USSVETERANS BRISTOL ASSOCIATION DD 857 Spring 2011 NEWSLETTER

Editor’s correction: the newspapers from the duffle bags and filled them with life jackets from the overhead storage. We only took the ones in better condition and only enough for those manning the In my contribution about reporting aboard Bristol in June 1966, I rowboats and swimmers in case of getting into the boats. erred. I reported aboard June 1964. I guess the years are catching up Equipment at the ready we needed the right time to do it. A to me. Sorry about that. Saturday would be ideal with no one having to play hooky from school or work. We of course needed weather with calm seas and of course we watched the schedules for ships Editor’s Note: leaving the Narrows harbor. The day was here. All systems were a go. All were Please be sure to update your email address. When I published the notified. This was before cell phones and cb radios and the Winter edition, I received many rejects from aol members. Be sure to like so changing a plan wasn’t so easy. Sandwiches’ were put my email address ([email protected]) in your directory being made for the picnic afterwards. Swimmers were at the so that aol doesn’t reject me. ready. Loading the boats was on schedule. The plan was to go to the Staten Island side tower get into the water and swim the two miles to the Brooklyn tower. We watched from the hillside in Brooklyn with enthusiasm. It was a clear, calm day. They made it to the other side, the swimmers were in the water and coming our way. Movement was slow and no ships were in sight, preparations were good. It seemed like an endless wait as they approached closer and closer. We did not know at the time that one of the swimmers had cramped up almost immediately after getting in the water. He refused to get in the boat but with help at the ready he was still able to continue. As they were getting near the Brooklyn tower the excitement of completion was overwhelming. This was planned and prepared almost all winter and now it is almost accomplished. All of a sudden we noticed there were boats in the water of various sizes and description, one, two, three ……, before we knew it there were seven boats coming towards the Do you have any memorabilia that we can use for our newsletter. My swimmers. Yes sirens were whaling and they were moving. wife found this Liberty Card in her “Memories” box. I can still Police, Coast Guard and Harbor patrol were on their way. I remember Ray Soto standing outside the Ship’s Office in his whites don’t think they had fifty yards left to touch the tower when waiting for his Liberty Card. they were reached by the first emergency boats. We could In this issue, we are going to continue with some stories about hear the loudspeakers telling them to get back in their boats. the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge during the construction phase. Here’s They hesitated at first but quickly boarded the rowboats when a sample called “The Tower to Tower Swim” contributed by ? the voices were clearly not joking. They did not touch the tower so bragging rights were I’ll leave out the names to protect etc….. halted, but the memories and discussion of the event went on We were planning a swim from tower to tower. I not being much of a and on whenever we would meet and have a few beers. I still swimmer was in charge of a picnic lunch and hanging out with the gals see and meet with a bunch of the guys annually. Next year I on a hill near the Brooklyn tower. The plan was to go to Sheepshead will bring it up again, I am curious how my story has Bay early that morning and rent a couple of powered row boats. We changed from those actual moments after some 45 plus years. would load up the necessary safety equipment upon the boats arrival I am sitting here with a large grin on my face as it all comes from Sheepshead. The safety lines were appropriated from the bridge back to mind. construction by one of the guys who worked there as an iron worker. We shortened the lengths and taped the ends to prevent unraveling then th Joe recoiled them readying for the excursion. We then took rides on the 69 Editor’s Note: Joe (Nameless) served with the 27th Infantry Street ferry to Staten Island with duffle bags filled with newspapers (Wolfhound) Regiment in Vietnam. Thanks for this great crumpled up. Upon leaving Staten Island on the return trip we emptied tidbit Joe. 1

USS BRISTOL DD 857 VETERANS ASSOCIATION

The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge (continued) Under the baleful eyes of c o n s t r u c t i o n supervisor John "Hard Nose" M u r p h y , t h o u s a n d s o f " b o o m e r s " o r In the last edition of our newsletter, we showed itinerant the opening ceremony of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, c o n s t r u c t i o n workers along 21 November 1964, USS Bristol DD 857, at the sounding with native NYC of the ship’s whistle, signalled the New York City Mayor, bridge workers, Robert Wagner, to cut the ribbon opening the upper deck. erected the iron and steel and Some of the trivia associated with the construction relates strung the cables. to the brave men of Iron Workers Local 40. I n t h e s e t w o Bristol passed beneath the bridge many times pictures from 1963, the center during and after its opening. Some of those passages were of the bridge not so pleasant. I was fantail phone deck was put in talker during Special Sea Detail. This place first. The meant standing on the main deck after deck, which was placed beginning mount 53. Passing underneath the in October 1963, Verrazano could be hazardous. Many consisted of 60 times, we were “bombarded” with separate 400-ton pieces, lifted into rivets, nuts, and bolts falling from the place from bridge above. You may wonder how small is the world. b a r g e s . E a c h Many years later, while working at the phone piece was one of a kind and were company, one of my coworkers told me a tale that you alike down to the may find hard to believe. During the construction of the millimeter. bridge, the fellow was an apprentice iron worker in Local 40. Most of the time, his job was to keep the beer cold and go for lunch for the journeymen. Rich Xxxxx told me that, when the guys had a few too many beers, they would start tossing stuff down on passing vessels. It’s amazing that there weren’t a lot of “on the job” deaths as a result of all the drinking. Our On June 28, 1976 the largest American flag in Captain wanted to the world was placed on the Verrazano. It lasted a few minutes before winds tore it apart. kill those guys (Technology wasn't quite as advanced then). throwing stuff down Since then a bigger flag was produced in on us. He even had Thailand, but we're told an even larger flag was the guns raised on produced in the USA. Help me out, Forgotten fans! the forward mounts just to scare the

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USS BRISTOL DD 857 VETERANS ASSOCIATION

A Christmas Story Contributed by Ray Storey (Ray’ s Father served in USS Utah BB31)

Here's a 'today' Yule story that occurred 3 weeks ago ~ AND NOW, in time for the holidays, I bring you the best Christmas story you never heard.

It started last Christmas, when Bennett and Vivian Levin were overwhelmed by sadness while listening to radio reports of injured American troops. "We have to let them know we care," Vivian told Bennett. So they organized a trip to bring soldiers from Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Bethesda Naval Hospital to the annual Army-Navy football game in Philly, on Dec. 3. The cool part is, they created their own train line to do it. Yes, there are people in this country who actually own real trains. Bennett Levin - native Philly guy, self-made millionaire and irascible former L&I commish - is one of them. He has three luxury rail cars. Think mahogany paneling, plush seating and white-linen dining areas. He also has two locomotives, which he stores at his Juniata Park train yard. One car, the elegant Pennsylvania , carried John F. Kennedy to the Army- Navy game in 1961 and '62. Later, it carried his brother Bobby's body to D. C. for burial. "That's a lot of history for one car," says Bennett. He and Vivian wanted to revive a tradition that endured from 1936 to 1975, during which trains carried Army-Navy spectators from around the country directly to the stadium where the annual game is played. The Levins could think of no better passengers to reinstate the ceremonial ride than the wounded men and women recovering at Walter Reed in D. C. and Bethesda , in Maryland . "We wanted to give them a first-class experience," says Bennett. "Gourmet meals on board, private transportation from the train to the stadium, perfect seats - real hero treatment." Through the Army War College Foundation, of which he is a trustee, Bennett met with Walter Reed's commanding general, who loved the idea. But Bennett had some ground rules first, all designed to keep the focus on the troops alone: No press on the trip, lest the soldiers' day of pampering devolve into a media circus. No politicians either, because, says Bennett, "I didn't want some idiot making this trip into a campaign photo op" . And no Pentagon suits on board, otherwise the soldiers would be too busy saluting superiors to relax. The general agreed to the conditions, and Bennett realized he had a problem on his hands. "I had to actually make this thing happen," he laughs. Over the next months, he recruited owners of 15 other sumptuous rail cars from around the country - these people tend to know each other - into lending their vehicles for the day. The name of their temporary train? The Liberty Limited. Amtrak volunteered to transport the cars to D. C. - where they'd be coupled together for the round-trip ride to Philly - then back to their owners later. Conrail offered to service the Liberty while it was in Philly. And SEPTA drivers would bus the disabled soldiers 200 yards from the train to Lincoln Financial Field, for the game. A benefactor from the War College ponied up 100 seats to the game - on the 50-yard line and lunch in a hospitality suite. And corporate donors filled, for free and without asking for publicity, goodie bags for attendees: from Woolrich, stadium blankets: Wal-Mart, digital cameras;Nikon, field glasses;and, GEAR, down jackets. There was booty not just for the soldiers, but for their guests, too, since each was allowed to bring a friend or family member. The Marines, though, declined the offer. "They voted not to take guests with them, so they could take more Marines," says Levin, choking up at the memory. Bennett's an emotional guy, so he was worried about how he'd react to meeting the 88 troops and guests at D. C.'s Union Station, where the trip originated. Some GIs were missing limbs. Others were wheelchair-bound or accompanied by medical personnel for the day. "They made it easy to be with them," he says. "They were all smiles on the ride to Philly. Not an ounce of self-pity from any of them. They're so full of life and determination." At the stadium, the troops reveled in the game, recalls Bennett. Not even Army's lopsided loss to Navy could deflate the group's rollicking mood. Afterward, it was back to the train and yet another gourmet meal - heroes get hungry, says Levin - before returning to Walter Reed and Bethesda . "The day was spectacular," says Levin. "It was all about these kids. It was awesome to be part of it." The most poignant moment for the Levins was when 11 Marines hugged them goodbye, then sang them the Marine Hymn on the platform at Union Station. "One of the guys was blind, but he said, 'I can't see you, but man, you must be beautiful!' " says Bennett. "I got a lump so big in my throat, I couldn't even answer him." It's been three weeks, but the Levins and their guests are still feeling the day's love. "My Christmas came early," says Levin, who is Jewish and who loves the Chris tmas season. "I can't describe the feeling in the air." Maybe it was hope.

As one guest wrote in a thank-you note to Bennett and Vivian, "The fond memories generated last Saturday will sustain us all - whatever the future may bring."

God bless the Levins.

And bless the troops, every one

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USS BRISTOL DD 857 VETERANS ASSOCIATION

Bristol’s Korean War Duty

Left: Gun crew man quad 40mm starboard side; Center: Photo of USS Purdy (DD734) taken from port 40mm quad gun mount; Right: USS Bristol DD 857 takes a “greenie” over Mount 52 during operations off Korea.

Left: Harry Thomas, "Blinky" Johnson, Dick Szulczewski R.I.P. (carrying a case of beer), "Rags" Carl 1951, before joining the fight in Korea.

Right: Frank Allen, Blinky Johnston, Bill Gail, Curtis Marsh, George Riel, Jerry Johnson, and Harry Thomas at the beer hall on the base at Gitmo before deploying to Korea, the first “stop” on the Round the World Cruise 1951-1952

On 2 October 1951, Bristol started a round-the-world cruise which took her, first to Korea, where she served from 31 October 1951 to 27 February 1952. Bristol, then returned to Newport via the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean, arriving 21 April 1952. Bristol received one battle star for her World War II service and two battle stars for her Korean service.

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USS BRISTOL DD 857 VETERANS ASSOCIATION The Chinese Offensive, 25 November 1950 - 25 By 25 January 1951, the Chinese and the reconstituted North Korean forces had been so badly depleted that a new UN offensive was possible. If the January 1951- great Chinese offensive had shown the United States and its allies that there would be no easy victories in mainland Asia, their response gave the Overview and Selected Images Communists a painfully expensive lesson in the vulnerability of their manpower-intensive armies to the vast mobile firepower of Western ground, November 1950, a day after United air and naval forces. Nations and Republic of Korea forces began the offensive they expected would USS English (DD-696) A 40mm gun crew complete the unification of Korea, prepares to bombard enemy installations along Communist China countered with a the Korean coast, circa October 1950 - February terrific, and very successful offensive of 1951. Photograph was received by the Naval its own. Within a few days, the Chinese Photographic Center on 21 February 1951. onslaught reversed the UN/ROK Note radar antenna on this quad 40mm mount northward drive in central and western and ammunition loaded in guns. Another 40mm North Korea, devastating several South mount, pointed in the opposite direction, is in the Korean divisions, badly tearing up the upper left background. U.S. Second Division and forcing the rest of the UN command to rapidly withdraw southwards to escape destruction. On 27 November, near eastern Evacuation of Inchon, December 1950 - January North Korea's Chosin Reservoir, the 1951. Port facilities at Inchon, South Korea, are Chinese fell on the First Marine Division destroyed as U.N. forces evacuate the city in the and a nearby U.S. Army task force, almost face of the Chinese Communist advance. wiping out the latter and provoking a Photograph is dated 4 January 1951. The final Marine response that ranks as one of evacuation of Inchon took place on 5 January. history's greatest feats of arms. Over the following two weeks, the Marines battled their way to the port of Hungnam, from USS Saint Paul (CA-73) which they would be evacuated by sea. In their wake were the ruins of the opposing Fires a salvo from her forward eight-inch gun Chinese divisions, which suffered so many turrets at enemy troops closing in on Hungnam, casualties from combat and the bitterly North Korea, during the evacuation of UN forces cold weather that they were out of action from that port. for months. Photograph is dated 21 December 1950. In the new year, a renewed enemy offensive captured Seoul and drove the UN/ROK armies into new defensive lines in central South Korea. With no prospect USS Missouri (BB-63) of significant reinforcement, facing what appeared to be a total commitment of Forward turret fires a 16-inch shell at enemy China's almost inexhaustable manpower, forces attacking Hungnam, North Korea, during and fearing Soviet air and naval a night bombardment in December 1950. In the involvement, it briefly seemed that the background, LSMRs are firing rockets, with both UN forces might have to evacuate Korea ends of the trajectory visible. to avoid unacceptable threats to Japan This is a composite image, made with two and, perhaps, to Europe. negatives taken only a few minutes apart. However, the UN still had Photograph is dated 28 December 1950, but was complete control of the sea, which had probably taken on 23-24 December. just allowed rapid and thorough redeployment of troops and materiel from threatened positions in North Korea to reinforce the defenses in the South. Control of the sea allowed effective USS Buck (DD-761), employment of ships' guns, greatly enhanced the USS Wisconsin (BB-64) and effectiveness of air power and held open the prospect of USS Saint Paul (CA-73) another amphibious assault in the enemy's rear. Through the cruel wintery months of China's November 1950 - Steaming together during operations January 1951 offensive, Navy ships and Air Force, Navy off Korea. and Marine Corps planes helped the UN/ROK armies cut Photo is dated 22 February 1952. through the enemy's ambushes, hammered his troops at and behind the front and badly eroded his supply lines. 5

USS BRISTOL DD 857 Leonard Roy Harmon, Mess Attendant First Class, USN

Poster featuring Mess Attendant Harmon and USS Harmon (DE-678), which was named in his honor. He was killed in action on board USS San Francisco (CA-38) during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, 13 November 1942. For his heroism in that action, Mess Attendant Harmon was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross. The poster also features the text of his award citation and a representation of the Navy Cross medal.

USS Harmon (DE-678)

Photograph taken in about August 1943, when the ship was first completed. This view was retouched by the censor to remove radar antennas, adding the pennant at the masthead in their place. It was then released for publication in March 1944.

USS Harmon, a 1400-ton Buckley class destroyer escort, was built at Quincy, Massachusetts. Commissioned in August 1943, she conducted her shakedown in the western Atlantic and was then assigned to the southwest Pacific area for escort duties with the Third and Seventh Fleets. As war fronts moved northward, Harmon participated in the January 1945 landings at Lingayen Gulf, Leyte. In March, she operated off Iwo Jima.

Beginning in mid-1945, in preparation for further invasion services, Harmon was modified to increase her gun firepower. World War II ended while this work was being done, and, upon completion of the overhaul, the ship was assigned to training duties in the Pacific and the Atlantic. Decommissioned in March 1947, Harmon remained inactive until she was sold for scrapping in January 1967.

USS Harmon was named in honor of Mess Attendant First Class Leonard Roy Harmon, a hero of the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal.

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USS BRISTOL DD 857 VETERANS ASSOCIATION

Bravo Zulu (Well Done) Shipmate This is the section dedicated to shipmates who are still “fighting” the fight. They are still giving of themselves to their shipmates, neighbors, community, and current active duty military.

Donald “Seaweed” Marcus still giving:

The Toledo Chapter started in 2008 and I went on the first In Honor of Our Veterans flight as a guardian helper to the veterans. A guardian helper goes with an assigned Veteran and if they are handicapped you HONOR FLIGHT Network is our way of paying a push them around in their wheelchair and see that they get what they need or any souvenirs that they may want. This is the small tribute to those who gave so much—a first time back to Washington for some of them. I have met memorable, safe, and rewarding TOUR of HONOR!!! many great WWII Veterans through this endeavor, talking to them and listening to there stories. The inaugural Honor Flight took place in May of 2005. Six One of the things about the Toledo Chapter is that it is done by charter airplane (GrandAir). We use the airplane hangar at small planes flew out of Springfield, Ohio taking twelve Grand Air and we serve breakfast to everybody before getting World War II veterans on a visit to the memorial in on the plane and tell everyone the last minute instructions. The Washington, DC. In August of 2005, an ever-expanding plane usually leaves between 8 and 9 in the morning and usually gets back between 9 and 10 pm. I help out in the waiting list of veterans led our transition to commercial morning by trying to talk to all the veterans, about where they airline carriers with the goal of accommodating as many will be going. They go to the WWII Memorial and then go over veterans as possible. Partnering with HonorAir in to the Korean War Monument and then The Viet Nam wall and then we go to Arlington Cemetery to see the Changing of the Hendersonville, North Carolina, we formed the "Honor Guards and also stop at the Marine Iwo Jima Memorial. I try to Flight Network." Today, we continue working aggressively do whatever I can for them. As they are boarding the plane we to expand our programs to other cities across the nation. have a line going to the plane holding flags and the veterans How a Dream Became a Reality. pass under the flags as they board. We also do that with the flags when the plane comes back in the evening. When the plane comes back we have a little reception inside the hangar The Honor Flight Network program was conceived by and have the Genoa American Legion band that plays patriotic Earl Morse, a physician assistant and Retired Air and WWII songs. Then we have mail call for everyone which consists of a package of goodies for for them. Then it is time to Force Captain. Earl wanted to honor the veterans he go home and I usually wait to the very end in case someone doesn't have a ride home. I volunteer to take that person home had taken care of for the past 27 years. After retiring wherever he lives. So far I have not have to do that . I look forward to going down to Toledo Airport each time they have a from the Air Force in 1998, Earl was hired by the flight. The plane usually holds 60 people but this year we are Department of Veterans Affairs to work in a small using a bigger plane that will hold 160 people. We still have over 400 Veterans in the Toledo area to take this wonderful trip clinic in Springfield, Ohio. In May of 2004, the World to Washington D.C. I hope to continue doing this all through this year. We usually have 6 or 7 flights a year throughout the War II Memorial was finally completed and dedicated summer. in Washington, D.C. and quickly became the topic of P.S. when I talk to the veterans whether Air Force, Marines, Army, Coast Guard I always make sure I talk to the NAVY discussion among his World War II veteran patients.

GO NAVY

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USS BRISTOL DD 857 VETERANS ASSOCIATION

Bravo Zulu (Well Done) Shipmate After that enormous project was completed, the officers and members were (Continued) trying to decide what project the organization could do next. Someone said Contributed by Bruce Burnham half jokingly, “lets have a hog roast for Ed, Vietnam Veterans”. Everybody agreed and I am Chaplain for the Vietnam War that was the beginning of the now famous Veterans Association of Nassau County. I Annual Vietnam Veterans Reunion held for have the normal duties of a Chaplain the last 27 years. The reunion is the oldest within any organization would have and annual Vietnam Veterans Reunion in the few extra because I am ordained. country and most say by far the best! The Each year about twenty of us from the organization owns 40 acres 8 miles east of group go out to Kokomo, IN for the annual Kokomo Indiana on State Road 26. Our Vietnam Veterans reunion. This past year th nickname for our property is the Healing marked our 28 year of coming together. Fields. Many of veterans have found A little info about the Howard County themselves on our property. We are open Vietnam Veterans Org. that sponsors this 12 months a year, and have 1500 members event each year. The Howard County nationwide. [email protected]. Or fill out Vietnam Veterans are now over 1500 a membership form and mail or fax it to us. members strong from all over the nation. This reunion is held the third weekend in Our mission goes beyond staging this September each year. The numbers keep reunion. We give year around support to growing. Last year over 55,000 attended the patients at the VA Hospital in Marion over the 4 day period. Ed, this is the Indiana, support all veterans and have an greatest place to be for those four days. out reach program for Desert Storm You can spend a whole day just walking Veterans forward especially Iraq, the site and every few minutes you are Afghanistan and Kuwait Veterans. invited in to another groups site to have a beer or something to eat. The camaraderie The Howard County Vietnam Veterans is the most special thing about the event. Organization is open for membership to all Once you go, you have to return. who are interested and who agree to abide This is the website for HCVVO http:// by the organization's by-laws (regardless www.hcvvo.org/index.html of the era of service or whether or not you I have attached some pictures from the are a Veteran). This organization is the reunion for you to look through. Our next largest grass roots Vietnam Veterans reunion will be Sept. 16th - 19th. By the Organization in the United States and was way I have run into some of my shipmates the only grass roots organization to lay a at Kokomo. wreath at the dedication of the Wall. We were the only grass roots organization in the 80's to have a representative on the Indiana State Agent Orange Commission. If you would like to consider joining, please read our current by-laws then contact us at 765-628-0297 or email us at The Howard County Vietnam Veterans Organization was established in 1981. The organization’s sole purpose at the time was to raise funds for a Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Howard County for the Vietnam Veterans who lost their lives in the Editor’s Note: I asked Bruce for this Vietnam War. With the support of a lot of good people in Kokomo and Howard input. Thankfully, Bruce responded. We County Indiana and the approval of city are responsible to take care of each other. and county officials the funds were raised, the memorial was built on the downtown square of Kokomo in the courthouse. God Bless!

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USS BRISTOL DD 857 VETERANS ASSOCIATION

The idea for this article contributed by Jim Masarik

From left, Rae Wilson, Edwina Barraclough and Katie Foust greeted servicemen during the early days of the canteen.

From December 25, 1941 until April 1, 1946 more than 6 million servicemen and women who traveled through Nebraska during World War II fondly remember the hospitality of the North Platte Canteen where every troop train was met by volunteers who prepared and served sandwiches, coffee, cookies, cakes, and other homemade ‘goodies’ during stops there. This site is in honor of those servicemen and women, the Canteen and its volunteers as a reminder of its proud past; an opportunity to look back in time.

Entertainment Inside Canteen Duties The Volunteers A Morale Booster the Canteen

Women from the North Daniel Holzhauer (second Beneath sourpussed George Wilson, a Union Platte V.F.W. Auxiliary Pacific carpenter, did janitor row, 3rd from left with caricatures of Adolph prepare treats atop one of wavy hair) was identified duty at the canteen under the the canteen’s serving tables. Hitler and associates, a approving eye of his Union Pacific later replaced by his family after seeing sailor demonstrates his daughter, canteen originator the saw horses with solid this photo in Parade canteen keyboard talents Rae Wilson. wooden counters. Magazine. to comrades in arms. For their few minutes of relaxation, the canteen offered service personnel with entertainment Sampling coffee or milk as from a donated piano, jukebox and radio. The former had its ivories pounded by both service personnel and canteen volunteers in informal jam sessions. At Christmas and Easter, they listen are U.S. Army local church groups held join-in song choruses around the piano. Those who visited the and Navy servicemen and canteen on their birth dates got an appropriate chorus of “Happy Birthday.”

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USS BRISTOL DD 857 VETERANS ASSOCIATION

Medal of Honor Awardee

Citation

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a Hospital Corpsman attached to a company in the 1st Marine Division during operations against enemy aggressor forces in Korea on 5 September 1952. When his company was subjected to heavy artillery and EDWARD CLYDE BENFOLD, HM3 mortar barrages, followed by a determined assault during the hours of darkness by an enemy force estimated at battalion strength, Petty Officer Benfold 15 January 1931 - 05 September 1952 resolutely moved from position to position in the face of intense hostile fire, treating the wounded and lending words of encouragement. Leaving the protection of his sheltered position to treat the wounded when the platoon area in which he was working was attacked from both the front and rear, he moved forward to an exposed ridge line where he observed two Marines in a large crater. As he approached the two men to determine their condition, an enemy soldier threw two grenades into the crater while two other enemy charged the position. Picking up a grenade in each hand, Petty Officer Benfold leaped out of the crater And hurled himself against the onrushing hostile soldier, pushing the grenades against their chest and killing both the attackers. Mortally wounded while carrying out this heroic act, Petty Officer Benfold, by his great personal valor and resolute spirit of self-sacrifice in the face of almost certain death, was directly responsible for saving the lives of his two comrades. Petty Officer Benfold's exceptional courage, personal initiative, and selfless Hospital Corpsman Third Class Edward Clyde “Ted” Benfold was devotion to duty reflected great credit upon himself and eighteen when he joined the U.S. Navy on 27 June 1949. He were in keeping with the highest traditions of the enlisted as a Hospital Recruit at the U.S. Navy Recruiting Station, United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life Philadelphia, PA. He subsequently advanced to Hospital for others. He leaped out of the hole and pushed a Apprentice in 1949 and to Hospitalman Third Class on 12 August grenade to the chest of each soldier, an act of certain 1950. death.! The grenades exploded, killing the two Chinese and Benfold.! By sacrificing his own life, however, the His training began at the Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, IL, gallant corpsman saved the lives of his two patients. where he remained until December 1949. After completing the basic course at the Hospital School, he was assigned to the Naval On 16 July 1953, Rear Admiral John H. Brown Jr., Hospital, Newport, Rhode Island. In August 1950 he reported for Commandant of the 4th Naval District, presented the a four-month course in Neuropsychiatric Nursing Technique at the Naval Hospital in Philadelphia, graduating as a Neuropsychiatry Medal of Honor to Benfold’s son, Edward Joseph. Technician. After leaving the hospital in June 1951, he had Guided missile frigate U.S.S. Benfold, named in honor combat infantry training with the Marines at Camp Lejeune, NC, of the corpsman, was launched on 12 November 1994. and was ordered to duty with the Fleet Marine Force in the Pacific.

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USS BRISTOL DD 857 VETERANS ASSOCIATION

Roger Valentine, CS1, remembers 1963 Med These items taken from Big E’s 1963 Cruise Cruise……. Book Editors Note: When a shipmate communicates with me, I enter the The following pages show UNREP of USS The Sullivans DD537 communications without changes. I use the italic fonts being resupplied starboard side to. to show that the following is a direct quote from the letter that I received. Roger refers to the Big “E”, which is the USS Enterprise CVN 65. Thank you, Roger, for this snippit. Jan 16-11 Hi Ed ! Hope all is well with you & family. I got your letter with the mtg. Thanks, I hope the shipmates will get a kick out of it. " I wanted to write about something that happened on Bristol. We made our 1963 Med Cruise & escorted the Big “E” on her maiden voyage. " Before we left out, someone got the idea, they took a “GI” can or 55 gl drum, [welded] to pieces of pipe on each side, then attached two 5 gl empty paint cans, put padding on the thing & mounted it to the main mast. It looked like some new radar & they did a good job on it. " Anyway, we were on our way just short of the Suez Canal, out of overcast skies dropped a Russian spy plane. It was a surprise. They shot pictures of the Enterprise & some of the painted GI can on our mast. I don’t think they know today what it was, it looked so real. ! Maybe someone will remember. My hat off to whoever dreamed it up. " Oh & Ed, when this Russian plane came out of the cloud cover, the Enterprise, & 7 DDs did not pick it up on radar. We had a port lookout. Big tall guy, we called Arke. He was the 1st to spot & report the plane. Later on, the Admiral on Big “E” had him brought over Naturally we objected to the transportation and were by chopper & was decorated. ! Just something interesting & fun. Take care & treated to another round of nightstick diplomacy before being God Bless. driven back the the ship. I can verify the above tale as I have in my hand at the moment a copy of the "Personnel Custody Shipmate Receipt" from Shore Patrol Headquarters, signed by Meathead, CS1 Roger C Valentine, Ret J.M. Riles SMC. The form detailed the listed personnel " for too much to I have a copy of the USS Bristol Engineering Department Watch drink and Lemelin asleep in a booth". List for 17 June 1963, David Olsen was listed as FN on that date. I I think that whomever received the report from the don't remember him for some reason related to age. Others on that Shore Patrol as we boarded the ship threw it overboard as soon 1963 list that we know. as the Shore Patrol left because we never heard another word on W. Marczak BT2,. Kaberlein BT2, G. Snell MM2, R. Conley EN3, the subject. D. Marcus FN, C. Weaver MM3, M. Walsh MM3, R. Hernandez EM3, G White BT3, J Latyak BT3, F.F. Touchstone LTJG Editor’s Note: Now this is a great little piece! Thanks go to The Bristol made a spring 1962 Med Cruise and another in Marty Walsh for this one. Tony Molnar sent out an email the spring of 1963.We were at the Isle Of Capri, Italy on May 21 notifying of our newest member, David Olsen, MM3, 62-67. 1963. On June 14 1963, my birthday, we pulled into the U.S. Naval This triggered Marty Walsh’s those “sleepy” brain cells for his Station, Rota, Spain. No Liberty for me as usual. We went back out contribution this month. to sea at 1700 hrs June 15 1963 and headed home the long way. September 26 1963, we were in Newport R.I. Roger Lemelin BT2, Peter Giordano SN and myself were drinking at the Kings Row Cafe, 51 Marlbourgh Street, R.I. At 2210 hrs the shore patrol came in and harassed Lemelin who was sleeping in the Good one Marty!!!!! booth as Giordano and I enjoyed our refreshing beverages. Giordano and I objected to the treatment given to Lemelin, as he slept, so the Shore Patrol deployed their night sticks on our heads and then hauled all three of us off in "The Wagon".

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USS BRISTOL DD 857 VETERANS ASSOCIATION

Contributed by Janice Brennan (Janice’s Father, James E felt himself sinking so he drove his hand on a large Powers served as an Able Seaman in the Merchant Marine nail so he wouldn’t sink. during WWII) James “Jim” Powers had been torpedoed by U703 and survived to be rescued by First, there was a ship The next morning with another seaman went called SYROS [SYROS was subsequently torpedoed by the below decks to get ready. Two crew who had died, we same U-boat] then a British ship, HMS HAZARD, picked put them each in a blanket and a heavy weight and him up and was on that for a couple of weeks. That was sowed them up all ready to be buried at sea by their torpedoed and then a Russian trawler picked him up, does own crew between air raids. There was a ship in the not know the name. That ship took him to a refugee camp middle of the convoy who had the latest radar gear 27 miles from the Finnish border, he stayed there for 6 and she could tell us when the planes were even weeks. Then a free French ship, Corvette named ROSALIE leaving the ground bases and that gave us a good took him to another camp. From there, he boarded a ship chance to be ready for them. That day they had a named SEBONEY and that took him to Alaska and he torpedo attack on the convoy.. made his way back down to the lower 48. He gave a date of July 3, 1941 [PW16 actually left Hvalfjord, Iceland, 21 May 1942] somewhere in the story and a convoy name of PQ16 There were nine planes, each with three also somewhere in the story. He said he knew a woman torpedoes and at the same time there was a low level named Olive Kelly in Glascow and stayed with her attack on us. And god we were lucky to of had a good sometime throughout this mess. captain on board. He turned the ship to run in Editor’s Note: I could not substantiate the HMS HAZARD between the torpedoes and miss the four bombs, two piece of the story. It was part of PQ16, but was sold by dropped on either side of the ship which nearly turned Royal Navy in 1949 us over While all this was going on the ship with all the radar gear had an aircraft on a catapult, a hurricane fighter which could fly off but could not land again. He flew off after the torpedo bombers and shot The following account from Imperial War three down and then came across the convoy which Museum (excerpt of HMS HAZARD log) was the quickest way to get at the other ones above the convoy. But the Yanks opened up on him and shot him down. He was wounded in the leg. He came down When I got to the ship we had orders to return alongside the Polish Destroyer who picked him up. to Scapa Flow, and then it came, Orders to go to And that afternoon his ship was hit quite a few times Iceland and wait. And the night we got into harbour a and was sinking. One of our trawlers went alongside storm blew up and our ship drifted into another and was taking off as many crew as she could. And sweeper and made a 6 ft hole in our ship’s side. I while she was doing that the big ship alongside of her thought that would be the end of us going on the blew up and we all thought that was the last of the convoy but the next day we were told to go alongside trawler and the brave men. But when it all cleared the Repair Ship and they welded a new plate over the away she was alright loaded up with men. That was other one and we were ready once more. Ships were our worst day. We lost five ships, one of those was coming in from all over the place full up with planes, ablaze from end to end. One of our subs was tanks, ammunition, food and clothes. Well the day alongside of her shouting for the crew to jump, which came and away we went up the Denmark Straits right a lot of them did. Their clothes was on fire but the over as far as Greenland. After a few hours an sub picked them up. And while this was going on the Icelandic trawler went through the lines of ships and bombers were still bombing the ship but the sub, the when we were out of sight we heard him getting in Seahorse, would not give in until it got too bad for her touch with the Germans in Norway, how many ships and she just sank and came up behind the convoy and how many escorts. The captain told the crew that having picked up the men of the ship’s crew. we would have company after another two days, and we did. A German flying boat going around the whole Well during the night the cruiser left us, a signal had convoy but keeping out of gun range and he would get come through saying part of the German Navy had relieved every four hours. It was no good keep on come out from Norway and were heading towards the changing course, if we did he would report our convoy, but we did not see any of them. Perhaps it position. was just to take part of the escort away, well that was six ships we had lost. The following day during a raid After two days the raids started. High level a Russian ship was hit in the bows but she still carried attacks every 20 minutes. That night there was a on. We went over to her and asked if he wanted any submarine attack and the ship at the back of the help but he said he would be alright. His lifeboats convoy got a hit right in the bows where there was were lowered to just above the water, there was stored 250 ton of explosives. We heard the lookout women in them. She got into harbour OK. The next shouting torpedo but it was too late. A ship there one day we lost two more ships and we shot down a minute and the next none. We had to pick up bomber which landed in the sea close to our ship. The survivors, there was 28, they lost 10 men with the German crew got out onto the wings. They were captain. On that day the crew requested with the waving their arms. We just left them as one of their captain if they could move their sleeping quarters in flying boats would pick them up. If we had stopped the bows to one in the stern as they had a queer the American survivors would of killed them. feeling which turned out to be true. All the survivors were on a raft, some hanging on the side. One chap Scragg

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USS BRISTOL DD 857 VETERANS ASSOCIATION RUNWAY ABLE Contributed by Ray Storey

Tinian Island, Pacific Ocean. It's a small island, less than 40 square miles, a flat green dot in the vastness of Pacific blue. Fly over it and you notice a slash across its north end of uninhabited bush, a long thin line that looks like an overgrown dirt runway. If you didn't know what it was, you wouldn't give it a second glance out your airplane window. On the ground, you see the runway isn't dirt but tarmac and crushed limestone, abandoned with weeds sticking out of it. Yet this is arguably the most historical airstrip on earth. This is where World War II was won. This is Runway Able. On July 24, 1944, 30,000 US Marines landed on the beaches of Tinian. Eight days later, over 8,000 of the 8,800 Japanese soldiers on the island were dead (vs. 328 Marines), and four months later the Seabees had built the busiest airfield of WWII - dubbed North Field - enabling B-29 Superfortresses to launch air attacks on the Philippines, Okinawa, and mainland Japan. Late in the afternoon of August 5, 1945, a B-29 was maneuvered over a bomb loading pit, then after lengthy preparations, taxied to the east end of North Field's main runway, Runway Able, and at 2:45am in the early morning darkness of August 6, took off. The B-29 was piloted by Col. Paul Tibbets of the US Army Air Force, who had named the plane after his mother, Enola Gay. The crew named the bomb they were carrying Little Boy. 6Â! hours later at 8:15am Japan time, the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima . Three days later, in the pre-dawn hours of August 9, a B-29 named Bockscar (a pun on "boxcar" after its flight commander Capt. Fred Bock), piloted by Major Charles Sweeney took off from Runway Able. Finding its primary target of Kokura obscured by clouds, Sweeney proceeded to the secondary target of Nagasaki, over which, at 11:01am, bombardier Kermit Beahan released the atomic bomb dubbed Fat Man. Here is "Atomic Bomb Pit #1" where Little Boy was loaded onto Enola Gay. There are pictures displayed in the pit, now glass-enclosed. This one shows Little Boy being hoisted into Enola Gay's bomb bay. And here on the other side of ramp is "Atomic Bomb Pit #2" where Fat Man was loaded onto Bockscar.

Continued on next page

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USS BRISTOL DD 857 VETERANS ASSOCIATION The commemorative plaque records that 16 Koreans, and native islanders brutalized as justice, revenge, or it getting what it hours after the nuking of Nagasaki , "On August slaves to cut the sugar cane. deserved. It was the only way to end 10, 1945 at 0300, the Japanese Emperor without There were also one or two thousand Korean the Japanese dementia. his cabinet's consent decided to end the Pacific "comfort women" (kanji in Japanese), And it worked - for the Japanese. War." abducted young women from Japan's colony They stopped being barbarians and of Korea to service the Japanese soldiers as started being civilized. They achieved Take a good look at these pictures, folks. This is sex slaves. more prosperity - and peace - than where World War II ended with total victory of Within a week of their landing, the Marines they ever knew, or could have America over Japan. I was there all alone. There set up a civilian prisoner encampment that achieved had they continued fighting were no other visitors and no one lives anywhere quickly attracted a couple thousand Japanese and not been nuked. The shock of near for miles. Visiting the Bomb Pits, walking and others wanting US food and protection. getting nuked is responsible. along deserted Runway Able in solitude, was a When word of this reached Emperor Hirohito We achieved this because we were moment of extraordinarily powerful solemnity. - who, contrary to the myth, was in full determined to achieve victory. charge of the war - he became alarmed that Victory without apologies. Despite It was a moment of deep reflection. Most radio interviews of the well-treated prisoners perennial liberal demands we do so, people, when they think of Hiroshima and broadcast to Japan would subvert his people's America and its government has Nagasaki, reflect on the numbers of lives killed in will to fight. never apologized for nuking Japan . the nuclear blasts - at least 70,000 and 50,000 As meticulously documented by historian Hopefully, America never will. respectively. Being here caused me to reflect on Herbert Bix in Hirohito and the Making of the number of lives saved - how many more Modern Japan, the Emperor issued an order Japanese and Americans would have died in a for all Japanese civilians on Saipan to commit continuation of the war had the nukes not been suicide. The order included the promise that, dropped. although the civilians were of low caste, their suicide would grant them a status in heaven Yet that was not all. It's not just that the nukes equal to those honored soldiers who died in obviated the US invasion of Japan, Operation combat for their Emperor. Downfall, that would have caused upwards of a And that is why the precipice in the picture million American and Japanese deaths or more. above is known as Suicide Cliff, off which It's that nuking Hiroshima and Nagasaki were of over 20,000 Japanese civilians jumped to their extraordinary humanitarian benefit to the nation deaths to comply with their fascist emperor's and people of Japan . desire - mothers flinging their babies off the cliff first or in their arms as they jumped. Let's go to this cliff on the nearby island of Saipan to learn why: Anyone reluctant or refused, such as the Okinawan or Korean slaves, were shoved off at gunpoint by the Japanese soldiers. Then the soldiers themselves proceeded to hurl Oh, yes... Guinness lists Saipan as themselves into the ocean to drown off a sea having the best, most equitable, cliff afterward called Banzai Cliff. Of the weather in the world. And the 31,000 Japanese soldiers on Saipan , the beaches? Well, take a look: Marines killed 25,000, 5,000 jumped off Banzai Cliff, and only the remaining thousand were taken prisoner. The extent of this demented fanaticism is very hard for any civilized mind to fathom - Saipan is less than a mile north of Tinian. The especially when it is devoted not to anything month before the Marines took Tinian, on June noble but barbarian evil instead. The vast brutalities inflicted by the Japanese on their 15, 1944, 71,000 Marines landed on Saipan. conquered and colonized peoples of China, They faced 31,000 Japanese soldiers determined Korea, the Philippines, and throughout their not to surrender. "Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere" was Japan had colonized Saipan after World War I a hideously depraved horror. and turned the island into a giant sugar cane And they were willing to fight to the death plantation. By the time of the Marine invasion, to defend it. So they had to be nuked. The Semper Fi! in addition to the 31,000 entrenched soldiers, only way to put an end to the Japanese some 25,000 Japanese settlers were living on barbarian horror was unimaginably colossal Saipan, plus thousands more Okinawans, destruction against which they had no defense whatever. Nuking Japan was not a matter of

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Happy Brothers Day Contributed by Bruce Burnham

Be the kind of man who, when your feet hit the floor each morning, the devil says, "Oh Crap, He's up!" Brother, life is too short to wake up with regrets. So love the people who treat you right. Forgive the ones who don't just because you can. Believe everything happens for a reason. If you get a second chance, grab it with both hands. If it changes your life, let it. Take a few minutes to think before you act when you're mad. Forgive quickly. God never said life would be easy, He just promised it would be worth it. Today is Brother's day. Happy Brothers Day!

I LOVE YA BROTHER!!!

To the cool men who have touched my life. Here's to you!! A real Brother walks with you when the rest of the world walks on you.

THE POW/MIA FLAG I am the flag of thousands, which never came home! I am the empty face of the comrade in arms, which you have left behind. My colors are Black and White, for there is no gray area with me. I am behind a barbwire fence, with a watchtower over me. I am either imprisoned or lying in a shallow grave in a foreign land. There was a time when I was flown throughout this country, but now you hardly ever see me. I fly at Veterans Halls, Memorials, and the houses of those that still Remember me. I am quickly fading from your memory. I am the Forgotten One! I was spawned out of WAR, I should NEVER have been born! Is it because of that, most of you turn your head out of shame when you see me? Or is it because you are trying to forget me? Is it that easy to forget a friend, a comrade, a loved one? Tell me what I did that was so wrong, that I might know why you have left me here all these years after my Brothers have gone home. Why must I labor for my captures Day after Day? Why do I lie in a shallow grave in a foreign land, where No One comes to visit me? Why has my country FORSAKEN ME, and the people I fought for FORGOTTEN ME? What did I do to deserve this from MY COUNTRY? TELL ME WHY! I just want you to know! I AM STILL HERE! Bring me HOME to the land I was born in, and the Country I so PROUDLY Served! Dear GOD bring me HOME!

“BRING THEM HOME or SEND US BACK”

Contributed by Earl “Charlie” Weaver

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Contributed by Leland Philips Editor’s Note: Photo at right looks like the ward that I spent 3 months in at the Naval Hospital, St Albans, Queens, NY

Photo left: ‘If they think I’ll pay 30 cents for a hair cut, forget it.‘ Elvis Presley in boot camp. This is the army Mr Jones.

My first car was a 1966 VW Beetle.

When I first started driving, gas was $.30 per gallon.

We had an A&P store that we could just walk up the block. Those were the days,

Contributed by Joe Guchek

Guess what this is. It’s an IBM hard disk drive of 5 Mega Bytes. It was part of the RAMAC super computer. Now you can appreciate the 8 GB memory sticks.

Contributed by Earl Weaver Photo below: The Sierra Club was presenting an alternative to the Wyoming ranchers for controlling the coyote population. It seems that after years of the ranchers using the tried and true method of shooting or trapping the predators, the Sierra Club had a "more humane" solution to this issue. What they were proposing was for the animals to be captured alive. The males would then be castrated and let loose again.

This was ACTUALLY proposed by the Sierra Club and by the U.S. Forest Service.

All of the ranchers thought about this amazing idea for a couple of minutes.

Finally an old fellow in the back of the conference room stood up, tipped his hat back and said;

"Son, I don't think y'all understand our problem here . . . these coyotes ain't f*ckin' our sheep . . . they're eatin' 'em!"

The meeting never really got back to order . .

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Great Lakes Cruise (continued-contributed by Ed Lynch) The photo on the left shows the destroyers from left to right: USS Hank, USS Barton; and, USS Purdy visiting Cleveland, OH, in the Summer of 1965. Of the six ships, which took part in the Great Lakes Cruise of August - September 1965, 3 visited Detroit (Bristol visited Detroit) and the other 3 visited Cleveland.

Here I stand (left) waiting for the next group of visitors to tour Bristol. Right photo taken at Cobo Hall next to the Detroit River.

I didn’t hit any of the bars in Detroit because I wouldn’t be 21 until the next month.

Photos left: Some of the rich and famous homes located on islands in the St Lawrence River. You may want to visit this area. It’s quite beautiful in the Summer.

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Panorama view of Quebec City skyline. Bristol and five other destroyers made a port call at this beautiful and historic city in the Summer of 1965. Everyone who comprised the Liberty Party were “ordered” to appear at a Royal Canadian Navy Ball in the evening. When Liberty Call went over, John Koltes (our Disbursing Clerk) and I sojourned to the RCN facility where the ball was to be held.

As I remember it, we were invited in for a couple of beers before the event got underway. The sailor attending the bar told us that the visit had been announced on radio, TV, and all the newspapers for months before our arrival. In Chateau Frontenac, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, sits atop those days, the ratio of single women to single men was a palisade overlooking the St Lawrence River. When we 4:1. So, to say the least, there were plenty of girls with visited the city in the Summer of 2001, the QEII was making a port whom you could dance. call at the same time. A wall surrounds the old city. We walked everywhere in the walled The party did get started and it was quite a nice time. I city. We did our best to speak French, but the shop keepers spoke wasn’t a good dancer back then. I hand’t met the right English (well we tried). It was just great trekking through memory dance partner yet. We junior petty officers had to be back lane. One of the things I did on this visit was to visit the Shrine of St to the ship by midnight. I didn’t think that was a good Anne De beaupre. In 1965, I didn’t even know that the shrine existed. idea back then. However, looking back I agree that it was When I got home and told my Mother about where we had been, my a wise idea to keep the “young” folk out of harms way. I Mother promptly chastised me for not being sure that I visited the can’t remember anyone from our ship getting into trouble. shrine. There are many artifacts left by pilgrims who had received cures for ailments after making the pilgrimage to the shrine. I was sure The next night I was on Shore Patrol with LCdr Carr. We to visit the shrine in 2001. patrolled some of the night spots and met many of the young ladies whom we had met at the ball. Mr. Carr’s rule The Basilica of Sainte- was, if we encountered anyone from our ship who Anne-de-Beaupré is a appeared to be getting himself in trouble, we would escort major Roman Catholic place of pilgrimage and him back to the ship (no other action taken). has the only copy of Michelangelo's Pietà.

In 2001, we visited Quebec City. We stayed at the famous It is located 22 miles northeast of Chateau Frontenac, which you can see above just to the Quebec on the St Lawrence River.

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The ship that became the Pueblo was originally launched in 1944 as Army cargo Do You Remember the Pueblo? ship FS-344. In 1966 it was transferred to the Navy and renamed the Pueblo. It began service as a light cargo ship, but in 1967 it was redesignated GER-2 and was converted into an intelligence-gathering ship. (GER stood for General Environmental Research, a euphemism for spying operations the ship would conduct on behalf of the National Security Agency.) In January 1968, the Pueblo was ordered to patrol off the east coast of communist North Korea to conduct surveillance of Soviet naval activity in the Tsushima Straits. The ship was also ordered to eavesdrop on any electronic transmissions it could intercept that originated in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, as that communist captive called itself. Within hours of reaching its destination, the Pueblo was harassed by Soviet or North Korean vessels. On Jan. 21, the ship reported that a modified Soviet-style sub-chaser passed within two miles of its bow. The next day, two apparent fishing trawlers from North Korea (which were probably Soviet spy ships) passed within 25 yards of the Pueblo. Any seaman reading this will know that this dangerously close encounter had to have been intentional. On Jan. 23, a sub-chaser accosted the Pueblo and demanded to know its identity. In response, Commanding Officer Lloyd M. Bucher ordered that the U.S. flag be raised. The North Korean vessel then ordered the ship to stand down or be fired upon. Instead, the Pueblo followed the orders it had been given back in Japan and tried to leave the area. It could not outrun the sub-chaser, however. Shortly thereafter, three torpedo boats appeared on the horizon and joined in the chase. The attackers were subsequently joined by two MiG-21 jet fighters. Soon, a fourth torpedo boat and a second sub-chaser appeared on the horizon. Can you believe there was a time when we caved to the The North Koreans pulled alongside the Pueblo and tried to board the ship. When communists of North Korea and let them capture, beat Bucher ordered the Pueblo to take evasive maneuvers, two North Korean vessels and torture some of our sailors? This weekend marks opened fire on the ship. Suddenly, cannon fire and machine-gun bullets were the 42nd anniversary of one of the most shameful raking the vessel. episodes in recent United States history. And I doubt if The Pueblo was ill prepared to withstand such an attack. Its armament consisted of the mainstream media will contain a single word about two Browning .50-caliber machine guns — hardly a match for rockets and it. missiles. Moreover, the machine guns were wrapped in cold-weather tarpaulins Several years ago, my youngest son and I were and the ammunition for them was stored below decks. watching a program on the History Channel when the As the cannon fire continued, Bucher gave the order to “stop engines” and program’s narrator mentioned the capture of a U.S. signaled the North Koreans that he would comply with their orders. He also Naval vessel by Communist North Korea back in 1968. ordered his own crewmen to begin destroying as much of the sensitive materiel as “That didn’t really happen, did it, Dad?” my son asked possible that was on board the ship. me. When I replied that it had, he was stunned. “Do The North Koreans ordered the Pueblo to follow them to the mainland. At first, you mean to tell me that North Korea seized one of the ship complied. But again — following orders it had been given in Japan — the our ships, beat and tortured the crew for most of a year, ship stopped before it crossed the 12-mile limit into North Korean waters. and we didn’t do anything about it?” When this happened, the North Koreans once again opened fire on the ship. This I was shocked that my son had never heard of the USS time, one sailor — Fireman Apprentice Duane Hodges — was killed. North Pueblo before and embarrassed that the answer to his Korean soldiers from a torpedo boat and sub-chaser boarded the Pueblo. Our question was “yes.” Somehow, that whole sorry sailors were blindfolded and had their hands tied behind their backs. Once they episode had been blotted out of the history books. I were helpless they were beaten and prodded with bayonets. wonder how many of you reading these pages now In a subsequent inquiry we learned that the Pueblo had been in radio contact with know the story. How about your children or Naval security back in Japan throughout the incident. The Seventh Fleet command grandchildren? Do any of them remember the Pueblo? told Bucher that help was on the way. It turns out this was a lie; no jets or ships Happily, I could do better than just issue a mealy- were ever dispatched to come to the aid of the ship. mouthed reply about how this country “protested No one at Seventh Fleet headquarters was willing to give the order to try to rescue vigorously.” At the time, many of us did everything the Pueblo. The decision was bucked back to Washington — first to the Pentagon, possible to get our leaders to act. When the sailors then to the White House. By the time then-President Lyndon Johnson was were finally released I helped arrange a nationwide informed of the situation, the Pueblo was in North Korean waters. It was decided speaking tour for one of them, radio officer Lee R. that any rescue attempt would be too dangerous. So the world’s most powerful Hayes. Lee gave hundreds of speeches and participated military kowtowed to one of the weakest. I’m still ashamed of our leaders’ pitiful in thousands of media interviews. Here’s part of the response. story he told. Continued on next page

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There is considerable controversy about where the Pueblo was when sending help. it was captured. Bucher and the other ship’s officers subsequently Secretary of the Navy John H. Chafee rejected the Naval Court’s testified under oath that at no time did the Pueblo enter within 12 recommendation, saying that, “They have suffered enough.” nautical miles of the North Korean coast. This is the generally Bucher was never found guilty of any malfeasance and remained accepted limit of claims for territorial waters. At the time, however, on active duty until his retirement. He died in 2004, partly as a the North Koreans claimed a 50-nautical-mile sea boundary. No one result of complications from the injuries he received while he was disputes that the Pueblo was within 50 miles of the Korean coast. a prisoner of war in North Korea. In any case, once the ship was within 12 miles of North Korea, the During the inquiry there was some debate about whether or not Pueblo was boarded again — this time by some high-ranking North Bucher acted within his orders. He admitted that part of his orders Korean officials. (Interesting that they waited until they could be were “not to spark an international incident.” But he and his certain the ship would not be attacked by U.S. forces. They officers were adamant that they had not come within 12 nautical undoubtedly were aware that, if the situation were reversed, Korean ! miles of the Korean coast. (Today, of course, global positioning dictator Kim Il-Sung and his minions wouldn’t hesitate to blow one satellites could have confirmed the ship’s location within a matter of their own ships to smithereens, killing all hands on board, rather of inches.) than suffer the embarrassment of capture.) Some critics argued that the ship should have left the area after the They took the Pueblo into port at Wonsan on the eastern coast of first incident. But such encounters were considered routine at the North Korea. Then they took the 82 surviving U.S. crew members to time. U.S. forces frequently tested the territorial limits of Cold a prisoner-of-war camp somewhere in the interior of the country. The War opponents. If such actions caused the enemy to mobilize its men were starved and repeatedly tortured. (Their treatment got worse military, there would be even more information to gather. when someone realized that crewmen were secretly giving them “the In October 1999, the Pueblo was moved from Wonsan on the east finger” in staged propaganda photos.) coast of North Korea to Nampo on the west coast. The trip Bucher was singled out for particularly harsh treatment, including required moving the vessel through international waters for facing a mock firing squad. He refused to buckle when faced with his several days, as it was towed around the coast of South Korea. own death, but finally relented and agreed to sign a confession when Although the U.S. military had to have been aware of the Pueblo’s his captors threatened to murder his crewmen, one by one, in front of location, no effort was made to capture or sink the ship. To the him. best of my knowledge, there was never a court of inquiry — or Since his captors couldn’t read English, Bucher was ordered to write any embarrassing questions at a White House press his own confession. None of the North Koreans picked up on a play conference — about this failure to act. on words that Bucher included in his “confession.” He wrote, “We The Pueblo subsequently was taken to Pyongyang, the North paean the North Korean state. We paean their great leader, Kim Il Korean capital, where it is now the most popular tourist attraction Sung.” (Read aloud, “we paean” sounds remarkably like “we pee in the city. Thousands of visitors have been shown the ship’s on.” Get it? Good for you, Commander.) secret communications room, still in a partially disassembled state During the course of 1968, the men were moved to a second from when the ship was seized. A popular souvenir of a visit, I’m prisoner-of-war camp, while negotiations for their release dragged told, is a photograph taken while a tourist stands behind the on.Finally, in December of that year — 11 long months after the machine gun mounted at the rear of the ship. Yes, the same guns Pueblo was captured — the United States issued a written apology to that remained wrapped in a tarpaulin during the attack and seizure. North Korea, acknowledged that the ship was spying and promised To this day, the USS Pueblo remains a commissioned vessel of the that it would not happen again. United States Navy. It is sad that it has been abandoned by our On Dec. 23, 1968, the crew of the Pueblo was taken by bus to the leaders. But it would be tragic if its story was forgotten by our demilitarized zone separating Communist North Korea from the citizens. South, where the men were permitted to walk across “the Bridge of No Return.” Bucher led the long line of crewmen, with his second- in-command, Executive Officer Lt. Ed Murphy, bringing up the rear. Once the officers and crew reached safety in South Korea, the United States retracted its admission, apology and assurance. In the aftermath of the collapse of the Soviet Union we learned that the capture of the Pueblo was instigated by the Soviet Union, which very badly wanted a cryptographic machine that was on board. John Anthony Walker, an American traitor who provided the Soviets with thousands of secrets, had given them a key to deciphering our ciphers; now they needed to get their hands on an actual machine. Seizing the Pueblo provided that opportunity. Bucher and the 81 other surviving officers and crew were ordered to face a Naval Court of Inquiry, which concluded by recommending that Bucher and Lieutenant Steve Harris (the officer in charge of the intelligence equipment on board the ship) be court-martialed for their “dereliction of duty.” As far as I can determine, there was no action taken against the Naval officers in Japan who lied to Bucher about

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USS BRISTOL DD 857 VETERANS ASSOCIATION

Syd Goldsmith...News from Taiwan Plank Owners Corner: The tiger year has been an auspicious ! This is a repeat of the same message one for Ann, Syd, Harrison (17) and Jessica as I entered in the January issue. This (12). With the arrival of 2011 still fresh and the includes the mailing address of the VA Year of the Rabbit soon here, we Taipei Home. Goldsmiths share our headlines and wish you a " Wallace Dann reports…. happy, healthy and successful year ahead. Tony - Ann has created more new art than our I received a Christmas card from George walls will hold, and has participated in and Lois McDermott in Ingleside, IL. exhibitions on both sides of the Pacific. Now Lois wrote: George wanted to come to she is collaborating with her two artist sisters Philadelphia but for health reasons was unable to in a recently opened gallery. Ann also do so. His Parkinson's has advanced so that Lois translated for self-growth workshops in China can no longer care for him at home. George is and Bali, and she has become a superbly now living in the Illinois Veterans Home, Manteno, imaginative gourmet cook. IL. George says they treat him like a king. He has Syd’s second novel, “Two Musicians and been there since December 1. Lois goes in for hip the Wife Who Isn’t.” is with a well known surgery on January 11. The address of Illinois literary agent, looking for a home in a Veterans Home is 1 Veterans Drive, Manteno, Il publishing industry rocked by tumultuous 60950 - telephone #815-468-6581. George is one change. Lifelong passion for the flute leads to of our few surviving plank owners. I'm intense practice. I’m working toward beginning to feel a bit lonely. recording several CDs as evidence that I really Best wishes, did play it my way. Wally Dann Harrison walked into drama class late; the teacher pointed at him and said, “You’re Shopping at Costco… We happened to be in dead,” leading him to being murdered twice in Costco one day. I had been wearing my Bristol cap and the Taipei American School’s production of another shopper approached me and gave me a business “Animal Farm.” He’s an avid movie critic, and type card, which read: his rock guitar easily out-decibels all the other instruments in the house. A veteran, whether active duty, retired, National Jessica is marching towards teendom Guard, or reservist is someone who, at one point in with flying colors; purple, red green and blond, his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable all on display at various times of the year. to The United States of America for an amount up When she isn’t dying her shoulder length hair, to and including their life. she plays classical guitar and piano, enjoys many friends, and has been known to pay Thank You for Serving! attention in class … sometimes. I asked his name so that I could give him credit for contributing to the newsletter. He declined. Thanks It has been a colorful year for all of us. anyway fellow Veteran. We hope it has been and will continue to be so for you. Next Issue: Ann, Syd, Harrison and Jessica Goldsmith In our next edition, let’s look back at the Syd Goldsmith Cuban Missile Crisis.

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USS BRISTOL DD 857 VETERANS ASSOCIATION

TAPS

The Pease Greeters solemnly have learned that one of their longtime and dedicated Greeters, Ted Doan has past away.

Ted's services was held on Sunday, Jan 30th at Stockbridge Funeral Home in Exeter, NH.

A Memorial Service/Reception in his honor began @ 5pm promptly following the calling hours.

Garland Dalton (1917 - 2010)Garland Otis Dalton, 93, of Arlington died peacefully in his home surrounded by family on Sunday, Dec. 26, 2010. Funeral: 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Tony Molnar received the following email from Carl Thompson's Harveson and Cole. Interment: Graveside services will Philipbar’s daughter, Lisa. Please remember our be held immediately afterwards in Dalton-Grimsley Cemetery, shipmate Carl in your prayers. located in the 1100 block of East Debbie Lane, Mansfield. Memorials: The family requests memorials be made to a charity of the giver's choice. Garland was born June 22, 1917, in Fort Worth, the third child of Jessie Otis and Mildred Melinda Dalton. Affectionately known by close friends and family as "Son," Garland joined the United States Navy and served aboard the USS Good Morning Mr. Molnar..I am writing on behalf of Bristol during World War II, from 1944-1945. Upon returning from my family. Recently we recieved a notification of service, he joined his family's food manufacturing business in Fort dues for my Dad. Unfortunately, my father passed Worth, and eventually became the president and CEO of what is away on February 20, 2010 at the age of 75. He known today as Best Maid Products, Inc. His career at Best Maid was buried in the Florida National Cemetary with was immensely rewarding as he often spoke of how lucky he had full military honors. My father was SO proud to been in life to do something he loved. "I'll take luck any day" was have served in our military, and to be part of the a favorite phrase he often uttered when things just happened to go Bristol family. My whole family agrees that if there his way. Garland found fulfillment for his spirit of service by were one thing our Dad taught us is that we live in maintaining memberships in the Freemasons and Shriners the BEST country in the world. My father was a International organizations, and social fraternities, Rotary Club of Fort Worth, and The Petroleum Club of Fort Worth. The family true patriot and the proudest American I knew. wishes all to know that Garland was a faithful, kind and generous We all hope you have a great reunion, and person. He embraced life to the fullest, and our lives have all been remember my father and all the men and women enriched and blessed because of him. Garland was preceded in who serve our country when you are together. death by his parents, Jessie Otis and Mildred Melinda Dalton; wife, Willie Julia Whitehead Cohen; sister, Margie Dalton Tarwater; God Bless America, wife, Ruth Green Dalton; son, Dan Dalton; daughter, Beverly Jean Dalton Briggs; sister, Juanita Dalton Koch; and loving and caring Lisa Holdsworth wife, Freda Chance Dalton.

James W Donlevy, 16 November 2010 Garland Dalton, 26 December 2010 James J “Mickey” McDonough, Jr, Carl Philipbar, 20 February 2010 12 December 2010 Ronald C Hart

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