Log of the USS BLESSMAN 19 February 1945

As she steamed away to join her group, tragedy struck quickly. A low flying Jap bomber appeared out of the black night and dropped two bombs on the speeding ship. One dropped harmlessly over her side, but the other turned her into a flaming holocaust. Ironically, it exploded on the mess hall, where her tired men were crowded writing letters home
In that instant, the 40 men stopped writing, never to write again. Twenty-one men of the BLESSMAN’s crew and 19 men of the UDP Number 15 were killed. Twenty-three were wounded, one seriously.

For 100 endless minutes, the stricken ship lay dead in the water. Flames poured fiercely from the gaping hole in her superstructure. Water poured into her riddled hull. All power was lost. Emergency pumps had been destroyed. Only bucket brigades were able to be thrown into the battle against the flames, obviously a losing fight. Ammunition began to explode as the fire raced towards the magazines. With enemy planes in the vicinity this look like the end of the BLESSMAN.

Just as destruction had come out of the night before, help appeared just as suddenly. Fighting hearts on the BLESSMAN were relieved to see the USS Gilmer (APD) come along side, without regard for her own safety, and provide firefighting men and equipment. After a two-hour battle by the men of both ships, the BLESSMAN was saved to fight again.

MY COMMENTS

When the bomb hit, I was off duty sitting on my bunk writing a letter. The entire ship shook and all hands headed for top side where we could see the flames from the area over the aft engine room. All power had been knocked out so we lay helpless in the water. A bucket brigade was formed to try to put out the fire but did little to help. It wasn't until the USS GILMAN pulled along side, tied up to us and fed water hoses to our waiting crew that we had any chance of keeping our ship afloat. After an hour of frantic work, the flames were hot and we were able to assess the damage.

At daylight the dead were prepared for burial at sea. As each body was dropped into the water the proper words were said . The American flag that draped the body was not dropped with the body but was used over and over again.

We were towed into Saipan by a sea-going tug boat. With no power we did the best we could by cooking our meals on the fantail. My refrigerated rooms had to be kept closed as much as possible to keep the food from spoiling.

Earlier I had requested a transfer to another ship. This was before we were bombed . Transfers were not given out easily so when the BLESSMAN returned to Mare island , I was still a member of the crew. At Pearl Harbor I received my transfer and was assigned to a cargo ship. My new ship was an older type direct steam drive propulsion system. I was unfamiliar with this and had to learn fast. The third class Machinist mates aboard knew more about keeping steam up than I did. I survived and was in charge of the engine room when we rode out a typhoon off the island of Okinawa.

The war was over so it wasn't long after that I transferred to a transfer camp and put aboard a Liberty transport ship for return to Great Lakes training station for my discharge from the service.

Log of the USS BLESSMAN 10 February 1945

The next step was to be Iwo Jima, one of the best defended islands in the world. On 10 February 1945, the BLESSMAN departed Ulithi on what your proved to be an ill-fated cruise. With other units of the bombarding forces, she arrived at Iwo Jima on 16 February and Underwater Demolition Team Number 15 conducted a preliminary reconnaissance, while the heavy ships subjected the Japs to a terrific bombardment. The next day, Team Number 15 went into action again. As the BLESSMAN approached the island, the Japs, believing her movements to be an indication of the landing of troops, took her under fire. Fortunately, she was unharmed, and the swimmers were able to complete their job at the cost of one casualty. The next day, 18 February 1945, the process was repeated with no casualties. Her job was finished; she was ordered to withdraw for the night to wait the arrival of Marines who were to land the next day.

Log of the USS BLESSMAN 11 December 1944

LOG:
At Pearl Harbor, Underwater Demolition Team Number 15 reported above aboard the BLESSMAN. These were the men whose job it was to discover and remove underwater obstacles to and amphibious landings. The Navy realized the need for pre-landing information and preparation during the early island hopping campaign. This job had to be done by men on the spot. Therefore, the Navy organized and trained the underwater demolition teams.

My Comments:

It was about this time when I put in for a transfer to another ship. The reason I wanted a transfer was that I wanted to see what the rest of the Navy was like. I wasn't intending to make the navy my life's work but I was certain the life of a sailor was more than duty on a DE or an APD. It was a bad time to ask for a tranfer but I did it anyway.

The members of the underwater demolition crew were, for the most part, young men in good shape. Their officers were the same. They would board motorized rubber rafts, about six or eight men to the raft, and head for the beach. They all wore wet suits and were good swimmers. Close to the beach they would search underwater for objects that would hang up the landing craft trying to land men on the beach. When found, their job was to blow up these objects.

LOG:

On 11 December 1944, the BLESSMAN departed Pearl on the cruise, which was to have as its objective the landing in Lingayen Gulf, Luzon. Brief stops the Eniwetok, Saipan, Ulithi, and the Palau Islands were made before the assault force was formed for the invasion. in the powerful force which left Kossol Roads, Palau on New Year's Day 1944 were battleships, cruisers, carriers, destroyers, destroyer escorts, and destroyer-transports.

As the task force entered Lingayon Gulf on 6 January 1945, they were met by a large group of Japanese Kamikaze planes attacking from all directions. When the smoke of the two-hour battle had cleared, several ships had been hit and 21 enemy planes were destroyed. The BLESSMAN had been credited with assisting in the destruction of two of them. The next day, the task force returned to the Gulf again, this time, unmolested. The demolition team went to work under cover of intense bombardment provided by the heavy ships. The BLESSMAN herself covered her swimmers by making the beaches too hot for any enemy bent on bothering the team in its work. So successfully was the job completed that the Army suffered not a single casualty when they went ashore on 9 January 1945.

The next day. The BLESSMAN was detached to escort the now empty transports back to Ulithi via Leyte Gulf. Here she rested, reprovisioned, and trained for the next operation, which was to take us a step closer to Japan.

Log of the USS BLESSMAN 28 July 1944

LOG:
On 28 July 1944, the BLESSMAN entered the Sullivan Drydock Repair Corporporation Yard, Brooklyn, New York, where work was commenced on the conversion job. No longer was the BLESSMAN'S mission to be an anti-submarine escort. She was to transport small groups of assault specialists to enemy beaches. For this she was equipped with four landing boats, her armament was increased, and her living compartments enlarged.

My comments:

At this time I had been writing letters and talking to Ronnie over the phone, and because my ship would be getting an overhaul, we decided that , if I could get leave, I would come home and we would get married. I requested and was given a ten day leave. I boarded a train at Grand Central Station and Ronnie and her family began preparing for the wedding. They talked to the priest at our parish, St.Ignatious church. We didn't plan on a large reception because of the shortage of time and because most of my brothers were in uniform stationed all over the world. Ronnie's sister, Helen was bridesmaid and Tommy Mitch, a friend of mine from civilian Days, was best man. The reception was small at Ronnie's parents house. Ronnie and I did go to a downtown hotel and went to a live play at a down town live play and had drinks afterwords. The ten days went quickly and I was soon back on duty in New York.

BACK TO THE LOG.

On 6 August 1944, while this work was in progress, Lieut. Philip LeBoutrillier, Junior., USNR, the ship's executive officer, relieved Lieut. Cammander Gillis, USN, as Commanding Officer. At the same time, Lieut. Thomas H. McCutcheon, USNR., became the Executive Officer.

On 25 October 1944, with the conversion job completed, the BLESSMAN departed New York and headed for the war in the Pacific. After a brief shakedown in Norfolk, she passed through the Panama Canal, stocked in San Diego, and San Francisco, and reported at Pearl Harbor for duty with the Pacific Fleet and 27 November 1944.

Log of the USS BLESSMAN 21 June 1944

The next day she was under way again for New York, arriving there 21 June 1944. On 2 July 1944, the BLESSMAN commenced her sixth and last Atlantic cruise. Again she escorted a troop convoy to the British Isles, arriving in Londonderry, on 11 July 1944. She departed for New York on 17 July with a returning convoy of transports loaded with men wounded in the fighting in Normandy. Enroute home, the BLESSMAN received word that she was to be converted to a destroyer-transport. This spelled the end of her Atlantic duty.

Log of the USS BLESSMAN 7 June 1944

While the Army was struggling for a foothold, the Navy so completely dominated the English Channel, that the BLESSMAN's task was comparatively easy. Only the vast German-laid mine fields presented any real hazard, and considerable, it was too, for the BLESSMAN's sister ship USS RICH was mined and sunk. The BLESSMAN herself on 7 June 1944 came alongside the USS SUSAN B. ANTHONY, mined and on fire. Although the ANTHONY was sinking rapidly, The BLESSMAN stayed along side and removed six Officers and thirty eight enlisted men. As the sinking transport became engulfed in flames, the ANTHONY's commanding officer ordered the BLESSMAN away, the last ship to leave as the stricken ANTHONY sank below the surface.

Coments:

The SUSAN B ANTHONY had her cargo nets over the side so the wounded who could still use their arms and legs could climb down into our waiting boats. Many had to be lowered on streachers. The evacuation had to be done quickly because she was sinking fast.

In less than sixty minutes the BLESSMAN was on another errand of mercy. This time she cam alongside another transport, the USS FRANCIS C. HARRINGTON, which had also struck a mine. The crippled ship, which was in danger of sinking, had twenty six seriously wounded men in desperate need of medical attention. The BLESSMAN quickly effected their transfer and delivered them to a hospital LST for treatment. this ended her active participation in the invasion. Several days and several enemy air attach and E-boat attacks later, the BLESSMAN was detached and returned to Plymouth on 12 June 1944.

Comments:

The streacher bound wounded from the USS FRANCES C. HARRINGTON were lined up on the deck of the BLESSMAN and lowered into our life boats and transfered to the hospital LST for treatment.

Log of the USS BLESSMAN 3 June 1944

ON 3 June 1944, the BLESSMAN departed Belfast for Bale de la Seine, France, as escort for the Bombardment group of the European Assault Force. As the task force entered the English Channel, it was met by the heavy weather which turned them back and postponed D-Day. Twelve hours latter, however, General Eisenhower gave the "go ahead signal" and all ships again turned their bows towards France. Off Portsmith, the BLESSMAN was assigned to screen the USS ANCON on which were embarked the commanding generals and admirals who were directing the invasion, and proceeded to the Normandy beaches. The surrounding channel waters swarmed with the thousands of ships, large and small, which were carrying the men who were to liberate Nazi dominated Europe. Off Portsmouth, the BLESSMAN was assigned to screen the USS ANCON on which were embarked the commanding generals and admirals who where directing the invasions, and proceeded to the Normandy beaches. The surrounding channel waters swarmed with the thousands of ships, large and small, which were carrying the men who where to liberate Nazi dominated Europe. Overhead droned flight after flight of bombers on there way to soften to up the enemy for the foot soldier. The dawn of D-Day, 6 June 1944, found the invasion successfully begun and the BLESSMAN assigned to the anti-submarine, E -Boat screen to seaward.