USS Weehawken (CM-12) - Under Attack By Japanese Aircraft

Under Attack By Japanese Aircraft

Over that span of time, frequent air alerts called her crew to general quarters as Japanese kamikazes attempted to drive the American Navy from Okinawa. Though her gunners frequently fired on enemy planes and witnessed their spectacular crashes into other ships, Weehawken continued to lead a charmed life. On 28 April, a kamikaze bore in on her; but, at the last minute, anti-aircraft fire from a nearby destroyer persuaded him to seek easier prey. Instead, he crashed into Pinkney (APH-2) — anchored nearby — and Weehawken dispatched rescue parties and medical assistance to the mortally wounded hospital evacuation transport. Three days later, she was called upon to render medical assistance again when a suicide plane smashed into minelayer Terror (CM-5). Her gunners tried unsuccessfully to bring down two other kamikazes, one which struck St. George (AV-16) on 6 May and another which exploded on Curtiss (AV-4) on 21 June. (In the latter instance, Weehawken rushed fire and rescue parties to the aid of the stricken warship.)

On 7 July 1945, Weehawken stood out of the Kerama Retto roadstead and anchored in Buckner Bay. There, she resumed her support duties for the minesweeping forces. Ten days later, she departed Buckner Bay with a mixed force of auxiliaries and motor minesweepers for a brief operation near Unken Ko. She returned to Buckner Bay early in the morning of 22 July and remained there, either anchored or moored near Tsuken Shima, through the end of the war and into September 1945.