The following
is a segment from
LST-783 Cruise Book, A WWII Journal
that entwines the ship’s official deck log entries, my
father’s journal notes and
features writings
from Captain Lt. Jack McAllister to his wife during the war
offering an unprecedented look at his ship, officers, crew and
life aboard a Large Slow Target. This is the only accounting of the perils and adventures of the
LST-783 and her crew and is available only through our website.
6
DEC 44 – Kelly - Today we arrived at Tarragona Beach,
which is ruler straight and nearly 30 miles long. The Palm trees
here stand straight up and are 100 feet high. Our ship is the
first ship on the right on the beach; nine other LSTs are on our
port side, also on the beach. USS Duffy (DE-27), USS Martin
(DE-30) and the two YMSs at anchor behind us; USS Martin (DE-30)
was the assigned Fire Control Ship. It seemed like we had air
raids all day long. Every time we’d succumb from General
Quarters, bong-bong it’s another General Quarters so finally we
just stayed at General Quarters with guns cocked, loaded and
waiting; we never got any rest from then on. We got our first
taste of action today, shooting down a Japanese “Betty”
Mitsubishi two-engine medium bomber with a crew of seven. USS
Martin (DE-30) said fire and all 10 LSTs opened up on the Betty.
My gun, on the port side, couldn’t. We were facing the other
LSTs so we just lay on the deck as 20mms and 40mms were whizzing
overhead toward the Japanese plane only a few hundred yards off
our starboard side. We were throwing the proverbial kitchen sink
at him as he pulled up above the hundred foot trees, smoking and
heading inland, down the coast above the trees. He crashed five
miles down the beach. The co-pilot was the only one alive. The
tail gunner didn’t even have his head. I admit I was scared! The
Japanese were actually bombing Tacloban, the capitol of Leyte,
up the beach, about five miles. A liberty ship got another plane
off shore with his 20mms and the plane just blew up in the air -
0245 land sighted bearing 300º, distance about 12 miles; 0340
sounded General Quarters; 0556 secured from General Quarters;
0816 sounded General Quarters; 1023 anchored 1.5 miles off
Tarragona, Leyte, traveled 1327 miles; 1150 secured from General
Quarters; 1302 underway to beach on Leyte Island; 1316 beached
off Tarragona; 1330 LST-479 beached alongside to port; 1336
commenced unloading U. S. Army cargo; 1625 sounded General
Quarters; 1635 all engines ahead one-third to remain beached;
1702 secured from General Quarters; 1835 went to General
Quarters, enemy planes in the area; 1840 opened fire on enemy
planes; 1842 ceased fire; 2145 secured from General Quarters;
2315 sounded General Quarters; 2335 secured from General
Quarters - McAllister - You should see the place,
it’s beautiful, but we won’t be here long and our beer is
running low, only about 80 cases left. We’ve been getting beer
for the crew and allowing them to drink it ashore at various
places where there isn’t such thing. You can sell it here for $50
a can. Can you believe it? Money means absolutely nothing to
these boys. As I imagined there are no post offices here so I’ll
have to wait ‘til we get back to mail this episode. The Army
troops were fine to have aboard, no trouble at all and the
officers sure hated to leave this paradise. It is 2200, we just
finished a nice air raid, and I’m dead tired. The ‘Japs’ really
came in this time and still not a bit of damage to the ship.
We’re sitting ducks here on the beach, but these ships put up
such a terrific anti-aircraft barrage that they don’t come near
us as it would be suicide. We shot down the only one that dared.
You can bet that God has been with us every minute. Those boys
on the guns are really good! For a while, it looked like the
Fourth of July; you never saw so much ammo in the sky. It was a
little bit of excitement and a few moments away from the
monotony of it all.
7 DEC 44 – Kelly - Nothing but air raids all day. This
afternoon the invasion of Mindoro, PI, is leaving the harbor.
This convoy, plus others will go around through Surigao Straight
and onto Mindoro to launch another invasion in the Philippine
Island area. The invasion of Ormac Bay is taking place today on
the other side of Leyte - 0000 beached on Tarragona, ships
head 278º; 0030 sounded General Quarters; 0108 secured from
General Quarters; 0215 sounded General Quarters; 0345 secured
from General Quarters; 0800 Mustered at Quarters, no absentees;
1100 published the finding and sentence in the case of Simmons,
J. G. Jr., sleeping on watch, guilty, to perform 60 hours extra
police duty and to lose $15 per month for 4 months, total loss
of pay amounting to $60. Published the finding and sentence in
the case of Stanek, P. E., sleeping on watch, guilty, reduction
to next inferior rating and to lose $15 per month for 3 months,
total loss of pay amounting to $45; 1205 sounded General
Quarters; 1210 secured from General Quarters; 1223 sounded
General Quarters; 1229 opened fire on strange aircraft; 1230
ceased fire; 1418 secured from General Quarters; 1643 sounded
General Quarters; 1655 secured from General Quarters; 1703
retracted from beach; 1733 anchored in Leyte Gulf about 2.2
miles off Tarragona; 1845 small boat alongside, commenced
loading stores; 2000 General Quarters for half hour, 1500 rounds
of ammo expended; 2032 secured from General Quarters; 2200
General Quarters one hour, 1000 rounds of ammo expended;
2255 secured from General Quarters - McAllister - The
whole ship has been sacking in as we got no sleep at all last
night. It’s only noon now, but I find that I have to try to get
a letter off between raids here and they have six or seven of
those damn alerts each day. Even now, I can scarcely keep the
papers open. I’ll be ready to move off the ship in one hour when
those orders come. Nothing could please me more. I must go eat
as they just piped “Chow Down.” It’s been a couple hours as
there were two air raids and by the time we got back the food
was cold. The first decent meal since the Army left. Pork Chops,
mashed potatoes and peas. It’s been three years of war today.
How much more will we have to go through? Oh how I pray that it
will all be over soon. As I suspected, we were up most all night
last night, one air raid after another, but as usual, they
didn’t amount to anything. Not a single ship was damaged. We
should be leaving here very soon now too, as soon as we’re
unloaded. It has been raining here the entire time. I’ll be glad
to get out of here. I don’t like sitting on the beach.
8 DEC 44 – Kelly - It was another day of constant
General Quarters. Six miles out in the Gulf, three Corsairs shot
down a Japanese “Kate”
torpedo bomber and a high altitude bomber today.
USS Duffy (DE-27) went to the rescue and took the Japanese pilot
to Tacloban. We received word today that the night we shot down
the Betty Bomber he was so low that the 10 LSTs firing at it
also hit the tree tops of the Palm Trees, killing seven of our
soldiers, three natives and injuring eleven soldiers and 14
natives on the beach. It was a tough break that couldn’t be
helped - 0830 sounded General Quarters; 0952 secured from
General Quarters; 1037 YMS-288 alongside the port side to
receive fuel, water and provisions; 1138 sounded General
Quarters; 1252 secured from General Quarters; 1528 YMS-288
underway after receiving fuel, water and provisions -
McAllister - We received another honor, a feather for the
cap today. That plane that we knocked out that night was
confirmed and now we’re painting a nice ‘Jap’ flag with a plane
under it on our Conn. How bout that? It didn’t take long and we
officially have a Japanese Bomber to our credit. Not bad, I say.
The air raids are still averaging seven a day, but it seems
useless. They don’t hit anything, but we knock down a couple
each day without fail. Honestly, the crew looks forward to it.
It’s like a big game to see who can knock down the most. The
only bad thing is that it’s awfully annoying. I’m usually in the
shower, in the head, shaving or in the sack or something.
Tomorrow is another Captain’s Inspection. They seem to roll
around quicker now and the weeks seem to slip by quickly while
time in general seems to lag. It’s hard to explain. Another good
game of bridge tonight, we’ve been playing it quite consistently
as of late. After the “victory” of the plane shot down the whole
crew seems to be in good spirits even with the morbid,
depressing, torrential, drizzle that seems to persist day and
night. The weather is cool in the evening and one puts in a
restful night. Even I seem to be slightly lifted tonight.
9 DEC 44 – Kelly - This morning we were at General
Quarters waiting for Japanese planes when four Marine Corsair F4
fighter planes popped over Olmog Mountain heading for us and out
to sea. No one knew for sure if they were Japanese or ours. Some
trigger-happy Army guy opened up with a .50 caliber machine gun
so all ten LSTs opened up on them. Our gun 6 (aft twin 40mm) was
on the tail of the third Corsair and getting closer with each
shell when the order to cease-fire came. They say the last shot
was two feet off his tail - 1700 sounded General Quarters;
1706 secured from General Quarters; 1714 sounded General
Quarters; 1812 secured from General Quarters - McAllister
- Today has been a very dreary day, drizzling and overcast. As a
result of the poor fly conditions, the ‘Japs’ haven’t bothered
us today so all is quite peaceful for a change. You’ve never
seen such miserable weather it rains all the time. We’re ready
to leave now so we should be shoving off soon. Captain’s
Inspection was very routine. The ship looked fine so this
afternoon we’re on “Holiday Routine” where everyone just takes
it easy. The usual four of us played bridge all afternoon and I
never seem to get tired of that game.
10 DEC 44 – 0831 got underway for San Jose, Leyte Island;
1011 anchored 1.5 miles southeast of San Jose, Leyte Island
- McAllister - It stopped raining for a few minutes once
today. We have been very lucky today with few General Quarters.
Things have been completely dull today; only three raids and
they didn’t even come within range. As a matter of fact, we
spent the afternoon playing seven rubbers of the most cutthroat
bridge you can imagine. You’d think we were playing for a dollar
a point instead of 1/20th of a cent. I still have complete
control of my nerves and this is a lot less strain than New
Orleans and the shakedown. Even school at Washington was a
nightmare compared to this. At long last, we got the laundry
fixed. I have clean clothes at last. I bet I spent an hour in
the shower tonight, shave, sh--, whoops, shampoo, etc. The food
is better now that we’re rid of the Army. The sly old Supply
Officer is very clever and was holding out on us. Ensign Walker
just came in to chat, he can’t sleep. He’s quite a little guy.
He loves to reminisce about old times and places.
11 DEC 44 – 1030 held Captain’s Mast - Stark, H. J.,
shirking duty, punishment, 20 hours extra duty - Wolford, G. C.,
insubordination and shirking duty, punishment, 35 hours extra
duty; 1038 Captain’s Mast adjourned; 1118 USS Martin (DE-30)
alongside to starboard for refueling; 1630 finished refueling
USS Martin (DE-30) that got underway from alongside to
starboard; 1713 sounded General Quarters; 1718 secured from
General Quarters - McAllister - There isn’t the
slightest bit of Xmas spirit out here naturally, just the usual
day’s routine. Fortunately the ‘Nips’ haven’t bothered us much
the last couple days and I’ve managed a divine nine hours sleep
each night, which has helped pass the time away. As a matter of
fact, all we’ve been doing is eating, sleeping and playing
bridge. I had expected to be out of here by now, but there is a
delay somewhere. We should be on our way in a day or so though.
12 DEC 44 – 1333 LCT-882 alongside to starboard; 1420
LCT-822 got underway from alongside to starboard; 2000 Latitude
10° 59’ N Longitude 125° 05’ E, sounded General Quarters; 2020
secured from General Quarters - McAllister - This is
certainly a strange war, just to think, here we sit literally
bored to death with inactivity and just a few miles from here is
the front lines. Now and then of course, there are air raids,
but such futile attempts that they are actually laughed away.
Yes, it’s hard to figure out and I suppose there’s no use
cluttering up my little head with the reasons why. So many
strange things happen that I don’t dare mention or discuss. The
Pacific, to coin a phrase, stinks.
13 DEC 44 – 0342 sounded General Quarters; 0356 secured from
General Quarters; 0800 Mustered at Quarters, no absentees; 1115
made all preparations for getting underway, anchor at short
stay; 1302 LCI-361 along port side to transfer naval personnel
as passengers; 1309 LCI-361 away from port side; 1337 underway
in accordance with Fleet Order # 1-44, Task Unit 94.4.1 enroute
from Leyte Gulf to Ulithi, Caroline Islands in company with LSTs
244 (flag), 38, 45, 71, 130, 275, 450, 479, 484 and escorted by
USS Duffy (DE-27), USS Martin (DE-30), YMS-163 and
YMS-288; 1600 Homonhon Island off port bow about 10 miles
distant - McAllister - At last, we are underway and
for the very first time since we’ve been out here, we’re heading
east. I’ll admit that I’m glad to be going away from this last
stop. The air raids, etc., pretty much kept us on the edge all
the time, but already we’ve left it well behind us. Not a thing
happened through the day and with my getting up at daybreak, I’m
just about dead on my feet. We loaded 57 passengers, the only
survivors of the Destroyer USS Mahan (DD-364) which was sunk 7
DEC at Ormac Bay. Reportedly, nine ‘Jap’ suicide planes dove at
her from 1500 feet. The Mahan shot down six of them in their
dive down. The planes didn’t have any bombs, but they were full
of gas. Planes hit the bow, the conning tower and the stern.
Ammo was going off everywhere. Abandon ship, at least those left
alive. Destroyer USS Walke (DD-723) picked them up and let the
Mahan have a torpedo, which broke the ship in two. The stern
sank right away, but it took nineteen rounds of 5.5 shells to
sink the bow and that was with all the ammo exploding in it
also. |