August 20, 2025 • 33 mins
Join Pamela as she shares more from the USS Drexler.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Welcome to the new high Show on Education. This is
your host, Pamela Clark, and this is an episode of
American servicemen and women tell their stories of survival. So
I'm going to be sharing today the stories of the
sinking of the USS Trex, which is what I've been
sharing for the last This will be six weeks seven
(01:08):
weeks now, and I'm going back in time a little
bit because of the different historical views that I have,
So bear with me. Hope it's educational, and I hope
you'll share share this with others and any veterans I
would like to share their stories for many war is
(01:32):
welcome to reach out and I'd love to hear from you. Okay,
these are stories of the sinking. The following is a
Navy Department usually statement. It says, news department, here with me,
(01:54):
all right, fantastic This is a quote fantastic feat of
suicide plane sank US Strexler. Three Japanese suicide bombers struck
at the USS. I'm sorry, struck at the destroyer USS
Strexler off Okinama, May twenty eighth, nineteen forty five and
(02:15):
a ninety second attack and sank the ship only after
the third pilot barely managed to crash his damage plane
into his target. FYI, my grandfather, I mean his death
was on the state, but his his oldest child, my
(02:36):
father was turned three two days later. I think it
is so just shows you just how crazy, how crazy
is that that that you know my father well, you know,
(03:01):
it's like his father died and he turned three two
days later. But the lion was there to continue for
me to be here. Now, that kind of really hits
home when you're dealing with something like this. Anyways, The
(03:23):
story was told by the skipper of the sunken destroyer,
Commander Ronald Lee Wilson, USN. He described as fantastic the
action of the last suicide plane, who was forced to
make two passes at the crippled, dead and the water
(03:43):
Drexer before succeeding and sending her to the bottom of
the sea north of Okinawa. The Drexer suffered two hundred
and ten casualties, including one hundred and fifty eight dead
and fifty two including Commander Wilson, wounded. The war time
(04:05):
complement of the Drexler was approximately three hundred and fifty
officers and men. After the first suicide plane has struck
the two thousand, two hundred ton destroyer at amidships, petting
off for power and starting get large gasoline fires. The
(04:30):
second plane approached thirty seconds later, despite power failures, power
failure fires in shock, the Drexer gunner splashed the craft
with a direct hit from a five inch gun. Seconds later,
the third plane made its amazing attack. Guns of the
(04:53):
Drexer scored many hits on the plane as it closed
in while being chased and further riddled by two marine
pilots and Corsi airs. Yeah that's right, Okay, so I
(05:22):
had to reread that. Despite the damage, the pilot came
on but missed his missed his mark zooming over the
midship section of the destroyer. The plane was so close
to the ship and water that it appeared obvious it
would crash into the water immediately after passing over the ship.
(05:46):
Commander Wilson reported the plane hardly cleared the attacks. It
was so apparent the plane would crash that the marine
pilot veered off, said Commander will But the Jap didn't
crash at all. He flew a tight circle to attack
(06:07):
a second time. Again. The ship's guns took up the
fight as did the alert marine pilot, who observed what
happened all during the circling maneuver. A few feet over
the water. The Japanese plane was further riddled, but completed
(06:29):
the circle and crashed onto the deck of the Drexler.
Commander Wilson said that he had figured the odds as
one thousand to one against the pilot being able to
crash his plane on the Drexler. When the plane struck
the destroyer at the base of the number two stack,
(06:50):
a tremendous explosion rocked the ship, blowing parts of parts
hundreds of feet and starting an immense oil fire. The
Drexer rolled over rapidly on her starboard side, and her
bow lifted high out of the water. She sank stern
(07:10):
first within forty nine seconds after the last suicider suicider
found his mark. Commander Wilson attributed the high casualties to
the rapidly rapidity with which the ship sank and the
fact that she rolled over almost immediately attacked first at
(07:39):
seven two am on May twenty eighth, the destroyer had
been at general quarters all of the previous night and
had just completed an evasive maneuver from still another plane.
Commander Wilson, a senior officer, had ordered the Drexler and
(08:02):
her companion destroyer to change to a course that would
enable all guns of boat ships to bear on his
first attacking plane he had He had also ordered the
speed increased. Before this plane could attack the destroyers, it
(08:26):
was shot down by the Combat Air Patrol. Just then,
the Japanese plane that was to score the first hit
on the Drexler appeared on her bow again. Commander Wilson
ordered the ships to change course to port to bring
(08:48):
all guns to bear. At this point, the twin engine
plane dived through a hell of fire from both ships.
Her target was the Drexler's companion destroyer, some eight hundred
yards away. When it's barely which it barely missed, The
(09:10):
plane appeared headed for a crash into the water between
the ships. When the pilot leveled it off sufficiently to
crash directly into the starboard side of the Drustler, exploding
in after fire room. The plane damaged the forward engine
(09:33):
room as well as the after engine room. Large gasoline
fires immediately blazed up before quickly being extinguished. Commander Wilson
praised the work of the damage control officer Lieutenant Eugene C. Hicks, Usnr.
(09:53):
Lieutenant Hicks was declared missing an action after the attack
of the third Planning He was now being listed as dead.
During the action packed ninety seconds period, each officer and
man performed his duty with cool efficiency. Commander Wilson said
(10:19):
many stories of the heroism will never be told because
several compartments of the ship had no survivors to describe
what transpired during those ninety seconds. No one survived in
the forward diesel, the generator room, the pilot room, the
(10:45):
lower handling rooms, and magazines in the debris filled water
covering with blazing oil. Acts of rorism were numerous after
the sinking. Gietano W. Caruso Coke or Coxswain, Usnr. Saved
(11:19):
several shipmates and then was missing in action himself. He
now is also listed as dead. His complete story probably
will never be told. Lieutenant Commander Robert oh Bidwill Gusson
(11:41):
saved a man's life by cutting him free of his
entangled clothing, which was preventing his swimming. Lieutenant Nick Pappus USN.
Saved several others by aiding them in their own desperate
struggles to reach a Life Raft Commander Wilson praised the
(12:05):
action of the LCS, which proceeded through the wreckage and
oil fires to pick up survivors. The Drexler had participated
in the initial landings at Okinawa when she was serving
(12:25):
with a carrier division supporting the operation. She picked up
ten aviators who had been shot down, and also was
active in the bombardment work and cleaning up of Japanese
mines in the area by detonating them with their automatic weapons. Later,
(12:54):
the Drexler was under air attack for three successus successive nights,
each attack lasting about four hours. So active or so
active were her guns that she was twice forced to
retrieve for more information. I'm sorry for more amanation ammunition.
(13:22):
Excuse me. She was credited with destroying several enemy aircraft.
Prior to her sinking. She had served a month on
the dangerous picket duty without a scratch. The following is
(13:45):
taken from a story of the USS Lowry d D
seven seventy, which was on picket duty with the Drexer
on May twenty eighth, nineteen forty five. This story was
sent to G. Brick by a friend of his who
served on the Lowry. The last of the month was
(14:08):
again went north, this time with the Drexler. Again we
had a rough time. Early one morning we were attacked
by a large formation of enemy fighters and bombers. Our
fighters engaged their fighters, but their bombers succeeded in getting
(14:30):
through to us. The first missed us by a few
feet and crashed into the Drexler. And I've been told
that that is when my grandfather died. The very first
hit just a foil. The second and third planes went
down in flames close aboard. Number four finished the game. However,
(15:00):
he started for us. Then I'm sorry. He started for us,
then changed his mind and headed for the Drexler, now
dead in the water. A marine fighter was right on
his tail, pouring everything he had into the bomber to
(15:23):
no avail. His run was good, and he crashed into
the Drexler, hitting a boiler and magazine and completely demolishing
the ship. There was a terrific explosion, reaching high into
the air. The next thing we saw was the bow
(15:45):
of the ship protruding from the water, and then even
that was the bow of the ship protruding from the water,
and then I'm sorry. Then even that had gone. Sorry,
I know I repeated that twice had gone. She had
(16:10):
lasted only forty five seconds after the second hit. It
was a horrible sight. Planes were still all around. Our
combat air patrol was engaging them on all sides. We
were all alone. Now It was a loans of filling
(16:32):
and the lci's moved in and began picking up the survivors.
They looked bad. Losses had been heavy. Finally the attack
was over. So with that, I'm gonna go to our
(16:53):
first or commercial break. We'll be right back with more
from the New High Show on Education. Stay tuned. Are
you enjoying The New Heights Show on Education? If you
love our show, please consider liking and following us on
your favorite podcast player. To learn more, visit Radio dot
(17:15):
New Heights Education dot org or email us at info
at New Heights Education dot org. Listen in on Wednesdays
for Education in the News with hosts Pamla Clark at
six pm and Fridays for our Empowering HR and the
Workforce with host Manya Shukla at seven pm. And don't
(17:35):
forget to check out our organization's website for the latest
updates on courses, reading programs, comic books, magazines, informational services
and happenings, or even to learn how you can become
a volunteer. Consider donating to our calls at www dot
New Heights Education dot org. Welcome back to the show.
(18:03):
Continue reading. The following is taken from the Division of
Naval History Ships the Stories for History Section, Navy Department,
and was sent in by a herald. I think it's McMain, okay.
(18:26):
The next action for Drexler occurred on May nineteen forty
five on this state. The Drexler, together with the USS Lowry,
sailed from the transport area at Agashi Beach, Okinawa, had
(18:46):
proceeded to their assigned radar picket stations. At approximately seven
hundred on the state, an enemy plane identified as a
NICK was sited at a rain of seven miles and
at an altitude of two thousand feet. As Drexler was
(19:07):
about to open fire, four combat air patrol planes attacked
the enemy aircraft and shot it down at this At
this plane was observed going down, A second plane was
sighted on the starboard bow of the column. This plane,
(19:29):
a single twin engine bomber, started its approach in a long,
shallow glide, circling toward the head of the column, as
there was no time to execute a column movement. Drexler
came sharply to the left and opened fired at the
(19:54):
same time the aircraft dove on Dove one on Lowry
one Lowry. The plane missed the Lowry, passing directly over her.
It almost crashed and seemed to stumble into the Drexler
(20:19):
then its effort to recover. Drexler checked her fire momentarily
as the plane passed over Lowry, then opened fire again
as the plane came in. The plane crashed onto the
starboard side. The side of the ship was huled from
(20:40):
about ten feet into the forward engine room. The auxiliary
steam lines and the engine rooms and the main steam
lines in the after fire room were ruptured. The forty
millimeter gun from Mount number forty was blown from its
(21:04):
foundation and some of the personnel was knocked off the mount.
The forty millimeter gun in Mount number forty four was
put out of action due to the explosion of forty
millimeter ammunition in its vicinity. In the area where the
(21:25):
plane hit, the ship was sprayed with gasoline, which started fires.
The repair party brought the fire under control exponentially and
had it out before the second plane hit. When the
second plane hit, a large volume of steam was noted
(21:45):
coming from the engineering spaces on the starboard side. Realizing
it would be impossible to maintain the speed of twenty
five knots in order not to drain all the steamed
(22:07):
from the boilers, two third standard speed was rung up immediately.
This was a precautionary measure until some information could be
obtained on the extent of the damage. Within a half
(22:28):
minute after the plane hit, a second bomber was sighted
making a dive on the USS Lowry, which was on
the direct or starboard beam. The plane was taken under
fire and numerous hits were observed, which caused it to
spin in a stern of Lowry and splash. Following this,
(22:58):
all main power in the four ward section of the
ship was lost. None of the personnel in this part
of the ship survived. At seven three, a third bomber
was sighted in the starboard bow at a distance of
approximately ten thousand yards. The bomber made a circuling approach
(23:22):
in a shallow glide to come in from dead ahead
the fighter planes and Drexler's gun fire causes caused the
plane to miss the first pass the kamikaze bomber made
another suicide run down the port bow banked and passed
directly over the ship, just aft of the number two stack.
(23:46):
The twenty millimeter guns of the port side fired on
the bomber and many hits were scored. The Japanese bomber
then managed to level off, circling around and come in
from ahead, having just missed the bridge. The plane clipped
the signal helards collards and crashed into the boat davits
(24:11):
and superstructured deck just a bar abaft excuse me, the
midship's passageway. There was a tremendous explosion which rocked the
ship violently from stern to stern. Parts of the ship
were blowing hundreds of feet into the air. The bomber
was heavily loaded, and apparently the explosion blew off the
(24:35):
sides of the ship. Drexler, which already had a small
list to the starboard, was a little down by the
stern and was about and was start starting to list
rapidly to the starboard. Personnel were forced to start abandoning
(24:56):
ship upon their own initiative. The destroyer turned over flat
on her starboard side and then sank Stern first, disappearing
the site forty nine seconds after the second suicide it
many men were trapped because of the quickness with which
(25:19):
the ship sank, the rapidity with which the ship rolled
over and made it difficult for the trapped men to
get up ladders through a hatch or even climb across
the deck balckhead or overhead. The l SAS one fourteen
(25:40):
recovered approximate one hundred and fifty survivors of the USS Strexler.
Ol SEAS fifty five and fifty six recovered the remaining survivors.
USS Strexler earned a Battle Star on the Asiatic Pacific
Area Service Metal first Participation or for participating in the
(26:04):
Okinawa gun to gun to operation during the period of
March twenty fifth to May twenty eighth, nineteen forty five. Okay,
(26:37):
so this next section looking through here's a list of
survivors and crew and things like that. It's looking at
where we're at. Okay, So this next section is taken
(27:04):
from the story of the sinking for the book by Roscoe.
It says on the twenty eighth of May, the suiciders
delivered another all out on slought on the picket line
during all four weeks of the month. The only let
(27:24):
up in the Comic Coaze offensive had become when rain
grounded the Plains. Destroyers Hudson, Evans, U H. Hadley, Bosh, Douglas, H.
Speaker 2 (27:39):
Douglas, H, Fox, Storms, Brain, Anthony, and destroyer Escorts England and.
Speaker 1 (27:52):
John C. Butler had been damaged by the hell bent
suiciders during this period. It was John that the divine
wind blew a little harder on the twenty eighth and
Destroyer Drexler was lost and the tempest skippered by the
Commander R. L. Wilson. The Drexler was standing Okinawa radar
(28:17):
picket duty on station with her Destroyer Lowry and two
pickets support crafts. Drexler had totaled fifteen days as an
Okinawa radar picket, in which time she had become only
too well acquainted with the all or nothing Kikishiu it's
(28:43):
k i k u s u I don't know how
to say it program. On May twenty eight, the Kamikazis
flew over the picket line and swarms some hundred and
fifteen were reported splashed that day. Influence type ammunition, double
banking and cap cover were extreme exterminating more and more
(29:11):
of the aerial suiciders, but not enough for the saving
of the USS Strexer. During the latter part of the morning,
we watched six kamikazes broke through the screen shielding the
Drexer Lowry group. This suicide squad made a coordinated attack
(29:37):
on the Drexer. Riddled by the Directxer's fire, Two of
the planes plunged into the sea and two fell to
strike the ship, but the remaining two powered dividing rammed
the destroyer full gun. The blast of the second strike
(29:58):
opened the Drexer's deck to the sky and threw her
over on her beam. She never returned to an even kill.
Tons of water sliced or sluiced. It sluiced into her
torn hull, swamping her lower compartments deeper and deeper. Her
(30:20):
beam went under until she was lying on her side
in the sea. Just forty nine seconds after the final
suicide striped, the ship rolled over with a great fountain
splash and went down. Nearly all hands below decks were
(30:42):
imprisoned in the vessel. Those top side were either flung
or managed to jump from the ship as it capsized.
The Pallbearer stood into the rescue. About one hundred and
seventy officers and men were picked up, fifty one of them.
(31:05):
Of their number wounded. One hundred and fifty eight men
and eight officers died with the ship. Captain C. A. B.
Canan calm deseron thirty six road of Drexler. The squadron
commander feels that the Drexler's combat record, though short, is
(31:28):
one of which she can be well proud of or
can well be proud. As of May twenty eighth, nineteen
forty five, she had performed radar picket duty off Okinawa
during a busy period for a total of fifteen days.
(31:49):
During this period she was shot down. She shot down
two suicide planes, possibly destroyed one or more during night attack,
assisted in the destruction of three more, and finally took
down with her. So, my friends, that's the end of
(32:15):
what I'm sharing with you today. There will be more stories,
I believe when we meet again next week. So until
next time, wor
Welcome to the new high Show on Education. This is
your host, Pamela Clark, and this is an episode of
American servicemen and women tell their stories of survival. So
I'm going to be sharing today the stories of the
sinking of the USS Trex, which is what I've been
sharing for the last This will be six weeks seven
(01:08):
weeks now, and I'm going back in time a little
bit because of the different historical views that I have,
So bear with me. Hope it's educational, and I hope
you'll share share this with others and any veterans I
would like to share their stories for many war is
(01:32):
welcome to reach out and I'd love to hear from you. Okay,
these are stories of the sinking. The following is a
Navy Department usually statement. It says, news department, here with me,
(01:54):
all right, fantastic This is a quote fantastic feat of
suicide plane sank US Strexler. Three Japanese suicide bombers struck
at the USS. I'm sorry, struck at the destroyer USS
Strexler off Okinama, May twenty eighth, nineteen forty five and
(02:15):
a ninety second attack and sank the ship only after
the third pilot barely managed to crash his damage plane
into his target. FYI, my grandfather, I mean his death
was on the state, but his his oldest child, my
(02:36):
father was turned three two days later. I think it
is so just shows you just how crazy, how crazy
is that that that you know my father well, you know,
(03:01):
it's like his father died and he turned three two
days later. But the lion was there to continue for
me to be here. Now, that kind of really hits
home when you're dealing with something like this. Anyways, The
(03:23):
story was told by the skipper of the sunken destroyer,
Commander Ronald Lee Wilson, USN. He described as fantastic the
action of the last suicide plane, who was forced to
make two passes at the crippled, dead and the water
(03:43):
Drexer before succeeding and sending her to the bottom of
the sea north of Okinawa. The Drexer suffered two hundred
and ten casualties, including one hundred and fifty eight dead
and fifty two including Commander Wilson, wounded. The war time
(04:05):
complement of the Drexler was approximately three hundred and fifty
officers and men. After the first suicide plane has struck
the two thousand, two hundred ton destroyer at amidships, petting
off for power and starting get large gasoline fires. The
(04:30):
second plane approached thirty seconds later, despite power failures, power
failure fires in shock, the Drexer gunner splashed the craft
with a direct hit from a five inch gun. Seconds later,
the third plane made its amazing attack. Guns of the
(04:53):
Drexer scored many hits on the plane as it closed
in while being chased and further riddled by two marine
pilots and Corsi airs. Yeah that's right, Okay, so I
(05:22):
had to reread that. Despite the damage, the pilot came
on but missed his missed his mark zooming over the
midship section of the destroyer. The plane was so close
to the ship and water that it appeared obvious it
would crash into the water immediately after passing over the ship.
(05:46):
Commander Wilson reported the plane hardly cleared the attacks. It
was so apparent the plane would crash that the marine
pilot veered off, said Commander will But the Jap didn't
crash at all. He flew a tight circle to attack
(06:07):
a second time. Again. The ship's guns took up the
fight as did the alert marine pilot, who observed what
happened all during the circling maneuver. A few feet over
the water. The Japanese plane was further riddled, but completed
(06:29):
the circle and crashed onto the deck of the Drexler.
Commander Wilson said that he had figured the odds as
one thousand to one against the pilot being able to
crash his plane on the Drexler. When the plane struck
the destroyer at the base of the number two stack,
(06:50):
a tremendous explosion rocked the ship, blowing parts of parts
hundreds of feet and starting an immense oil fire. The
Drexer rolled over rapidly on her starboard side, and her
bow lifted high out of the water. She sank stern
(07:10):
first within forty nine seconds after the last suicider suicider
found his mark. Commander Wilson attributed the high casualties to
the rapidly rapidity with which the ship sank and the
fact that she rolled over almost immediately attacked first at
(07:39):
seven two am on May twenty eighth, the destroyer had
been at general quarters all of the previous night and
had just completed an evasive maneuver from still another plane.
Commander Wilson, a senior officer, had ordered the Drexler and
(08:02):
her companion destroyer to change to a course that would
enable all guns of boat ships to bear on his
first attacking plane he had He had also ordered the
speed increased. Before this plane could attack the destroyers, it
(08:26):
was shot down by the Combat Air Patrol. Just then,
the Japanese plane that was to score the first hit
on the Drexler appeared on her bow again. Commander Wilson
ordered the ships to change course to port to bring
(08:48):
all guns to bear. At this point, the twin engine
plane dived through a hell of fire from both ships.
Her target was the Drexler's companion destroyer, some eight hundred
yards away. When it's barely which it barely missed, The
(09:10):
plane appeared headed for a crash into the water between
the ships. When the pilot leveled it off sufficiently to
crash directly into the starboard side of the Drustler, exploding
in after fire room. The plane damaged the forward engine
(09:33):
room as well as the after engine room. Large gasoline
fires immediately blazed up before quickly being extinguished. Commander Wilson
praised the work of the damage control officer Lieutenant Eugene C. Hicks, Usnr.
(09:53):
Lieutenant Hicks was declared missing an action after the attack
of the third Planning He was now being listed as dead.
During the action packed ninety seconds period, each officer and
man performed his duty with cool efficiency. Commander Wilson said
(10:19):
many stories of the heroism will never be told because
several compartments of the ship had no survivors to describe
what transpired during those ninety seconds. No one survived in
the forward diesel, the generator room, the pilot room, the
(10:45):
lower handling rooms, and magazines in the debris filled water
covering with blazing oil. Acts of rorism were numerous after
the sinking. Gietano W. Caruso Coke or Coxswain, Usnr. Saved
(11:19):
several shipmates and then was missing in action himself. He
now is also listed as dead. His complete story probably
will never be told. Lieutenant Commander Robert oh Bidwill Gusson
(11:41):
saved a man's life by cutting him free of his
entangled clothing, which was preventing his swimming. Lieutenant Nick Pappus USN.
Saved several others by aiding them in their own desperate
struggles to reach a Life Raft Commander Wilson praised the
(12:05):
action of the LCS, which proceeded through the wreckage and
oil fires to pick up survivors. The Drexler had participated
in the initial landings at Okinawa when she was serving
(12:25):
with a carrier division supporting the operation. She picked up
ten aviators who had been shot down, and also was
active in the bombardment work and cleaning up of Japanese
mines in the area by detonating them with their automatic weapons. Later,
(12:54):
the Drexler was under air attack for three successus successive nights,
each attack lasting about four hours. So active or so
active were her guns that she was twice forced to
retrieve for more information. I'm sorry for more amanation ammunition.
(13:22):
Excuse me. She was credited with destroying several enemy aircraft.
Prior to her sinking. She had served a month on
the dangerous picket duty without a scratch. The following is
(13:45):
taken from a story of the USS Lowry d D
seven seventy, which was on picket duty with the Drexer
on May twenty eighth, nineteen forty five. This story was
sent to G. Brick by a friend of his who
served on the Lowry. The last of the month was
(14:08):
again went north, this time with the Drexler. Again we
had a rough time. Early one morning we were attacked
by a large formation of enemy fighters and bombers. Our
fighters engaged their fighters, but their bombers succeeded in getting
(14:30):
through to us. The first missed us by a few
feet and crashed into the Drexler. And I've been told
that that is when my grandfather died. The very first
hit just a foil. The second and third planes went
down in flames close aboard. Number four finished the game. However,
(15:00):
he started for us. Then I'm sorry. He started for us,
then changed his mind and headed for the Drexler, now
dead in the water. A marine fighter was right on
his tail, pouring everything he had into the bomber to
(15:23):
no avail. His run was good, and he crashed into
the Drexler, hitting a boiler and magazine and completely demolishing
the ship. There was a terrific explosion, reaching high into
the air. The next thing we saw was the bow
(15:45):
of the ship protruding from the water, and then even
that was the bow of the ship protruding from the water,
and then I'm sorry. Then even that had gone. Sorry,
I know I repeated that twice had gone. She had
(16:10):
lasted only forty five seconds after the second hit. It
was a horrible sight. Planes were still all around. Our
combat air patrol was engaging them on all sides. We
were all alone. Now It was a loans of filling
(16:32):
and the lci's moved in and began picking up the survivors.
They looked bad. Losses had been heavy. Finally the attack
was over. So with that, I'm gonna go to our
(16:53):
first or commercial break. We'll be right back with more
from the New High Show on Education. Stay tuned. Are
you enjoying The New Heights Show on Education? If you
love our show, please consider liking and following us on
your favorite podcast player. To learn more, visit Radio dot
(17:15):
New Heights Education dot org or email us at info
at New Heights Education dot org. Listen in on Wednesdays
for Education in the News with hosts Pamla Clark at
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New Heights Education dot org. Welcome back to the show.
(18:03):
Continue reading. The following is taken from the Division of
Naval History Ships the Stories for History Section, Navy Department,
and was sent in by a herald. I think it's McMain, okay.
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The next action for Drexler occurred on May nineteen forty
five on this state. The Drexler, together with the USS Lowry,
sailed from the transport area at Agashi Beach, Okinawa, had
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proceeded to their assigned radar picket stations. At approximately seven
hundred on the state, an enemy plane identified as a
NICK was sited at a rain of seven miles and
at an altitude of two thousand feet. As Drexler was
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about to open fire, four combat air patrol planes attacked
the enemy aircraft and shot it down at this At
this plane was observed going down, A second plane was
sighted on the starboard bow of the column. This plane,
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a single twin engine bomber, started its approach in a long,
shallow glide, circling toward the head of the column, as
there was no time to execute a column movement. Drexler
came sharply to the left and opened fired at the
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same time the aircraft dove on Dove one on Lowry
one Lowry. The plane missed the Lowry, passing directly over her.
It almost crashed and seemed to stumble into the Drexler
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then its effort to recover. Drexler checked her fire momentarily
as the plane passed over Lowry, then opened fire again
as the plane came in. The plane crashed onto the
starboard side. The side of the ship was huled from
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about ten feet into the forward engine room. The auxiliary
steam lines and the engine rooms and the main steam
lines in the after fire room were ruptured. The forty
millimeter gun from Mount number forty was blown from its
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foundation and some of the personnel was knocked off the mount.
The forty millimeter gun in Mount number forty four was
put out of action due to the explosion of forty
millimeter ammunition in its vicinity. In the area where the
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plane hit, the ship was sprayed with gasoline, which started fires.
The repair party brought the fire under control exponentially and
had it out before the second plane hit. When the
second plane hit, a large volume of steam was noted
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coming from the engineering spaces on the starboard side. Realizing
it would be impossible to maintain the speed of twenty
five knots in order not to drain all the steamed
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from the boilers, two third standard speed was rung up immediately.
This was a precautionary measure until some information could be
obtained on the extent of the damage. Within a half
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minute after the plane hit, a second bomber was sighted
making a dive on the USS Lowry, which was on
the direct or starboard beam. The plane was taken under
fire and numerous hits were observed, which caused it to
spin in a stern of Lowry and splash. Following this,
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all main power in the four ward section of the
ship was lost. None of the personnel in this part
of the ship survived. At seven three, a third bomber
was sighted in the starboard bow at a distance of
approximately ten thousand yards. The bomber made a circuling approach
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in a shallow glide to come in from dead ahead
the fighter planes and Drexler's gun fire causes caused the
plane to miss the first pass the kamikaze bomber made
another suicide run down the port bow banked and passed
directly over the ship, just aft of the number two stack.
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The twenty millimeter guns of the port side fired on
the bomber and many hits were scored. The Japanese bomber
then managed to level off, circling around and come in
from ahead, having just missed the bridge. The plane clipped
the signal helards collards and crashed into the boat davits
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and superstructured deck just a bar abaft excuse me, the
midship's passageway. There was a tremendous explosion which rocked the
ship violently from stern to stern. Parts of the ship
were blowing hundreds of feet into the air. The bomber
was heavily loaded, and apparently the explosion blew off the
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sides of the ship. Drexler, which already had a small
list to the starboard, was a little down by the
stern and was about and was start starting to list
rapidly to the starboard. Personnel were forced to start abandoning
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ship upon their own initiative. The destroyer turned over flat
on her starboard side and then sank Stern first, disappearing
the site forty nine seconds after the second suicide it
many men were trapped because of the quickness with which
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the ship sank, the rapidity with which the ship rolled
over and made it difficult for the trapped men to
get up ladders through a hatch or even climb across
the deck balckhead or overhead. The l SAS one fourteen
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recovered approximate one hundred and fifty survivors of the USS Strexler.
Ol SEAS fifty five and fifty six recovered the remaining survivors.
USS Strexler earned a Battle Star on the Asiatic Pacific
Area Service Metal first Participation or for participating in the
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Okinawa gun to gun to operation during the period of
March twenty fifth to May twenty eighth, nineteen forty five. Okay,
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so this next section looking through here's a list of
survivors and crew and things like that. It's looking at
where we're at. Okay, So this next section is taken
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from the story of the sinking for the book by Roscoe.
It says on the twenty eighth of May, the suiciders
delivered another all out on slought on the picket line
during all four weeks of the month. The only let
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up in the Comic Coaze offensive had become when rain
grounded the Plains. Destroyers Hudson, Evans, U H. Hadley, Bosh, Douglas, H.
Speaker 2 (27:39):
Douglas, H, Fox, Storms, Brain, Anthony, and destroyer Escorts England and.
Speaker 1 (27:52):
John C. Butler had been damaged by the hell bent
suiciders during this period. It was John that the divine
wind blew a little harder on the twenty eighth and
Destroyer Drexler was lost and the tempest skippered by the
Commander R. L. Wilson. The Drexler was standing Okinawa radar
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picket duty on station with her Destroyer Lowry and two
pickets support crafts. Drexler had totaled fifteen days as an
Okinawa radar picket, in which time she had become only
too well acquainted with the all or nothing Kikishiu it's
(28:43):
k i k u s u I don't know how
to say it program. On May twenty eight, the Kamikazis
flew over the picket line and swarms some hundred and
fifteen were reported splashed that day. Influence type ammunition, double
banking and cap cover were extreme exterminating more and more
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of the aerial suiciders, but not enough for the saving
of the USS Strexer. During the latter part of the morning,
we watched six kamikazes broke through the screen shielding the
Drexer Lowry group. This suicide squad made a coordinated attack
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on the Drexer. Riddled by the Directxer's fire, Two of
the planes plunged into the sea and two fell to
strike the ship, but the remaining two powered dividing rammed
the destroyer full gun. The blast of the second strike
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opened the Drexer's deck to the sky and threw her
over on her beam. She never returned to an even kill.
Tons of water sliced or sluiced. It sluiced into her
torn hull, swamping her lower compartments deeper and deeper. Her
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beam went under until she was lying on her side
in the sea. Just forty nine seconds after the final
suicide striped, the ship rolled over with a great fountain
splash and went down. Nearly all hands below decks were
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imprisoned in the vessel. Those top side were either flung
or managed to jump from the ship as it capsized.
The Pallbearer stood into the rescue. About one hundred and
seventy officers and men were picked up, fifty one of them.
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Of their number wounded. One hundred and fifty eight men
and eight officers died with the ship. Captain C. A. B.
Canan calm deseron thirty six road of Drexler. The squadron
commander feels that the Drexler's combat record, though short, is
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one of which she can be well proud of or
can well be proud. As of May twenty eighth, nineteen
forty five, she had performed radar picket duty off Okinawa
during a busy period for a total of fifteen days.
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During this period she was shot down. She shot down
two suicide planes, possibly destroyed one or more during night attack,
assisted in the destruction of three more, and finally took
down with her. So, my friends, that's the end of
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what I'm sharing with you today. There will be more stories,
I believe when we meet again next week. So until
next time, wor
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