USS PICKING WORLD WAR II LOG

July 22,1944                         Zone description plus ten:

        Moored to NOB Pier, Sand Bay, Great Sitkin Island.

0833      Underway independently in accordance with CDS 49 despatch 220513 of July, steaming various courses and speeds proceeding to    Sweepers Cove, Adak.

1027      Moored starboard side to U.S.S. KIMBERLY in nest with U.S. S. WICKES and U.S.S. ISHERWOOD at buoy #1 Sweepers Cove. Ships present: various

          units of U. S. Fleet. S.O.P.A. is ComNorPac.

 

July 23,  1944                       Zone description plus ten:

         Moored in nest at buoy #1 Sweepers Cove, Adak.

 

July 24,  1944                       Zone description plus ten:

         Moored in nest at buoy #1 Sweepers Cove, Adak.

0615-     U.S.S. WICKES, U.S.S. ISHERWOOD, U.S.S. KIMBERLY underway from

0635      nest.

0702      Underway in accordance with CTF 94 despatch 222140 of July, steaming various courses and speeds while standing out of Sweepers Cove and   patrolling during sortie of cruisers, Task Force 94.

0840      Took station #5 in task force cruising disposition 6 Roger, U.S.S. CONCORD guide, fleet axis 270°T, base course 352° T&G, 336° psc.,    Fleet speed of advance 16 knots.

1140      Changed base course to 277° T & G, 272° psc.

1200      Position Latitude 52° 51’ N. Longitude 176° 41.8’ W.

1550      Underwater sound contact bearing 210° T, distance 2500 yards. Commenced steaming various courses and speeds to investigate contact.

1621      Contact proved false rejoined formation.

1700      Changed fleet speed to 17 knots.

2000      Position Latitude 53° 06’ N. Longitude 179° 54.2’ E.

 

July 25,  1944                       Zone description plus ten:

Steaming as before.

0620      Changed base course to 267° T & G, 266° psc.

0800      Position Latitude 53° 24.5’ N. Longitude 174° 25.5’ E. Changed fleet axis to 200° T; PICKING took station #9, CONCORD guide.

0906      Changed base course to 200° T & G, 206° psc.

1002      Changed fleet speed to 15 knots.

1019      Changed base course to 205° T & G 208° psc.

1042      Changed course to 195° T & G, 199° psc., commenced proceeding independently through east channel entrance into Massacre Bay,

Attu.

1118      Commenced steaming various courses and speeds proceeding to anchorage in Massacre Bay.

1208      Anchored in berth D-ll Massacre Bay, Attu. Ships present: various units of U. S. Fleet. S.O.P.A. is CTF 94 in CHESTER.

 

July 26,  1944                       Zone description plus ten:

Anchored in berth D-ll, Massacre Bay, Attu.

0835      Underway in accordance with CDS 49 despatch 260732 of July 1944, proceeding alongside U.S.S. BRAZOS.

0855      Moored starboard side to BRAZOS and fueled to capacity.

0956      Underway, having completed fueling. Proceeding to anchorage.

1008      Anchored in berth D-11, Massacre Bay.

 

July 27,  1944                       Zone description plus ten:

Anchored in berth D-ll Massacre Bay, Attu.

0900      Underway in company with Task Group 94.2, (Desron 49 less WICKES, PORTER and LUCE) in accordance with CDS 49 Operation Order 1-44. Steaming various courses and speeds while standing out of Massacre Bay.

0940      Formed cruising disposition 9-R, PICKING guide. Fleet axis 277° T&G, base course 230° T & G, 234° psc., fleet speed 12 knots. O.T.C. is CDS 49 in PICKING. Proceeding toward Kurile Islands, Japan for anti-shipping sweep.

1012     Changed fleet speed to 15 knots.

1019     Changed base course to 269° T & G, 26° psc.

1146     Changed base course to 277° T & G, 277° psc.

1200     Position Latitude 52° 40.8’ N. Longitude 172° 17.3’ E.

0900      Tested automatic weapons, expending 92 rounds 20mm and 60 rounds 40mm ammunition.

2000     Position Latitude 53° 00.5’ N. Longitude 168° 51’ E.

2103     Changed base course to 270° T & G, 2700 psc.

 

July 28,  1944                       Zone description plus ten:

          Steaming as before

0800     Position Latitude 53° 01’ N. Longitude 163° 31’ E.

1200     Position Latitude 53° 00.5’ N. Longitude 161° 51’ E.

1247      Surface radar contact bearing 330° T, distant 22,000 yards. Contact determined to be second echo of land - Kamchatka Peninsula , Siberia .

1414      Surface radar contact bearing 296° T, distant 11 miles. Commenced steaming various courses and speeds to evade contact.

1500      Radar contact on Cape Shipunski, Kamchatka, bearing 280° T, distant 28 miles.

1544      Lost surface contact on bearing 020° T., distant 25,000 yards. Changed base course and fleet axis to 217° T & G, 230° psc.

1600     Changed fleet speed to 25 knots.

1928     Changed fleet speed to 18 knots.

1959      Changed base course to 037° T & G, 032° psc. Entered area of unlimited visibility.

2000     Position Latitude 51° 4.9.8’ N. Longitude 158° 15.3 E.

2002     Changed fleet speed to 27 knots.

2014      Changed base course to 077° T & G, 080° psc. Commenced reentering zone of reduced visibility which extended to northward and eastward.

2023     Changed base course to 037° T & G, 032° psc.

2047     Changed fleet speed to 18 knots.

2100     Changed base course to 090° T & G, 085° psc.

2125  ~  Visibility increased to unlimited.

2131     Changed base course to 060° T & G, 059° psc.

2136     Entered fog bank.

2146     Visibility increased to unlimited.

2200      Unidentified aircraft radar contact bearing 280° T., distant 11 miles. Took station #6 in cruising disposition 9-V. ISHERWOOD guide, fleet axis 217° T, base course 040° T & G, 038° psc., fleet speed 30 knots. Prepared to repel air attack.

2202     Visibility decreased to 500-1000 yards.

2218     Changed base course to 070° T & G, 074° psc. Contact faded.

2220      Took station as guide in cruising disposition 9 Roger, fleet axis 217° T, base course 070° T & G, 074° psc., fleet speed 18 knots.

2331      Changed base course and fleet axis to 088° T & G, 095° psc. proceeding enroute Attu, sweep having been abandoned due to           unfavorable weather and visibility conditions.

2337     Changed fleet speed to 25 knots.

 

NEXT  PREVIOUS