"NOW IT CAN BE TOLD" This is "The Story of Ulithi" written in 1945. Larry Tighe, The American Broadcasting Company correspondent on Guam has revealed a hitherto secret story about Ulithi. He has said that this is an 'now it can be told story'. The story of a mistake that the Japanese made last year which became perhaps the greatest single contribution to the speed of our march across the Pacific. For many months Ulithi was the keyspot in the Pacific. An atoll some 350 miles southwest of Guam in the Western Caroline Islands. Ulithi probably isn't even on your map of the Pacific---it's that small. It's made up of groups of islands with names like MogMog, Asor, Sorlen, Fassarai and even now it shows no scars of battle. When we took the Marianas and Peleliu, the Japs abandoned Ulithi as worthless and withdrew to Yap. The Japs were convinced that none of the islands could support an airfield. In fact, they were sold on the idea that Ulithi was worthless so we moved in without a struggle. This was the secret Pacific base you occasionally heard discussed. The Japs overlooked the possibility of Ulithi as a fleet anchorage and they haven't the knowledge of what seabees can do when they are really pressed.....so like money from home this top fleet anchorage was grabbed up by the Navy and put to immediate use. The seabees built an airfield right where the Japs said it was impossible.....even if it does have a dog-leg at one end and gives one fidgits every time he takes off from or lands on it. In the months of preparation for the Iwo Jima and Okinawa operations, Ulithi became the hub of almost all naval operations in the Pacific. Here our vast fleet could drop anchor and pick up supplies, rest the crews and square away minor repairs. Ulithi became the first anchorage west of Eniwetok in the Marshalls that was large enough to hold all of our fleet. The chagrined Japs knew we were there and occasionally they sent planes over for nuisance raids from Yap and other bases but Marine fighter squadrons took over patrol of these enemy-held islands and kept their ability to give us trouble down to a minimum. It was to Ulithi that the crippled aircraft carrier, (Benjamin) Franklin was towed when she nearly capsized near the coast of Japan. Ulithi can take a bow too for being a great aid in keeping our fleet at sea for months without return to Pearl Harbor or other safe areas to clean up and rest after a comparatively short time in enemy waters. Most certainly this mistake of the Japanese--the abandonment of the Ulithi Atoll---brought the end of the war much closer and possibly years closer. ~~~The End~~~ To underscore the importance of Ulithi the following is noted: "In March 1945, 15 battleships, 29 carriers, 23 cruisers, 106 destroyers, and a train of oilers and supply ships sailed from Ulithi, the biggest and most active naval base in the world." That the Japanese never attempted to defend Ulithi has remained to some military people a mystery. Ulithi was, from September 1944 to August 1945, the greatest fleet anchorage the U.S. ever had in the Pacific. Ulithi could hold over 1000 large ships at one time, and its capacity exceeded that of Pearl Harbor. Ulithi is located 4000 miles further west at the edge of the Western Sea Frontier—the military term for the area of combat in the western Pacific during 1944-45.

U.S.S. FRANKLIN (CV-13)

Aircraft carrier Franklin after Japanese attack. She limped back to Ulithi where she received temporary repairs. The following is quoted from the USS Relief (AH-1) Wartime Chronicle: "On the 24th. and 25th of March, the Relief (AH-1) received casualties from ships returning from the task force operations against the Japanese homeland. The USS Bountiful [AH-9] was in the harbor at the time. The Relief transferred many of her cases to the Bountiful, retaining on board only those casualties which were to be evacuated to rear area hospitals. Among the casualties received were patients from the huge first line aircraft carrier, the U.S.S. Franklin [CV-13]. The big ship stood into the harbor on the 24th, and lay off the stern of the Relief. She was an awesome sight, Twisted [sic], torn, her entire structure distorted by the intensity of the explosions, she lay listing hard to one side. The casualties came aboard horribly burned. They had brought the ship back from off Tokyo, in spite of the severest damage any ship has ever suffered, and still survived."

This aerial photo shows an islet in the northern section of Ulithi looking southward into the lagoon. Many of the naval vessels of the 3rd and 5th fleets are seen. It was in this area that the USS Randolph was hit by a Japanese plane in March 1945. The Japanese had once hoped to mount frequent kamikaze attacks on US ships at anchor in Ulithi, but the poor condition of the airfields in Truk from the continued pounding they took from allied raids did not permit them to do this. NOTE: There were two fleets in the Pacific, the 3rd and 5th. Occasionally a 7th fleet was mentioned. This was done to confuse the Japanese it actually being elements of the 5th fleet, under different commands. *************************

AN AIR ATTACK ON ULITHI WHICH NEVER HAPPENED

U.S.S. RANDOLPH (CV-15)

This photo shows the area of damage to the Randolph after being hit by a Japanese "Frances" bomber on 11 March 1945. The Randolph was anchored off the Islet of Sorlen, Ulithi Atoll. The attack came without warning. The first sitting for the movie being shown on the hanger deck was just leaving and the second sitting arriving. The movie that night was, according to Melvin Ray Schultz, ARM2/c, "A Song to Remember--The Life of Chopin". The repair ship USS Jason ARH-1 is tied up along-side. The carrier was hit on the starboard side aft just below the flight deck, killing 25 men and wounding 106. The salvage vessel Gear (ARS-34) was damaged by collision with the Randolph during fire-fighting operations. Repaired at Ulithi, Randolph joined the Okinawa Task Force on 7 April 1945. The following is quoted from the USS Relief (AH-1) Wartime Chronicle: "On the 11th of March, 1945, Air Flash Red was received in the harbor. Two Japanese suicide planes came into the area. One crashed into the after flight deck of the U.S.S. Randolph [CV-15], an aircraft carrier lying off the Relief's starboard quarter. The other Japanese plane mistook Sorlen Island for another aircraft carrier, and made its suicide dive into the coral island just forward of the Relief. The response to the alert had been very slow in the harbor. Many ships had working lights, cargo handling lights still burning, even after the second plane had crashed. Some of the ships were having movies on their topside decks, and never did secure from them. At four o'clock in the morning, the Relief received casualties from the U.S.S. Randolph. Most were suffering from severe burns of the body. Again during the evening of the 12th of March Air Flash Red was received from SOPA. No attack this time." The Randolph was stricken from the Navy List 1 Jun 1973. Disposed of, sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrapping 1 Apr 1975 The following is from the history of the USS Current, ARS-22 (Auxillary Reair and Salvage). "While anchored near Sorlen Island at Ulithi Atoll on March 11, an explosion occurred at 2007 approximately a mile off Current's starboard quarter. Current immediately went to general quarters and made preparations for getting underway. With the anchor at short stay, a radio communication was received with orders to proceed immediately to the vicinity of Anchorage 27. At 2020, Current was underway to the anchorage site and made all preparations for fire fighting. Both fire monitors were manned. Six fire hose lines were rigged and pressurized, two forward, two amidships, and two aft, as well as an emergency line to Chrysler pumps and foam throwing equipment. Without warning, two low flying Japanese twin engine Yokosuka P1Y "Frances" bombers had appeared. One crashed onto Sorlen Island. The other bomber carrying a two thousand pound bomb struck the aircraft carrier USS Randolph CV-15 on the starboard quarter between the flight deck and the gallery deck at frame 205-210, the CO2 room, the aviation repair shop and the fantail. The Kamikaze penetrated the after hanger deck killing twenty-five men and wounding one-hundred six. The impact and explosion destroyed approximately 4,000 square feet of the flight deck. An inferno of flames fed by gasoline from the destroyed bomber, destroyed carrier aircraft on the flight deck and in the hanger deck engulfed the entire stern section of the Randolph. Once abeam of the Randolph, Current sent the carrier a message that preparations were made to spray chemical fire fighting foam. At 2030, Current maneuvered alongside the port quarter of the Randolph and began spraying foam and water from every available piece of equipment. The USS Munsee ATF-107 had already taken a position on the starboard quarter of the Randolph. Maneuvering was extremely difficult because of the many small boats milling around the area, the swinging of the Randolph at her anchor, the poor visibility caused by thick black smoke from the burning carrier, darkness and by blinding search lights directed toward Current's bridge. All fire hoses and both fire fighting monitors were in continuous operation though out the entire time Current was alongside the Randolph. While maneuvering to effectively apply fire-fighting foam, the swing of the Randolph at anchor and the force of the wind caused Current's stern to swing under Randolph's flight deck. Current's main topmast collided with the flight deck of the carrier causing the topmast to be bent forward. The collision also severed the topmast shrouds and caused the TBL radio transmitter antenna to slacken. This resulted in a loss of all radio communication. During the time spent alongside the Randolph, enormous amounts of water and chemical foam were pumped on the burning carrier in an attempt to extinguish the massive fires. Detonating 40mm and 20mm ammunition, exploded shell casings and other debris continuously rained down on Current's decks. Fortunately, none of Current's crew were injured during this operation. Later, among the debris on Current's decks, part of a human hand was found. Fingerprint impressions were made of the hand and given to Comservron Ten. The hand was then discarded overboard. At 2046, Current departed the side of the Randolph and circled the carrier in an attempt to moor again in a more favorable fire fighting location. While circling, other vessels moved into the vacated berth, preventing Current from returning to continue assistance. At 2155, Current received instructions to stand clear and return to anchor nearby. The fires on the Randolph were successfully extinguished and the damage repaired by the crew of the Randolph and the repair ship USS Jason ARH-1. The hospital ship USS Relief AH-1 anchored off of Randolph's starboard quarter, received the casualties, most suffering from severe burns. Randolph's dead crewmen were buried on Falalop Island. USS Randolph was repaired and later rejoined the 5th Fleet, participated in the invasion of Okinawa and launched aircraft in the massive fire bombing raids on the Japanese home islands until the Japanese Surrender." During my stay at Ulithi I often viewed an impressive array of ships anchored in the lagoon. Here are some carriers lined up right outside my window(so to speak). Here is what a fast carrier could do.

This is a photo of the USS Relief, AH-1 (hospital ship) taken at Ulithi on 13 March 1945. On board were the wounded from the USS Randolph.

JAPANESE "Frances" BOMBER

A picture of a Japanese "Frances" bomber, the type which hit the carrier Randolph and Islet of Sorlen on 11 March 1945. (NOTE: 11 March 1945: Operation "Tan No. 2" - The Kamikaze Attack on Ulithi: Kyushu. Twenty-four Yokosuka P1Y "Ginga" (Milky Way) "Frances" twin-engine bombers take off from Kanoya on an one-way Tokko (suicide) mission to attack American carriers at the Third Fleet's anchorage at Ulithi.)--only two planes got to Ulithi, one hitting the carrier Randolph and the other the Islet of Sorlen. Now some may wonder why the Islet of Sorlen, rather than another large ship, was hit by the second "Frances" bomber. I have a theory. You must remember that this happened just after 8 PM during darkness. I believe the second Japanese plane mistook the islet for an aircraft carrier. No alert had been sounded when the Japanese planes appeared (that is another story). The islets and ships were all lighted and movies were being shown. From the signal tower on Sorlen a road crossed the islet traversing from the signal tower to the mess hall. I believe the Japanese pilot thought the signal tower was the island of a carrier and the road the flight deck. He hit the middle of the road. If he had chosen the movie theatre, where many hundred men were assembled, he would have inflicted a great many casualties. The Islet of Sorlen is shown below (1944-45).

SORLEN ISLET

Photo courtesy of Art Bates

SORLEN ISLET (today)

USS THORN DD647

Destroyer USS Thorn in a floating dry-dock for repairs. This floating dry-dock was anchored off Sorlen Islet (in background) and was instrumental in keeping our fleet at sea without the necessity of returning to Pearl Harbor or the US mainland for all but major repairs and over-hauling. The floating dry-dock is believed to be the AFDL-32 (or similar) which came from Pearl Harbor with the USS Current late in 1944. Photo courtesy of Kaj Swenson.

FALALOP ISLET

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