The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1944-06-23

flew the Lone Star flag Of Texas.
BY 10 a. m. there were no fur.
ther alarms. Nothing was in sight
on the sea as the fleet rushed tow
ard the Japanese ships in the west
Occasionally the dismal wreckage Of
what had been part Of Nippon's
sea-based aerial fleet floated by
Spruance was trying desperately
for surface battle with the Japs
which he now had been seeking fol
MIRO than year.
Outside Chance
Because Of the distance between
the fleets this was an outside
chance. The Japs definitely were
located the next afternoon by scout
planes and big American bombing
and torpedo plane fleet was launched
late in the afternoon to try to
reach and slow down the enemy SO
fast battleships could catch them
This the Japs were determined to
prevent.
Our bombers took off almost into
the setting sun. They had only a
couple of hours of light left and
the trip ahead Of them was at abb
solute maximum range for carrier
planes.
The carriers cleared their decks
for the strike, sent out everything
on their flight decks while the fleet
increased its speed westward. For
hours there was no report whatso-
ever from the bombing fleet. There
was nothing to do aboard ship but
watch our warcraft pounding
through the waves with hulls trem-
bling from speed, or to cling to the
radios, listening.
Hours went by and still there was
no report. Finally, long after dark,
our planes broke radio silence just
once:
Two carriers smoking"
Silence
Then there were more hours Of
silence.
Long after nightfall, the first
planes returned to the blacked-out
fleet. First there swas one lone
bomber circling overhead with
landing lights showing on the wings.
The fleet below sprouted lights
red mast lights on the warships,
dull landing illumination on the
carriers.
Finally, one long, powerful search
light beam was thrown up into the
sky. This beacon marked home"
for the returning planes.
More and more planes appeared
and more lights covered the sea.
Remember, t his was half way
between the Marianas and the
Philippines and well west Of Tokyo
Unfortunately for our stern chase
of the Japs, it was necessary 10
turn the carriers into the wind,
which was blowing from the east,
in order to land the planes. This
cost valuable time, but 1t couldn't
have been prevented.
Low on Gas
The planes circled and our inner
ship radio was frantic. All the
aircraft were perilously low on
gasoline, the first plane ran out OF
gasoline and landed on the sea be-
cause it was unable to get aboard
its carrier quickly enough.
The crew1nen climbed = aboard
their rubber raft and added their
blinking flashlights to the conlus-
ing battery OF lights illuminating
the sea from the every direction.
star shells were fired into the air
as struggling planes came IN through
the clouds.
It was possible from the hagsehip
to watch the hazardous landings
on the carriers Plane lights circlea
and dropped lower and lower until'
guided by illuminated paddles ham
died BY perspiring deck officers'
they approached the fight decks.
Sometimes they were too high. as
pilots strained TO see in the DARK
Then they bounced sickenmgiy.
wrecking their landing gears or
smashing into barriers. The plane
handlers dared the whirling pro-
pellers 10 haul the disabled planes
forward so others could land.
Some landed safety, some did not.
Most OF the crewmen who went
into the sea freed themselves from
their planes and reached their rub
Der boats. Destroyers picked their
way among larger ships TO haul
them the water. Gradually lights IN
the dark multiplied. The planes were
returning faster than they could
be landed.
This flagship yeered a few yards
on Us course 10 avoid . rubber boat
whose occupants slgnaled frantically
As the Memmoth vessel appeared
70 be bearing down on them. The
pilot IN the boat and the men on
the rails stared through the dark
AZ each nthnr a the Rhin nonnde0