February 21^st 1945

Just before the sunset, we were attacked by enemy aircraft. Macabre and effective, sparked by a powerful propaganda campaign, the Imperial Air Forces newly-organized Special Attack Corps (Kamikaze Corps) constituted the last play of a nation facing suicide. At the time the suiciders closed on the ANZIO, she was cruising in formation just prior to separating for the night to stalk submarines. Bogies first appeared at 1707 hours, at which time General Quarters and a air defense disposition was ordered. At 1825 hours, they were reported again. Twenty Four minutes later, the group was attacked by five Japanese planes which zoomed in low over the water on the ANZIOS starboard hand.

On the horizon could be seen the glow from the carrier SARATOGA, who had sustained several kamikaze crash-dives. Bearing the brunt of the attack on the CVE’s were the LUNGA POINT and BISMARCK SEA. One of the Japanese careened into the sea near the LUNGA POINT; another hit her flight deck, set fire to couchant planes and ricocheted into the sea off port. Two kamikazes picked the BISMARCK SEA, and though one missed its mark, the other slashed into the escort carriers after parts. Explosion after explosion followed until, gutted and blistered, the USS BISMARCK SEA heeled over on her side and sank. A fifth plane moved in on the ANZIO about sixty feet above the water, but it was turned away by the barrage of anti-aircraft we were slinging at it. And was seen shot down by a destroyer escort.

After a short breather, more bogies appeared on the radar screen and between 1918 and 1948 the disposition opened fire on unidentified planes. But there were no further attacks by the Japanese for that day.

February 23^rd 1945

Four groups of unidentified planes approached the same formation. While the disposition twisted evasively in emergency turns, the bogies wheeled around in the sky looking for an opening. At 1936 hours, a single-engine fighter apparently found one and flew in astern toward the ANZIO, aftermost carrier in the formation. But once again our barrage of anti-aircraft fire paid off turning him back at least 2,000 yards before our carrier.

February 26^th 1945

At 0200 hours Lieutenant JG W. J. Wilson, USNR, investigating a radar contact and closed a diving submarine. He pressed home a depth bomb attack about 150 yards ahead of the swirl and was rewarded by a great roar of an underwater explosion. And the roar was a hit and sinking of a 965-ton Japanese submarine RO-43

February 27^th 1945

At 0304 hours Lieutenant JG F. M. Fay made radar contact and closed to recognize an “I” type submarine on the surface. The enemy dove as he broke through the clouds to drop flares and remained over the contact. Four minutes later he sighted periscope and conning tower rising near a float light. This time he came from astern, but the enemy dove on him again. He maneuvered for one more run, and dropped a depth charge about 100 yards ahead of the swirl. Within a minute a 30 foot geyser shot up from the resulting explosion and sinking of the 1,470-ton Japanese submarine I-368    

From February 19^th – March 4^th 1945 the USS ANZIO stuck to her schedule of launching her first flight just before sunset, and landing her last just before dawn. During this timeframe she completed 106 sorties, with 657.5 hours of night flight without a single launching or landing accident. The ANZIOS aircraft inflicted severe damage on Iwo Jimas command posts, trenches, block houses, and gun positions. We did lose a Wildcat fighter plane and pilot in combat, and one Avenger lost operationally.

April 6^th 1945

As the tempo of Japanese suicide counter-attacks rose, the lot of the U. S. Navy at Okinawa grew progressively worse. A group of ANZIO fighter planes were sent out to help the COLHOUN, who was caught in the thick of it. Returning later with a tally of seven downed Japanese planes.

April 9^th 1945

After replenishing at Kerama Retto we got out just before the enemy executed a fierce aerial jab at the anchorage.

April 16^th 1945

A section of ANZIO fighters intercepted enemy planes closing on their ship, but the Japs had a speed advantage over the hellcats and were able to escape to safety.

The ANZIO had her share of heroes. As leading chief of the escort carrier’s ordinance crew, Roy D. Gibson had the responsibility of seeing that the dangerous task of loading Avengers with ammunition was carried off without mishap. Once the planes were armed and ready for takeoff his work was over, but he still liked watching the planes soar safely away on their mission. This particular day Gibson was standing on the catwalk next to the catapult, watching Squadron Thirteen’s Grumman aircraft being dispatched. They were taking off like clock-work, each thrown after the other, skidding a little, then banking and climbing to the right, chasing the one ahead to the rendezvous point. Into position went the last plane. It’s pilot gunned the motor to maximum turn-over, braced his head firmly against the cockpit’s headrest to absorb the shock of the initial impetus. At a signal from the catapult Officer the plane shot off the flight deck, took a sickening dip towards the water and slowly pulled itself aloft. But the force of the catapult had yanked off its gasoline-filled fire bomb, which lay alive on deck. Without hesitation Gibson darted into action, making a bee-line for the bomb he fumbled with it, ignoring the burns he was receiving from the phosphorus external igniter, he successfully removed the internal fuse. Gibson then tossed the detonator overboard like a hot potato, then assisted in the removal of the bomb from the flight deck. Later, Gibson would be awarded the Navy and Marine Corps medal, accompanied by a citation which concluded with: “By his quick-witted and courageous act in the face of great danger to himself, he saved many persons from the possibility of death or serious injury, and the ship from the possibility of serious damage. His conduct was in keeping with the highest tradition of the United States Naval Service.

April 30^th 1945

Repairs to the ANZIO’s rudder bearing was a must, so she returned to Ulithi. There necessary repairs were effected, fuel and provisions taken aboard and her dazzle paint covered over with Navy gray.

May 18^th 1945

The ANZIO departs for the Trukyus, three days later resuming anti-submarine warfare operations in the Okinawa area with her five destroyer escorts.

May 27^th 1945

With her part in the Okinawa campaign ending today, this is the toll the ANZIO had taken on Japanese surface craft.

29 suicide boats

20 landing craft

1 500 tonner

also had bombed and rocketed well-camouflaged enemy strong-points on Okinawa, and had had incurred the loss of only two of their number.

May 28^th 1945

With her task group’s designation changed to 30.7, the ANZIO went under Admiral Halsey’s direct control, began a series of anti-submarine warfare sweeps southeast of Okinawa.

May 31^st 1945

Lieutenant (JG) S. L. Stovall USNR got things off to a propitious start with a submarine kill. At 00436 hour he Picked up a radar pip on the last leg of a 5-1/2 hour search. Alerting the task group, he maneuvered into position, attacked an “I” class Nip pig-boat as it hurriedly submerged. Relief planes spotted an oil slick a half hour later, as well as deck planking, cork, and Nip light bulbs spotted in the water. This confirmed kill was on the 1,470-ton Japanese submarine I-361.

May 23^rd – June 15^th 1945 the ANZIO was doing non stop flight schedules. She had planes in the air every minute of the day, round-the-clock, minus three momentary breaks. Once for bad weather, and twice for fueling. It was while she was proceeding with these routine movements southeast of Okinawa that the ANZIO was selected to carry out some Halsey trickery, formally called deception radio traffic. Essentially the plan involved the transmission of messages skillfully designed to give the appearance of those sent from Halsey’s own flagship. From the third fleet Commander’s flag complement, the ANZIO was given a radioman (monitors readily recognize one operator’s style from another). And on June 11^th 1945 the ANZIO’s radio began sending out the fake messages. As far as they were concerned Admiral Halsey was still at large off the Empire’s southernmost home island. Thus was Captain Montgomery’s escort carrier left as a bait from Kyushu-based aircraft, inviting attack either if her deception was successful or if it was discovered. USS ANZIO had relieved the whole U.S. Task Force 38. Then the ANZIO ruptured her aviation gasoline tanks. The rest of the day they worked to fix the leaks, but it became apparent that it was more serious then they had at first thought. This promptly brought to a close her false broadcasting, and she set course with her task group for Leyte.

July 6^th 1945

Put in first class condition by the San Pedro repairman, the ANZIO left accompanied by the destroyer escorts, headed for rendezvous about 600 miles due east of Tokyo. This sub-fighting group was to fight the remainder of the Pacific war under the designation Task Group 30.6. Arriving at the prescribed location, the ANZIO went to work scouring the sea off Honahu to obviate any underwater attempt on Halsey’s vulnerable logistic fleet.

July 10^th 1945

There ensued the spectacular “Month of Fire” raids on Japanese home islands with Halsey beginning his skyward siege of Honshu , and then thundering north to plaster Hokkaido.

July 16^th 1945

At 0737 hour Avenger pilot Lieutenant (JG) William M. McLane, USNR, honed in on a radar contact and sighted the silhouette of a fully surfaced submarine. His gun and rockets blasted a hole below the conning tower at the water line of the enemy who commenced a shallow dive. As the plane overshot for a second attack causing him to miss the submarine by some 70 and 100 feet respectively. He pressed home a third attack and now an oil slick trailed from the submerged enemy. Then Lieutenant Rex W. Nelson brought in his ANZIO plane into the fray pressing home a depth bomb attack which caused the oil slick to stop moving, and started bringing debris to the surface. Thus killing the 2400-ton Japanese submarine I-13. It was during this time that the ANZIO made the closest approach of any combat CVE to Tokyo prior to the surrender, at one time streaming within 241 miles of Honchu. Generally everyone kept clear of Honshu by some 500 miles.

August 10^th 1945

Rumors had been trickling in to the ANZIO that Japan was ready to give up the ghost. For five long nerve-wracking days a nervous watch was kept waiting for developments in the radio shack.

August 15^th 1945

At two minutes past 0800 in the morning ANZIO sailors were hustling topside for muster at General Quarters and physical drill. They were met with an announcement from the bridge: “President Truman has announced that the Japanese have accepted Allied counter proposal on the surrender terms without qualifications!” With the dam of mixed hope and anxiety thus broken, a deluge of joy was heard across the ANZIO flight deck. Amid the Mardi Gras like atmosphere, one of the crewman masqueraded as a Japanese militarist, the rest of the crew hanging him from the bridge in mock gravity. The masquerader with a sign hung around his neck which read “WE REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR”

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Below is the course of the USS CORAL SEA/USS ANZIO CVE 57 1943-1946

Launched as U.S.S. Coral Sea   -  May, 1943

Vancouver to Astoria  -  Aug. 14^th, 1943

Placed in commission  - Aug. 27^th, 1943

Astoria to Seattle  -  Sept. 24^th, 1943

Seattle to San Francisco  - Oct. 2^nd – Oct. 5^th, 1943

San Francisco to San Diego  -  Oct. 6^th – Oct. 8^th , 1943

Take off and landing rehearsal till Oct. 15^th, 1943

San Diego to Pearl Harbor  - Oct. 25^th  -  Oct. 31^st, 1943

Pearl Harbor to Makin Atoll  - Nov. 10^th – Nov. 20^th, 1943

Gilbert Island to Pearl Harbor - Nov. 28^th – Dec. 5^th, 1943

Pearl Harbor to San Francisco  - Dec. 8^th – Dec. 14^th, 1943

San Francisco to Pearl Harbor  -Dec. 22^nd – Dec. 28^th, 1943

Pearl Harbor to Kwajalein  - Jan. 22^nd – Jan. 31^st, 1944

Marshall Islands to Pearl Harbor -Feb. 24^th – Mar. 3^rd, 1944

Pearl Harbor to Tulagis Bay-Mar. 11^th –Mar. 21^st, 1944

Tulagi to Hollandia – Apr. 16^th – May 7^th, 1944

Hollandia to New Hebrides – May 7^th – May 12^th, 1944

Espiritu Santo to Kwajalein – Jun. 2^nd – Jun. 8^th, 1944

Kwajalein to Marianas – Jun. 10^th – Jun. 14^th, 1944

Marianas to Pearl Harbor – Jul.23^rd – Aug. 2^nd, 1944

Pearl Harbor to San Diego – Aug. 2^nd – Aug. 9^th, 1944

San Diego to Pearl Harbor – Sep.16^th – Sep. 22^nd, 1944

Name changed to U.S.S. ANZIO – Oct. 10^th, 1944

Pearl Harbor to Eniwetok Atoll – Oct. 16^th – Oct. 25^th, 1944

Typhoon Dec. 18^th, 1944 arrived Ulithi – Dec. 25^th, 1944

Operations off Luzon – Dec. 25^th 1944 – Jan. 28^th, 1945

Back to Ulithi – Jan. 28^th, 1945

Ulithi to Eniwetok – Feb. 2^nd – Feb. 6^th, 1945

Operations (Iwo Jima area) Feb. 19^th – Mar. 7^th, 1945

Iwo Jima area to San Pedro Bay–Mar. 7^th – Mar. 12^th, 1945

Operations 4–6 hundred miles off Japan till Aug. 19^th, 1945

Entered Guam – Aug. 22^nd, 1945

Guam to Okinawa – Aug.29^th – Sep. 3^rd, 1945

Okinawa to Korea – Sep. 3^rd – Sep. 10^th, 1945

Korea to Okinawa – Sep. 10^th – Sep. 15^th, 1945

Okinawa to San Francisco – Sep. 19^th – Sep. 30^th, 1945

S.F. to P.H. and back then shanghai on Dec. 1^st, 1945

Shanghai to Seattle arriving Dec. 23^rd, 1945

Seattle to Norfolk VA via the Panama Canal Jan. 18^th, 1946

Decommissioned Aug. 5^th, 1946

Redesignated CVHE-57  June 15^th, 19