Bombing Attack off Guadacanal
While unloading cargo off Guadalcanal on June 16, Celeno was attacked by a swarm of Japanese bombers. The dive bombers scored three near misses, then hit Celeno's stern, putting her 5 gun out of operation. Her men stood to the remaining guns, and aided in downing at least three enemy planes and damaging several others. A second direct hit set two of Celeno's holds on fire and another near miss sent her deck cargo of diesel oil and gasoline flaming. With her rudder jammed from the first hit, Celeno circled, as her crew determined to save her. Skillful damage control and superb seamanship beached her safely on Lunga Point, and when the air attack had been fought off, Celeno was towed off for repairs at Port Purvis. Fifteen of her valiant crew were killed and 19 wounded in the attack. Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships 1 16
http://navylog.navymemorial.org/Portals/0/images/ships-tribute/NBD94306162.jpg LST469 LST 469 6 16 1943 1943-06-16 00:00:00.000 Torpedoed in Austrailian Waters On June 16, 1943, a convoy was attacked by Japanese submarines of the 3rd Squadron then operating in Australian waters. Two ships were torpedoed, the PORTMAR, an American Army Transport and LST 469. The first named sank in ten minutes with the loss of two lives but LST 469, though suffering twenty-six killed and many wounded, she remained afloat and was later towed to to Byron by HMAS Deloraine. This was the last submarine attack in Australian waters. 1 17
http://navylog.navymemorial.org/Portals/0/images/ships-tribute/NBD94306221.jpg LST333 LST 333 6 22 1943 1943-06-22 00:00:00.000 Torpedoed off Dellys, Algeria On June 22, 1943, LST-333 was steaming in Convoy Elastic, enroute from Arzew Algeria, To Bizerte, Tunisia. The sun had just set and visibility was excellent. At this time a terrific concussion on the starboard side of the stern. This was followed by a sharp surge of the stern which may have been a second concussion. The screws and rudder were carried away, The crew's quarters was a shambles with a fifteen-foot hole leading into the space that was formerly the steering engine room. this section had been completely blasted away, and the main sections of the steering wheel blown into the port side. All forward guns were intact and the crew remained at their posts, but the gun crews on the 3/50 caliber gun and the two after 20/MM were killed or knocked out. About twenty minutes after the explosion occurred, the LCT-244 and LCT-19 came close in and stood by to render assistance. The Commanding Officers of these craft had observed torpedo tracks heading for the LST-333 and LST-387. These tracks were not seen by any person on LST-333, although all guns were fully manned and lookouts posted. The principal causalities occurred to the ship's Company with 16 dead, 1 missing and 31 injured. A final check on the passengers indicates 5 dead, 3 missing, and 24 injured to be exact. This of an original Ship's Company of 77 and a passenger list of 211. Phm 1/c Charles F. Eaton, though badly wounded in the back, labored unceasingly during this operation, which continued until shortly before the vessel was beached, In this connection, too much credit cannot be given to the Captain and the Crew of the SC503, where a ship's officer and an enlisted man formed a living bridge for walking wounded to pass over.
http://navylog.navymemorial.org/Portals/0/images/ships-tribute/NBD94306162.jpg LST469 LST 469 6 16 1943 1943-06-16 00:00:00.000 Torpedoed in Austrailian Waters On June 16, 1943, a convoy was attacked by Japanese submarines of the 3rd Squadron then operating in Australian waters. Two ships were torpedoed, the PORTMAR, an American Army Transport and LST 469. The first named sank in ten minutes with the loss of two lives but LST 469, though suffering twenty-six killed and many wounded, she remained afloat and was later towed to to Byron by HMAS Deloraine. This was the last submarine attack in Australian waters. 1 17
http://navylog.navymemorial.org/Portals/0/images/ships-tribute/NBD94306221.jpg LST333 LST 333 6 22 1943 1943-06-22 00:00:00.000 Torpedoed off Dellys, Algeria On June 22, 1943, LST-333 was steaming in Convoy Elastic, enroute from Arzew Algeria, To Bizerte, Tunisia. The sun had just set and visibility was excellent. At this time a terrific concussion on the starboard side of the stern. This was followed by a sharp surge of the stern which may have been a second concussion. The screws and rudder were carried away, The crew's quarters was a shambles with a fifteen-foot hole leading into the space that was formerly the steering engine room. this section had been completely blasted away, and the main sections of the steering wheel blown into the port side. All forward guns were intact and the crew remained at their posts, but the gun crews on the 3/50 caliber gun and the two after 20/MM were killed or knocked out. About twenty minutes after the explosion occurred, the LCT-244 and LCT-19 came close in and stood by to render assistance. The Commanding Officers of these craft had observed torpedo tracks heading for the LST-333 and LST-387. These tracks were not seen by any person on LST-333, although all guns were fully manned and lookouts posted. The principal causalities occurred to the ship's Company with 16 dead, 1 missing and 31 injured. A final check on the passengers indicates 5 dead, 3 missing, and 24 injured to be exact. This of an original Ship's Company of 77 and a passenger list of 211. Phm 1/c Charles F. Eaton, though badly wounded in the back, labored unceasingly during this operation, which continued until shortly before the vessel was beached, In this connection, too much credit cannot be given to the Captain and the Crew of the SC503, where a ship's officer and an enlisted man formed a living bridge for walking wounded to pass over.
