Imperial Valley press. (El Centro, Calif.) 1907-current, 1943-01-04
One U.S.. Warship
Bags 81 AirpIanes
Sinks 4 Jap Ships

Continued From Page II
half an hour later. Forty torpedo
planes and dive bombers in this
group approached in waves about
five miles zone minute to q minute
and half apart. They maneuvered
into position to strike together. "A
curying wall of steel from the great
ship met them. All either were drlV-
en- eff or shot down.
A third attack came SO minutes
after the first and lasted III MIN
utes. This time "a dive bombers and
torpedo planes came at the battle
ship.
A fragment of a bomb struck
Catch on the neck, severing an ar
terry, and the force of the blast
hurled him against the coming
tower, knocking him unconscious
and tee ting the muscles of his
shoulder.
TO FIGHT AGAIN
Less than three weeks later Catch
was up and declaring himself ready
for another fight, although his left
arm was injured, as it still is. The
admiral in command said. Il don't
expect you to strange Japs." Catch,
despite the injury. took the battle
ship into its second action.
This was a night battle, part of
what has since been called the bat
tie of Guadalcanal, where the cruis-
erS Boise and San Francisco dis
tinguished themselves. -
,,,N@
(the Americans name for the strait
between the islands Of Guadalcanal
and Savo) We got into far corner
and slowed down. We found no Japs,
although we knew that they were
somewhere about waiting for US.
They had set trap, and we were
trying to find it, SO we could go
on in and get caught. We wanted
to get caught They weren't ex-
pecting us; they had set this trap
for foxes and we didn't think it
would hold bears"
JAP SHIPS SPOTTED
The battleships lookouts spotted
a large enemy cruiser with two
smaller cruisers following closely
in column.
The battleship's 16-inch guns
swung to drop their huge projectiles
at the range. All three cruisers were
sunk before their own guns were
within range of the battleship.
Catch reported: They never knew
just what sank them.
The enemy now srrang the
trap he had set. Dead astcrn of us
destroyer Tor light cruiser was
picked up. Our after turret fired
three salvos. We could see the Jap
burst into flame. His bow rose to
As degrees and he went down stern
first"
Near the southern end of SavO
Island Japanese cruisers and de-
stroyers dashed out from alongside
the cliffs, where they had been hid
ing, and launched torpedo attack
on the American deStroycrs.
Four SearchlightS from a japanese
cruiser lighted the battlcShip. and
fire was opened by cruisers and a
japanese battleShip.
LIGHTS SHOT OUT
within a second after the search
! lK.htS we're on us, our secondary
batteries opened up and their
SearchlightS went out; then, 80 Sec
onds later. our main batteries fired
We were fighting the cruisers. One
OF our own LattIeShirS ahead of us
was pouring shells into the Jap
battleShip, but now and again the
big enemy ship would turn one way,
until the U. 6, battleship ahead
Silenccd it."
An enemy cruiser had scored a
hit on the coming tower of Gatch's
ship, starting fire.
Il was on the catWalk," Catch
said. I'D been dying for cigarette,
and now I thought could have one
SO 1 drew my lighter, one of the
men shouted, Captain, sir! You'll
give away our position! / just look :
cd up at the flames near the top of
our mast and finished ttc cigar
cite"