The Wilmington morning star., 1945-07-05
US. Destroyer Performs
Miracles After Suicide
Attack By Seven Planes

WASdlNd4'OIN, July - Up
The Navy told today how the de.
stroyer Newcomb survived hits by
four Japanese suicide planes whjc,
lit ally disemboweled" rha
ship and caused 81 casualties.
"Superhunan firefighting" was
credited with saving the vess4I
and the report paid high tributs
to the Newcomb gunners who sb,t
down three other kamckazes.
The seventh suicider made .
double strike, skidding across tha
Newcomb into the stern of the do.
stroyer Leutza which had Come
to the stricken ships aid The
Leutze counted "a casualties "A
total of ITS tor the two warships
The Newcomb, which had out.
fought suicide pilots at Mindoro
Lingayen gulf and Okinawa Was
supporting heavy units of the fleef
when at pm. very large for.
nation of enemy planes was rs.
ported. American fighters inter.
copied the flight but some Slipped
through.
The gunnery officer, 1t. (JG) H
B. M. Harris-W ZEN, u5l9
Pendleton road Coronado, Calf.
counted 40 enemy planes at one
time, q in the water.
At 4:25 pm. the first enemy
dived at the Ncwcomb whose gum.
ers sent it crashing 20 feet away
without damage to the ship.
Almost Immediately the second
suicider started his run. As the
ships guns scored hits the com.
manding officer, Comdr. Ira E. Nc.
MILAN, Fort Worth, gave orders at
the last minute for sharp turn.
The plane crashed in the New.
combs wake.
The third Japanese tried low
level attack and lamlsepu flying
through curtain of steel, he
caromed off gun mount into the
afterstack. Gasoline, steam from
a boiler, metal from the super.
structure and the plane mingled
with the resulting fire to make he
amidship section an inferno
Then m suicider No I,
anxious for an easy kill. The New
comb was ready and the first salvos
sent him splashing.
Kamlkazers No. and 6 started
simultaneously. With partial loss
of powe r, Mcmillan tried 10
change course fast. One plane
struck another body blow, amid
ships. A terrific explosion indicated
the planes bombload had let %.
The wounded ship lost all electric
and steam power, her engine rooms
in rubble, ammunition magazines
afire and gun handling rooms blaz-
ing. The aftersta ok, torpedo mounts
amidships structure and 40 NM
mounts were blown over the side
She came 70 stop as smoke and
flames shot 1000 feet high.
Ships in the vicinity watched in
amazement as from the scene Of
destruction gunners hurled steel
with accuracy at the sixth suicider
Although nit, No. plowed into
the forward stack, spraying more
gasoline over the melting mass
amidships.
THE Newcomb was Uttered with
DEBRIS the Navy related. Burn
ed and wounded men lined her
decks. Wounded were carrying
wounded. Amidships firefighters
were trying to use portable pumps
to extinguish fires billowing from
the deep cavity where the fire
rooms had been. Yet, when the
Leutze pulled alongside she was
greeted with cheers and waving
hands"
The heat forced about 100 men
on the NeWcomb's fantail to hit the
water. Forward, firefighters and
rescuers thought the stern OF the
ship was gone because of the tlam-
ing curtain between.
This was the scene as Kamikaz?r
| No. z essayed 10 crash dive botl
ships. Both destroyers met him with
steel the Leutze firing across the
Newcomb which has forced to fire
and train manually.
with 1t. Harris-Warren shou!'
| ing ranges and bearings, and with
Theodore H. Agidius, gunner
mate &c, Of Dalles, Ore, and
Paul H. Edwardson Jr., boat
SWANS mate &c, Allston, Mass,
gun captains Of the forward five
inch guns, loading and directing
their crews, the Newccmb again
pulled the ncar-impossible," the
Navy said
The suicide. hit In the wing
skidded across the Newcom0s
deck and rammed the stern OF tns
Leutte. The hard-hit rescue ship be-
gan to drift away as her crew
fought her own fire and sided
wounded. Lines were cast off END
another DESTROYER quickly came
alongside the Newconh
Within 80 iri,1utes the NeWcombs
fires were out ard soon she was n
tow for repair base.
The Leu.Ze was h aving
struggle. 1t. .JG) Holm G. Grells,
Philadelphia, was credited BY
Grabowsky with saving the shlo,
Grelis took charge Of repair ana
damage control parties after he re-
covered from being blown across
the fantail ir.to lifelines. He de-