The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-11-10

with a record unmatched in Amerit
 There are no bands and no greet ing committees for the big bomb battered flattop, whose planes and guns have struck time after time against the Japanese, but only few navy yard ammunition handlers who Swarmed over her broad flight deck almost as soon as she docked to be- gin her overhaul. The officers and men didn't care, for they were in no mood for that kind of celebration.
 First leave parties, including many men who haven't seen their wives and Sweetharts in more than two years, went over the side amidst cheers of shipmates.
 Amazing Battle Record
 "Hey, pal" said the first sailor to set foot ashore. We're home. Boy, oh boy, were home"
 The Big F." as she Is known to navy men, steamed from the West Coast on May 8, 1941, and has been in the toughest Pacific battles ever since. Barely escaping the enemy's bombs on Pearl Harbor, the Enter prise got the war on paying basis by leading the first U. s. offensive smash on the Marshall and Gilbert islands, then the attack on Wake and Marcus and the Tokyo raid. She steamed at the forefront in the Battle of Midway, the occupation of the Solomons, the Battle of Ontong- Java, the Battle of Santa Cruz is- lands, and the Battle of Guadal- canal.
 Forty-eight officers and 156 enlist ed men from the ships company and air groups gave their lives in those battles.
 The Enterprise is unoficially credited with the unaided destruc- tion of IS enemy ships, among them four aircraft carriers. She has damaged 20 ships without aid and shared in sinking four others and in damage to one. Her air groups and ships guns have shot down 185 planes in the air and destroyed an undetermined num- Der of aircraft on the ground by Strafing and bombing. Additional ly, she has inflicted major damage on enemy shore installations and ground troops. Only 85 of her own planes have been lost.
 Could Take It, Too
 Her ability to absorb punish ment as well as give it has been part of the Enterprises incredible record. At Ontong-Java, north of Guadalcanal, las t August 24, she squared of against one small and two large Japanese aircraft car- riers. After sinking the small car- rier, the Big E" sustained a large cahber hit which plunged through her flight deck and into the chiefs quarters. Another bomb killed 30 to 40 men on gun crew, but still the carrier worked her brood of planes. A third hit on an elevator started a fire which was extin- guished by a geyser of water from near-miss. Another near-miss pus dimple in her stern and huge chunk of shrapnel bumped the flight deck.
 At Santa Cruz on Oct. 26 two hits and three near misses nearly wrecked the Enterprise, but the crews teamwork in controlling the fires and making repairs saved the ship to fight again. The hangar ceck was a shambles. Water cov- cred four decks. A part of officers country was wiped out. Many officers still live there on buckled decks partitioned by canvas into what is known as tent city,"
 Polls 85 Jap Planes
 Eyewitnesses said only skillful maneuvering. such as "Swishing her stern at just the right mo- ment." and dead-eye gUnnery kept the Enterprise from suffering the vengeance of some 85 Japanese planes at Santa Cruz, but Comdr. John Crommelin, first as air officer and now as executive officer mod- cstly credits it all to "an amazing streak of luck" Sixty-five of the Japanese were shot down by the carrier and her escorting forces.
 When the Enterprise left the Pacific fighting zone, she was cited by President Roosevelt for "out- standing performance in action" and bade God-speed by every man m the fleet from Acm. Chester W Nimitz to the lowliesr messboy.
 She's been an inspiration and a might handy ship to have around in . fight" said one seaman. "We1l miss her She's a grahd old Lady"
 Call it sentiment. if you like, but there weren't many dry eyes in the Enterprise crew when she