I was aboard the Shubrick when we were hit by a Japanese Betty, a twin engine bomber about the size of our B-25. We were attacked by two bogies,one head on, whereas the Betty attacked from the starboard quarter. Contact was made about 0011 and we were hit about 0013.

We splashed the first plane at about 4000 yards but the second came in before we could get the main battery trained on it. The kamakaze hit us in the vicinity of the Forties , wiped out the aft head, emergency radio shack, both twin forties, damage control shack, 20mm clip shack,Ship's store, #6 20mm station, 36 inch searchlight on aft deckhouse, No. 2 engine room and the No. 2 Fireroom.

I was gunner on #7 20mm on the port side of #2 stack. The #2 stack was blown over to port and riddled with shrapnel. The Skipper would not let repair personnel take the stack off but had them chain it down with boomers. My loader was blown over the side and my talker was gravely wounded. His name is Floyd Sharp and we still keep in touch. There was a hole blown in the main deck about 30 feet across and the starbord side was blown open to the sea in #2 engine room. This action took place about 50 miles west of Okinawa in the East China Sea.

Our action off Tora Shima came several days before this. We in company with the USS Compton , an LST, and several LCI's took part in stationing an army radar group on the small island . Five Kamakaze's from a larger island to the west (Kuba Shima) attacked the invasion group and a twin engine fighter-bomber attacked Shubrick. This plane flew down the port side with the Combat Air Patrol ( 4 Marine F4U Corsairs ) firing at him all the way down our port side, across the fantail, and up the starboard bow , where he began his dive on this ship.

The Division Commander (Captain B Van Mater) told CAP to get out of the way as we were going to shoot. We got off maybe four rounds one of which hit him right in the belly. It seemed as though that he stopped in mid-air, rose up and passed over the 40mm platform into the sea about 30 feet off the port quarter. Whew!!! Being on the port side my gun could not fire at him so we just watched and felt helpless. We were then attacked by an old float plane from about 9000 yards to starboard. He finally made his approach and we began firing with the main battery at 9000 yards ,then with the 40's at 6000 yards, and finally knocked him down at 4000 yards. Quit an afternoon!.

Back to when we were hit, my gun was about 30 feet or less from the point of impact and the Betty's bomb went off which set Shubrick on fire. A 300lb. depth charge cooked off doing much more damage but also knocking out most of the fire. My kapok collar was cut off on both sides of my neck and the Mark 14 sight on my gun was shot out. The crew on #6 20mm on the starboard side was devastated as was the crew on the 36 inch search light. The gunner had a broken arm, his loader burned up in the fire ,and his talker was so sorely wounded that he died on the Van Valkenberg, who came alongside to take off all un- necessary personel and wounded.

We were towed to Kerama Retto (SP) and were classed in "C" catagory. The War was over for us. We eventually moved to Okinawa alongside a repair ship. By late July, , and before the typhoon, we were enroute to Guam on one screw. We had a much deserved beer party and proceeded to Pearl Harbor in company with the CVE, USS Casablanca,and USS BEBE. From Pearl we proceeded independently to Bremerton Navy Yard, Puget Sound ,and because the war had ended and our battle damage was excessive, it was decided to decommission and scrap a Glorious Ship.

Shubrick was awarded four battle stars for Sicily, Normandy, Southern France and Okinawa and She deserved them all.

Best regards,
Hogue, John O,
S/1c USS Shubrick DD639

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