October-November, 1943The raid on Wake Island (October 5 and 6) was the Mobile's first experience in shore bombardment. Joe's gunnery crew would have been active.
Joe was on the crew in turret number two, which had large five-and six-inch guns (meaning they fired shells five and six inches in width). The photo shows Turret 2 guns and crew, with Joe standing on the steps in the middle. These guns were designed for ship and shore bombardment rather than anti-aircraft fire.
The Mobile returned to Pearl again and ten days later sailed south as part of the Central Pacific Task Force, toward the planned assault and occupation of the Gilbert Islands, but the ship was diverted to Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides to join the Southern Pacific Task Force, which had already begun to land troops on Bougainville Island.
The Mobile's job was to cover the supply and troop transport ships approaching the beachhead at Empress Augusta Bay. On the night of November 8-9, 1943, the Mobile was subjected to its first heavy enemy air attack. The ship was responsible for one of the 10 planes shot down that night, and assisted with the take-down of two others.
Regarding the air attack, the planes weren't Kamikazes. That corps of suicide planes wasn't formed until fall 1944. Many of these planes, though, could drop torpedoes.
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From the Data Section of Joe's Journal:
3 - Wake Is. ____________ Oct 5 & 6 1943
Air strike & shore bombardment. Heavy damaged was done to the island.
4 - Solomon Is __________ Nov. 10, 1943
Bouginville escorted troops _ also were attacked by planes that night & Mobile got credit for three planes.
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