Hypothetical: The Navy drafted you in WWII.

[Rain Man]

I found a database of major American WWII ships the other day and pulled it into Excel. Then I found information on crew sizes. Now I have a simple simulator.

So if you were drafted into the Navy in World War II and were assigned to a large ship (e.g., submarine, destroyer, cruiser, or larger), I can now randomly assign you to a ship. Report in this thread to get your assignment.

I'll tell you your ship, and then it's up to you to look it up and see where it went and what happened to it. If the ship took casualties, let me know how many were killed and wounded and I'll do a random draw to see if you would have survived.


As for me, I would have been one of 700 sailors aboard:

Juneau** Atlanta-class Light Cruiser**

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Juneau_(CL-52)

That's not really a good thing. I hung out with a nice set of five brothers from Iowa, the Sullivans, but we saw some bad things.

We launched early in 1942 and did some early runs in the Atlantic and Caribbean before heading to the Pacific Theater. Right out of the gate in the Pacific we had to rescue sailors from an aircraft carrier that sank from a sub attack, and then we headed to Guadalcanal.

Our task force fought off four attacks from the Japanese, one of which took down another aircraft carrier.

Then another big Japanese group attacked, and we took a torpedo. We headed off toward Vanuatu for repairs, running with two other damaged ships, when we were attacked again by a Japanese sub. We took another torpedo which blew the ship to smithereens and we sank in 20 seconds.

The other two ships assumed there were no survivors and took off running. In actuality, 100 of the crew survived the sinking, but only about 10 survived the next eight days until rescue aircraft found them.

Based on a random dice roll, I went down with the ship, so my naval career ended late in 1942. I hope America won.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Graystoke

A Small update about casualties on the USS Boston.

However, the Boston was not tragedy-free. The men witnessed several burials-at-sea, including a mechanic who was electrocuted during a repair, and an aviator who drowned when one of the seaplanes flipped in a wave while being ratcheted back to the ship.

I don't think this warrants a roll of the dice

Everything warrants a dice roll.

(Rolling dice.)

Fortunately you were never in the wrong place at the wrong time.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Earthling

Reporting for duty sir. And humbly asking for duty on anything but a carrier. (Too much brass)

You'll go where Uncle Sam tells you to go. But in this case it's not a carrier.

North Carolina** North Carolina-class Battleship**

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy!

I'm a 4-F'er.

We're lenient in times of war. Flat feet just make you more stable during dives.

Roncador** Balao-class Submarine**

[Kaepernick]

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy!

Totally unrelated, but I'm posting because this is a Rain Man thread: I'm in a restaurant by myself. Twenty-some empty tables. A man just walked in and sat down at the only table in front of me, facing me. What. The. ****?!?!

I love seclusion. I am old enough that now I just pick up everything and move. I dont tolerate it anymore.

[Otter]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

Wasp (Wasp-class)** Wasp-class Aircraft Carrier**


Hey, I think I may have rescued you before I died.

One more reason for a national "Slap a Jap" day. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Wasp_(CV-7)

[Nightfyre]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

You are on the ship with the beautiful large signature on the prow.

Hancock** Essex-class Aircraft Carrier**

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Hancock_(CV-19)

Spoiler!

USS Hancock (CV/CVA-19) was one of 24 Essex-class aircraft carriers built during World War II for the United States Navy. The ship was the fourth US Navy ship to bear the name, and was named for John Hancock, president of the Second Continental Congress and first governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.[Note 1] Hancock was commissioned in April 1944, and served in several campaigns in the Pacific Theater of Operations, earning four battle stars. Decommissioned shortly after the end of the war, she was modernized and recommissioned in the early 1950s as an attack carrier (CVA). In her second career she operated exclusively in the Pacific, playing a prominent role in the Vietnam War, for which she earned a Navy Unit Commendation. She was the first US Navy carrier to have steam catapults installed.

World War II

After fitting out in the Boston Navy Yard and shake-down training off Trinidad and Venezuela, Hancock returned to Boston for alterations on 9 July 1944. She departed Boston on 31 July en route to Pearl Harbor via the Panama Canal and San Diego, and from there sailed on 24 September to join Admiral W. F. Halsey's 3rd Fleet at Ulithi on 5 October. She was assigned to Rear Admiral Gerald F. Bogan's Carrier Task Group 38.2 (TG 38.2).[6]

Hancock got underway the following afternoon for a rendezvous point 375 nmi (690 km) west of the Marianas where units of Vice Admiral Mitscher's Fast Carrier Task Force 38 (TF 38) were assembling in preparation for the daring cruise to raid Japanese air and sea bases in the Ryūkyūs, Formosa, and the Philippines. Thus enemy air power was paralyzed during General MacArthur's invasion of Leyte. When the armada arrived off the Ryukyu Islands on 10 October 1944, Hancock's planes rose off her deck to wreak destruction upon Okinawan airfields and shipping. Her planes destroyed seven enemy aircraft on the ground and assisted in the destruction of a submarine tender, 12 torpedo boats, 2 midget submarines, four cargo ships, and a number of sampans. Next on the agenda were Formosan air bases where on 12 October Hancock's pilots downed six enemy planes and destroyed nine more on the ground. She also reported one cargo ship definitely sunk, three probably destroyed, and several others damaged.[6]

As they repelled an enemy air raid that evening, Hancock's gunners accounted for a Japanese plane and drove off countless others during seven hours of uninterrupted general quarters. The following morning her planes resumed their assault, knocking out ammunition dumps, hangars, barracks, and industrial plants ashore and damaging an enemy transport. As Japanese planes again attacked the Americans during their second night off Formosa, Hancock's antiaircraft fire brought down another raider which crashed about 500 yd (460 m) off her flight deck. On the morning of the third day of operations against this enemy stronghold Hancock lashed out again at airfields and shipping before retiring to the southeast with her task force. As the American ships withdrew a heavy force of Japanese aircraft roared in for a parting crack. One dropped a bomb off Hancock's port bow a few seconds before being hit by the carrier's guns and crashing into the sea. Another bomb penetrated a gun platform but exploded harmlessly in the water. The surviving attackers then turned tail, and the task force was thereafter unmolested as they sailed toward the Philippines to support the landings at Leyte.[6]

On 18 October, she launched planes against airfields and shipping at Laoag, Aparri, and Camiguin Island in Northern Luzon. Her planes struck the islands of Cebu, Panay, Negros, and Masbate, pounding enemy airfields and shipping. The next day, she retired toward Ulithi with Vice Admiral John S. McCain, Sr.'s TG 38.1.[6]

She received orders on 23 October to turn back to the area off Samar to assist in the search for units of the Japanese fleet reportedly closing Leyte to challenge the American fleet, and to destroy amphibious forces which were struggling to take the island from Japan. Hancock did not reach Samar in time to assist the heroic escort carriers and destroyers of "Taffy 3" during the main action of the Battle off Samar, but her planes did manage to lash the fleeing Japanese Center Force as it passed through the San Bernardino Strait. 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]

Hancock returned to Ulithi on 27 November and departed from that island with her task group to maintain air patrol over enemy airfields on Luzon to prevent kamikazes from attacking amphibious vessels of the landing force in Mindoro. The first strikes were launched on 14 December against Clark and Angeles Airfields as well as enemy ground targets on Salvador Island. The next day her planes struck installations at Masinloc, San Fernando, and Cabanatuan, while fighter patrols kept the Japanese airmen down. Her planes also attacked shipping in Manila Bay.[6]

Hancock encountered a severe typhoon (Cobra) on 17 December 1944 and rode out the storm in waves which broke over her flight deck, some 55 ft (20 m) above her waterline. She put into Ulithi 24 December and got underway six days later to attack airfields and shipping around the South China Sea. Her planes struck hard blows at Luzon airfields on 7–8 January 1945 and turned their attention back to Formosa on 9 January, hitting fiercely at airfields and the Toko Seaplane Station.[1] An enemy convoy north of Camranh Bay, Indochina was the next victim, with two ships sunk and 11 damaged. That afternoon Hancock launched strikes against airfields at Saigon and shipping on the northeastern bulge of French Indochina. Strikes by the fast and mobile carrier force continued through 16 January, hitting Hainan Island in the Gulf of Tonkin, the Pescadores Islands, and shipping in the harbor of Hong Kong. Raids against Formosa were resumed on 20 January. The next afternoon one of her planes returning from a sortie made a normal landing, taxied to a point abreast of the island, and disintegrated in a blinding explosion which killed 50 men and injured 75 others. Again outstanding work quickly brought the fires under control in time to land other planes which were still aloft. She returned to formation and launched strikes against Okinawa the next morning.[6]

Hancock reached Ulithi on 25 January where Admiral McCain left the ship and relinquished command of the 5th Fleet. She sortied with the ships of her task group on 10 February and launched strikes against airfields in the vicinity of Tokyo on 16 February. On that day, her air group, Air Group 80, downed 71 enemy planes, and accounted for 12 more the next. Her planes hit the enemy naval bases at Chichi Jima and Haha Jima on 19 February. These raids were conducted to isolate Iwo Jima from air and sea support when Marines hit the beaches of that island to begin one of the most bloody and fierce campaigns of the war. Hancock took station off this island to provide tactical support through 22 February, hitting enemy airfields and strafing Japanese troops ashore.[6]

Returning to waters off the enemy home islands, Hancock launched her planes against targets on northern Honshū, making a diversionary raid on the Nansei-shoto islands on 1 March before returning to Ulithi on 4 March 1945.[6]

Back in Japanese waters Hancock joined other carriers in strikes against Kyūshū airfields, southwestern Honshū and shipping in the Inland Sea of Japan on 18 March. Hancock was refueling destroyer USS Halsey Powell (DD-686) on 20 March when kamikazes attacked the task force. One plane dove for the two ships but was disintegrated by gunfire when about 700 ft (210 m) overhead. Fragments of the plane hit Hancock's deck while its engine and bomb crashed the fantail of the destroyer. Hancock's gunners shot down another plane as it neared the release point of its bombing run on the carrier.[6]

Hancock was reassigned to Carrier TG 58.3 with which she struck the Nansei-shoto islands from 23–27 March and Minami Daito Island and Kyūshū at the end of the month.[6]

When the 10th Army landed on the western coast of Okinawa on 1 April, Hancock was on hand to provide close air support. A kamikaze cartwheeled across her flight deck on 7 April and crashed into a group of planes while its bomb hit the port catapult to cause a tremendous explosion. Although 62 men were killed and 71 wounded, heroic efforts doused the fires within half an hour enabling her to be back in action before an hour had passed.[6]

Hancock was detached from her task group on 9 April and steamed to Pearl Harbor for repairs. She sailed back into action 13 June and left lethal calling cards at Wake Island on 20 June en route to the Philippines. Hancock sailed from San Pedro Bay with the other carriers on 1 July and attacked Tokyo airfields on 10 July. She continued to operate in Japanese waters until she received confirmation of Japan's capitulation on 15 August 1945 when she recalled her planes from their deadly missions before they reached their targets. However planes of her photo division were attacked by seven enemy aircraft over Sagami Wan. Three were shot down and a fourth escaped in a trail of smoke. Later that afternoon planes of Hancock's air patrol shot down a Japanese torpedo plane as it dived on a British task force. Her planes flew missions over Japan in search of prison camps, dropping supplies and medicine, on 25 August. Information collected during these flights led to landings under command of Commodore R. W. Simpson which brought doctors and supplies to all Allied prisoner of war encampments.[6]

When the formal surrender of the Japanese government was signed on board battleship Missouri, Hancock's planes flew overhead. The carrier entered Tokyo Bay on 10 September 1945 and sailed on 30 September embarking 1,500 passengers at Okinawa for transportation to San Pedro, California, where she arrived on 21 October. Hancock was fitted out for Operation Magic Carpet duty at San Pedro and sailed for Seeadler Harbor, Manus, Admiralty Islands on 2 November. On her return voyage she carried 4,000 passengers who were debarked at San Diego on 4 December. A week later Hancock departed for her second Magic Carpet voyage, embarking 3,773 passengers at Manila for return to Alameda, California on 20 January 1946. She embarked Air Group 7 at San Diego on 18 February for air operations off the coast of California. She sailed from San Diego on 11 March to embark men of two air groups and aircraft at Pearl Harbor for transportation to Saipan, arriving on 1 April. After receiving two other air groups on board at Saipan, she loaded a cargo of aircraft at Guam and steamed by way of Pearl Harbor to Alameda, arriving on 23 April. She then steamed to Seattle, Washington on 29 April to await inactivation. The proud ship decommissioned and entered the reserve fleet at Bremerton, Washington.[6]

[cmh6476]

so did I die or wut

[Fire Me Boy!]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

We're lenient in times of war. Flat feet just make you more stable during dives.

Roncador** Balao-class Submarine**

Whew! Looks like I survived by helping to develop antisubmarine warfare techniques and running war games.

USS Roncador (SS/AGSS/IXSS-301), a Balao-class submarine, was a ship of the United States Navy named for the Roncador, a fish, of the family Sciaenidae, found on the West Coast of North America.

Roncador (SS-301) was laid down 21 April 1943 by the Cramp Shipbuilding Co., Philadelphia, Pa.; launched 14 May 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Thomas B. Klakring; and commissioned 27 March 1945, Comdr. Earl R. Crawford in command.

Following commissioning, Roncador conducted shakedown exercises into late May and on 26 May arrived at Port Everglades, Florida Based there for 2 months, she assisted in the development of antisubmarine warfare techniques. On 29 July she got underway for Panama and from 3 August through the end of the war conducted advanced training exercises off the Canal Zone. In late August, she proceeded to Guantanamo Bay, then, in mid-September, headed for the Pacific She arrived at Pearl Harbor on 3 October and remained in Hawaiian waters into the new year, 1946. On 3 January she got underway for San Francisco and inactivation.

Roncador was decommissioned 1 June 1946 and through the 1950s remained in the inactive fleet. In February 1960 she was taken out of mothballs, placed in reserve, and assigned to Naval Reserve training duty in the 11th Naval District. Redesignated AGSS-301 1 December 1962, she continued that duty, at the Long Beach Naval Station, in California, until 1 December 1971, at which time she was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register, and redesignated Miscellaneous Unclassified Submarine IXSS-301. Was to be used as a Museum at Ports 'O Call in San Pedro, California, but she was sold in September 1976 to Nicolai Joffe of Beverly Hills, California, and her conning tower was placed in the U.S. Navy Museum in Washington, D.C., prior to Roncador being scrapped. Her conning tower now resides at the Sub Base Point Loma, San Diego California On 1 October 1982 she was listed on the NVR as being disposed of by sale.

[Dartgod]

Originally Posted by Dartgod

Though enemy planes had been unable to damage Monterey, she did not complete her first full year of service unscathed. In December, she steamed into the path of howling Typhoon Cobra, with winds over 100 knots. At the height of the storm, which lasted 2 days, several planes tore loose from their cables, causing several fires on the hangar deck. During the storm future US President Gerald Ford, who served on board the ship, was almost swept overboard. Ford, serving as General Quarters Officer of the Deck, was ordered to go below to assess the raging fire. He did so safely, and reported his findings back to the ship’s commanding officer, Captain Stuart Ingersoll. The ship’s crew was able to contain the fire, and the ship got underway again.

Apparently, 3 crew members died fighting the fire caused by the typhoon. Was I one of the unlucky 3 out of 1,659 men?

USS Monterey - hangar deck fire killed three men and caused evacuation of boiler rooms requiring repairs at Bremerton Navy yard.

[Earthling]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

You'll go where Uncle Sam tells you to go. But in this case it's not a carrier.

North Carolina** North Carolina-class Battleship**

The Battleship North Carolina, BB55, began her life in 1937 at the Brooklyn Naval Yard. Forth in line to have the name this was the first new construction battleship of WWII. Commissioned in 1941 she headed to her home port Pearl Harbor. Jokingly referred to as "The Showboat" while in New York harbor, The USS North Carolina lived up to her nickname by being the most decorated battleship of WWII , earning 15 battle stars. The ship took part in every major battle in the Pacific. During the time fighting Japan, she lost 10 men in combat and had another 64 wounded. (Out of a compliment of 2339 men on board.)

Her Dead:
August 24,1942, at the battle of the Eastern Solomons, the ship was strafed by a Japanese plane, killing Geo. Conlon.

September 15, 1942 the USS NC. was hit by a torpedo in her port quarter
abreast the forward 16 in turret. A hole the size of a truck was blown below the waterline. Albert S. Geary was blown off the deck and lost at sea. Four other men; Wm. O. Skelton, Oscar. C. Stone, Ingwald Nelson lost their lives. Leonard Pone was trapped when the water tight doors were sealed.

April 5,1945 while knocking down there kamikazes, three more men were killed: Edward E Brenn, John M Watson and Carl E Karams. That same day Eldon Means was lost at sea when the kingfisher seaplane flipped.
Several other deaths occurred on board: Robert Nelson was accidentally killed by the .30 cal machine gun, Thurman Thompson died from a skull fracture, Millard R Nieman died from septicemia. Frank Merck from an unspecified accident, Heney J Kobierski died of cardiac arrest, Norman Guilliam drowned at a party on an island in the Marshal chain. Jesse F Nucholus was killed while on shore leave. Earl J. Winthrop, of the USS Ticonderoga was transferred to the North Carolina and subsequently died of his wounds.

Thanks to the efforts of many school children (selling candy) BB55 was saved and brought to Wilmington and dedicated in 1962. The Battleship North Carolina is now a memorial (said to be haunted) to all those from North Carolina who served and died in WWII.

[J Diddy]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

Louisville** Northampton-class Heavy Cruiser**

You got a real slugger of a ship.

On 7 December 1941, Louisville, escorting A. T. Scott and President Coolidge, was en route from Tarakan, East Borneo, to Pearl Harbor. She continued on to Hawaii, stopped briefly to survey the damage and proceeded on to California. There she joined Task Force 17 (TF 17) and steamed from San Diego on 6 January 1942, for Samoa, landing troops there on the 22nd. Her first offensive operation of the war came on her return trip when she took part in carrier plane raids on 1–2 February on the Gilbert and Marshall Islands. During this action, she lost one of her planes.

After a short stay at Pearl Harbor, Louisville commenced patrolling the Ellice Islands area to help protect American bases in that vicinity. Early in March she joined TF 119, a carrier force, and began operations to stem the Japanese advancement down the Bismarck Archipelago and the Solomons. This force steamed in the Salamaua-Lae-Rabaul sector for a number of days, making airstrikes on numerous objectives.


USS Pennsylvania leading Colorado, Louisville, Portland, and Columbia into Lingayen Gulf in January 1945
Following this operation, Louisville returned to Pearl Harbor, proceeding from there to Mare Island Navy Yard, San Francisco, where her armament was increased. On 31 May, she steamed for the Aleutians to join TF 8. Her duties, during this period of Japan's strongest efforts to establish the northern end of her "ribbon defense" in the western Aleutians, were primarily those of convoy escort, but included shore bombardment of Kiska Island.

On 11 November, the cruiser departed San Francisco for Pearl Harbor, continuing, after a few days on to the South Pacific, escorting several troop transports as far as New Caledonia. She then proceeded north to Espiritu Santo to Join TF 67, which was then battling Japanese forces in the Solomons. On 29 January 1943, she participated In the Battle off Rennell Island, the last of the seven naval battles for Guadalcanal, after which she operated east of the island until it was entirely secured.

In April, Louisville steamed, via Pearl Harbor, to the Aleutians. There, as a unit of TF 16, she covered the assault and occupation of Attu (11–30 May) and participated In the preinvasion bombardment of Kiska.

After the latter was evacuated by the Japanese, she conducted escort of convoy operations in the northern Pacific. In January 1944, Louisville returned to the southern Pacific as the flagship of Rear Admiral J. B. Oldendorf, who was to command the naval gunfire support groups through the amphibious operations ahead. In the Marshalls at the end of the month, she bombarded Wotje Atoll, west of Kwajalein, on the 29th. Then she turned her guns on the airfield and troop concentrations on Roi and Namur on the southern tip of the atoll, contributing to the conquest of those islands by 3 February. Two weeks later, Louisville led the gunfire support group into action at Eniwetok, which succumbed on the 22nd.

After Eniwetok, Louisville joined TF 58, and with the fast carriers struck Japanese installations in the Palaus, in March, and bombarded Truk and Sawatan in April. June brought preparations for the invasion of the greater Marianas, and again Louisville was the leading unit in shore bombardment operations; beginning with Saipan, where she fired continuously for the first 11 days of that engagement, through the shelling of Tinian, and ending with the assault on Guam.

After the Mariana Islands, Louisville retired to the rear area until mid-September, when she steamed to the Palaus for the preinvasion bombardment of Peleliu. Then as advanced bases were created, final preparations for the invasion of the Philippines were made. On 18 October, Louisville entered Leyte Gulf and pounded Japanese shore installations. Seven days later, she was in the great Battle of Leyte Gulf, participating in the last engagement of a battleline as the Japanese southern force attempted to force its way into Leyte Gulf through Surigao Strait. The American battleline, drawn across the strait by Admiral Oldendorf, virtually destroyed the Japanese force as it was harassed through the strait and into their guns by PT boats and destroyers stationed on either side of the narrow body of water.

During the Battle of Surigao Strait, Louisville helped to sink the bow section of the Japanese battleship Fusō, after she had broke into two from an internal explosion caused by a torpedo from the destroyer USS Melvin (DD-680).


Louisville hit by a kamikaze (Yokosuka D4Y) in Lingayen Gulf, 6 January 1945
Following Leyte operations, Louisville rejoined the fast carriers now designated TF 38, and participated in preinvasion strikes against the enemy on Luzon. By the new year, 1945, Louisville was headed towards Lingayen Gulf. While en route on 5–6 January, two kamikazes headed for and scored on her. Rear Admiral Theodore Chandler, commander of Cruiser Division 4 (CruDiv 4) was fatally injured during the latter attack, and died of his wounds the following day. Rear Admiral William P. McCarty (then Commander) took control of Louisville and managed recovery efforts in fighting fires and restoration of equipment, for which he was awarded the Silver Star.[4] Also killed was Admiral's Orderly Walter Joseph Siegel,[5] who was standing by the Admiral at the time. Siegel was the only Marine killed; however, 41 Navy men were also killed. Despite extensive damage, the cruiser shelled the beaches and shot down several enemy planes before withdrawing and proceeding to Mare Island Navy Yard for repairs.

Her repairs completed in the spring, Louisville returned to the Pacific to join TF 54 in providing firecover for ground forces on Okinawa. On 5 June, she was again hit by a kamikaze, but was back on the gun line by the 9th, to remain on station until ordered back to Pearl Harbor for repairs on the 15th.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by cmh6476

so did I die or wut

You were on the California, which apparently took 100 dead and 62 wounded at Pearl Harbor, and then one dead and nine wounded at Saipan, and then 44 dead and 155 wounded by kamikazes in the Philippines invasion. Let's see how you did:

Pearl Harbor: Unscathed
Saipan: Unscathed
Philippines: Unscathed

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Dartgod

Apparently, 3 crew members died fighting the fire caused by the typhoon. Was I one of the unlucky 3 out of 1,659 men?

You came through healthy as a horse. But you once played poker against one of the casualties.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Earthling

The Battleship North Carolina, BB55, ....

You survived unscathed in case you were wondering.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by J Diddy

During the Battle of Surigao Strait, Louisville helped to sink the bow section of the Japanese battleship Fusō, after she had broke into two from an internal explosion caused by a torpedo from the destroyer USS Melvin (DD-680).

So did the Louisville get credit for half a kill? I don't think they should get half credit.

Originally Posted by J Diddy

Louisville hit by a kamikaze (Yokosuka D4Y) in Lingayen Gulf, 6 January 1945
Following Leyte operations, Louisville rejoined the fast carriers now designated TF 38, and participated in preinvasion strikes against the enemy on Luzon. By the new year, 1945, Louisville was headed towards Lingayen Gulf. While en route on 5–6 January, two kamikazes headed for and scored on her. Rear Admiral Theodore Chandler, commander of Cruiser Division 4 (CruDiv 4) was fatally injured during the latter attack, and died of his wounds the following day. Rear Admiral William P. McCarty (then Commander) took control of Louisville and managed recovery efforts in fighting fires and restoration of equipment, for which he was awarded the Silver Star.[4] Also killed was Admiral's Orderly Walter Joseph Siegel,[5] who was standing by the Admiral at the time. Siegel was the only Marine killed; however, 41 Navy men were also killed. Despite extensive damage, the cruiser shelled the beaches and shot down several enemy planes before withdrawing and proceeding to Mare Island Navy Yard for repairs.

You survived, but it was really close.