 1944,
the PENNSYLVANIA delivered harassing and night day illumination fire. Twice during
October 2l the ship took position and executed call fire missions with her main battery.
On the morning of October 24, 1944 it became
apparent that a major naval engagement was developing. Our carrier search planes had
located two Japanese forces; each composed of battleships, cruisers, and destroyers. One,
the Central Force, was in the Sibuyan Sea headed for San Bernardino Strait, from which it
could strike southward for the eastern entrance to Leyte Gulf. The other, the Southern
Force was in the Sula Sea, headed for
Surigao Strait, the southern entrance to Leyte Gulf. That afternoon carrier searches
revealed still another Japanese force, this composed of carriers, battleships, cruisers and
destroyers, to the northeast of Luzon, standing down toward Leyte Gulf. The Japanese Navy
was sailing against us in full force.
Throughout the afternoon PT boats carrying full
loads of torpedoes streaked past the PENNSYLVANIA, headed southward through Leyte
Gulf for Surigao Strait. At 1826 the six battleships, three cruisers, three light cruisers
and destroyers in Admiral Oldendorf's force formed battle disposition and steamed
southward for Surigao Strait. Throughout the night the six battleships, WEST VIRGINIA,
MARYLAND, MISSISSIPPI, TENNESSEE, CALIFORNIA, and PENNSYLVANIA steamed slowly back
and forth across the northern end of the strait, waiting.
At 0130 in the morning of the 25th PT boats
stationed well down in Surigao Strait encountered the oncoming enemy force and attacked
with torpedoes. Next our destroyers, on either flank of our enemy's line of approach,
attacked with torpedo's and guns, The Japanese force steamed on. Then, at 0325, the WEST
VIRGINIA opened fire, followed shortly after by the other battleships and cruisers. The
Japanese had run head on into a perfect trap. Admiral Oldendorf had executed the dream of
every naval tactician, crossing the enemy's "T". He had known that the Japanese
units
would have to advance northward through the confined waters of Surigao Strait in column.
By deploying his own battle line across the mouth of the strait, he had placed the enemy
units in a position where they would be subject to the concentrated fire of our force
while able to reply least effectively. Now, the fire was murderous, Almost before the
Japanese could train their guns, they lost two battleships and three destroyers. The other two
ships in the force, a heavy cruiser and a destroyer turned and ran, but the cruiser was
sunk the next day by carrier attack.
A fact that will be forever galling to the men who
were aboard the PENNSYLVANIA that night is that the ship never opened fire. General
Quarters were sounded at 0130 when the first contact report came through and battle
stations were manned in record time, Gun crews stood by for two hours feverishly waiting
for the word to commence firing. It never came. There was good reason, but it could
do
little to relieve the disappointment of not having had a hand in the sinking of two Japanese
battlewagons when the chance finally came.
Shortly after daybreak, the Central Force of the
Japanese Fleet engaged a group of CVE's operating east of Samar to screen the upper end of
Leyte Gulf. The Japanese Force had been attacked heavily by carrier planes the day before and
had suffered severe losses and much damage, but it had, nevertheless continued on through
San Bernardino Strait. Our CVE's and their destroyer escort screen now put up the most
valiant fight of the war against most overwhelming odds while retiring towards Leyte Gulf.
Vice Admiral Kinkaid, the Commander of the Seventh
Fleet, at once ordered Admiral Oldendorf to dispatch one division of battleships, one
division of cruisers and half the destroyers in his group to assistance of the Escort
Carriers. The PENNSYLVANIA was designated as one of the three battleships to go.
Before the battle force had sorted from Leyte Gulf, however, the gallant CVE's with their
persistent air attacks had turned back the Japanese who then commenced retiring toward San
Bernardino Strait.
Leyte was the first operation in which the PENNSYLVANIA
encountered heavy enemy air attacks. They began as the first group was entering Leyte Gulf
on the morning of the October 18, 1944 and continued during the days and nights following.
At first the attacks were of the sneak variety, single dive bombers coming in and making
individual dives or glides on the smaller combatant vessels or on ships in the transport
area. All attacks were made under cloud cover and in the majority of cases were undetected
until the plane was either in its dive or glide or had dropped its bomb and pulled out.
The early attacks were not pressed home, and few hits were observed. On the 25th of
October, following the night action in Surigao Strait, a large number of planes appeared
and made attacks on the smaller vessels of the screen From then until the first of
November the attacks increased both in intensity and determination. Vals, Bettys, and
Zeros made numerous suicide attacks. All torpedo attacks were very determined and only
defense against them became absolute destruction of the attacking planes. From November l
to 25, 1944 when the PENNSYLVANIA finally left Leyte Gulf, the attacks subsided.
While in Leyte Gulf, the PENNSYLVANIA
shot down, either by herself or with "assists" from other ships, ten enemy
planes and possibly damaged others heavily. On the morning of the 25th ten Vals made a
simultaneous run on a destroyer close aboard the PENNSYLVANIA, AA batteries of the
battleship shot down four of the planes and drove the others off. On the night of October
28 a Betty headed in to make a torpedo run on the disposition. The control watch tracked
the plane in, opened fire, and shot it down with the 5" battery. The elapsed time
from starting to track to cease firing was one minute and thirty seconds. Eight guns fired
a total of 68 rounds. No other ship fired at the plane. There was no doubt about the kill.
The next morning the Betty was found partly afloat with two good Japanese and 3 live ones.
The latter, after a little persuasion, were made prisoners.
Leyte Gulf was almost completely land-locked. The
proximity of land made it difficult and at times wholly impossible to pick up enemy planes
by radar. This threw the burden of sighting and identifying e enemy planes on the sky
lookouts. They did an outstanding job. On occasions planes were sighted and identified at
50,000 yards.
On November 23, 1944 a Judy appeared from behind a
dark rain cloud at a range of about 3,500 yards. Within ten seconds the plane had been
sighted, identified, and taken under effective AA fire.
Crews of the AA batteries of the PENNSYLVANIA
stood watch-and watch for a period of twenty-four days and nights followed by fourteen
nights. In addition Air Defense or General Quarters for air defense purposes was sounded
113 times. This figure moreover does not include routine morning and evening General
Quarters.
On the night of November 1 the PENNSYLVANIA
again steamed in battle disposition, ready to repel a Japanese force reported standing for
Surigao Strait. The report later proved to be false.
On November 25, 1944 the WEST VIRGINIA relieved the PENNSYLVANIA
and at long last departed from Leyte Gulf. She had been the first of the battleships to
enter the gulf, and she was the last to leave.
Everyone aboard was confident that the ship would be
sent home for a long overdue yard period, with of course a little leave attached. For
months past the ship had always been going back to the States "after the next
operation" but now there could be no question of it. Unfortunately there was. When
the ship arrived at Manus, she was directed to prepare for another amphibious operation.
She could not even be assigned another period in the floating dry-dock at
Manus. From Manus
the PENNSYLVANIA proceeded to Kossol Passage to take on ammunition. She remained
there two weeks, through Christmas, and on the Jan. 1st, 1945 got underway with Vice
Admiral Oldendorf's Lingayen Bombardment and Fire Support Group. On the 3rd of
Jan. 1945
the force reached Leyte Gulf and, without stopping, proceeded southward through Surigao
Strait, then westward through the Mindanao Sea, then northwestward through the Sulu Sea;
out into the South China Sea, and on northward, past Manila Bay, to Lingayen Gulf, at the
northwestern corner of Luzon. Heavy and determined air attacks began on the evening of
January 4, 1945 and continued on January 5. The OMMANEY BAY, a CVE, was hit by a suicide
plane and destroyed by the resulting fire. Many other ships were damaged. On the morning of
the Jan. 6th, 1945 the PENNSYLVANIA commenced bombarding target areas on Santiago Island at
the mouth of Lingayen Gulf, In mid-afternoon the ship proceeded into Lingayen Gulf to
execute counter battery fire in support of the minesweeping forces The ship retired from
the Gulf at night. The air attacks reached all time peak that day and severe damage was
done to our forces.
However at daybreak the next morning the entire
bombardment force entered Lingayen Gulf to deliver supporting and destructive fire. At
1230 the PENNSYLVANIA took position to render counter-battery fire in support of
underwater demolition teams. A single enemy gun directed its shells at those teams and the
PENNSYLVANIA immediately knocked it out. The support group retired from the Gulf
that night and returned the next morning to continue the pre-assault bombardment. There
was however, a distinct scarcity of targets, for although the Japanese had landed at Lingayen
themselves, they were unprepared for our attack there.
During the night of the eighth the bombardment group
remained in Lingayen Gulf. At 0705 on the Jan. 9th, 1945 the PENNSYLVANIA took station for
delivery of supporting fire in protection of the landing waves. The landing beaches were
effectively covered and targets of opportunity as reported by spotting planes, were either
destroyed or neutralized. There was no enemy opposition to the landing.
Early on the morning of the tenth Japanese speed
boats made an attack on our ships in Lingayen Gulf from a stream emptying into the western
side of the gulf. They attacked some LST's drawn up on the beach near the mouth of the
stream, but were destroyed without effecting any damage. General Quarters was sounded
aboard the PENNSYLVANIA, but the ship itself was not taken under attack.
Two hours later, during the dawn period, enemy
planes made attack on the force in Lingayen Gulf. A partial smoke screen covered the ships
but evidently the tops of the large ships projected through the screen and served as
targets for Japanese planes. During a period of 31 minutes four bombs landed in the water close
to the PENNSYLVANIA, On the afternoon of the tenth the PENNSYLVANIA executed
her last fire call mission. A concentration of enemy tanks was located inland, and a shore
fire control party spotted the main battery to them. Twelve rounds did the job.
From January 10, 1945 until the January
17, the task group patrolled in the South China Sea off Lingayen Gulf. On the
17th the PENNSYLVANIA
returned to the gulf and remained there at anchor for a month. Enemy air
attacks dropped sharply in intensity and frequency, during the nights sentries
aboard ships at anchor in the gulf kept up a staccato of fire at objects
floating in the water, all of which proved to be nothing more than trash.
After leaving Lingayen Gulf, the PENNSYLVANIA
traveled back through the Central Philippines to Leyte Gulf and from there southeastward
to Manus. Again hopes were high that the ship would be routed from there to the West
Coast. These hopes vanished when Commander in Chief directed the Commander Naval Base
Manus to report whether or not the base was able to make the temporary repairs to the PENNSYLVANIA
for participation in the "next operation". The base made an inspection and
reported that the PENNSYLVANIA needed extensive repairs to the main, secondary, and
close range batteries and the fire control system for main battery, radar, and radio
equipment. The port condenser needed to be re-tubed; considerable hull work needed to be
done to the starboard blister; number 4 strut bearing needed extensive repairs; and that
satisfactory temporary repairs to get the ship ready in time for the next operation were
beyond the capacity of the local facilities.
CinCPac then directed the Commander Naval Base Manus
to send the PENNSYLVANIA to Pearl Harbor for further routing to San Francisco. But
before the PENNSYLVANIA could shove off from Manus, the strut bearing needed
temporary repairs. The ship divers went to work. After forty-three dives, day and night,
with a total of sixty diving hours, they completed the necessary work.
The PENNSYLVANIA departed from
Manus on February 22, 1945, stopped briefly at Majuro, stopped again at Pearl
Harbor, and passed under the Golden Gate Bridge on the morning of March
15,1945. Then proceeded to Hunter's Point for dry-docking.
At Hunter's Point the PENNSYLVANIA was given
a thorough overhaul. The main battery turrets and secondary battery mounts were regunned.
The 14" guns were replaced with the guns from the USS
Oklahoma. Additional close range weapons and new and improved radar and fire control equipment were
installed. During the yard period 27 days leave was granted to all
hands. The first leave party, half the ship's company, left the ship by ferry even before
she proceeded into Hunter's Point.
At this time the PENNSYLVANIA had set a
record of which she could well be proud. She was the only battleship to take part in
every
combat amphibious operation in the Pacific Ocean Areas and the two largest operations on
the Southwest Pacific Area from May 4, 1943 to February 10, 1945, from Attu through
Lingayen.
On June 5, 1945, Captain Martin was relieved by
Captain Martin was relieved by Captain W.M. Moses. The ship made three trial runs out of
San Francisco and then spent ten days in the San Clemente - San Diego area, executing every
conceivable type of practice. She returned to San Francisco, made one more trial run, and
on July 12, 1945 departed for Pearl Harbor. She arrived on July 18 and shoved off July 20
for an additional four-day training period. This was cut short, and the PENNSYLVANIA
returned to Pearl Harbor on the 23rd and headed westward the next day.
In route to Saipan, the PENNSYLVANIA made a
slight detour by way of Wake Island; which had long since been by-passed in our advance
across the pacific, to drop her calling card. With due regard for the formalities, the
Japanese returned theirs. The shore battery was silenced. The bombardment lasted only from
0900 to 1500 and was accompanied by air attacks from the CVL CABOT.
The PENNSYLVANIA steamed on to Saipan,
replenished the ammunition expended at Wake and continued on to Okinawa. On the morning of
August 12 she entered Buckner Bay and went alongside the TENNESSEE, which was at anchor,
to receive Vice Admiral Oldendorf and his staff, When the shift had been made, the PENNSYLVANIA
cast off and proceeded to her own berth.
At 2045 that evening, as the PENNSYLVANIA lay
quietly at anchor, a Japanese torpedo plane somehow slipped in over Buckner Bay without any
warning and launched its torpedo at the indistinct silhouette of a large warship. One of
the crew of the PENNSYLVANIA later wrote home, "We did not get the Japanese
plane,
but we sure blasted the hell out of his torpedo!"
The torpedo hit well aft on the PENNSYLVANIA's
starboard side and did extensive damage, Many compartments were flooded and the ship
settled heavily by the stern. But, by the Herculean efforts of the ship's repair parties
and the prompt assistance of two salvage tugs, the flooding was brought
under control.
Nineteen men
in a living compartment just inboard of
the scene of the explosion and one other man were killed
by the force of the blast. Ten
others were injured.
The following day the PENNSYLVANIA was towed
into shallower water where salvage operations were continued.
On the night of August 13, 1945 the PENNSYLVANIA
saw her last action of the war. An enemy suicide plane made a run on the ships in the
harbor and crashed in flames on the deck of a cargo ship about 1000 yards off the
starboard beam of the PENNSYLVANIA. The secondary battery of the PENNSYLVANIA
tracked the plane by radar and fired 13 rounds. The 40mm fired 30 rounds.
On the morning of August l5, Captain Moses spoke to
the ship's crew over the loudspeaker system and informed them that the President had just
announced Japan's acceptance of the Allied surrender terms. There was no wild cheering as
there had been a few nights before, when Japan's first offer to surrender had been
reported. Instead there was a minute of utter silence as the men paid homage to their
shipmates who had lost their lives so very near the end.
The PENNSYLVANIA remained in Buckner Bay a
little over 2 weeks while salvage operations proceeded. All compartments not open to the
sea were pumped dry and the ship was made as seaworthy as possible. On August l8, 1945 the
ship departed from Okinawa, towed by two tugs in tandem, another tug standing by to assist
if needed. The group proceeded tortuously toward Guam, making as little as two knots when
the seas were heavy, and never more than seven.
On September 6 the PENNSYLVANIA arrived in
Apra Harbor, Guam. The next day she entered ANSD3. In dry-dock a large sheet steel patch
was welded over the torpedo hole and repairs sufficient to permit her return to the United
States under her own power were completed. The ship left dry-dock on October 2, moored in
the harbor to take on 100 Navy and Marine passengers for transportation to the States and
shoved off on the morning of October 4, 1945.
The ship proceeded toward Puget Sound in company
with the cruiser ATLANTA and a destroyer, the WALKE. On October 15 the ship stopped while
divers went over the side inspect the patch. Marine sentries armed with rifles stood by on
deck to ward off sharks. They scored one "probable". Two days later, No. 3 shaft
suddenly carried away inside the stern tube and the shaft slipped aft. It was necessary to
send divers down to cut through the shaft letting the shaft and propeller drop into the
sea. On this occasion the sentries made one "sure kill".
Shipping water and with only one screw turning, the PENNSYLVANIA
limped into the Puget Sound Navy Yard on October 24, 1945, a crippled but proud ship.
Since her first action at Pearl Harbor she has
steamed almost 150,000 miles. Her self discipline had been excellent at all times, no man
was ever lost overboard except by enemy action, she had never hit any friendly troops,
installations, ships or planes and never had to report "not ready" for any
operation. Nearly 150 officers and almost 1000 petty officers were trained and transferred
from the PENNSYLVANIA during this period. She probably fired more ammunition than any other ship in history.
In recognition of her record the PENNSYLVANIA
was honored with a Navy Unit Commendation, which was presented by Rear Admiral Ralph W.
Christie, Commandant of the Navy Yard, Puget Sound on the Quarterdeck of the ship as she
lay in dry-dock at Bremerton on November 3.
Two days later Commander William M. Kaufman, the
Executive Officer relieved Captain William M. Moses as Commanding Officer.
Though hit at Pearl Harbor and again at the
very end of the war, her career between the two disasters was distinguished enough to make
any man proud to number himself as a member of her crew. So stands the war record of the
United States Battleship USS PENNSYLVANIA BB-38, a happy and good ship.
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Text of the Navy Unit Commendation awarded to USS PENNSYLVANIA is
as follows:
"For outstanding heroism in action against enemy
Japanese forces in the Pacific war area from May 4, 1943 to February 10, 1945. Operating
under ten separate commands, the USS PENNSYLVANIA was the only battleship to
take part in every amphibious operation during this period from Attu in the Northern area
to Lingayen in the Philippines. Imperiled by perpetual fog, she served as flagship of the
task force commander during the Aleutians campaign and navigated in poorly charted waters
to deliver her accurate broadsides on predetermined but invisible targets; intensive fire
from her batteries blazed the way for our assault waves in the Gilbert's, the Marshall's
and the Mariana's silencing the enemy's heavy coastal guns, locating and neutralizing
camouflaged emplacements and rendering steady support for our land forces. A gallant and
dependable veteran, the PENNSYLVANIA completed nearly thirty years of unfailing
service by her deadly close in bombardment and gun fire support in the recapture of the
Philippines, fulfilling her prolonged and vital mission without casualty to herself or her
personnel by Japanese fire. Handled superbly in the face of many obstacles throughout this
period, the PENNSYLVANIA achieved an illustrious combat record, reflecting the
courage, skill and brilliant teamwork of the Officers who plotted her course, the Pilots
who spotted her gunfire and the operational force which aided in maintaining her fighting
efficiency."
Asiatic-Pacific Area Service Ribbon
The USS PENNSYLVANIA (BB 38) earned eight (8) battle stars on the Asiatic-Pacific Area Service Ribbon, for participating in the following operations:
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Star - Aleutians Operation & Attu Occupation - May 11 to June 2,
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Star - Gilbert Islands Operation - November 13, 1943 to December 8, 1943 |
| 1
Star - Marshal Islands Operation Occupation of Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls - January 29 to February 8, 1943 Occupation of Eniwetok Atoll - February 17 to March 2, 1944 |
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By Directive dated February 2, 1946, the USS PENNSYLVANIA (BB 38) was to be disposed of.
So what happen to the USS Pennsylvania?
The USS Pennsylvania was used in "Operation Crossroads" as a target ship for Atomic Bomb testing. Following the first Atomic explosion at Bikini Island on July 1, 1946 and then a second explosion on July 25, 1946, the USS Pennsylvania did not sink. Almost two years later, February 10, 1948, the USS Pennsylvania was towed to the Island of Kwajalein in the South Pacific and a small crew went aboard and opened the "Sea Valves" and removed the Evaporator cover plates and sent the "Grand Old Gal" to the bottom of the sea. So ends one of the greatest chapters in Naval history. She takes with her the hearts and minds of all who served and with whom she shared a place of Patriotism, Honor and Tradition..... Ken Munro
More to come
USS PENNSYLVANIA (BB-38)
Overall Length - 612 Feet
Beam - 106 Feet
Speed - 19 Knots
Displacement - 33,100 Tons
Battleships Carriers And All Other
Warships
The
Naval History Information Center
Art Wells, US Marine
Stationed aboard the Pennsylvania, His Story
Timelines for
1941, 1942,
1943, 1944.
1945
Pennsylvania Video History at Pearl Harbor
USS Washington BB56 Home
Port & World War II.
(Great site, BB-56 WWII Cruise Book
& more)
USS
Utah Association
Baby Girl's remains interred with 57
Heroes
See "Nancy Lynne Wagner"
Naval Firepower of the
Ages
More Battleships
US
Navy Ships 1940 - 1945
WWII ship info
USS St. Louis
(CL-49)
The light Cruiser
This is a story that
floated among the Tin Can Navy at the end of the Vietnam War:
The USS Turner Joy, a destroyer with three
5"-38's spotted a target off the coast of North Vietnam.
Assuming it friendly, a radio call was put out:
"This is the USS Turner Joy, Please identify yourself."
No response.
Signal lights were used:
"This is the USS Turner Joy, identify yourself, friend or
foe."
No response.
Signal lights again:
"This is the USS Turner Joy, identify yourself or we will
commence firing"
Answer:
"This is the Battleship USS New Jersey, You may fire when ready!"
I received an email from the commander of the New Jersey during this period, who was also the CR division officer on the Pennsy, his story is a little different than what is written above. His comments
Viewers
since
4/21/98
Last Updated
06/27/20
Wallpaper Info:
USS Pennsylvania, BB-38
USS Colorado, BB-45
USS Louisville, CA-28
USS Portland, CA-33
USS Columbia, CL-56
The date was January 7th, 1945 (plus or minus a day or
two) and it was taken
in Lingayen Gulf, they were in route to continue support fire for the Luzon
invasion.
This Website is dedicated to my father Kenneth A. Munro who
inspired its creation.
Kenneth Alexander Munro
Machinist Mate 1st Class - "A" Division & MAA 1942 - 1945
August 26, 1923 - July 25, 2006
© Ken Munro & USS Pennsylvania.com 1998 - 2020
Thanks to the office of Naval Records & History, Ships
History Section, Department of Navy and the many readers and supporters of
this web site. This world would be a very different place had it not been
for the sacrifices and courage of all who served in WWII and aboard this great
ship. They are America's Greatest Generation...
.