Friday October 13, 1944
“It was shortly before sunset on October 13, 1944, while the Canberra was in the protecting screen of ships around the aircraft carriers which were recovering their planes following a raid on Formosa, that seven Japanese torpedo bombers attacked the task force”.
Headquarters, First Naval District
2016.8.9
USS Canberra with Task Force 38. 10/10/44.
Naval History and Heritage Command
Excerpts from the Canberra’s Ships Log (below) detail the events immediately before and after the torpedo exploded on the starboard side just below the armor belt at 6:35 pm.
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USS Canberra Reunion Association
The plane which launched the torpedo was identified as a Betty or a Francis
USS Canberra CA-70 War Damage Report
Betty: Mitsubishi G4M
Francis: Yokosuka P1Y
2016.8.2
Page from the Japanese Operation Aircraft Bulletin describing a Francis.
Naval History and Heritage Command
“The extent of structural damage is consistent with that to be expected from the Type 91, Mod. 3 torpedo which was the type used most frequently by the Japanese. “
USS Canberra CA-70 War Damage Report
Type 91 Mod-3 Specifications:
- Weight: 1872 lbs
- Length: 216″
- Explosive Charge: 529 lbs
- Range: 2200 yards
- Speed: 41-43 knots
- Propulsion: Kerosene-air Wet-Heater
navweaps.com
2016.6.2
Type 91 Torpedo on aircraft carrier deck
Wikipedia.com
Around 6:50 pm, as Canberra’s crew was stabilizing the ship, the Wichita was detailed to begin towing operations.
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Notes from the Witchita Boatswain’s log book.
USS Canberra Reunion Association
From Oct. 13 to Dec 1., 1944 several ships took part in towing the Canberra from the Formosa area to the Manus floating dry dock. According to Canberra’s ship’s log the average speed was around 4 knots.
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Tug Munsee towing Canberra 10/15/44.
USS Canberra Reunion Association
Admiral William F. Halsey Jr., in his autobiography Admiral Halsey’s Story, recalls the decision to create the “Bait Division”:
“Should we abandon the Canberra and sink her, and withdraw the rest of the fleet? Or should we try to tow her home, at price of a running fight throughout most of those 1,300 miles? We decided to fight our way out.“
But, after the Houston was torpedoed on October 13, 1944, Admiral Halsey realized the situation was getting worse. He considered sinking the Canberra and Houston and running beyond the range of the Japanese ground based aircraft.
“Mick Carney and Rollo Wilson, who had succeeded Ray Thurber as my Operations officer, talked me out of it. They even persuaded me that we had a chance to make capital of our handicap. Our basic orders, they pointed out, stated that “in case opportunity for the destruction of a major portion of the enemy fleet offers or can be created, such destruction will become the primary task.” Here was that opportunity, right in our laps. The enemy already believed that he had cut our fleet to pieces, and had announced that he was pursuing its remnants. Why not hide our real strength, lure him into attacking the task group around the cripples, in the supposition that these were the remnants, and then spring the trap and blow him out of the water?
Why not, indeed?”
Crippled Division 1 was reinforced and “rechristened” the Bait Division. Halsey ordered that distress messages be sent and two other task groups were ordered to intercepting positions east of the bait division and beyond the range of Japanese search planes.
Admiral Halsey’s Story
2016.8.8
Naval History and Heritage Command
On October 16, the task group shot down fifty of the sixty planes that attacked, but the Houston was torpedoed again.
It is believed that a plane may have got off a message to warn the Japanese of the trap.
Although the trap failed, Canberra and Houston eventually arrived safely at Ulithi.
Admiral Halsey’s Story
2016.8.1
USS Canberra is in the background
Naval History and Heritage Command
After leaving Ulithi under tow on November 10, Canberra arrived at the floating dry dock ABSD #2 in Seeadler Harbor, Manus, Admiralty Islands on December 1, 1944.
USS Canberra Ships Log
2016.8.10
USS Killen, USS Canberra, USS Claxton in the ABSD #2 floating drydock 12/2/44.
Naval History and Heritage Command
On December 1, a volunteer salvage party entered the #3 and #4 fire rooms and discovered the bodies of the men who perished. Their remains were brought topside for identification and later turned over to the base medical officer. On December 4, the body of Harold Horner was removed from the #3 fire room. It was also delivered to the base medical officer.
The Battered Remnants of the Blue Fleet. A book written by Walter Raczynski, sailor aboard the USS Canberra when it was torpedoed.
The remaining crew of the Canberra managed to survive the air attack on October 13 and the slow, vulnerable journey from the battle zone to the relative safety of the Admiralty Islands. There, the ship was repaired and made ready for the trip back to Boston for permanent repairs which allowed it to continue its role in the naval fleet.