I have this photograph on the wall in my office; it reminds me of how young these guys were, and that they were willing to sacrifice everything. This young man had a girl he wanted to marry, a career he wanted to pursue, and he gave it all up when he CHOSE to stay with his buddies on Iwo Jima:
This young man had a girl he wanted to marry, a career he wanted to pursue, and he gave it all up when he CHOSE to stay with his buddies on Iwo Jima.
Something a lot of people seem to forget.
Historical excerpt on USS Callaghan
Callaghan [DD-792] was on radar picket station off Okinawa July 28th 1945.
She was due to go home...overhaul for the ship;recuperation for the crew.
As midwatch came on ,the ships log entered the 29th...Destroyer USS Laws was on her way to relieve Callaghan;this was to be her last hour on station at Okinawa.
Tragically...she would not last the hour.
At 0030 a "bogey" was reported..the crew rushed to the general quarters chime..seconds later 5" main batteries opened fire,smearing the night sky with splashes of flame.
The kamikaze bore in..crashing Callaghan near the upper turret 3 munitions handlers room.
A thunderclap blast rocked the destroyer..then a second detonation sending ships superstructure hundreds of feet into the night sky in a pillar of flame.
Callaghan, burning furiously began to list immediately and flood...in minutes the sea was washing over her stern.
At 0050 Callaghan was ordered abandoned....ships closed to rescue the crew....71 men and 2 officers seriously wounded.
Survivors and rescuers watched Callaghans fires illuminate the night until she slid under,taking 46 bluejackets and 1 officer.
USS Callaghan had 12 Japanese planes painted on her fire control director..but she could not kill the 13th.
Callaghan was the last U.S. destroyer to go down off Okinawa..sadly..she would be number 13.
