U.S.S. SHAW DD-373


Class: MAHAN
Authorized:
Keel Laid: 10/01/1934
Commissioned: 09/13/1936
Length Overall: 341' 3"
Extreme Beam: 34' 8"
Standard Displacement tons:
Normal Dispalcement tons:

1,450
Ships Company: Off.8 ; Enl.: 150
Armament:
Primary: (5) 5"/38 cal. DP
Secondary: (4) .50cal AA
Torpedo Tubes: (12) 21"
ASW: (2) Depth Charge
Designed Speed: knots
Engines:
Manufacturer:
Type:


Turbine
Designed Shaft Horse Power: 49,000
Screws: 2
Fuel (oil) tons



War Diary of the U.S.S. SHAW Nov.1 to 30, 1942


Action Report on the Night of Nov. 12-13, 1942" of USS SHAW




WAR DIARY U.S.S. SHAW (373)

From: November 1, 1942. To: November 30, 1942. November 1, 1942. Steaming in company with Task Group 62.4.4 this vessel and U.S.S. CONYNGHAM screening U.S.S. FULLER enroute from Efate to Guadalcanal. 0800 Position - Latitude 12° 59' S. Longitude 162° 44' E. Noon Position - Latitude 12° 21' S. Longitude 161° 56' E. 2000 Position - Latitude 10° 18' S. Longitude 160° 45' E. Course made good - 314° T. Distance made good - 285 miles, noon to noon. November 2, 1942. Steaming as before. 0530 Arrived off LUNGA Point, Guadalcanal. U.S.S. FULLER commenced unloading troops and equipment. Destroyers set up anti-submarine screen. 0650 Major Nees, U.S.M.C., came aboard as liason officer for shore bombardment of Japanese positions by U.S.S. SHAW and U.S.S. CONYNGHAM. 0753 Commenced shore bombardment of Japanese positions to west of Mantanikau River. Expanded 469 rounds AA common 5" shells. 0845 Completed bombardment and resumed submarine screening station. 1800 U.S.S. FULLER completed unloading and Task Group proceeded through Sealark Channel enroute to Espiritu Santos. At about 1915 passed friendly Task Force proceeding on opposite course. In avoiding the Task Force the U.S.S. CONYNGHAM turned across the bow of the U.S.S. FULLER in low visibility conditions and was rammed by that vessel. Forward fireroom U.S.S. CONYNGHAM was flooded and placed out of commission. That vessel was ordered to proceed independently to Espiritu Santos. 0800 Position - Guadalcanal Noon Position - Guadalcanal 2000 Position - Latitude 09° 35' S. Longitude 160° 40' E. Course made good - 328° T. Distance made good - 215 miles, noon to noon. November 3, 1942. Steaming as before in company with U.S.S. FULLER. 0800 Position - Latitude 10°° 00' S. Longitude 162° 23' E. Noon Position - Latitude 10° 42' S. Longitude 162° 56' E. 2000 Position - Latitude 12° 09' S. Longitude 164° 00' E. Course made good - 202° T. Distance made good - 194 miles, noon to noon. November 4, 1942. Steaming as before in company with U.S.S. FULLER. 0800 Position - Latitude 14° 22' S. Longitude 165° 24' E. Noon Position - Latitude 15° 15' S. Longitude 165° 17' E. 2000 Position - Latitude 17° 03' S. Longitude 165° 25' E. Course made good - 153° T. Distance made good - 306 miles, noon to noon. November 5, 1942. Steaming as before in company with U.S.S. FULLER. 0930 Entered Segond Channel, Espiritu Santos Island and anchored in 30 fathoms of water. 1300 Went alongside U.S.S. GUADALUPE and fueled to capacity. 0800 Position - Latitude 15° 40' S. Longitude 167° 10' E. Course made good - 153° T. Distance made good - 306 miles, noon to arrival. November 6, 1942. Moored starboard side to U.S.S. GUADAUPE in Segond Channel, Espiritu Santos Island. 0647 Went alongside U.S.S. CONYNGHAM to deliver 3,500 gallons feed water to that vessel. 1035 Underway to proceed to Noumea in accordance with ComAirSoPac dispatch 052314 of November, 1942. 1650 Overtook U.S.S. DELPHINIUS and reported for duty as escort. 2000 Position - Latitude 17° 50' S. Longitude 167° 15' E. November 7, 1942. Steaming as before. 0800 Position - Latitude 19° 36' S. Longitude 167° 52.5' E. Noon Position - Latitude 20° 17' S. Longitude 168° 15' E. 2000 Position - Latitude 21° 32' S. Longitude 168° 41' E. Course made good - 169° T. Distance made good - 290 miles, noon to noon. November 8, 1942. Steaming as before. 1800 Entered harbor at Noumea, New Caledonia, and anchored in Berth 48, Dunbea Bay. 0800 Position - Latitude 23° 21' S. Longitude 167° 54' E. Noon Position - Latitude 23° 26' S. Longitude 166° 57' E. Course made good - 201° T. Distance made good - 202 miles, noon to noon. November 9, 1942. Anchored as before. During morning fueled to capacity and replaced torpedoes, depth charges, and ammunition to fill allowance. 1325 Underway in accordance with ComTaskFor 67 Op Plan 23-42, proceeding alone to join remainder of Task Force, 2000 Position - Latitude 21° 41' S. Longitude 164° 35' E. November 10, 1942. Steaming as before. 1800 Joined Task Force 67, ComTaskFor Rear Admiral Turner in U.S.S. MacCAWLEY. 0800 Position - Latitude 16° 09' S. Longitude 162° 25' E. Noon Position - Latitude 16° 31.5' S. Longitude 162° 30' E. 2000 Position - Latitude 14° 12' S. Longitude 162° 43' E. Course made good - 328° T. Distance made good - 425 miles, departure to noon. November 11, 1942. Steaming as before. 0800 Position - Latitude 11° 40' S. Longitude 162° 55' E. Noon Position - Latitude 11° 13' S. Longitude 162° 17' E. 2000 Position - Latitude 10° 30' S. Longitude 161° 03' E. Course made good - 359° T. Distance made good - 325 miles, noon to noon. November 12, 1942. Steaming as before. 0530 Task Force 67 arrived off Guadalcanal. Transports commenced unloading with cruisers and destroyers screening. 0720 U.S.S. HELENA, U.S.S. SHAW and U.S.S. BARTON commenced bombardment of enemy positions in vicinity of Kokumbona River. 0915 Ceased firing having expended 202 rounds of 5' AA common ammunition. 1000 Rejoined transport screen off Point Lunga. 1235 Went to General Quarters to repel Japanese air attack. Transports got underway screened by combatant ships. 1418 Japanese torpedo planes, twin motored, land based type monoplanes, rounded eastern end of Florida island and approached starboard bow of convoy. Convoy executed a 90° turn to the left placing planes on starboard quarter. Approximately twenty-one planes attacked convoy and dropped torpedoes. At least twelve were brought down by the withering barrage set up by the cruisers, nine destroyers, and six transports repelling the attack. The remaining planes were shot down by shore based aircraft. The only damage of note sustained by the Task Force resulted from a plane crashing into secondary control on the U.S.S. SAN FRANCISCO. One man received minor leg injuries on this vessel when a 20 mm shell struck the Stores Office, exploded, and sprayed shrapnel about that area. The following ammunition was expended by this vessel during the stack: 93 rounds 5" AA common, 426 rounds 1.1, and 573 rounds of 20 mm. This vessel claims two planes shot down. At 1445 the SHAW proceeded to investigate three planes shot and floating in vicinity of Savo Island. All were found to be enemy craft. Two were destroyed by gunfire. At 1525 rejoined transports screen. At 1600 U.S.S. SHAW with four destroyers organized screen to cover retirement of transports through Lengo Channel and southward through Indispensable Straits. Remainder of combatant ships were organized as a striking force under Rear Admiral Callaghan to remain in the vicinity of Guadalcanal during the night. 0800 Position - Latitude 09° 21' S. Longitude 160° 05' E. Noon Position - Latitude 09° 22' S. Longitude 159° 59' E. 2000 Position - Latitude 09° 23' S. Longitude 160° 21' E. Course made good - 308° T. Distance made good - 175 miles, noon to noon. November 13, 1942. Steaming as before covering retirement of transports through Indispensable Straits Enroute to Espiritu Santos Island via south and west of San Cristobal Island 0800 Position - Latitude 11° 19.5' S. Longitude 162° 02.5' E. Noon Position - Latitude 12° 00.3' S. Longitude 162° 31' E. 2000 Position - Latitude 13° 02' S. Longitude 163° 47' E. Course made good - 138° T. Distance made good - 215 miles, noon to noon. November 14, 1942. Steaming as before. 0800 Position - Latitude 14° 10' S. Longitude 166° 05' E. Noon Position - Latitude 14° 16' S. Longitude 166° 36' E. 2000 Position - Latitude 14° 38' S. Longitude 168° 03' E. Course made good - 120° T. Distance made good - 280 miles, noon to noon. November 15, 1942. Steaming as before. 0700 Entered Espiritu Santos Harbor, New Hebrides. 1010 Fueled from U.S.S. TAPPAHANOCK. Course made good - 153° T. Distance made good - 85 miles, noon to arrival. November 16, 1942. Anchored as before in Espiritu Santos Harbor. 1405 replaced ammunition and depth charges to full allowance. 1422 Underway in company with U.S.S. NICHOLAS proceeding to intercept and escort U.S.S. BENHAM and U.S.S. GWIN to Espiritu Santos. 2051 Intercepted U.S.S. GWIN with BENHAM personnel on board. Reversed course and proceeded with that vessel toward Espiritu Santos. November 17, 1942. Steaming as before. 0718 Entered Espiritu Santos Harbor and anchored in berth D minus 2. November 18, 1942. Anchored as before. 1600 Submarine reported sighted in the harbor. 1658 Underway to set up submarine hunt with U.S.S. NICHOLAS of west entrance to harbor. 1800 Arrived on station. November 19, 1942. Steaming as before patrolling off west entrance to Espiritu Santos Harbor. November 20, 1942. Steaming as before patrolling off west entrance to Espiritu Santos Harbor. 1842 Received orders from ComAirSoPac to proceed with U.S.S. NICHOLAS in company on course 315° T. at best speed. 2045 Received ordered from ComAirSoPac to return to Espiritu Santos and enter harbor at daybreak. November 21, 1942. Steaming as before enroute to Espiritu Santos. 0600 Entered Espiritu Santos Harbor and went along side U.S.S. GUADALUPE to fuel. 0840 Completed fueling. Shifted to Berth D-1 alongside U.S.S. LANSDOWNE. November 22, 1942. Moored as before. November 23, 1942. Moored as before. November 24, 1942. Moored as before. In accordance with ComSoPac dispatch 230612 of November, 1942, (NPM 739) this vessel is assigned to duty with Task Force 66 under Captain R.B. Briscoe, US Navy. Task Forcer 66 is assigned escort duty. November 25, 1942. Moored as before. November 26, 1942. Moored as before. November 27, 1942. Moored as before. 0610 Underway for operations with Task Unit 62.4.6 in accordance with ComTaskFor 62 despatch 260458 of November, 1942, proceeding to Guadalcanal. 0900 U.S.S. LANSDOWNE, U.S.S. GRAYSON, U.S.S. SHAW, and U.S.S. NICHOLAS formed anti-submarine screen on U.S.S. NEVILLE, U.S.S. HEYWOOD, U.S.S. PRESIDENT HAYES, and U.S.S. FOMALHAUT. 1340 Conduct firing exercises for condition watch gun crews. Noon Position - Latitude 14° 47' S. Longitude 167° 14' E. 2000 Position - Latitude 13° 39' S. Longitude 166° 00' E. November 28, 1942. Steaming as before in company Task Unit 62.4.6. 0800 Position - Latitude 11° 56' S. Longitude 163° 52' E. Noon Position - Latitude 11° 20' S. Longitude 163° 07' E. 2000 Position - Latitude 09° 57' S. Longitude 162° 02' E. Course made good - 315° T. Distance made good - 354 miles, Departure to noon. November 29, 1942. Steaming as before in company Task Unit 62.4.6. 0550 Arrived off Togoma Point, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. Transports anchored and commenced unloading. Escorts took up screening patrols. 1226 Went alongside U.S.S. HEYWOOD and fuel to capacity. 1447 Completed fueling and returned to screening station. 1758 Took station to screen U.S.S. FOMALHAUT to Tulagi Harbor in company with U.S.S. LANSDOWNE. 1900 Proceeded in company with U.S.S. LANSDOWNE to patrol area between Savo Island and Cape Esperance. Course made good - 304° T. Distance made good - 217 miles, Noon to arrival at Guadalcanal. November 30, 1942. Steaming as before in company with U.S.S. LANSDOWNE patrolling between Savo Island and Cape Esperance. 0420 General Quarters. U.S.S. LANSDOWNE made depth charge attack on submarine picked up by QC sound equipment. 0425 This vessel made depth charge attack dropp9ing three 600 lb. and four 300 lb. depth charges on good sound contact. There was slight evidence of oil on surface of water following attack. 0525 Proceeded to join U.S.S. FOMALHAUT to screen that vessel during it's return to Togoma Point. 0610 U.S.S. FOMALHUAT anchored off Togoma Point. This vessel took up anti-submarine patrol. 1748 Took station on U.S.S. FOMALHUAT with U.S.S, LANSDOWNE and PC boat screening that vessel to Tulagi Harbor. 1845 Took up patrol off Tulagi Harbor after other vessels of above group entered Tulagi Harbor. 2325 General Quarters. Observed night action between U.S. and Japanese naval forces over the horizon in the area between Savo Island and Point Lunga, Guadalcanal. W. GLENN JONES, Commander, U.S. Navy, Commanding.
DD373/AS Serial ( 087 ) November 27, 1942. CONFIDENTIAL From: The Commanding Officer. To : The Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Fleet. Via: (1) The Commander Amphibious Forces, South Pacific. (2) Commander South Pacific Forces. Subject; Action Report. Enclosure: (A) Type Action Report Form. (B) Executive Officer's Report. 1. Report of participation in an anti-aircraft action is forwarded herewith. The remarks of the Executive Officer given in Enclosure (B) are confirmed. Additional details are given in Enclosure (A). 2. The conduct of the officers and men under my Command was commendable. Although the engagement was the First of it's kind for this vessel, everyone performed their tasks coolly, quietly and efficiently. W. GLENN JONES.
ANTI-AIRCRAFT ACTION BY SURFACE SHIPS LOCATION OF SHIP: Guadalcanal Island USS SHAW (373) DATE November 12, 1942 In company with Task Force 67 NOTES: (a) REPEL ATTACK FIRST - Then collect data for this report. (b) Do not "Gun Deck" this report - if data cannot be estimated with reasonable accuracy enter dash in space for which no data is available. (c) These sheets are to be filled out immediately after action is completed with available data from ship's log, memory, and consultation with ship's officers. Information is essential in order that the effectiveness of our equipment can be determined. Where data is of doubtful accuracy fill in with general terms. The obtaining or this information must not be allowed in any way to adversely affect the handling of equipment during action. 1. SURPRISE ATTACK (Yes or No): No 2. METHOD PICKING PLANE UP (Radar, binoculars, naked eye): Binoculars. (if by radar state type of set) - - - 3. RANGE PLANE WAS PICKED UP (50 miles, 30 miles, 10 miles, less 5 miles): 10 MILES 4. Number of planes: 20 to 24 (2) torpedoes passed vicinity of SHAW. Planes strafed as the attack turned off to right) 5. Type of plane (fighter, Scout, dive-bomber): Twin-engined torpedo planes. Type of attack: Torpedo 6. Speed & Altitude (High and fast, intermediate and fast, low and fast, high and slow, intermediate and slow, low and slow): 50 to 100 feet - Intermediate to slow speed. 7. Guns Firing: All Size: 5"/38; 1.1"/75/20mm Number: 4-5"; 1.1" mount;420mm Method of control: 5"/38Director Method spotting: Tracked from 8,000 to 5,000 - Then shifted to fixed barrage. 8. Ammunition expended: 93 rounds 5°/38; 426 rounds 1.1"/75; 573 rounds 20mm 9. Percent service allowance expended: 10% 5"; 5% 101/75; 5% 20mm 10. Approximate time tracking to first shot: 1½ minutes 11. Approximate time of first hits: --------------- 12. Approximate time first shot to last shot: 1'-15" 13. Approximate position angle open fire: 1° 14. Approximate position cease fire: 3° 15. Approximate bearing first shot: 90° relative 16. Approximate bearing last shot: 50° relative 17. Approximate range first shot: 8,000 yards 18. Approximate range last shot: 1,200 yds. - (Min fuze 2 sec - 1,700yds) 19. Approximate altitude of bomb release: No bombs Type of bomb: - - - 20. Approximate Range Torpedo Release: 3,000 yds. Size: - - - 21. Hits on ship: None Was ship strafed: Yes SIZE GUN: 7.7MM 22. Number near bomb misses: - - - Casualties from near misses: - - 23. Planes shot down: (Sure) 2 (Possible) 1 (Damaged) 3 24. Details of damage to target by gunfire if available: SHAW'S position at head of convoy was ideal. Planes turned across ship after releasing torpedoes, making them close range targets for the 1.1 and 20MM guns. The barrage laid down by all ships undoubtedly was the most important faster in countering the attack. It prevented accurate dropping of torpedoes and as a result no ships were hit. 25. Performance of ammunition (excellent, good, bad, poor): Excellent 26. Pattern sizes (large, small excessive): Normal SKETCH (a) Indicate direction of attack relative to ship's bearing. (b) Show relative position of sun. (c.) Indicate own maneuvers..
DD373/AS Serial ( 087 ) November 27, 1942. CONFIDENTIAL From: The Commanding Officer. To : The Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Fleet. Via: (1) The Commander Amphibious Forces, South Pacific. (2) Commander South Pacific Forces. Subject; Action Report. Enclosure: (A) Type Action Report Form. (B) Executive Officer's Report. 1. Report of participation in an anti-aircraft action is forwarded herewith. The remarks of the Executive Officer given in Enclosure (B) are confirmed. Additional details are given in Enclosure (A). 2. The conduct of the officers and men under my Command was commendable. Although the engagement was the First of it's kind for this vessel, everyone performed their tasks coolly, quietly and efficiently. W. GLENN JONES. DD373/AS November 27, 1942. C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I-A-L From: The Executive Officer. To : The Commanding Officer. Subject; Action Report. 1. On November 12, 1942, this vessel took part in repelling an aircraft torpedo attack on Task Force 67 at Guadalcanal. General Quarters stations were manned at about 1345when word when word of impending attack was received. At 1418, when the Japanese torpedo planes rounded the eastern end of Florida Island this vessel was in screening station as shown in sketch of Type Action Report. As the planes approached the Task Force executed a ninety degree turn to the left placing the planes on the starboard quarter. The planes were tracked deliberately and methodically by all ships. This vessel opened fire with 5" guns at 9,000 yards. The combined fire of all ships set up a withering barrage which forced the attacking planes to maneuver violently to avoid being hit. This undoubtedly was the controlling factor in disturbing the attackers aim to such an extent that no torpedo hits were scored on the convoy. As the planes closed fire was opened with short range weapons. The planes passed well within range of the 20mm guns. The effect of the short range weapons was deadly. Of the twenty to twenty-four planes that attacked the formation no more than nine or ten escaped and these were later overtaken and destroyed by friendly fighters. 2. No important damage was sustained by this vessel. One man received minor leg injuries when a 20mm shell struck the Stores Office, exploded and sprayed shrapnel about the area. 3. The following ammunition was expended during the attack: 93 rounds 5: AA common 426 rounds 1.1" 573 rounds 20mm N.E. CROFT. Lieutenant, U.S. Navy.


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