Action Report of USS Talbot (APD-7) on the Nasugbu Assault Landing, Jan 1945

Historic documents relevant to the Province of Batangas.

A16-3/APD- U.S.S. TALBOT (APD-7), Serial #03.

5 February 1945.

C O N F I D E N T I A L

From:	The Commanding Officer, U.S.S. Talbot (APD-7).
To:	The Commander in Chief, U.S. Fleet.
Via:	(1) Commander Transport Division ONE HUNDRED (CTU 78.2.2) (2) Commander Amphibious Group EIGHT, SEVENTH Fleet (CTG 78.2). (3) Commander SEVENTH Amphibious Force (CTF 78). (4) Commander SEVENTH Fleet (CTF 77). (5) Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet.
Subjecdt:	Action Report, NASUGBU Assault Landing, Luzon Island, Philippine Islands, 31 January 1945.
Reference:	(a) Commander NASUGBU Attack Group (ComPhibGroupEIGHT, SEVENTH Fleet) Operation Plan No. 1-45, of 1/23/45. (b) Pacific Fleet Confidential Letter 1CL-45 of 1/1/45. (a) Action Report, NASUGBU Assault Landing.

C.C. MORGAN

1. Original via chain of operational command to Cominch with copies for:

CTD 100 (1)
ComPhibGroup EIGHT, SEVENTH Fleet (1)
Com SEVENTH PhibForce, SEVENTH Fleet (1)
Com SEVENTH Fleet (1)

2. Advance copies directed to:

Cominch (1)
CincPac³ (3) (No copy for CincPac with original)
ComPhibPac (1) (Type Commander)

3. Information copies to:

ComAdComPhibPac (1)
C.T.D. 102 (1)

4. File (1)

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CONFIDENTIAL

ENCLOSURE (A) to CO TALBOT
Conf. ltr. A16-3/APD-7 Serial
#03 dated 5 February 1945.

ACTION REPORT, NASUGBU ASSAULT LANDING
LUZON ISLAND, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, 31 JANUARY 1945.
All times are ITEM (-9).

Part I.

A. The U.S.S. TALBOT (APD-7) as a unit of Task Group 78.2 transported 6 officers and 139 men of the First Battalion, 188^th Regimental Combat Team, 11^th Air Borne Division, U.S. Army from TERRAGONA, LEYTE ISLAND to NASUGBU, LUZON ISLAND and landed them as part of the second assault wave on RED Beach on 31 January 1945.

The period covered by the report is from 26 January to 1 February 1945 when this ship arrived at MANGARIN BAY, MINDORO ISLAND in company with Task Units 78.2.1 and 78.2.2. The landing was essentially unopposed, although some machine gun and mortar fire developed after the assault waves had landed.

Part II.

A. TALBOT operated with APD Unit (TU 78.2.2) composed of U.S.S. KILTY (APD-15) (CTD 100 & CTU 78.2.2), U.S.S. CROSBY (APD-17), TALBOT (APD-7) and U.S.S. MANLEY (APD-1). Next higher operational commander was C.T.G. 78.2 embarked in U.S.S. SPENCER.

B. TALBOT embarked troops on the afternoon of 26 January 1945 at TERRAGONA, LEYTE ISLAND. Troops were drilled in debarkation procedure, abandon ship stations and ship’s regulations for embarked troops.

On 27 January, TALBOT participated in a rehearsal of the assault units, underway at 0700 and landing the first assault wave at an H-hour of 1015 on TERRAGONA Beach. Upon completion returned to anchorage off TERRAGONA, retrieved troops and received final instructions from C.T.D. 100 aboard KILTY.

Sortied with Task Group 78.2 from TERRAGONA 1800 27 January and proceeded via Surigao Strait, Mindanao Sea, Cuyo East Pass, Apo East Pass, north of Lubang Island and south of Fortune Island to transport area 8,000 yards off RED Beach, NASUGBU, LUZON ISLAND. Speed of advance 08 knots. Passage unopposed.

C. Own mission was transport of assault troops to objective and to land them as part of second wave on RED Beach at H-Hour plus five minutes in accordance with reference (a). On the eve of the landing, it was apparent that Japanese forces of resistance on LUZON ISLAND were considerably less than originally anticipated. Task Group 78.3 had executed

-1A-

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Part II.

C. (Continued)

unopposed landings at SAN ANTONIO, LUZON and GRANDE ISLAND in SUBIC BAY and the US SIXTH Army was within 28 miles of Manila, striking through the Central Plains area of Luzon. No mine fields had been encountered by T.G. 78.3. It was believed possible that our landing would be opposed by about 700 Japanese using rifles, machine guns, mortars, and 75 and 105 mm guns. Several hundred suicide boats carrying depth charges were also reported in the Batangas area. Mine fields were reported off the objective beach and sporadic small scale air attacks were considered possible. Also, a Japanese submarine had attacked and torpedoed an empty transport returning from the San Antonio assault.

D. TALBOT cruised to objective area as second ship in port column of cruising disposition as shown in Appendix 3, Annex B (Movement Plan) to reference (a).

At objective area, TALBOT stopped on northern side of transport area 1,000 yards astern of KILTY, bearing 080° True.

TALBOT boats were left on flank of second assault wave spaced 40 yards apart and five minutes behind KILTY boats in first assault wave.

E. No enemy forces were encountered by TALBOT or TALBOT boats.

Part III.

Chronological account of landing operation at NASUGBU, LUZON ISLAND, 31 January 1945. All times ITEM (-9).

A. 0530 General Quarters, manned battle stations.

1615 Commenced approach to transport area.
0630 All troops laid below to prepare for debarkation.
0650 Decked troops at debarkation stations.
0712 Stopped in transport area.
0716 Lowered all boats, following motions of KILTY (CTD 100) and debarked troops.
0718 All boats clear of ship and rendezvousing off bow of ship.
0727 Boat waves formed and heading in for line of deparature; TALBOT proceeded to patrol station north east of FORTUNE ISLAND assigned by C.T.D. 100.
0835 Boats reported second wave landed, debarked troops, retracted and stood off beach. This time is 15 minutes later than scheduled time of 0820 but was 5 minutes behind first wave as scheduled. First wave was delayed by failure of LCI gun and rocket boats to reach their assigned covering station on time, (it is believed).

-2A-

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CONFIDENTIAL
ENCLOSURE (A) to CO TALBOT
Conf. ltr. A16-3/APD-7 Serial
#03 dated 5 February 1945.

ACTION REPORT, NASUGBU ASSAULT LANDING
LUZON ISLAND, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, 31 JANUARY 1945.
All times are ITEM (-9)

Part III. Chronological account (continued):

0901 Retrieved No. 2 LCP(R)⁵.
1035 Retrieved all LCP (R)s; second landing on neck of NASUGBU Peninsula having been cancelled.
1100 Secured from General Quarters, stationed regular underway condition watch.
1415 Upon orders from C.T.D. 100 proceeded to assigned screening station 4330 for return to MINDORO with TU 78.2.1 and TU 78.2.2.

B. Weather was normal for locality and season with bright moonlight facilitating approach prior to sunrise.

C.

Part IV, V, VI, VII – No remarks. (Data required under Paragraph C, Part VI has been given elsewhere.) /div> ¹ APD stands for “converted destroyers and destroyer escorts used in US Navy amphibious operations in World War II and afterward. They received the US Hull classification symbol APD; "AP" for transport and "D" for destroyer.” “High-speed transport,” Wikipedia.
² “USS TALBOT - Rep of ops in the amphibious assault landing at Nasugbu, Luzon Is, Philippines 1/31/45,” online at the United States National Archives.
³ “CTD” stands for Commander Transport Division. “Hyper War: US Navy in World War II. Online at Ibiblio.org.
⁴ CincPac means Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet. The Free Dictionary.
⁵ “LCP(R)” stands for Landing Craft Personnel (Ramped). Online at the Naval History and Heritage Command.