USS Almaack (AKA-10) - Under Attack By Japanese Fighter Bombers

Under Attack By Japanese Fighter Bombers

The attack cargo ship sailed on her second trip to Leyte on 10 November, and proceeded in company with two transport divisions, the 8th and 24th. One day out of their destination, the transports were attacked by Japanese torpedo planes ("Jills"), one of which closed to visual range of Almaack.

This "Jill" launched her torpedo at USS Catskill (LSV-1), the last ship in the left flank column and directly astern of Almaack. The latter's 3-inch and 5-inch batteries took the Japanese plane under fire at 2,500 yards (2,300 m); her 20-millimeter guns opened up at 800. Almaack's automatic weapons scored hits on the right wing and tail of the "Jill"; shedding parts, the enemy aircraft went out of control about 100 yards (100 m) from Catskill, passed slightly astern of her, and then plunged into the sea, leaving no survivors. In the meantime, Catskill maneuvered and evaded the torpedo. Almaack suffered three men very slightly wounded during the brief engagement, nicked by fragments of "friendly" 20-millimeter projectiles which hit a ship's guy wire.

Entering Surigao Strait at 0036 on 14 November, Almaack went to general quarters at 0600 and entered the transport area a little under an hour later, sending her seven LCMs to assist the other ships in the group to complete their unloading by nightfall. Four LCTs and one LSM carried Almaack's cargo, and in return the attack cargo ship provided provisions, clothing and small stores to these and an LCT that had been unsuccessful in securing provisions from the ships for which she had worked. Having completed her unloading by 0900 on the following day, Almaack returned to Hollandia, arriving on the 19th.

Underway again on the 26th, the attack cargo ship sailed for the Solomons, and reached Empress Augusta Bay on 30 November, commencing loading cargo—vehicles, ammunition, petroleum products, engineering supplies and signal equipment—immediately. She completed the task by 4 December.

Almaack, assigned to TG 79.1 and carrying elements and equipment of the Army's 37th Infantry Division, cleared Empress Augusta Bay for Lae, New Guinea, where the ship participated in landing exercises. Back at Manus, in the Admiralties, on 21 December, Almaack spent Christmas there. Then, on the last day of 1944, the attack cargo ship stood out of Seeadler Harbor for her third trip to the Philippines; this time, "Mack" was bound for Lingayen Gulf.