Battle of Surigao Strait

5. “He gallantly came to a stop and started rescue work.”

5 “He gallantly came to a stop and started rescue work.” Nishimura and Shima would have no cause to fear submarines on October 24, the day before X-Day. None were in their paths. The danger was in the skies. At the first hint of dawn the massed U.S. carrier forces began sending out search missions of fighter bombers to seek out the approaching Japanese forces reported by intelligence and submarines. The U.S. carriers closest to Nishimura and Shima’s line of approach were those of TG 38.4 under command of Rear Admiral Ralph E. Davison. At 0600 Enterprise and Franklin launched a reinforced search mission consisting of thirty-two VF and twenty-four VB to search the Sulu Sea. A reinforced search meant a dual search-strike mission with expanded numbers to improve coverage. The sweep would cover the sector from southwest to due west, with “Big E” planes assigned the southern sub-sectors while “Big Ben’s” aircraft would tackle the two northern sub-sectors. The planes from Franklin were just off Pucio Point, Panay, when they sighted what appeared to be “2 old type DDs and a larger vessel, possibly a Katori-class CL.” The identification was a bit off—there was no cruiser present , and even stranger, all three ships were sister ships. Franklin’s planes had chanced on Desdiv 21 en route from Manila to rejoin Shima.1 After embarking aviation personnel, equipment, and crated spare parts at Takao, Desdiv 21 had hurried to Manila on their mission, which their crews “heartily detested!” Arriving at 1500 the 23rd and learning that if they hurried they could join Shima in the decisive battle, they had spared no efforts. Having accomplished both offload and refueling in record time the three DDs put back to sea again.2 Desdiv 21 was proceeding through the East Cuyo Channel for its projected 62 “He gallantly came to a stopand started rescuework.” · 63 sunset rendezvous with Shima’s 2YB down from Coron. If all went well, Shima would be forcing Surigao Strait with a strong torpedo force of seven destroyers backed by his three cruisers. Alas for Shima, it did not work out that way. The mountains of Mindoro were looming to port when lookouts shouted out warnings of more than one group of enemy planes closing in. Immediately Ishii ordered his division into line abreast formation for AA defense. Flagship Wakaba took the center and Hatsushimo and Hatsuharu its port and starboard sides respectively. The planes were scout bombers, and though they had no torpedoes, they packed a deadly punch, tearing down out of the sky with machine-guns spitting and loosing 30-kg armed rockets that went whistling toward the wildly weaving DDs. The first group missed or did not drop their bombs, as Wakaba turned sharply to starboard and, racing on, reversed helm back to port, tracing a huge figure-eight in the water. This was repeated as each group attacked. The complicated maneuvering seemed to be working, for as Wakaba heeled from sharp turns, four or five bombs crashed into the sea only fifty meters to port, drenching it in huge columns of water. Swipes at Hatsushimo and Hatsuharu failed to connect as well. All was going well; there were only a few more planes left. As this group pushed over in its dives at 0813 they once again went for the flagship in the center, and Wakaba began another circle to starboard in evasion. The enemy was not fooled this time, and had its number.3 In quick succession near-misses buried Wakaba’s bow in water; one was razor close and stove in the thin plates of the aptly nicknamed “tin can” aft on the port side. A direct hit struck near the mainmast and bore downward to explode deep within the bowels of the ship, on the floor of the auxiliary engine room. The effect of the two impacts was devastating. Ishii’s flagship shuddered and heaved, slobbering to a halt and listing to port with all lights and power out. Huge clouds vented skyward from Wakaba, and nearly twenty men were already dead and wounded.Its two sister ships immediately took up defensive positions around the stricken flagship. By a cruel stroke of fate, Wakaba had been struck by the last group of planes to attack; satisfied, the Franklin pilots winged away. They were confident they had severely wounded the target, and they were right. Thirty minutes after being hit...