The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1944-06-23
Full Story Of
Historic Sea Battle
Continued from Page y


Cured June 10 when planes and
anti-aircraft guns of Admiral Ray
mond Ames Spruance's fleet, within
sight Of Guam, turned the Japanese
attack into one Of the wars greatest
aerial disasters for the Axis.
Attacked from West
japanese planes attacked from
the west in long range flights from
carriers. They struck at the Amer
lean feet with the obvious intention
of going on to Guam to refuel, then
striking the Saipan beachheads and
U. S. transports from that base.
However, Spruance held the fleet
near Guam all day and sent waves
of bombers over Guam and Rota.
Thus he prevented japanese land
ings there and made 1t virtually
certain no enemy planes survived
the aerial battle which ragged over
hundreds of miles Of sea.
Japantse planes which escaped our
fighters and anti-aircraft fire al
most certainly were lost in attempt
to return to their carriers-which
were out Of fuel range.
Japanese personnel losses also
were almost 100 per cent since the
battles took place in an area con-
trolled by Spruance's fleet and the
enemy could make no attempt to
rescue pilots who survived sea crash
eS.
Capture One
Now with the Japanese fleet gone,
there Is no chance for any pilot LETT
floating in the area except possible
capture.
It was impossible to see all Of the
first battle phase-a series OF en-
counters which lasted from 10 a. m.
until dark. Part of the battle, how
ever, was within My Ken.
The first action was the takeoff
Of hundreds of American planes,
gaining altitude as the Japanese
were reported approaching. In q
few minutes the first black puffs of
anti-aircraft appeared over the
battleships on the horizon.
The distant ships seemed wreath
ed in fire. Their multiple batteries
threw up a seemingly -impregnable
wall of steel
Two flaming enemy planes crash
ed into the sea among the black
puffs of anti-aircraft fire. The bat
tie was virtually noiseless.
The enemy was reported ap-
preaching on three sides of our
flagship, friendly aircraft left swirlS
and spirals of vapor from their Ia
boring engines. The planes were
visible only when the sunlight flash
ed on their wings.
More BOmbers
The first attack was repealed be-
fore it penetrated the fringes of our
fleet. An hour later more bombers
appeared. One crossed our stern
under intense ack-ack, dropped his
bomb and missed. Forty millimeter
shells from our ship pummeled him
and he attempted to take refuge
in a cloud. Before he reached it,
his plane dropped into the ocean
like a tired buzzard.
The fleet turned and twisted to
evade the still-coming enemy planes
A battlsship on the horizon APP
peared to be belching flame continu-
ously. Its guns fired steadily for 20
minutes. A torpedo bomber off our
starboard passed over a destroyer's
frantic fire apparently unhurt, put
In another moment 1t burst into
flames and crashed into the sea.
PICK UP 3
Overhead. the war in the clouds
went on silently and invisibly. The
roar OF ship guns killed the sound
OF that conflict. It's only evidence
were twin yapor streaks hopelessly
interviewer as the battling fighters
turned, diVed and climbed.
A second torpedo plane ven-
tured through the destroyers fierce
fire which blew that japanese
apart almost Immediately.
Battle Over
As noon neared, the battle was
over. Antl-aircraft still dappled the
horizons. but the flow Of enemy
planes ceased. At 1880 p. m. the
admiral set an example by going TO
lunch.
New attacks hit the fleet frinees
during the afternoon, but the battle
center moved toward Guam and
Rota where the Americans caught
fuelless japanese trying 10 land. on
one Guam field only five planes
remained the following morning OF
more than 100 which the japanese
planned 10 save three. At dusk the
last American planes returned 10
the eircling carriers. They added
up an incredible score and had
lost only 81 planes.
Some OF those downed American
pilots later were picked up. The car
riers worked until after dark easing
the stTaggiers onto their decks. One
landing IN ecmplsts darkness was