Boots on the Ground in Japan (August 1945)

On August 13th it was announced at quarters and posted on the bulletin board that the FOOTE would secure the watch at 0930 in favor of a modified port watch. It has been a little over three months without a break - not quite as long as when the ship was at Lingayen Gulf. About noon the FOOTE is ordered over to Buckner Bay for a little Destroyer Tender availability and upon arrival at 1322 she was directed to go alongside the USS CHOTAUK (IX-188) to take on fuel. When fueling was completed the Captain was ordered to report to Commander of Service Division (ComSerDiv-104) for availability to accomplish voyage repairs - this old tin-can looks like it has been in a train wreck. The Tender assignment will be USS HAMUL (AD-20) - they are good. Refueling was completed at 1512 and the anchor dropped in a sector north of the HAMUL.


All ships went to G.Q. at 2115 and the ships on the starboard quarter began to fire like blazes - whatever it was, they scared him off. There are Bogies all over the radar scope - with the Main Battery Computer down, the respective 40-MM Directors have control of the 5-inch guns. Looks like this is the Japs answer to the peace proposal. The USS LA GRANGE (APA-124) (Attack Troop Transport), about a mile from the FOOTE, is hit by a Kamikaze, but they keep their fires under control and the word is she is not too badly damaged.


There is no news on the radio regarding Japan’s surrender and about 1600 on August 14th the public address system orders the crew to make all preparations for getting underway. The ship is underway at 1754, in accordance with verbal orders, to provide anti-aircraft protection at the entrance to Buckner Bay - and, the Main Battery computer is down. What happened to the Tender availability? With various courses and speed the ship cleared the anchorage at 1837 in company with the USS LAWS (DD-558). General Quarters was sounded immediately and the crew remained at their Battle Stations until moonset at 2330. None of our planes are supposed to be aloft and orders are to shoot at anything flying that comes in range. Lots of friendly planes are reported early in the evening - not quite able to make the sundown curfew, but obviously they were friendly so we didn’t fire at them. The FOOTE and LAWS are patrolling, back and forth at 12-knots, outside the entrance to Buckner Bay.


Word is received that Captain W. C. Ford, USN, relieved Captain T. B. Duncan, USN, as Commander of Destroyer Squadron (ComDesRon-23) in USS CHARLES AUSBURNE (DD570), effective this date. At about 2130 the LAWS opens fire on a Bogie and it “high-tails” it out of the area - fades from the radar screen at 15-miles.


President Truman issued a statement at 2000, but all the FOOTE got was static.


On August 15th the ship went to G.Q. at 0510 and was directed to go back into Buckner Bay while at Battle Stations. The ship dropped the starboard hook in the assigned anchorage at 0855 and secured from G.Q. A radio news broadcast is received saying the Japs have agreed to our peace terms with the right to keep their Emperor - the only qualification. At 0920 the FOOTE received a message from the Commander in Chief, Pacific Advanced Headquarters, Operational Priority, Secret Dispatch #142315, directing all U.S. Naval Vessels to cease offensive operations against the Japanese forces, but to remain on the alert for treachery and an attack by enemy units. The crew’s reaction is mostly anticlimactic after that first word of the enemy’s willingness to surrender and that famous celebration by the troops ashore on Okinawa back on the 10th.


At sundown on the 15th the FOOTE is directed to get underway in company with the LAWS for A.A. Patrol at the entrance to Buckner Bay. There is a new protocol this time - the FOOTE and LAWS will operate under a makeshift arrangement where they will fire one warning shot of phosphorus in case the aircraft is friendly - if this doesn’t cause him to change course, then it’s SALVO!!! Only once - about 2200, a plane comes close enough for the LAWS to fire the marker - and he hightailed it out of the area - no other firing. These “moonset” G.Q.s are getting to be a drag - it’s to G.Q. 30-minutes before sunset and stay at Battle Stations until moonset at 2311 - about four hours.


The FOOTE and LAWS secures the patrol at the entrance to Buckner Bay after sunrise on the 16th and it is expected that we will get that six days of Tender availability, that has been so elusive - it is badly needed - this old tub is becoming a floating junk pile. At about noon, a copy of an AlNav (All Navy) Bulletin is posted describing the Navy’s point system for release of its personnel. Only length of service and age determines your points for discharge - there is no recognition for all those month of combat duty and time away from the states. Some stateside “desk jockey” must have developed that plan - these guys will mutiny. This squadron is one of the oldest in combat duty out here and should be one of the first to return to the states. Depend on the Navy to screw it up. If that don’t change there will be a lot of this crew “jump-ship” when it does get back to the states. The point system is the major scuttlebutt aboard ship - you can hear anything.

On August 17th the FOOTE finally works her way in alongside the HAMUL for availability. Besides all the work associated with the repairs - the crew is standing Condition II watches all night. It doesn’t make sense - we are alongside with orders that forbid us to fire the guns, the Radar and Main Battery Computer are secured and torn down - yet, we stand gun watches - what a deal.

The FOOTE is tied-up starboard side to the Tender HAMUL and the USS DORSEY (DMS-1) and USS SOUTHARD (DMS-10) are nested to port. No lack of business for the HAMUL.


There has been rumors all day on the 19th of a new point system for discharge from the service taking into account overseas duty - now that’s a little better.


On the 24th we start our seventh day of “Tender Duty” with everything that implies. The HAMUL technicians are really good - they know their job. The availability will probably be extended because there has been no cooperation from the weather at all - quick showers have been stopping all work topside ever day - there has been a lot of work time lost. Word from the Radio Shack is Japan’s emissaries are conferring with MacArthur’s Staff down in Manila - that’s some progress.


Late word on the radio is that landing in Japan by Airborne Troops will begin about August 26th, supplemented by troops from transports. The greatest mass of war ships ever assembled will enter Tokyo Bay and the peace agreement will be signed aboard a Battleship on September 2nd - V.J. DAY. The FOOTE received orders to join a group of ships going north, but they were cancelled by request of HAMUL. There is much scuttlebutt as to what duty the FOOTE will have in the Japanese occupation. Let’s get this old war weary bucket sea-worthy enough to make it stateside and go home.


The FOOTE was assigned to Task Group 95.3. Commander of Task Group (CTG-95.3) is Rear Admiral F. G. Fahrion, USN, Commander Cruiser Division (ComCruDiv-4), flying his flag in USS WICHITA (CA-45). At 0743 the FOOTE moves away from the HAMUL after being alongside eight days and anchors in Berth L-35. The anchor detail had hardly secured when orders were received to weigh anchor and move over to take fuel from the USS ARETHUSA (IX-135), and then anchor in Berth L-43.


It is official - the surrender will be signed on September 2nd aboard the USS MISSOURI (BB-63). Ships of the U. S. Navy have entered Sugami Bay, below Tokyo Bay, as reports of many suicides have taken place in front of the Emperor’s Palace. The Japanese people simply can’t comprehend they have lost the war. A fleet of over 400 United States warships have assembled in Sugami Bay (Just southwest of Tokyo Bay) to assist the occupation forces. American planes are dropping bundles of food and medicine to Americans in prison camps. Twelve hundred planes of Admiral Halsey’s fleet are guarding the Navy ships - it is estimated that the Japs still have approximately 10,000 flyable planes of which half are Kamikaze.


At 0928 on August 26th the FOOTE moved to Berth L-76. This is the warship anchorage and this battle force is comprised of about 50 ships. Quite a few of the ship’s crew went over to the USS CHENANGO (CVE-28) for church services today. Everyone got a good look at a T.B.M. (Torpedo Bomber built by Martin) - that’s all the CHENANGO carries. All hands in the church party were envious of the area they had for recreation on the hanger deck.


Today the heroes of Bataan were brought from Mukden, China to Kumming - many with tuberculosis and all suffering seriously from malnutrition - most weighing less than a hundred pounds. They had never heard of Harry Truman or Dwight D. Eisenhower.


America’s first 150 troops landed in Japan on the 27th in giant C-54 Transport Planes to prepare airfields for U. S. arrival. Ten warships entered Tokyo Bay - the Allies are being very cautious. Tragically, 20 U. S. communications experts were killed today in a transport plane crash taking off from Okinawa en route to Tokyo.


Japanese officials have said that dropping the atomic bomb convinced them to surrender.
The FOOTE is still swinging on the hook in Buckner Bay and the crew is wondering what is in their immediate future. General MacArthur landed on Okinawa today en route to Tokyo as preparations for the official surrender moves forward very rapidly.

Admiral Halsey’s flagship, USS MISSOURI (BB-63), is in Tokyo Bay and the Navy is making preparations for the surrender document to be signed aboard his ship. There is good news from a prison camp in Thailand today. Word was received that there are as many as 300 survivors from the Cruiser USS HOUSTON (CA-30) that disappeared presumably with the loss of all hands in the Battle of the Java Sea on February 28, 1942. One of America’s top War Aces, Marine Major Gregory Boyington, who shot down 26 Jap planes and was lost on January 3, 1944, has turned up alive in Tokyo.

Today an AlNav (All Navy) Bulletin from Washington came out with a new point discharge system giving credit for combat duty - those with overseas service having been overlooked when the original point system was drafted. This came from the Secretary of the Navy’s office - sometimes you wonder how we won.


General Mac Arthur arrived in Tokyo on August 29th in his gleaming C-54 personal plane named the “BATAAN”. Freed war prisoner General Jonathan Wainwright will be joining Mac Arthur on the MISSOURI for the surrender ceremonies. U. S. Marines have gone ashore at Yokosuka Naval Base and raised the American flag - the Japs seem to be acting in good faith. The U. S. Military is taking over all Japanese radio stations.


On August 30th the FOOTE is directed to get underway at 0530 for Gunnery Practice - of all things. We have already worn these damn guns out firing them for real. We are steaming in company with USS NEVADA (BB-36), USS CALIFORNIA (BB-44), USS TENNESSEE (BB-43), USS ARKANSAS (BB-33), USS TEXAS (BB-35), USS WICHITA (CA-45), USS STRONG (DD-758), USS OWENS (DD-767), USS PUTNAM (DD-757), USS WILLARD KEITH (DD-775), USS CONVERSE (DD-509), USS CHARLES AUSBURNE (DD-570), USS COLE (DD-155), USS COWELL (DD-547), USS SUWANEE (CVE-27), USS WANN (DE-412) and USS RICHARD W. SUESENS (DE-342). Five Battleships - pretty formidable force. The exercise is being conducted south of Okinawa and the O.T.C. (Officer in Tactical Command) is Commander of Cruiser Division (ComCruDiv-4) in WICHITA.


The 5-inch guns fired during the morning and the automatic weapons (40-MM & 20-MM) fired in the afternoon.

When the force returned to port, FOOTE moored starboard side to the CHARLES AUSBURNE and began topping off her fuel tanks at 1628. Then it was over to the CONVERSE and moored portside to while delivering fuel to her - now the FOOTE is being used as a fuel barge - that’s what happens when your skipper is junior (28-yrs. old) in the squadron. When we finished our fueling chores, we went alongside the USS CHOTAUK (IX-188) and topped off our tanks - then over to Berth L-76 and dropped the hook.


American troops are quickly expanding their occupation of the Tokyo Bay area. General Jonathan Wainwright has arrived in Japan and will go aboard the MISSOURI today and witness the surrender ceremony on September 2nd - what a glorious day, V. J. DAY.
(USS FOOTE Deck Log, USS FOOTE War Diary and Gene Schnaubelt’s account.)
(Written By: Wilbur V. Rogers)