Bogey907
Well-known member
My late friend Don Bogar served on the destroyer USS Caldwell in WWII, from 1942 until after the war ended
This Wikipedia entry summarizes the Caldwell's service:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Caldwell_(DD-605)
In late 1944 the Caldwell and another destroyer, the USS Reid, were assigned to protect a resupply convoy headed into Japanese-held territory in the Philippines. According to the Reid's Wikipedia entry https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Reid_(DD-369):
"In the REID's final two weeks in the waters around Leyte, the crew was able to sleep only an hour or two at a time. They were called to battle stations (condition red) an average of 10 times a day. It was a period of near constant combat.
In her final hours on December 11, the REID was protecting a re-supply force of amphibious craft bound for Ormoc Bay off the west coast of Leyte. About 1700 twelve enemy planes approached the convoy. The REID was the nearest ship to the oncoming planes. Planes 1 and 2 were shot down by the 5" battery. Plane 3 exploded about 500 yards off the starboard beam. Plane 4 hooked a wing on the starboard rigging, crashing at the waterline. His bomb exploded, doing considerable damage forward. Plane 5 strafed the starboard side and crashed on the port bow. Plane 6 strafed the bridge from the port side and crashed off the starboard bow. Planes 5 and 6 apparently had no bombs or they were duds. Plane 7 came in from astern strafing and crashed into the port quarter. His bomb exploded in the after magazine blowing the ship apart. All this action took place in less than a minute.
The ship was mortally wounded but still doing 20 knots. As the stern opened up, she rolled violently, then laid over on her starboard side and dove to the bottom at 600 fathoms. It was over in less than two minutes. 103 shipmates went down with her. The survivors were strafed in the water by Japanese planes before rescue."
The Caldwell was narrowly missed by another Kamikaze in that battle, and after the loss of the Reid, the convoy continued under way with the Caldwell leading the way. The next day, they were attacked by another flight of Japanese aircraft, and this time the Caldwell was hit and suffered heavy damage.
This is the action report later filed by the Captain:
https://www.hodgman.org/dd605/USS%20Caldwel...%2019441215.pdf
In the damage report section it lists as "Heavily damaged by fire and fragments" the "director" which is the gun director where Don was on duty at the time. It's the compartment with three windows above the bridge shown in this picture of the ship:
https://www.navsource.org/archives/05/0560504.jpg
He wasn't seriously wounded, but another crewman in the director with him was hit and required medical evacuation.
Don came home from the war, married and raised 4 children. He worked for IBM until retirement, and then moved to a farm in rural Pennsylvania. He lived there with his wife until he passed away a few years ago. He never spoke much about his experiences, and certainly didn't consider himself a hero. But he truly was, not just for his wartime service, but also for the kindness he showed to his family and others that knew him.
We will remember.
This Wikipedia entry summarizes the Caldwell's service:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Caldwell_(DD-605)
In late 1944 the Caldwell and another destroyer, the USS Reid, were assigned to protect a resupply convoy headed into Japanese-held territory in the Philippines. According to the Reid's Wikipedia entry https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Reid_(DD-369):
"In the REID's final two weeks in the waters around Leyte, the crew was able to sleep only an hour or two at a time. They were called to battle stations (condition red) an average of 10 times a day. It was a period of near constant combat.
In her final hours on December 11, the REID was protecting a re-supply force of amphibious craft bound for Ormoc Bay off the west coast of Leyte. About 1700 twelve enemy planes approached the convoy. The REID was the nearest ship to the oncoming planes. Planes 1 and 2 were shot down by the 5" battery. Plane 3 exploded about 500 yards off the starboard beam. Plane 4 hooked a wing on the starboard rigging, crashing at the waterline. His bomb exploded, doing considerable damage forward. Plane 5 strafed the starboard side and crashed on the port bow. Plane 6 strafed the bridge from the port side and crashed off the starboard bow. Planes 5 and 6 apparently had no bombs or they were duds. Plane 7 came in from astern strafing and crashed into the port quarter. His bomb exploded in the after magazine blowing the ship apart. All this action took place in less than a minute.
The ship was mortally wounded but still doing 20 knots. As the stern opened up, she rolled violently, then laid over on her starboard side and dove to the bottom at 600 fathoms. It was over in less than two minutes. 103 shipmates went down with her. The survivors were strafed in the water by Japanese planes before rescue."
The Caldwell was narrowly missed by another Kamikaze in that battle, and after the loss of the Reid, the convoy continued under way with the Caldwell leading the way. The next day, they were attacked by another flight of Japanese aircraft, and this time the Caldwell was hit and suffered heavy damage.
This is the action report later filed by the Captain:
https://www.hodgman.org/dd605/USS%20Caldwel...%2019441215.pdf
In the damage report section it lists as "Heavily damaged by fire and fragments" the "director" which is the gun director where Don was on duty at the time. It's the compartment with three windows above the bridge shown in this picture of the ship:
https://www.navsource.org/archives/05/0560504.jpg
He wasn't seriously wounded, but another crewman in the director with him was hit and required medical evacuation.
Don came home from the war, married and raised 4 children. He worked for IBM until retirement, and then moved to a farm in rural Pennsylvania. He lived there with his wife until he passed away a few years ago. He never spoke much about his experiences, and certainly didn't consider himself a hero. But he truly was, not just for his wartime service, but also for the kindness he showed to his family and others that knew him.
We will remember.
