The National Museum of the Pacific War (Admiral Nimitz Museum)
Center for Pacific War Studies Fredericksburg, Texas
Interview with William L. Brewer June 16, 2003
US Na -TBM Radioman-Gunner USS Bataan CVL.
—1— My name is Richard Misenhimer and today is June 16, 2003. I am interviewing by telephone Mr. William
L. Brewer, 158 Lakewood Dr., Williamsburg, VA 23815. Phone 757-253-2762. This interview is in support of the National Museum of Pacific Wars Center for Pacific War Studies for the preservation of historical information related to World War TI.
Richard Misenhimer:
1want to thank you for taking time to do this interview today. Let me start out by reading to you this
agreement with the Nimitz Museum. It says Admiral Nimitz State Historic Site National Museum of the
Pacific War, Center for Pacific War Studies, Fredericksburg, Texas, Oral history project. The purpose of the
Admiral Nimitz State Historical Site National Museum of the Pacific War Oral History Project is to collect,
preserve and interrupt the history of World War II and role of Chester W Nimitz by means of taped recorded
and/or video taped interview. Taped video recording of such interviews becomes part of the Center for
Pacific War Studies Archives of the National Museum of the Pacific War Texas Parks and Wildlife
Department. These tape recordings will be made available for historical and other academic research by
scholars and members of the family of the interviewee. Any transcription, which can be subsquently
produced from the tape recording will be conducted with the knowledge of the interviewee by the National
Museum of the Pacific War. We the undersigned have read the above and voluntarily offer the National
Museum of the Pacific War full use of the information contained on video or tape recordings of these oral
history research interviews in view of the scholarly value of this research material we hereby sign rights, title
and interest pertaining to it to the National Museum of Pacific War, Texas Parks and WildIifi. Is that
satisfactory with you?
William Brewer:
Yes it is.
Richard Misenhimer:
All right. Yes or No to this. Give permission for excerpts to be used in the Nimitz News.
William Brewer:
-2- Yes it is okay.
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay fine. Thank you very much. Let me start off by asking you where were you born?
William Brewer:
I was born in Graves County, Kentucky. It is down in the Western part of the state a little town Mayfield.
Richard Misenhimer:
What is your birth date?
William Brewer:
Apr. 23, 1924
Richard Misenhimer:
Did you have brothers and sisters?
William Brewer:
I have 4 brothers and 3 sisters.
Richard Misenhimer:
Were any of your brothers in World War II?
William Brewer:
All of them were.
Richard Misenhimer:
Did they all come home?
William Brewer:
Yes they did.
Richard Misenhimer:
What was your parent’s occupation? Your father’s occupation’?
William Brewer:
My father was a farmer.
-_, - Richard Misenhimer:
Where did you go to high school?
William Brewer:
1went to high school in Reidland High School in Reidland. Kentucky.
Richard Misenhimer:
What year did you finish there?
William Brewer:
1942
Richard Misenhimer:
42 okay. Now Dec. 7 Japan of course attacked Pearl Harbor. Do you recall where you were when you heard
about that?
William Brewer:
I have never forgotten. I was working in a Shell Service Station at the time when I heard the broadcast and I
was only about 17 years old. That was the first time I had honestly heard of Pearl Harbor.
Richard Misenhimer:
Right. What was your reaction when you heard it?
William Brewer:
I wanted to enlist.
Richard Misenhimer:
When did you go into the service?
William Brewer:
I went in on my 19’’birthday Apr. 23, 1943.
Richard Misenhimer:
You had to wait until you were 18 to be able to volunteer without your parents permission?
William Brewer:
-4- Right. We — there was about three other seniors went down the next day to enlist but then our parents — at least my parents wouldn’t sign the agreement so I had to wait.
Richard Misenhimer:
What branch did you go into?
William Brewer:
United States Navy
Richard Misenhimer:
How did you choose the Navy?
William Brewer:
Ijust thought it would be more interesting and I like the way they trained for war. I really wanted to get into the aviation part of it, I thought it would be the best.
Richard Misenhimer:
When you went into the Navy where did you join? What location?
William Brewer:
When I joined I was in Detroit, Michigan and then they sent me to boot camp at Great Lakes, Illinois.
Richard Misenhimer:
What all did you do in boot camp?
William Brewer:
Oh he usual stuff, a lot of drilling, learning the code of the Navy.
Richard Misenhimer:
Did you have any weapons training in boot camp?
William Brewer:
Not too much in boot camp, just some basic training with rifles. Marching with it and so forth.
Richard Misenhimer:
How about swimming? Did you have to learn how to swim or did you know?
-5- William Brewer:
I already knew but I think I had that later when I was in gunnery school.
Richard Misenhimer:
How long was boot camp?
William Brewer:
Let me think, I think I went in about April, 1943 and got out of there about October, 1943.
Richard Misenhimer:
So that was more than just the boot camp there was other training also? Is that right?
William Brewer:
It was basically just the boot camp training I don’t remember how many weeks, but I was in a company I
believe was 542’ and you had so many weeks of the training and then you had to select what phase of the
service that you wanted. What you wanted to do then, they would send you to a different training school.
Richard Misenhimer:
Did you have any knot tying while you were in the Navy there?
William Brewer:
Any what?
Richard Misenhimer:
Knot tying? Tying knots in ropes.
William Brewer:
Oh yes they trained you in all the different knots to tie. Seamanship.
Richard Misenhimer:
When you had a chance to choose a school or other training what did you choose then?
William Brewer:
I chose to be an aviation radioman-gunner.
Richard Misenhimer:
-6- Did you think about pilot training or just
William Brewer:
I did in fact I was very interested, but at that time, due to my age ijust didn’t make it.
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay.
William Brewer:
I recommended later, but the war was over.
Richard Misenhimer:
When you went into this radio training where was that? Was that still there at Great Lakes?
William Brewer:
No, that was at Millington, Tennessee near Memphis.
Richard Misenhimer:
When did you get there?
William Brewer:
October till maybe May of the next year.
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay so Oct. 43 to May of 44.
William Brewer:
Right.
Richard Misenhimer:
What kind of base was this in Tennessee?
William Brewer:
It was definitely a Training Center. I mean you went to school, you had all kinds of exams, you
learned the Morse code and how to operate the radios and repair them. Mainly the operation of them,
because they had another technician that did the repairing part of it. You trained with radio and radar
-7- equipment.
Richard Misenhimer:
What did you live in there?
William Brewer:
Where did we live?
Richard Misenhimer:
Yes, was it barracks or what?
William Brewer:
It was very nice; it was a former military academy in Hollywood, Florida. We had no fences around us and
everybody was more or less on their own but you had certain hours you were suppose to he in. Certain
things you had to do during the day. The food was very good and we had excellent services and the quarters
were very nice.
Richard Misenhimer:
Was this in Tennessee or Florida did you say?
William Brewer:
It was in Florida.
Richard Misenhimer:
How long were you in Tennessee?
William Brewer:
Tennessee I was there — I got there in about October and was there until the next May or June.
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay you were there until May in Tennessee. What did you live in there?
William Brewer:
Regular barracks.
Richard Misenhimer:
-8- 1-lowwas the food there’?
William Brewer:
Typical Navy food. Good some days. better the next day. We had beans for breakfast.
Richard Misenhimer:
Navy beans right? Then you went from there to Florida?
William Brewer:
Yes.
Richard Misenhimer:
Now when you finished in Tennessee what rank did you have’?
William Brewer:
I think when I finished there I was Aviation Radioman third class.
Richard Misenhimer:
What type of training did you get in Florida?
William Brewer:
I went to gunners’ school — aerial gunners school.
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay. Up until this point you had been assigned to any particular type of airplane?
William Brewer:
Not at that time, No.
Richard Misenhimer:
At gunners school were you assigned to any kind of airplane there?
William Brewer:
No.
Richard Misenhimer:
How long did that school last?
-9- William Brewer:
I’m trying to think around June because we had the winter in Florida and we shipped up to Maine for the summer, which at the time was just perfect.
Richard Misenhimer:
When you left Tennessee it was about May of 44? Is that right?
William Brewer:
I’m in training in radio school.
Richard Misenhimer:
That’s right.
William Brewer:
I could have left there earlier; I’m trying to think because I went thru training at gunnery school and then we had operations over in Opaloca, Florida, and that is where we were assigned to a certain plane and we had a lot of aerial gunnery at that time.
Richard Misenhimer:
Now this was in the summer right? The summer of ‘44?
William Brewer:
No, well wait — I was up in Maine for the summer of ‘44, so that had to be probably the winter of ‘43 and early ‘44.
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay.
William Brewer:
I’m trying to remember all those dates.
Richard Misenhimer:
That’s all right. We are just trying to get the general idea here. Anything in particular that you remember in your training either in the radio school or gunnery school?
- 10- William Brewer:
Nothing out of the ordinary at that time.
Richard Misenhimer:
Any accidents? Did any planes have accidents or anything?
William Brewer:
No.
Richard Misenhimer:
Anything comical or funny happen that you remember?
William Brewer:
Well now your talking about Florida?
Richard Misenhimer:
Tennessee or Florida both. Either one?
William Brewer:
It was my first time ever to be in Florida and being there in the winter months it was very nice to be laying out on the beach there during the Christmas holiday. The beaches were very beautiful then and it was really nice to enjoy winter in Florida, then it wasn’t very crowded and people were very nice. You would be out hitchhiking and people would pick you up and take you to a club for dinner or take you to their house for a pretty nice party.
Richard Misenhimer:
Now did you just have a regular schedule, and you could spend time off if you wanted?
William Brewer:
You had a regular schedule you had your duty days and then you had days when you had liberty.
Richard Misenhimer:
Anything else you recall from Tennessee or Florida?
William Brewer: -11- No, being 19 years old, Liberty was the biggest part. I mean going into Memphis and they had two big hotels, that had nice eating facilities. One was the Peabody and 1forget the name of the other one, but we would head for there when we got our liberty.
Richard Misenhimer:
Then you left there and you went where?
William Brewer:
From Tennessee we went to Hollywood, Florida.
Richard Misenhimer:
But from Florida you went north?
William Brewer:
Yes, that was in June of ‘44. That was when we were assigned the pilot, Lieutenant Ben Douglas, that we
would be flying with. On a TBM there was a crew of three. A pilot, another gunner & me.
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay.
William Brewer:
The pilot and an aviation ordnance man, which manned the upper turret and I had the turret down
in the belly of the TBM.
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay.
William Brewer:
I was doing the radio functions and radar that you could see right out in front of them.
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay. Now the TBM and the TBF how do they differ?
William Brewer:
One was built by Gruman and one was built by GM, I’m not sure but I know TBM was
- 12 - built by Gruman.
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay, so yours was built by Gruman? So the only difference in the two planes is who manufactured them?
William Brewer:
They were identical in shape.
Richard Misenhimer:
So what size was it a 30 calibers or 50-caliber machine gun you had?
William Brewer:
I had the 30 calibers in the belly. When we went to combat our skipper did away the turret in the bottom and
we only flew a crew of two.
Richard Misenhimer:
Oh, I see.
William Brewer:
When we were in combat I would crawl up in the turret where the 50-caliber machine gun was.
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay. You could climb from one to the other?
William Brewer:
Yes.
Richard Misenhimer:
Now lets go back then, when you left Florida what state did you go to? What state did you tell me’?I’m
sorry.
William Brewer:
We went to Maine.
Richard Misenhimer:
- 13 - Maine, okay.
William Brewer:
There was a Naval Air Station there at Sanford, Maine.
Richard Misenhimer:
What all did you do there?
William Brewer:
Did a lot of flying arid a lot of training. It was a lot of activity, also daytime and night flying and just getting
organized as a squadron and getting to know everybody.
Richard Misenhimer:
What was that squadron number?
William Brewer:
VT47
Richard Misenhimer:
Were you flying with the same pilot all the time?
William Brewer:
All the time - --- Lieut. Ben Douglas.
Richard Misenhimer:
Who was the gunner? Do you recall?
William Brewer:
Roy Colvin.
Richard Misenhimer:
Where was he from?
William Brewer:
Cherry Creek, New York — I got to hear a lot about Cherry Creek.
Richard Misenhimer:
- 14- 1-lowabout the pilot? Where was lie from’?
William Brewer:
1-fewas from Wisconsin.
Richard Misenhimer:
You flew the same plane all the time then?
William Brewer:
All the time, we would be in the same type of plane. You might be flying one plane with one number one day and another plane the next day. They were basically all the same.
Richard Misenhimer:
Anything you recall about your time there in Maine?
William Brewer:
The only time I remember was that it was the best duty 1had there in the summer of ‘44. I learned to eat lobster and the people were very friendly and everybody there enjoyed our duty there. As I said before it was great being there in the summer, because we would tell the people how much we enjoyed it, they said come back here in January and you will hate this place when it is 40 below zero.
Richard Misenhimer:
Did you do any carrier landings at that point?
William Brewer:
I don’t recall doing any at that point.
Richard Misenhimer:
Anything else that you recall from your time there in Maine?
William Brewer:
No, I just remember the duty and getting orders for transfer. We finished our training in October and headed for San Diego.
Richard Misenhimer:
- 15- ______
How did you travel from there to San Diego?
William Brewer:
I think we went on train.
Richard Misenhimer:
Lets go back — did you every get any leave along the way?
William Brewer:
Sure we did, I believe we got a Leavewhen I finished training in Memphis and I got leave when I finished gunnery school in Hollywood. You see in Hollywood we went over to Naval Training. I’m sure we did some flight training there flying in a TBM.
Richard Misenhimer:
Now you mentioned that you were born in Kentucky and went to school in Kentucky, but you joined in
Detroit?
William Brewer:
Yes.
Richard Misenhimer:
Had your parents moved to Detroit in the meantime or what?
William Brewer:
No, I got out of high school and I knew there were a lot ofjobs they were casting for up in the plants in
Detroit. So I went up there and got ajob with Packard Motor Car Company.
Richard Misenhimer:
What was your job there? What did you do?
William Brewer:
I worked in the War — What they call it War — we were in charge of rationing for all the employees.
Richard Misenhimer:
Oh I see, okay. Now lets go back to when you went to San Diego? How was that train trip?
- 16- William Brewer:
What I recall, there was no air conditioning and when you shampooed your hair when you got off the train
the water was almost black. Coal fired train in those days.
Richard Misenhimer:
Right. Did you have a sleeper or did you have to sit up in chair car the whole time?
William Brewer:
I think we sat up the whole time.
Richard Misenhimer:
Then when you got to San Diego where did you go there?
William Brewer:
We went to the Naval Air Station there.
Richard Misenhimer:
You went as a group?
William Brewer:
Yes, we were there waiting for our aircraft carrier, we were only there about a week.
Richard Misenhimer:
What ship were you assigned to there?
William Brewer:
We got on the Altamaha it was a CVE and this was in Oct of
Richard Misenhimer:
That would have been ‘44.
William Brewer:
‘44. And we went on the Altamaha to Hawaii. When we got to Hawaii we were going to be
assigned to the USS Princeton. and en-route to Flawaii the Princeton was sunk in the Philippine Sea.
Richard Misenhimer: -17- Oh William
Richard
So
William So
We doing
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biggest The went
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experience,
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Misenhimer:
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Misenhimer:
for
spent Misenhimer:
have
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expect
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Brewer:
Brewer:
Misenhimer: ship
Brewer: Misenhimer:
was on Brewer:
Misenhimer: on
Brewer: Misenhimer:
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stationed
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land
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right.
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and
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went
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ride
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go
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at get that
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remember
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Pearl carrier
or
time
-19-
Honolulu
went
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or
Harbor
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everybody
at
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all?
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and wire on the beaches. You were really restricted the hours that you could stay there; everybody bad to be off the beaches no later then 10 o’clock. Because there wasn’t activity that you could do over there except to lie on what part of the beach that they would let you lay on. They only had a few hotels. I am trying to think of the main one — its still there today I’ve been back to it since then.
Richard Misenhimer:
Yes the pink one. The Royal Hawaiian.
William Brewer:
The Royal Hawaiian, yes. You didn’t have overnight liberty — you had to be back in by 1 o’clock at the
latest.
Richard Misenhimer:
I see. Anything else that you recall about Honolulu.
William Brewer:
No Ijust remember it was a lot of training. We had nothing else to do but wait for a cairier, so we had a very
active and creative commanding officer so there wasn’t any down time. He kept us busy. I remember night
flying. I was watching radar all of the sudden I told the pilot big blimp straight ahead and he thought the
mountain was there.
Richard Misenhimer:
What was it?
William Brewer:
It was a mountain but we avoided it.
Richard Misenhimer:
Oh okay. So you were the radio operator? You operated the radar also?
William Brewer:
Yes one interesting thing did happen while I was there we took a lot of gunnery practice. I don’t want to be
bragging but I was very accurate in shooting skeet. Mc and another guy, named Glemi Cawley was the top
- 20 - two in the class when it came to that. One time I bet a gunnery officer, I said. I bet you a bottle of booze that I will hit all 50,” he said, booze was $10 and he said “your are on.” I shot the first 49 and missed the last one. He came to barracks and handed me a bottle anyhow, and said you came to close not to be rewarded.
I had to share it with several shipmates, so it didn’t last very long.
Richard Misenhimer:
Anything else you recall there?
William Brewer:
No we had entertainment by locals, we had one gal that would come over and do the hula dance for us. She
was very well known on the island and here name was Sweetie Wilson, a very, very pretty Hawaiian girl. I
went back there years later and I tried to look her up, I asked a native that I thought was on the island at that
time, she remembered her — but she said “Oh very sad, she fell in love with an American and he left her after
the war and she died of a broken heart. That was the sad end of Sweetie Wilson. Oh we got to eat poi, I
never had eaten that stuff before.
Richard Misenhimer:
You eat that with two fingers right?
William Brewer:
Right. I didn’t know how so she stuck her fingers into the poi and stuck them in my mouth. 1felt like
biting her finger but I didn’t, it was interesting and the weather was great. I mean you didn’t have air
conditioning then, but our barracks were pretty well open and you didn’t want to wake up. it was just so
pleasant lying there in bed.
Richard Misenhimer:
What did you think of the Poi did you like it?
William Brewer:
Never did.
Richard Misenhimer:
-21 - Terrible tasting stuff I think. Did you get to a Luau?
William Brewer:
Yes we had one of those on the island.
Richard Misenhimer:
Did ya? Okay. All right.
William Brewer:
It wasn’t the greatest, 1have been back over there and had better ones.
Richard Misenhimer:
When did you finally get your carrier?
William Brewer:
We got it on Mar. of ‘45. March 3ft1 We hooked up with a task force that also included the USS Franklin.
We left there and headed for Ulithi to join the fleet.
Richard Misenhimer:
Which carrier did you get?
William Brewer:
On the Bataan CVL # 29.
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay. CVL is a full size right?
William Brewer:
No it was a light carrier. CV was a real big one; they converted about 8 or 10 cruisers into carriers. We
operated all the time with the big boys, but we didn’t carry as many of the planes.
Richard Misenhimer:
Now you mentioned a CVE how does that compare in size to a CVL?
William Brewer:
CVE is the smallest and CVL is in between.
- 22 - Richard Misenhimer:
1read somewhere a while back that there were actually over 100 carriers operating when the war ended.
William Brewer:
I will never forget looking out and seeing the fleet that we had in operations, all the groups coming together after the war ended and I’m thinking what a powerhouse that we had built. I mean we could have taken on anybody in the world at that time.
Richard Misenhimer:
When you got your carrier there in Hawaii did you fly onto it or how did you get to the carrier?
William Brewer:
It was in dock so we boarded it there.
Richard Misenhimer:
Now did you take your plane with you or did you get new planes when you got on the carrier?
William Brewer:
We got all brand new planes.
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay. Then you left there with the Franklin?
William Brewer:
With the Franklin, it was along side of us there at Pearl and at Ulithi. We were in the same air group.
Richard Misenhimer:
So you all went to Ulithi how long did it take you to get to Ulithi?
William Brewer:
Well I think about a week.
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay.
William Brewer:
- 23 - About a week — I know we stayed there in the harbor for a Fewdays. I know we left and we made our first strike there on the 18th, so we couldn’t have been there very long.
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay. March the th18
William Brewer:
Yes.
Richard Misenhimer:
Now when you went there were you in a convoy? A large number of ships?
William Brewer:
Yes, there were quite a few ships. Ulithi was loaded with ships cause some had been out and came back in
and was ready to go out again. Only thing I remember about Ulithi was there was a P38 plane that was
buzzing, I believe it was the Randolph — cause he had friends on the Randolph and he crashed into the deck
and killed himself. That was the most exciting thing that I saw at Ulithi.
Richard Misenhimer:
Now when you went from Honolulu to Ulithi did you zig zag or go straight?
William Brewer:
I don’t really know?
Richard Misenhimer:
Anything else on the trip over or in Ulithi other than that?
William Brewer:
No.
Richard Misenhimer:
Now you said your first strike was the 18uhi what was that strike on?
William Brewer:
On an airfield at Kagoshima, Japan.
24 - Richard Misenhimer:
Oh so you went to Japan’?
William Brewer:
Yes that was our first strike.
Richard Misenhimer:
Of course your ship went from Ulithi. How far from Japan when you took off?
William Brewer:
I’m guessing a couple hundred miles.
Richard Misenhimer:
You carried bombs at that point?
William Brewer:
Yes.
Richard Misenhimer:
Now TBM carried bombs or torpedoes, is that right’?
William Brewer:
Yes, we made mostly bombing runs. They could carry twelvc-lOO lb bombs or four-500 lbs bombs.
Richard Misenhimer:
Anything you recall about that first strike?
William Brewer:
All I know was that I was a little scared about it.
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay.
William Brewer:
It wasn’t really too eventful. I think we bombed some airfields and returned to the ship. We didn’t lose anybody on that run.
- 25 - Richard Misenhimer:
Did you have any opposition from enemy aircraft?
William Brewer:
No.
Richard Misenhimer:
How about anti-aircraft fire?
William Brewer:
Always saw anti-aircraft fire.
Richard Misenhimer:
But none of your planes were knocked down.
William Brewer:
No.
Richard Misenhimer:
About how large a raid was that. Do you have any idea how many planes were involved?
William Brewer:
No, now you know Kagoshima was on the Island of Kyushu. That is the Southern island of Japan.
Richard Misenhimer:
Right.
William Brewer:
Oh I have it here — it was 10 days to Ulithi.
Richard Misenhimer: 18 All right. So you got there on the th13 and your first raid was on the th then. You were still in VT47 then’?
William Brewer:
Yes.
Richard Misenhimer:
- 26 - When was your next raid’?
William Brewer:
The next one was on — the l8’ was the day the Franklin was hit by a bomb.
Richard Misenhimer:
Oh okay.
William Brewer:
I wasn’t assigned to fly that day. I went up to the intelligence to pick up some information for our
intelligence officer. Just as I stepped up on the deck from returning from the communications division that
was when I saw the bomb drop on the Franklin. I saw the plane as it was dropping it and when it was taking
off
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay.
William Brewer:
Of course, the Franklin burst into flame. One of our fighter pilots had just been launched and he chased the
plane that had hit the Franklin and shot him down about 20 miles away. Lieut. Trigg was his name.
Richard Misenhimer:
Tell me more about the bombing of the Franklin.
William Brewer:
Well, the thing that happened that I could see from the Bataan — they were loaded that day with
some real heavy bombs for the first time. All the planes were loaded with fuel and bombs and the initial
strike was bad enough and you would see people battling those flames and then you would hear explosions
from the gas tanks and other bombs blowing them off the deck. We came so close to it we thought we were
going to ram it at one time. But we managed to avoid it. You could see what was really — a blazing inferno.
Many, many people were killed on planes and the ship.
Richard Misenhimer:
- 27 - Yes right. 300 or 400 that I recall it seems like.
William Brewer:
I thought it was more then that.
Richard Misenhimer:
Might have been more maybe 700.
William Brewer:
I thought it was up around 7 or 8 hundred, something like that.
Richard Misenhimer:
I know it was a large number.
William Brewer:
It was hit so badly, if it had been in earlier stages of war we would have sunk it there, but we had the
Japanese on the run with our ships then. None of them pursued the Franklin so they were able to bring it
back to the states.
Richard Misenhimer:
Was there just one plane that bombed it?
William Brewer:
One plane hit it.
Richard Misenhimer:
One bomb?
William Brewer:
Yes, I’m trying to think what kind of Japanese plane it was I think it was let’s see — I don’t know but I think
it was a torpedo plane that hit it. He must have been carrying bombs, because he dropped a bomb. It
was a Mert — I see here that it was a Japanese plane named Mert.
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay. Was that the single engine or two? -28- William Brewer:
It was single. It says the Franklin was a flaming inferno and wrecked by explosion nearly collided with the Bataan. Trigger, which they call Lieut. Trigg. chases a Mert 20 miles and shoots it down for the fighters’ first kill and another pilot in his division knocks down a couple more. The torpedo people made up for the Franklin with some high-class hits. One hit an airfield and another hit a railroad yard and a nifiy rocket on a barge. So some of the planes were able to continue onto their target.
Richard Misenhimer:
How many Japanese planes came in at that raid? Do you know?
William Brewer:
That was the only one I saw. You see that was the early part of the Kamikaze. We saw Kamikazes
all thru the rest of the war.
Richard Misenhimer:
But this was not a kamikaze at this point he was just a straight bombing raid?
William Brewer:
Oh he was trying to get away, yes. He dropped his bomb and tried to get away.
Richard Misenhimer:
Was that the only ship hit at that point?
William Brewer:
Yes it was, I mean we were launching planes, it was in the early morning a typical day. All the planes
were fully loaded with bombs and fuel and trying to take off to go get a target.
Richard Misenhimer:
Was there CAP — was there a Combat Air Patrol up that should have caught
William Brewer:
I don’t’ think there was at that time. It was kind of a sneak attack that came out of the clouds; I don’t think
anyone picked it up.
- 29 - Richard Misenhimer:
Oh okay. Anything else that you recall about the hitting of the Franklin?
William Brewer:
No I just remember seeing it all day and it burning. I guess they brought it back to USA.
Richard Misenhimer:
Yes okay. Now you said on the th18 you did or did not go on that --- what day was it that the Franklin was
hit’?
William Brewer: 19th• I think it was — let me see if I got it written down here, it was the
Richard Misenhimer: 9th The 1 okay.
William Brewer:
Yes I have it here five torpedo planes and twelve fighter take off for a big shipping strike against Kobe. As a
rendezvous a plane dives on the Franklin beside us and all hell breaks loose. That was on the 19t1i•
Richard Misenhimer:
Was this a diary that you kept while you were there or log book?
William Brewer:
It is a log book that we had copies made of after we were all out of the service. I’m trying to keep it here so I
can give you the dates.
Richard Misenhimer:
Sure I appreciate that, it really does help. Then when was your next raid’?
William Brewer:
Let me see, I remember on the 2O our commander of the air group was chasing a Japanese plane and he
didn’t pull up in time and he was shot down by our own anti aircraft fire. He was really quite a fighter.
Richard Misenhimer: -30- He was in a fighter plane’?
William Brewer:
Yes.
Richard Misenhimer:
Was he killed or did he survive?
William Brewer:
Oh he didn’t survive, he went down with his plane. He was hit.
Richard Misenhimer:
Now he was chasing a Japanese plane?
William Brewer:
Yes, firing was from guns on other ships. When he got down low and I guess they didn’t recognize it was an
American plane and they were still firing so he got in their fire and that brought his plane down.
Richard Misenhimer:
I understood that there was a fair number over the course of war shot down by our own.
William Brewer:
Yes.
Richard Misenhimer:
So your next raid was on the 20111?
William Brewer:
Yes, from then on we started bombing Okinawa — you never saw anything. I mean people were on it and
s1, they were hit and we flew pretty low on some missions. Of course the invasion was on April 1 which J
believe was on Easter Sunday and I flew on that invasion.
Richard Misenhimer:
You were in on the initial attack on that day?
William Brewer: -31- Yes, April .tf’ Richard Misenhimer:
What did you do on that flight?
William Brewer:
Well Ijust tried to keep my eyes open for enemy planes or you made a bombing run and it was usually to hit an airfield. It was very eventful that day you could see a lot of ships in the harbor. Sea landing — people heading for the beaches.
Richard Misenhimer:
Now you mentioned that you were in a crew of two at this point?
William Brewer:
Yes.
Richard Misenhimer:
Now all the time you were on the Bataan, you only had a crew of two per plane? Is that right?
William Brewer:
We had a commander and his name was Buck Mazza, he was from San Francisco and he was a veteran. Fle
came aboard after our skipper was replaced and he had been on the old Lexington. He had already been on
two combat tours and he had already been awarded two Navy crosses and on the Bataan with our group he
was awarded two more.
Richard Misenhimer:
Oh okay. What was his reason for only using a crew of two’?
William Brewer:
He felt like it wasn’t necessary at that time to risk another life.
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay. All right.
William Brewer:
- 32 - Richard
William Right. you The
You had when
by the
Now Richard
William
which Richard Yes, No Okay. over William
William Richard Okay. Task
Richard
the
door.
it 30-caliber were
our
had
that
to
if
we force
was
door
What
I What
you
Japan
parachutes,
will
no
Brewer:
Misenhimer:
Brewer:
were Misenhimer: Brewer:
up Misenhimer: Brewer: was
Misenhimer:
Misenhimer:
just
38
in Armor were
in
tell
else
task
the
and
case
gun and a ready
the
long
you
do to
force
only
make
turret.
58,
was
at you
evacuate we
you
to
about
siege
all
they
way
were
didn’t go practically
had
bombing
recall
so
I
and
could
later
of
you would
to
to
you —
going
wear
speak
exit
attack
about
you
could
when
in?
operate
runs
change
use
in
them went
into
of
any
a
get I
we
less
on
hurry.
around
would
Okinawa,
thru
the
on
other
in.
used
when airfields -3 —
us
Now radar
to
the
You
go
you
raids? it. — -
be
they
we
bottom?
up
wait
honest
and
had
and
of
where
had
in
would
course
the
two
the factories
a
the
minute
about
at
Is
radio
turret
snaps
change
least
parachute
that
after
it.
from
and
there
and
correct?
you that
the
commanders.
so
buckle
the
invasion
had you
was
harness
forth
bilge
some
put
an
myself
in
escape
this
we
but from
Japan
Armor
harness
would
we
in
the
hatch
Proper.
there.
had
around
lower
make
and
the
in
You
the
parachute
part
try
you
a
lot
turret,
see
to
and
when
of
get
we
Ilights
then
out
right Right.
William Brewer:
It was all the same group but Halsey had one and I think Spruance.
Richard Misenhimer:
Spruance. One of them was 38 and one was 58.
William Brewer:
There was like for different groups — like it would be task force 38 one, 38 two, 38 three, 38 four. Each group would have at least two carriers and a battle ship and 2 or 3 cruisers and 4 or 5 destroyers. But they would all be in the same vicinity that they could all — usually don’t have the same target.
Richard Misenhimer:
Now you mentioned a minute ago Kamikazes. When was the first time you actually saw Kamikazes?
William Brewer:
The first time I saw one — now let me see they hit the Bunker Hill, which was also quite a sight to see too. 191h I’m trying to think when they did that. The Franklin — that was the can’t find the actual date here but it
wasn’t to long after the Franklin was hit. Then it was almost a daily occurance. I was amazed how just one
plane that sometimes could go thru all the guns that was firing and get away, because they would come in
very low usually almost skimming the water. Seemed like every gun would be firing at them and on the l7
of April one came right at the Bataan and I have pictures of it. It landed right off the fantail: right behind
where most of us were standing that didn’t have flight duty that day. I think it killed one person and injured
2 or 3 others up in the forward part of the ship.
Richard Misenhimer:
It did hit your ship then?
William Brewer:
Some of the debris or something from it did, I didn’t know that until 1was reading some history on it.
Richard Misenhimer:
- 34 - Oh I see it hit in the water behind the ship then.
William Brewer:
Right behind the fantail, I have pictures and I also saw a Kamikaze hit the Enterprise. It hit right where the elevator was and I have pictures of the elevator sitting up on the end of this high blast and he came down.
We have pictures of two guys that were blown off the Enterprise. They are standing on that elevator waiting to be picked up. it was quite a picture.
Richard Misenhimer:
Yes that would be.
William Brewer:
It was along side us that day too; I think the Japanese pilots all had a picture of it in their cockpits. If you
were on the Enterprise you knew the Kamikaze was going to come to that part of the fleet.
Richard Misenhimer:
Looking for it?
William Brewer:
Yes, it had a different profile to it. It was kind of like a freight train, the bridge and everything on it. Where
the Essex Class looked like a pyramid. I think there was only two in that class. I think it was the
Enterprise and the old Saratoga, which was sunk earlier.
Richard Misenhimer:
Did you ever get a chance to shoot any enemy planes down?
William Brewer:
I never got that close to any of them.
Richard Misenhimer:
Did you ever shoot at any?
William Brewer:
No all I did was strafe them on the ground. At that time of the war the Japanese Air Force had been pretty
-3 - well we
hit always Richard Right.
William At Richard Now William Strike
Richard He Yes, William William Richard Yes Yes, William Richard How If
I
think
he
that a
had
would
depleted.
he Japanese
whether
Right.
would dropped
many
an
felt
at time
I
would
went
Brewer:
Misenhimer:
Brewer:
Misenhimer: Brewer: Brewer: Misenhimer:
airfield. Misenhimer: Brewer: Misenhimer:
that
turn
for
raids
you
all
I
time
plane a What
on
drop
us
the
hit
I
wing
strafe
did
did
about having
anything
plane
the
a
planes it —
you
wing
you
would
I
from
F6F
27.
did
odds
so
go
had
and
they
they
you
or
a
the
on?
lot burst
a
on
not
the
good
upper
could had
had
of
the
I
turret
into
the
don’t
left
command
Japanese
clear
reach turret?
strafing
flames
they
was
know.
-36-
target
the
were
on
we
of
almost
on
ground
a —
the
had
swivel
the using
good
air.
islands self
immediately.
or
them
shot
When
so
what?
sealing
you
at
of
for
it.
it
could Okinawa
Karnikazes,
was
gas
tanks
battle
rotate
and
and
and
all
because
Japan
the
they
you
way
when
didn’t.
see
with
around.
one
we
the
So
thing
would
aircraft
when
that
go
you
that
I Richard Misenhimer:
Which one did you find the most frightening?
William Brewer:
April 7, 1945.
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay. What was that?
William Brewer:
That was a torpedo run on the Japanese battleship Yamato.
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay. Tell me about that.
William Brewer:
That was the biggest battleship in the world, they built two. One sunk in the middle of the Philippines — the
Yamato they had 18-inch guns, which no other ship in the Navy had, or any country had. That was on April
the 7th
Richard Misenhimer:
Side 2 of tape one with William Brewer. Okay Bill tell me again about the Yarnato.
William Brewer:
On that eventful morning I know that the intelligence got word that fleet — the Japanese was moving ships
toward Okinawa and it was thought that the Yamato was among them. So everything that we had in the
Navy seemed to get up early that morning and had to meet the fleet and I never will forget looking over my
left shoulder when we spotted it and I couldn’t believe the size of that ship. I asked Lieut. Douglas, I said are
we going to go have a torpedo run on that one and he said we sure are, get up in that turret. We got in line
with the other torpedo bombers and made a run at it, dropped the torpedo and tried to get out just as fast as
we could. We had one pilot, it was Licut. Murphy and he missed his first torpedo run and he had to go back a
second time. I was glad I wasn’t on that plane.
- 37- Richard Misenhimer:
By missing it — he did not drop the torpedo the first time? Is that what you are saying?
William Brewer:
He couldn’t get the torpedo to release.
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay. Did your torpedo hit and explode? Do you know?
William Brewer:
I don’t know.
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay. There is no way you would know.
William Brewer:
See at that time we had 8 torpedo planes from the Bataan and 4 of them claimed hits from the Bataan. The
pilots who told the best stories got credit for the hits and they were awarded the Navy Cross and the
Crewman got the DFC — the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay.
William Brewer:
My pilot must not have bragged enough about it — he got the DFC and I got the Air medal.
Richard Misenhimer:
Bet you found that one pretty exciting huh?
William Brewer:
I was very excited. I can remember of course there was a lot of flack coming up all the time, very close to us
and I saw a dive-bomber going straight down for it and it got probably 2000 feet of the deck and it was hit
head on and it exploded over the carrier. I was thankful I wasn’t dive-bombing that day.
Richard Misenhimer:
- 38 - Right. I-lowlarge a fleet was this? The Japanese fleet’?
William Brewer:
It wasn’t that large, it had the Yamato and I think a cruiser and maybe a light cruiser and a couple of destroyers.
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay.
William Brewer:
I heard later that their objective was to — they had a lot of troops on the Yamato and they were going to
ground the Yamato into the beach at Okinawa and let all these soldiers off on a kind of suicide mission, but
they never made it to land.
Richard Misenhimer:
Yes from what I read they only had enough fuel for one way.
William Brewer:
That’s it. Yeah.
Richard Misenhimer:
And they were going to use it as an artillery piece.
William Brewer:
Like the kamikaze pilots I have heard they were more or less locked in that they couldn’t get out of the plane
unless they hit something April ‘7.
Richard Misenhimer:
April 71h right.
William Brewer:
April the th17 we had word that a Japanese submarine was not too far away so we sent out group of two. Two
torpedo planes. There were 3 groups and I was in one of those groups. I remember that day being out there
in that whole Pacific Ocean and not seeing a single soul. I mean you were out that all alone and we dropped
- 39 - our bombs and those other planes did and we heard that there was an oil slick and they discovered three human lungs and a bread board with rice embedded in it. So they think the submarine was sunk.
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay.
William Brewer:
Now whether it was our torpedo plane that did it, I don’t know. You dropped your bomb and then you left.
Richard Misenhimer:
Now how many planes were on the Bataan?
William Brewer:
Let’s see there was only about 9 torpedo planes and I would say there was probably about 20 some fighter
planes.
Richard Misenhimer:
Did you have dive-bombers also?
William Brewer:
We didn’t have dive-bombers on CVL’s that was what I was going to tell you just torpedo planes and fighter
planes. Now the big carriers also carried dive-bombers.
Richard Misenhimer:
Did any of the smaller carriers carry dive-bombers at all?
William Brewer:
No, not that I know of. When they knew something was moving they probably sent out a scout plane to do
it.
Richard Misenhimer:
He was a F6F and there were several of them and they...
William Brewer:
Oh yes they were the best fighter pilots, the best fighting planes at that time.
- 40 - Richard Misenhimer:
Right. What was some memorable raids?
William Brewer: 14 Well another one I remember well is July th and we got word that we were going to have an easy flight over to Hokahido Japan and the target was railroad carriers that ran between Honslut and Hokaido. One of our standard jokes was the intelligence officer told us there is no Ack Ack at Hockodao. So we cruised in there and dropped thru cloud cover and about 6000 feet and they had all kinds of flack came tip out of it.
That was when the plane I was in was hit on the right side of the plane.
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay.
William Brewer:
If we hadn’t had self sealing tanks I wouldn’t be sitting here talking to you today. After we were hit and I
knew we were hit and I called the pilot and I looked down the helerons the cables to the helerons and the
rudder was lying on the floor. I said how are you flying this? He said I’m trimming the tabs. This is not an
order but you should jump out. I said what are you going to do? He said I am going to crash land the plane. I
said if it is all the same with you I will go with you.
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay.
William Brewer:
We went out a little ways from shore and he made a real good crash landing and all our training came back
to us because they said when the plane hits the water don’t try to get out. Wait until the second plunge of the
plane, and it hit and bounced up, came down and started to settle and I released the escape hatch on the turret
and got out just like they told us in training. Pulled out the life raft and before that I had inflated my life vest just as soon as I got out and stood on the wing and pulled out the raft. The pilot got out on the other side and he was having trouble getting his life vest inflated so I reached over and helped him up until we had the
-41- life boat inflated and then we climbed in the little life raft and sat there until a destroyer came out and picked us up. The USS MacNair picked us up out of the water.
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay. How far were you from the shore then?
William Brewer:
I could see the shore, but no one attempted to come out and get us.
Richard Misenhimer:
So destroyers were operating that close to shore then?
William Brewer:
Yes, when you left the carriers on those flights then I think they called it a Wildcat Squadron. That was usually four destroyers between the carrier and your target, so when you come back you would be in contact with this group and they would give you directions on where your carrier was. The purpose of that was to keep the Japanese from following you to the carriers.
Richard Misenhimer:
Oh okay.
William Brewer:
That is what they did. They sent out the destroyer. We were not in the water, too long before the MacNair
picked us up and we were on it two days and got transferred to the O’Bannon which was another destroyer
and the next day they took us to the Bataan.
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay. When you got back to the Bataan what did you do then?
William Brewer:
I think I went on another strike the next day.
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay, no rest huh.
- 42 - William Brewer:
Which is just as well.
Richard N’Iisenhimer:
Yes okay. Any other things that happened?
William Brewer:
I remember on August 2 we went down for early breakfast and the ship News Bulletion told us about the
atomic bomb being dropped on Hiroshima. Everybody was veryjubilant thinking we would be going home
shortly. It didn’t end that way they still had us hitting targets. I was on the last run I believe it was Aug. th14
we were on our way to Japan. I think is was to hit some electrical plants and were seeing Fuji and Sukai
when the word come over that the war was over. “Jettison all bombs and return to your carrier.” Of course
everybody broke radio silence and fighter pilots were doing funny things with their airplanes. We were
happy to get back to ship because no one felt at that time you didn’t want to be killed on the last day of the
war as some people were. That is a day that I remember very vividly.
Richard Misenhimer:
Now you say you heard about the atomic bomb being dropped? Did you know what the atomic bomb was?
William Brewer:
Didn’t even know that they had one, I don’t think anyone else on the ship did.
Richard Misenhimer:
Did you know what the atomic bomb was? Did they explain what it was or anything?
William Brewer:
Yes it was on the bulletin board about the power that it had and where it originated.
Richard Misenhiiuer:
How about when the second one was dropped?
William Brewer:
I think the second one was dropped about six days later.
- 43 - Richard Misenhimer: 1h It was three. The first was dropped on August 6 and the second on August 9th
William Brewer: th Was it the 6 was thinking it was the second; well I remember the first one and the second one both.
Richard Misenhimer:
Yeah three days apart.
William Brewer:
Another interesting thing was the war being over and we had to stay out there until September 2fld We made
“care package” drops to all the prisoners of war. They would put “PW” on where they were staying on the top of barracks and we would all drop candy bars and cigarettes and anything else that we could throw our of the airplanes.
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay. Now on the Surrender Ceremonies I believe it was on Sept. 2 were you all involved in that?
William Brewer:
No I wasn’t. That was when we transferred to the carrier Sanjacinto I was so happy getting out of there then. But looking back on it I wish we could have stayed out there for the ceremony.
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay. But you transferred over and started home?
William Brewer:
Yes then we headed for San Francisco. I arrived in San Francisco on Sept. 14th•
Richard Misenhimer:
Did the Bataan stay out there then?
William Brewer:
Yes it did. It stayed out there and they changed our groups. It stayed out there I don’t know how much longer but came back home through the Panama Canal later on.
-44 - Richard Misenhimer:
Okay. Did most of your group come back when you did?
William Brewer:
Yes.
Richard Misenhimer:
So they put all new people on the Bataan then?
William Brewer:
We had been out there a long time; they changed all the flight group. We went out one time I think it was about 80 days before we ever touched port. Went into the Philippines there for a LittleR & R for 2 or 3 days about a month before.
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay.
William Brewer:
So that’s about all that happen that I can think of.
Richard Misenhimer:
During this time when you were on the Bataan did you loose many planes to enemy action?
William Brewer:
Yes we did, one very strange deal. We had a really nice group. Two of the top pilots and two of the top
crewmen went out on a weather reconnaissance to check on the weather and we never heard from them
again. Always has been a mystery whether the enemy found them or if they collided out there. But they were
both very experienced senior pilots, never head from them again.
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay.
William Brewer:
Another occasion while we were on the ship one time we were under attack and I believe it was the USS
- 45 - Alabama that didn’t get their 5 in guns up in time and put a salvo in the side of our ship.
Richard Misenhimer:
Oh wow.
William Brewer:
Killed 22 men.
Richard Misenhimer:
On your ship?
William Brewer:
On our ship and most of them were down in the safe part of the ship and so everybody would think down in the galley would be safe. The weird part of that after the strike was over in about 30 minutes and we were all
standing on the flight deck and they had burial at sea with 22 people put in a mattress cover with a shell and over the side of the ship, very tragic event.
Richard Misenhimer:
Yes that was. Where was this?
William Brewer:
It was out there in the vicinity of the Okinawa, Japan area.
Richard Misenhimer:
Because the Alabama was firing on the shore?
William Brewer:
Yes it was when we saw a kamikaze, every gun in every ship would be trying to bring it down and
apparently something happened and they got their guns down too low and it went right into the side of our
ship.
Richard Misenhimer:
How much damage did it do to your ship?
William Brewer:
- 46 - It didn’t keep it from sailing.
Richard Misenhimer:
You stayed out there and didn’t have to come in?
William Brewer:
Above the water line, yes.
Richard Misenhimer:
That was very tragic.
William Brewer:
I’m not completely certain but I believe it was the Alabama but I wouldn’t swear to it.
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay. But one the BB’s — One of the battle ships. What was some other things that happened?
William Brewer:
I don’t know. Everything else was pretty much routine. Okinawa was one strike after another, I remember one time we tried to bring down a big smoke tower and every plane went in there and missed it. The next
day we went out after it again and the first pilot dropped his bomb and knocked it down. It was a big smoke
stack that was used by snipers.
Richard Misenhimer:
Smoke stack okay.
William Brewer:
Okinawa was very, very pretty country very green at that time you didn’t see much activity. Even flying over
Naha you didn’t see anybody moving. In fact it was hard to even see troops. I couldn’t believe how many we
had on the ground because we just wouldn’t see them when we would go over for a bombing run.
Richard Misenhimer:
Now did you have the same pilot the whole time?
William Brewer:
- 47 - Yes, I appreciated him very much because he was a senior officer and pilot and was very intelligent. He had a wife and kid at home and 1knew he wanted to come home as bad as 1did so I didn’t feel that he ever took any unnecessary risks.
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay.
William Brewer:
Every crewman that we ever lost was with a brand new pilot.
Richard Misenhimer:
Is that right?
William Brewer:
Most cases they were an ensign just got out of school and it just happen that they were the ones that usually
got shot down.
Richard Misenhimer:
About how many did you loose while you were out there?
William Brewer:
I think all toll with our torpedo planes I think we only lost four planes.
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay.
William Brewer:
Two of them were on the weather hop and one was a young pilot. We hit a target called USA. they said that
was a place they used to manufacture stuff made in the USA and we hit the airfield at (ISA and a young
Lieut. and a crewman was shot down there. I had another experience on one of our first flights. It couldn’t
have been much more than the second one. We lost a plane — a good friend of mine was an aviation
Radioman, Glenn Cawley still alive living up in the state of Washington. I saw his plane get hit, but I never
knew what happened to him. We just presumed he was lost, and then after the War was over I remembered
- 48 - always seeing letters from his sister you lived in Battleground, Washington so I wrote her a letter and told her what I had been with Glenn. About a week later I got a letter from Glenn, he had been captured and had been a prisoner of war all that time over in Japan. He said the biggest fear when he landed was the natives because they were so mad at those B29’s that they came out with meat cleavers and everything to kill them, but the military protected them and they were in this prison camp until the end of the war. He was in there with Pappy Boyington, which was a well-known flyer. He was not to far from where the atomic bomb exploded.
Richard Misenhimer:
Yes okay.
William Brewer:
Today he cannot wear a hat on his head and he is constantly going in for check ups because he received some radiation and he’s still alive as far as I know. I saw him about a year ago, I guess he gave the Japanese fits...
Richard Misenhimer:
That was Pappy you say.
William Brewer:
Yes.
Richard Misenhimer:
Anything else you recall?
William Brewer:
You know you look back on it, President Bush, the first one, he flew in torpedo bombers too. I-Icwas on the
Sanjacinto.
Richard Misenhimer:
Oh yes that’s right.
William Brewer:
I have always had questions, I mean I know others have too. He survived and his crewmen didn’t. What
- 49 - happened to his crewmen’?1-lenever does really explain where they are or what happened to them.
Richard Misenhimer:
Right, he had both of them on his flight.
William Brewer:
Yes he had one warrant officer that just wanted to get some flight time so he got aboard the plane.
There were three of them all together on the plane.
Richard Misenhimer:
Right.
William Brewer:
It is very interesting, I don’t know if you have ever been to Pensacola or not?
Richard Misenhimer:
Yes I have.
William Brewer:
That Navy Museum there — I really enjoyed going thru that.
Richard Misenhimer:
Yes that is very interesting.
William Brewer:
They had the old torpedo plane there and I had to go thru the ropes and open that door because there is no
smell like the smell inside of torpedo bombers and it still had the smell.
Richard Misenhimer:
Yeah right.
William Brewer:
I’m sorry that when I was out in Texas, I was in Austin that I didn’t get over to Fredericksburg.
Richard Misenhimer:
Yeah I think you would have enjoyed that.
- 50 - William Brewer:
I may take a trip back there one of these days because I would like to see that museum. I had a lot of respect for Nimitz.
Richard Misenhimer:
Thank you. They have a torpedo bomber there too. I think it is a TBF. Was Bush on a TBF or a TBM?
William Brewer:
It could have been one or the other, I’m not sure.
Richard Misenhimer:
I kind of think it was a TBF. Whatever it was he was in, they have a plane.
William Brewer:
The TBF was the first ones; everything in the later part of the war was IBM’s. They were a little more
modified, I think they probably had a better engine.
Richard Misenhimer:
Anyway which ever one he was in they have one there at the Nimitz Museum restored.
William Brewer:
Is the museum there real big?
Richard Misenhimer:
Yes.
William Brewer:
The Bunker Hill, it was almost as bad as the Franklin; it was hit on May 11thi by two kamikazes.
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay.
William Brewer:
It was oft’our port quarter we were pretty close to it too.
Richard Misenhimer:
- 5i - Did you take any survivors from either one of those’?
William Brewer:
No.
Richard Misenhimer:
Did you do any fire fighting on them or anything?
William Brewer:
No, loaded with all that fuel there would be groups trying to put out a fire and then another explosion would hit them and you wouldn’t see them any more. It was really a risky deal up there on that deck. I would say there were more killed with all the explosions then from the original hit of the Japanese plane.
Richard Misenhimer:
Yes, right.
William Brewer:
By far.
Richard Misenhimer:
Of course like you said with all those planes up there fully loaded with gasoline, fully loaded with armament
bombs and all of that.
William Brewer:
Well I don’t know which it was but I have heard that they were testing - like a 1000 pound bomb that they
hadn’t been carrying. They had some of the planes loaded with it and it just blew anything within reach.
They would run up there with a fire hose and you just wouldn’t see them anymore.
Richard Misenhimer:
Right.
William Brewer:
All those planes that were hit though had some object. Bunker Hill was badly hit too, it was in flame.
Richard Misenhimer:
- 52 - Right. Did you see any other ships get hit’?
William Brewer:
I saw the Hancock get hit. I remember the Hancock, Bunker Hill, and the Franklin. Didn’t get to see any
CVL’s get hit. I don’t think a CVL was hit the whole time I was out there.
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay. All right.
William Brewer:
They were fanatical just like today you see over in Israel those suicide bombers, they are just like the
Kamikaze. If you are willing to give up your life with a bomb you are hard to stop.
Richard Misenhimer:
Oh yeah that’s right.
William Brewer:
If you’re going to be that fanatical, you’re going to cause a lot of damage. You never know where you are
going to be.
Richard Misenhimer:
Right.
William Brewer:
When I look back on it, it was quite an experience but you got to be young to do the things in the time of
war. When you get older and smarter you would never get me in the rear end of a torpedo bomber.
Richard Misenhimer:
When you got back to San Francisco what did you do there?
William Brewer:
Well let’s see I got a 30-day leave.
Richard Misenhimer:
Was there a big reception when you got there? A lot of people meeting you?
- William Brewer:
All they had on the banks of the bay when you came in there was “Welcome Home — Well done.” Of course all the people of San Francisco treated you as royalty.
Richard Misenhimer:
Was this in San Francisco or San Diego that you came into?
William Brewer:
San Francisco.
Richard Misenhimer:
San Francisco. I’m sorry. Okay.
William Brewer:
Then I was assigned to Cashew 6. which was based in Alameda, California.
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay. This was after a 30-day leave then?
William Brewer:
On one of my leaves. You know transportation was hard to get in those days and there were a lot of military hitchhikers. I used to hitchhike and never think anything about it. I took a train home. I said, ‘ 1am going to hitchhike back to California” and this was in the wintertime. I will never forget being in Kansas. A farmer would pick me up and drive about 10 miles and I would just be getting warm and he would turn off where his farm was and I would be standing out there again until somebody picked me up. Along about Olathe,
Kansas along came two soldiers and they picked me up and they were headed for San Francisco and gave me plenty of time. We got to Salt Lake City and there is a horrible snow and ice on the road they have me driving and they are sleeping. I climb up the top of this mountain and going down and it started skidding.
Lost complete control and we rolled over an embankment about 3 times.
Richard Misenhimer:
Oh man.
- 54 - William Brewer:
1was the only one hurt and I wasn’t hurt that bad. I spent 3 days at the hospital there at Fort Douglas and when I got back to Alameda 1was a couple days late. The hospital there at Fort Douglass had told me the
Red Cross would inform the command there at Alameda that I had been in an accident and they didn’t.
When I got there they called me up to the Captains Mast and Ij ust told the Captain that I had been in the hospital and he looks at it and he said I don’t see why any charges should be brought against him. Here is the record and I was free again.
Richard Misenhimer:
Good okay.
William Brewer:
I never heard from those soldiers again and I felt kind of responsible, but I didn’t see them again.
Richard Misenhimer:
How bad did you tear up the car?
William Brewer:
Well it was snow, I remember one guy in the back had his shoes off and I remember getting out of the car
after it had rolled over and there was his shoes lying there on the ground. I don’t know whether he picked
them up or not. They were not seriously hurt; I was the only one that went to the hospital. In a way I filt
responsible and I would have helped him pay for repairing his car, but he never did contact me. That was
the only time I was ever called up for Captain’s Mast.
Richard Misenhimer:
What was the highest rank you got to?
William Brewer:
Aviation Radiomen Second Class.
Richard Misenhimer:
Second. Okay.
- 55 - William Brewer:
The skipper iust before the War ended he called me and he said I want to recommend you for pilot training at Pensacola. I think you should pursue this career. The War ended and that was the last she wrote.
Of course I got out of the service and went to work.
Richard Misenhimer:
Now you say when you got back to San Francisco what were you assigned too?
William Brewer:
It was called Casu # 6, they had so many people there I went up one day and said I would like to take a leave.
Take as many days as you want and I think I took 30 days, I was discharged out of Camp Shoemaker on
March 6, 1945.
Richard Misenhimer:
46
William Brewer:
Yeah ‘46.
Richard Misenhimer:
Did you have any experience with the Red Cross anytime?
William Brewer:
Just that one time at Fort Douglas, Utah.
Richard Misenhimer:
And they didn’t do what they said they were going to do.
William Brewer:
That’s right.
Richard Misenhimer:
How about the Salvation Army?
William Brewer:
- 56 - Never had any contact with them, I never used the USO either.
Richard Misenhimer:
Did you ever see the USO shows?
William Brewer:
Yes.
Richard Misenhimer:
Where did you see those?
William Brewer:
No, I didn’t see any Bob Hope shows or anything like that. While inHonolulu, they put on a little open show.
It had Sweetie Wilson and hula dancers. I remember one incident while we were in the Philippines and we had been out to sea for days. One of our shipmates, he just loved beer and we were up there in a filthy place
and the natives were standing there with a hand full of Japanese currency and a hand full of American
currency. A sailor would take the Japanese currency and give them good American money. Little kids were
running around with no shoes on in mud. Very muddy. What I was getting at was we was sitting at this tree
and here came this Seabee and he had a case of beer and he was going to sell it. I said I will give you $20 for
it and a shipmate without hesitating said I will give you $24. After he paid $24 I said Good I was going to
get that for $20. Thanks a lot for paying $24, but there was some of the craziest things that happened. When
you went back aboard the ship there was these rope ladders. The sailors on top knowing that you were
probably coming back with beer under you shirt, they would reach in and grab it before you got to the top.
Another thing it wasn’t a big thing, but I was in one of those hurricanes out there too. The Intrepid I think
was the name of the carrier, had a flat hanger deck from the storm.
Richard Misenhimer:
Typhoons are pretty tough weren’t they?
William Brewer:
Yes.
- 57 - Richard Misenhimer:
Did you get home with any souvenirs?
William Brewer:
Only thing I got, I met a Marine on a train coming back and he had some Japanese pistols and I had some
38’s. We wore 38’s with our flight gear. There at Cashu 6 there came an order one day that all 38’s were to be turned in. Leave them on your mattress. I saw some turn them in and I saw some of the local servicemen
pick them up and I knew what they were going to do with them.
Richard Misenhimer:
Yeah.
William Brewer:
I told this one friend of mine, we had picked up about 6. You go out side the fence and I had this parachute
bag and I will throw them over to you.
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay.
William Brewer:
I threw them over and we shipped them home, I have a 38 still today. I have the one that I carried.
Richard Misenhimer:
Did you get any kind of a Japanese or any other kind of souvenir?
William Brewer:
Honestly I never landed in Japan, I never came face to face with any oCthem.
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay.
William Brewer:
I did years ago. We went on a tour of Japan, it was very interesting and I saw some of the places we were
bombing. I wanted to go to Hiroshima but they didn’t have that on the tour.
- 58 - Richard Misenhimer:
Okay.
William Brewer:
We were on this bus and all of them were Japanese except seven of us were Americans. They got to have a group pictures, they lined up there and none of the Americans would get in there and I said, What the Heck?
I don’t care and I have a picture sitting right there in the middle of all those Japanese. We got on the bus in the morning and the Japanese are up in front of us and here came a couple and they are late. I said “ back of the line” and they went back there and my wife said they are part of that group up there. I felt badly and said
“go ahead and come up here and join your group.” So I got thanked profusely, they couldn’t do enough for me on that trip. It was enjoyable and I enjoyed the trip.
Richard Misenhimer:
What year was that?
William Brewer:
I think in was about 1984.
Richard Misenhimer:
‘84 okay. Did you get any medals or battle stars?
William Brewer:
I got air medal and 3 oak leaf clusters.
Richard Misenhimer:
What action did you get those for?
William Brewer:
One was for the Yamato, the other was for many different bombing strikes I feel that I was cheated out of the
DFC. Our torpedo came as close as those others.
Richard Misenhimer:
On the Yamato?
- 59 - At William
Japanese
Richard
Okay. William
This
grandkids Richard
Okay. do William
I a
Richard
William
I Sure. many before
Richard Right. William
You
so
just
sure
blow
the
you
much.
is
look
barely
Right.
end
do,
others Well
very
World recall at
Brewer:
Brewer:
Misenhimer: submarine
Misenhimer: Brewer:
Brewer: Misenhimer:
Brewer:
Misenhimer:
that
April
will
We
of back
good
good
remember
the
were
hearing
age have
War
know
on
the
war
I’m
that
because
practically
it
II,
practically 12th
sinking.
we about
or
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glad
you
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by
have
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j
are
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parents
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World
that?
in
got
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starving.
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doing
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seen
think
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the
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war
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talking basically
winter
end,
the
radio
that,
so,
ended
today
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II.
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let
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about I room,
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never
me
officer
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our
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can and
of
ask
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life, Roosevelt
we
say
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the
I have
never
ever
told
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were
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envisioned
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it
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you question.
one because
that
been
any
want
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ready
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Hoover,
I more
going
at
a
remembered.
but
I told
In
airplane,
very
that
feel
to
April
with
about
a to
go
age.
years
interesting
lot
of
be
out
the
of
course
of
things
that.
up
down ‘45
on
programs
sea
for
a
President
stories.
in
with
strike.
period. a
the
DFC
those
line the
that
for That
We
days
atomic
Roosevelt
your
he
that
have
was
put
we —
bomb,
in
and
really
seen
died
so medicine and penicillin, all those things.
Richard Misenhimer:
The computer?
William Brewer:
A lot had happen in our generation.
Richard Misenhimer:
That’s right: now in May of ‘45 Germany surrendered did you hear about that or anything?
William Brewer:
Yes.
Richard Misenhimer:
What kind of reaction to that?
William Brewer:
Everybody was kind of pleased we were thinking that everything would come to the Pacific then that was
before the atomic bomb.
Richard Misenhimer:
Sure.
William Brewer:
You hear a lot of criticism about Truman dropping the atomic bomb, I’m glad he did.
Richard Misenhimer:
Ohyes.
William Brewer:
I feel like we were destined before the atomic bomb, we would have finished our duty there. We were
coming back to the states and then we would have been going back out and the next strike was going to he
the homeland of Japan.
Richard Misenhimer: Right.
William Brewer:
And that would have been brutal for both sides.
Richard Misenhimer:
Right.
William Brewer:
I’m so happy it ended VE Day — most all of us felt that we would get more troops over there the War would
end sooner. We didn’t really need them. Russia got in the war when they knew it was won.
Richard Misenhimer:
Oh yeah that’s right. When they finally announced the surrender of Japan was there any celebration or party
then?
William Brewer:
Yeah everybody was very happy. It wasn’t like if you had been in San Francisco or New York City or
something, we didn’t have parties like they did there but it was a great relief to know that we had survived.
Richard Misenhimer:
Yeah, of course you said you were on a flight and they told you to drop your bombs and come back.
William Brewer:
Right. That was the worst part of the flying because you know the war was over and anything could happen
to you. You could even crash on the carrier deck; all my landings and take offs were all catapults all the time.
The catapult was quite a sensation because your standing still when you cleared the deck you felt like the
plane was going to drop. It did drop but it never reached the water, the power would take over and pull you
out of there. Then landing the greatest fear was the arresting hook wouldn’t hit the cable. A lot of pilots
were better then others making that carrier landing.
Richard Misenhimer:
Sure.
62 - William
Some Richard How
I William
Richard
Okay. William
Yes. Richard
No William When
was
days we lived
then was
worked
got Richard
That
William
have
not need
up
in
a
many
there
you
of
is
in
A no
you
pretty
the
to
really
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them
Martinez,
at
Brewer:
large Brewer: Misenhimer:
Brewer: Misenhimer:
inspectors
Brewer:
Misenhimer:
idea.
are
Brewer: Misenhimer: middle
was got
sheet a
landings
pretty
good
up
today.
I
bounced
number
back
went
a
in
metal
big
management
job
California
those
good
here
home
did
back
labor
but
though.
business.
quite
you
job
if
attics
to
did
I
dispute
you
didn’t
make?
and
Detroit
a
and
you
bit.
and
and
come
I
retired
he
went
see have
so
vents
retired
Do
and
worked
out
I
much
left
you
to
any
with
I
and
here.
didn’t
work
with
that -
know?
trouble
future
63
for
some
in
and
I a -
the
for
the
go
said
nice
good in
I him
summer
adjusting
back
Shell
went
I
it.
pension.
would,
about
I
benefits.
to
went
Oil
to
the
time
work
to
Refinery,
a
I
to
Packard
It
went
month
Civilian
it
Nabisco
was
Good
for
was
to
a Borden
and
he
work even move medical
plant,
life?
and
called
I
didn’t
worse.
there
I
Company
I
worked
haven’t
had
plan.
me
like for
a
A
up
brother
there about
good
it regretted OflC
as
because
a
day
for
friend
two
salesmen.
there
31
and
because
years
on
years
of
and
said
cold
mine
and
That
he
and
I I order any prescription and it costs me $5. hard to beat that.
Richard Misenhimer:
When did you get married then?
William Brewer:
Got married in 1950, May 27th1
Richard Misenhimer:
Have you had any reunions since you have been out?
William Brewer:
With the Bataan?
Richard Misenhimer:
Yes.
William Brewer:
Yes, they have a reunion with the air group every two years and the Bataan groups has one every year. I got
to the Bataan now, but I probably won’t again because all the veteran are basically all Korean War Veterans
now. Lot of the World War II are not well enough to go anymore. Lets see the last one they had was in May
and they went to Branson. I had been to Branson so I didn’t go. The air group has it every other year in
October, they have it up at Hyannis Port, Massachusetts
Richard Misenhimer:
Okay.
William Brewer:
So I don’t know if I will go or not.
Richard Misenhimer:
Are many of your old air group there if you go?
William Brewer:
Mostly the fighter pilots, unfortunately most of the torpedo pilots that I knew better. I only know where one
- 64 - is, a Lieut. Graham and he lives in Kansas. I have heard that the pilot that I had has passed away. I lost contact with him about a couple years after the war, I used to travel to Wisconsin and every time I would
check into a motel I would look in the phone directory and see if I could find a Ben Douglas. I found one, one day but it was the wrong one, I’m sorry I lost contact with him.
Richard Misenhimer:
They send out a newsletter? The Bataan?
William Brewer:
It is very informative and he keeps everything up-to-date and we pay $15 a year dues. You would enjoy
seeing some of those books that I have here showing the targets and everything.
Richard Misenhimer:
I really would yes. End of Tape.
Transcribed by Melinda Clinger May 2004 25 hours
- 65 -