Between 29 July and 27 November 1943 Bush acted as a patrol and escort vessel in Alaskan waters. She'd been tasked with escorting the USS Nashville, which had been carrying General Douglas MacArthur. Arriving at Pearl Harbor 4 December 1943, she commenced operations as a patrol, escort, and fire support ship throughout the Pacific, from the Ellice Islands to New Guinea, the Philippines, and Okinawa. She participated in the Bismarck Archipelago operations, including the Cape Gloucester, New Britain landings and the Admiralty Islands landings (26 December 1943 – 31 March 1944); Saidor, New Guinea, operations (18–21 January); Morotai landings (15 September); Leyte landings (20–24 October), Luzon operation, including the Mindoro and Lingayen Gulf landings (12–18 December 1944 and 4–18 January 1945); Iwo Jima operation (19 February–9 March); and the Okinawa operation (1–6 April).
On 1 November 1944, while operating in Leyte Gulf and during hours of continuous combat operations, Bush shot down two of ten Japanese planes during a severe air attack. She was showered by flying shrapnel and suffered two men wounded, one of whom was its executive officer, Lt. P.A. "Tony" Lilly. "The destroyer Bush, on antisubmarine patrol in South Surigao Strait, fought a running battle with numerous planes all morning, beginning at 9:40 a.m., when she opened up on a Betty that came in on the ship’s starboard beam, dropped a torpedo, and swept off. Bush maneuvered to avoid the torpedo and hit the plane with her forty-millimeter guns. Four minutes later another Betty rushed the destroyer, and Bush, zigzagging furiously, dodged another torpedo and brought the plane down close to her side. A third, fourth, fifth, and sixth Betty pounced on the destroyer, as though she were the only ship on the high seas, the tail gunner of one plane strafing with his machine gun."[2]
Bush was operating as radar picket ship off Okinawa 6 April 1945 and had splashed at least one plane when she was hit and subsequently sunk by three Japanese kamikazes. At 1515, the first plane hit at the deck level on the starboard side between number one and two stacks causing its bomb or torpedo to explode in the forward engine room. Although much damage was sustained the ship was not believed to be in severe danger and tugs were requested. Colhoun was closing in to assist when she received the first of four hits by suicide planes and was so severely damaged that she had to be sunk by United States forces.
At 1725, a second kamikaze crashed into the port side of Bush's main deck between the stacks, starting a large fire and nearly severing the ship. At 1745, a third crashed onto the port side just above the main deck. Some of the ship's ammunition caught fire and began to explode. Although it was believed that she would break amidships, it was thought that both halves would be salvageable. However, an unusually heavy swell rocked the ship, and Bush began to cave in amidships. Other swells followed, and the ship was abandoned by her 227 survivors just before she folded and sank. 87 of her crew were lost.
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For other ships with the same name see USS Bush USS Bush DD 529 a Fletcher class destroyer was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Lieutenant William Sharp Bush USMC who served on the Constitution during the War of 1812 USS Bush DD 529 off Mare Island 11 June 1944 with camouflage Measure 32 History United States NameBush NamesakeWilliam Sharp Bush BuilderBethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation San Francisco California Laid down12 February 1942 Launched27 October 1942 Commissioned10 May 1943 FateSunk by kamikazes 1 off Okinawa 6 April 1945 General characteristics Class and typeFletcher class destroyer Displacement2 050 tons Length376 ft 6 in 114 7 m Beam39 ft 8 in 12 1 m Draft17 ft 9 in 5 4 m Propulsion60 000 shp 45 MW 2 propellers Speed35 knots 65 km h 40 mph Range6500 nmi 12 000 km at 15 kt Complement336 Armament5 single 5 in 127 mm 38 guns 5 twin 40 mm 1 6 in AA guns 7 single 20 mm 0 8 in AA guns 2 quintuple 21 in 533 mm torpedo tubes 6 single depth charge throwers 2 depth charge racks Bush was launched 27 October 1942 by Bethlehem Steel Co San Francisco Calif sponsored by Miss Marion Jackson great great grandniece of Lieutenant Bush and commissioned 10 May 1943 Contents 1 Service history 2 Awards 3 References 4 External linksService history editBetween 29 July and 27 November 1943 Bush acted as a patrol and escort vessel in Alaskan waters She d been tasked with escorting the USS Nashville which had been carrying General Douglas MacArthur Arriving at Pearl Harbor 4 December 1943 she commenced operations as a patrol escort and fire support ship throughout the Pacific from the Ellice Islands to New Guinea the Philippines and Okinawa She participated in the Bismarck Archipelago operations including the Cape Gloucester New Britain landings and the Admiralty Islands landings 26 December 1943 31 March 1944 Saidor New Guinea operations 18 21 January Morotai landings 15 September Leyte landings 20 24 October Luzon operation including the Mindoro and Lingayen Gulf landings 12 18 December 1944 and 4 18 January 1945 Iwo Jima operation 19 February 9 March and the Okinawa operation 1 6 April On 1 November 1944 while operating in Leyte Gulf and during hours of continuous combat operations Bush shot down two of ten Japanese planes during a severe air attack She was showered by flying shrapnel and suffered two men wounded one of whom was its executive officer Lt P A Tony Lilly The destroyer Bush on antisubmarine patrol in South Surigao Strait fought a running battle with numerous planes all morning beginning at 9 40 a m when she opened up on a Betty that came in on the ship s starboard beam dropped a torpedo and swept off Bush maneuvered to avoid the torpedo and hit the plane with her forty millimeter guns Four minutes later another Betty rushed the destroyer and Bush zigzagging furiously dodged another torpedo and brought the plane down close to her side A third fourth fifth and sixth Betty pounced on the destroyer as though she were the only ship on the high seas the tail gunner of one plane strafing with his machine gun 2 Bush was operating as radar picket ship off Okinawa 6 April 1945 and had splashed at least one plane when she was hit and subsequently sunk by three Japanese kamikazes At 1515 the first plane hit at the deck level on the starboard side between number one and two stacks causing its bomb or torpedo to explode in the forward engine room Although much damage was sustained the ship was not believed to be in severe danger and tugs were requested Colhoun was closing in to assist when she received the first of four hits by suicide planes and was so severely damaged that she had to be sunk by United States forces At 1725 a second kamikaze crashed into the port side of Bush s main deck between the stacks starting a large fire and nearly severing the ship At 1745 a third crashed onto the port side just above the main deck Some of the ship s ammunition caught fire and began to explode Although it was believed that she would break amidships it was thought that both halves would be salvageable However an unusually heavy swell rocked the ship and Bush began to cave in amidships Other swells followed and the ship was abandoned by her 227 survivors just before she folded and sank 87 of her crew were lost Awards editBush received seven battle stars for her World War II service References edit Brown p 144 The Sacred Warriors Japan s Suicide Legions by Denis and Peggy Warner Avon Books 1984 119 Brown David Warship Losses of World War Two Arms and Armour London Great Britain 1990 ISBN 0 85368 802 8 This article incorporates text from the public domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships The entry can be found here Justice George WW2 Veteran Recounts Days in Battle https www blueridgenow com story news 2004 03 08 world war ii veteran recounts days in battle 28149125007External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to USS Bush DD 529 Official website nbsp navsource org USS Bush hazegray org USS Bush 27 16 N 127 48 E 27 267 N 127 800 E 27 267 127 800 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title USS Bush DD 529 amp oldid 1221809554, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
