Mr. Huggins said that Mr. Mills might be able to send me a directory of your association, so I asked him in the letter I wrote him. I would like to see if I recognize any of the names from some of the stories Dad told me, and maybe get in touch with them. I would especially like to find a guy named Eddie Niziolek from the Chicago area. He found my Dad laid out under a canvass with some other guys who were killed in the action , saw him breathe and got him help. He probably saved his life and I'd like to thank him for that.

I've been putting all I can find in the way of pictures and stories he told in a scrapbook to give my son. If any of you knew my Dad, I'd love to hear from you and add your letter to my book. I'd also appreciate any help in finding anyone who might remember him.

When I was a boy I remember being really impressed by his ribbons and Purple Heart Medal the first time I saw them. He was my hero and I loved to hear the stories he sometimes told. When I grew up and learned what all those things really meant and I heard some stories he had told no one else but Mom, I really understood why he should always be my hero.

Thanks for your time and help. I look forward to hearing from you, and please feel free to give my address to anyone interested.

Sincerely,
Dave Newman
2117 15th Street
Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44223

Dave Newman -  2117 15^th St. - Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44233

Dear Dave,

More information concerning the battle in which your Dad was wounded. I am dragging this out of records accumulated by myself as editor for our ships paper the Hubble-Bubble.

In mid-October, she steamed back to Hawaii; trained until the end of the month; then moved on across the Pacific, via Ulithi and Kossol Roads, to the Philippines, arriving in Leyte Gulf on 16 November.

During the next ten days, she patrolled in the gulf and in Surigao Strait, adding her batteries to the antiaircraft guns protecting shipping in the area. Shortly before noon on the 27th, a formation of 12 to 14 enemy planes attacked the cruiser's formation. St. LOUIS was unscathed in the brief battle. A request was made for CAP cover, but Japanese planes continued to command the air. At 1130, another 10 enemy planes filled the space vacated by the first flight and broke into three attack groups of four, four, and two. At 1138, a Val, hit and aflame, made a suicide dive on St. Louis from the port quarter and exploded with its bomb on impact. Fires broke out in the cruiser's hanger area and spaces. All crew members of 20 millimeter guns 7 through 10 were killed or wounded.

"Val"  Dive bomber

At 1139, a second burning enemy plane headed at her on the port beam. Flank speed was rang up and the rudder was put hard right. The plane passed over number 4 turret and crashed 100 yards out.

At 1146, there was still no CAP cover over the cruiser's formation; and, at 1151, two more enemy planes, both burning, attacked St. LOUIS. The first was splashed off the port quarter; the second dove in from starboard and crashed almost on board on the port side. A 20-foot section of armor belt was lost and numerous holes were torn in her hull. By 1152, the ship had taken on a list to port.

At 1210, another suicide-minded Japanese pilot closed St. LOUIS. He was stopped 400 yards astern. Ten minutes later, enemy torpedo planes moved in to attack. St. LOUIS warned by a PT boat, barely avoided contact with a lethal package dropped by one of the planes.

By 1236, the cruiser was back on even keel. Thirty minutes later, all major fires were out; and salvage work had been started. Medical work was well under way; 15 were dead, 1 was missing; 21 were seriously wounded; 22 sustained minor injuries. On the 28th, the seriously injured were transferred; and, on the 30th, she put into San Pedro Bay for temporary repairs which allowed her to reach California towards the end of December.

EXCERPT FROM: (Here comes the Marines!!!)

William Troy: Minneapolis, MN
This is a battle station experience on Nov. 27, 1944.

We were strafed in Leyte Gulf by diving Jap suicide planes. I was stationed on the 40 mm mount, port side forward and below the bridge.  We were firing at incoming planes, as fast as the loaders could get the clips in, and we ran out of stored ammunition (remember the racks around the gun tubs). I instinctively jumped up a half deck to where the ammo was stored in canisters. Opening the canisters, I started handing the shells to the gun captain. As I was doing this, I noticed shells hitting the water near me, which was being fired from a Jap plane, I think it was a "Betty" bomber that was directly overhead.

Jap "Hamp" hit and burning

Soon after, a Jap plane that we were firing at lost a wing and hit our port side bow, about 18 feet directly below our gun mount. It knocked off 15 foot of armor plating and penetrated the armory. Soon after this we took a kamikaze on the fantail just aft of No 5 turret. The explosion of its bomb brought our bow out of the water. I thought we were going to sink, but of course "The Ole Lucky Lou" survived

As remembered by Harry E. "HEP" Price - 28561 Hardiman Rd.  Madison, AL - 35756

 Early morning, November 28, 1944. Leyte Gulf in the Philippines.

The St. Louis was on patrol in the inner circle of a 50 mile wide formation. I am at general quarters as we were to refuel. My general quarter station was Repair Party #3 as a telephone operator to the bridge. Repair Party #3 station was located on the 2nd deck aft one compartment forward of the Chiefs' quarters. SUDDENLY! Over the telephone came a report of six (6) Japanese planes diving towards the St. Louis. I relayed this message to the OIC of Repair Party #3. He immediately took over the telephone and told me to go to my secondary battle station. My secondary battle station was assistant nozzle-man on the starboard 3" water hose. Tex Lobaugh, my best buddy, also a radioman, was the nozzle-man (6', 180 lbs). As I left the OIC to go to my station. a "Kamikaze" hit aft of the #5 turret and near the seaplane catapult.

The concussion was deafening. The bunks and lockers in the crews compartment were falling all over the deck. The OIC gave our crew orders to open the bulkhead hatch to the Chiefs' quarters and check for fire, damage and casualties.

Lobaugh opened the hatch and smoke began to pour through the opening. The OIC said shut the hatch, which we did. Then, the OIC said turn on the water hose and then open the hatch. We did. As Lobaugh stepped over the hatch, he tripped and in doing so, he lost his grip on the nozzle. Now, can you see a 5'-six inch, 135 lb, 18 year old sailor trying to control the nozzle of a 3" high pressure water hose ?? this hose was slapping side to side in the doorway. Finally, after yelling for help, another man helped me get the hose under control.  Lobaugh and I then, after donning gas masks, proceeded on into the Chiefs' quarters. The bunks on the starboard side were all smoking or smoldering, even though they were water proof, smoke completely filled the compartment. Fans were installed to dissipate the smoke and Lobaugh and I put out the smoldering fires on the bunks.

After the fires were put out and the smoke was cleared, I helped inspect the compartment for damage and casualties. Along with the fire damage to the bunks there was no electrical power. There was a huge bomb blasted hole through the aft compartment bulkhead, and into the elevator compartment that housed the seaplanes'

There was one casualty in the chiefs' head. John Marshall Powell, CMM. We called the medic and after he announced Powells' death the OIC told Lobaugh and I to take his body topside. AN EXPERIENCE!! It left me weak and shaky.

Following a brief rest and having received solace, inspection, chewing gum and a shot of intoxicating liquid from Chaplain Connolly, I continued to help clean-up the Chiefs' compartment. Later, I assisted in taking the body of Clyde Roe Boyd, ARM2c, USN from the hanger deck compartment to topside.

EXCERPT FROM: Stephen Polchert:

It was with great interest that I read about your (Hep's first battle Vol.4) first battle on the Lucky Lou. I came aboard about the same time you did in 1944. The morning you described is so vivid.

I was on watch in the aft engine room, Early that morning I was sent up to wake-up the watch. I went aft to the Chiefs' quarters and woke up Chief Powell. I knocked on his door and I heard him answer. I headed back to the engine room and, then I heard and felt the Kamikaze hit the ship. I was the last person to speak to Chief Powell. I surely prayed a lot aboard ship and I am certain it helped pull me through the war.

EXCERPT FROM: John Hinds: (Deceased)

"As a gunners-mate in the 5th Division manning the 1.1's, 20mm, and 40mm anti-aircraft guns, I had lots of training and watch standing,.....Yet..... when its time to shoot for real it's over in seconds, especially, when airplanes are involved.

I was first loader on a quad 40mm at Green Island. I suppose I may have put 6 or 8 clips (4 rounds to a clip) into the gun, when a bomb from a Val dive bomber went through the deck on our gun platform causing the ammunition in the ready room, under the gun, to start exploding just like a string of firecrackers. Later, the Captain came back to inspect the damage. He wanted to know who was sitting in the trainers' seat.   One of the guys spoke up and said "He was". The Captain then replied. "If I were you, I would go to church Sunday or better yet, I would go before Sunday".

At Leyte Gulf we were at GQ. I was on the fantail 20mm, port side. We had gone through a lot of air alerts so I was not too shook-up, UNTIL....a plane made a run on a ship up ahead of us. After dropping his bomb, he was headed up and out, when he lost his vertical stabilizer. This caused him to go into an upside down spin until he hit the water. (One dizzy Jap when he died, I'll bet).