March 23, 1945
“Launched strikes this morning against Okinawa but had to call them off this afternoon because of bad weather. All the battleships will bombard tomorrow. We expect to bombard from 10 o’clock in the morning until 4 o’clock in the afternoon cruising at 20 knots. The battleships will leave the carriers at midnight tonight.”
-Jack Lee Westphal, Seaman 1/c
March 24, 1945
“Pulled into Okinawa Jima around 08:00 and started our bombardments. WISCONSIN, MISSOURI, NEW JERSEY, INDIANA, MASSACHUSETTS, SOUTH DAKOTA, WASHINGTON AND NORTH CAROLINA all bombarded until around 16:00. We got all our targets. No shore batteries or antiaircraft fire was observed from the island. The Marines are landing tomorrow and the 10th Army around the 1st of April. I can’t understand the Japanese not fighting.”
-Private George Kietzman, USMC
“Today we bombarded Okinawa Jima. Our 16-inch started at 0900 and kept it up until 1600. The noise was terrific. Only one plane came out. Can’t figure it out. Our troops are going to land the 1st.
-John Lipke, USMC
“The new international grid system was used for the first time by this ship and found to be a definite improvement…. The aerial photographs of the target area were reproduced and distributed…however none were available of the coastline in this ship’s firing area and topside personnel had little information as to the appearance of the island prior to the approach and bombardment.”
Action Report
“During the bombardment “a slow rate of fire with single turret salvos was employed to insure the maximum use of information received from the spotting planes.” The ship expended a total of 158 rounds for the day with firing ranges varying from 14,770 to 21,830 yards.
“Since no damage could be observed by spotting planes, after the third single turret salvo, fire was shifted to what is believed by the air spotter [LT Al Oliver] to be an antique fort.” (Action Report) Commander Oliver recalled, “I asked that we take on that complex under fire. I feared that it was being used as a hospital or was some kind of religious site. I was no higher than 1,500 feet and was able to identify what appeared to be several women and children run from the area when the first salvo hit the building.” It turned out to be Shuri Castle, the main command center for the Japanese ground forces on Okinawa.
Learn more details in “Okinawa: The Last Battle,” The War in the Pacific, by Roby E. Appleman, James M. Burns, Russell A. Gugeler, and John Stevens. Historical Division, Department of the Army, 1948.