4 replies to this topic

[W. Clark]

Out in the Middle

1-15 March 1942

1200 hours. The wind was a Force 4 Northeasterly at 15 knots. The sky was cloudy, and max visibility was 26,000 yards. There was not any sea haze but there were 6 squalls scattered about the area. The squalls were light and only reduce sight into or through them by 1,000 yards.

 

Out in the middle of the Java Sea, Task Force 5 under RAdm Glassford was steaming 25 knots on a heading of 45 degrees. The reduced cruiser squadron, Houston had been withdrawn, was limited to 30 knots in any case due to hull damage to Phoenix received in the engagement that morning with a Japanese patrol. In addition, two Clemson class destroyers were now missing from DesDivs 57 and 58 (1 sunk by aerial torpedo and 1 detached to escort Houston).

 

Glassford had reorganized the Task Force after the engagement back into its earlier formation. If anything, his hopes were even more firmly tied to the Brooklyn’s. Glassford had recovered and then relaunched his spotter a/c.

 

1206 hours. The masthead reported enemy in sight, bearing 4 points to starboard on what appeared to be a heading of 225 degrees. With a closing rate of about 30 knots the range was already down to 25,000 yards when the lead two enemy cruisers (later identified as Takao and Atago) opened fire on Boise and Phoenix with their fore turrets. The fire missed.

 

1212 hours. Glassford ordered an increase to 30 knots and a 2-point turn to port. Phoenix began laying smoke to cover the other three Allied cruisers. The 3 DesDivs took station on the cruisers unengaged flank. The Japanese also increased speed and turned slightly (2-points?) to starboard and there were at least 8 destroyers in sight that took station to starboard flank of the enemy cruisers.

The range was now down 20,000 yards. Boise fired at Takao and hit her once. Takao fired back and missed. Phoenix fired at Atago and hit her once. Atago fired back and missed. Takao suffered minor hull damage and the hit on Atago bounced.

 

1218 hours. Glassford continued his 2-point turns to slow the closure and maintain his gunnery. His spotter a/c reported the invasion convoy as being about 30,000 yards away and behind the enemy cruisers and escorted by 2 more divisions of destroyers along with at least 1 AV. The visible Japanese continued to accelerate on their new course.

Boise hit Takao again and Takao missed again. Phoenix hit Atago again and Atago missed again. Both Boise and Phoenix’s hits bounced.

 

1224 hours. Glassford made another 2-point turn to port as the Japanese continued to accelerate and maintain their course.

Boise hit Takao again and Takao missed again. Phoenix hit Atago thrice and missed again. Takao lost her fore turret. Atago lost 2 fore turrets, and the third hit bounced.

 

1230 hours. Glassford continued his course, and the Japanese accelerated again and held to their course. Takao and Atago ceased fire and Kumano and Suzuya next in line opened up.

The range was now under 18,000 yards but not yet 15,000 yards. The Japanese change in engagement had caught the Brooklyn’s by surprise and they continued to engage the lead cruisers. Boise hit Takao once. Kumano fired unengaged at Boise and hit her twice. Phoenix hit Atago thrice more. Suzuya firing unengaged hit Phoenix 6 times. Boise’s hit bounced. Atago lost 2 more turrets and minor hull damage. Boise took minor hull damage twice and was limited to 30 knots. Phoenix took minor hull damage thrice and three more hits bounced. Phoenix was reduced to 26 knots and the Allied cruiser line slowed.

 

1236 hours. Glassford turned Task Force 5 together 90 degrees to port under smoke to increase the range. The move caught the Japanese by surprise, and they continued on course.

 

1242 hours. Glassford continued on his new course and the Japanese responded by turning 45 degrees to starboard, but the smoke precluded any engagement.

 

1248 hours. Glassford turned 90 degrees together to starboard and Boise and Phoenix cleared the smoke. The range was just over 18,000 yards.

Boise now fired at Kumano and hit her. Kumano fired back and hit Boise once. Phoenix fired at Suzuya and hit her. Suzuya fired back and missed. Kumano lost her fore turret. Boise took minor hull damage. Phoenix’s hit bounced.

 

1254 hours. It now became apparent to VAdm Kondo that Glassford was trying to edge round him, and he reversed course together to prevent that but ended up in reverse order in doing so.

Boise fired at Mogami (closest to her) and missed as did Mogami’s return fire. Phoenix fired at Mikuma and missed her as did Mikuma’s return fire.

 

1300 hours. Glassford was just beginning to realize that his Brooklyn sniping tactic was probably not going to win the day. But he had yet to come up with a via alternative; so he continued as before.

Brooklyn fired at Mogami and hit her twice and Mogami’s return fire returned the favor twice also. Phoenix missed Mikuma and Mikuma’s return fire hit Phoenix twice. Mogami lost her fore turret and the other hit bounced. Boise took 2 more minor hull hits and was limited to 26 knots. Phoenix took a hit to her a/c facilites that started a minor fire and minor hull damage that slowed her to 21 knots.

 

1306 hours. Phoenix failed to put her fire out and took minor hull damage. Glassford was conflicted by VAdm Helfrich’s order but decided to withdraw under smoke (he made his morale) while he still had the speed to do so. Kondo let him go as he had already lost enough turrets to make him leery of further engagement with the Brooklyn’s (he also made his morale).

 

WMC

 

[Peter M. Skaar]

That is another fine battle report again, W. Clark!

Back around 1994, I had the privilege of getting to know one of the survivors of Pearl Harbor who served on the USS Phoenix during WWII.  I met him at a Pearl Harbor Survivors, lunch at Hometown Buffet with a group of other Pearl Harbor survivors. His last name was Ryan but I can't seem to remember his first name.  He and another guy that I knew, who went to our church, were both on the Phoenix during the Pearl Harbor raid.  That guys name was Augie Kraut and I knew the family from church but unaware until later that he was a Pearl Harbor survivor.  I did get to talk to Augie a bit as well about his experiences.

The Phoenix was undamaged pretty much during the raid except for a couple spent 50 cal rounds that came back down.  During the war, it was a lucky ship in that the crew only suffered 2 casualties according to Ryan and did not sustain any significant damage.  She was slated for the Java Sea but was turned around which for her and her crew was fortuitous.

Unfortunately, after the war the Phoenix was later sold to Argentina and was renamed the General Belgrano.  You probably already know the rest of what happened during the Falklands War.

 

[W. Clark]

I love the Brooklyn's, lots of dice and CA(CA) armor. They can literally smother an opposing ship with 6-inch fire.

 

WMC

[simanton]

Nice to see a "come to grips" cruiser action, especially with Brooklyns.

[W. Clark]

Even though they are 6-inch cruisers the Brooklyn's are the only cruisers on the Allied side (excepting the Dutch PBs) that match the Japanese Myoko, Takao and Mogami classes in a daylight fight at ranges over 15,000 yards. Every other cruiser is faced with fighting cruisers with more dice, an EDR disadvantage and armor that does protect against 8-inch fire. They give Task Force 5 a fight where they have the advantage and against the EAF where they can expect less of Japanese CAs until GT6.

 

WMC