Bomb Attack near New Guinea
While on patrol June 12, off the southern coast of Biak, an enemy plane dived out of the sun and released a bomb which struck abaft Kalk's forward stack at the base of her starboard torpedo tubes. As the Kalk's 20-mm. gunfire splashed the attacker, the bomb exploded the air flasks of her torpedoes, destroying several 20-mm. guns, showering her crew with shrapnel, and damaging her superstructure amidships. Though suffering 70 casualties, her heroic crew rallied to save the destroyer. Skillful firefighters extinguished each blaze and, while other hands tended the wounded, volunteers detached the warheads from torpedoes scattered about the deck. Every man knew what to do and did it.
