The time the Boston spent participating in the epic struggle in the Pacific in the early 1940’s was not-so-long – a year and nine months from their Pearl Harbor departure as a unit of Task Force 58 until the signing of The Surrender in Tokyo Harbor. By today’s standards, a year and a half blows by in the blink of an eye. Nothing could be further from the truth for the guys aboard the heavy cruiser USS Boston . . . especially the long hours that ticked away during the month of October.
Sure, October 1943 was easy enough. The ship was in final preparation for departure to the Pacific. There were drills and more drills, classes and more classes, trial runs and more trial runs, and more new guys coming on board.
And, October 1945 was easy enough too. The Boston was a command ship of an Occupation Fleet that went up and down the western coast of Honshu, visiting towns, villages and cities, removing weapons from civilians, destroying suicide boats and submarines and their facilities.
But October 1944 – well now, that was a different story all together. The ships were engaged in a long and complicated plan to liberate the Philippines from the Japanese. I consider the last half of 1944 to be the toughest six months of the War for the men aboard the Mighty B. It didn’t get any tougher than October of 1944.
I will post again soon and we’ll take a look at the Battle of Formosa.