|
tsimmonds -> RE: A coward leader (7/31/2007 1:05:44 AM)
|
There is also Captain Jesse Coward:
quote:
The Destroyer Actions
Desron 54 attacks
The first destroyer grouping to attack Nishimura was Destroyer Squadron 54 commanded by Captain Jesse Coward. Coward planned an "anvil" attack (an attack from both bows of the target - trapping the enemy as between hammer and anvil). The western group was to consist of destroyers McDermut and Monssen and the eastern group of Remey, McGowan and Melvin. Coward intended to attack using only his torpedoes, since if his destroyers used their guns this would only alert the Japanese and disclose the ships' positions, and their 5-inch guns in any case could not seriously harm the heavy ships.
At 0206 the five destroyers went to General Quarters, and at 0240 McGowan made the first radar contact on Nishimura's ships. By 0245 her radar showed that the enemy contact was a column of ships, distance 15 miles.
At 0245 Nishimura was completing his transition from approach-formation to battle-formation, placing all four of his destroyers in the lead with the larger ships still in column at one-kilometer intervals.
At 0256 Shigure (whose lookouts seem to have been particularly effective) sighted the three destroyers of Coward's eastern division 4.3 miles away. The flagship Yamashiro began probing ahead with her most powerful searchlight but the American ships were still too far distant to be picked up in the beam.
However, Coward's destroyers and Force C were closing each other at a combined speed of 45 knots. Desron 54's western section - McDermutand Monssen - under Commander Richard Phillips, made radar contact with the Japanese ships at 0254. Phillips was steaming close to the shoreline of Leyte in order to avoid radar detection, intending to turn at the right moment and attack on the enemy's port bow. Remey, McGowan and Melvin, however, were steaming in mid-strait and approaching Nishimura almost head-on, but at 0257 Coward ordered this division to turn south-east, placing it on Nishimura's starboard bow. At 0258 lookouts on Melvin sighted the Japanese, range 12,800 yards. Coward ordered his own divisionto start making smoke, carried out his turn as planned, ordered his ships "fire when ready" and started increasing speed to 30 knots.
A few seconds after 0300 Remey, McGowan and Melvin started launching torpedoes and within two minutes had launched 27 in all. Coward swung his ships hard aport and began retiring. As the turn was being made they came under fire from Yamashiro and the Japanese destroyers. By 0305 all three destroyers were being straddled by 5-inch shells but they quickly drew out of gunfire range without being hit.
At between 0308 and 0309 explosions in the direction of the enemy column were seen from Coward's destroyers. Shortly afterwards one of the battleships was seen to slow down and sheer out of formation. This was Fuso, hit by one of Melvin's torpedoes. Nishimura himself, however, remained unaware that Fuso had been crippled, and continued to issue orders to the damaged battleship as if she were still in column.
Fuso later exploded and sank as a result of the torpedo hit.
Meanwhile Phillips' division - McDermut and Monssen - was still steaming south when word was received that the eastern division had launched torpedoes and was retiring. Phillips maintained his course- due south, 3,500 yards from the Leyte shore, parallel to Nishimura's course but in the opposite direction. At 0308 he turned towards his targets, and at that moment the Japanese ships opened fire on Monssen.
At 0310 McDermut began launching and Monssen followed a minute later.
Nishimura had taken no evasive action when attacked by Coward's eastern division but when Phillips' division attacked he ordered two 90-degree turns which however brought his own destroyers into the path of McDermut's torpedoes. Monssen obtained one hit on flagship Yamashiro, while McDermut hit three of the Japanese destroyers, sinking Yamagumo and Michisio, while blowing the bow off Asagumo and forcing her to retire.
In all Destroyer Squadron 54 fired 47 torpedoes, and hit five Japanese ships, sinking three, including one of the Japanese battleships. Coward's attack was therefore one of the most successful of the war, possibly the most successful - in terms of immediate damage inflicted on an enemy.
|
|
|
|
