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USS Biloxi (CL-80)
Encyclopedia
USS Biloxi (CL-80) was a United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, the first ship named after the city of Biloxi, Mississippi
Biloxi, Mississippi
Biloxi is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the population as 44,054. Along with Gulfport, Biloxi is a county seat of Harrison County....
.
The ship was laid down on 9 July 1941 at Newport News, Virginia
Newport News, Virginia
Newport News is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia. It is at the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula, on the north shore of the James River extending southeast from Skiffe's Creek along many miles of waterfront to the river's mouth at Newport News...
by the Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co. and launched on 23 February 1943, sponsored by Mrs. Katharine G. Braun, wife of the Mayor of Biloxi. She was commissioned at the Norfolk Navy Yard on 31 August 1943, with Captain Daniel M. McGurl
Daniel M. McGurl
Daniel Michael McGurl was a United States Navy admiral.He was born in Minersville, Pennsylvania and graduated from United States Naval Academy in 1919....
in command.
Preparation for war, September 1943–January 1944
The light cruiser fitted out at Norfolk until 17 September when she began shakedownSea trial
A sea trial is the testing phase of a watercraft . It is also referred to as a "shakedown cruise" by many naval personnel. It is usually the last phase of construction and takes place on open water, and can last from a few hours to many days.Sea trials are conducted to measure a vessel’s...
training in Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
. This included aircraft launch and recovery drills, structural test gun firing, day spotting practice and anti-aircraft drills. The crew also conducted an unplanned but successful man overboard
Man overboard
Man overboard is a situation in which a person has fallen from a boat or ship into the water and is in need of rescue. Whoever sees the person's fall should shout "man overboard" to alert other crew members and attempt to maintain visual contact with the person in the water...
drill when S2c Scott was knocked overboard by a training gun mount.
On 29 September, Biloxi and the destroyer departed for Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
. While en route, one of Biloxis four Curtiss SO3C Seamew floatplane
Floatplane
A floatplane is a type of seaplane, with slender pontoons mounted under the fuselage; only the floats of a floatplane normally come into contact with water, with the fuselage remaining above water...
s crashed during a landing attempt off the port beam. Both the pilot and passenger, Ensign H. Jolly and ACMM J. Phagan, were rescued and the wreck was destroyed by gunfire as a hazard to navigation.
After arriving at Trinidad on 3 October, Biloxi conducted two weeks of battle drills and other exercises. These included radar calibration tests, night and day battle practice, fueling at sea exercises, and fighter (CAP
Combat air patrol
Combat air patrol is a type of flying mission for fighter aircraft.A combat air patrol is an aircraft patrol provided over an objective area, over the force protected, over the critical area of a combat zone, or over an air defense area, for the purpose of intercepting and destroying hostile...
) director drills. Departing Trinidad on the 18th, the light cruiser entered the Norfolk Navy Yard on 26 October for post-shakedown overhaul. Following these repairs, and a short trip north to Rockland, Maine
Rockland, Maine
Rockland is a city in Knox County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 7,297. It is the county seat of Knox County. The city is a popular tourist destination...
, for gyro and compass standardization trials, Biloxi sailed south for the Canal Zone
Panama Canal Zone
The Panama Canal Zone was a unorganized U.S. territory located within the Republic of Panama, consisting of the Panama Canal and an area generally extending 5 miles on each side of the centerline, but excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of...
on 20 November.
Passing through the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
on 24 November, Biloxi arrived in San Francisco on 4 December. There, the crew loaded provisions and, in the words of the war diary, exchanged four SO3C's and spare parts for two Vought OS2U Kingfishers and no spare parts, before getting underway for Hawaii on the 7th. She arrived at Oahu on the 11 December and conducted her first fire support exercise at Kahoolawe
Kahoolawe
Kahoolawe is the smallest of the eight main volcanic islands in the Hawaiian Islands. Kahoolawe is located about seven miles southwest of Maui and also southeast of Lanai, and it is long by wide, with a total land area of . The highest point on Kahoolawe is the crater of Lua Makika at the...
Island in company with the heavy cruiser
Heavy cruiser
The heavy cruiser was a type of cruiser, a naval warship designed for long range, high speed and an armament of naval guns roughly 203mm calibre . The heavy cruiser can be seen as a lineage of ship design from 1915 until 1945, although the term 'heavy cruiser' only came into formal use in 1930...
between 15 and 19 December.
The light cruiser sailed back to San Francisco the next day, arriving on the 24th. After moving to San Pedro for blower repairs, she reported for duty with the Fifth Fleet. On 1 January 1944, Biloxi joined the battleship , the cruisers and , and two destroyers, for shore bombardment and amphibious landing exercises at San Clemente Island
San Clemente Island
San Clemente Island is the southernmost of the Channel Islands of California. It is owned and operated by the United States Navy, and is a part of Los Angeles County. Defined by the United States Census Bureau as Block Group 2 of Census Tract 5991 of Los Angeles County, California, it is long and...
. Return to San Pedro, she refueled and provisioned in preparation for "Operation Flintlock".
Marshall Islands, January–February 1944
Biloxi put to sea on 13 January and, after joining Task Group (TG) 53.5 in Hawaii, sailed for the Marshall IslandsMarshall Islands
The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...
. In company with Louisville, Mobile, , and six destroyers, the light cruiser approached Wotje
Wotje Atoll
Wotje Atoll is a coral atoll of 75 islands in the Pacific Ocean, and forms a legislative district of the Ratak Chain of the Marshall Islands. Wotje's land area of , is one the largest in the Marshall Islands, and encloses a lagoon of . The atoll is oriented east and west and is at its longest...
early in the morning on 30 January. After launching her Kingfisher spotter aircraft, she carried out a neutralizing bombardment of the Japanese air base on Wotje from dawn until noon. Enemy shore batteries fired back intermittently, one of which straddled Biloxi. A later ricochet hit the superstructure above the signal bridge but fortunately did not explode.
Over the next two days, the light cruiser participated in several more shore bombardment missions against Roi Island
Roi-Namur
Roi-Namur is an island in the northern part of the Kwajalein atoll in the Marshall Islands.Occupied by Japanese forces prior to World War II, it was the target of the U.S. 4th Marine Division in the Battle of Kwajalein, in February 1944....
in support of amphibious landings made by the Northern Attack Force. She then screened three escort carriers for five days before entering Majuro
Majuro
Majuro , is a large coral atoll of 64 islands in the Pacific Ocean, and forms a legislative district of the Ratak Chain of the Marshall Islands. The atoll itself has a land area of and encloses a lagoon of...
lagoon on the 7th to refuel.
On 12 January, Biloxi joined TG 58.1, built around the carriers , , and , and sailed west for a carrier raid against the Japanese base at Truk
Chuuk
Chuuk — formerly Truk, Ruk, Hogoleu, Torres, Ugulat, and Lugulus — is an island group in the south western part of the Pacific Ocean. It comprises one of the four states of the Federated States of Micronesia , along with Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap. Chuuk is the most populous of the FSM's...
in the central Pacific. Intended to cover the landings on Eniwetok and to distract the Japanese from Allied operations in New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
, "Operation Hailstone
Operation Hailstone
Operation Hailstone was a massive naval air and surface attack launched on February 17–18, 1944, during World War II by the United States Navy against the Japanese naval and air base at Truk in the Caroline Islands, a pre-war Japanese territory.-Background:Truk was a major Japanese logistical base...
" began on 16 February when the carriers struck enemy airfields on Truk. After a second strike during the morning of the 17th, the task group retired east to refuel. Following the departure of Enterprise later that day, the remaining warships were shifted into TG 58.2 and steamed northwest for a strike against Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
.
Marianas, February –June 1944
On 19 February, a Japanese reconnaissance aircraft closed the task group and was shot down by anti-aircraft fire. During this action, a salvo of anti-aircraft shells landed 500 yards off Biloxis starboard bow. Although the task group hoped they had avoided enemy detection, it was clear by the evening of the 21st that the Japanese were tracking them. Starting at 23:00 that evening, and continuing until 10:00 the following morning, the task group was attacked by three waves of Mitsubishi G4MMitsubishi G4M
The Mitsubishi G4M 一式陸上攻撃機, 一式陸攻 Isshiki rikujō kōgeki ki, Isshikirikkō was the main twin-engine, land-based bomber used by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service in World War II. The Allies gave the G4M the reporting name Betty...
"Betty" land-attack bombers. A total of nineteen bombers attacked at night and another five closed the task group in the morning. None penetrated the surface ship screen and eleven were shot down by anti-aircraft fire. Following air strikes against Saipan, the task group returned to Majuro on the 26th.
Biloxi rearmed and replenished and got underway on 7 March in company with Enterprise, Belleau Wood, two other light cruisers and eight destroyers. Heading south, the task group crossed the equator, at which time Neptune ceremonies
Line-crossing ceremony
The ceremony of Crossing the Line is an initiation rite in the Royal Navy, U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Marine Corps, and other navies that commemorates a sailor's first crossing of the Equator. Originally, the tradition was created as a test for seasoned sailors to ensure their new shipmates...
were held and Biloxi made loyal shellbacks out of some 1,139 polywogs, and arrived at Espiritu Santo
Espiritu Santo
Espiritu Santo is the largest island in the nation of Vanuatu, with an area of . It belongs to the archipelago of the New Hebrides in the Pacific region of Melanesia. It is in the Sanma Province of Vanuatu....
on the 11th. There, the warships loaded supplies and provisions before proceeding to Emirau
Emirau Island
Emirau Island, also called Emira, is an island in the Bismarck Archipelago located at . It is currently part of the New Ireland Province of Papua New Guinea. The local language is a dialect of the Mussau-Emira language...
in the Bismarck Archipelago
Bismarck Archipelago
The Bismarck Archipelago is a group of islands off the northeastern coast of New Guinea in the western Pacific Ocean and is part of the Islands Region of Papua New Guinea.-History:...
. The light cruiser then covered the Marine landings
Landing on Emirau
The Landing on Emirau was the last of the series of operations that made up Operation Cartwheel, General Douglas MacArthur's strategy for the encirclement of the major Japanese base at Rabaul. A force of nearly 4,000 United States Marines landed on the island of Emirau on 20 March 1944. The island...
on the 20th and again on the 25th.
Returning north the next day, the task group was joined by , a fourth light cruiser, and nine more destroyers before conducting a raid against Japanese forces in the western Carolines
Caroline Islands
The Caroline Islands are a widely scattered archipelago of tiny islands in the western Pacific Ocean, to the north of New Guinea. Politically they are divided between the Federated States of Micronesia in the eastern part of the group, and Palau at the extreme western end...
. On 30 March, Biloxi covered the carriers during strikes on Palau. One "Betty" was shot down as it tried to close the formation that morning. Later that night, gun crews spotted a single Aichi D3A
Aichi D3A
The , Allied reporting name "Val") was a World War II carrier-borne dive bomber of the Imperial Japanese Navy . It was the primary dive bomber in the Imperial Japanese Navy, and participated in almost all actions, including Pearl Harbor....
"Val" carrier bomber flying overhead and fired several 5 inch batteries in a vain attempt to shoot it down. After observing the destruction of three Japanese patrol craft by two destroyers off Woleai
Woleai
Woleai is a coral atoll of twenty-two islands in the eastern Caroline Islands in the Pacific Ocean, and forms a legislative district in Yap State in the Federated States of Micronesia and is located approximately west-northwest of Ifalik and northeast of Eauripik...
the next day, the light cruiser steamed back to Majuro, arriving there on 6 April.
Following a week of upkeep, Biloxi sortied on 13 April with TG 58.1 for the Hollandia operation
Landing at Hollandia
The Landing at Hollandia was a battle of the Western New Guinea campaign of World War II. American and allied forces undertook an amphibious landing on 22 April 1944 at Hollandia on northern coast of Dutch New Guinea...
. On 21 April, she covered the carriers as they launched strikes against enemy aircraft and installations at Sawar, Wakde
Wakde
Wakde is an island of Indonesia, part of the province of West Papua, between the districts of Pantai Timur and Tor Atas.Occupied by Japanese forces in April 1942, Wakde served as an airbase...
, and Sarmi in New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
. At 14:56 that afternoon, the light cruiser launched two Kingfishers to rescue the crew of a ditched Grumman TBF Avenger. Neither floatplane found the aircraft crew, however, and one of the floatplanes later ran out of fuel. Lt.(jg) H. Jolly landed the aircraft on the water and the crew was rescued by .
That evening, Biloxi, two other light cruisers and five destroyers closed Wakde and Sawar. Fire was opened at 01:15 on the 22nd against aircraft on Wakde and ceased at 02:25 after firing at the airfield and supply dumps on Sawar. Rejoining the carriers later that morning, Biloxi helped screen them until returning to Manus
Manus Island
Manus Island is part of Manus Province in northern Papua New Guinea and is the largest island of the Admiralty Islands. It is the fifth largest island in Papua New Guinea with an area of 2,100 km², measuring around 100 km × 30 km. According to the 2000 census, Manus Island had a...
on 28 April.
The task group headed north and struck the Japanese base at Truk on 29 April. Biloxi covered the carriers during these strikes and those launched against Ponape
Pohnpei
Not to be confused with Pompeii, the ancient city destroyed by Vesuvius in AD 79.Pohnpei "upon a stone altar " is the name of one of the four states in the Federated States of Micronesia , situated among the Senyavin Islands which are part of the larger Caroline Islands group...
in the Caroline Islands the next day. She also observed battleships bombarding Ponape on 1 May. The warships steamed to the Marshalls, arriving in Kwajalein lagoon on the 4th. The light cruiser then loaded fuel, ammunition and supplies in preparation for "Operation Forager", the planned liberation of the Mariana Islands
Mariana Islands
The Mariana Islands are an arc-shaped archipelago made up by the summits of 15 volcanic mountains in the north-western Pacific Ocean between the 12th and 21st parallels north and along the 145th meridian east...
.
Tasked with eliminating Japanese air power in the Marianas, the 15 fleet carriers of Task Force 58
Fast Carrier Task Force
The Fast Carrier Task Force was the main striking force of the United States Navy in the Pacific Ocean theatre of World War II.The Fast Carrier Task Force was known under two designations. The Navy made use of two sets of upper command structures for planning the upcoming operations...
planned to attack airfields on Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
, Tinian
Tinian
Tinian is one of the three principal islands of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.-Geography:Tinian is about 5 miles southwest of its sister island, Saipan, from which it is separated by the Saipan Channel. It has a land area of 39 sq.mi....
, and Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
. They also prepared for a major fleet battle if the Japanese carriers attempted to interfere with the American transports. Biloxi joined TG 58.2, which was built around the carriers , , , and and covered the carriers during air strikes against Saipan and Tinian on the 12th. Several enemy raids were driven off by aircraft or shot down by anti-aircraft fire, including one Japanese aircraft shot down "in brilliant flames" by the destroyer .
The light cruiser screened the carriers during the landing operations on Saipan beginning on the 15th. The next day, the task group heard reports that a large Japanese force was closing the Marianas from the Philippines. After rendezvous with the other three carrier groups about noon on 18 June, the warships took up a patrol station some 150 miles (241.4 km) west of Saipan. From that position, on the southern flank of the carrier forces, Biloxi participated in the Battle of the Philippine Sea
Battle of the Philippine Sea
The Battle of the Philippine Sea was a decisive naval battle of World War II which effectively eliminated the Imperial Japanese Navy's ability to conduct large-scale carrier actions. It took place during the United States' amphibious invasion of the Mariana Islands during the Pacific War...
.
Battle of the Philippine Sea, 19–20 June 1944
Although American search aircraft could not find the approaching enemy carriers, the presence of reconnaissance aircraft near the American carriers indicated the Japanese had found them. Late in the morning of 19 June, the first of 14 enemy raids registered on radar and began closing the task force. Most of these raids were destroyed or broken up by American fighters, severely disrupting the ensuing Japanese attacks, but several raids did get through.Around noon, six Yokosuka D4Y
Yokosuka D4Y
The D4Y Navy Type 2 Carrier Dive bomber was operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy. Its Allied reporting name was "Judy". The D4Y was one of the fastest dive-bombers of the war, and only the delays in its development hindered its service, while its predecessor, the slower fixed gear Aichi D3A...
"Judy" dive bombers evaded the American fighters and closed TG 58.2. Biloxi, along with several other escorts, fired on the two attacking Bunker Hill and both were shot down. At least four more Judys pounced on the task group later that afternoon but all were shot down by anti-aircraft fire without inflicting any damage. These were but a small portion of the 300 or so Japanese aircraft lost in the battle dubbed the "Great Marianas Turkey Shoot."
The next day, the American task force discovered the Japanese carrier force had retired west during the night. Late in the day, a sighting report at 16:13 led to a last-ditch 206-aircraft strike. These aircraft caught the retreating Japanese at dusk and sank the light carrier and damaged another. The American aircraft then flew east for a difficult night landing. Many were later ditched owing to darkness or lack of fuel and Biloxi joined other warships in recovering crews from the water. After a futile stern chase of the Japanese on the 21st, the American warships gave up the pursuit and retired, arriving at Eniwetok on 27 June.
Marianas, June–July 1944
The light cruiser stayed in the Marshalls only briefly, sailing west with TG 58.1 to the Bonin Islands on 30 June. She screened the carriers , and while they launched fighter sweeps and other strikes against Iwo JimaIwo Jima
Iwo Jima, officially , is an island of the Japanese Volcano Islands chain, which lie south of the Ogasawara Islands and together with them form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The island is located south of mainland Tokyo and administered as part of Ogasawara, one of eight villages of Tokyo...
on 3 July. Biloxi then joined a bombardment group of four light cruisers and seven destroyers and closed Iwo Jima the following day.
Just as firing began at 14:45, three Japanese fighters took off from Iwo Jima and closed the American Kingfisher spotter aircraft. Although Biloxis Kingfisher safely retreated under the protection of friendly anti-aircraft fire, Santa Fe's spotter aircraft was heavily damaged by enemy fire and forced to make an emergency landing. The crew was later rescued by . After the warships drove off the attacking Japanese fighters, the bombardment resumed and the observation aircraft reported target areas well covered, with many fires burning when the bombardment group retired.
After refueling at sea, the light cruiser spent the next two weeks screening the carriers during air strikes against Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
and Rota
Rota (island)
Rota also known as the "peaceful island", is the southernmost island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and the second southernmost of the Marianas Archipelago. It lies approximately 40 miles north-northeast of the United States territory of Guam...
in the Marianas. On 24 July, the task group sailed south for strikes against Palau
Palau
Palau , officially the Republic of Palau , is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Philippines and south of Tokyo. In 1978, after three decades as being part of the United Nations trusteeship, Palau chose independence instead of becoming part of the Federated States of Micronesia, a...
, Yap
Yap
Yap, also known as Wa'ab by locals, is an island in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean. It is a state of the Federated States of Micronesia. Yap's indigenous cultures and traditions are still strong compared to other neighboring islands. The island of Yap actually consists of four...
, and Ulithi
Ulithi
Ulithi is an atoll in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean, about 191 km east of Yap. It consists of 40 islets totalling , surrounding a lagoon about long and up to wide—at one of the largest in the world. It is administered by the state of Yap in the Federated States of...
. Japanese air operations during both these operations were limited and no enemy aircraft closed the task group.
On the morning of 27 July, Biloxi catapulted two Kingfishers to rescue a pilot sighted in the water just off the southwest tip of Yap Island. One Kingfisher, flown by Lt(jg). R. Dana, spotted the pilot at 09:05 and was able to land just outside the reef line surrounding the island. A Japanese anti-aircraft gun began firing at the Kingfisher, but was soon silenced by four circling American fighters. The downed flier managed to paddle his raft through the breaking swells and across the reef where he collapsed from exhaustion. Lt(jg). Dana taxied between the raft and the reef and managed to pull the pilot in with a line. He took off at 09:40 and successfully returned to the task group later that morning.
Volcano and Ryukyu Islands, July–October 1944
Volcano Islands
The Volcano Islands is a group of three Japanese islands south of the Bonin Islands that belong to the municipality of Ogasawara...
. During a fighter sweep on 4 August, friendly aircraft reported a small enemy task group in the area. Late that afternoon, Biloxi, three other cruisers and seven destroyers closed the Bonins for an anti-shipping sweep. After the destroyers and destroyed a small sampan
Sampan
A sampan is a relatively flat bottomed Chinese wooden boat from long. Some sampans include a small shelter on board, and may be used as a permanent habitation on inland waters. Sampans are generally used for transportation in coastal areas or rivers, and are often used as traditional fishing boats...
, the cruisers picked up a Japanese convoy on radar north of Muko Jima. Owing to the danger of enemy torpedo attack, the cruisers kept their distance and fired at long range. Their accurate gunfire quickly damaged and eventually sank escort destroyer and collier Ryuko Maru.
At 04:00 the following morning, while preparing for a bombardment mission against Ani and Chichi Jima, a Japanese "Betty" closed from the stern and passed over the light cruiser. Shortly thereafter a heavy underwater explosion, probably a torpedo, detonated in Biloxis wake. The blast severely shook the warship but did no damage. The bombardment mission was carried out as planned later that morning and the cruisers rejoined the carriers that afternoon.
The task group then sailed east and arrived at Eniwetok on 9 August. After Biloxi refueled alongside the oiler , she moved to a berth in the lagoon to take on stores and provisions. The crew also received three weeks of rest and recreation
R&R (military)
R&R, military slang for rest and recuperation , is a term used for the free time of a soldier in the US military or International UN staff serving in non-family duty stations. R&R includes various forms, including mail, sports, film screenings, using the services of prostitutes and leave time...
.
Assigned to TG 38.4, the light cruiser got underway on 28 August in company with the carriers , and , the cruiser , and 12 destroyers. Steaming west, the task group closed the Bonins to neutralize Japanese installations there in advance of upcoming operations against Palau and the Philippines.
After Franklin and Enterprise launched a fighter sweep on the 31st, the cruisers closed and bombarded Chichi Jima. During that evolution, the warships were approached by a Japanese "Betty" but they drove the bomber off with anti-aircraft fire. The next day, the warships closed Iwo Jima and fired at targets ashore. During this operation, Biloxis crew saw friendly aircraft strafing an enemy patrol craft. The destroyer then closed the target and sank it with gunfire. At 15:00 that afternoon, a damaged Army B-24D Liberator four-engined bomber appeared over the task group and eleven crew members bailed out. Ten were rescued in the water and, despite extensive searches, the warships did not find the eleventh man. The task group then sailed east and moored at Saipan anchorage on 4 September.
The warships continued a fast pace of operations by sailing south to Yap the next day. Biloxi conducted an especially good bombardment mission during the morning of 7 September, starting numerous fires in a vehicle depot and an oil storage building. The light cruiser then took up a position to cover the carriers and screened them during air strikes against Palau between 10 and 15 September. During this time, Biloxi also launched Kingfishers to fly close in anti-submarine patrol. Following the amphibious landings on Palau on the 15th, the light cruiser headed to the Admiralty Islands for upkeep.
While enroute, Biloxi crossed the equator on 20 September. According to the war diarist, "King Neptune, Davy Jones, and all the Royal Court were received aboard and dispensed justice with their customary ruthless and bloodthirsty manner. Among the initiates was the XO, Commander E.F. McDaniel, who until today had evaded His Majesty during 21 years of naval service. He was punished accordingly." The warship arrived at Manus the next day.
After taking on supplies and ammunition, Biloxi sailed to Kossol Passage on 24 September and joined TG 38.1. Once joined there by the other fast carriers of Task Force 38
Fast Carrier Task Force
The Fast Carrier Task Force was the main striking force of the United States Navy in the Pacific Ocean theatre of World War II.The Fast Carrier Task Force was known under two designations. The Navy made use of two sets of upper command structures for planning the upcoming operations...
, the force proceeded west to Okinawa on 8 October. Arriving off the Ryukyu Islands
Ryukyu Islands
The , also known as the , is a chain of islands in the western Pacific, on the eastern limit of the East China Sea and to the southwest of the island of Kyushu in Japan. From about 1829 until the mid 20th century, they were alternately called Luchu, Loochoo, or Lewchew, akin to the Mandarin...
two days later, Biloxi screened the carriers as they struck airfields and other installations ashore. That morning, two Kingfishers catapulted off the light cruiser to search for a downed pilot from Franklin. One aircraft landed and recovered the pilot but, owing to rough seas, the OS2U capsized during takeoff. Rather than risk the second floatplane—her last working aircraft—Biloxi allowed the two pilots to be rescued by the submarine .
The carriers then shifted to Formosa on 12 October for two days of heavy attacks against Japanese airfields. Just before sunset on the 13th, seven "Betty" bombers appeared out of a rain squall and rapidly closed the carriers. Biloxis forward 6-inch turrets as well as her 5-inch and 40-mm batteries took five of these aircraft under fire as they passed down her port side. One aircraft broke into flames and, after Biloxi checked fire to avoid hitting two nearby destroyers, all five were shot down by other warships in the formation.
Philippines, October 1944–January 1945
Between 14 and 19 October, the light cruiser covered the carriers as they struck airfields on LuzonLuzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
in preparation for the Leyte landings
Battle of Leyte
The Battle of Leyte in the Pacific campaign of World War II was the invasion and conquest of the island of Leyte in the Philippines by American and Filipino guerrilla forces under the command of General Douglas MacArthur, who fought against the Imperial Japanese Army in the Philippines led by...
on 20th. Numerous small enemy raids plagued the task group but they inflicted no damage. On the 19th, Biloxis remaining OS2U, accompanied by a seaplane from New Orleans, successfully picked up the crew of a crashed dive bomber and returned them to Franklin.
After covering Leyte strikes between 20 and 22 October, Biloxi detached and joined TG 38.2 built around , Bunker Hill, Cabot, and . Upon word that three groups of Japanese warships were closing the Philippines, this force concentrated east of Samar
Samar
Samar, formerly and also known as Western Samar, is a province in the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Catbalogan City and covers the western portion of Samar as well as several islands in the Samar Sea located to the west of the mainland...
. On 24 October, during the second day of the Battle of Leyte Gulf
Battle of Leyte Gulf
The Battle of Leyte Gulf, also called the "Battles for Leyte Gulf", and formerly known as the "Second Battle of the Philippine Sea", is generally considered to be the largest naval battle of World War II and, by some criteria, possibly the largest naval battle in history.It was fought in waters...
, aircraft from Intrepid and Cabot took part in attacks that sank the south of Luzon. Other air attacks damage two other battleships.
That night, the task group steamed north off Cape Engano to hunt for fleeing enemy carriers, five of which are disposed of by air strikes the following day. Later that evening the American warships turned south in an attempt to catch a second group of retiring Japanese warships. Just after midnight on the 26th, Biloxi and four other cruisers and destroyers picked up a surface contact near San Bernardino Strait
San Bernardino Strait
The San Bernardino Strait is a strait in the Philippines. It separates the Bicol Peninsula of Luzon island from the island of Samar in the south.-Filipinos and San Bernardino Strait:...
. The three cruisers quickly opened fire, destroying the in a blinding explosion shortly thereafter.
On 28 October, TG 38.2 returned to launching air strikes against Luzon airfields and Japanese shipping in Manila Bay
Manila Bay
Manila Bay is a natural harbor which serves the Port of Manila , in the Philippines.The bay is considered to be one of the best natural harbors in Southeast Asia and one of the finest in the world...
. Poor weather hampered aircraft recovery on the 29th, and the evening was spent rescuing ditched airmen. Following a withdrawal to refuel and receive replacement aircraft, the task group carried out two more rounds of Luzon strikes in the first weeks of November. These attacks pounded Japanese shipping and port facilities at Manila and central Luzon, sinking half a dozen light warships and over a dozen cargo ships and auxiliaries.
On the 15th, Biloxi departed the Philippines and steamed east to Ulithi. Arriving there two days later, she received much needed repairs and replenishment. Biloxi also recovered pilot Lt.(jg) Dana, who related an exciting cruise in Sterlet during which time the submarine sank at least two enemy cargo ships. While at Ulithi on 20 November, Biloxis crew experienced the Japanese kaiten
Kaiten
The Kaiten were manned torpedos and suicide craft, they were used by the Imperial Japanese Navy in the final stages of World War II.-History:...
attack on the anchorage. All five midget submarine
Midget submarine
A midget submarine is any submarine under 150 tons, typically operated by a crew of one or two but sometimes up to 6 or 8, with little or no on-board living accommodation...
s were lost in the attack, though not before the Japanese torpedoes damaged and eventually sank the tanker .
On 22 November, Biloxi joined TG 38.3 for another set of air strikes against Luzon. While carrier aircraft attacked enemy coastal shipping on the 25th, the light cruiser helped the task group fight off Japanese kamikaze
Kamikaze
The were suicide attacks by military aviators from the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, designed to destroy as many warships as possible....
s. Numerous raids breached friendly fighter defenses that day and five American carriers were damaged, forcing the task group to retire from the area.
The carriers returned to the Philippines on 13 December and, in addition to air strikes in support of the Mindoro landings
Battle of Mindoro
The Battle of Mindoro was a battle in World War II between forces of the United States and Japan, in Mindoro Island in the central Philippines, from 13-16 December 1944, during the Philippines campaign....
, they also launched special night raids against Japanese airfields. These attacks prevented enemy kamikaze dive bombers (called "green hornets") from launching the coordinated attacks that had plagued the American task groups in late November.
On 18 December, Biloxis task force encountered a typhoon northeast of Samar and suffered heavy damage. In addition to the loss of three destroyers, many other warships were damaged and Biloxi herself lost an OS2U washed overboard. After spending the next few days searching for survivors, the light cruiser steamed to Ulithi on the 24th and remained there for the next week.
Biloxi put to sea with TG 38.3 on 30 December, intending to strike Formosa
Formosa
Formosa or Ilha Formosa is a Portuguese historical name for Taiwan , literally meaning, "Beautiful Island". The term may also refer to:-Places:* Formosa Strait, another name for the Taiwan Strait...
, Nansei Shoto, and northern Luzon. The task group, built around the carriers , and launched the first strike against Formosa on 3 January 1945. The weather quickly worsened, however, and many of the planned attacks were canceled. The carriers steamed back south and, when the weather cleared on the 6th, blanketed Luzon with aircraft in support of bombardment and amphibious operations in Lingayen Gulf
Invasion of Lingayen Gulf
The Liberation of Lingayen Gulf was an Allied amphibious operation in the Philippines during World War II. In the early morning of 9 January 1945, an Allied force commanded by Admiral Jesse B. Oldendorf began approaching the shores of Lingayen. U.S...
. These attacks did not achieve a lot of success, as enemy aircraft were carefully hidden and camouflaged, and the task group shifted strikes to airfields on Formosa, in the Ryukyus, and the Pescadores.
During the evening of 9 January, the task group passed through Bashi Channel
Bashi Channel
The Bashi Channel is a strait between the Y'Ami Island of the Philippines and Orchid Island of Taiwan. It is characterized by windy storms during the rainy period, June to December. It is a part of the Pacific Ocean....
of Luzon Strait
Luzon Strait
The Luzon Strait is the strait between the island country of Taiwan and Luzon island of the Philippines. The strait thereby connects the Philippine Sea to the South China Sea in the western Pacific Ocean....
and began a high speed run south. Two days later, carrier aviators struck targets between Cam Rahn Bay and Cape Varella, hitting many ground installations and virtually annihilating a coastal convoy north of Qui Nhơn
Qui Nhon
Qui Nhơn , also Quy Nhơn, is a coastal city in Binh Dinh province in central Vietnam. It is composed of 16 wards and five communes with a total of 286 km². Quy Nhon is the capital of Bình Định province. As of 2009 its population was 280,900. Historically, the commercial activities of the city...
. Nine Japanese ships were sunk in that attack, and another 13 were damaged. After retired to refuel, a task made more difficult owing to typhoon passing through area, the carriers shifted north to attack Hainan
Hainan
Hainan is the smallest province of the People's Republic of China . Although the province comprises some two hundred islands scattered among three archipelagos off the southern coast, of its land mass is Hainan Island , from which the province takes its name...
and Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. The following day, S1c Daniel A. Little was swept overboard by a wave and drowned. This was the first loss of life suffered by Biloxis crew.
After refueling, the task group passed through Balintang Channel
Balintang Channel
The Balintang Channel is the small waterway that separates the Batanes and Babuyan Islands, both of which belong to the Philippines, in the Luzon Strait....
and conducted strikes against airfields on Formosa on 21 January. Around midday, Japanese kamikazes began attacking in increasing numbers and, in successive waves, two aircraft crashed into the carrier Ticonderoga and another damaged the destroyer . That evening, Biloxi detached to escort the two damaged warships to Ulithi, arriving there on the 26th.
Iwo Jima, February–March 1945
On 10 February, Biloxi joined TG 58.4 and sailed for operations against Iwo Jima. Following carrier-launched fighter sweeps against Japanese airfields in the Tokyo area, the task group closed Iwo Jima to support landing operationsBattle of Iwo Jima
The Battle of Iwo Jima , or Operation Detachment, was a major battle in which the United States fought for and captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Empire of Japan. The U.S...
. During the morning of 19 February, Biloxi provided naval gunfire support
Naval gunfire support
Naval gunfire support is the use of naval artillery to provide fire support for amphibious assault and other troops operating within their range. NGFS is one of a number of disciplines encompassed by the term Naval Fires...
for the troops ashore. She then shifted to harassing fire that evening. This pattern of operations continued until the 21st when 5 inch mount #6 fired into the barrels of gun mount #5, slightly injuring several sailors and destroying the latter mount.
Despite the damage, Biloxi then rejoined TG 58.4 and returned to the Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
area to attack aircraft factories and airfields starting on the 25th. Increasingly heavy weather limited and then canceled strikes that afternoon and the force retired south. After hitting ground installations, airfields and shipping at Okinawa, the task group split up and Biloxi steamed to Ulithi, arriving there on 1 March. She replenished, loaded ammunition and repaired mount #5.
Okinawa, March–April 1945
On 21 March, Biloxi sailed with a fire support group for operations in the Ryukyus. Assigned to TG 54.1, she helped cover mine clearing sweeps, Underwater Demolition TeamUnderwater Demolition Team
The Underwater Demolition Teams were an elite special-purpose force established by the United States Navy during World War II. They also served during the Korean War and the Vietnam War...
(UDT) operations, and the amphibious landings on Kerama Retto on the 26th. Moving to Okinawa later that morning, she launched seaplanes for spotting and reconnaissance missions and fired on targets west of Zanpa Misaki point.
Just after dawn, a wave of kamikazes broke through friendly fighter cover and closed to attack the task group. Although two "Vals" were quickly shot down, a third crashed into the battleship and a fourth, taken under fire and burning, crashed into Biloxi amidships. The light cruiser's luck continued when the aircraft's 500 kg (1,102.3 lb) bomb did not explode and she suffered only minor damage to a storeroom.
Biloxi spent the next three weeks conducting shore bombardment missions, including closing to within 3,000 yards of the beach and using 40 mm guns to support UDT operations. Starting on 1 April, she fired on enemy targets north of the main amphibious landings
Battle of Okinawa
The Battle of Okinawa, codenamed Operation Iceberg, was fought on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa and was the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific War of World War II. The 82-day-long battle lasted from early April until mid-June 1945...
and then continued these bombardment missions in support of advancing troops ashore. During these weeks, the task group was repeatedly attacked by kamikazes, one of whom just missed Biloxi on 3 April. In addition to fending off these aerial attacks, the light cruiser also fired on enemy suicide boat concentrations.
Return to the United States, April–July 1945
Biloxi departed Okinawa on 20 April and steamed east to Ulithi, where she arrived on the 24th. After receiving battle repairs alongside , the light cruiser continued east, arriving at San Francisco via Pearl HarborPearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
on 11 May. Moving into the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation
Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation
Bethlehem Steel Corporation Shipbuilding Division was created in 1905 when Bethlehem Steel Corporation acquired the San Francisco shipyard Union Iron Works in 1905...
yard the warship received three weeks of long overdue repairs and machinery maintenance. Following completion of this work on 6 July, Biloxi conducted two weeks of post overhaul checks and refresher training out of San Diego and San Clemente. These evolutions were disrupted on 14 July when a water feed line ruptured in the aft fire room, flashed into steam and burned eight men, none seriously.
The end of the war, July–August 1945
Returning west on 19 July, Biloxi practiced shore bombardment exercises in Hawaii before departing Pearl Harbor on 2 August. While enroute to Ulithi, the warship conducted a long range shore bombardment of Wake on 8 August, primarily to train her gunners for upcoming operations against Japan. After a stop at Ulithi on 12 August, she refueled and headed for Leyte, arriving in San Pedro Bay on 14th. While anchored there, the crew heard the Japanese surrenderSurrender of Japan
The surrender of Japan in 1945 brought hostilities of World War II to a close. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy was incapable of conducting operations and an Allied invasion of Japan was imminent...
announcement at 08:15 the following morning.
Post-war, August–November 1945
Departing the Philippines for Okinawa on 20 August, the light cruiser arrived there three days later and spent the next three weeks awaiting orders. Putting to sea on 16 September, Biloxi proceeded to NagasakiNagasaki
is the capital and the largest city of Nagasaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu in Japan. Nagasaki was founded by the Portuguese in the second half of the 16th century on the site of a small fishing village, formerly part of Nishisonogi District...
, Japan, to evacuate POWs
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
. Arriving there on the 18th, her crew saw the damage caused by the atomic bomb and took on 11 U.S., 17 British, one Australian, one Canadian, and 187 Dutch "recovered Allied military personnel." These men were delivered to Okinawa on 21 September. Steaming back to Japan, the warship made stops at Nagasaki, Wakayama
Wakayama, Wakayama
is the capital city of Wakayama Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan.-Background:Wakayama occupies 4% of the land area and has 40% of Wakayama prefecture's population. The city was founded on April 1, 1889....
, and Hiro Wan as the American Occupation Forces consolidated their positions ashore. During October, some officers from ships' company took part in inspections of surviving Japanese shipping at Kure
Kure, Hiroshima
is a city in Hiroshima prefecture, Japan.As of October 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 240,820 and a population density of 681 persons per km². The total area is 353.74 km².- History :...
. Underway on 9 November, Biloxi picked up passengers at Okinawa on the 11th, before sailing to Pearl Harbor and then San Francisco, arriving at the latter port on 27 November.
In reserve, decommissioning and sale, 1946–1962
The warship moved to Port Angeles, WashingtonPort Angeles, Washington
Port Angeles is a city in and the county seat of Clallam County, Washington, United States. The population was 19,038 at the 2010 census. The area's harbor was dubbed Puerto de Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles by Spanish explorer Francisco de Eliza in 1791, but by the mid-19th century the name had...
, on 15 January 1946 and reported for inactivation. On 18 May 1946 she was placed in commission in reserve at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility is a United States Navy shipyard covering 179 acres on Puget Sound at Bremerton, Washington...
, and on 29 October 1946 went out of commission in reserve. Her name stricken from the Navy List
Naval Vessel Register
The Naval Vessel Register is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from the time a vessel is authorized through its life cycle and...
on 1 December 1961, and she was sold for scrap to Puget Sound Towing & Barge Co. on 29 March 1962.
Awards
Biloxi received nine battle stars for her service in the Pacific during World War II.Memorials
The cruiser's superstructure was set aside and erected in the Guice Park near the Biloxi Small Craft Harbor, on Lameuse Street where it still stands today. The ship's bell is housed in the lobby of the Biloxi City Hall.External links
- USS Biloxi at the Naval History & Heritage Command
- Compilation of World War II press releases about the Biloxi
- Before and after Katrina : photographs of the USS Biloxi superstructure at the small craft harbor