A BRIEF HISTORY OF LCS(L) (3) 105

based on the diary of

Vince Mancuso, Radioman

 

The LCS 105 was commissioned at 1000 on March 5, 1945, at Portland, Oregon.  On the 16^th she departed for Astoria, Oregon, arriving at 1630, in company with LCS 75.  She then left Astoria for San Diego, arriving there on March 23^rd.

 

LCS 105 departed San Diego on May 3^rd for Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, as flagship of Flotilla Five, with Commodore McIsaac aboard, and Lt. Joyce, his aide, and others of his staff.  The 105 arrived in Pearl Harbor  on May 12, and while there we bought a movie projector for $464.00 and showed the movie “Fighting Lady”.

 

At Pearl Harbor the ship moved from Kewala Basin to the West Loch, where ammo was exchanged for smokeless powder.  Then on May 25^th the 105 got underway for Eniwetok, Marshall Islands, with Captain McIsaac aboard LC(FF) 1083 as Flotilla Five Commander.

 

The 105 crossed the International Dateline on May 30th, where May 31^st was lost, and on June 5 she entered Eniwetok Atoll.  On June 9 the 105 departed Eniwetok  for Guam.  General Quarters was then being held at sunrise and sunset.  The Japanese-held island of Truk was passed, and on June 13 the 105 arrived in Guam, Marianas Islands.  On June 20 the 105 got underway for Saipan, a 200-mile trip.  The next day she arrived in Saipan at 0815 and anchored near the battleship NEVADA. 

 

The 105 next departed Saipan for the seven-day trip to Okinawa.  A PC Patrol Craft was along with us as an escort.  We arrived in Okinawa on July 2, and on July 3^rd there were two air raids, at 0400 and 2030. From July 4 through July 13, the 105 served on radar picket patrol with destroyers.  There were several air alerts.

 

The 105 escorted a Geographic Survey Ship to several small islands southeast of Okinawa, and then anchored just off the island of Aguni Shima.  On July 17 there were storm warnings of a typhoon heading in our direction, so we moved to the other side of the island.  One Jap Jill was shot down, and we lost one of our fighters there. On July 19 the 105 moved to Kerama Retto, and changed positions several times because of a typhoon.  An LST was abandoned there because of loss of power and water.

 

The 105 then returned to Okinawa, anchoring in the vicinity of Naha.  There were three air alerts, and one merchant ship in Iheya Shima was hit and another in Buckner Bay caught fire. The 105 received an urgent message on July 30 to proceed to a certain area and search for a downed pilot.  We reported to the area but were unsuccessful.  We then returned to the anchorage after dark, after which there were more air alerts.  On August 1 we made preparations for a typhoon heading our way.

 

The atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6.  It was said to have devastated 415 square miles.  Then on the 9^th another bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. Fifteen-hundred carrier-based planes also made a bombing run on Japan, and Russia declared war on Japan.

 

On August 12 the PENNSYLVANIA was a mile from us when a Japanese torpedo plane sneaked in low and torpedoed it.  The men were transferred to different ships, and after much work the PENNSYLVANIA was saved.  On August 13 the 105 got underway for Tacloban, Leyte in the Philippines, accompanied by  25 LCSs and 9 LCIs.

 

Japan surrendered on August 15, and on VJ Day, September 2, the 105 was still at Leyte.  It was no different than any other day except we were allowed to blow our fog horns and fire pyrotechnics.  We were to leave for Okinawa on the 15^th, but a typhoon delayed us.  On the 17^th we did leave for Okinawa, and were now able to use sailing lights, making it a lot different traveling at night.  All of Flotilla Five and a few LCIs were with us.

 

We received orders on September 19 that as soon as we left Okinawa we were to sail for Sasebo, Japan for occupation duty. On September 25 LCS division 28 left Sasebo for Nagasaki.  The division consisted of LCSs 102, 103, 104, 105, 106 and 107, with 103 acting as flag.  We found Nagasaki to be surrounded by hills and mountains, like Sasebo, and while there we sailed up a narrow gorge.

 

The 105 went on anti-suicide boat patrol on September 26,  going back and forth in front of a certain area..  On the 28^th, our first day of harbor entrance patrol, we were stationed in the outer harbor giving berth numbers and instructions to ships that came in. 

 

  On October 2, LCS 105 took aboard 50 marines serving in the occupation of Japan. The sea was rough and most of them got sick.  The first place we landed was Konoura.  After they straightened out things they spent the night on shore, and we moved to a better-sheltered area until morning.  The 105 came back to Konoura on the next day and took the marines back aboard.  The next village was Nanatsugams.  The water had calmed so they stayed aboard this night.  On the 4^th there was another landing at the village of Pomi-Yuma.  We headed back to Nagasaki and the marines were taken off. 

 

Two days later we were back on harbor entrance patrol.   The LCSs that left with us at Sasebo had gone to China, and LCSs 102, 104, 106 and 107 had gone to Sasebo to replace them.  All that remained at Nagasaki were the 103 and the 105. The 105 was relieved of harbor entrance patrol duty on November 3^rd, and on the 4^th we headed back to Sasebo, having been notified that we were no longer in the 5^th fleet, but we were now assigned to the 7^th fleet.

 

On November 27, in Sasebo, we were busy.  Three days of harbor patrol, busier than Nagasaki.  We received orders to sail for Taku, China, and on December 2 the 105 left the harbor of Sasebo for Taku.  We were issued foul weather gear, including two pair of long underwear.  On the 6^th we anchored at Taku, China Cove, at 0715.

 

The 105 received orders on December 9 to proceed to Tientsin on the Pieping River to relieve LSM 432 as SOPA (Senior Officer Present Afloat) there.  We departed at 1200 and arrived at Tientsin after dark at 1745.

 

Men started leaving the ship on January 3^rd, 1946 to go home.  On the 15^th we got word to prepare to go to sea, destination Tsingtao.  Three days later the 105 left Tientsin to go downriver for five hours.  At Tsingtao we went on seven days availability, during which time we went into drydock to have the sides painted and the screws adjusted. 

 

The 105 left Tsingtao on February 5 and  headed for Mokpo, South Korea.  On the 6^th, with the water rough, we proceeded into Mokpo in the morning at high tide, and on the 7^th, tied up to a floating dock.  We departed Mokpo on February 23 for Kunsau to meet LCS 103 and proceed to Tsingtao, arriving there on the 26^th.  On March 5, LCS 105 celebrated its first birthday.

 

LCS 105 got underway on March 9 for Shanghai.  On the next day  we sighted a mine and sank it, and two days later arrived in Shanghai.

 

On April 8 LCSs 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 77, 78, 96, 102 and 104 got underway for home.  The 103, 105 and 107 were to wait for the 106 to return from Hankow and then join the others in Okinawa.  We cast off lines and started our journey to Guam on April 15.  On the 16^th we were sailing in green water, expecting to reach the blue by nightfall.  The water was calm.  On the 17^th around noon we passed Okinawa on the way home.  

 

We reached Guam on April 23 where all the LCSs  were flying the going-home pennant.  We left Guam on the 24^th on a 17-day trip to Pearl, accompanied by LCSs 103, 106, 107, 43 and LST 952.  On the 23^rd, LCS 103 developed engine trouble, couldn’t maintain convoy speed, and returned to Guam.

 

On May 5 we crossed the International Dateline again at 1630, and had two Sundays.  We entered Pearl Harbor on May 10, and four days later we left for the U.S.A.  Enroute our destination was changed from San Francisco to Astoria, Oregon.

 

In late May we entered Astoria harbor, where many LCSs were anchored.  On May 26^th we proceeded up the Columbia River to Portland,  arriving at Swan Island.  By June 1, crew members were leaving for Great Lakes Naval Station and discharge.