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7. When contact with this northern enemy surface force was established T.U.77.4.3 consisted of 6 CVE's (FANSHAW BAY,Rear Admiral C.A.F. Sprague, O.T.C. , ST. LO, WHITE PLAINS, KALININ BAY, KITKUN BAY AND GAMBlER BAY) with a screen of 3 DD's and 4 DE's consisting of: HOEL (F) (DD-533) , JOHNSTON (DD-557) , HEERMAN (DD-552) , SAMUEL J . ROBERT S (DE-413) , DENNIS (DD-405) , BUTLER (DD-339), RAYMOND (DD-341) Initially the screen was equally spaced around the six carriers which were in formation 5-R. The FANSHAW BAY was guide in station 2.5300. The GAMBlER BAY occupied station 2.5120,which placed her 5,000 yards bearing 120° (T) from the Guide. Insofar as the carriers were concerned, the circular disposition was maintained throughout the action and this vessel held its approximate station until it was forced to drop astern by reason of the loss of one engine. 8. The Task Unit was deployed in this disposition at the time that the enemy forces were encountered. The latter's composition can only be estimated but it is generally believed by those that had an opportunity to observe it that it consisted of three or four battleships, six or eight heavy and/or light cruisers and probably at least four destroyers. In addition to this force, a brief visual contact was made with a force of three destroyers to the south who responded correctly to a flashing light challenge but who did not join or take any part of the subsequent action. ENEMY SHIP IDENTIFICATION 1. The following is a list of ships which came near enough (between 0800 and 0900) from the northeast and east sectors to possibly be identified by type and class: 1 Tone CA, 1 single stack DD, 1 Atago CA, 1 Aoba (or Mogami) CA, 1 two stack DD, and 1 Kongo BB. 2. The column of ships, 6-1/2 miles to the NE (0745---0800) fired on by the 5. gun, was led, on a southerly course, by a Tone CA. The identity of the other two ships was doubtful at the time. (Note: The battery officer reported only 3 ships in column yet the SO radar operator reported and the FPI indicated 4 ships in column). 3. The Recognition Officer, whose battle station was on the open bridge, sketched the ships at 0835 as in a loose column, (south to north) but not all in the same formation, in the order given in paragraph ( I) above. 4. Two VC-l 0 pilots, who abandoned ship from the port side of the forecastle, are positive that a Kongo BB crossed the bow, close aboard , from port to starboard (0855--0905) .As he abandoned ship the Navigator identified a Mogami class CA on an opposite parallel course firing from approximately 2,000 yards on our starboard beam. (Note: it is quite possible that more than one (I) enemy heavy ship crossed our bow and the last would have been a Kongo, BB reported previously as the last in the column of enemy ships.) page
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