Action Report of USS Fletcher (DD445) on the Nasugbu Operation, Jan 1945

Batangas History

5 Jan, 2018

Transcription of an action report on the 31 January 1945 Nasugbu Operation from the USS Fletcher (DD¹ 445). This is a declassified document² taken from the United States National Archives.

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U.S.S. RADFORD (DD445)
DD445/A-16-3
Serial 015

C O N F I D E N T I A L 2 February 1945.

From:
To:
Via:

Subject:

Reference:

The Commanding Officer.
The Commander in Chief, U.S. Fleet.
(1) Commander Destroyer Division FORTY-TWO.
(2) Commander Task Unit 77.3.1
(3) Commander Tank Group 78.2.
(4) Commander Task Force 78.
(5) Commander SEVENTH FLEET.
(6) Commander Allied Naval Forces, Southwest Pacific Area.

Action Report – Covering Participation in Landing at Nasugbu on 31 January 1945.

(a) CTU 78.2 Op-Plan 3-45.
(b) PacFlt 1CL-45.

PARTS I & II

Covered in CTU 77.3.1 Action Report for this period.

PART III

CHRONOLOGICAL ACCOUNT

30 January, 1945

1530 – TU 77.3.1 left Subic Bay Area, Luzon, P.I. to rendezvous with TU 73.2 in Latitude 14 [unsure, blurred] – 00 N, Longitude 118 – 15 E; [unreadable] is A/6 screen 652.

31 January, 1945

0703 – Made radar contact with U.S.S. TINSMAN, DE 539 bearing 265°(T), 12 miles.

0703 – In Longitude 120 – 20.22 N, Latitude 14 – 01 N. U.S.S. TINSMAN came alongside and delivered guard mail necessary to TU 77.3.1 for execution of Fire Support Missions in this operation.

0811 – In Latitude 14 – 01 N, Longitude 120 – 24 E sighted mine in the water [unreadable word] to port about 500 yards.

0812 – As ordered by CTU 77.3.1 proceeded to destroy mine. Upon close inspection (100 yards) it was definitely identified as Type 122 hornless mine.

0830 – Mine was sunk by 40mm fire at a range of 1500 yards.

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U.S.S. FLETCHER (DD 445)
DD445/A16-3
Serial 015
CONFIDENTIAL 2 February, 1945

Subject: Action Report – Covering Participation in Landing at Nasugbu on 31 January, 1945.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------PART III (Cont’d)

0906 – Joined DENVER and RALFORD in Fire Support area BAKER. The remainder of the morning spent patrolling off Nasugbu awaiting requests for Fire Support during the landing operations. None materialized for this unit.

1521 – Duty completed, TU 77.3.1 took departure from Nasugbu Area, Luzon, P.I., proceeding to Mindoro, P.I.

PART IV

ORDNANCE

Ammunition expended in sinking mine: 86 rounds 40mm; 24 rounds 20mm. No casualties.

PART V

DAMAGE

No damage received or inflicted upon the enemy by this vessel.

PART VI

SPECIAL COMMENT

None.

PART VII

PERSONNEL PERFORMANCE AND CASUALTIES

All personnel performed in a highly satisfactory manner. No casualties.

PART VIII

LESSONS, CONCLUSIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS.

The Type 122 hornless mine closely resembles a mooring buoy such as is used for small craft and seaplanes. If the water were dead calm, it would have been impossible to distinguish. The movements of the sea, however, exposed the heavy cylindrical body beneath the innocent appearance of the float type head with pad-eye at the top. The fact that small

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U.S.S. FLETCHER (DD 445)
DD445/A16-3
Serial 015
CONFIDENTIAL 2 February, 1945

Subject: Action Report – Covering Participation in Landing at Nasugbu on 31 January, 1945.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PART VIII (Cont’d)
arms and 40mm fire did not detonate it is attributed to its construction; air-chamber above and explosive charge below which is seldom exposed by the waves.

J. L. FOSTER.

Copies to:

Cominch (Adv.)
CinCPac (3) (Adv.)
CinCPac-CinCPGA (2) (Adv.)
ComDesPac (Adv.)

To view or download the original document, please refer to Item ² below under Notes and References.

Notes and references:
¹ DD stands for Destroyer. “Glossary of U.S. Naval Abbreviations, “D”,” online at Ibiblio.org.
² “USS FLETCHER - Rep of ops in the amphibious assault landing at Nasugbu, Luzon Is, Philippines 1/31/45” online at the United States National Archives.