Late in August of 1942, word got around the ship, as it always does,
that something hot was brewing for the Mighty Mac and her sister ships.
Nobody knew what was coming off, but the scuttlebutt was flying thick and
fast. We were even more certain after a three weeks training period in
Chesapeake Bay was followed by an even more intensified one in Bermuda.
Curiosity was aroused to a fever pitch when, on October 29, 1942, we set out
westward with a huge convoy. The convoy increased daily until it numbered
900 ships.
On November 7th, the armada split into several groups
preparatory to striking the objective the following morning. It was only
then that Captain Duvall informed his men, speaking over the "PA" system,
that the moment was at hand when the Mighty Mac was to take part in the
Invasion of North Africa.
On November 8th, the two cans, Hambleton
and Macomb, were designated as part of the screen for the carrier Sangamon,
scheduled to launch planes for the assault. The duties were performed as
ordered, and then on the evening of November 11th, they were relieved by two
more destroyers in the squadron, the Corry and Hobson, and were directed to
proceed to Fedala Bay for fueling assignment. Arriving late in spite of top
speed all the way, the ships were ordered to anchor in the vicinity and
dropped their respective hooks astern of the tanker Winooski, there fueling
ship for the next morning.
As the crew settled down for th enight
after almost five days of modified general quarters and condition watches,
the silence was suddenly split by three heavy explosions. By the light of
the fires which immediately lighted the skies and the debris-laden sea, the
men could make out three ships which had been hit, dead amidships. They were
the destroyer Hambleton, the transport Hughes, and the tanker Winooski, two
of the three anchored within spitting distance of the Macomb. The transport
sank the next day, suffering heavy casualties. The destroyer had been split
almost in two, the explosion blowing parts of the after fireroom through the
sides and the diesel shack above. Every man sleeping in the shack had been a
casualty. The tanker fared much better than the others, with not a man
killed, missing, or even seriously wounded.
The Mac immediately got
underway in pursuit of the killer, and managed to gain a sound contact,
which was followed by a depth charge attack, without visible results. This
patrol continued through the night of November 11. The following day the
Macomb returned to Fedala Bay for fuel from the wounded tanker Winooski, and
had barely cleared her side that evening, when four explosions gave evidence
that the subs were at it again. Heavy toll wa staken that night of the
transports and supply ships which were unloading men and equipment. The Mac
prepared to go to their assistance, but was ordered to take a convoy out of
this "torpedo junction" to the safe harbor of Casablanca. And when, on
October 15, the convoy entered that port, we drew a breath of relief, and
thanked whatever gods we knew to have been so lucky in the midst of our
first big show.
On the Road to Casablanca.
Return to the USS Macomb
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