Evening star., 1945-05-25
Six Suicide Planes
Hit Destroyer, but
Ship Still Is Floating

ABOARD VICE ADMIRAL
RICHMOND K. TURNER'S
FLAGSHIP OFF OKINAWA
April 18 delayed by Navy Cen
sorship)-(P.-The gallant little
destroyer Laffey took everything
the Japanese could throw at her
from the air for two hours and
survived.
Six suicide planes hit her-the
engines of three were recovered on
her fsntail. Two bombs hit her and
Two more scored damaging near
misses.
Thirty-one members of the Laf-
fey's crew were killed and so others
lyounded.
TN Seattle. where the Laffey
was brought for repairs, the YES
sells skipper, Comdr. Frederick
Julian Becton of Hot Springs,
Ark, said eight japanese planes
struck the ship, seven with sui
cidal intent. Another accident
ally clipped the destroyer's mast.
Nine planes were shot down by
the Laffey's gunners, the COM
mander saidD
With her guns going until the last
enemy plane disappeared, the Laffey
shot down at least eight Japanese
planes and saw one friendly plane
crash nearby after chasing another
Japanese craft into the sea.
Wouldn't Abandon Ship.
I'll never abandon ship as long
as a gun will fire. the commander
declared. He kept his promise
The destroyer's communica tionS
officer, 1t. Frank Manson, "a, of
Tahlequah. Okla. related the epic
battle Of two days ago at a news
conference today.
The first japanese plane taken
under fire dropped a bomb which
missed and shortly afterward was
shot down by another ship" 1t
Manson related
Almost countless planes were all
sround-lots Of ours and at least 30
of theirs. Twenty started converging
on us from the north Gunnery
Oficer 1t. Paul B. Smith of Olean,
N. Y, spotted four Walls with 5-inch
guns and shot one down a thousand
yards OF and another close aboard
The other two circled the stern,
and number three mount shot both
down, one so close We got our first
casualty-one man killed.
Jap Planes Explode.
"A moment later Val exploded
Just of the starboard quarter. in
iuring several men. A plane from
the post bow grazed the number
three mount and exploded near
enough to put one gun out of ac-
ton.
Two planes approached on the
starboard beam. Antiaircraft fire
the port side. struck and swept
across the deckhouSe. knocking out
some of our guns and starting fires
In the 40-mm. magazine.
Within 80 seconds two planes
hit the after deckhouse. sealing sew
eral men to their deaths in conf
partmentS below. Just then a Cor
sair came chasing a Japanese right
over the mainmast. The Jap took
on half of the yardarm and the
Corsair took off the other half.
The Jap crashed in the water.
The Corsair pulled out with a wing
damaged, shot down another plane
and then crashed. Another ship
rescued the pilot.
Then a large plane carrying
500 or 1000 pound bomb came from
the starboard. Mount put 5-inch
projectile squarely into it and the
plane disintegrated 200 yards from
ua.
Gets Other Yardarm.
Another plane apparently hit by
the air patrol came by in a mass of
flames, and crashed of the port bow.
The next Jap plane knocked off the
other yardarm and crashed along
side.
TIE last plane approached from
The starboard and dropped a bomb
smidships. killing several men in the
Nsrdroom where doctor was treat
ing the wounded. The air patrol
shot that plane down.
Every man stayed on his battle
station. If one was killed a radio
man or pharmacists mate would take
his place. One boy, CoXswain Calvin
w. Cloer from Burbank, Calf, in
mount three was seriously burned.
He went to the wardroom, saw the
many casualties needing treatment
and went back to his battle station.
Wounded again, he returned to the
wardroom for attention just as a
bomb hit, killing him.
For a while we thought We were
going to sink but a tug pumped us
out and saved u.s."