75 Yrs. Ago: Friday The 13th Afloat

FRI 13 OCT 1944
Pacific
During Japanese aerial counterattacks in the wake of TF 38 strikes on Formosa (see 12 October), carrier Franklin (CV-13) is damaged when a kamikaze slides across her flight deck and crashes nearby, 22°55'N, 123°12'E; heavy cruiser Canberra (CA-70), in TG 38.1, is damaged by aerial torpedo only 85 miles from Formosa, 22°48'N, 123°01'E. While heavy cruiser Wichita (CA-45) takes Canberra in tow, Cruiser Division 13 (three light cruisers under Rear Admiral Laurance T. DuBose), four destroyers from TG 38.3, and two from TG 38.1 are detached to provide cover. Fleet tug Munsee (ATF-107) relieves Wichita of towing Canberra and the group sets course for Ulithi.

Submarine Bergall (SS-320) sinks Japanese merchant tanker Shinshu Maru off Nha Trang, French Indochian, 11°52'N, 109°20'E.

British submarine HMS Sturdy sinks Japanese merchant coasters Kosei Maru and Hansei Maru in Gulf of Boni, south of Celebes.

Peleliu Island, Palaus, is secured.