The night patrols of the surrounding waters prevented any movement or mine laying. On morning of 16 April, these LSM(R)'s were used for rocket attack in support of assault troops. Approximately 2600 rackets were fired into a large area composed principally of the South Eastern sector of the town of le and the Eastern and South Eastern vicinities of Ie-gushuyama. These areas contained considerable lightly constructed revetments, fire trenches, and possible troop concentrations. (Enclosure (B) gives a detailed attack order of both the night harassing operations and invasion day rocket support).
        18 April 1945, while on radar picket station 10 right, LSM(R) 194 opened fire at 1914 on a low flying BETTY. The plane crashes: into sea a few seconds later.
        While on anti-small boat patrol between islands of Le and Okinawa, LSM(R) 196 killed six Japanese swimmers by gunfire in early morning hours before landings on Ie Shima. LSM(R)'s 192, 196, 197, 198, 199, and LC(FF) 535 were ordered to night patrol assignments off Southern Okinawa beaches.
        19 April 1945, the Southern Okinawa patrol launched a rocket attack which supported demonstration landings to be made on Southern Okinawa at 0800. (See enclosure (C) ). Approximately 2300 rockets were fired into four different target areas selected because of their important enemy installation contents. Several large fires in these target areas were observed after the attack. In the late afternoon the LSM(R)'s were assigned to the following radar picket stations:         LSM(R) 190 to Radar Picket Station 10 Left (to relieve LSM(R) 195.
        LSM(R) 192 to Radar Picket Station 1
        LSM(R) 196 to Radar Picket Station 2
        LSM(R) 197 to Radar Picket Station 3
        LSM(R) 198 to Radar Picket Station 4
        LSM(R) 199 to Radar Picket Station 14
        LSM(R) 199 at 1915, was attacked by a BETTY which released a jet propelled bomb or torpedo that missed their ship and exploded in the water.
        20 April 19)45, the following LSM(R)'s were assigned to Radar Picket stations:
        LSM(R) 193 to Radar Picket station 10 Right (to relieve LSM(R) 194)
        LSM(R) 189 to Radar Picket station 2
        LSM(R) 191 to Radar Picket station 1
    B. During all schedule' rocket and harassing operations for the period covered by this report, excellent weather was experienced with winds prevailing from the Northeast with a force of two to ten knots, a mean temperature of 72° and a visibility range from six to eight miles. On two or three days, bad weather was experienced with winds ranging up to twenty knots, heavy sea swells, drizzling rain and poor visibility. During these days practically no logistics could be effected.
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