Manus Island to Leyte Gulf

We were anchored in Seeadler Harbor, Manus Island, Admiralty Islands - all departments had a punch-list of needed repairs and the Captain requested Tender availability and it was granted by ComCarDiv-29. The ship got underway and moored alongside the USS BRIARUS AR-12, a repair ship, and specialist came aboard immediately and started working on the needed repairs. On 29 November the ship received provisions throughout the day - on the following day we received ammunition to complete our allowance.

After four days Tender availability, we got underway for post repair trial runs. The trial runs were completed successfully and we returned to port and moored port side to the USS LEOPARD IX-122 to take on fuel. We were assigned Berth 314. On 3 December the USS CONVERSE DD-509 moored along side the FOOTE to port. The FOOTE and CONVERSE were anchored in Berth 314 until 7 December. In the early morning hours of 7 December the weather quickly turned bad - the wind and rain reduced the visibility to 100-yards. At 0612 the anchor began dragging and at 0618 the FOOTE and CONVERSE was dragging into a nest containing the USS LONG DD-209 and USS HAMILTON DMS-18. CONVERSE’S port quarter got against the bow of the HAMILTON. Anchors were retrieved and all four ships got underway and took new individual berths. There was no typhoon - it was just a freak intense squall of relative short duration.

Commander of Task Force Seventy Seven (CTF-77) orders the FOOTE, CONVERSE and CHARLES AUSBURNE to rendezvous with the USS LOUISVILLE CA-28 (ComCruDiv-4) at specified latitude and longitude and escort her to the recently established beachhead at Leyte, Philippine Islands. So we bid farewell to Manus, Admiralty Islands and got underway at 1300. The three destroyers were aligned in column and stand out to sea at 25-knots into a pretty heavy sea. We look like the Newsreels - dipping our bow under green water and the spray going over the superstructure. When we overhaul the LOUISVILLE we took an assigned anti-submarine station with LOUISVILLE as guide and O.T.C. For the next three days we conducted Radar Jamming exercises, Radar Calibration validation and Anti-aircraft practice firing of the 5-inch, 40-MM and 20-MM guns.

On 13 December we went to regular morning General Quarters at 0558 and as night gave way to daylight the Philippines gradually evolved into view. There is a mingling of curiosity and some apprehension in the crew. The latter helped not at all when we pass three badly damaged destroyers on our way in. They are visible evidence of the "Kamikaze" we have been hearing about. The huge collection of ships here is far greater than anything imagined. We are not long in being reminded this is the "front lines", because intermittent firing is visible in one section of the beach and General Quarters is sounded four times - 0840 - 1045 - 1540 & 1835, the last time about 20-minutes after sunset. We are not sure if the alerts are caused by enemy aircraft or "Bogie" happy radar men picking up friendly aircraft with no I.F.F. (Identification, Friendly or Foe). On the last G.Q., flares could be seen around the vicinity of the airstrip on the beach. At 2010 we lay the starboard anchor with about 60-fathoms of chain in San Pedro Bay off Tacloban, Capital of Leyte, Philippine Islands.

We received a copy of ComTaskFor-77 secret dispatch that directed ComCruDiv-4 to form Task Group-77.3 composed of LOUISVILLE, MINNEAPOLIS, CHARLES AUSBOURNE, CONVERSE, FOOTE, STERETT and WILSON. The mission of this Task Group is to protect Leyte Gulf from raids by enemy surface forces. Alll ships in this Task Group are on one-half hour notice for getting underway. The ships have topped off fuel tanks.

As we slip into 14 December this routine is getting monotonous - G.Q. again after morning quarters at 1000 - 1125 - 1610 and worse 0025 & 0145. We stayed at the last one until 0500; so no sleep, but no action either - a pretty good swap. Back to morning G.Q. at 0605. Word was circulated during the night that we are occupying Mindoro - an island just south of Manila. Another destroyer and a light cruiser came limping in - the USS HARADEN DD-585 (16 dead & 59 wounded) and the USS NASHVILLE CL-43 - more evidence of the new and fanatical Jap suiciding aircraft.

As we go into 15 December the Japs are relatively quiet until the afternoon - "Flash Red" at 1615 and we went to G.Q. for about an hour and again at 1830 - then the rains came. It continued intermittent rain for the next three days - a dreary mess - trying to stay dry - impossible. I feel sorry for the soldiers on the beach living in the mud.

The FOOTE has been assigned to Task Unit 78.3.13 along with ten other destroyers. The Task Unit is comprised of USS CHARLES AUSBURNE DD-570, USS NEWCOMB DD-586, USS CONVERSE DD-509, USS STANLY DD-478, USS WILLIAM D. PORTER DD-579, USS YOUNG DD-580, USS BRYANT DD-665, USS LOWRY DD-770, USS McGOWAN DD-678, USS KIMBERLY DD-521 and USS FOOTE DD-511. This Task Unit was formed to support the first re-supply for the landing at Mindoro Island, Philippine Islands. Looks like the activity is about to pick up.

(USS FOOTE Deck Log, USS FOOTE War Diary & Gene Schnaubelt’s account)