- USS Terror (CM-5)
USS "Terror" (CM-5) was laid down on
3 September 1940 by the Philadelphia Navy Yard; launched on6 June 1941 ; sponsored by Mrs. Ralph A. Bard; and commissioned on15 July 1942 ,Commander Howard Wesley Fitch in command.Following fitting out and shakedown, "Terror"—the Navy's only
minelayer built specifically for minelaying —arrived at New York on30 October 1942 to prepare for her first large-scale operation. With Task Group 38.3, the new minelayer sortied the harbor on2 November and set her course forNorth Africa . Rain squalls, strong winds, and heavy seas forced the convoy to alter its course, but its goal remained the same—the support and reinforcement ofOperation Torch .At dawn on
14 November , "Terror" parted company with the convoy and, escorted by a single destroyer, made her way at convert|20|kn|km/h to the newly taken port ofCasablanca . Sunken ships added to the congestion of the harbor as "Terror" fueled USS "Miantonomah" (CMc-5) and supplied that vessel with mines. "Terror" then prepared for her primary mission at Casablanca and the task for which she had been designed, minelaying. Her sortie was delayed on the morning of the 16th due to continued congestion in the harbor. Later, as "Terror's" crew made ready to get underway, they discovered that a large, "old fashioned" anchor with a heavy chain was fouling the ship's starboard anchor chain. After correcting this problem, "Terror" got underway in company with two minesweepers and, in short order, began laying the minefield which would protect the ships in the harbor. When completed, shortly before dark the same day, the minefield provided Allied shipping a protected channel entrance to Casablanca, stretching seven miles (11 km) out from El Hank Light, a formidable barrier for any marauding enemysubmarine to penetrate. Steaming at convert|16|kn|km/h, "Terror" made her way back to the port just as night fell.On the following day, despite the obstacles imposed by rudimentary receiving facilities on shore and an extreme shortage of lighters, "Terror" unloaded her cargo of depth charges and ammunition, using a salvaged tank lighter and several wooden
barge s. Having accomplished her mission, "Terror" departed Casablanca and rendezvoused with a convoy bound for the east coast of theUnited States . Strong head winds, heavy seas, and the slowness of the convoy made it difficult for "Terror" to keep her station. Off theVirginia Capes , "Terror" was detached from the convoy and made for the Naval Mine Depot, Yorktown. She arrived on30 November to commence overhaul and training.In the months that followed, "Terror" operated out of Yorktown, making frequent voyages to the
Chesapeake Bay for exercises and occasionally stopping at Norfolk for repairs or overhaul. Often students from the Mine Warfare Training Facility came on board for instruction tours. Meanwhile, members of "Terror's" crew, when not attending classes ashore, participated in drills, training, and exercises in gunnery, mine warfare, and damage control. In February, the minelayer assisted "Nuthatch" (AM-60) as that vessel tested the Mark 10 "hedgehog" off Yorktown. After receiving additional antiaircraft guns in May, "Terror" participated in tactical exercises in the Chesapeake Bay through the summer.Late in September, she began loading mines in preparation for her departure from the
Atlantic coast. At Norfolk, she rendezvoused with Task Unit 29.2.5; and, on2 October , she got underway for the Canal Zone andPacific ports. On the morning of19 October , she passed under theGolden Gate Bridge and anchored inSan Francisco Bay . The next day, she departed the west coast and steamed viaPearl Harbor to the Ellice Islands.She arrived at
Funafuti on9 November , unloaded pontoon barges, and took onfresh water . During the nearly three weeks she remained at Funafuti, "Terror" supported the many small craft which surveyed and mined the approaches to theatoll , supplying them with provisions, water, repairs, and medical services. At the same time, she assisted in the conversion of a 1,500-ton covered lighter into abarracks for a construction battalion, sending skilled personnel to speed the work and providing water and mess facilities for the battalion until the task was completed. On the 17th, "Terror's" gunners fired on the enemy for the first time whenJapan ese planes bombed the runway on Funafuti. The Japanese raiders dropped 40 bombs near the airstrip, causing a fire which burned for an hour. Another alert followed in the afternoon, but no further action occurred. "Terror" laid mooring buoys in the anchorage before getting underway for Hawaii on28 November . Early in December, she loaded mines and gear at Pearl Harbor; then set her course for Tarawa, where she provided heavy equipment and mines for mine details. At night, searchlights from shore combed the dark, spotting enemy planes in an attempt to foil the persistent Japanese raiders.On Christmas day, "Terror" got underway. She delivered mines and heavy equipment to units at
Espiritu Santo andGuadalcanal before arriving at Makin Island on18 January 1944 . The minelayer anchored in thelagoon while her boats surveyed the passes in thereef . She then readied a self-propelled barge to mine the channels. She departed Makin on the 28th and proceeded independently to Tarawa where she embarked Mine Detail 19. On the last day of January, she got underway for Pearl Harbor and took on passengers for transportation to San Francisco. After a three-day stay, she departed the west coast on21 February with over 500 passengers on board, accommodated on a temporary wooden deck constructed over the tracks on the mine deck. She discharged her passengers at Pearl Harbor on the 26th; then steamed on toMajuro , where she arrived on10 March .During the rest of March and into April, she conducted minelaying operations in the
Marshall Islands before getting underway for theHawaiian Islands on22 April . There, she underwent repairs, loaded mines, and participated in gunnery exercises before departing on24 May . In the following months, she carried ammunition, mines, and bombs to the Marshalls andMariana Islands , returning once to Pearl Harbor to load ammunition. On17 August , she departedOahu —this time setting her course for the west coast. "Terror" arrived at San Francisco on the 24th for drydocking and overhaul. On9 September , she got underway carrying a cargo of ammunition. After loading mines and minesweeping gear at Pearl Harbor, she steamed toUlithi where she began defensive mining operations.On
15 October , "Terror" was transferred from ServRon 6 to Minecraft Pacific Fleet. During October and November, she carried cargos to the Marianas, Carolines, and Admiralties. On25 November , she entered the Navy Yard at Pearl Harbor for repairs and alterations to accommodate the staff of Commander, Minecraft Pacific Fleet. On6 January 1945 , "Terror" assumed duty as theflagship ofRear Admiral Alexander Sharp.For two weeks, "Terror" conducted exercises out of Pearl Harbor. Then, on
22 January , she got underway and proceeded via Eniwetok to the Carolines. At Ulithi, "Terror" supplied mines and gear to minecraft preparing for the invasion ofIwo Jima . She then steamed on toTinian to act as tender for minecraft in that second staging area. On13 February , she departed the Marianas setting her course for the Volcano Islands.At 0717 on
17 February , "Terror" arrived in the fire support area off the east coast of Iwo Jima. Pre-assault bombardment and minesweeping were well underway when fire from guns on the clifflined shore began to interfere with minesweepers operating close inshore, north of the eastern beaches. "Terror" closed the shore to convert|10000|yd and, for 20 minutes, added her five-inch (127 mm) gunfire to the bombardment in an attempt to aid the small craft. Nevertheless, the formidable barrage put out by the enemy began to take its toll as first "Pensacola" (CA-24) and then "Leutze" (DD-481) suffered hits. Shortly after noon, damaged landing craft began coming alongside the tender for assistance. "Terror" acted as a casualty evacuation vessel for minesweepers and small craft acting in support of underwater demolition teams. Soon her medical facilities were severely taxed. One after another of these small craft came alongside to transfer their wounded and to receive assistance in repairing their vessels. "Terror" continued her duties off Iwo Jima until 1835 on19 February when she headed for the Marianas.On
21 February , she transferred battle casualties to an Armyhospital atSaipan ; then steamed to Ulithi, where she arrived on the 23rd. At that base, she serviced and supplied minecraft staging for the assault on Okinawa. She arrived offKerama Retto on24 March to act as flagship and tender for minecraft. "Terror" operated off Kerama Retto until the morning of the 29th when she anchored in that island's harbor. There, despite the constant danger ofkamikaze attacks, she performed her dual role as tender and flagship. Her entire complement labored long hours to maintain the supply of water, oil, gear, and ammunition required by mine-craft in the area. At the same time, her resources were further strained by the duties imposed by her status as flagship.On the morning of
2 April 1945, Japanese planes penetrated the harbor. "Terror" took two of the attackers under fire and witnessed the splashing of one plane only convert|600|yd away. In the following days, "Terror"— responding to warnings to be prepared for attacks by Japanese planes, swimmers, and suicide boats—stationed special night sentries on deck and in a picket boat to intercept any ingenious attackers. Predicted mass air attacks materialized on6 April when Japanese planes pounded the harbor at Kerama Retto for four hours, coming in on "Terror" from all quarters and keeping her gunners busy. The tender joined other ships in downing two Japanese planes and furnished rescue boats, clothing, and treatment for the survivors of "LST-447" and SS "Logan Victory".Throughout April, "Terror" remained at Kerama Retto providing logistic services and receiving casualties from ships hit by kamikazes. Combat air patrols kept raiders outside the harbor most of the time; but, on
28 April , USS "Pinkney" (APH-2)—anchored nearby—was hit by a suicide plane. "Terror" fired on the enemy aircraft, sent boats to "Pinkney's" aid, and treated many casualties. During the long and arduous month of April, "Terror's" crew went to general quarters 93 times, for periods ranging from seven minutes to six and one-half hours.Minutes before 0400 on
1 May 1945, as "Terror" lay at anchor in Kerama Retto, a kamikaze dove toward the ship. Darting through a hole in the smoke screen and coming in on "Terror's" port beam, the attacker banked sharply around the stern, then came in from the starboard quarter so rapidly that only one of the minelayer's stern guns opened fire. As the plane crashed into the ship's communication platform, one of its bombs exploded. The other penetrated the main deck before it, too, exploded. The aircraft's engine tore through the ship's bulkheads to land in the wardroom. Fire flared immediately in the superstructure but was soon controlled and, within two hours, was extinguished. Flooding of the magazines prevented possible explosions, and no engineering damage occurred, but the kamikaze had exacted its toll. The attack cost "Terror" 171 casualties: 41 dead, 7 missing, and 123 wounded.The following day, the battered ship was moored to "Natrona" (APA-214) for emergency repairs. She got underway on the 8th to rendezvous with a convoy bound for Saipan. Since a survey of the vessel revealed that her damage was too great to be repaired in a forward area, "Terror" steamed via Eniwetok and Pearl Harbor to the west coast. She reached San Francisco on
1 June 1945, unloaded ammunition, and then began her overhaul.Her repairs completed, she departed San Francisco Bay on
15 August and steamed forKorea via the Hawaiian Islands, Saipan, and Okinawa. Moored in Buckner Bay on16 September , she weathered a furious typhoon. Pounding against "Patoka" (AO-9) put a few holes in "Terror's" side, but she was soon repaired. On9 October , while still at Okinawa, she emerged undamaged from another typhoon which beached or wrecked over 100 vessels at Buckner Bay and Unten Ko.In December, "Panamint" (AGC-13) replaced "Terror" as flagship for Minecraft Pacific Fleet, and the veteran of many Pacific campaigns again crossed the Pacific to arrive at San Francisco in February. She made one voyage to Pearl Harbor in March, then returned to the west coast. "Terror" remained there until February 1947 when she departed San Francisco and steamed through the Panama Canal to embark the Commander, Minecraft Atlantic Fleet, at San Juan late in February. Following exercises in the
Caribbean , she operated out of east coast ports until July 1947 when she arrived at theCharleston Navy Yard for inactivation. During theKorean War , she was placed in service in reserve; and, on7 February 1955 , she was redesignated a fleet minelayer (MM-5). Her designation symbol was changed to MMF-5 in October 1955, and she was decommissioned on6 August 1956 . In 1971, her hulk was sold to the Union Minerals and Alloys Corporation, of New York City."Terror" received four battle stars for
World War II service.References
See USS "Terror" for other ships of this name.
External links
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/t4/terror-iii.htm history.navy.mil: USS "Terror"]
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