Oct. 1

Left Kassal Passage for Ulithi - Japs attacked Peleliu. Strafed DD Bailey¹ - Some casualties.

1. U.S.S. Bailey DD-492

Oct. 2

Anchored at Ulithi.

Oct. 3

Left Ulithi because of approaching typhoon.

Oct. 4, 5

Anchored in Ulithi.

* Berth 147, Ulithi Islands

Oct. 6

Left Ulithi - Rough weather - the 6th and 7th.

Oct. 8

Refueled.

* 500 miles W of Maiannas. (13-43 N 138-23 E)

Oct. 9

Enroute to Nampo Islands (Okinawa Jima)

Oct. 10

Launched strikes on Okinawa Jima.

* 125 miles SE of Okinawa. (25-00 N 129-29 E)

Oct. 11

Refueled - Two bogies¹ shot down by C.A.P.²

* 375 miles E of Formosa. (19-48 N 127-04 E)
1. bogies - Enemy Aircraft
2. CAP - Combat Air Patrol

Oct. 12

Launched strikes on Formosa. B.H.¹ are making strikes on Iwo chain

* 75 miles E of Formosa. (22-44 N 122-54 E)
1. B.H. - U.S.S. Bunker Hill CV-17

Oct. 12
(2nd entry)

Launched strikes on Formosa. Went to general quarters at 7:00 PM. Had torpedo attacks lasting till 3:30 AM Oct. 13. Ship's AA¹ got about 6 and Ind.²¹ VF(N)³ got 9. Flares were to dropped by Japs but they were unable make any hits on our ships.

1. AA - Anti-aircraft gunnery
2. Ind. - U.S.S. Indiana BB-50
3. VF(N) - U.S. Navy Fighter

Oct. 13

Launched strikes on Formosa. Not much air opposition over target. One of our planes made the 15,000th landing on this ship today. Summary for last two days - 212 planes knocked down, 175 on ground, much damage to shipping and ground installations. Attacked at dusk. Lasted about 11hours. Eleven planes shot down. Canberra¹ torpedoed. Being towed by Witchita².

* 60 miles E of Formosa. (22-57 N 122-22 E)
1. U.S.S. Canberra CA-70
2. U.S.S. Witchita CL-45

Oct. 14

Launched strikes on Formosa. Went to G.Q.¹about 3:15 - attacked by dive bombers about 5:30. Attacked by torpedo planes. Three went down close to ship. One made a crash on Reno² front hull. No damage. We had a few casualties, about 12 men, 1or 2 were fatal. Secured from G.Q. about 9:00. Cruiser Houston³ was
torpedoed.

* 375 miles SE of Formosa. (23-15 N 123-26 E)
1. G.Q. - General Quarters
2. U.S.S. Reno CL-96
3. U.S.S. Houston CL-81

Oct. 15

Gunnery dept. stayed on alert last night and this morning. Bogies¹ were all around till early this morning, but none close enough to cause excitement. Enroue to fueling rendezvous with cruiser.

* 350 miles SE of Formosa. (18-08 N 128-58 E)
1. bogies - enemy aircraft

Oct. 16

Planned to hit Formosa today, but have contacted unit of Jap fleet: 2 CV¹, 1CVE², 2 CA³, 5 DD⁴. Are now going in that direction.

* 375 miles SE of Formosa. (22-21 N 128-02 E)
1. CV - Large Carriers
2. CVE - Small EscortCarriers 3. CA - Heavy Cruisers
4. DD - Destroyer

Oct. 17

Still in search of Jap fleet. Learned that we are to invade Philippines Oct. 20th. CVEs¹ will cover landings but we will be in vicinity if needed. CAP² got a Judy³ this morning. Other task groups 58.1 and 58.4 are making out ok. Shooting down many planes. Canberra⁴, Houston⁵, Cabot⁶and Cowpens⁷ were attacked again. Shot down 59 out of 60 planes. 58.4 (Enterprise⁸ gunnery) is hitting Manila. 30 out of 40 in air, 15 of 20 on the ground shot down the 30 which attacked them. 58.1 operating in secret. Attacked by 190 planes. Shot down 95.

* 350 miles E of Formosa. (21-16 N 127-20 E)
1. CVE - Small EscortsCarrier 2. CAP - Combat Air Patrol
3. Judy - Japanese Navy Dive Bomber. 4. U.S.S. Canberra CA-70
5. U.S.S. Houston CL-81
6. U.S.S. Cabot CVL-28
7. U.S.S. Cowpens CVL-25
8. U.S.S. Enterprise CV-6

Oct. 18

Refueling

* 375 miles E of Luzon. (18-00 N 129-36 E)

Oct. 19-20

Cruised around Philippine area.

* 250 miles E of Luzon. (17-11 N 126-52 E)

Oct. 21

Launched VF² sweep and strike on Mindanao.

* 200 miles NE of San Bernadino Straits.
(13-58 N 125-14 E)
1. VF - U.S. Navy Fighter

Oct. 22-23

Cruised around looking for units of Jap fleet and stood by for support of Philippines.

* 350 miles NE ofSan Bernadino Straits.
(14-14 N 130-20 E]

Oct. 24

We were at G.Q.¹ all day. Attacked by many planes. Princeton² received a bomb hit. There were 3 terrific explosions not long after. They finally abandoned and sunk her. Casualties not known yet. Our planes sighted and attacked a unit of Jap Fleet consisting of 4 BB³s, 3 Cruisers and about 13 DD⁴s. Damaged 1 BB and 2 CCs⁵. Our disposition planes shot down over 30 planes. We had a few near misses. CVE's⁶ assisting land operations in Philippines are under attack by 9 Jap battlewagons and are asking for help. Birmingham⁷ and Wisconsin⁸ and Irwin DD⁹ were damaged. Caused by Princeton explosion. AGC¹⁰ McCampbell¹¹ now has 30 planes to his credit.

* Battle of Leyte Gulf Oct 23-26 * 200 miles E of Luzon. (15-32 N 123-28 E)
1. G.Q. - General Quarters
2. U.S.S. Princeton CVL-23
3. BB - Battleship
4. DD - Destroyer
5. CC -
6. CVE - Small Escort Carriers 7. U.S.S. Birmingham CL-62
8. U.S.S. Wisconsin BB- 64
9. U.S.S. Irwin DD-794
10. AGC -Air Group Commander
11. McCampbell, David - an Essex AGC, Navy's
flying ace who shot down
34 enemy planes

Oct. 25

Another unit of the Jap fleet is 55 miles from us. It consists of 4 CVs¹, 4 BBs², 4CAs³, 4 CLs⁴and DDs⁵. We've sent out strikes to take care many of them. Battlewagons are on their way to assist CVEs⁶. Honolulu⁷, Sangamon⁸ and Australia⁹ were damaged during landings in the Philippines. Report 9 of 17 ships sunk in strikes on Japs. Cruisers and DDs going north to finish them off.

* Battle of Leyte Gulf continues.
* 350 miles NE of Luzon. (17-39 N 126-27 E)
1. CV - Large Carriers
2. BB - Battleship
3. CA - Large Cruisers
4. CL - Light Cruisers
5. DD - Destroyer
6. CVE - Small Escort Carrier
7. U.S.S. Honolulu CL-48
8. U.S.S. Sangamon CVE-28
9. H.M.A.S. Australia IIAustralian heavy cruiser

Oct. 26

Refueled today. Details on what strikes did to fleet north of us: Sunk 1 CV¹, 1 CVC², 3 CLs³. 2 DD⁴s Damaged. 1 BB⁵, 1 L⁵, 4 DDs, 1 BB, 41 CC⁶ got away. We lost 3 planes. CLs and DDs reported they sank 1 CL. VF sqdn.⁷ now have 261 planes to their credit.

* 300 miles NE of San Bernadino Straits.
(15-58 N 128-27 E)
1. CV - Larger Carrier
2. CVC - Small Carriers
3. CL - Light Cruiser
4. DD- Destroyer
5. BB - Battleship
6. CC - Battle Cruiser
7. VF sqdn. - U.S. Navy Fighter Squadron

Oct. 27

Launched 2 strikes on shipping on Manilla Harbor. Believe we are on way to Ulithi. CAP¹ shot down Fran².

* 100 miles NE of San Bernadino Straits.
(12-20 N 126-24 E)
1. CAP - Combat Air Patrol
2. Fran - Francis - Japanese Navy Bomber.

Oct. 28

Enroute to join 38.1 and then proceed to
Ulithi.

* 300 miles NE of San Bernadino Straits.
(13-22 N 129-42 E)

Oct. 29

Enroute to Ulithi. Sad for our loses.
1 CVC¹, 2 CVEs², 2 DDs³ and 1 DE⁴.

1. CVC - Small Carrier
2. CVE - Small Escort Carrier
3. DD - Destroyer
4. DE - Destroyer Escort

Oct. 30

Anchored Ulithi

* Berth 26, Ulithi Islands.