RECOLLECTIONS

Jack Sloan Revised 1989

“Operation Torch and Naval Action off Casablanca”.

On the evening of 7 November 1942, the USS Swanson as part of the Western Task Force under the command of Vice Admiral Hewitt was making the final approach to the transport area off Cape Fedhala, North Africa.

During that night President Roosevelt Broadcast a message to the French Forces in North Africa, asking them not to resist the American Forces whose purpose was to engage and defeat the German and Italian Military Forces occupying the various countries of North Africa.

After the troop ships(APA’s) anchored in the Transport area, and disembarked their troops into LCVPs , the Swanson got underway to lead a wave of LCVPs to the “Line of Departure”, which was approximately 2 miles off Cape Fedhala. The Swanson dropped anchor at short stay at the line of departure.

Prior to dawn a French Search Light came on briefly , and then the French shore batteries opened fire on our troops now landing and moving inland from the beaches. On TBS, Commander Center Attack Group gave the order to “Play Ball”. The Swanson along with all the Destroyers of DESDIV 26 (Cdr. E.R. Durgin embarked in Wilkes), quickly hoisted anchor and got underway.

DESDIV 26 moved promptly into position and brought our guns to bear on the French shore batteries to silence them and assist our troops. As daylight was breaking , DESDIV 26 was in column. The order of the ships was: Wilkes, Swanson, Ludlow and Murphy.We were firing to starboard with our 5”/38 caliber guns at the French shore batteries.

Then we came under fire from the French shore batteries. This was our baptism of enemy gun fire. Some of the projectiles were passing over the ship, some were passing between the stacks, and some were falling short. The French had chosen beautiful colors to mark the fall of their projectiles. The heavy projectiles landing in the water caused huge geysers to erupt. Some were white-white, some were green or blue or yellow etc. This helped the French spotters to identify which projectiles was from which gun.

At this time I ordered all signalmen and quartermasters into the chart house just in case we had a burst with flying shrapnel. Later on review I thought this was dumb.

Captain Markham put the Swanson into violent radical maneuvers, to avoid the enemy shells. At one point I thought he was chasing the fall of the projectiles.

Then the Murphy was hit in the after Engine Room and fell out of formation. She became dead in the water, at which time she was hit again. The Murphy then got underway. Our shipmate Earl Coombs QM3/c who recently had been transferred to the Murphy was at the helm during the action.

After a short interval we were ordered to form up on the Wilkes, and with the Ludlow astern of the Swanson. The French Fleet had sallied forth from Casablanca harbor and was heading toward our troops on the beaches or toward our transport. We were ordered to intercept the French ships.

We immediately took the French Ships under fire. However we were at maximum range for our 5”/38 caliber guns. The Ludlow received a hit, and I vividly recall our Gunnery Officer Lt. A.M. Purdy in the Fire Control Directory very loud and strongly urging Captain Markham to “Get me closer!”. By then we were receiving fire from the French ships, and we had fouled the Brooklyn firing range. She was firing directly over us. (some said between our stacks- it was too close for comfort !). Captain Markham wheeled the Swanson and passed astern of the Brooklyn.

Although we inflicted some damage on the French. The Brooklyn with her 6” guns; the Augusta with her 8” guns, and the Massachusetts with her 16” guns badly mauled the gallant French Ships.

At one point during the battle with the French a French Plane made a mock bombing , strafing run on the Wilkes, Swanson and Ludlow. The plane evidently was unarmed but wanted to distract us.

During the next few days we performed carrier screen duty , plus anti-submarine screen duty around the transport area.

On 16 November while patrolling an area off Casablanca harbor at approximately 1230 the Swanson picked up a sonar contact. With Lt. Purdy at the Conn, we dropped depth charges. Lt. Purdy felt contact was doubtful.

At approximately 1400 sonar contact was obtained and with LCDR Robertson at the conn, depth charges were dropped. Glenn Kitchell CQM in the Chart house was calling out there was a sunken wreck at that location, and simultaneously we were receiving a visual message from COMDESRON 13 (Captain J.B. Heffernan embarked in Bristol DD 453) that we were depth charging a sunken wreck).

I clearly recall LCDR. Robertson’s second pass at approximately 1420, when we dropped charges. Oil, debris, and wood came broiling up to the surface. LCDR. Robertson came running out of the pilot house to the port wing of the bridge. His eyes had a very surprised look. Then he ran back into the Pilot house to bring the Swanson about so sonar could search the area.