Radar Picket Station #15

May 1945

The Japanese strategy at Okinawa was two-pronged. While the U.S. troops were stalemated on land, Japanese air attacks were to destroy the fleet offshore, wiping out their air support, eliminating their reinforcements and isolating the ground troops to die assaulting impossible fortifications on the island.

The Japanese air defense of Okinawa was designed around the concept that they introduced earlier at Leyte Gulf in the Philippines - the Kamikaze. Named for the “Divine Wind” typhoon that destroyed the 13th century fleet of Kubla Khan who failed in an invasion attempt of Japan.

The contemporary Kamikaze is any airplane used as a suicide weapon. They were manned by volunteers in the earlier days of Okinawa and partly by draftees now. Some of the pilots are given scant training and a few are little more than boys. All are honored before their mission with rituals praising them for embodying the superior Japanese spirit that their leaders tell them will bring victory over the material superiority of the United States. The planes they fly range from the twin-engine “ Betty” bomber to single engine trainers and includes everything in between. Most are packed with explosives.

On May 20th when we secured from sunrise G.Q. on Radar Picket Station #15 it was a beautiful cool morning with good visibility and no Bogies in our area. In destroyer life on a Radar Picket Station the percentages that normally apply to time spent in working, eating and sleeping suffers a considerable upset. Work is never ending - sleep is a luxury that you clutch at odd times and hours - food is a source of conjecture, reminiscence and planning for the future. You can loose weight on a R.P. Station.

Word from the Radio Shack reports big B-29 raids over Japan. We will probably catch hell tonight. Things are relatively uneventful on our “turn about” patrol for the afternoon, but Bogie raids began to show up on the radar screen at 1830 when the Captain told the O.D. (Officer of the Deck) to “Go to General Quarters!” At the sound of G.Q. Captain McElwain announced to the O.D., “I relieve you, sir. Left full rudder; all ahead full. Tell the Engine Room to light off the other two boilers and be ready for maximum speed. Tell all stations - all hands topside are aircraft lookouts. Be alert. Stand by for an air attack.” The usual reports came in very short and crisp - “Main Battery manned and ready - Secondary Battery manned and ready - Depth Charges set on safe”. But, none of the Bogies approached us close enough to open fire. By midnight there had been five different raids, but only a few Bogies crossed our area.

Messages coming into the Radio Shack report one DE (Destroyer Escort) shot down three Kamikazes. One destroyer reported a hit by a Baka Bomb (A flying rocket propelled manned explosive projectile with a 15-ft. wing span) launched from underneath a twin engine “Betty” bomber. Another destroyer had her SC Radar clipped off by a Kamikaze and not far from us on another Picket Station one of the “Little Beavers” is hit. The USS THATCHER (DD-514) is hit at 1923 by a Kamikaze, believed to be an “Oscar” (Dive Bomber). She was hit on the starboard side at the boat davits. Reports are all power and control is lost on the bridge. The C.I.C. (Combat Information Center) and the Radar Transmitter Rooms are demolished. Fire Control Plot and the Emergency Diesel Room are inoperative. The forward Fire Room is flooding. The full extent of the damage and casualties has not been determined. The USS BOYD (DD-544) and USS PAVLIC (APD-70) are alongside to assist in fire fighting and helping with casualties. Maybe the Radio Shack will have more information tomorrow.

We pass midnight without firing a shot. The C.A.P. (Combat Air Patrol) shot down six planes - picket ships got nine for a total of 15 planes shot down so far tonight. I wonder how many B-29’s we lost.

It is very cloudy this morning - feels like rain. May 21st is now 5-hours and 38-minutes old as we go to G.Q. If the next 24-hours goes the same as the last, the war will be one day nearer being over, the ship will be one day closer to home. Our fate is in the hands of the Gods and the Japanese Air Force. Let the day begin.

Everyone aboard is talking about our Squadron Mate, the THATCHER. By mid-morning the Radio Shack had some more information. She made it to Kerama Retto anchorage (Wiseman’s Cove) under her own power. She has 14 dead and 53 wounded.

The rain squalls begin showing up on Radar - maybe this will keep the Japs at home. At 1345 “ DELEGATION” (Radar Picket Control Ship) shifted R.P. Station #15 slightly, to another location - guess too many Kamikaze are missing our area. Our new location is on a bearing of Zero True Degrees from Misaki Point, Okinawa Gunto (Code Name is Point Bolo) - distance 40-miles. One of our support ships (Small Boys) the PGM was relieved by an LCS (Landing Craft Support). These small craft are so numerous in the Navy they are not graced by a proper name, but are going through the war in a welter of initials - PGM, LCS, LCI, LSMP, etc. The “Small Boys” have a very practical value on the Radar Picket Station. When a destroyer is hit and communication is knocked out, they are close enough to report to “DELIGATE” what happened. They are far enough away to keep out of the way if the Big Boys (Destroyers) mix it up with the Kamikaze, but close enough to pick up survivors if a destroyer goes down. In the darkness of night, besides the other picket destroyers, they are the only friendly blips on the SC Radar screen - in reality they are the “picker uppers”. Stick around “Small Boys” we may need you.

Raids start about 1700 and we go to G.Q. It’s pretty miserable topside with intermitting rain. The USS BRADFORD (DD-545) joined our formation at 1820 and will relieve the USS WADSWORTH (DD-516) tomorrow morning. We are certainly glad to have the extra ship on station with us. Another night passes on R.P. Station #15 without firing a shot.

On May 22 when dawn breaks the seas are very rough with light rain covering the entire area. The bad weather is a plus for us, but bad for the troops on Okinawa. We are north of Okinawa near Ieheya Shima and Amami Islands and most of the raids seem to be passing on the opposite side of the islands from our patrol station. Raids started at 2200 and approached into gun range of the MASSEY and BRADFORD up ahead and when they opened fire the one plane raid reversed its course and retired. Several planes come close to us, but the rain squalls seem to be protecting us. The rain has all exposed personnel shaking from the cold - especially when we turn into the wind.

We stay at G.Q. with Bogies in the area from 2200 until 0210. Everyone is very tired. Tokyo was hit by 550 B-29 Superforts today.

We enter May 23rd at G.Q. steaming as before in company with the MASSEY and BRADFORD with the “Small Boys” in the distance on the port quarter. Our three destroyers are steaming in column at 1200 yards distance with the FOOTE on Station #3. We are using courses 045 Degrees True and 225 Degrees True; reversing course ever half hour. Our “Small Boys” are four LCSs on station four miles to the southeast, generally using the same steaming pattern. It’s good to know they are there, but a bit disconcerting to realize it’s necessary to have them.. All boilers are on the line - there are Bogies in the vicinity, closing. The three destroyers increased their speed to 35-knots - Bogies approaching the formation from the port bow - MASSEY and BRADFORD open fire at 0017 - no observed hits - Bogies retire. At 0130 the SC Radar is clear, so we reduce speed to 12-knots, secure from G.Q., set Condition II Mike, material Condition Baker and notified the Boiler Rooms to let the fires die out under boilers #2 and #4.

We went to morning G.Q at 0508 - tough on the 12 to 4 watch - observed sunrise at 0538. It’s very bad weather today - cloudy, windy and cold with choppy seas. The crew was mustered on station - no absentees. Stood down from morning G.Q. at 0608. Gunners Mates made daily inspection of magazines and checked smokeless powder samples - conditions normal. Fire Controlmen checked all firing circuits - no faults.

Things are relatively quiet during daylight hours and the off watch crew members try to sleep. At 1705 the USS WATTS (DD-567) joined the formation and took station astern of the FOOTE - glad to have the extra guns. We went to evening G.Q. at 1855 - darken ship at 1915. The weather is so bad there are no friendly night fighters up. FLASH RED - CONTROL YELLOW - Bogies at 20-miles and we change course to unmask the main battery - Bogie coming in on the port quarter - WATTS opened fire and the plane veered off and dropped a bomb close aboard one of our “Little Boys”, LCS-121, opening a hole in her side killing two and wounding three, but they need no assistance and can maintain station.

About 2300 the weather began to clear with a nice high, bright moon, so business will probably pick up. Sure enough, several Bogies bearing 045 Degrees True, distance 45-miles. We increased speed to 34-knots and when they got into 5-inch gun range we opened fire - first to starboard and then to port. They seem to be coming at us from ever direction. A bomb was dropped off the port bow - no damage, but a second bomb hit close aboard the port quarter at 2349 seriously wounding two men on 40-MM gun No. 5 (Gene Schnaubelt’s gun).

Reports are the two men hit by shrapnel were Aurthur Botelho and Raymond Romano.
Doc Allen and John Ballard will take care of them until we clear the area. We pass mid-night with Bogies inbound at 5-miles on the starboard side. The Captain is maneuvering at high speed trying to keep all the 5-inch guns bearing on the greatest threat. We make it past midnight and then at 0041 the BRADFORD, MASSEY and FOOTE open fire to starboard on a closing Bogie - the plane goes down near MASSEY. We reduced speed momentarily - then back up to 35-knots at 0105 firing on a fast closing Bogie on the port side. The plane crashed in flames off the port bow about 500-yards. At 0208 we went to Condition I Easy for about 30-minutes so all hands could visit the head (If they hadn’t already soiled their dungarees). Radar Picket Station #15 had quieted down considerably after daybreak and we stood down after morning G.Q. All departments checked the ship very carefully and it was determined there were no material casualties, only two wounded men. All the 5-inch brass was gathered up and stowed - we fired 283 rounds of 5-inch during the night - I thought it was much more. The Combat Information Center (C.I.C.) reports that R.P Station #15 was attacked by 20 planes since yesterday evening’s G.Q. - six shot down - five by the destroyers and one by the “Little Boys”. Long night.

The Kamikazes surge down from Kyushu with no respite, sometimes with just enough attackers to keep the destroyer crews on their Battle Stations and out of their bunks. Sleep has become the most valued and desired commodity in life. The crew sleeps wherever and whenever they can, fully clothed with their life jacket and helmet close at hand. More times than not, on or near their battle stations.

The crew is smelling bad and looking worse - soiled and rumpled clothes, red eyes and unshaven. Some leave their battle stations only momentarily for calls of nature. These last days of May are taking its toll on the destroyer crews. In the last two days alone there has been 165 raids on the Radar Picket Stations. Admiral Turner, CTF-51, gave Radar Picket Station #15 a hearty “Well Done” for the night’s work. Two ships were hit and 18 planes were shot down - if we shot down a third of the Bogies, most must have passed near us on their way to or from Okinawa. At 0600 the WATTS formerly relieved the MASSEY.

We began pumping all ballast at 1208 preparatory to fueling. At 1505 we picked up surface targets at 13-miles on the S.G. Radar. The targets responded to a challenge and were identified as the USS AMMEN (DD-527), USS DREXLER (DD-741) and USS STORMES (DD-780) en route to this station as relief for the present Radar Pickets - OH! HAPPY DAY. Two of the ships are the new Sumner Class (2,200-Ton) Destroyers with three twin 5-inch gun mounts. Hope they know how to use them. This station was relieved at 1611 and all three ships are ordered to Kerama Retto (Wiseman’s Cove) for logistics.

We entered the anchorage at Kerama Retto at 1908 and anchored in 23 fathoms of water with 75 fathoms of chain to the port anchor in Berth K-17. The S.O.P.A. (Senior Officer Present Afloat) is CTG 51.15 in USS MOUNT MCKINLEY. The Engine Rooms are standing by on 15-minute notice. Art Botelho and Taymond Romano were transferred to the USS GOSPER (APA-170) for further medical treatment and transportation. They looked pretty bad to me. All hands went to G.Q. at 1922 - FLASH RED - CONTROL YELLOW - Bogies in the vicinity. There are heavy raids tonight - upward of 30 planes in some raids. The small craft commenced laying smoke over the anchorage at 2000 - I hate that - visibility zero. We secured from G.Q. at 2328 - just in time to relieve the mid-watch; no sleep this night.
(USS FOOTE Deck Log, USS FOOTE War Diary and Gene Schnaubelt)