ENCLOSURE "D"

USS LST 125

FLEET POST OFFICE

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

25 JUNE 1944

From: The Gunnery Officer

To: The Commanding Officer

1. General quarters sounded and as I went through the wheel house, someone said "they're coming in; this is the real thing." When I arrived on the Conn, I did not see any enemy planes. Someone said the planes were approaching from our starboard beam. I looked in that direction just in time to see the USS Stemble fire their guns at a plane coming across their stern and headed directly for us. As soon as I could get my phones on, I passed the word, "Enemy planes coming in at 90 Degrees Rel., very low", and I followed immediately with the order "40mm's Commence Firing." When I gave the order to fire, the plane was about 2000 yards from us. Everything had happened so quickly that there was no time for group control officers to pass word to me concerning the manning of their guns. (I found out later that the guns were being fired by whatever portion of their crews were there.) The plane turned left slightly and passed astern of us. I then looked around and saw two plane!s approaching us at 45 Degrees Rel. I immediately passed the word, "Two enemy planes approaching bearing 45 Degrees, position angle 10 Degrees, Forward and Midship Groups Commence firing." One of these planes burst into flames and fell about 700 yards from us near another LST. The other plane was on fire and fell near the horizon in a cloud of smoke and fire. I did not see any torpedoes or bombs dropped though the planes looked like "Kates". I looked around and could not see any more planes. After a few minutes I received reports from my Group Control Officers and had the After Repair Party bring up ammunition to replace that fired. We stayed at General Quarters until after dark, and no more planes were sighted.

(Signed)

C. W. Kinslow,

Ensign, USNR