Jack Miller's War Diary October, 1944

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October 1,2,3,4,

No air operations. We ran into a terrific typhoon and we took water over the flight deck and we lost a DD somewhere. BBs and CVs were taking water right over bridge. Real rough on flight deck crews. Tied all planes. We were briefed on our next operation. It will be an island in the Nanei Shots group - one day there and then refuel the 11th, 12th. The 13th we will hit Formosa - 4 strikes a day. We will also hit parts of China. Targets are airfields and dams.

October 6, 1944

We pulled out of Ulithu Atoll with the Lexington, Hancock, Bunker Hill and Intrepid and our CVLs and a bunch of CVLs CAs, BBs and DDs . A movie tonight, "Follow the Band".

 

October 7th

The weather was too rough to launch ASP - canceled it. 2 VT planes from a Jeep carrier crashed in mid air. No survivors. Not much else to do except to play Bridge and Pinochle, write a letter to Mother, Audrey and Connie.

 

October 8th - 9th

High speed run to Okinawa.

 

October 10th

Okinawa. Had the first hop over Hansei Shots - Okinawa. I had the 1st hop. We dove on a light cruiser and sunk it. Another heavy cruiser was sunk. Lots of AA and fighters. All planes the whole day returned. safely.

 

October 11th

Refueled

 

October 12th

Hit Formosa. I had 2nd strike. We lost no planes. Heavy AA

 

October 13th

Hit Formosa again and we lost one VB - Mallette and Whitley

 

October 14th

Hit Formosa again and bombed a dam with depth charges. The task force was under attack. The Princeton was sunk and the Canberra was badly hit. The Reno was also hit by bombs and planes. Very heavy AA over target. Japs are coming out after fleet all day. Our planes have to stay away from our ships when under attack.

 

October 22 to 27th

Went after Jap fleet (sub sighted it). I had 2 strikes on Jap carrier. Our VB15 sunk 2 aircraft carriers and 1 BB and damaged 3 others. Also damaged 2 carriers, 2 DDs sunk and hit 10 cruisers. Commander McCampbell shot down 9 more planes which gives him 30 up to date. His wing man got 6 all confirmed by log film. The USS Franklin was hit bad and is out of action. We landed her planes. We lost 1 plane over the fleet. Shetler and Crellin

 

Jack Miller's War Diary November, 1944

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November 3rd

23:40 there was a very loud explosion off our port quarters. It shook us and we learned the Reno got hit by either a torpedo or bomb. Headed for Manila and Luzon. More briefing on Luzon.

November 5th

We sent 3 strikes over Manila. All returned safely except one TBF turret gunner (Dean) got his head blown off. Buried him in plane after landing - sad. All task force at GQ. Nov. 5th was a nightmare we were attacked all day and all night by Jap planes. The Japs have squadrons of Kamikaze pilots (suicide boys). One made a suicide dive on the Lexington - hit the island structure. One hit our outboard antennae. Another dove on the Ticonderoga's fan tail, missing it by inches, fell into sea.. We had to sit in planes 4 hours. Ready for take off any moment. Night VFs up all night - no one slept. Cmdr Mac got 2 planes - total 32.

 

November 6, 1944

We went to General Quarters at 08:15 there were 3 Nips at 30,000 feet but didn't come down. The CAP went after them at got 2. One of our bombers was shot down off Corrigedor. Strafed Bataan. Both pilot and gunner got out and our sub picked them up. All other planes returned.

 

November 7th, 8th

We will refuel.

 

November 9th

ASP at 0800. We learned that our Air Group (AG) 15 holds all records for carriers in the Pacific plus we also have lost the most men. Also learned that we will be relieved soon (??) when we get to Guam. Hope so. AG 4 aboard the Bunker Hill will come aboard the Essex and we will in turn go back on the Bunker Hill. That is the good dope so far. Hope it's true. Movie tonight also got some mail.

 

November 11th

We returned to the Philippines and sent four strikes over near Leyte, Ormac Bay, Leyte Gulf. VB went after 3 troop transports and they are loaded down. Briefing told us to strafe all troops in water if ship was sunk. I had 2 - 4th hop. Sunk 2 small AKs strafed many small boats full of Japs. We lost 3 VBs , 2 more made water landings - 2 more picked up - 1 gunner wounded and they landed on Leyte. Many fighters covering Jap replacements. Trombino (Brooklyn) jumped by 4 Oscars. He got 2 of them. 1 VF pilot bailed out and was picked up by sub. Many Jap fighters in air. Bad day for us and them. They are staying low and catching our dive bombers on pullout. We are told to close dive flaps just at pullout and sling shoot us out and chink low.

On my second hop we got jumped by 4 Zekes. They were right with us in our dive. I fired and they backed off. Emptied both guns after pullout and hit at least 2 of them. We were also hit in wings. Made it back ok - Whew! We were supposed to have P-38 cover but they were too high- up at 40,000 feet. We suffered our heaviest loss today just before relief. Our third hop we got a hit on a large transport and we also got blasted in the horizontal stabilizer by a large shell. I think we did an outside loop. Bad time coming back. We now have only 15 dive bombers in operation and tomorrow we sent them all up over Manila. We also lost one VT (Blach). He landed in water off Luzon. He was picked up by a native canoe.

 

November 14th

Sent 3 strikes over Luzon and lost 2 VBs , our Exec. Lt. Noyes and Sheehan were shot down over Manila. One made a water landing inside our disposition and a tin can picked up both Moore and Forrest. Again bad news, we lost 3 VF, 1 VT, 2 VB No replacements available either and we feel we have to fly twice as much.

November 15th

We sent 3 strikes over Manila and lost one bomber - Lt. Turner and Dorosh - dove right in - in flames. I fly #3 strike and came back ok but banged up. All other planes returned safely.

 

November 17th

Sent 4 strikes over Leyte. ACI Officer states that a heavy Jap cruiser is in our area but can't be positive. I have #1 hop and #4. We sure would like some replacements or be relieved soon. Bombed tip of Leyte and was informed that Jap fleet is headed through Suribayu Straits-sub spotted them. Large force. Admiral Halsey is now on the New Jersey. Returned OK - no planes lost. Have the 4th hop and target again is the northern tip of Leyte. Troops are thick there and our invasion is not going fast. We have a lot of subs and PT boats in area of Leyte Gulf - more when I get back. We only have 11 planes - VBs. At 0700 we pulled into Ulithi Atoll and Air Group 4 will relieve Air Group 15. The Bunker Hill (damaged) will take us back.

 

November 20th

4 midget subs got into Ulithi Harbor under net tender. They torpedoed two large oilers. They blew sky high and burned furiously. There weren't many survivors. The ammunition on board also kept blowing up. The DEs and DDs dropped many depth charges . They sunk 1 sub right off our port quarters. They also sunk one right next to the us. Also sunk one more which stayed under Essex. Captured this one plus 2 survivors and 2 bodies. All totaled they sunk three and captured one. When we pulled out at 1400, the DDs were still trying to get #4 and dropping depth charges on a contact. Cmdr. McCampbell got 2 more Nips - #34. Our relief is to be delayed as Jap Fleet is near Leyte. Did get some replacements.

 

November 22nd

High speed run to Philippines. Sent up ASP - VTs and VFs

 

November 24th

Scheduled to bomb and strafe Leyte. A large Jap cruiser has been sighted shelling our troops at night. I'm scheduled for 0600 hop and #4 strike. Will carry rockets and AP bombs Normal take off and hit Leyte Gulf and troops. All landed safely. Lost one VF over the Jap cruiser. She was up against a cliff and camouflaged with nets and brusth. I will go out at 1400 and will carry rockets and armor piercing bombs. Took off at 0420 and will finish later.

 

Jack Miller's War Diary

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The Air group was relieved and I met them at Pearl Harbor- All my gear was on board and returned to me including diary. Have to get more gear. Here's what happened between November 24 and December 6th

We found cruisers under way and under attack. Saw 2 of our planes get hit and they headed for the beach. Made a good hit on the cruiser but on the pullout got hit in engine. Had very little altitude and power. Headed for Leyte Gulf (friendly area). Saw many PT boats and headed for them. Engine quit and made a very hard landing. Cart wheeled on port wing. Hurt my back but both Cal and I got into raft. Plane still floated. About 15 minutes later got picked up by PT boat. Lt. Clark, the skipper, stated he saw us all the way but he had to go after that cruiser.

Both Cal and I were hurt so they placed us in the wheel house ? The cruiser was hit bad but still fired at planes and PTs. The skipper of our PT made a run and let go 4 fish. Turned sharply and zig zagged from shell splashes. Got back to Leyte and was put on hospital ship on way to Pearl Harbor. They put a cast on me because of my back injury. Cal had 27 stitches in forehead where he hit gun sight. Reached Pearl Harbor on the 30th of November

 

I'm writing this on board the Bunker Hill headed for Seattle, Washington. Pulled into Seattle, Washington on the 12th. On the 16th of December on train headed for New York and then to naval hospital in Jacksonville, Florida. Asked for St. Albans, Long Island but no way. Due for 37 day leave after convalescence. Also flight school at NAS Jacksonville.

 

Records

68 Planes in one day - June 19th

McCampbell has 34 planes shot down. He got Congressional Medal of Honor.

The air group has 312 planes shot down and has over 250 strikes. 2 carriers sunk, 1 cruisers - 2 damaged 4 BBs hit 45 islands bombed Jap fleet in June and October 1944

Awards ceremony for us at Bremerton, Washington. Received Air Medal and Star - 2 Bronze Stars. Recommended for DFC, all combat medals and ribbons.

 

Records

Moonlight Becomes You

I'll Get By

Begin the Beguine

 

Lost the following from my Dive Bombing Squadron 15

Pilot /Gunner

Dixon /Hogue

Vanderwall / Henery

Clement /Jackson

Seibert / Murray

Kramer / Gaver

Golden / Downey

Rising ? / Duncan

Mallette / Whitley

Crellin / Shetler

Noyes / Sheehan

Turner / Dorosh

Foote / Schmidt

Swerhart / Livesay

Graham / Avery

McPherson / Adams

Hall / Montgomery

 

Had 104 dives bombing missions

Had 210 carrier landings

 

Task Force 38

Carriers

38.1 Wasp and Hornet

38.2 Bunker Hill and Intrepid

38.3 Essex and Lexington

38.4 Enterprise and Franklin

30.1 - 30.7 CVE and DD

30.8 Oilers

30.9 Service Group

Task Force 38 - 8 CV, 16 CVL, 7 BB

Task Force 34 - Heavy surface striking force

Task Force 35 - Cruisers and light force

Task Force 36 - Troops

 

Also included in this diary were sketches of the airfields on the following airfields:

Marcus, Wake, Guam, Saipan, Rota, Pagan, Iwo Jima, Tinian, Mindinao, Cebu, Luzon -Clark and Nichols, Okinowa, Formosa.

Bombing 15 's  - Gunners and crew. 

Jack is 3rd from left in 2nd row.

Jack Miller was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and 4 Air Medals

for his service to his country.