Big E Remembers Leyte Gulf: Part Two of a Two Part Series
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at the Battle of the Sibuyan Sea on Oct. 24 and bloodied the Northern Force at the Battle of Cape Engaño on Oct. 25-26. Enterprise’s aircraft managed to strike all three groups of Imperial Japanese forces (Northern Force, Central Force and Southern Force) before the battle ended. Following the conflict, Enterprise remained on patrol in the waters east of Samar and Leyte until the end of October, 1944. Enterprise was not alone in the battle, however. Joining her, as is the case today on the carrier’s 25th and final deployment, were the ships of DESRON 2. DESRON 2 ships USS Morris, USS Hughes, USS Anderson, USS Mustin, USS Russell, USS Lang, USS Stack, USS Sterett, and USS Wilson, operated with, or in support of, Task Force 78 and were responsible for providing security and gunfire support to the amphibious forces landing on Leyte. During the battle the Imperial Japanese Navy released a new type of weapon… one that had not been seen before the Battle of Leyte Gulf, but one whose name struck fear into the minds of the Allies – the kamikaze. Five out of nine ships assigned to DESRON 2 were hit by kamikazes. However, the Imperial Japanese Navy was not successful in sinking any DESRON 2 ships. DESRON 2’s USS Lang was attacked on six different occasions by kamikazes during the battle, but sustained no significant damage from the attacks. The role of DESRON 2 was crucial to the Allied strategy in the Leyte Gulf and the eventual outcome of the battle. The Battle of Leyte Gulf managed to secure the beachheads of the U.S. Sixth Army on Leyte against the Japanese attack from the sea. The island was completely in Allied Hands by December 1944. Though their roles in the Battle of Leyte Gulf were much different, Enterprise and DESRON 2 both played a vital role in protecting the Leyte beachhead from Japanese attack. As the Imperial Japanese Navy retreated from the area, the result of the battle paved the way for allied victory in the Pacific. October 24, 2012 Issue “We are Legend” Newsletter Edition USS Enterprise (CVN 65) The Shuttle Story by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class (SW) Brian G. Reynolds USS ENTERPRISE, At Sea – History has shown the Battle of Leyte Gulf to be a turning point in not only the U.S. maritime strategy in the Pacific during World War II, but also the eventual Allied victory. Along with the massive allied fleet engaged in the battle, was aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CV 6) and Destroyer Squadron 2 (DESRON 2). Although they were assigned to separate sectors and commands, they were both present at the Battle of Leyte Gulf and played a major role in defeating the Imperial Japanese Navy. Before the official battle actually began, Enterprise helped set the stage for what was to come. During the first couple weeks of October 1944, “Big E” aviators flew over Okinawa, Formosa and the Philippines, blasting enemy airfields, shore installations and shipping installations in preparation for the assault on Leyte. Following these strikes, Enterprise was sent to resupply at Ulithi with Rear Adm. Davison’s Task Group 38.4. She was later among the ships recalled by Adm. Halsey after the discovery of the Japanese Central Force on Oct. 23. Once recalled, Enterprise proved yet again what a valuable asset it was. Aircraft from Enterprise engaged the Central Force USS Enteprise at Leyte Gulf (U.S. Navy Photo) Big E Remembers Leyte Gulf: Part Two of a Two Part Series
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USS ENTERPRISE, At Sea – History has shown the Battle of Leyte Gulf to be a turning point in not only the U.S. maritime strategy in the Pacific during World War II, but also the eventual Allied victory.
Transcript of Big E Remembers Leyte Gulf: Part Two of a Two Part Series
at the Battle of the Sibuyan Sea on Oct. 24 and bloodied the Northern Force at the Battle of Cape Engaño on Oct. 25-26. Enterprise’s aircraft managed to strike all three groups of Imperial Japanese forces (Northern Force, Central Force and Southern Force) before the battle ended. Following the conflict, Enterprise remained on patrol in the waters east of Samar and Leyte until the end of October, 1944. Enterprise was not alone in the battle, however. Joining her, as is the case today on the carrier’s 25th and final deployment, were the ships of DESRON 2. DESRON 2 ships USS Morris, USS Hughes, USS Anderson, USS Mustin, USS Russell, USS Lang, USS Stack, USS Sterett, and USS Wilson, operated with, or in support of, Task Force 78 and were responsible for providing security and gunfire support to the amphibious forces landing on Leyte. During the battle the Imperial Japanese Navy released a new type of weapon…
one that had not been seen before the Battle of Leyte Gulf, but one whose name struck fear into the minds of the Allies – the kamikaze. Five out of nine ships assigned to DESRON 2 were hit by kamikazes. However, the Imperial Japanese Navy was not successful in sinking any DESRON 2 ships. DESRON 2’s USS Lang was attacked on six different occasions by kamikazes during the battle, but sustained no significant damage from the attacks. The role of DESRON 2 was crucial to the Allied strategy in the Leyte Gulf and the eventual outcome of the battle. The Battle of Leyte Gulf managed to secure the beachheads of the U.S. Sixth Army on Leyte against the Japanese attack from the sea. The island was completely in Allied Hands by December 1944. Though their roles in the Battle of Leyte Gulf were much different, Enterprise and DESRON 2 both played a vital role in protecting the Leyte beachhead from Japanese attack. As the Imperial Japanese Navy retreated from the area, the result of the battle paved the way for allied victory in the Pacific.
October 24, 2012 Issue“We are Legend”Newsletter Edition
USS Enterprise (CVN 65)
The Shuttle
Story by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class (SW) Brian G. Reynolds
USS ENTERPRISE, At Sea – History has shown the Battle of Leyte Gulf to be a turning point in not only the U.S. maritime strategy in the Pacific during World War II, but also the eventual Allied victory. Along with the massive allied fleet engaged in the battle, was aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CV 6) and Destroyer Squadron 2 (DESRON 2). Although they were assigned to separate sectors and commands, they were both present at the Battle of Leyte Gulf and played a major role in defeating the Imperial Japanese Navy. Before the official battle actually began, Enterprise helped set the stage for what was to come. During the first couple weeks of October 1944, “Big E” aviators flew over Okinawa, Formosa and the Philippines, blasting enemy airfields, shore installations and shipping installations in preparation for the assault on Leyte. Following these strikes, Enterprise was sent to resupply at Ulithi with Rear Adm. Davison’s Task Group 38.4. She was later among the ships recalled by Adm. Halsey after the discovery of the Japanese Central Force on Oct. 23. Once recalled, Enterprise proved yet again what a valuable asset it was. Aircraft from Enterprise engaged the Central Force
USS Enteprise at Leyte Gulf (U.S. Navy Photo)
Big E Remembers Leyte Gulf: Part Two of a Two Part Series
Wednesday, October 24, 2012Page 2 The Shuttle
The Shuttle is published and printed daily underway and bi-weekly in port by the USS Enterprise (CVN 65) Media Department, FPO AE 09543-2810. This newspaper is an authorized publication for members of the Department of Defense. Please direct all story ideas, questions and comments to MC1 (SW) Steve Smith at [email protected].
Public Affairs OfficerLt. Cmdr. Sarah T. Self-Kyler
Executive OfficerCapt. G. C. Huffman
Commanding OfficerCapt. William C. Hamilton, Jr.
EditorMC3 Brian G. Reynolds
The Shuttle
USS Enterprise (CVN 65)
Command Master Chief CMDCM (AW/SW) Dwayne E. Huff
Big E Happenings
Aircraft assigned to Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1 fly in formation over the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) during an air power demonstration. (Photo by MC3 Jared King)
Enterprise passes the Rock of Gibraltar for the final time. (Photo by IT1 Stephen Wolff)Sailors assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Platoon 12-3-1 take their positions on the flight deck after rappelling from a helicopter aboard aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) during an air power demonstration. (Photo by MC3 Jared King)
Aircraft assigned to Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1 fly in formation above aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) in formation during an air power demonstration. (Photo by MC3 Scott Pittman)
An F/A-18 assigned to the Knighthawks of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 136 receives fuel from an F/A-18 assigned to the Checkmates of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 211 during an air power demonstration. (Photo by MC3 Randy J. Savarese)
Wednesday, October 24, 2012 Page 3The Shuttle
Navy News
comprehensively inform military voters of options. “I really think itís bureaucratic inertia,” said MVP Executive Director Eric Eversole. “The Pentagon does a lot of things really well by keeping us safe, but when it comes to their non-warfighting missions, some of their efforts just fall short and I think that’s what happened here.” But officials at the Federal Voting Assistance Program, which answers to the Pentagon and is charged with making voting easier and more accessible for military and overseas voters, balked at the groupís charges and said that it was misinterpreting the data. Pam Mitchell, acting director of the program, pointed out that there are far fewer military serving overseas this year than there were in 2008, when hundreds of thousands of troops were deployed to Iraq. She also noted that it’s a different kind of election, with no Democratic primary because President Obama is an incumbent. And unlike in 2008, when tens of thousands of automatic absentee ballots were sent out to voters who’d requested them in 2006, this year, only current requests were valid.
Few acts reveal a sense of duty to country for Americans more than voting and, perhaps, serving in the armed forces. But in this tightly contested presidential election year, absentee ballot requests from military members and their families are down sharply from 2008, raising concerns that despite a new law aimed at getting out the military vote, many of those serving will not be involved in choosing the next commander in chief. The Military Voter Protection Project (MVP) released figures last month indicating steep declines in absentee ballot requests in five swing states, including a 90 percent dropoff in Virginia. Numbers in Virginia have rebounded since then - perhaps a result of a big final push by state, Pentagon and military officials to get service members registered before the Oct. 15 deadline. But State Board of Elections figures show there’s still a stark drop from 2008, with just 9,852 military voter absentee ballots requested this year, compared with 20,738 in 2008. Why this drop is happening is subject to dispute. MVP alleges that the Pentagon has failed in its obligation to
Despite New Law, Military Absentee Ballot Requests FallBy Dianna Cahn, NORFOLK VIRGINIAN-PILOT
more assault ships than classic carriers. The older vessels are built around cavernous ‘well decks’ - in essence, giant swimming pools that open to the sea through the ships’ sterns, allowing them to launch and recover landing craft, hovercraft, swimming vehicles and river boats. These small craft are the primary means of moving Marines onto shore, complemented by helicopters and V-22 tiltrotors taking off from the flight deck.
She’s 844 feet long, 106 feet wide and displaces 45,000 tons of water. The future USS America, christened in Mississippi on Saturday, is technically an amphibious assault ship, a type of vessel optimized for carrying Marines into battle. But subtle changes under America’s steel skin mean she can double as a small aircraft carrier, capable of sustaining a short air war all on her own. The changes to America and her sister ship Tripoli came at the cost of some of the usual amphibious capabilities possessed by assault ships. By investing a combined $6 billion in America and Tripoli, the Navy and Marines are betting that future warfare will involve more aerial combat and fewer potential beach assaults. It’s not a totally reckless wager, but it does involve some risk. With the America class, the Pentagon is taking a chance on air power and, more to point, on the Marines’ version of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. When America’s sister ship Tripoli enters service in 2018, the Navy will (in essence) possess 13 carriers - these two smaller, newer models, plus 11 of the big, nuclear-powered variety. That’s up from the 11 nuke flattops in today’s fleet. Commensurately, the number of old-school assault ships will drop by two. The sailing branch’s other assault ships - currently numbering nine - can also support dozens of helicopters plus a handful of Harrier jump jets apiece. But they lack the facilities for sustained flight ops, meaning they’re
Navy’s Newest Assault Ship Moonlights as Pint-Sized Aircraft CarrierBy David Axe, DANGER ROOM
The Battle of Leyte Gulf:
Oct. 24 Ward Room 2 Lounge
7p.m.
All are invited to an Open Discussion
of Naval Leadership, Warfare and
History
Wednesday, October 24, 2012The ShuttlePage 4
Big E Entertainment
AT2 Derreck Currier, from Standish, Maine, joined the Navy four years ago to earn money for college. In his spare time, he enjoys auto mechanics and spending time with family. In the future, he plans to continue to be a good father and husband.
Aviation Electrician’s Technician 2nd ClassDerreck Currier
Sailors of the Day
PSSN Jamarcus Laquinn Calloway, from Danville, Va., joined the Navy one and a half years ago to take care of his family and further his education. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter. In the future, he plans to complete his degree and reach his highest potential.
Personnel Specialist SeamanJamarcus Laquinn Calloway
