C. Homer Bast, C.O. USS Yolo this date 1945.
June 5, 1945
The convoy anchored at Nago Wan at 0310. My primary concern was the depth of water and in a typhoon would Yolo have enough chain for the anchor to hold? After finding the designated anchorage, we dropped the hook and secured everything but the anchor and engine room watches. The sun, streaming in the sea cabin door, was enough to wake me. There was no typhoon! This day was the most wonderful one we have had in weeks.
The LSTs in our group anchored in the northeastern part of the anchorage, a mile from the beach. The bay is huge and shaped in the form of a "U". Surrounded by land except in the southwest, 100 LSTs are anchored here. The water is calm. It reflects the blue sky overhead. On the northern side of the bay are rugged green mountains that level out on the other side of the "U". The country is green, lush with vegetation with the sides of the mountains cultivated in some spots.
At 0903 anchor was hoisted and the group returned to Hagushi. Leaving Nago Wan all saw the sunken hulks of a couple of Japanese vessels. Rusty and gutted they rested on the bottom with the main deck and superstructure showing. The return trip was plea¬sant. Indeed, it was good to be at sea again.
As Yolo dropped out of the formation and returned to her anchor¬age around noon, small craft appeared with their lights blinking "permission to come alongside". At 1318 it was business as usual just as clouds appeared on the horizon. Once again the ubiquitous rain fell. We went to GQ late in the evening, midst the rain, smoke and cold. All guns were manned from 1932 to 2027 with bogeys at varying distances in all sectors.
South of Naha the Mississippi (BB 41), steaming 2 miles astern of Louisville (CA 28) was hit around 1930 by two kamikazes. In spite of her age damage was slight. At 1932, the Louisville, also on fire support, was kamikazed on the port side in the vicinity of the well deck. Her plane and catapult were demolished, #1 stack was destroyed and four boilers were knocked out of commission. She anchored near Yolo around 2240. Fifty- four men were killed or wounded.