March 16th Well the months are rolling along. We are
now on an operation that will last 4 months. We are
up about 100 miles off the southern coast of Japan.

17th  We hit an Island today and good results were
reported. Knocked down some factories but not many
planes were there. Our pilots report they have
discovered 4 Destroyers, 1 Carrier, 2 Cruisers and 1
Battle Wagon in the port of this Island. Later in the
day they reported sighting 35 ships 250 miles away.
We are almost at our hunting's end.

18th    It's a clear day today at 5:40am. The sun is
beautiful, the water is smooth as velvet. We are launching
planes now. Hundreds of them. Last night, the 17th, we were
fired upon by a torpedo. It missed our bow by 150 ft. We
were at General Quarters most of the day today. We were
faced with suicide pilots. They follow our strikes back and
crash dive on our Carriers. One of them crashed onto the Big
E. (Enterprise) making a large hole in her flight deck.
Another hit the (Intrepid) damage very slight. Most of the
planes were launched.

19th    Bad luck follows us. These Japs just keep sending
their suicide planes over and we do our best to knock them
down. Some of them get through. Our radar is ineffective, at
times. We have Human lookouts too, but, they can't be
perfect, always. This AM at 11 o'clock a big strike was
taking off from the Carriers. Most of the planes were in the
air including Hellcats, Corsairs and P.B.Y's. A Jap plane
came streaking in and dropped a 100 lb. bomb on the
(Franklin) a first line Carrier. (A new one just out on it's
first job with us. )  The loss was tremendous. Although her
planes were most all launched, her flight deck, her hanger
deck , super structure and all engine rooms except the
forward one is all gone. She was gutted by fire from stem to
stern. We picked up 85 survivors plus 2 Admirals and their
staff. They are trying frantically to save her.

NOTE: Franklin lost roughly 700 lives in this attack.

20th    She is still afloat and the fire is out. We went
back to her late yesterday afternoon, to escort and protect
her, out of the danger zone. She's under her own power doing
6 knots. She has a bad starboard list. We and the Guam, the
Alaska, and 4 other cans are with her. (Guam and Alaska are
Battle Cruisers similar to the German Packet Battle Wagons),
where we will take her I'm not sure yet. In the afternoon 4
Jap planes came back to finish her off. Result: 4 planes in
the deep six. We've been at GQ for 32 hours straight. I'm
very tired. They tell me I snored while I was standing.

21st    Swell day. The Franklin is still with us. She looks
like a monster who, had went thru the meat grinder. But
she's still afloat and doing 6 knots under her own power.
The (Wasp) was hit last night. Damage slight. The Carriers
are the ships these suicide guys aim for now. These Jap
suicide pilots are not cowards! We in the Navy learn to be
always watchful of them. Wonder what the fleet is doing to
the Jap fleet today ? I don't know yet where we are taking
this carrier. It's very cold up here. Japs have cold weather
too.

April 8    I see I haven't written a thing since March
22.We've been very busy out here. We are operating off of
Okinawa Jima. If the Japs lose this Island, He had better
stand by for a great shock. He's lost the war. April 6-7 we
were under a heavy air attack. Our Task Group shot down 150
planes alone. The total for our whole fleet was around 400.
One jap suicide got thru to the Hancock, a 1st line carrier,
set her afire but she's still with us under her own power.
We think the Jap is using some of our own F41's against us.
Yesterday we caught the jap surface force50 miles south of
Kyushu and sank her 45,000 ton Battlewagon "Yamato" the most
powerful ship in her fleet, also a light cruiser, small
cruiser and three other destroyers and the destroyers were
left burning. We threw 5 torpedoes and 3 bombs into the
Yamoto. We lost 3 destroyers. This enemy air craft is what
worries me. These damn fools really suicide dive. We picked
up a Jap pilot who had just finished his school in suicide
tactics, He begged us to kill him so he could die for his
Emperor. Suckers that we are, we'll feed him well and take
him back to the USA.

June 5    We were told to lash everything we had loose, down
to the deck. Heading into a typhoon. I can't begin to to
describe one of those but here's an example of what happened
to us. It started at 2:30am. The wind got up to a speed of
170 miles per hr the water was coming over the ship in tons.
The waves were estimated by the Commander as being from 85
to 105 ft in height. We were tossed like a rubber ball. In
January we went thru the worst typhoon the US Navy ever had
in it's history. We lost at that time, 3 destroyers, the
Hull, Spence and one other. Then in Feb we were in the China
sea. We ran into a storm there that made this ship take a 58
degree roll.  The biggest a Tin Can has ever was known to
and still stay afloat. And now this one in June. We were all
scared to death and we were so thankful we came out of it
safe. The Hornet and Bennington has their flight decks all
bent up and are launching their planes backwards. The heavy
cruiser Pittsburg lost 60 ft of their bow, several other
cans are out of commission. But the Mighty Twining keeps on
churning along. The three typhoons Ive been thru are enough
in any one man's life. They do more to us than the Jap does.
Our Task Group is so beaten up we are going to start into
port the 10th. Leyte, this time. We have all our stuff out
of Ulithi. Our squad consists of 8 Cans to a squad. We have
been in two squadrons and we're the last Can left in them
both. The last of the Mohecans you might say. And the more
ships that get hit the more and more chances of getting
home, diminish.

June 10    Weather is lousy, but our Task Force fueled this
morning and we are on our way to port. Leyte, this time. And
from now on I guess. We were told to get out all our cold
weather gear cause we'd be needing it on our next operation.
So we look forward to a "hot time" North of Japan. Just what
Island we don't know and won't till we are well on our way
there. The Okinowa deal is about wound up. So far as the
fleet is concerned, it is. We picked up a man who fell
overboard off the San Janucinto. Seen the new "Bohn Homme
Richard" carrier, today. It's a sight pretty as a picture.
It's only been in use a year over in the Atlantic. Got 5
letters from Rue today. She is wonderful. The Hornet goes
back to the states to get her flight deck repaired. Hope the
Japs give up soon. They can't possibly win.

June 22    We have been in Leyte Gulf for the past 12 days.
Natives in their outrigger boats come to our ship to trade
bracelets, necklaces, slippers or anything they make for
cigarettes. We go over to the Island of Samar for our
recreation. We are to leave out of  here the 28th for the
China Sea, and way north of Japan where so far, we've never
been. It's going to be cold there. It's very very hot here.
I am told our next port will be Enowitak. If that is true we
are dropping way back. It must be a sign of going home,
soon. My mail is coming thru better since being in the
Philippines. Get letters in 11 days from the states. I
haven't written much in this book cause we are in port and
nothing happens except lots of hard work on my 40mm. And in
the evenings we see a show on the focastle. Today we raised
the American Flag on Okinawa. All hands received a "Well
Done " from the Fleet  Command. I'm glad we are done with
it. The Jap has 95,000 dead, we have 45,000 killed wounded
or missing. I suspect a lot of these "bum boats" who trade
with us to be a good percent Japanese. There are still
30,000 of  them on or around Leyte.

June 26    We were selected to take the "Yorktown" (a
carrier) out to maneuvers. She has a complete new flight
squadron on her. We are to go along and help give them the
know how.

June 27    We are out of the Phillipines about 100 miles.
The Yorktown is doing swell Her Pilots are regular winyards,
for new ones. I know there are no better pilots in the world
than ours. It's certainly a beautiful day. But very hot.

June 28    This morning as two planes took off from the
Yorktown one of them couldn't gain his altitude. He went for
about 2 miles before crashing into the sea. His nose of the
plane went straight down all but about 4 ft of the tail,
stayed above water. We hurried over to the spot and rescued
two pilots. One a LT. Commander. Both of them were hurt bad.
One had 2 fingers broken and a cut on the forehead which the
Doc took 15 stitches in. The other had a broken nose and
other cuts about the head. This brings our total to 17
rescued from Davie Jones locker. When we put them back
aboard the carrier we were given 30 gals of Ice cream "Gee
dunki"

June 30    We are back in the Phillipines and I am to go on
a liberty party on the island of  Samar. Across the gulf is
Leyte. The Island of Samar is very mountainous and about 25
miles wide and a hundred or more long. I was allowed 4 cans
of beer and no more. Trading was done by the crew. Some of
the guys ran away from the SP's and swam a small river to
get into the Village. Some got what they were looking for
"POM POM". Now the Doc is watching them close.

July 1    We are on our way to another daring mission We
were told this will be the last one before we start back to
the states. I surely hope so. We are going to Honshu and
Tokyo. There are some large shore batteries on Honshu and
the wagons and cruisers are to go in for 4 days and bombard.
We are to go on to Tokyo with the Carriers and bomb her for
7 days. It's supposed to be cold up there now. It was rather
cold there in Jan when I was there. I hope everything goes
well. I'm not scared like I was at first, any more.

July 3    We are doing a lot of drills and practice in these
8 days. We are to start in on the 9th and hit on the 10th.
So we are taking advantage of all the extra time we have,
for practice. The Twin 40MM which is my own private
responsibility is working well. I stepped it up from 120 t0
140 rounds per minute.All the advance dope now seems to be
this: We are going way north of Japan right close to the
Aleutians Islands. No invasion force, no marines, soldiers ,
just us. I and the rest of us expect a very bad time. We got
our guns and ship in excellent shape. So, good hunting.

July 4     Today we had lots of sleeve and target firing.I
guess I've never seen so much fire or heard so much noise on
any 4th of July as I did on this one. We, our ship, knocked
down 2 sleeves. I guess we are pretty good.

July 5    We were awakened at 4:40am today. A two star
Admiral and his staff came aboard this ship to be
transferred to the "Yorktown" a carrier. We took him off the
"Wisconsin" a battleship. While we were doing it their band
played quite a few marches. They ended with "On Wisconsin".
It was the first band music I have heard for over a year. It
sure sounded swell and made me plenty homesick. We are the
senior destroyer out here now. And we have 65 with us. The
attack force we have assembled with us right now is in part:
15 first line Carriers, 8 Battle ships, 8 Heavy Cruisers, 6
Light Cruisers and 65 Destroyers, to be joined Sunday by 8
more Carriers of the British fleet. It makes me proud to be
part of the greatest force afloat, anyplace, in the world.

July 8    We met the tankers today. They were from
out of Saipan. Refueled, passed mail( I  received two
letters) and took on provisions. Our Hospital ship met
us today. Won't be long now till we see some killing,
again.

July 9    We are 410 miles from our first target on the
Japanese homeland, with our attack scheduled for tomorrow
the 10th. We are going directly north now for 3 degrees or
180 miles. We've ran into some of the Enemy already. Last
night we sounded subs. Found 4 of them. Sank possibly two ,
one for certain. Today we are encountering lots of mines,
destroyed 4 so far and more reported ahead. We strike at
dawn tomorrow with a force never before in our history, has
it been as big, Our now famous Task Force 38 & 58. I've been
part of it for 8 mth. now. The water is choppy and at times
rough. The weather is very dreary , dark gray and rainy.Cool
and very cold at night. the ships out on the horizon look
like huge, great ghost. Morality is very high. We were fed
steak and eggs today. That is always a sign of battle ahead
and tonight will see each man write an extra Letter home and
then he'll go read his Bible for awhile. It never has failed
yet. So, I'm hoping for all the luck we've had in the past
two look after us tomorrow at dawn and for the dawns of
seven days thereafter.

July 10    2:50 AM. and we are on picket duty 40 miles off
the coast of Tokyo! We are all alert and all watchers are
doubled. Last night we were in the vicinity of enemy subs
and were ordered to the area and told, "At all costs, do not
let them surface till dark". We didn't. It would have tipped
our hand of what we are doing today. The Yarnell, Stockholm,
Frank knox and twining were chosen for the ships to picket.
We were the closest surface craft to Tokyo. So the Carriers
threw over 1000 planes in a surprise raid. one of the
greatest of this war. Results were we knocked out a big oil
refinery and with the help of B29's off Guam we dumped 3500
tons of bombs and shells. Not bad. We are drawing back to a
fuel area now. Will go back the 12th. So far all's well. The
weather is cold but visibility is swell.

July 13    We were to strike the northern tip of Japan today
but Mother nature interfered. It was so rough we couldn't
launch planes. Ceiling was zero. So dark cold and foggy that
Halsey called it off. So we maintained radio silence and
layed out off the coast 60 miles.

July 14    "The Bull" issued orders to go in today rough or
no. But as daybreak came it was reasonably clear.The water
was pretty calm. We were the front line picket ship. No
opposition was put up by the Jap. We encountered only two
bogies and we were in to within 30 miles of their land. At
noon our group began the first heavy surface bombardment of
Japan main Island since the war began, Our attack is
continuing and is concentrated on installations near
Kamaishi 275 miles northeast of Tokyo on Honshu. Rear
Admiral Shaforth commanding bombardment group. The same
place tomorrow too.

July 15    Some of the newest battleships of the Pacific
fleet, the Missouri, Wisconsin and Iowa along with a group
of destroyers, bombarded a large steel center at Muroran
while our own group continued to hit other parts of the
northern Japan in our second consecutive day. We are giving
Kamaishi, on Honshu, hell. The bombardment we put up there
lasted for two hours. Which, incidentally, kept we men at
our guns for 22 straight hours. We've been at our guns for
37 out of 48 hrs, even tho we've met no resistance.

The shelling took place from the sea five miles out from
land. Fog was very thick and sky overcast. Temperature 40.
We are supposed to retire tonight to a fueling area and that
means mail (I hope) from the tankers. Our ship the Twining
was in 2nd closest to the beach. We furnished the C.A.P.
with fighter director and picket or (watch dog) duty. We
formed a screen between our bombarding forces and our
carriers, which lie back about 100 miles. We haven't tossed
a shell yet. Can't tell when we will though. Nearest we were
to the Island yesterday was 25 miles. Those battlewagons
have 9 - 16 inch gun shot toss a 2300 lb. shell at an
effective range of 22 miles. So there was plenty of steam
behind those shells from a distance of 5 miles out. Seen two
huge whales and a few sea lions today, also.

July 16    We met up with the British forces for the first
time, today. They have quite a big unit out here. They
filled from our tankers. Some of the ships they have with
them that I'm supposed to know ,are."King George V", a
battlewagon. The carrier "Formidable", and cruiser "Black
Prince" and "Newfoundland", also quite a few "Cans".

July 17     We went in again today. The weather has been
terrible. Ceiling almost zero, water rough. But still we
done a lot of dirty stuff to the Nip. What is most
surprising to us is the fact we don't have any opposition,
to speak of, just a few mines and planes. Our carriers sent
in over 1000 planes. We hit at dawn today. The command of
the British forces went to Halsy. Commanding them under him
were Vice Admiral Sir Bernard Rawlins and Vice Admiral
Philip Vain in charge of Carriers. Still we we are up
knocking at Tokyo's door.

July 18    Last night at 2300 our battlewagons gave Tokyo a
(piss call ) then knocked the can right out from under them.
Still no opposition. They were to go in agaiin today at
noon. The weather here is really terrible, wind about 60
miles, water very rough and sky foggy and black, temperature
48. Still we hit them. I wouldn't be at all surprised if we
don't invade within the next 60 - 80 days. We are all ready.
We want to get this dirty work done. A plane took off a
carrier today and all of a sudden it caught fire then blew
into a million pieces.

July 19    Our forces are still up around Tokyo. Tomorrow we
retire to a fueling area. Supposed to meet the southern
tankers. We hit a combatant shipping at Yokosuka, a naval
base at mouth of Tokyo. ( Combatant shipping means we caught
remnants of the Jap fleet).Our destroyers and cruisers
continued to pound the Tokyo area long after the big boys
withdrew. No resistance at all. We came upon a jap decoy
parachute that dropped in the center of our formation this
evening. It carried a 500 lb. bomb and was inflated ith
helium gasses. Needless to say we steered clear of it.

July 23    After refueling we layed around until each of our
Battleships were loaded with 500 - 2700 lb. shells, 16 inch.
Tis said we are to go in on a shore bombardment trip again,
We are all ready.

July 24    We are headed for an air field in Kobe. This
afternoon we were waiting for the official word. After
eating chow at 4:00PM we are all waited. Here it came. Over
the speakers come words that thrill and at the  same time
scare a person. "Now hear this, for the information of all
hands, we have been selected to go in for surface sweeps and
if  unchallenged will shell an airfield at Kobe. " We were
to enter the bay at 11pm and by 2:00am were to be at our
target. All night we waited. I wrote Skip, Sis and Rue on 3
- 5 inch projectiles. Finally we were told that the Island
of Honshu lay off our port beam. Sure enough there she was
bigger than all hell and twice as wide. It was moon light
and we kept our fingers crossed. Nothing happened. We
continued at a speed of 31 knots.We were told it would be 45
minutes to firing time. Finally, it happened. Our 4 light
cruisers opened with six inch guns we followed with 5 inch.
There were 7 destroyers and 4 cruisers. We sure played holy
hell for 2 minutes and 40 seconds. Still we didn't get no
answering fire. Eventually a couple planes came up and were
quickly splashed. Outside of that, nothing else happened,
much. Kure, is being hit by our other units at the same
time. I'll know what damage we did tomorrow. While we were
waiting , to fire, which incidentally , is a hard thing to
learn how to do, I kept my gun crew interested by asking
questions out of a firing book. Some fun I say.

July25     I didn't mention the cruisers names yesterday so
I enter them today. They were the Pasadena, Wilkes Barrie,
Sprongfield, and the Astoria. Net results were a radio
station and shot hell out of their seaplane base. The patter
runs about the same.

July 27 Yesterday our planes were bombing and strafing
Kure, navel base. One of the scout planes went in on a
strafing run and when he came out, flying low, a ship, a jap
cruiser opened on him. He was knocked down and was picked up
by one of our Submarines  Today we sent our planes in to
knock off the cruiser and we ran into practically all of
what was left of the Jap Fleet. So, now we are supposed to
finish it off.

July 29    Wow - Here's the unofficial score. We're very
lucky for good planes and straight shooting guns. We sunk 15
of their ships, damaged 150 planes. This is the third day of
destruction heaped on Kure. The Jap has lost, to the third
fleet, 1078 planes destroyed or damaged and 740 ships sunk
or damaged since July10. The 30,000 ton battleship "Haruna"
and the "IOE" were left burning or disabled. Heavy cruiser
"Oyoba" and light cruiser "Tore" and "Oyada" were sinking.
Our pilots said they destroyed the battleship "HUyga" which
was left beached and her decks awash. The jap fleet is
practically now non-existent. As proof today - right this
minute - I am just 40 miles off the coast of Tokyo. We are
picket for the today and so far - no opposition.
 

July 31    The destroyers went 30 miles into Japanese Bay to
bombard port city of Shimizu, 100 miles southwest of Tokyo.
There were 24 warships. At the point where bombardment took
place the channel was only 10 miles wide, Suruga bay is
hemmed in on three sides by coast line. Practically all the
bay is landlocked.The city has a population of  about
69,000. And center of Jap aluminum industry. Good results
were reported.

Aug 5    Three more days left on this operation. We've been
all up and down the coast of Japan  and haven't run into a
lot of opposition. A few days ago a Jap plane came in on the
"Calahan" a destroyer, and suicide on her. The plane was
made of bamboo and wood, the motor was small and capable of
only 90 miles per hr. Top speed. Really a sitting duck,
compared to these 400 mile per hr babies we got. But it was
something new and it got away with it's mission. I bet the
Jap can't do it again. We have been running away from a
typhoon for three days We have run as far south as IWo Jima.
Reports are that it has blown way up north of Japan so
tomorrow we start back to raise hell again. And do we do a
job of it.

Aug 6    We are supposed to be the picket for today.
Yesterday, our airforces dropped a new bomb on the Jap. It
is an atomic bomb. It was dropped on Hiroshima, twenty miles
from the naval base at Kure where the fleet has raised the
very devil. It is not yet known how much destruction the new
bomb has caused. Tomorrow, we are to go into inland sea of
Japan for a bombardment strike. More steak and eggs to
night. We are all anxious and on edge. It will be the first
time such a stunt has been pulled.

Aug 7    We were on our way to blow hell out of the shore
line of the inland sea and were within 40 miles of our
objective when we were recalled to the task force. It seems
our government wanted no strike against Japan today. From
the results of the new bomb, the Jap Gov't has called a
meeting and I guess there are very high hopes of them asking
for peace. Some of the results are in and available to us of
the destructive power of the bomb. It destroyed everything
in a 4 1/2 square mile area. The Town of Hiroshima has
300,000 pop. and 60 % of everything there was totally
destroyed. So it's up to the Jap whether we pound Japan into
the sea. We are to strike one more day and then retire to
our new port. Aniwitak. This operation has lasted so far 38
days. I've recorded things of interest that has happened
during this 38 day operation leaving out some of the routine
things such as destroying mines, which were 11. Fueling,
mail passing, and the like, So I guess if we hit them
tomorrow, that will be all until the last of August when we
will start again. We should have started for the states when
we finish up this operation but were ordered to carry on. We
are all very tired and a disappointed crew.  This ship has
been out here 19 months. Why the hell those bastards in the
states can't relieve us is more than we can figure out. I
guess the Navy wants to fool around with us and our very
remarkable record till we are sunk or terribly damaged. We
have passed the 160,000 mile mark of which 90,000 of them I
put in on this fighting ship called, by the fleet, the
"Mighty T".

Aug 8 -  We of the 3rd fleet struck again today. Tomorrow we
fuel 38 degrees above Japan. We were going to start into
port tomorrow but orders came thru to stay till the 14th. If
we do, we've beaten Columbus record of 42 days at sea. Hit
Nagasaki with another atomic Bomb yesterday We hit northern
Honshu today. Last night, 3 suicide planes attacked the
Twining, and 3 other cans. We drove two off but the third, a
Val, got up high circled around a bit and started his dive.
We opened on him with 5 inch first. He seemed to lead or
have a charmed life. 4 of the shells burst in front of him
but still he came. Then the 40mm opened and threw so much
lead at him the smoke was nearly blinding. He pulled up and
swung way out to our starboard and started his climb again.
All this time the ship was doing 33 knots and the Captain
was keeping it in a hard continuos starboard turn.  The Jap
fooled around for awhile again and down he came, clocked at
348 miles per hr , straight for our no. 1 stack. All guns
opened and we put so much flack and exploding shells into
and around him it seemed he'd blow up, still down he came.
all the time we were going full speed ahead and turning
hard. When it seemed all was lost and he'd surely hit the
stack and bridge, the ship seemed to slide back to the port
side, fast. He overshot us and joined his ancestors in Davie
Jones locker. If ever a plane had our name on it , He did.
We had him under fire for 7 1/2 minutes and threw 2100
rounds of  ammunition at him. We found out later that when
he was within a 1000 yards of us our skipper signed for a 30
degree hard left rudder thus throwing him off our starboard
side. I feel I'm one of 322 men who are lucky to be alive
enough to record this today. And I bet too, he is so full of
shrapnel he sunk quick.

Aug 10 -  We heard the Jap had surrendered to our Potsdam
terms. We really celebrated by shaking hands, coughing,
praying, but at 1 o'clock in the morning , we heard there
was strings attached. That the Jap submitted to
unconditional surrender but , they wanted the Emperor to
keep his throne. We out here say, "let him keep it", but the
poor over paid civilian at home who isn't laying his life on
the line, out here or no where else and for no one, says
"carry on, kill the bastard." Wish the so called &#% who
says that could be in on a suicide attack , just once. I
guess the people at home think what the hell, I'm making
plenty let the suckers, the patriots, the dopes, keep up the
fight. Well,  I'll always remember the civilians as a bunch
of people who never got behind their flag waving.

Aug 13 -   Striking Tokyo area again today. We've sort of
took it easy and held off our strikes till we found out if
they've accepted our surrender terms or rejected them.. But
it now appears as tho it was all a dream and perhaps a
scheme to catch us napping. So, today, we are laying 80
miles off the coast of central Japan and sending in about
1500 planes. We are close so if they accept us we can we
will put a landing party ashore there. Meet tankers tomorrow
maybe will get mail. We've been out 43 days today.

Aug 14 -  Still talking peace. But nothing is official. We
are to assume we are still at war and carry on. And the Japs
are not only assuming it he is doing it. Today 14 different
kinds of planes came over our group only to be splashed. No
mail from home yet. Our food  is  very poor. Worms, bugs and
rotten meat. But if a person gets hungry enough , he'll eat
it and be satisfied. One thing about the Navy. You eat what
they have or go without.  And 9 of 10 times, you'll eat.
Sure hope this thing is over soon. I'm worn out.

Aug 15 - This is it! The war is officially over! We were given
the (cease-fire) at 1:30P.M. today.  Still we had to splash
two zero's at 3:20! But I guess we'll be bothered with a few
(bonsai) for a few days yet. Some of them probably don't
believe it. It's really hard for us  to believe, too. Such
happiness, such joy and tired boys. But through it all,
every man aboard , is to be commended, they never took a
backward step. We've beaten a terrible treacherous foe.  I
pray God, that in the years to come our youth never have to
see this slaughter of human life. What I've written in this
book isn't meant to be hero stuff. On the contrary  it's
meant to show where I've been and what were some of the
dirty tricks pulled. In the past 45 days I've entered most
all events leading up to the surrender. I'm now about 60
miles off the coast of Japan and waiting orders. I hope to
give this account to my son,  some day and I hope he never
has to see or go thru this. War at best is horrible. But
when a man is a pointer on a 5" 38 caliber turret gun and he
points it at a building loaded with human lives ,(even tho
they are enemy) and is ordered to commence fire!  Then when
he closes the key the roar of the gun, the flash, concussion
and then the  building is slowly torn to bits. When the
(Lucky) people run out the order comes over  the phones
phosphorus shells you shudder. Blowing people to bits is bad
enough but when you burn them to death! That was my lot, on
several bombardments(shore). I'll have that picture on my
mind forever. A gunners mate and gunner is nasty cruel and
barbarous business. When - if ever I make another entry in
this, it will be from the  peace time Navy which I am right
now, I'm a part of. But I want to get home now to my  Rue
and kids

NOTE:
 The author of this diary is unknown however the ref to his wife
 RUE would be a good starting point in search of his identity.

Here is an excerpt from a COMMUNIQUÉ issued by our task
force Commander to the press after one of the bombardments
on  Honshu.
 
As our ships withdrew from the firing range, an incident
occurred which confirms the craftiness of the Nips. One of
the first to leave was a battleship that had been blasting
away that morning at the coastal guns at that point. When
the no return fire was forthcoming the ships shifted to
other targets until the order to cease firing for the day
was issued. Now she steamed out to sea, and some distance
astern, a light cruiser and two destroyers followed. The
cruiser with some portion of her days ammunition still
unexpended , fired these remaining shells at the point as a
farewell message. By this time, the battleship was  well out
of range of the coastal battery, while the cruiser and two
destroyers showed within easy range of it's gapping muzzles.
Suddenly, these muzzles which had been silent all day, spat
flame and steel. Splashes close to the cruisers and
destroyers, showed the Japs aim was sour, but the three
ships didn't wait for it to improve. Putting  on full speed
and laying a smoke screen they took it on the lam , firing
salvos at the re-awakened battery as they departed.

The ships that took part in that encounter were the:
Cruiser - Montpellier
Destroyer - Twining
Destroyer - Stockholm
"Our hats are off to a damn well done crew"
Signed
Commander in Chief of South
Western Pacific fleet
C.W.Nimitz
 

Aug 27 -  Since the war has been declared over, we've been
laying off the coast of Japan about 100miles. We are
gathering troops transports, all the gold braid and what
have you. It's  been hard work these past 12 days but now we
are massed and are to start in. Ships  of the US Fleet began
moving into Sagimi Bay just south of Tokyo Bay this morning.
We have been delayed by heavy storms and a typhoon. Sagimi
extends to within 30 miles of Tokyo and the and enemy was
ordered to give our ships safe entry. First the mine sweeps
go in then Twining, Stockholm, then the rest. We can now see
the tip of  land extending up over the horizon and there are
three jap destroyers waiting. I will put  events as they
happen from this point on till we come away from this area.

It is now 5:45 PM and we've dropped anchor in the Bay
directly in front of the Famous  volcano Fugi - Yama.

Aug 28 - We are about one mile off shore and we can see people
coming and going  from this huge Naval and air base. Events
leading up to this moment were: We were led by the Missouri
and steamed into Sagimi Bay within sight for surrender of
Yokosuka  Naval Base. Lines of American and British warships
stretched for miles. We passed  within 3 miles of Oshima.
once heavily fortified Island guarding this bay. It required
6 hrs  for fleet to pass a given point. We are now waiting
for mine sweepers to clear a 2 1/2  mile wide Uraga
straight, in preparation of entering Tokyo Bay itself. A
small two stack  destroyer of the japs met our destroyer
"Nicholas" and guided us in, They kept their guns depressed
while we had ours trained on them at all times.

When we start thru Uraga Straight all of Jap coastal and
shore guns are to be  unmanned and marked with a white flag.
More about the trip when we start this morning at 0900.

Aug 29 - Lots of heavy coastal installations going thru the
Uraga striates. They were marked and  believe me, all the
fellows experienced a tense moment or two.Besides guns,
there  were mines and more mines. We had cleared a 200 ft
channel thru them, one false turn one way or another would
have meant certain death and destruction. The "Sutherland"
then "Twining" then the "Great San Diego?" then the
"wedderburn" went in. The orders of  entry is the way I have
it listed. The news and radio said the San Diego" led us in,
that's a damn lie! That's the trouble tho. A destroyer does
all the dirty work , danger and all.  Then a battle ship or
cruiser gets all the credit. Oh well. As long as I and the
rest of  us know that we were the second ship to enter Tokyo
Bay since the war, I don't mind. It was an experience I'll
never forget.

Aug 31- We have made several trips now thru the straights and
from Sagami Bay to Tokyo bay  is only about 40 miles. We
come out and bring troops thru to make their landings. The
landings come off as smooth as if they were doing it in the
states. No shots fired. We go in and stand by our guns as
the Doggies make a beach head. This afternoon, we  take an
air field. It's huge and sets right at the shore. Lots of
hangers and barracks, also about 1000 planes. No gas or oil
I guess. These Japs do have some fine Naval Bases. Weather
is lousy today. Foggy, rough and rain, Bad day all way
round. Hope the boys have no trouble today. I'm so tired I
could sleep on a dirty steel deck for hours. There is no
rest, at a time like this. Wonder when I'll get home.
 

TOP of PAGE