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3-14-44 Frisco
3-18-44 Left
Frisco
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18 March BOYD left San Francisco behind and set course for Pearl Harbor with STEPHEN POTTER (DD-538) and NORMAN SCOTT (DD-960).
From the ship's log of the USS STEPHEN POTTER (DD-538): "Stephen Potter departed there on 27 February, called at Pearl Harbor, and sailed to the west coast of the United States. She arrived on 13 March and, five days later, began the voyage back to Majuro where she rejoined the fast carriers."
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3-22-44 Pearl Harbor
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Following repairs Boyd arrived at Pearl Harbor 23 March 1944.
BOYD arrived in Pearl Harbor 23 March and remained in that area until the end of the month for training consisting primarily of gunnery and torpedo exercises.
We rejoined the fleet just in time to be included in on the Hollandia and Truk Operation, and after a few days of sniping at sleeves and stuff again, we left for Majuro in the Marshalls, where we joined up with the famous Task Force 58, led by Vice Admiral Mark Mitscher.
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4-1-44 Left Pearl Harbor
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On 1 April BOYD set sail for Majuro, Manila Island, with Task Group 12.4 consisting of MARKAB, BARNES, NEHANTA BAY and screening units.
From the ship's log of the USS NEHANTA BAY (CVE-74): "After further West Coast training, she sailed for Pearl Harbor 18 March, again with replacement aircraft and aviation materiel, added to her lading in Hawaii, and reached Majuro 7 April, to deliver mail, men, and aircraft to fast carriers moored there. She returned to San Diego from Majuro and Pearl Harbor 27 April, bringing home wounded and other passengers, along with damaged aircraft."
More about the USS BARNES (CVE-20): "The major task of BARNES throughout World War II was the transporting of aircraft and personnel from the United States to forward areas of the Pacific. In addition she served as a combat, training and pilot qualifying carrier."
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4-7-44 Majuro (Marshall Isl.)
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Entered Majuro 7 April.
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4-13-44 Left Majuro
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On 13 April joined Task Group 58.1. On the same day Commander W. M. Sweetser, USN, Commander Destroyer Division Ninety-Two shifted his flag from BRADFORD (DD-545) to BOYD. BOYD remained with 58.1 during strikes against Hollandia, New Guinea, and Truk. The first of those strikes was in support of Army occupation of Hollandia and other strong points along the New Guinea coast. During these operations a number of enemy planes were sighted but no attacks on own forces were made.
From the ship's log of the USS BRADFORD: In the Okinawa operation (24 March-25 July) BRADFORD (DD-545) supported the landing and occupation operations as a screening unit of TG 52.1 and as a radar picket ship.
War News Summarized
The New York Times, Tuesday, April 18, 1944
In the Pacific American fliers ranged over wide areas from Kavieng, New Ireland, to Timor, with the heaviest blows struck at Wake Island, off New Guinea, and also at Truk and the Marshall Islands.
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4-20-44 Hollandia (New Guinie)
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She Joined TF 58 for the Hollandia landings (21-24 April).
GREAT PACIFIC LEAP
The New York Times, Monday, April 24, 1944
By FRANK L. KLUCKBORN
By Wireless to THE NEW YORK TIMES.
MacArthur and Nimitz Join in 500-Mile Jump to Hollandia Base
AITAPE ALSO INVADED
General Directs Attack as Troops Pour Ashore and Win First Goals
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN NEW GUINEA, Monday, April 24
With many warships of the mighty United States Fleet protecting the landing by pouring
shells on the beaches, Gen. Douglas MacArthur hurled large forces ashore along a 150-mile
stretch of northern New Guinea early on Saturday, cutting off the Japanese Eighteenth
Army, estimated to number 60,000 men.
General MacArthur, personally directing his troops from a cruiser, again surprised the
enemy, who concentrated his forces farther east. The American forces poured ashore virtually
unopposed at Hollandia and Tanahmera Bay, Netherland New Guinea, and at Aitape,
within Australian New Guinea, and quickly attained initial objectives against light
enemy opposition.
With the support of a large part of the Pacific Fleet operating under Admiral
Chester W. Nimitz, the American forces thus jumped about 500 statute miles up the coast
from Saidor on the route to the Phillippines and Japan. This is perhaps the Pacific
equivalent of the opening of the "second front," since the major United States Navy,
Army and Air Forces in the Pacific have joined in an offensive.
Good Harbor Is Captured
Excellent harborage in Humboldt Bay has already been won. Important Japanese air fields near Hollandia are
expected soon to be in our hands for further advances toward the heart of the Japanese empire.
These are only 1,100 miles southeast of Davao in the Phillippines. It is the first
Netherland territory recaptured so far in the war.
Three big forces of cruisers and destroyers raked each landing beach for an hour with roaring,
smothering fire. When the dizzy crisscross of their streaking tracers and the throaty boom of the
exploding shells ceased, dive-bombers and trim frieghters from many carriers screamed
down to bomb and strafe gun positions, installations and finally the beach itself, making the shore
a mass of billowing black smoke. Then, with rocket boats making the immediate objective a hell of
red fire, every type of landing craft gathered from the entire Pacific carried the first waves
of infantry ashore from transports, dock slips and destroyer transports.
Japanese Are Tricked
One reason for the surprise was that vessels making up the three task forces involved
steamed in the direction of Palau from a rendezvous point north of the Admiralties. Destroyers and
heavy light cruisers swept the seas ahead, while escort carriers were providing protection astern. The
carrier force, with its own screen, and other units, acted as separate forces.
At the last moment the giant convoy, which traveled about 900 miles from the embarkation point,
swung south. This was on Friday at 7 P. M. At 5 A. M. Saturday the three task forces stood off the various
landing beaches. So great was the surprise that abandonded Japanese breakfasts were found on one beach.
The first troops ashore hit the easternmost beach at Aitape at 6:45 A. M. after Japanese positions
on two offshore islands had been bombarded. Following scattered fighting in swamps in which at least fifteen
Japanese were killed
Continued on Page 9
end of copy, please contact downbythesea@snet.net if you have page nine.
War News Summarized
The New York Times, Monday, April 24, 1944
The greatest American offensive in the Southwest Pacific fell
suddenly upon surprised Japanese along a 150-mile front on New Guinea Saturday morning and made good two landings:
at Hollandia adn at Aitape. Some 60,000 enemy troops were encircled by the latest move and, in the words of
General MacArthur's communique issued last night: "Their situation reverses Bataan."
Great bodies of American soldiers poured ashore after a terrific air and sea bombardment. Tadji airfield
at Aitape was promptly seized, and after beachheads had been made secure on Humboldt Bay forces were rushed
inland to capture Hollandia's cluster of three airfields. At Hollandia the Allies recovered the first Netherland
territory from the Japanese.
General MacArthur watched the operations from a cruiser--operations that brought the Phillippines
within range of landbased bombers. American losses were slight.
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4-23-44 Left vicinity Hollandia New Guinie.
4-25-44 Picked up 4 Jap Flyers of Admiralty Islands.
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On 25 April our carrier fighters shot down a "Betty" and BOYD was ordered to search for survivors in area. On arriving at the scene this ship went through the almost unique experience of capturing Jap flight personnel. Four were taken in a boat sent out from the ship. One was quite anxious to be rescued, the other three, who were floating on a red and white rubber liferaft, seemed quite unconcerned but were convinced that capture was the proper procedure. On rejoining the formation transfer of the prisoners was made to the LEXINGTON which was operating with Task Group 58.3.
While patrolling off New Guinea, shortly after the operation began, the BOYD was picked to make a night-time "Express-Run" in to within a few hundred yards of the beach in order to draw out any P.T. Boats or small craft we could find and shoot it out with them. Although the job had an exciting prospect we didn't scare up anything but ourselves. We fired on a couple of "snooper" planes a few days later but they wouldn't come in to our range, however, one of our carrier planes shot down a "Betty" that day and we were sent out to pick up the survivors. We found 4 of the Jap flyers huddled together in a little red and white rubber boat and after making with the sign language the invite to come aboard, one of them was so eager, he said "okay", and made a speed run over in our direction. The others didn't seem too happy about the whole thing but cooperated anyway and we tossed them a line. They were a bit banged up and our Doc stitched up some lacerations and then we tried to feed them some of our chow which they wouldn't touch (?), but they did nibble at some rice. Later that day, we transferred them to a carrier.
From the ship's log of the USS LEXINGTON (CV-16): "After a warm-up strike against Mille, TF 58 operated against the major centers of resistance in Japan's outer empire, supporting the Army landing at Hollandia 13 April, and hitting supposedly invulnerable Truk 28 April. Heavy counterattack left Lexington untouched, her planes splashing 17 enemy fighters; but, for the second time, Japanese propaganda announced her sunk."
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4-26-44 Las Negros (Admiralty Ils)
4-28-44 Carolin Is.
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She Joined TF 58 for the Truk-Satawan-Ponape raid (29 April-1 May).
On 29 April our aircraft struck Truk.
04/29 Sat. Aircraft from fast carrier task force (Vice Adm. M. A. Mitscher), including 12 carriers, commence 2-day bombing attack on Japanese shipping, oil and ammunition bumps, aircraft facilities, and other installations at Truk, Caroline Islands. Japanese naval vessels sunk: Submarine I-174, by aircraft from light carrier MONTEREY (CVL-26) and destroyers MACDONOUGH (DD-351) and STEPHEN POTTER (DD-538), Caroline Islands area, 06 d. 13' N., 151 d. 19' E.
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4-30-44 Carolin Ils. Bombarded Satawan Is.
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