Utility Duty

We are steaming south at convoy speed (Approx. 8-knots) enjoying the inactivity and then at mid-afternoon on January 11th we are detached along with the USS THOMAS F. NICKEL (DE-587) and ordered to contact a convoy somewhere up ahead. We go steaming along at 25-knots and it really feels good to be making some speed after the confines of Lingayen Gulf.

We caught up with the new convoy shortly after mid-night on January 12th, but in early morning - just as we were passing Mindoro - the FOOTE, along with the NICKEL was ordered out to succor one of our subs, USS GUITARRO (SS-363), that was in enemy waters, damaged and unable to submerge. We reach the sub in about three hours and set course for Leyte at the GUITARRO’S best speed (16-knots).

First order of business in Leyte was to take on stores and fuel. On January 14th we reported to CDS-49 (Commander of Destroyer Squadron 49) for ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare) duty in accordance with CTF-79 (Commander of Task Force-79) dispatch. We get underway for the southern part of Leyte Gulf to patrol an assigned area between Hibuson Island and Cabugan Grande Island with the destroyers USS YOUNG (DD-580) and USS SPROSTON (DD-577). The patrolling area between the two islands is divided into thirds. The FOOTE has the eastern third - the YOUNG the center third - the SPROSTON the western third. Commanding Office of the FOOTE is the O.T.C.. (Officer in Tactical Command) and patrol speed is set at 12-knots. This patrol duty lasts only until the 15th when the three destroyers were ordered to San Pedro Bay for logistics, repairs and maintenance.

All hands are attending to those things that are shook-up, broken or disconnected by long periods of firing the 5-inch guns. The Captain doesn’t like for us to look like we have been in a demolition derby, so we break out the scrapers, wire brushes, chipping hammers and paint cans - there goes the rack time. We are swinging on the hook in San Pedro Bay and all hands are working. This goes on for the next five days with G.Q. occasionally when enemy planes approach the bay.

On January 20th the Captain headed for the beach in the gig early for a conference, but was back aboard by noon. We set the “Special Sea Detail” immediately. All the scuttlebutt about going to Hollandia for availability goes overboard with the galley garbage as we stand into Suriago Straits in company with five other destroyers - one an Australian. We are steaming on a reciprocal course used on the way down from Lingayen Gulf - so, here we go again.

We enter Lingayen Gulf at 1310 on the 22nd . The trip up was uneventful - only one G.Q. at 0505 this morning - looked like our own C.A.P. (Combat Air Patrol). At 1630 we move alongside a tanker for fuel - then over to our assigned anchorage and drop the hook off San Fabian. The gulf looks a lot different than the morning of I-Day - very quite and not many ships. The radio shack got news that the Russians are only 165-miles from Berlin.

Tarlac, on the road to Manila, is reported captured by our forces. We went to G.Q. just at dusk - 2020. A kamakazi sneaks in for a hare-kari dive, but missed a ship - we could see him burning out there on the water about two miles away. It turns out to be a beautiful night with a big bright moon and lots of high fleecy clouds. Hope the watch is the only thing that keeps us from sleeping tonight.

On January 25th business picked up a little - about 0800 we moved in near the beach and relieved the USS EATON (DD-510) for “call-fire” from the beach and possibly night illumination. The Army must be expecting the Japs to counter attack during the night. We are actually located northwest of Rosario - laying off the beach about 2,000-yards. Mucho activity going on about 4,500-yards from us - lots of troops - tanks - smoke - noise - confusion - you name it. We went to G.Q. at 1550 - 2015 - 2330 - the last G.Q. was a good reveille for the mid-watch. Another bright beautiful night, almost a full moon sailing serenely through a long, high corridor of light clouds. Hope the watch is on the ball because it’s a good night for “Jack”, “Jill”, “Jane”, and “Betty” (Navy names for Jap planes) to come tumbling around. No call from the beach tonight - just hanging on the hook, waiting.

We have a lousy start for the 26th with G.Q, at 0100. Another false alarm, but it is interesting to note how quick the ships make smoke and blacks out the area. In anchorage, the policy for defense against air attack at night is for all ships (Academy) to generate smoke - keeping everything afloat hidden as much as possible. The Japs can’t see - we can’t see - I don’t like it.
On the 27th we move up to the most northern part of Lingayen Gulf - in good position to see new activity breaking out up toward San Fernando Point. A large convoy comes steaming in with many troop transports. We just got the word that Clark Field has been secured and our forces are storming Manila. This news doesn’t stop the convoy - in they steam - decks awash in khaki - the Army swarms over the side into their LCVP’s (Land Craft Variable Purpose) and hits the beach in full battle array - there was no resistance. I’m glad to be on a “man-of-war”.

It was a restless night - we went to G.Q. at 0125 - 0410 - and sunrise G.Q. at 0610 which makes it tough on the 8 to 12 watch - doesn’t allow for much sleep. It’s sort of frightening to have the “Academy” smoke clear you and see tracers coming out of the near-by smoke when you know the gunner’s visibility is zero. The word is - a plane is up there somewhere - if so, they couldn’t see it. We spend most of the day along the North Shore screening the heavy cruiser USS PORTLAND (CA-33) while she lobbed a few 8-inch shells over the hills. We hear the Russians are only 109-miles from Berlin. and moving fast.

We screen the PORTLAND until January 30th when she finishes her firing assignment and we move to the anchorage , drop the hook and stand by.

January 31st - payday - where you going to spend it? More important - Parcel Post - 57 big, beautiful, wonderful sacks. Everything turned out to be pretty well beat up and stale. However, spirits are high and enough was salvable to provide some good times and conversation. It was our contact with home. We got underway at 1700 for patrol duty on the Jig-line at the entrance to the Gulf.

Task Unit 78.1.8 has been assigned to patrol the entrance to Lingayen Gulf. This Task Unit is composed of USS CONVERSE (DD-509), USS BRAINE (DD-630), USS CONY (DD-508), USS WM. D. PORTER (DD-579) and USS FOOTE (DD-511). Patrol speed is 12-knots. Ships on station are relieved for various reasons from time to time for fuel and other assignments. The FOOTE takes her station as anti-submarine and radar screen about 15,000-yards out from the convoy anchorage area. Back and forth - listening for subs and watching the skies for Jap aircraft. There is a refreshing nip in the air and the sea is a dark blue carpet. There are scattered tufts of cumulus clouds in the southwest that gives a touch of realism to the stage setting and the sun has reduced its strength to comfortable temperatures.

The first real G.Q. came at 2130 on February 2nd when a lone Jap plane came in from the northwest and was quickly dropped by one of the tankers close to the beach. Very quick and accurate shooting. The plane was identified as a “Jack” (Fighter).


It has been back and forth at the entrance of the gulf for five days now - very boring. Some ships of the fleet came out today and we played a little game called maneuver. Looks like busy work to me. On the morning of the 6th we wake up to a sea that is deceptively rough - not choppy - just long smooth swells that set these top-heavy cans rolling like an empty barrel, particularly at this 12-knot patrol speed. The Mess Deck is a shambles.



We have been on the Jig-line nine days now and the scuttlebutt is we will be relieved of this chicken duty tomorrow. The crew goes to morning and evening G.Q. and the remainder of the time everything is in the hands of the Bridge Watch (keeping us on station), Sound Watch (listening for subs) and CIC (Combat Information Center watching the radar).

On the 10th day we are relieved of this Jig-line parade and head back into Lingayen Gulf about 1530. We tied up to the oil tanker USS CHEPACHET (AO-78) for fuel and it had the brother of our Boatswain Mate First Class, Ettro Lucia, aboard. Small war - first time they had a chance to visit in over two years. Responsible for documenting things like this, the ship’s Chief Yoeman said this is the 65th day in succession we have been at Condition II Mike (Condition II Mike is normal wartime cruising condition of watches). No wonder we are getting a little weary. We are assigned anchorage Baker-15 and from here we can still see patches of the war taking place up in the hills - real good with binoculars or the Main Battery Range Finder. There was a big fire visible late this afternoon. Best of all, we got “sugar reports” today - two sacks of good reading for the crew.



At 0415 on February 11th we got underway for Subic Bay. We are escorting two LST’s (Landing Ship Tank) and seven YMSs (Wooden hull Mine Sweepers). What a deal - don’t they know we are a fighting ship - not a sheep dog. We arrive in Subic Bay about 0500 on the 12th - what a beautiful morning - clear , starry and cool - you just can’t beat this weather. By morning G.Q. we have delivered our wards and are rounding the point for the return trip. Back in Lingayen Gulf about 1700. Evidently the area is considered to be well secured because most of the fleet has pulled out and gone South. At night now the lights from the beach stretch so far it almost looks like a stateside city. They must feel real secure on the beach.

Shortly after morning G.Q. on the 13th we topped off fuel tanks and got underway in company with HMAS ARUNTA, a 1927-ton destroyer, to once again take patrol station at the entrance to Lingayen Gulf - the forgotten “Little Beaver” - that’s us. We hadn’t been on station long when one of our “Black Cat” patrol planes reported sighting a enemy Naval force in the Western South China Sea. The first report stated the force consisted of four Heavy Cruisers and eight Destroyers, course due North, speed 15-knots and about 450-miles from Lingayen Gulf.

Shortly, the “Black Cat” radioed an “Amplifying Report” stating that the Jap force had executed a 90-degree turn to the East and had increased speed to “Flank”. This course and speed would put them in Lingayen Gulf area in about thirteen or fourteen hours. Then the FOOTE received a terse, one word dispatch from COMTHIRDFLT - “ INTERCEPT”. They got to be kidding.



The FOOTE and ARUNTA swung around to a course of 270-degrees and made turns for 32-knots. Our main force, at Leyte, would require a bit of time before they could reach the Lingayen area - they were over 500-miles away. Our mission, no doubt, was to be a delaying action - in reality, a suicide effort. Steaming at high speed on a westerly course closing at the rate of approximately 65-knots we should make contact in a little over six hours. After we had been steaming toward the Jap force for about an hour, some very welcome news was radioed by the “Black Cat”. Ënemy force has changed course to due North and reduced speed.” The second message we wanted to hear came through shortly from COMTHIRDFLT - “Break off intercept and return to your original station.”

You could almost hear the sigh of relief as we reduced speed and executed a 180 and headed back to Lingayen Gulf. Patrolling the entrance to the gulf didn’t seem so bad after all.
Back and forth - on the Jig-line in company with HMAS ARUNTA - morning G.Q., stand watch and work - evening G.Q. This war has moved on away from us. A little incident today (Feb. 15th) helped relieve the monotony a bit. We stopped a large catamaran loaded to the gunnels with Philippine Guerillas and they were armed to the teeth. All kinds and sizes - dressed in everything from sarongs to “acquired” uniforms. The piece-de-resistance was a lone Jap prisoner - very neatly trussed so if he struggled a noose would tighten around his neck - looking scared to death. Some of the crew gave candy bars and cigarettes to the guerillas who began to have a little sport with Jap prisoner for our benefit. After a short period we separated and the catamaran was on its way. Some of us speculated on how long that Jap would last. If I were him, I wouldn’t make any long range plans. This prisoner was probably the only actual enemy that many of this crew had ever seen.

On February 18th a flock of A-20 and B-25 bombers relieved some of the routine today by bombing an objective just over the hill on the beach northwest of us - we are at good spectator distance. Tonight the watches were cautioned to stay doubly alert because of indefinite reports of a very definite “skunk” (Enemy ship). Nothing materialized overnight, but we did have a pulse pounding G.Q. at 2020 - that turned out to be I.F.F. (Identification Friendly or Foe) problems. Radio reports late last night described the recent battle for and the occupation of Iwo Jima in the Bonins. Someday may come a little earlier than we thought.

We get relief and hustle in to the gulf to pick up fuel. After we topped off all fuel tanks we got some more of our - CHRISTMAS MAIL - the letters were great, but most of the goodies were stale - we ate them anyway. We move away from the oiler to an anchorage and laid out about 40-fathoms of chain in 15-fathoms of water and waited to take aboard the Flag of a Commodore Murphy, S.O.P.A. (Senior Officer Present Afloat). About 1030 the Commodore came along side with his “staff” - two very hoity-toity Ensigns. The Commodore was a slight man - really, he was a runt - and gave the impression that he just got out of his bunk after sleeping fully clothed. He wore a shirt with one sleeve about a third torn off. The word is we will swing around the hook all the time the Commodore is aboard - not bad duty. We made a game of observing the Commodore and his “staff”. The two Ensigns could not have been out of officer candidate school over 90-days at the most. They referred to the bow as the “pointed end” of the ship and the stern as the “blunt end”. News of their every utterances swept the ship instantly.

On one occasion the Commodore asked Lt. Sylvan Meyer to signal the Army Air Force that a convoy would be leaving, heading south, about 1815 and would need air cover. Lt. Meyer found out the air cover wouldn’t be provided until the convoy cleared Lingayen Gulf and it would be dark at 1830 - when the planes would have to go in. In other words, the air cover wouldn’t have anything to cover during the time span they could be in the air. When Lt. Meyer reported this fact to the Commodore, he came up with a quick solution - “ Message the convoy to leave at 1715.” Makes you wonder how we are winning.

The 22nd turned out to be another one of those nights - a full moon radiating on all four - stars peeking through huge, billowing clouds and the outline of Luzon in the background - not a bad picture. We had “Gedunk” (Ice Cream) with dinner tonight - we must really be in the backwaters of the war. This is a night totally incongruous with the war. It is so quite - so peaceful - so hard to believe we are a link in the front line , but we were brought back to reality with a G.Q. at 2030. When the General Alarm sounded there were guns already firing on other ships in the anchorage. We never fired, it was a loner - just a recon, I imagine. We secured from Battle Stations just in time for the mid watch.

With the Commodore aboard all we do is stand watch and work. I’m off watch and sound asleep on the Flying Bridge and G.Q. sounds at 2140. Now this will blow your mind - the O.O.D. (Officer Of the Deck) was slightly mixed up and didn’t discover until he had pulled the General Alarm that the “Condition Red” he had heard came from the beach, without doubt - but, at Leyte, over 500-miles away. I want him to know he is not very popular with the crew.



While we are swinging on the hook with the S.O.P.A. aboard all departments are “turning to”. Our ship’s company is made up largely of reserves. The composite background of the crew is not what you would consider a normal preparation for seafaring life. We have boys off the farm, out of the big cities, horse trainers, theater ushers, students, toolmakers, delivery boys, salesmen, truck drivers, shipping clerks, printers, lumber-jacks, mechanics, electricians and welders - our crew crosses all segments of society. Each person has adapted to a shipboard skill and developed a level of proficiency that is reflected by the rate he wears. The crew is a team on which the mistakes of any member may affect all the crew. Among the entire ship’s company, there must exist a well balanced cooperation, mutual trust and the absolute knowledge that the other fellow can be relied upon to do his job. Regardless of where the ship is or what her assignment is, shipboard routine continues and problems of ship’s housekeeping seems never ending. While there may be differences in shipboard responsibility - “different ships, different long splices,” is the “Old Navy” term - every crew member works especially hard when the ship is not underway - doing all the things that can not be done at sea.

A couple of cruisers came in during the night and dropped anchor nearby. The cruiser HMAS SHROPSHIRE invited members of our crew to join them in church services. The whaleboat was full when it shoved off for the SHROPSHIRE. I don’t know if it was the church services or the ration of rum that fetched such large attendance.

I knew it couldn’t last - the cruisers pulled out today, That leaves us as practically the only combat ship left (couple of patrol craft is all we can see) with the S.O.P.A. still aboard.
March comes in like that proverbial lion, but it doesn’t keep us from chipping, painting, maintaining, aligning, adjusting and overhauling the ship’s gear while we are at anchor. We had a long hard day’s work and was anticipating a good night’s sleep topside - no luck - G.Q. at 2145, but it didn’t last long. The Bogie was stubborn and came back at 0030 and insisted on keeping everyone up ‘til 0300. There was a lot of firing by the little boys and the transports - all ineffectual - apparently he is just looking. I wonder where our “Night Cap” (Night Fighters) are tonight?

The weather is calm and clear and things are usually quite during the day so the Torpedomen decide to pull a torpedo out of the No. 2 tubes on March 5th. One of the most cliquey rating in a destroyer is that of Torpedoman - those guys are super-specialists. Everyone in the ship knows something about signals, knotting and splicing and general seamanship. All the deck forces have battle stations in the gunnery department - either in magazines, handling rooms or guns themselves. The Firemen know something about the steam turbines and the Machinist understand boilers. But, none except the torpedo crew, who have attended Torpedo School, has a working knowledge of those lean, wicked-looking, highly complicated mechanism that we call our “Tin Fish”. Nothing was seriously wrong with the “fish” this time - several adjustments were checked and it was back into the tube - this is not an underway job. Our men in dungarees who adjust those torpedoes, and clean them and fuss around them and keep them ready for instant use are skilled specialist who labor to the end that, when their fish leave the tubes and the propellers bites the water, the track toward the Jap will be “hot, straight and normal”.



I just read in a two month old newspaper that the stevedores at San Francisco want “portal to portal pay” - what a deal. We have gotten a lot of work done on the ship while we were swinging on the hook with the S.O.P.A. on board, but he was relieved on March 12th and we immediately got underway for the Jig-line at the entrance to the gulf.

We are confined to the old Jig-line duty until March 24th , all but two days when we were called away on the 19th for a fire support assignment for the Army as they begin an attack on Bauang about six miles below San Fernando with a force of 800 men against an estimated 3,000 Japs holding the town. We took two army types aboard with field phone equipment to direct our fire if needed. Our main job is to prevent Jap reinforcements from getting into the area. We shoot at one or two targets with good results, but most of the targets they give us are out of range, so all we do is “stand by” . After dark they ask for illumination, but the Army got slightly fouled-up on coordinates and we hung the “star shells” over our troops - they withdrew the request. Glad they didn’t call for air burst - get it right guys. When daylight comes we can’t see much from our position, but there is a lot of smoke around Bauang. We enjoy watching the dive bombers peel off and make their runs. We get another call for illumination on the night of the 20th and this time they get it right - right over the Japs - we get a well done from the Army on the beach. The Army has now occupied Bauang . The Japs that were not killed either surrendered or bugged out. We are relieved and head back to the old Jig-line at the entrance to the gulf.

On March 24th we are relieved of the Jig-line duty and steam into the Lingayen anchorage and drop the hook. Scuttlebutt spreads through the ship that there will be liberty - worse than that - they give it to us. With all the lush, beautiful greenery in the Philippines, we are put ashore on a barren sand spit - and I mean barren. There is a village about a mile away, but it is “off limits” and guarded by the Shore Patrol. The Filipinos; however, know a good thing when they see it and come over to do a little business. The best souvenirs offered are the silks and personal flags that all Jap foot soldiers carry. The flags are offered with glowing accounts of the fight necessary to procure them. In reality, I think the flags were made on a production line basis on the only Singer sewing machine in the village. There were also a few silver coins available.



The two cans of hot beer they gave each of us was so green it was hardly drinkable, so quite a few of the crew got high on Nipa Wine - mistakenly thinking it was the famous Japanese “Saki” . It tasted like a brew of shellac and tobacco juice. What a crew - four guys missed the last boat back to the ship and one “Asiatic dope” is “over the hill” bound for Manila. The skipper spends about four hours with the S.O.P.A. trying to explain. The S.O.P.A. is definitely not a happy man.
That takes care of the FOOTE crew and liberty at Lingayen Gulf - no big loss. We weigh anchor and leave beautiful Lingayen Gulf and at sunset on March 26th standing out to sea bound for Subic Bay. For over 100-days we have been at continuous operation Condition II Mike with only a recent brief respite. Most of all we hope to draw stores at Subic Bay - everyone is getting mighty tired of Spam - there has been little selection of food for some time and we are even getting low on “dry stores”.

After sailing all night at moderate speed we enter Subic Bay about 0900 and immediately went alongside an oiler to take on fuel, but there will be no stores here. At 1300 we took our anchorage with 15-fathoms of chain to the starboard anchor in 8-fathoms of water. We set a modified watch condition that will give us an “all night in” one out of three nights. This is another beautiful spot, from a distance - surrounded by hills - like a small edition of the entrance to San Francisco without the Golden Gate Bridge.

We are at Subic Bay only two days and on the morning of March 29th we are underway at 0730 for Leyte - escorting the Amphibious Force Flagship, USS ROCKY MOUNT (AGC-3). So much for the modified watch with an “all night in” - maybe in Leyte.
(USS FOOTE Deck Log, USS FOOTE WAR DIARY, Gene Schnaubelt)