Media Category: zForum Images
This category is strictly used for images to be linked to a forum. The first sub category is called za and may grow to 999 images.
Zd249
Zd249. Flickr 064. On the 25th Nov. 1944 the USS Hancock CV-19 was hit by a kamikaze plane.; photo taken from the USS New Jersey. Wikipedia says this at this URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Hancock_(CV-19)
Hancock then rejoined Rear Admiral Bogan’s Task Group with which she struck airfields and shipping in the vicinity of Manila on 29 October 1944. During operations through 19 November, her planes gave direct support to advancing Army troops and attacked Japanese shipping over a 350 mi (560 km) area. She became flagship of the Fast Carrier Task Force (TF 38) on 17 November 1944 when Admiral McCain came on board.[6]
Unfavorable weather prevented operations until 25 November, when a kamikaze roared toward Hancock, diving out of the sun. Antiaircraft fire exploded the plane some 300 ft (90 m) above the ship, but a section of its fuselage landed amidships, and a part of the wing hit the flight deck and burst into flames. Prompt and skillful teamwork quickly extinguished the blaze and prevented serious damage.[6]
Zd248
Zd248. Flickr 063. No description for this image, nor can I tell what kind of boat, craft or vessel this picture is shot from. But I’m sure as to what the image shows. The vessel is off Search Light Point at the SW corner of Corregidor Island. It must be the 16th Feb. 1945. Some paratroopers are landing short of the Landing-Zone A, the Topside Parade ground and are landing near Battery Wheeler. That area was a Japanese Hornet Nest.
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Zd250
Zd250. Flickr 065. On the 21st Jan. 1945 the USS Ticonderoga CV-14 was hit several times by bombs or kamikaze planes. Wikipedia says this at this URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Ticonderoga_(CV-14)
Attacks on South Japanese islands
The three task groups of TF 38 completed their transit during the night of 20–21 January. The next morning, aided by favorable flight conditions, their aircraft hit airfields on Formosa, in the Pescadores, and at Sakishima Gunto. While it allowed American flight operations to continue through the day, it also allowed for Japanese kamikaze operations.
Just after noon, a single-engine Japanese aircraft scored a hit on Langley with a glide-bombing attack. Seconds later, a kamikaze swooped out of the clouds and plunged toward Ticonderoga. The aircraft crashed through the ship’s flight deck abreast of the No. 2 5 in (130 mm) mount, and its bomb exploded just above her hangar deck. Several aircraft stowed nearby erupted into flames and men were killed. While the crew were ordered into action to save the endangered carrier, Captain Kiefer conned his ship skillfully. First, he changed course to keep the wind from fanning the blaze. Then, he ordered magazines and other compartments flooded to prevent further explosions and to correct a 10° starboard list. Finally, he instructed the damage control party to continue flooding compartments on Ticonderoga’s port side which induced a 10° port list which dumped the fire overboard. Firefighters and aircraft handlers completed the dangerous job of dousing the flames and jettisoning burning aircraft.
Other kamikaze then assailed the carrier. Her antiaircraft gunners shot down three which all crashed into the sea, but a fourth aircraft struck the carrier’s starboard side near the island. Its bomb set more aircraft on fire, riddled her flight deck, and injured or killed another 100 sailors, with Captain Kiefer one of the wounded. Ticonderoga’s crew continued their efforts and were spared further attacks. They brought her fires completely under control not long after 1400, and Ticonderoga retired.[3]
Repair and relaunch
The stricken carrier arrived at Ulithi on 24 January but remained there only long enough to move her wounded to hospital ship Samaritan, to transfer her air group to Hancock, and to embark passengers bound for home. Ticonderoga cleared the lagoon on 28 January and headed for the U.S. The warship stopped briefly at Pearl Harbor en route to the Puget Sound Navy Yard where she arrived on 15 February. Captain William Sinton assumed command in February 1945.
Her repairs were completed on 20 April, and she cleared Puget Sound the following day for the Alameda Naval Air Station, Alameda, California. After embarking passengers and aircraft bound for Hawaii, the carrier headed for Pearl Harbor where she arrived on 1 May. The next day, Air Group 87 came on board and, for the next week, trained in preparation for the carrier’s return to combat. Ticonderoga stood out of Pearl Harbor and shaped a course for the western Pacific. En route to Ulithi, on 17 May, she launched her aircraft for what amounted to training strikes on Japanese-held Taroa in the Marshalls. On 22 May, the warship arrived in Ulithi and rejoined the Fast Carrier Task Force as an element of Rear Admiral Radford’s TG 58.4.[3]
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