The USS Hancock

The USS Hancock

The Hanger Bay on the USS Hancock. Wally no doubt walked across this floor many times.

Hancock Memorial containing Wally's name (under Air Group 7)

The USS Hancock was the ship Wally was based on at the time of the Battle off Samar. It was a brand new ship on its very first operational mission when Wally was there. Below is a history of of her actions during that first mission while Wally was there and up until his death (quoted below from her own history records).

"From September 10 to 14, night carrier landing qualifications were completed west of the islands. Twenty-one pilots were qualified. During the daytime, the Gunnery Department exercised at sleeve firing.

On 14th of September while moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, Admiral of the British Fleet, Lord KEYES, Royal Navy; Admiral CHESTER W. NIMITZ, USN; Lieut. General HARMON, USA; Lieut. General BUCKNER, USA; Rear Admiral SHERMAN, USN, accompanied by staff and civilian passengers, came aboard to review exercises. At 1230 that day, 25 VF, 16 VB, 10 VT flew out from the beach and landed aboard. This group was launched again at 1345, and the ship proceeded and moored at starboard side of Pier F-2, N.A.S., Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, T.H. The highest commendation that the ship and air group received on this day's exercise was from Admiral NIMITZ. He said, quote "The HANCOCK and Air Group SEVEN are ready to fight the Japs" unquote.

"OPERATION ONE"

"Operation One," in our history, started on October 6 and was a 25-day jaunt up to the Nansei Shoto Islands (Okinawa and Amami O Shima), Formosa, Luzon, and back to Ulithi.

There were eight strike days during this operations. A strike day is a day when our planes take off to bomb, rocket and strafe any enemy force or installations.

The first day of HANCOCK air action against enemy forces and installations was October 10, when our planes swarmed over Okinawa, Amami O Jima and Mimami Dai to Jima, which are islands in the Nansei Shoto group south of Japan. On this initial day of battle 10 October 1944, the ship launched four deckload strikes against enemy airfields, surface vessels and air installations at Okinawa Jima, North of 26 30' north. A deckload at that time consisted of twelve scout bombers, VB; nine torpedo bombers, VT; and eight fighters, VF. In addition, Ie Jima was reconnoitered and Amami O Jima, Minami Daito Jima and Kita Diato Jima were photographed. During the day, 156 sorties over the targets were flown and 53 tons of bombs dropped by HANCOCK aircraft. The following damage to the enemy: one Jingei-class submarine tender, one large tanker, one medium freighter, one small oiler, one oil barge, one LST and six luggers were sunk. Four medium freighters, two medium oilers, four small oilers and seven luggers or barges were probably sunk; one large freighter and one small freighter were damaged; and seven enemy aircraft were destroyed on the ground. Our own losses consisted of one VB with pilot and crewman, shot down by enemy AA. The element of surprise in this engagement was overwhelming to the enemy. He was literally caught with his "pants down".

October 12, 13 and 14 found us again in action, and we were duly initiated into combat this time. Strikes were launched against Eastern and Northern Formosa, and it is to be noted that it was particularly daring for our task force to enter these waters at this early date, when the Philippines were still Japanese controlled. Those of us who were aboard for the first big air raid against our fleet on the night of October 12 and 13 will never forget it. Our best estimates any that about 90 to 100 Japanese planes were in the raids. We stayed at our battle stations repelling the attacks from the beginning of sunset at about twenty minutes after five (1720 navy time) until four thirty-five the next morning. That makes seven hours and fifteen minutes of attack; but the excitement was so great that most of us thought it was not more than a couple of hours. There was little time to look at our watches to check up on that.

One thing we did learn, and it was an important lesson: we learned that our hours of gunnery exercises and our repeated warnings to keep vigilant were not wasted. We shot down two of the planes that made direct runs on us and saved the HANNAH from what might have been serious damage.

On October 14, one plane scored a fortunate hit on us; and yet, not so fortunate for the Japanese, because although it did make a hole in catwalk, the bomb did not explore until it hit the water alongside the ship and no damage was suffered by us other then the hole.

These operations had been in support of the impending campaign against Leyte. On October 21, we continued them, sending our planes out to hit Masbate, Cebu, Nigros and Panay - all islands in the Philippines. The Leyte landings had been made the day before.

Three days later, our American Patrol planes contacted heavy units of the Jap's Fleet underway in the Visayas. The news was electrifying to us and we turned our course of attack.

That which followed has since been designated "The Second Battle of the Philippine Sea". Our planes did a good job of pickling several enemy ships, scoring damaging hits on a NACHI Class heavy cruiser, and a YAMATO Class battleship. Strikes continued, and we scored additional hits on a KONGO Class battleship, a NACHI Class heavy cruiser, and an AGANO Class light cruiser, The enemy fleet was well covered with smoke from its own fires by this time as October 25 drew to a close.

During the night, the enemy retreated to the Sulu Sea, and our planes pursued the next day. West of Panay hits with 1000-pound bombs were scored on a MOGAMI Class heavy cruiser, and these were followed up by torpedo hits. Later flights reported this ship sunk.

Shortly after this time, but still before morning had passed, an AGANO Class light cruiser was sighted, also west of Panay. Torpedo attacks polished this one off with terrific explosions and we now had two large warships to our credit. But the day was not completed. Our planes returned in the afternoon and sank a 5000-ton landing ship. HANNAH, in the Second Philippine Sea Battle, has done her part."

Formation of TBM Avengers from the USS Hancocks bomber squadron  flying support for the invasion of Okinawa

This photo of the USS Hancock carries the caption " October 25, 1944" so this is how the deck of the ship appeared on the day of Wally's last mission