| Here at Ozark Airfield Artworks we offer a large selection aviation art prints. These prints mainly depict modern and historic aviation along with military, civil and space flight. We also deal with naval subjects and military armor and infantry works. These prints are from all the top national and international aviation artists along with some local artists. Many of our prints are signed by the artist and by famous pilots and veterans. If you are looking for a specific plane, pilot, artist or subject please contact us. |
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Ozark Airfield Artworks
See our great selection of
artists like Sam Lyons,
John D Shaw, Robert
Bailey, & Thomas Smith!
artists like Sam Lyons,
John D Shaw, Robert
Bailey, & Thomas Smith!
"MIRACULOUSLY SHELTERED FROM HARM"
| At the Naval battle off Samar near Leyte, a John C. Butler Class Destroyer Escort takes on the much larger Japanese cruiser (Haguro) with 5in. gunfire and torpedoes, then picks up survivors from stricken escort carrier St. Lo. Though heavily involved in close quarter combat USS Raymond DE-341, is not hit by a single shot! |
Image size: 8 inches high x 20 inches wide.
MIRACULOUSLY
SHELTERED FROM HARM
(Whilst Blasting The Enemy)!
U.S.S. Raymond DE-341, October 25th 1944, Battle offf Samar, Pacific Ocean.
DON DERWOYED WT 3/C
Captain Byer gave a message: "The whole Jap fleet is 15 miles astern of us.
Anyone off watch can go top-side and watch the show." Then all of Hasley's task
force group will engage the Jap fleet. A second later, a loud voice from Captain
Byer came over the PA system again, "Man your battle stations! They are firing on
us! You are all a good bunch of boys- God bless you all!" I then ran up the ladder
exit to fantail my GQ Station 20 mm loader. Our five-inch gun was firing so rapidly.
As I looked to the port side, I saw the large Pagodas and remarked "What the hell
is that?" The explosions were of colored dye. I kept thinking, "If they ever connect
with us, we're all gone!" Then we saw torpedoes heading toward us! They went
right under us at port side! At that time, I did not know why they were using
colored explosives (years later I found out that each Jap ship had their own
colored shells) I remember seeing at least 5 different colors-5 Jap ships firing at
us. None of them hit, but came very close.
BOB HAMAN FC 3/C
I heard a loud noise, and looked up to see an 18-inch projectile from a Japanese
battleship roaring overhead. It was very large and noisy and then it splashed off
to the starboard side. Wow, we were lucky! After the sea battle was over, 5
Japanese planes attacked us. They were headed for the carriers, all of our ships
opened fire on them. One veered toward the St. Lo and hit into the carrier flight
deck causing an enormous explosion. Raging fires ignited torpedoes and bombs
stored on the hanger deck. We witnessed tremendous explosions that tore the
ship apart. Parts of the ship blew high into the sky, then she split apart and sank a
short time later. Our ship along with the Butler and Dennis stayed by the St. Lo to
pick up survivors.
RALPH FANTACONE TM 2/C
Just before the suicide planes came over, we were told to look out for low flying
torpedo bombers. Roop was the telephone talker and he saw six planes way up
in the sky. He said, "They may be them". I, of course, being the senior man said, "
of course not, these are high flying and besides, here they come in for a landing."
He said, "Yeah, the shape of the wings are different from our carrier planes." So, I
said, "What did you expect? We were just in a battle and these planes must be
from another carrier." He agreed, and said, "Boy, they are really coming in at a
steep angle, they will never be able to land that way!" I agreed and we all just
watched the planes peel off. When the first one was about 100 yards from the St.
Lo. Roop had on the headphones and yelled, "It's a Jap!" and right then the plane
hit and bounced in a solid ball of fire! To think we just witnessed the first
Kamikaze attack of the war!
BY WILLIAM (BILL) SIRY MM 3/C
I was in Fire room #2 manning the burners on the boiler. In chasing salvos to
quickly change speeds, the Captain ordered from full forward to full reverse and
back again. It was repeated and blew safety valves on the boiler six times! A
month later during the shakedown in Pearl Harbor, these same types of orders
and executions occurred. This resulted in a bending of one of the drive shafts
and she went into dry-dock for repairs. If this had happened in combat, it would
have been the seventh time the ship speed would have been cut in half and the
USS Raymond would have been an easy target.
BILLY BARROW, JR. SM 2/C
I first recall gunfire from the Yamato, then the cruiser, then the destroyer
torpedoes, then the sadness to see the loss of our sister ships. I remember the
bravery and the devotion to duty in the face of the overwhelming odds. Surely
God was with us and we give him the Praise.
Dedicated to crew of USS Raymond DE341, 1944-1947
SHELTERED FROM HARM
(Whilst Blasting The Enemy)!
U.S.S. Raymond DE-341, October 25th 1944, Battle offf Samar, Pacific Ocean.
DON DERWOYED WT 3/C
Captain Byer gave a message: "The whole Jap fleet is 15 miles astern of us.
Anyone off watch can go top-side and watch the show." Then all of Hasley's task
force group will engage the Jap fleet. A second later, a loud voice from Captain
Byer came over the PA system again, "Man your battle stations! They are firing on
us! You are all a good bunch of boys- God bless you all!" I then ran up the ladder
exit to fantail my GQ Station 20 mm loader. Our five-inch gun was firing so rapidly.
As I looked to the port side, I saw the large Pagodas and remarked "What the hell
is that?" The explosions were of colored dye. I kept thinking, "If they ever connect
with us, we're all gone!" Then we saw torpedoes heading toward us! They went
right under us at port side! At that time, I did not know why they were using
colored explosives (years later I found out that each Jap ship had their own
colored shells) I remember seeing at least 5 different colors-5 Jap ships firing at
us. None of them hit, but came very close.
BOB HAMAN FC 3/C
I heard a loud noise, and looked up to see an 18-inch projectile from a Japanese
battleship roaring overhead. It was very large and noisy and then it splashed off
to the starboard side. Wow, we were lucky! After the sea battle was over, 5
Japanese planes attacked us. They were headed for the carriers, all of our ships
opened fire on them. One veered toward the St. Lo and hit into the carrier flight
deck causing an enormous explosion. Raging fires ignited torpedoes and bombs
stored on the hanger deck. We witnessed tremendous explosions that tore the
ship apart. Parts of the ship blew high into the sky, then she split apart and sank a
short time later. Our ship along with the Butler and Dennis stayed by the St. Lo to
pick up survivors.
RALPH FANTACONE TM 2/C
Just before the suicide planes came over, we were told to look out for low flying
torpedo bombers. Roop was the telephone talker and he saw six planes way up
in the sky. He said, "They may be them". I, of course, being the senior man said, "
of course not, these are high flying and besides, here they come in for a landing."
He said, "Yeah, the shape of the wings are different from our carrier planes." So, I
said, "What did you expect? We were just in a battle and these planes must be
from another carrier." He agreed, and said, "Boy, they are really coming in at a
steep angle, they will never be able to land that way!" I agreed and we all just
watched the planes peel off. When the first one was about 100 yards from the St.
Lo. Roop had on the headphones and yelled, "It's a Jap!" and right then the plane
hit and bounced in a solid ball of fire! To think we just witnessed the first
Kamikaze attack of the war!
BY WILLIAM (BILL) SIRY MM 3/C
I was in Fire room #2 manning the burners on the boiler. In chasing salvos to
quickly change speeds, the Captain ordered from full forward to full reverse and
back again. It was repeated and blew safety valves on the boiler six times! A
month later during the shakedown in Pearl Harbor, these same types of orders
and executions occurred. This resulted in a bending of one of the drive shafts
and she went into dry-dock for repairs. If this had happened in combat, it would
have been the seventh time the ship speed would have been cut in half and the
USS Raymond would have been an easy target.
BILLY BARROW, JR. SM 2/C
I first recall gunfire from the Yamato, then the cruiser, then the destroyer
torpedoes, then the sadness to see the loss of our sister ships. I remember the
bravery and the devotion to duty in the face of the overwhelming odds. Surely
God was with us and we give him the Praise.
Dedicated to crew of USS Raymond DE341, 1944-1947