PART II Preliminaries
A. Task Unit 34.8.1 was constituted as follows:

B.1 Weather: Wind 13 knots, from 084* (T).

PART III Chronological Account of Action
A. 1130 General Quarters. 1134 Course 186*. 1138 Course 210*, speed 18 knots. Formed in bombardment formation. 1144 Course 200*. 1152 course 276*, speed 22 knots. Task Group Commander ordered General Quarters. 1215 Catapulted one aircraft. 1218 Course 231*. 1225 catapulted one aircraft. 1226 course 246*. 1230 Speed 15 knots. 1246 Signal to open fire with main battery, course 186*. 1308 Course 006*. 1313 course 016*. 1343 Course 196*. 1348 Course 181* 1414 Course 001*. 1415 Ammunition allowance expended. 1420 Course 006*. 1445 Signal to cease fire. 1447 course 096*

16 July 1945
1831 En route Tokyo area for air strikes. Strikes postponed because of bad weather.

18 July 1945
At launching point for strikes, postponed because of bad weather.

19 July 1945
En route to refuel. Balloon shot down, 18,000 feet by CAP, not recovered.

20 July 1945
Rearmed.

21 July 1945
Routine day, refueled and rearmed.

22 and 23 July 1945
Fired AA practice using TDD drones. Refueled.

24 July 1945
Air strikes on combatant naval vessels in Kure, Japan. Two enemy planes shot down, one at 45 miles by CAP.

25 July 1945
Morning air strikes cancelled because of bad weather. Afternoon strikes carried out, on Kure, Japan. 5 enemy aircraft shot down, 50 miles out by CAP.

26 July 1945
Fueled from tankers.

27 July 1945
Replenished from supply ships, cleared area at 1230.

28 July 1945
Air strikes on combat naval forces Kure, Japan. One plane with torpedo shot down by CAP 28 miles from Task Group.

29 July 1945
1000 Departed Task Group 38.1 to join Task Group 38.1.4 for bombardment of Hamamatsu, Japan.

30 July 1945
0611 Rejoined Task Group 38.1. Air strikes on Southern Honshu. One enemy plane shot down by picket DD, 90 miles out.

31 July 1945
1903 Steaming west to avoid typhoon.

01 August 1945
Steaming west to avoid typhoon.

02 August 1945
Steaming to avoid typhoon. Fired A.A. practice using towed sleeves. Fueled destroyers.

03 August 1945
Operating to avoid typhoon. Tankers joined formation to fuel all ships. Fired A.A. practice using towed sleeves and TDD drones. En route launching point for air strikes on Kyushu.

04 August 1945
En route launching point for air strikes on Kyushu. Fueled DD's. 0925 Changed to easterly course, since Kyushu strikes have been canceled. Fired A.A. practice using towed sleeve.

05 August 1945
En route fueling rendevous east of Honshu. Fueled destroyers.

06 August 1945
En route fueling rendevous. Fueled destroyers. Fired A.A. practice using TDD drones and towed sleeves.

07 August 1945
Fueled from tankers of Task Group 30.8. 0750 Launched U.S.S. INDIANA's planes for training flight. 0802 Plane piloted by Lt (jg) E.R. BACKMAN (A1), USNR, with WATSON, R.B. ARM 3c, as observer crashed into the sea, no survivors were found from the crash site. Recovered the second plane, after search of area assisted by U.S.S. TAUSSIG (DD-746) and other planes in the vicinity. Fired A.A. practice using TDD drones. En route to launching point for air strikes on northern Honshu and Hokkaido.

08 August 1945
Air strikes on northern Honshu canceled because of fog. Fueled destroyers. Two enemy planes shot down by CAP, 100 miles from task force.

09 August 1955
0130 Departed Task Group 38.1 to join Task Unit 34.8.1 for second bombardment of Kamaishi, Honshu, Japan. One enemy plane shot down by CAP, 30 miles from task force.

10 August 1945
0640 Rejoined Task Group 38.1.

11 August 1945
Fueled from tankers of Task Group 30.8. Fueled destroyers

12 August 1955
En route launching area for air strikes on Tokyo area. Fueled destroyers.

13 August 1945
Air strikes on Tokyo area. CAP shot down 15 enemy planes within 60 miles of task force.

14 August 1945
Fueled from tanker Group 30.8. Fueled destroyers. Fired A.A. practice using TDD drones.

15 August 1945
En route launching point for air strikes on Tokyo area. 0810 After first two air strikes had been launched, ORDERS TO CEASE OFFENSIVE OPERATIONS WERE RECEIVED. Air strikes were recalled prior to arrival over targets. CAP shot down five hostile enemy aircraft approaching the formation during the day

24 July 1945
Strikes on Kobe and Kure areas. 1000 One Francis over Task Force 38.4, 225*/25 miles and ons Jill over pickets 270*/45 miles, both shot down by CAP. 2345 Bogey 355*/65 miles closed on C 140*/to 45 miles orbited in a wide orbit, opened on C 320*, and contact lost over Japan at 96 miles.

25 July 1945
Latitude 32*-01 N, longitude 136*-01 E. 0825 One Myrt shot down by CAP over picket at 260*/50 miles. 1733 bogey 085*/75 miles C-085*, speed 200 knots. Tallyho made at 40 miles and lost opening to north. Bogey reappeared 020*/18 miles and was shot down by U.S.S. HANCOCK CAP Division at 025*/25 miles. Night fighters intercepted and shot down three(3) Graces on raid at 025*. Picket destroyers opened fire at 350*; raiders dispersed, no further reports. 1850 Three raids appeared bearing 350*, 005*, and 250*.

28 July 1945
Strikes against Naval shipping in Kure Harbor. 1770 one Jill with torpedo shot down over Task Group 38.3, 198*/28 miles by CAP.

30 July 1945
1815 One Dinah shot down, 000*/90 miles by destroyer pickets.

04 August 1945
1949 Bogey 130*/70 miles C-325* attempted interception by night fighters failed. 1858 Tom Cat #l intercepting; tallyho one Francis 305*/20 miles from Task Group. 1859 one Francis shot down; the pilot bailed out, no attempt was made to recover the pilot. 858 bogeys from 280*-130*/80 miles out from Task Group 38.1. 1901 Tom Cat #l reported possible bogeys coming in. 1901 from Tom Cat #1, 350*/130 miles, 315*/40 miles, 300*/40 miles, angels 35. 1903 Tom Cat #1 CAP shot down one Francis. 1914 Raids as follows for Tom Cat #1, #11 295*/45 miles, #14 325*/11miles all these raids used snooper type tactics; no interceptions were made by other than CAP. As is often the case, there were more bogey reports than actual bogeys, and the exact situation often became confused. 1924 Raid #15 355*/62 miles crossed on course 220*, no interception was attempted. 1931 Raid #16, crossing 270*/10 miles, on course 130*. All raids seemed to concentrate on Tom Cat #l and none closed on Task Group or other Task Groups. All attacks seemed half hearted. The main approach height by all bogeys was 700 feet. No other contacts were made after 1945 on 04 August 1945.

13 August 1945
All raids disappeared quite suddenly.

15 August 1945
1330 The CAP from Task Group 38.5 made a tallyho on one Kate with a torpedo and splashed some 10 miles north of the Task Group. 1330 Bogey was picked up 220*/70 miles course 000*, angels 20; closed by CAP from Task Group 38.1 but no tallyho made. Raid finally splashed by CAP from destroyer pickets (Tom Cat #1). Strikes against Tokyo area. Destroyer pickets CAP downed the following; 0530 one Myrt 180*/50 miles, 1120 one Nick 240*/60 miles; 1315 two single engine planes 249*/60 miles; 1200 one Grace 245*/60 miles. Following the first concentrated air attack encountered during the present operation. 1620 Air attack encountered during the present operation. 1620 Air attack. 1628 U.S.S. SAN JACINTO plane shot down one Judy, 25 miles northeast of formation. 1645 089*/20 miles, one bogie shot down. 1658 One Frank shot down. Summary of bogies shot down. 090*/10 miles; 090*/20 miles; 345*/20 miles. Total shot down 4 planes. 1748 bogey 287*/70 miles, course 110* picket destroyer (Watch Dog), 255*/38 miles intercepted with CAP. CAP intercepted one Irving 270*/55 miles from Task Group at angel 34; plane shot down by F4U's. 1821 Picket destroyer (Watch Dog) CAP intercepting bogies 320*/20 miles, angels 80, course 130*, speed 200 knots. 1834 Tallyho on two Nicks. 1836 One Nick shot down in flames. 1844 Picket destroyer (Tom Cat #l), 326*/40 miles, Raid 6-280*/40 miles from Tom Cat #1; 310*/80 miles from Task Group 38.1; 1845 313*/72 miles. 1848 Tallyho, one Francis; 1849 Shot down one Francis. 1847 Raid 7 295*/71 miles.

Last Updated 31 July 2000

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