kwselke
Member
Back to C. Homer Bast, Lt. USNR, Commanding Officer USS Yolo off the invasion beaches Okinawa on this date 1945.
May 25, 1945
Today was a continuation of the Kikusui that featured 165 kamikaze aircraft and their accompanying fighters and bombers, in all some 445 planes. Starting around midnight and lasting until 0300 some 22 raids were report¬ed. From 0800 to 1100 ten more raids were contacted. Suiciders hit nine ships. While Yolo was at GQ early in the morning, Barry (APD 29), O’Neill (DE 188), Guest (DD 472) and W. M. Allison were blasted, while between 0804 and 1120 the kamikazes went after Spectacle (AM 305), W. C. Cole (DE 641), Butler (DMS 29), LSM 135, Stormes (DD 780), Roper (APD 20) and Bates (APD 47). Of these, three vessels were sunk, three scrapped and the others eventually repaired. Four of the ships were hit in the western Hagushi anchorage only a few miles from Yolo. In all some 91 men were killed and 128 wounded. This day our pilots and ships accounted for 184 enemy planes. Planes were spotted around the compass but lots of splashes were noted by Hellcats and Corsairs. Listening to the fighter pilot circuit helps those on watch stay alert and aware. This night control gave the pilot bogey raid one, range and bearing. Several minutes later a pilot yelled over the circuit to negate raid one; five Vals, two Zekes and one Oscar had been splashed. In another incident, as a friendly pilot flew over the anchorage AA opened up. The pilot yelled that it was easier to fly over the Japanese and even to land on their fields than to fly over Hagushi.
With the air attacks and heavy rains Hagushi ships had a busy day. Navy and Marine fighters were overhead giving us protection. In the middle of Kikusui VII orders came to proceed to the outer anchorage where a reefer ship, USS Latona, was standing by to supply us with 215 tons of fresh and frozen food. Anchoring by the stern, I hoped that Latona might provision us through the bow doors even during rough water. It was not to be! Yolo began the back breaking job of taking on stores.
May 25, 1945
Today was a continuation of the Kikusui that featured 165 kamikaze aircraft and their accompanying fighters and bombers, in all some 445 planes. Starting around midnight and lasting until 0300 some 22 raids were report¬ed. From 0800 to 1100 ten more raids were contacted. Suiciders hit nine ships. While Yolo was at GQ early in the morning, Barry (APD 29), O’Neill (DE 188), Guest (DD 472) and W. M. Allison were blasted, while between 0804 and 1120 the kamikazes went after Spectacle (AM 305), W. C. Cole (DE 641), Butler (DMS 29), LSM 135, Stormes (DD 780), Roper (APD 20) and Bates (APD 47). Of these, three vessels were sunk, three scrapped and the others eventually repaired. Four of the ships were hit in the western Hagushi anchorage only a few miles from Yolo. In all some 91 men were killed and 128 wounded. This day our pilots and ships accounted for 184 enemy planes. Planes were spotted around the compass but lots of splashes were noted by Hellcats and Corsairs. Listening to the fighter pilot circuit helps those on watch stay alert and aware. This night control gave the pilot bogey raid one, range and bearing. Several minutes later a pilot yelled over the circuit to negate raid one; five Vals, two Zekes and one Oscar had been splashed. In another incident, as a friendly pilot flew over the anchorage AA opened up. The pilot yelled that it was easier to fly over the Japanese and even to land on their fields than to fly over Hagushi.
With the air attacks and heavy rains Hagushi ships had a busy day. Navy and Marine fighters were overhead giving us protection. In the middle of Kikusui VII orders came to proceed to the outer anchorage where a reefer ship, USS Latona, was standing by to supply us with 215 tons of fresh and frozen food. Anchoring by the stern, I hoped that Latona might provision us through the bow doors even during rough water. It was not to be! Yolo began the back breaking job of taking on stores.
