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Bates

Ship Designation: 
APD-47
Date Lost: 
Friday, May 25, 1945
Air Attack near Ie Shima, Okinawa
While patrolling 2 miles south of Ie Shima, Okinawa, Bates engaged three attacking Japanese planes with gunfire. ... The first plane dropped a bomb, scoring a near miss which ruptured the starboard hull of the ship, and then crashed into the starboard side of the fantail. The second plane, almost simultaneously, made a suicide hit on the pilothouse. Shortly thereafter the third plane made a bombing run scoring a near miss amidships, portside, rupturing the hull. ... At 1145, Bates was ordered abandoned. ... Twenty-one of her crew were either dead or missing from the attacks. ... During the afternoon Cree (ATF-84) was able to get a line aboard and towed Bates to Ie Shima anchorage. At 1923, May 25 1945 the still burning Bates capsized and sank in 20 fathoms of water.

Lost At Sea Log

Number of sailors in this log: 22

Namesort descending Service Branch
SM 1c Virgil Adams USN
SOM 2c Glenn Buchner USN
SOM 2c Anthony Chunko USN
Sea 1c John Cox USN
Cox Joseph Davis USN
Sea 1c William Dillon USN
Sea 1c James Eller USN
Cox Robert Ellis USN
Cox Woodrow Falls USN
Sea 1c John Garrido USN
Sea 1c Coy Harris USN
Cox Larry Hoxie USN
SC 2c William Lancaster USN
Sea 1c Robert Lynch USN
Sea 1c George Markus USN
F 1c Wilmer Resner USN
Sea 1c Kenneth Ridgeway USN
MM 3c Anthony Schiff USN
QM 2c Fred Thielen USN
Sea 1c Richard Torrey USN

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Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships