St. Louis - First Kamikaze Hit!
Posted: Sun Oct 17, 2004 12:58 am
Interesting picture of the first Kamikaze stike against the US Navy. It happened on October 25, 1944. The St. Louis was a baby back aircraft carrier.
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St. Louis - First Kamikaze Hit!
Posted: Sun Oct 17, 2004 3:53 am
holy cow that picture is great
St. Louis - First Kamikaze Hit!
Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2004 4:24 pm
The St. Lo (CVE-63, ex- USS Midway) was my father's ship. She went down on October 25, 1944 during the intense Battle off Samar Island during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. He survived the sinking (or I wouldn't be here today). Yes, it was the first U.S. ship to be sunk by the Japanese kamakazii technique. I believe an Australian ship holds the dubious honor of being the first ever. The old sailor's addage is true - never rename a ship - it's bad luck. The construction and launching of the big carrier USS Midway (originally CVB-41) was the reason for her renaming.
The Zeke went through the flight deck and blew up next to the ship's magazine, sending the flight elevator 500 feet into the air. The St. Lo sank in 25 minutes. Most of its crew survived, however most spent 3 days in the water fending off sharks before being rescued.
My dad also survived the sinking of the USS Vincennes (CA-44) at Guadalcanal on August 9, 1942. She was put under by a Japanese sub torpedo. He was one lucky buck to have made it through the war. 7 battle stars.
The old man is gone now, having died in 1983. I miss him a lot. Although he never spoke much about the war (many WW II vets didn't), one of the tidbits I most remember is when he told me about abandoning ship. Not everyone gets off by being lowered in a lifeboat or raft. Many dove right off the deck or from the ropes. The old man said, "You time your dive with the roll of the ship. Dive too soon, and you'll dive right into the side of the ship. Wait for the roll to come your way and you can make it." And he did.
-timetraveller
The USS St. Lo.
St. Lo exploding at Leyte Gulf.
The Zeke went through the flight deck and blew up next to the ship's magazine, sending the flight elevator 500 feet into the air. The St. Lo sank in 25 minutes. Most of its crew survived, however most spent 3 days in the water fending off sharks before being rescued.
My dad also survived the sinking of the USS Vincennes (CA-44) at Guadalcanal on August 9, 1942. She was put under by a Japanese sub torpedo. He was one lucky buck to have made it through the war. 7 battle stars.
The old man is gone now, having died in 1983. I miss him a lot. Although he never spoke much about the war (many WW II vets didn't), one of the tidbits I most remember is when he told me about abandoning ship. Not everyone gets off by being lowered in a lifeboat or raft. Many dove right off the deck or from the ropes. The old man said, "You time your dive with the roll of the ship. Dive too soon, and you'll dive right into the side of the ship. Wait for the roll to come your way and you can make it." And he did.
-timetraveller
The USS St. Lo.
St. Lo exploding at Leyte Gulf.
St. Louis - First Kamikaze Hit!
Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 1:00 am
Thanks for the info timetraveller. I have an interest in the old babybacks cause a very dear friend of mine was on the USS Ommaneybay which was also sunk by a kamikazii on January 4th 1945. He's now 80 years old. Art bought me a book that one of the crew wrote and published because of my interest. Fascinating to say the least. They lost around 95 men onboard. It looks like the point of impact was the same for both ships. The picture showing the Kamikazii going down into the water was actuall taken a few days before the fatal strike. Not as the notation states on the same day.
Thanks for you dad's service.
Thanks for you dad's service.