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USS Vigilance (AM-324)
Encyclopedia
USS Vigilance (AM-324) was an acquired by the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
for the dangerous task of removing mines from minefields laid in the water to prevent ships from passing.
Vigilance was originally laid down for the Royal Navy under the lend-lease
Lend-Lease
Lend-Lease was the program under which the United States of America supplied the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, China, Free France, and other Allied nations with materiel between 1941 and 1945. It was signed into law on March 11, 1941, a year and a half after the outbreak of war in Europe in...
program as HMS Exploit (BAM-24) on 28 November 1942 at Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, by the Associated Shipbuilding Corp. However, the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
decided to keep the ship and renamed her USS Vigilance (AM-324) on 23 January 1943. Launched on 5 April 1943, the minesweeper was commissioned at her builder's yard on 28 February 1944, Lt. Comdr. William C. Hayes, USNR, in command.
After fitting-out, radio direction finder
Radio direction finder
A radio direction finder is a device for finding the direction to a radio source. Due to low frequency propagation characteristic to travel very long distances and "over the horizon", it makes a particularly good navigation system for ships, small boats, and aircraft that might be some distance...
calibration, sea trials, and minesweeping indoctrination, Vigilance departed Seattle, Washington on 21 March, bound for southern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
for type training, shakedown, and training in anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....
(ASW) tactics.
World War II Pacific operations
Escorting and PCS-1W, the new minecraft departed San Diego, CaliforniaSan Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
on 4 May, bound for Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. Upon her arrival at Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
on 11 May, Vigilance delivered 111 bags of mail to the Fleet Post Office and, three days later, got underway with for the Marshall Islands
Marshall Islands
The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...
. The two minesweepers screened , , and to Majuro
Majuro
Majuro , is a large coral atoll of 64 islands in the Pacific Ocean, and forms a legislative district of the Ratak Chain of the Marshall Islands. The atoll itself has a land area of and encloses a lagoon of...
which they reached on 25 May.
Vigilance departed Majuro at 0800 on the 26th to return to Hawaii, intercepted en route, and relieved of escorting that cargo ship for the remainder of the voyage to Oahu
Oahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
. After arriving at Pearl Harbor on 2 June, Vigilance underwent upkeep and maintenance before moving to Brown's Camp, Oahu, for experimental minesweeping evolutions which she conducted into mid-June.
On 14 June, Vigilance weighed anchor as part of the screen for convoy
Convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
4313-A, a group of three Navy cargo ships, three civilian merchantmen, and refrigerator ship . and joined Vigilance in escorting the convoy to Eniwetok where they arrived on 25 June.
During the second of two more round-trip runs from Pearl Harbor to the Marshalls, Vigilance suffered an engine casualty - a damaged exhaust manifold - that was beyond the capacity of the ship's force to handle. Accordingly, she went alongside at Eniwetok on 24 September for repairs.
Return to Hawaii for repairs
Making port back at Pearl Harbor on 5 October, the ship underwent more repairs and maintenance work and tested minesweeping gear off Brown's Camp. After getting underway for the Marshalls again on 23 October, escorting , Vigilance twice picked up "doubtful" submarineSubmarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
contacts — on 24 and 28 October — and fired hedgehog
Hedgehog (weapon)
The Hedgehog was an anti-submarine weapon developed by the Royal Navy during World War II, that was deployed on convoy escort warships such as destroyers to supplement the depth charge. The weapon worked by firing a number of small spigot mortar bombs from spiked fittings...
patterns on both occasions. She made port at Eniwetok on 3 November but got underway for Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
two days later, escorting a convoy consisting of , , , , and .
The minesweeper subsequently performed local escort duty between Guam, Peleliu
Peleliu
Peleliu is an island in the island nation of Palau. Peleliu forms, along with two small islands to its northeast, one of the sixteen states of Palau. It is located northeast of Angaur and southwest of Koror....
, and Ulithi
Ulithi
Ulithi is an atoll in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean, about 191 km east of Yap. It consists of 40 islets totalling , surrounding a lagoon about long and up to wide—at one of the largest in the world. It is administered by the state of Yap in the Federated States of...
, arriving at the latter on 14 November. She patrolled the approaches to Mugai channel, Ulithi, from the 17th through the 19th.
Attack on Japanese submarine
Five minutes before sunrise on 20 November, while on patrol station number 4, Vigilance sighted a small wake 700 yards (640.1 m) broad on the starboard quarter. Southbound on her patrol, the minesweeper had swung wide to avoid fouling the screen of an outward-bound task groupTask force
A task force is a unit or formation established to work on a single defined task or activity. Originally introduced by the United States Navy, the term has now caught on for general usage and is a standard part of NATO terminology...
of three destroyers, a cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
, and other vessels when she made the sighting. She then put over full right rudder and accelerated to full speed as her crew went to battle stations. With depth charges set on "shallow" the minecraft bent on speed to make an attack but, much to her chagrin, found that the wake had completely disappeared. In the midst of all the hulls and wakes created by the Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
-bound task group, picking up the contact proved impossible.
Vigilance signaled the location of the wake to . Moments later, the cruiser in the convoy signaled that she sighted a periscope
Periscope
A periscope is an instrument for observation from a concealed position. In its simplest form it consists of a tube with mirrors at each end set parallel to each other at a 45-degree angle....
on her starboard quarter. arrived on the scene first and disposed of what proved to be a midget submarine
Midget submarine
A midget submarine is any submarine under 150 tons, typically operated by a crew of one or two but sometimes up to 6 or 8, with little or no on-board living accommodation...
by ramming and depth charges.
Incident with American TBF aircraft
After that incident, Vigilance — aided by a pair of American Grumman TBFsTBF Avenger
The Grumman TBF Avenger was a torpedo bomber developed initially for the United States Navy and Marine Corps, and eventually used by several air or naval arms around the world....
from VMTB-232 — remained on patrol off the channel entrance. At 0031 on 21 November, a TBF airplane bore in low from astern, as if to challenge the minecraft. Men in Vigilance thought that the plane might have been a new arrival, unfamiliar with their ship. The plane suddenly made a sharp bank. A wing-tip caught in the water and the plane plunged into the sea about one-half mile from Vigilance. The plane was immediately enveloped in flame; and, shortly thereafter, the aircraft's depth charges exploded.
To compound the confusion, a second TBF came in and, thinking the wreckage on the water was a surfaced submarine, strafed the floating plane. Vigilance launched her motor whaleboat
Whaleboat
A whaleboat is a type of open boat that is relatively narrow and pointed at both ends, enabling it to move either forwards or backwards equally well. It was originally developed for whaling, and later became popular for work along beaches, since it does not need to be turned around for beaching or...
at 0051 and picked up a survivor — Corporal Robert M. DeHart, USMC — who had almost miraculously remained alive despite the crash, the explosion, and the machine-gun fire. Vigilance continued the search in the hope of picking up other survivors but found none. At 0524, the minecraft was ordered to transfer the wounded man to hospital facilities ashore.
Patrol and escort duties
Without let-up except for an occasional day or so of maintenance and upkeep, Vigilance patrolled off Ulithi's Mugai channel for the remainder of the year.Following an escort mission to the Palau
Palau
Palau , officially the Republic of Palau , is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Philippines and south of Tokyo. In 1978, after three decades as being part of the United Nations trusteeship, Palau chose independence instead of becoming part of the Federated States of Micronesia, a...
s from 5 to 11 January 1945, Vigilance returned to Ulithi on the 12th, only to find a full-scale antisubmarine alert in progress. She commenced patrolling station number 7 in company with before receiving orders to patrol off the Zowariyau and Piiriperiperi channels. Shifting to a retiring search in company with soon thereafter, Vigilance was relieved of this duty by and returned to Ulithi.
After local patrol operations off the Mugai channel, Vigilance performed local escort missions between Ulithi and Kossol Roads
Kossol Roads
Kossol Roads, Palau is a large body of reef-enclosed water north of Babeldaob. During World War II, it was used by the United States Navy as the location of a floating resupply and repair base....
and from Kossol Roads to Seeadler Harbor
Seeadler Harbor
Seeadler Harbor, also known as Port Seeadler, is located on Manus Island, Admiralty Islands, Papua New Guinea and played an important role in World War II...
, at Manus
Manus Island
Manus Island is part of Manus Province in northern Papua New Guinea and is the largest island of the Admiralty Islands. It is the fifth largest island in Papua New Guinea with an area of 2,100 km², measuring around 100 km × 30 km. According to the 2000 census, Manus Island had a...
, in the Admiralties
Admiralty Islands
The Admiralty Islands are a group of eighteen islands in the Bismarck Archipelago, to the north of New Guinea in the south Pacific Ocean. These are also sometimes called the Manus Islands, after the largest island. These rainforest-covered islands form part of Manus Province, the smallest and...
. For the latter part of February, the minesweeper served as submarine listening watch and harbor entrance patrol vessel at Kossol before she returned to Ulithi.
From 6 to 8 March, Vigilance lay alongside undergoing availability in preparation for the upcoming operation against the Ryūkyūs
Ryukyu Islands
The , also known as the , is a chain of islands in the western Pacific, on the eastern limit of the East China Sea and to the southwest of the island of Kyushu in Japan. From about 1829 until the mid 20th century, they were alternately called Luchu, Loochoo, or Lewchew, akin to the Mandarin...
. Vigilance got underway for Nansei Shoto on 19 March and steamed in cruising formation with Mine Division (MinDiv) 11, on the starboard quarter of USS Terror.
Arriving in area V-l, about 35 miles (56.3 km) southwest of Okinawa, on 24 March, Vigilance and her sister minesweepers swept for moored mines until nightfall when they retired. She cut loose one moored mine on the 26th, three on the 27th, and one on the 28th. While performing these sweep operations, she served as MinRon
MinRon
MinRon is a standard U.S. Navy abbreviation for "Minesweeper Squadron."The Commander of a Minesweeper Squadron is known, in official Navy communications, as COMMINRON , such as COMMINRON FOUR.-Mine Groups:...
4 "destruction vessel", slated to destroy loose mines once they reached the surface. The ship sank several drifting floats and one moored mine with gunfire.
Attack on Vigilance by Japanese Vals and a Kate
On the morning of the 28th, Vigilance's lookouts spotted a Japanese "Kate" torpedo bomberNakajima B5N
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Bridgwater, H.C. and Peter Scott. Combat Colours Number 4: Pearl Harbor and Beyond, December 1941 to May 1942. Luton, Bedfordshire, UK: Guideline Publications, 2001. ISBN 0-9539040-6-7....
and two "Val" dive-bombers
Aichi D3A
The , Allied reporting name "Val") was a World War II carrier-borne dive bomber of the Imperial Japanese Navy . It was the primary dive bomber in the Imperial Japanese Navy, and participated in almost all actions, including Pearl Harbor....
attacking; and her gunners — along with those of the other ships in the unit — opened fire and blasted the "Kate" into pieces. The ship thus chalked up her first "sure assist" in downing the plane.
The landings commenced on 1 April. During the first three days of the invasion, Vigilance screened the unloading transports off Hagushi
Hagushi
Hagushi bay was the primary unloading point for American supplies during the invasion of Okinawa during World War II. The bay, at the mouth of the Bishi River , was the dividing line between the First and Sixth US Marine divisions, which landed on the Hagushi beaches to the north, and the Seventh...
beach. Then, after shifting to Kerama Retto
Kerama Retto
The are a group of 22 islands located southwest of Okinawa Island in Japan. Four of the islands are inhabited:,., and. The islands are within Shimajiri District. The Kerama-shotō coral reef is a Ramsar Site....
for two days of logistics on 4 and 5 April, the minesweeper alternated between sweeping and screening operations for the ensuing week.
Vigilance comes to the aid of a DE under attack
While Vigilance was patrolling five miles (8 km) south of Kerama Retto on the afternoon of the 12th, a "flash red" alert was announced, and the ship's lookouts soon noted the presence of many enemy planes — all out of gun range. Suddenly, at 1456, the minesweeper noted black smoke pouring from , a destroyer escortDestroyer escort
A destroyer escort is the classification for a smaller, lightly armed warship designed to be used to escort convoys of merchant marine ships, primarily of the United States Merchant Marine in World War II. It is employed primarily for anti-submarine warfare, but also provides some protection...
that had just been hit by a kamikaze
Kamikaze
The were suicide attacks by military aviators from the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, designed to destroy as many warships as possible....
while patrolling an adjacent sector. Vigilance altered course to close, accelerating to full speed as fire and rescue parties readied emergency fire-fighting and first aid equipment.
Meanwhile, Whitehurst circled, apparently out of control. Yet, when Vigilance caught up with the damaged ship and came alongside at 1530, the more serious fires on board the escort vessel had been controlled. Vigilance's fire fighting and damage control parties helped to extinguish the remaining blaze and made emergency repairs.
However, the minecraft's prompt and efficient rendering of first aid
First aid
First aid is the provision of initial care for an illness or injury. It is usually performed by non-expert, but trained personnel to a sick or injured person until definitive medical treatment can be accessed. Certain self-limiting illnesses or minor injuries may not require further medical care...
was an even greater contribution. By 1535, 23 of the most seriously injured men from the escort's ship's company — and one dead man — had been transferred to Vigilance and taken to the minesweeper's mess hall for treatment. The ship's doctor, several officers, and enlisted men administered blood plasma and dressed wounds. The immediate injection of plasma and the efficient handling of the wounded saved 21 of the 23 casualties brought on board the minesweeper.
After placing Signalman
Signalman
A Signalman is a person who historically gave signals using flags and light. In modern times the role of Signalmen has evolved and now usually uses electronic communication equipment. Signalmen usually work in rail transport networks, armed forces, or construction...
2nd Class Thomas G. Barnes on board Whitehurst for temporary duty to handle the escort ship's communications - the destroyer escort's bridge force had been wiped out by the kamikaze - Vigilance proceeded to and transferred the wounded to that attack transport. At 1854, Vigilance resumed her screening station off Kerama Retto.
Vigilance shoots down a Val
Vigilance remained on patrol off those islands over the ensuing days — days which seemed comparatively quiet. However, on the morning of the 16th, alert lookouts sighted two planes — a "Val"Aichi D3A
The , Allied reporting name "Val") was a World War II carrier-borne dive bomber of the Imperial Japanese Navy . It was the primary dive bomber in the Imperial Japanese Navy, and participated in almost all actions, including Pearl Harbor....
and a "Frances" — off the ship's port quarter. Lt. (jg.) N. B. Norman, the officer of the deck, immediately ordered the gun watches on the 20-millimeter and 40-millimeter guns to commence firing, there not being time to call the ship to general quarters
General quarters
General Quarters or Battle Stations is an announcement made aboard a naval warship to signal the crew to prepare for battle or imminent damage....
. Vigilance's 20-millimeter guns commenced firing on the "Val" when it was slightly abaft the beam, and the enemy plane then turned toward the ship before reversing course and heading for . Eventually, the 20-millimeter fire from Vigilance scored; and the "Val" splashed some 300 yards (274.3 m) ahead of the destroyer.
Vigilance comes to the aid of an oiler under air attack
Meanwhile, the minesweeper's starboard 40-millimeter mount took the "Frances" under fire. At a point 1000 feet (304.8 m) above and 100 yards (91.4 m) from the port quarter of the nearby , the "Frances" executed a wing-over and dived for the oiler. Vigilance's BoforsBofors
The name Bofors has been associated with the iron industry for more than 350 years.Located in Karlskoga, Sweden, the company originates from the hammer mill "Boofors" founded 1646. The modern corporate structure was created in 1873 with the foundation of Aktiebolaget Bofors-Gullspång...
continued firing until the plane was just above Taluga, at which point she ceased firing for fear of hitting the oiler. The "Frances" crashed Taluga's bow, administering a glancing blow to the ship and blew some of the oiler's crew overboard. Vigilance fished three Taluga sailors from the water, who all agreed with the minesweeper's observers that the ship's gunnery had proved accurate and effective in deflecting the suicide plane.
Vigilance strafed by Japanese Betty, shoots down a Jake
For the remainder of April and the first few days of May, Vigilance screened the landing operations. On two more occasions - on 18 April and on the 28th — Vigilance took passing Japanese planes under fire. In the first instance, she claimed to have shot down a "Jill"Nakajima B6N
The Nakajima B6N Tenzan was the Imperial Japanese Navy's standard carrier-borne torpedo bomber during the final years of World War II and the successor to the B5N "Kate"...
— one of four planes that closed the ship at night. Another of the four planes — believed to be a "Betty" bomber
Mitsubishi G4M
The Mitsubishi G4M 一式陸上攻撃機, 一式陸攻 Isshiki rikujō kōgeki ki, Isshikirikkō was the main twin-engine, land-based bomber used by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service in World War II. The Allies gave the G4M the reporting name Betty...
— strafed the ship but caused no damage. In the second case, the minesweeper shot down a snooping "Jake" floatplane
Aichi E13A
-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Dorr, Robert E. and Chris Bishop. Vietnam Air War Debrief. London: Aerospace Publishing, 1996. ISBN 1-874023-78-6....
at 0130 on the 28th.
The minecraft's patrol duties in May were highlighted by two incidents. The first occurred on 4 May and the second on the 9th. In the first case, the ship was patrolling five miles (8 km) south of Kerama Retto about sunset. Five miles to the north, five Japanese suicide planes headed for . Combat air patrol
Combat air patrol
Combat air patrol is a type of flying mission for fighter aircraft.A combat air patrol is an aircraft patrol provided over an objective area, over the force protected, over the critical area of a combat zone, or over an air defense area, for the purpose of intercepting and destroying hostile...
(CAP) F4U Corsair
F4U Corsair
The Vought F4U Corsair was a carrier-capable fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Demand for the aircraft soon overwhelmed Vought's manufacturing capability, resulting in production by Goodyear and Brewster: Goodyear-built Corsairs were designated FG and...
fighters downed four, but the fifth crashed into the escort carrier at 1933. A burst of flame shot into the darkening skies; and soon the ship became a blazing inferno, ammunition and gasoline exploding at intervals and sending sheets of flame into the air to a height of what looked like hundreds of feet.
Vigilance comes to aid of Sangamon
Screening ships and other vessels in the vicinity went to 's assistance. After obtaining permission from her sector commander to do so, Vigilance departed her patrol area at 2035 and closed Sangamon to lend a hand. Vigilance located three swimming sailors blown overboard from the CVE and directed a nearby LCV(P) to pick them up and transfer them to a high-speed transport. By midnight, Sangamons fires were under control, and she was towed to an anchorage in Kerama Retto. At 0335 on the 5th, Vigilance formed up with , , and to conduct a combined search for survivors. At 1045, the search was abandoned, and Vigilance returned to her patrol station off Kerama Retto.From 6 May to 8 May, Vigilance underwent an availability at the fleet anchorage at Kerama Retto before returning to the screening line. The next day, while steaming on station Baker 10, four miles (6 km) west of Kerama Retto, Vigilance manned her battle stations at 1845 when she received a "flash blue" air raid alert warning. Soon thereafter, the ship sighted a "Val" at 2500 feet (762 m), three miles (5 km) north. Vigilance opened fire with her 3 inches (76.2 mm) and 40-millimeter battery as the dive-bomber plunged toward the nearby .
Vigilance comes to aid of USS England
England, on station Baker 11 — three miles northeast of the minecraft, had attained fame throughout the fleet in the spring of 1944 by sinking six Japanese I-boats and earning a Presidential Unit Citation. Upon sighting the suicider, the destroyer escort started a hard right turn to present her beam to the attacker while her 3 inches (76.2 mm) antiaircraft battery pounded away. Vigilance, too, contributed to the flak above the twisting destroyer escort; gunfire from the ships blew off one wing of the suicider but failed to deflect the kamikaze from its one-way mission. The plane crashed into England's starboard side, at the main deck below the bridge. A heavy explosion soon followed, and a burst of smoke and flame engulfed the destroyer escort's pilothouse and bridge.Vigilance rang up full ahead and went to England's assistance. While the minecraft was en route to the destroyer escort's side, another air battle ensued overhead. Two Corsairs
F4U Corsair
The Vought F4U Corsair was a carrier-capable fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Demand for the aircraft soon overwhelmed Vought's manufacturing capability, resulting in production by Goodyear and Brewster: Goodyear-built Corsairs were designated FG and...
shot down a "Val" which had possibly been attracted to the area by the burning England. As Vigilance attempted to overtake the stricken escort ship, her crew broke out fire and rescue equipment on the main deck and made the mess hall ready to receive wounded below. Still en route, sharp-eyed lookouts noted survivors in England's wake, and the minecraft accordingly directed to pick up the swimmers. also closed the area to assist.
England, meanwhile, finally was brought under control and stopped about four miles (6 km) east of where she had been hit by the kamikaze. At 1920, Vigilance pulled alongside the burning destroyer escort to find heavy fires blazing from the forward mess hall, up through the wardroom
Wardroom
The wardroom is the mess-cabin of naval commissioned officers above the rank of Midshipman. The term the wardroom is also used to refer to those individuals with the right to occupy that wardroom, meaning "the officers of the wardroom"....
, forward 20-millimeter clipping room, radio room, pilothouse
Pilothouse
A pilothouse or pilot-house is a glass-enclosed room from which a ship is controlled by the ship's pilot. The pilothouse also is known as the wheelhouse....
and flying bridge. A bomb, carried by the "Val" that had crashed the ship, had exploded in the mess hall. It wiped out the entire forward fire and rescue party, blew out the port side of the officers' quarters, opened the main deck, and tumbled a 3 inches (76.2 mm) gun over the side. A 3 inches (76.2 mm), ready-service ammunition
Ammunition
Ammunition is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which embraced all material used for war , but which in time came to refer specifically to gunpowder and artillery. The collective term for all types of ammunition is munitions...
box had fallen into the burning mess hall, and ammunition was exploding.
Vigilance's fire and rescue party dragged on board five fire hoses, two submersible pumps, one handy billy pump, and a rescue breathing apparatus. Ruptured forward water mains on board England had prevented the flooding of the forward magazines, so three hoses from Vigilance and one found on England's deck were trained down into the 3 inches (76.2 mm) ready box, stopping the detonation of the ammunition. After 30 minutes of hard work, the forward 3 inches (76.2 mm) magazine was reported to be half flooded, while the fires in the pilothouse, radio room, and on the flying bridge were extinguished.
Because of the condition of England's crew — many were shocked and dazed — the men from Vigilance had to fight the fires largely themselves. Nine seriously injured England sailors, placed on stretchers, were transferred to the minesweeper where they were given first aid and blood plasma. and lay alongside at 2015, sending two medical officers and three pharmacist's mates with additional medical supplies to handle the influx of casualties.
After two hours had elapsed - a time when the frequent appearance of Japanese aircraft prohibited the use of lights and made the handling of lines, hoses, and damage control equipment difficult - Vigilance finally succeeded in extinguishing USS England's fires and took the destroyer escort under tow. Underway for the northern entrance of Kerama Retto at 2135, the two ships arrived at their destination two hours later. There, at the harbor entrance, took England under tow and pulled her inside the anchorage. At that time, the harbor was blanketed with smoke as enemy aircraft were again in the vicinity. Vigilance crept alongside at 0110 on 10 May and transferred USS England's casualties to the transport. Gherardi (DD-637) and YMS-93 soon arrived and transferred 25 more survivors to the transport.
Returning to minesweep and escort duties
Vigilance remained at anchor for the remainder of the day, replenishing medical supplies and damage control gear, before getting underway on the llth to sweep for mines in the vicinity of Tori ShimaTorishima (Izu Islands)
, literally meaning "Bird Island", is an uninhabited volcanic island at the south end of the Izu Islands in the Pacific Ocean, administered by Japan.-Geography:...
, in company with MinDiv
MinDiv
MinDiv is a standard U.S. Navy abbreviation or acronym for "Minesweeper Division."The Commander of a minesweeper division is known, in official Navy communications, as COMMINDIV , such as COMMINDIV EIGHT....
11. Upon completing the sweep at 1400 that afternoon, Vigilance resumed her screening operations from 12 to 16 May.
The ship received fresh provisions on the 17th at anchor at Kerama Retto and returned to the screening line the next day. On 19 May, Vigilance got underway for the Marianas
Mariana Islands
The Mariana Islands are an arc-shaped archipelago made up by the summits of 15 volcanic mountains in the north-western Pacific Ocean between the 12th and 21st parallels north and along the 145th meridian east...
as part of convoy OKA-4 and arrived at Saipan on the 24th. She shifted to Guam in company with on the 25th and commenced two weeks of availability at the minecraft docks, Apra Harbor
Apra Harbor
Apra Harbor is a deep-water port on the western side of Guam in the Mariana Islands. The harbor is formed by Orote Peninsula in the south and Cabras Island in the north. To the south, the harbor narrows and then widens again to form an inner harbor. The southern end of the harbor is the location...
, Guam.
Upon the conclusion of the repairs, the minesweeper conducted ASW training exercises with early on 12 June before departing Guam at 1755 to escort to Guam. Arriving at Tanapag
Tanapag
Tanapag is a settlement on the island of Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands. It is located close to Tanapag Beach on the northwest coast, just to the north of Capital Hill, the island group's centre of government...
Harbor the next day, she returned to Kerama Retto on 16 June in company with , , and SS Fairland and SS Cape Victory.
Vigilance operated in the Ryūkyūs through the end of June and began July preparing for her next major operation, the sweeping of the East China Sea
East China Sea
The East China Sea is a marginal sea east of China. It is a part of the Pacific Ocean and covers an area of 1,249,000 km² or 750,000 square miles.-Geography:...
.
The minesweeper got underway on 4 July for area "Juneau", as part of Task Unit 39.11.4. Between 5 and 14 July, the ship accounted for four mines before undergoing logistics at Buckner Bay, Okinawa, from 16 to 17 July. A typhoon forced a general fleet movement to sea over the next four days, and Vigilance did not return until the 21st. Underway again for area "Juneau" on the 22nd, the minesweeper and her sister ships spent the next week sweeping in the East China Sea. Vigilance contributed to the effort by locating and destroying three mines.
End-of-war operations
For the first five days in August, Vigilance remained at anchor at Buckner Bay. She got underway at 0558 on 6 August and escorted ConvoyConvoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
OKI-10 to San Pedro Bay, Leyte
Leyte
Leyte is a province of the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Tacloban City and occupies the northern three-quarters of the Leyte Island. Leyte is located west of Samar Island, north of Southern Leyte and south of Biliran...
, Philippine Islands, arriving on 9 August. She moored alongside on the 10th for availability and, while her crew was enjoying movies on the forecastle
Forecastle
Forecastle refers to the upper deck of a sailing ship forward of the foremast, or the forward part of a ship with the sailors' living quarters...
that evening, she received the word that Japan
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
was ready to surrender — news greeted with great rejoicing by all hands.
Vigilance remained alongside USS Briareus for 17 days before returning to Okinawa at the end of August. By that time, the war in the Pacific was over. She remained at Buckner Bay from 1 to 7 September and got underway at noon on the 8th, bound for Wakayama, Japan, to support the occupation of the erstwhile enemy's home islands. At 0430 on the llth, Vigilance arrived at the southern entrance to Kii Suido and soon formed up in echelon formation to commence sweeping a channel — to a 120 feet (36.6 m) depth — through Kii Suido to Wakayama. That evening she anchored at Wakayama Ko but resumed her labors early the following day and continued the routine for the next few days. She swept one mine on the 15th.
Damaged in a typhoon
Worsening weather gave all signs of an approaching typhoon; and Vigilance was forced to anchor in various berths at Wakanoura Wan, off HonshūHonshu
is the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait...
, between the 16th and 19th. As the storm reached its climax before dawn on the 18th, dragged her anchors and drifted down toward Vigilance's berth. The minesweeper slipped her anchor and chain in an effort to avoid a collision; but the 90 knots (176.4 km/h) wind pushed the LST inexorably toward the minecraft. Soon there came the crunch of steel on steel as the landing ship crashed into the minesweeper's starboard side, forward, bending in the bulwarks near the bow.
Post-war assignments
Eventually, Vigilance got underway and maneuvered inside the confused harbor before finally dropping anchor for the night to ride out the storm as it blew itself out. The dawn revealed three LST's aground and a YMS on her side on the rocks. After recovering her anchor and chain, Vigilance resumed minesweeping operations in the Japanese home waters. She swept off Honshū for the remainder of the month of September, anchoring upon occasion at Wakanoura Wan, and chalked up 16 more mines swept. Accompanying LCI's or PGM's sank by gunfire those mines which the sweeper cut loose. On the 24th, Vigilance herself destroyed a mine with 20-millimeter and .30-caliber rifle fire.After engineering repairs alongside in early October, Vigilance returned to the waters off Honshū to resume sweep operations, executing magnetic mine sweeps off Bishago Se and Iseno Umi. She returned to Tsu Ko to anchor on 12 October and there embarked passengers and loaded mail for transfer to Wakanoura Wan. After provisioning and fueling small craft to capacity, the minesweeper departed Tsu Ko at 1155 on 13 October and arrived at Wakanoura Wan early the following morning. Following another availability alongside Patoka, Vigilance tested her magnetic sweep gear before she returned to Bishago Se and Iseno Umi to resume sweep operations there.
Vigilance operated as pilot boat at the Yokkaichi anchorage, anchoring nightly in the Matoya Ko, rendezvousing with vessels off the harbor and leading them through the minefields to port. On 28 October, she shifted back to Wakanoura and remained there until noon of the following day for repairs to her radar. Reassigned duties as pilot ship soon thereafter, Vigilance returned to Iseno Umi and Matoya Ko on 31 October.
Returning to U.S. waters
During the operations off Nagoya, Vigilance had cleared the way for the evacuation of prisoners of war and the landing of American occupation forces. After performing similar operations in the Nagoya area through November, Vigilance departed Japanese waters on 17 December 1945, via Eniwetok and Pearl Harbor, bound for the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. She operated locally out of San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
between January and November 1946 and alternated between San Diego and San Francisco into January 1947.
Decommissioning
Decommissioned on 30 January 1947, the ship was placed in reserve on 16 April that same year. She remained inactive into the mid-1960s. During that period, she was reclassified as a fleet minesweeper, MSF-324, on 7 February 1955. Struck from the Navy ListNaval Vessel Register
The Naval Vessel Register is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from the time a vessel is authorized through its life cycle and...
on 1 December 1966, the ship was transferred to the Government of the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
on 19 August 1967. Renamed Quezon — in honor of the first President of the Philippine Commonwealth, Manuel Quezon — and classified as PS-70, the erstwhile minesweeper served with the Philippine Navy
Philippine Navy
The Philippine Navy is the naval arm of the Armed Forces of the Philippines . Its official name in Filipino is Hukbong Dagat ng Pilipinas, literally, "Sea Force of the Philippines"....
, and is active as of writing.
Awards
Vigilance was awarded three battle stars for her World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
service. She also had the honor of being recommended for a Navy Unit Commendation
Navy Unit Commendation
The Navy Unit Commendation of the United States Navy is an award that was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on 18 December 1944...
, and her commanding officer, Lt. Jackson L. Morton, USNR, was awarded a Silver Star
Silver Star
The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
for his courage and level-headed action under fire.
External links
- Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1940-1945 AM-324 USS Vigilance
- USS Vigilance (AM 324)
- de220.com - USS Whitehurst (DE-634)