USS Essex

World War ll Cruise Book

Floyd A Heidelberger 

1927-2022

Seaman first class

World War ll Cruise Book part 3

Part 2

On 25 November 1944, USS Essex (CV-9) was off Luzon, 165 miles east of Manila, sending strikes to enemy airfields and interdicting shipping around the islands. At 1255 two kamikazes singled out Essex. Both were hit by anti-aircraft fire and one crashed into the sea. The other bomber, identified as a Yokosuka D4Y3 Suisei ("Comet") model 33 (Allied reporting name Judy) and flown by LT Yamaguchi Yoshinori, kept boring straight in.