Between the 15th and the 23d [December], she made a round-trip voyage from Manus to Ulithi and back.
Following an availability and more exercises at Manus during the last week of 1944 and the first week of 1945, she repeated her voyage to Ulithi and back between 6 and 14 January 1945.
Showing posts with label Witter log. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Witter log. Show all posts
Sunday, December 15, 1974
Thursday, November 14, 1974
Witter Log, November 14 - December 14, 1944
On 14 November, Witter and her charges arrived back in Humboldt Bay.
She was anchored in Humboldt Bay until 2 December when she got underway in the escort of a convoy bound for Seeadler Harbor at Manus. Witter and her charges entered the harbor the following day, and the destroyer escort remained there until mid-month, conducting tactical exercises in the vicinity until her departure.
She was anchored in Humboldt Bay until 2 December when she got underway in the escort of a convoy bound for Seeadler Harbor at Manus. Witter and her charges entered the harbor the following day, and the destroyer escort remained there until mid-month, conducting tactical exercises in the vicinity until her departure.
Sunday, November 3, 1974
Witter Log, November 3-13, 1944
On the 3d [November], however, they reversed course on orders and reentered Kossol Passage the following day. The stay proved brief. She and her charges set sail again that evening and arrived in San Pedro Bay, Leyte, on the 7th. She remained there— harassed by alerts but not by attacks—until the 11th when she departed, escorting her precious oilers.
Saturday, October 12, 1974
Witter Log October 12 - November 1, 1944: LEYTE
Her [the Witter's] task unit, a part of the 7th Fleet Service Force, departed Humboldt Bay on 12 October to take up replenishment station at sea some 180 miles west of the already-invested Palau Islands.
At mid-month [October], the oilers she escorted refueled the Leyte invasion force at sea and, on the 18th, headed for the anchorage at Kossol Passage in the Palaus.
After two days in the Palaus, Witter and her charges got underway to join the main force in Leyte Gulf. They arrived in the gulf three days after the 20 October assault.
The warship's visit to Leyte proved to be lively. Air attacks by the Japanese abounded. During one attack in the early evening of the 24th, a Japanese torpedo bomber started a run on Witter from almost dead ahead while she was maneuvering to change anchorages just south of Samar Island. Though he appeared to be hit by her 20-millimeter fire, the plane traversed her entire length to starboard and finally burst into flames some 300 to 400 yards astern.
The air attacks continued intermittently the following day, and Witter observed many bogeys and picked up others on her radar but contributed no more downed aircraft to the American tally. For the remainder of her stay in Leyte Gulf, Witter and the oilers she screened continued underway to avoid numerous air attacks and conduct refueling operations.
On the 27th, she escorted the unit out of Leyte Gulf en route to a position about 120 miles east of Leyte. Sporadic air attacks continued but diminished as Leyte receded astern.
On the 28th, her charges began refueling TG 77.4 and, just before noon the following day, completed those operations and set course for Kossol Passage. They arrived in the Palaus late on 31 October but, after the oilers refueled that night and the following morning, headed back to Leyte early in the afternoon of 1 November.
At mid-month [October], the oilers she escorted refueled the Leyte invasion force at sea and, on the 18th, headed for the anchorage at Kossol Passage in the Palaus.
After two days in the Palaus, Witter and her charges got underway to join the main force in Leyte Gulf. They arrived in the gulf three days after the 20 October assault.
The warship's visit to Leyte proved to be lively. Air attacks by the Japanese abounded. During one attack in the early evening of the 24th, a Japanese torpedo bomber started a run on Witter from almost dead ahead while she was maneuvering to change anchorages just south of Samar Island. Though he appeared to be hit by her 20-millimeter fire, the plane traversed her entire length to starboard and finally burst into flames some 300 to 400 yards astern.
The air attacks continued intermittently the following day, and Witter observed many bogeys and picked up others on her radar but contributed no more downed aircraft to the American tally. For the remainder of her stay in Leyte Gulf, Witter and the oilers she screened continued underway to avoid numerous air attacks and conduct refueling operations.
On the 27th, she escorted the unit out of Leyte Gulf en route to a position about 120 miles east of Leyte. Sporadic air attacks continued but diminished as Leyte receded astern.
On the 28th, her charges began refueling TG 77.4 and, just before noon the following day, completed those operations and set course for Kossol Passage. They arrived in the Palaus late on 31 October but, after the oilers refueled that night and the following morning, headed back to Leyte early in the afternoon of 1 November.
Sunday, September 29, 1974
Witter Log September 29 - October 6, 1944
Between 29 September and 6 October, Witter made a roundabout voyage from Milne Bay via Treasuries and back to New Guinea at Humboldt Bay. At Humboldt Bay, she reported for duty to TU 77.7.1 for the Leyte operation.
Thursday, September 26, 1974
Witter Log September 26-27, 1944
On the 26th [September], she paused near Porlock and Cape Nelson to help SS Richard H. Dana, aground on Curtis Reef. While her boats assisted in the transfer of Army troops from the merchantman to Stratford (AP-41), Witter patrolled to seaward to protect against possible enemy submarine attack.
On the 27th, she resumed her voyage and arrived in Milne Bay that same day.
On the 27th, she resumed her voyage and arrived in Milne Bay that same day.
Sunday, September 22, 1974
Witter Log September 22-24, 1944
After returning the rescued aircrewmen to Emirau on the 22d [of September], she returned to sea that same day on her way back to Manus. From there, she continued her voyage toward Milne Bay on 24 September.
Sunday, August 25, 1974
Witter Log August 25, 1944
Three days later [August 25], she moved on again, this time to Manus in the Admiralty Islands where she stopped overnight on the 26th and 27th.
On the latter day [27 August], the warship made the brief voyage from Manus to Emirau Island. She remained there for almost a month, putting to sea only once during that period—between 19 and 22 September—to rescue the crew of a downed PBJ (the Navy version of the Army's B-25 Mitchell bomber).
On the latter day [27 August], the warship made the brief voyage from Manus to Emirau Island. She remained there for almost a month, putting to sea only once during that period—between 19 and 22 September—to rescue the crew of a downed PBJ (the Navy version of the Army's B-25 Mitchell bomber).
Thursday, August 22, 1974
Witter Log August 22, 1944
On 21 August, she began a move farther north in the Solomons, arriving in the Green Islands subgroup that same day.
Tuesday, July 16, 1974
Witter log July 15 - August 7, 1944
In mid-month [July], however, the destroyer escort left New Guinea for a new field of endeavor, the northern Solomons. She departed Humboldt Bay on 15 July and, after a brief stop at Cape Cretin, arrived in the northern Solomons at Empress Augusta Bay, Bougainville, on the 18th.
On the 20th [July], she departed Empress Augusta Bay and, that same afternoon, arrived in the Treasury Islands subgroup. For almost three weeks, she remained in the vicinity of Blanche Harbor in the Treasuries, conducting antiair and antisubmarine warfare exercises
On the 20th [July], she departed Empress Augusta Bay and, that same afternoon, arrived in the Treasury Islands subgroup. For almost three weeks, she remained in the vicinity of Blanche Harbor in the Treasuries, conducting antiair and antisubmarine warfare exercises
Friday, July 5, 1974
Witter Log July 5, 1944
At the end of the first week in July, Biak Island—located off the northern coast of New Guinea, opposite the large bay which separates the Vogelkop from the rest of the island—came within Witter's sphere of operations.
Friday, May 17, 1974
Witter Log May 17, 1944
After the 17 May assault on the Toem-Wakde-Sarmi area located a little farther up the northern coast of New Guinea, she [the Witter] added that region to her itinerary.
Sunday, May 5, 1974
Witter Log May 5, 1944
On 5 May, she [Witter] entered Milne Bay at the southeastern tip of New Guinea. By the time Witter reached that port, American forces had already made almost simultaneous landings at Aitape, Tanahmerah Bay, and Humboldt Bay, in actions known collectively as the Hollandia operation. Thus, for the next several weeks, Witter drew duty escorting resupply and reinforcement convoys to the three landing areas, making stops at such intermediary places as Cape Cretin and Cape Sudest.
Friday, May 3, 1974
Witter Log May 3, 1944
She [Witter] arrived in the Russells on 3 May but departed that same day for her primary theater of operations for the next 10 weeks, the island of New Guinea.
Thursday, April 25, 1974
Witter Log April 25 - May 1, 1944
On 25 April, Witter departed the southern Solomons in company with Task Unit (TU) 34.9.6, bound for Cape Gloucester on the island of New Britain in the Bismarck Archipelago. She arrived in Borgen Bay near Cape Gloucester on 28 April and remained until 1 May when she accompanied TU 34.9.6 to the Russell Islands subgroup of the Solomons.
Wednesday, April 3, 1974
Witter Log April 3 - 15, 1944
She [U.S.S. Witter] remained for 12 days [until April 15] escorting ships into and out of the harbor at Espiritu Santo.
Friday, March 8, 1974
Witter Log March 8 - April 3, 1944
On 8 March, she stood out of San Francisco and steamed, via Pearl Harbor, to the Gilbert Islands, arriving in Majuro lagoon on the 22d. She departed Majuro on 26 March and—after side visits to Makin, Tarawa, and Abemama in the Gilberts—she arrived in Espiritu Santo on 3 April.
Friday, January 18, 1974
Witter log January 18 - February, 1944
Witter departed San Francisco on 18 January 1944 and began her shakedown training. During that cruise, she visited San Diego and then underwent post-shakedown repairs at the Mare Island Navy Yard before returning to San Francisco at the end of February.
Saturday, April 28, 1973
U.S.S. Witter, April 28, 1943
Witter (DE-636) was laid down on 28 April 1943 at San Francisco, Calif., by the Bethlehem Steel Co.; launched on 17 October 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Jean C. Witter; and commissioned on 29 December 1943, Comdr. Alan C. Davis, USNR, in command.
