Hansen, Sylvester Willard, CWT

Other Memories
Assigned to TF 34 for the invasion of north Africa, Ludlow arrived off: Cape Fedhala, French Morocco, late 7 November 1942. Shortly after the first wave of landing craft headed tor shore, Ludlow found herself engaging shore batteries, bombers, and a Vichy French naval force comprised of a cruiser and two destroyers. A 6-inch shell struck her forward and straddling shots were falling close aboard when Augusta and Brooklyn - arrived and helped to dispose of the French ships.

Ludlow returned to New York to repair battle damage, then conducted training off the coast of Maine before departing 14 January 1943 tor the first of three convoy runs to Casablanca. After the third of these, in June, she remained in the Mediterranean for the forthcoming invasion of Sicily. With the invasion forces on 10 July, Ludlow gave fire support off Licata and Porsa Empedocle. Daily enemy air attacks followed, and on 11 August she splashed her first airplane.

Participating in the invasion of Italy on 9 September, Ludlow led a section of the assault wave through a known minefield to the bloody landing at Salerno. She and her sister ships were warmly commended by the commanding general ashore for their effective close range fire support. She then served on convoy duty between Naples and Oran, until 11 January 1944. Returning to the beachheads, she covered Allied troops storming ashore at Anzio 22 January. This Joint American-British operation initially met little opposition, but later in the day the Germans struck with a fierce counterattack. Heavy air attacks marked the following days and, in less than a week, Ludlow splashed two bombers one fighter, and three rocket glider bombs. A 5 inch shell crashed through the torpedo director deck and the pilothouse, causing Ludlow to retire, but serious damage was averted when Chief Gunners Mate James D. Johnson located the hot, unexploded shell and managed to get it topside and overboard.