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LCS(L)(3)-42
U.S.S. L.C.S. (L) (3) 42 MAR.13,1945
FLAGSHIP (CENOUT)
TO THE OFFICERS AND MEN OF L.C.S. (L) GROUP TWO;
ALL OF YOU ARE TO BE HIGHLY COMMENDED FOR THE OPERATION (CEN.OUT)WHICH IS ABOUT TO BE CONCLUDED. NOBODY REALIZES BETTER THAN MYSELF WHAT LITTLE TRAINING AND PREPARATION YOU HAD ABOARD YOUR OWN SHIPS FOR THE TASK YOU HAVE BEEN DOING. YET IN SPITE OF THIS AND IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT MOST OF YOU WERE UNDER FIRE FOR THE FIRST TIME, YOUR ACTIONS WERE AT ALL TIMES AS GOOD OR BETTER THAN THE HIGH STANDARD SET BY THE NAVY. I AM PROUD TO HAVE THIS PRESENT UNIT OF THREE SHIPS UNDER MY COMMAND.
ERRORS WERE MADE, IT IS ONLY NATURAL TO EXPECT THEM IN THE FIRST ACTION OF ANY COMBAT GROUP. AMONG THE FOREMOST OF THESE WAS THE ATTITUDE OF COMPLACANCY WHICH PREVAILED FROM J-4 WHEN WE SET SAIL UNTIL J-1 WHEN WE WERE FIRED UPON FOR THE FIRST TIME. IT TOOK THAT SHOCK AND THE FOLLOWING ACTION TO DRIVE UPON US THAT THE ENEMY IS A SMART ONE IN MANY WAYS. SO, PROFIT BY THESE ERRORS. RECOGNIZE THEM OPENLY AND CORRECT THEM. DO NOT UNDERSELL THE JAP. HE HAS A BAG FULL OF TRICKS AND ONLY YOUR CONSTANT VIGILANCE WILL GUARANTEE SUCCESS AGAINST THE ENEMY WITH A MINIMUM OF LOSS TO OURSELVES.
YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO OBSERVE THAT NO ONE MAN, NO ONE SHIP, AND NO ONE UNIT CAN GET ALONG WITHOUT THE ACTIVE AND WILLING SUPPORT AND COOPERATION OF THE OTHERS. THAT SHOULD BE A LESSON IN TEAM WORK. FOR THE SUCCESS OF THE OPERATION,ALL MEN, ALL SHIPS AND ALL UNITS WORKED TOGETHER AS A SMOOTH WORKING TEAM. IT IS THE SAME IN THIS GAME OF WAR AS IN ANY OTHER GAME WITH BUT ONE EXCEPTION, THERE CAN BE NO RETURN ENGAGEMENTS. THE FIRST ONE MUST GO OVER.
YOUR ACTION DOES NOT MERIT MY CONGRATULATIONS ALONE. THE PUBLICITY MEN ABOARD THE L.C.S. 42 HAVE BEEN ON TWELVE OTHER INVASIONS IN THIS AREA INCLUDING LINGAYEN. THEIR OPINION IS THAT THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING TO COMPARE WITH YOUR MARCH WITH THE MINESWEEPERS DOWN THE WHOLE LENGTH OF THE BEACH WITH THE EVER PRESENT POSSIBILITY OF BEING BLOWN OUT OF THE WATER COOLY IGNORED. THE COMMANDER OF THE SWEEPER UNIT REPORTED THAT HE HAS NEVER SWEPT A BEACH WITH MORE CONFIDANCE IN HIS SAFETY AFTER THE FIRST FEW MINUTES OF THE ACTION SHOWED WHAT YOU COULD DO. THE OFFICERS OF THE CRUISER (CEN.OUT) REMARKED VERY FAVORABLY UPON THE WHOLE OF OUR MISSION HERE. THE FLAG ITSELF ISSUED A "WELL DONE", SHORT OF INDIVIDUAL AWARDS, THAT IS THE NAVY'S HIGHEST PRAISE.
CARRY ON IN THE FUTURE WITH YOUR PRESENT AGGRESSIVE SPIRIT AND WITH WHAT YOU HAVE JUST LEARNED AND NOTHING CAN STOP YOU.
MAYNES C. FITZGERALD
COMMANDER L.C.S. (L) GROUP TWO
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