World War II Career USS Barrow (APA-61)

1 world war ii career

1.1 iwo jima
1.2 okinawa
1.3 operation magic carpet

world war ii career

after fitting out @ terminal island, california, attack transport conducted shakedown between 8 , 18 october near san clemente , santa barbara islands. departed west coast on 23 october uss lowndes (apa-154), uss pickens (apa-190), , uss hendry (apa-118), bound hawaii. arriving in pearl harbor on 29th, barrow conducted amphibious exercises @ maui elements of army s 381st , 389th regimental combat teams through end of november.

after embarking 2 navy construction battalions @ pearl harbor, barrow sailed marianas on 15 december in company uss flint (cl-97), uss charles s. sperry (dd-697), , uss haynsworth (dd-700). barrow , 2 escorts - flint left convoy after departure—steamed way of eniwetok in marshalls , reached apra harbor, guam, on 27th. later day, barrow moved on tinian arrived on 28th. disembarked 2 construction battalions next day , headed guam, arriving in apra on 30th. loaded elements of 2nd marine aircraft wing , got underway hawaii in company uss rochambeau (ap-63) , uss boyd (dd-544) on last day of 1944.

the attack transport reached pearl harbor on 9 january 1945 , disembarked passengers. following day, shifted berths prepare first major operation—the assault on iwo jima, small island in volcano islands chain situated midway between japan , american b-29 bases in marianas. ideally suited serve both base fighter escort , emergency landing area b-29 s, iwo jima figured prominently in japanese defense plans. barrow took on board cargo of 8 inch ammunition replenish heavy cruisers supporting landings. embarked elements of 5th amphibious corps, both @ pearl harbor , @ maui, , conducted 4 days of intense training @ maalaea bay @ maui. afterward, spent 9 days of logistics , rehabilitation @ pearl harbor.

iwo jima

barrow left hawaii on 27 january 1945, bound via marshalls marianas. reached eniwetok on 5 february, fueled uss gemsbok (ix-117) , provisioned before resuming voyage marianas on 7th. reached saipan on 11 february. bad weather postponed scheduled practice landings 2 days single rehearsal carried out off tinian s western shores on 13th. voyage volcano islands proved uneventful. barrow - attached transport group baker (task group (tg) 53.2) - reached immediate vicinity of iwo jima @ dawn on d day, 19 february 1945, , lowered first boats water @ 0645. soon, sent medical section of beach party hospital configured tank landing ship, lst(h)-930, before transferring 76 marines uss starr (aka-67) , sending 9 of boats lowndes. barrow remained in transport area baker , while first assault waves landed @ 0900. surprisingly little fire greeted initial landings, dug in japanese defenders began laying down withering barrage variety of weapons. before day out, 566 americans dead , 1,755 wounded.

at 1452, barrow embarked first casualty, man wounded shell fragment, first of 169 ship treat on ensuing days. 5 died of wounds while still on ship. evening, attack transport retired seaward, movement set pattern service off iwo.

while bloody fighting went on ashore on next few days, barrow waited offshore order unload. reports of enemy planes abounded, none approached attack transport near enough crewmen see them or fire on them. @ 1445 on 21st, ship received instructions land advance echelon of embarked headquarters company, , carried out order later day. barrow transferred powder charges, projectiles, detonating fuzes, , service primers uss tuscaloosa (ca-37) on 24th, , disembarked portions of medical unit , antiaircraft unit. later day, shifted berths closer shore , commenced unloading more 5th amphibious force material , supplies. next day, replenished uss salt lake city (ca-25) s supply of 8 inch ammunition. following retirement night of 26 , 27 february, barrow discharged cargo lst-787 on 27th , unloaded rest of stock of 8 inch ammunition uss pensacola (ca-24).

after anchoring off iwo jima s southeastern shore overnight, barrow got underway on 1 march pick empty powder cans destroyers in vicinity. then, after unloading last of cargo lsm 207, cleared area marianas in company fellow attack transports lowndes, pickens, logan , sanborn.

reaching saipan on 4 march, barrow disembarked 58 men wounded @ iwo jima , began ready next operation—the assault on okinawa, largest of ryukyu islands. on 6 , 7 march, while in tanapag harbor, barrow embarked officers , men of 2nd marine division , loaded 3rd amphibious corps cargo. after shifting saipan harbor later day, attack transport , embarked troops spent period 7 16 march provisioning , preparing upcoming operation emergency drills , disembarkation exercises. barrow conducted exercises off west coast of tinian, rehearsing demonstration landing on 17th , simulating landing in reserve on 18th. heavy sea on 19th prevented rehearsal of full-scale attack scheduled day, took place on 24th.

okinawa

on morning of 27 march, barrow - attached task group (tg) 51.2 battle of okinawa landings - sailed ryukyus , made landfall on easter sunday, 1 april. barrow s men manned battle stations @ 0520; and, hour later, ship took assigned position in diversionary feint confuse okinawa s defenders. 6 of lcvp s—each carrying 13 marines—took part in operation. evening, task group retired seaward return following morning carry out feint.

the 1st , 6th marine divisions landed practically without opposition, and, on next few days, saw comparatively light resistance. yet, progressed, japanese reacted against invasion fleet. kamikaze tactics - tested devastating success in philippines campaign - began first day, inflicting damage uss west virginia (bb-48), uss achernar (aka-53), uss tyrrell (aka-80) , uss alpine (apa-92). dive bombers claimed hits on minesweeper, , other planes bombed attack transport uss elmore (apa-42). next day, 2 april, 4 more attack transports feit hot breath of divine wind .

at 0630 on 2 april, while barrow returning night retirement station, spotted nakajima ki-27 nate army fighter crossing bow. 2 of 40 millimeter mounts took plane under fire , scored hits before plane, damaged, disappeared in low clouds off starboard beam.... @ 1110, barrow s commanding officer placed in charge of task unit (tu) 51.2.17, , ship proceeded inner transport area off western shores of okinawa. anchored @ 1925 and, 2 hours later, began unloading vehicles tank landing craft, lct-1265.

uss barrow emitting smoke

for next 4 days, number of kamikaze-damaged ships steadily mounted, barrow waited @ anchor orders unload. each evening, ship s smoke generators emit clouds of chemical smoke hide ship enemy aircraft reported lurking about. however, japanese planes did not appear in great number until 6th, when 355 enemy aircraft swarmed toward fleet. day, barrow s gunners splashed 1 bogey appeared off starboard bow, 3,000 yards ahead of ship, , contributed intense barrage sent american warships in vicinity. shifting berth later on, barrow took under fire aichi d3a val bomber approaching area @ 4,000 yards range. every gun barrow bring bear swung around , began firing. ship made several 40-millimeter hits before 5-inch gun scored direct hit sent plane steep , fatal glide ended when aircraft hit water , disintegrated.

on 7th, barrow resumed unloading cargo, working own lcvps variety of amphibious ships , craft. afternoon, of ship s embarked troops had gone ashore; and, 2320 on 8th, of cargo had been discharged. on 9th, barrow left okinawa , headed saipan, having emerged second major invasion unscathed. ship reached saipan harbor on 13 april. barrow spent entire month of may enjoying rest , rehabilitation @ saipan. on 7th, rear admiral jerauld wright , staff, embarked in attack transport, , served flagship amphibious squadron 5 until uss ancon (agc-4) arrived in area. admiral disembarked on 4 june, , staff transferred command ships uss mount mckinley (agc-7) , uss appalachian (agc-1).

barrow departed saipan on 4 june, set course solomons , reached florida island 8 days later. underway new hebrides on 15th, attack transport arrived @ espiritu santo on 17th. waited week orders, loaded cargo 26th 29th , departed new hebrides marianas. discharging cargo , disembarking passengers @ tinian 7 10 july, shifted guam overnight on 10th , 11th. soon, however, headed on united states, reaching san francisco on 30 july.

operation magic carpet

the end of war found barrow on west coast, undergoing voyage repairs , alterations. following yard work, sailed philippines, disembarking passengers @ samar on 17 september , @ manila on 22d. next assigned operation magic carpet - massive sealift returning servicemen home united states discharge - barrow returned west coast of united states. while en route portland, oregon, barrow assisted crippled merchantman, ss ben f. dixon, had lost propeller. attack transport embarked merchantmen s passengers , took ship in tow until rescue tug, atr-73, arrived on scene , took on task.

after repairs @ portland, oregon, barrow got underway on 2 december philippines, malfunctioning feed pump in forward engine room forced pearl harbor repairs. barrow put pearl harbor on 13 december , underwent brief repairs alongside uss yukon (af-9) between 14th , 19th before resumed passage leyte on 31 december. cargo consisted of 11 cases of philippine currency (valued @ $700,000 u.s.) consigned commander, philippine sea frontier.

uss barrow earned 2 battle stars during world war ii.