USS Wallace L. Lind (DD-703) - Initial Operations

Initial Operations

Shakedown, which took Wallace L. Lind from the New York Navy Yard to Bermuda and back, extended through 2 November 1944. Departing Virginia en route to the Pacific on 14 November, she transited the Panama Canal on the 27th and arrived at Pearl Harbor on 13 December and underwent upkeep and training exercises. Wallace L. Lind and Tracy (DM-19) took leave of Hawaii on 23 December, escorting Enterprise (CV-6) to Ulithi. Tracy left the formation and proceeded to Eniwetok, and she was replaced by Frazier (DD-607).

On 5 January 1945, the destroyer made rendezvous with the Fast Carrier Task Force (then Task Force 38) under Admiral William F. Halsey, Commander, 3rd Fleet in New Jersey (BB-62). Air strikes against Luzon began on 6 January 1945 and were followed by strikes against Formosa, Saigon, the Pescadore Islands, and Hong Kong. Photo reconnaissance planes surveyed Okinawa Gunto in preparation for the upcoming invasion. On 23 January, Wallace L. Lind left the area north of Luzon and arrived at Ulithi three days later for upkeep.

The destroyer reported for duty with Task Force 58, a fast carrier task force, on 11 February 1945. On 16 February, carrier planes conducted raids in the Tokyo area and, the following afternoon, retired toward Iwo Jima, with the carrier planes conducting air searches en route.

On 19 February 1945, the carriers launched aircraft as cover for the initial landing of troops on Iwo Jima. These operations continued through 25 February when strikes again commenced against Tokyo. During the above actions, Wallace L. Lind was assigned to screen the carriers and to assist in mail deliveries and transfer of personnel.

Wallace L. Lind’s destroyer group departed the Honshū area on 27 February and set course for Okinawa, arriving four days later. On 1 March, the vessel acted as a plane guard for strikes against Okinawa and Minami Daito. Upon recovery of the strike planes, the task group set course for Ulithi, Caroline Islands.

After a period of routine upkeep, drydock, and availability, Wallace L. Lind set course for Kyūshū, where the first air strikes were launched on 18 March. Numerous enemy aircraft appeared sporadically throughout this first day. The second day saw strikes and sweeps against Kyūshū targets, as well as a special sweep on Kii Suido. Two Japanese planes closed the formation, and the destroyer opened fire. Both planes were destroyed by gunfire.

Wallace L. Lind departed the area on 19 March. The destroyer temporarily joined a unit which proceeded to execute shore bombardment against Minami Daito on 28 March. The following day, strikes were launched against airfields on Kyūshū. She exploded two floating mines and fired on an enemy torpedo plane which crashed shortly afterward. While commencing a southerly retirement, Lind executed a strike against Amami Gunto en route.

On 30 and 31 March 1945, strikes and sweeps over Okinawa Gunto provided cover for landing operations. The operations in that area continued, with intermittent strikes against Amami Gunto and refueling and rearming operations, throughout April. On 7 April, dawn search planes reported contact with units of the Japanese Fleet consisting of one battleship (later identified as Yamato), one light cruiser (Yahagi), and eight destroyers. All available planes of the three task groups, totalling 380, were launched to make the strike. Upon their return, they reported sinking the battleship, cruiser, and three destroyers. During the month of April, Wallace L. Lind destroyed two enemy planes and made three assists.

The month of May was spent participating in strikes against Okinawa Gunto, Kyūshū, and the Amami O'Shima-Kikai Jima area. Wallace L. Lind performed various duties ranging from screening the carriers to recovering downed pilots. During these operations, Japanese kamikaze planes dove on TF 58, hitting both Enterprise (CV-6) and Bunker Hill (CV-17). The destroyer participated in one shore bombardment, sank three mines, shot down three Japanese planes, and had two assists.

This marked the end of a period of continuous steaming from 14 March 1945 when Wallace L. Lind started from Ulithi with TF 58 in support of the Okinawa occupation. On 1 June, Lind arrived at San Pedro Bay, Philippines, and went alongside Dixie (AD-14) for availability through 12 June. The remainder of June was spent in various training exercises and getting the ship ready for sea.

On 1 July 1945, Wallace L. Lind, in company with ships of Destroyer Squadron 62 (DesRon 62), got underway from San Pedro Bay in advance of the heavy ships of Task Group 38.3 (TG 38.3) to provide an anti-submarine screen for their sortie. Nine days later, the vessel arrived at the area off the east coast of Honshū, Japan, and the task group launched strikes against the Tokyo plains area. Wallace L. Lind assumed duty as a picket station, then acted as a communication link between task groups. On 14 July 1945, she joined the carrier strikes on the east coast of Honshū and the northern Honshū-Hokkaidō target area.

After refueling east of the Bonin Islands, Wallace L. Lind returned to the operating area of the east coast of Kyūshū on 24 July. She was then in position to act as a picket in the "Able Day" strikes against the Kure area. On 30 July, the task group launched strikes at air installations in the Tokyo-Nagoya area. The next day, the ships retired on a southerly course for replenishment. On 8 August, planes hit northern Honshū and Hokkaido as well as the Tokyo plains area. Wallace L. Lind received official word that the war with Japan had ceased on 15 August 1945. The task group moved to the southeast of Tokyo with all ships taking precautions against attacking enemy aircraft which persisted, in some cases, despite the war's end.