Pearl Harbor Survivors Association
Rio Grande Valley of Texas Chapter 11

TOOK DESTROYER AND FOUGHT OFF JAPANESE ATTACK

This is the story of a young naval academy ensign just two years out of Annapolis and three reservist who probably won't be called "90 day wonders" for a long time. It is one of the sagas that emerged from the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in the early morning hours of Dec. 7.

It undoubtedly will form part and parcel of that vast collection of hero tales which has become "navy tradition". Briefly, it concerns a 1,500 ton destroyer (whose name like those of the principals in the little epic must remain anonymous for the time) that went to sea under the enemies withering fire with the quartet of ensigns as her officers helped shoot down four invading planes, depth charges two of his submarines and paced a heavy cruiser into the war that immediately began in deep water.

It is the story of exactly 30 hours in the lives of less than two hundred men.

Let the academy ensign tell it in his own words: We were seated in the wardroom, three reserve ensigns and myself, at exactly 8:00 o'clock on the morning of Dec. 7. Suddenly the bridge telephone announced. "The Utah has been torpedoed by Japanese aircraft". Immediately we sounded general quarters and manned our battle stations. As senior officer aboard (he is only 24) I gave orders to prepare to get under way at once. One of the reserve officers took the bridge with me, another took the guns, and the third became the damage control officer. Five minutes later we opened against the enemy with our submachine guns. Japanese planes were diving at our ships in the harbor. Two minutes later Ensign---- brought his large caliper anti-aircraft batteries into action. Below decks our chief machinist mate, acting as engineering officer, lit off another boiler. Fortunately we already had steam under one. The chief boatswain's mate led his repair party into the job of clearing the ship for action Within a short time we were heading for the channel.

As we moved downstream we kept up a heavy fire with our main battery and our machine- guns. Four planes engaged by our guns were seen to go down in smoke. Two planes that dived over us trying to reach the battleships beyond got it from our MG's.

Abeam Ft. Weaver, I called for more knots. The chief gave them to me. We maintained this increased speed while leaving the harbor. Once clear we set a straight course for our allotted patrolling area and slackened speed. At 9:50A.M. our chief radioman, who kept continuous watch at his station the whole time got a good contact on his listening apparatus. It was a sub. We maneuvered for the attack, and let'em have two depth charges. Then we regained contact and dropped two more. We observed a large oil slick on the sea and bubbles rising to the surface over a length of 200 feet. First we thought the submarine was surfacing, so Ensign trained the battery to starboard to be ready for it. Then we knew that it had been destroyed. We picked up one of our heavy cruisers by this time, when suddenly a third contact was reported. Apparently it was heading for the big ship. We made an emergency turn and attacked. From our racks we released another pair of depth charges. When we swung around again we saw another oil slick. We figured we had sunk our second sub.

From then on the 24 year old acting captain concluded laconically "we screened the cruiser upon orders from that vessel". In his report he commended his three associates and entire crew for their "extreme heroism, courage and fine cooperation during the conduct of the battle. The chief gunner's mate, he said cleared a jammed shell from a gun at great personal risk after sending all his men from the gun shield and handling room. The chief torpedo man assuming equal personal hazard, prevented serious damage when a live warhead tumbled to the deck. So alert was this destroyer that it expended hundreds of rounds of high explosive shells at the Japanese marauders, plus thousands of rounds of machine-gun bullets.

The youthful captain brought his ship back to Pearl Harbor without a single personal casualty.

When the ships regular captain--a lieutenant commander--rejoined her he put the epilog on the saga by adding the name of his understudy to the commendation which the latter had prepared, he summarized: As acting commanding officer from the commencement of the raid until the ship returned to port the following evening, he performed most commendably and efficiently in assuming prompt offensive action, conducting emergency sortie under existing trying conditions, attacking submarine contacts in off shore area, screening a heavy ship proceeding to attack a reportedly greatly superior forces, and subsequently standing watch and watch as officer of the deck for a period of 30 hours at sea.

This story taken from the, Honolulu Star Bulletin, December 25, 1941

Remember Pearl Harbor and Keep America Strong!

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