FLAMING INFERNO

Waikato Times, Volume 106, Issue 22612, 18 May 1945, Page 3

FLAMING INFERNO

HUGE CARRIER BOMBED APPALLING LOSS OF LIFE (United Press Assn.—Elec. TS2. Copyright) (Received May 18, 1 p.m.) NEW YORK, May 17 Japanese bombs which struck the huge Essex class carrier Franklin on March 19 within *six miles of the southern coast of Japan caused one of the most appalling losses of lives in American naval history, writes Alvin McCoy, representing the Combined American Press. The Franklin’s own 100 tons of bombs and tens of thousands of gallons of octane petrol blasted and set fire to the ship. She suffered 341 dead, 431 missing and more than 300 wounded—more than one-third of her total complement—in the blazing and agonising hours. She was attacked five times more by dive-bombers as she steamed towards Japan completely out of control. There were scenes of indescribable horror aboard the Franklin- Men were blown from the deck into the sea and burned in a series of whitehot flashes. Others were trapped by the flames or suffocated by smoke below decks. Scores were drowned and others were tom to pieces by jagged chunks of shrapneL Survivor's Story

“I was a dazed survivor of the holocaust only because I was breakfasting in an undamaged area,” says Mr McCoy. “The rescue of the crippled carrier, which was towed flaming and smoking from the very shores of Japan, and the saving of 800 men who were fished out of the sea by protecting destroyers and cruisers will be an epic of naval warfare. “The Franklin was all but abandoned but the actual order never came. The sole decision rested with Captain Leslie Gehres, whose faith held fast. The air group and 1500 of the crew were transferred to the lighter cruiser Santa Fe, leaving about 700 as a skeleton crew aboard. Those of the Franklin’s planes already aloft at the time of the attack landed safely on other carriers. Crowded Decks Struck “The Franklin was part of a fast carrier task force in operation against remnants of the Japanese Fleet in Japan’s Inland Sea. The attack occurred at 7 a.m. when the Franklin’s deck was crowded with Corsairs, Helldivers and Avengers, each loaded with bombs and ready to take off. One crew told me a Japanese plane dived from the clouds at a 30 degree angle, made a perfect bomb run, skimmed about 100 feet above the deck and dropped two 500-pound armour-piercing bombs, scoring direct hits. One exploded beneath the flight deck and the other in the hangar deck, where additional planes, fuelled and armed were waiting to be taken to the flight deck. “The air group commander of the Franklin himself shot down the pilot of the attacking plane but the bomb hits started a train of fires and explosions which rended the tortured vessel for hours. Explosion after explosion followed the initial blasts. Large bombs exploded and hurled men and planes the length of the ship. Smaller bombs, rockets and machine-gun ammunition killed dozens who survived the major explosions.

“Aviation petrol poured over the sides of the deck like a blazing Niagra. The hangar deck became a raging, exploding inferno, snuffing out the lives of practically all the men working on the planes.

“There probably will be no greater story written of individual bravery in this war than those of the men who survived the bursting bombs and blazing petrol, declined to abandon the ship and finally brought the carrier through, battle-scared and flame-scared on every inch of her upper decks. “Those specially cited for heroism included the ship’s chaplain, Lieu-tenant-Commander Joseph O’Callahan, who was described by one of the ship’s officers as ‘the bravest man I ever saw.’ Chaplain’s Heroism “Lieutenant-Commander O’Callahan first moved around the burning, slanting, exposed flight deck administering the last rites. Then he led officers and men into the flames to jettison hot bombs and shells. He then recruited a damage control party and led it to one of the main ammunition magazines to wet it down and prevent its exploding. “The crew was not at battle stations because no Japanese planes were reported in the vicinity. The men were dog-tired after a night of constant alarms and had been released to go to breakfast.

“One of the tragedies was a long line of men waiting to enter a messroom. All were killed instantly and the bodies were almost unrecognisable. Even identification discs were melted.

“While the survivors were battling to keep the Franklin afloat men were still dying in the terrific explosions that periodically convulsed the ship. “Meanwhile Japanese dive-bom-bers attacked the fVmklin but the bombs fell wide. Three planes were, shot down. Ship Heads for Home “The wholesale evacuation of the Franklin began at 1 p.m. when the cruiser Santa Fe drew alongside. Operations were interrupted when one of the Franklin’s gunmounts caught fire and threatened to explode. Later when the Santa Fe’s mercy mission was completed the survivors of the Franklin’s air group were ordered to leave the ship. “Early in the afternoon after the fires were under control the Franklin -was taken in tow by the heavy cruiser Pittsburgh. Next day the Franklin’s engines were partially repaired and worked up to a speed of 23 knots under her own power. The following day 300 of her crew were returned from other vessels and the Franklin headed for home.

“The Franklin is known to the crew as “Big Ben.” She was commissioned on June 21, 1944 and was the flagship of Vice Admiral Mitscher’s task force. She is undergoing repairs in the Brooklyn Navy yard.”