USSNORRIS DD/DE 859 11 Bethany Forest Dr Dagsboro, De. 19939 302 541 0685 [email protected]

REUNION 2019

WHERE Atlantic City, N.J. DATE: Tuesday 17 Sept., to Friday 20 Sept. Place: Tropicana Hotel Brighton and Boardwalk Atlantic City, N.J. 08401 Phone: 800 247 8767 Ask for group rate code HUSSN

RATE: $75 + Tax and resort fees-Includes valet parking On line registrations: http://tropac3.netoffercode/HUSSN

Hotel Reservations must be made by August 30, 2019 for the group rate.

REUNION COST: $150.00 Includes: Bus tour, USS NJ tour, BBQ lunch on fan tail, Philly tour, Norris Reunion Dinner.

REUNION ITINERARY

17 Sept. 1600 Arrival and registration Hospitality room "South Tower" Suite 2066, get together, (Its OK to BYOB if you wish) 18 Sept. 0845 Board bus for trip to the USS NEW JERSEY Lunch on the fantail Board bus for a trip to Independence Historic Park, Philadelphia Board bus for return to hotel 19 Sept. 0900 Crew meeting 1830 Reunion Dinner at CARMINES RESTAURANT located in the Quarter in the Hotel 20 Sept. FAREWELL TILL NEXT YEAR

BE SAFE AND GOD BLESS

Check website: ussnorris.com for updated information and points of interest in and around Atlantic City

POINTS OF INTEREST IN AND AROUND ATLANTIC CITY IN THE TROPICANA HOTEL

24 different restaurants for every taste and budget 25 unique shops along The Quarter 18 nightlife options IMAX theatre - located in The Quarter Blue Mercury Spa - located in The Quarter Sea Spa – located in the Chelsea Tower Indoor Pool- South Tower Arcade – North Tower Casino

ON THE BOARDWALK

Stroll the 5 mile Boardwalk – Tram Service is available for a fee Swim Atlantic Ocean Beach (weather permitting) Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum Memorial Steel Pier Amusement Park - Across from Hard Rock Hotel) Playground Pier – Upscale shopping, dining and entertainment Miniature Golf World’s Largest Pipe Organ – located at Boardwalk Hall – Free tour Many novelty and curio shops, restaurants and treats including their famous taffy and custard Several other large Casino Hotels including the Hard Rock

BEYOND THE BOARDWALK

Accessible by AC Jitney which runs along Pacific Ave (rear of Hotel) for a small fee or by Car Absecon Lighthouse – Rhode Island & Pacific Aves Historic Gardner Basin Waterfront Park – 800 New Hampshire Ave – Home to The Atlantic City Aquarium Crafters Village and Restaurants Dolphin Watching – Atlantic City Cruises- for reservations call 609-347-7600 Tanger Outlets The Walk – 1931 Atlantic Ave - 100 retail outlet stores and restaurants Bass Pro Shop Outpost – North Christopher Columbus Blvd – 86,000 sq. ft. Superstore featuring A boat showroom and 13,000 gallon stocked aquarium

DOWN THE ROAD ( BY CAR)

Smithville- 1 North New York Rd ( Rte 9 and Moss Mill Rd) – Historic Village with 40 quaint shops, Restaurants, Carousel and more located just 15 minutes north of Atlantic City Cape May – a one hour drive south on the Garden State Parkway will take you to this seaside town of Victorian homes, lighthouse, winery, WWll lookout tower, museums, restaurants and trolley tours

For more information on Atlantic City attractions and restaurants go online to DoAtlanticCity,com Choose Explore

DUES

Reminder, 2019 dues are due. If your mailing label isn’t marked 19 or better. I put this in the newsletter each time, because more than one member has Thanked me for reminding him that they are due. Dues are still $15 and can be mailed to: USS NORRIS 11 Bethany Forest Dr. Dagsboro, De. 19939

HURRY HURRY I need to turn in a count.  ------

REUNION RESERVATIONS MUST BE MADE BY 30 August 2019

Mail payment to USS NORRIS 11 Bethany Forest Dr. Dagsboro, De. 19939

 I will be attending the 2019 reunion at Atlantic City, N.J. Name:______Rate/Rank:______Dates of on board: ______Guest:______Reunion Payment: @ $150 per Number:______Total: ______Please tell hotel if you have any Handicap or food restrictions

USS NORRIS DD/DDE 859 Issue 1 2019

ACTS OF VALOR

By the tine Navy Lt. Richard McCool arrived in the Pacific as the skipper of a landing support craft it was 1945, just after the Battle of Iwo Jima. He and his crew joined the fleet in the fight for the island of Okinawa. As U.S. forces pressed closer to the Japanese Home Islands, enemy defenders were becoming increasingly desperate. On 10 June 1945, a Japanese plane was bearing down on the USS William D. Porter (DD-579) as she and other U.S. ships fought against Japanese forces in the Ryukyu island chain off Okinawa. The crew managed to shoot down the bomber. But somehow the plane ended up beneath the ship, and its explosive detonated. The Porter’s crew tried in vain to save her but ultimately had to abandon ship. Two landing craft support ships came to their aid. One of these, LCS (L)(3)-122, was under the command of Lt. McCool. The rescuers evacuated the Porter’s crew. Miraculously, they suffered no fatalities. On the evening of 11 June, LCS (L)(3)-122 was attacked by a pair of Japanese . McCool unleashed the full power of his gun batteries against the enemy aircraft. One Japanese fighter went down. The other took heavy damage but managed to hit its target. It crashed into McCool’s station in the conning tower, and the immediate area was engulfed in flames. The attack knocked out McCool. When he awoke, he was suffering from painful burns, and the right side of his body was diddled with shrapnel. Despite his injuries, McCool rallied his concussion-shocked crew to fight the flames. He took charge in the rescue of several crewmen trapped in a blazing compartment, personally carrying one man to safety despite the excruciating pain of additional severe burns. He continued directing his crew until aid arrived from other ships and he was evacuated. By the time he was evacuated, McCool’s right lung had collapsed. He spent a year bouncing between hospitals as doctors attempted to remove as much shrapnel as possible. But doctors told McCool a large piece of shrapnel in his liver couldn’t be removed. It remained there throughout his life. In December 1945, President Harry Truman awarded McCool the Medal of Honor for his gallantry, though McCool claimed until his death that he remembered little about his own actions during the battle. McCool would continue to serve in the Navy during Korean and Vietnam wars, retiring after 30 years of service. McCool died in 2008, but his name will live with the amphibious transport dock USS Richard M. McCool (LPD- 29), currently under construction.

Naval History December 2018

Paul the Master Storyteller

Over the 22 years I spent helping veterans, I’ve heard hundreds of war stories. I’ve told this very story several times, but I don’t tell it any longer, because it still has too much of an emotional impact on me. Surely, it is he most powerful story that came out of WWII.

Veteran’s Reunion

A group of us, all WWII veterans, were standing around in the hotel lobby. We were waiting to be taken on a tour of the hotel, as each veteran was the organizer for his military unit’s reunion. One fellow, asked, “Since we’re going to be here for a while, and since we are all WWII veterans, why not go around the room, and have each of us tell the others what the most significant, or memorable thing, that happened while we were in the service?”

This kicked off a round of storytelling. The stories were interesting, and all different. By the time we got to the 6th or 7th guy, a former infantryman who was part of the group chasing the German’s after the Battle of the Bulge. He told us that the highlight of his service came when they freed the war prisoners in a German prison camp, which held several hundred drowned airmen. He described how ill, and emaciated they were. All were starving and underweight, one guy was down to 70 pounds The storyteller said how proud they were when the hospital let them know that they had saved every prisoner.

A fellow across the room piped up, “What did you say your outfit was?” The storyteller repeated his unit name, whereupon the questioner walked around the circle, struck his hand out, and said to the storyteller, “Thanks for saving my life.”

P.S. They hugged each other, and their respective groups have has a combined reunion ever since. .

TAPS Thoughtful Appreciation for Patriotic Service

WHITE, Allan SN 50-51 SABEL, Jerry QM2 50-52 FREEBORN, John MM2 62-63 LEVIS, Elliott SN 67-69 CORNONI, Doug SK3 63-65 BENCE, Sharon, wife of late Bob Bence, MMMC, 58-67 VOEMITTAG, Bill BM3 68-70

MILIITARY SALUTE WHEN NOT IN UNIFORM

Amendment to Title 4, United States Code, to prescribe that a member of the Armed Forces and veterans out of uniform may render the military salute during hoisting, lowering, or passing of the flag.

The National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2008 (Public Law 110-181) was signed by the President on 28 January 2008 and included a section (Section 594) addressing this issue. According to the law, “All persons present in uniform should render the military salute. Members of the Armed Forces and veterans who are present by\out not in uniform may render the military salute. All other persons present should face the flag and stand at attention with their right hand over their heart, or if applicable, remove their head dress with their right and hold it over their heart. Citizens of other countries present should stand attention. All such conduct towards the flag in a marching column should be rendered at the moment the flag passes.”

For all those who hum after the first words of “Anchors Aweigh”, you can now know all the words and history of our Navy song.

LYRICS: It is Verse 2 that is most widely sung.

VERSE 1: Stand, Navy, out to sea, Fight our battle cry; We’ll never change our course. So vicious for Steer shy-y-y-y-y. Roll out the TNT, Anchors Aweigh. Sail on to victory. And sink their bones to Davy Jones, hooray!

VERSE2: Anchor Aweigh, my boys, Anchor Aweigh. Farewell to college joys, we sail at break of day-ay-ay. Through our last night on shore, drink to the foam. Until we met once more. Here’s wishing you a happy voyage home.

HISTORY: Lt. Charles A Zimmermann, USN, a graduate of the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, had been selected as the bandmaster of the Naval Academy Band in 1887 at the age of 26. He was approached by Midshipman First Class Alfred Hart Miles with a request for a new march. With the two men seated at the Naval Academy Chapel organ, Zimmermann wrote the stanzas in November 1906. This march “Anchors Aweigh”, was subsequently dedicated to the Academy Class of 1907 and adopted as the official song of the U.S. Navy.

This may have been in a previous issue, but I still have to be reminded of the words

ICELAND’S BARS RAN OUT OF BEER SERVING VISITING MARINES AND SAILORS

Founding Father and principal author of the Declaration of independence, Thomas Jefferson, once quipped, “Beer, if drunk in moderation, softens the temper, cheers the spirit and promotes health.” The military never got that memo. A national crisis hit Iceland in late October when a force of 7,000 American sailors and marines who know nothing about the third president’s propensity for alcoholic self-restraint invaded the country’s capital city of Reykjavik, flexed an unquenchable thirst for frosty suds and swiftly drained much of the city’s beer supply. Upon arrival, sailors and Marines taking part in NATO’s Trident Juncture exercise wasted no time getting wasted, with most making a beeline straight from the ship to the closest bar to locate, close with and destroy beers. Bar owners tried to accommodate the onslaught of American patrons, but “they were fighting an overwhelming force,” said local blogger Eirikur Jonsson. Give me your tired, your thirsty, your huddle masses yearning to drink beer. Wave after wave of dehydrated sailors and Marines strolled into town, filling local establishments for four days straight in search of the old, familiar embrace of sweet inebriation. One restaurant, Saeta Svinid ---good lick pronouncing that--- was the first to run out of beer. Bar owners tried borrowing from other businesses that were better stocked, but the Americans were too many. As other bars began drying up, owners who said they had never experienced such an alcoholic assault put out a beer distress signal. One of Iceland’s local breweries, Olgerd Egils Skallagrimssonar, answered the call and immediately began working overtime to distribute emergency shipments that could furnish the parched Americans with sustenance.

When the ships finally departed Reykjavik, the city with a population of about 120,000 in a country with just under 340,000 was finally able to breathe. Iceland had survived the assault, the Americans had consumed their fill and there have yet to be any reports of overindulgent debauchery---a true success story.

J.D. Simkins, Navy Times, 11.19.18

NAVAL HISTORY

The BORIE’S DUEL TO THE DEATH

U-boats and Allied typically fought with torpedoes and depth charges during the Battle of the Atlantic. But in the early hours of 1 November 1943, ramming, shotguns, shell casings, and even a sheath knife also cane into play during a 64-minute free -for-all between the USS Borie (DD-215) and U-405. The gripping duel, during which each vessel’s crew demonstrated skill, courage, and tenacity, is an example of what a U.S. Navy junior officer can accomplish on his own initiative when taking his ship in harm’s way. A Tin Can and Her Crew The Borie was a Clemson-class flush-deck commissioned in 1920. Two refits prior to the fight had transformed her into a killer. Her captain, Lt. Charles Hutchins, had graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1936. He served two years on active duty, married then resigned his commission. Following the Pearl Harbor attack, Hutchins was commissioned a LTJG in the Naval Reserve. He joined the ship as executive officer in October 1942 and was promoted to captain in June 1943. The crew was mostly reservists who served together for three years. FC1 Bob Maher, who came onboard in November 1940, painted a picture in his memoir of a well-run, if not exactly spit-and-polish, ship. He was the pointer on the ship’s fire control director. From his battle station above the bridge and directly below the 24- inch searchlight, he would have a birds -eye view of the battle. The BORIE was assigned to Capt. Albert Isbell’s Task Group 21.14 which included the escort carrier Card and the destroyers Groff and Barry. Meanwhile, U-405 was operating as part of a six-boat wolf pack. Well liked by his crew, 37 year old Korvetten Kapitain Rolf -Heinric Hopmann, and a crew of 49 officers and enlisted was a veteran of all seven of the sub’s war patrols. After operating as part of a 23- boat wolf pack, Hopmann departed and headed for a mid- ocean refueling area and her rendezvous with destiny. The First Attack The Borie received orders to investigate an attack report by aircraft. The plane had sunk one sub, but a second , which was believe to be a tanker and resupply boat , had escaped. The Borie steamed southward at 22 knots. The crew was eager for action. “We young bucks, dumb and happy, were really excited,” Maher wrote. At 2010, the Boirie got a radar contact and accelerated to 27 knots. Closing the range, they fired a salvo star shell, illuminating the U-256, driving her underwater. They then delivered a depth charge attack. Soon after, a mysterious heavy underwater explosion temporarily knocked out the sound gear. After regaining her sound contact, the destroyer made a third depth charge attack. Even though she remained in the area for three hours, the ship was unable to regain contact. Her crew noted the strong smell of fuel oil and large slick. Although the destroyer had damaged the U-256, she had not sunk her, and she was able to limp back to France. A Second Contact The Borie continued south for less than an hour through worsening seas before her surface-search radar made contact at a range of 8,000 yards. Her prey disappeared from the radar screen at 2,800 yards as she submerged. They delivered a depth charge attack during which a malfunction caused the entire contents of both stern tracks to empty at once.. Besides lifting the Borie’s stern out of the water, the explosive force drove the U-405 to the surface. Using radar bearings, the Borie’s searchlight swiftly illuminated the boat. Maher noted that the illumination allowed him to see that the conning tower of the light gray submarine bore the polar bear insignia of the 11th U-boat Flotilla. As the ship closed on the boat, which evidently was unable to submerge, the destroyer’s guns began to engage independently as they came to bear. German sailors scrambled to man their deck guns amid the destroyer’s deadly hail of fire. Some managed to hit the Borie with Naval History (Con’t) 20-mm rounds before being killed by the murderous return of fire. Twisting U-405 like an eel. Hopmann used her superior maneuverability to try to flee on the surface. Nevertheless, Hutchins displayed fine seamanship and stuck with her opponent, pounding her mercilessly. At one point, U-405 shot off a number of pistol flares and a sailor stood on the coning tower waving his arms as if asking the Americans to stop. Hutchins ordered cease fire, but the gun captain of the galley 4-inch had removed his headphones. His gun continued to fire, decapitating the gesticulating German. A Lethal Embrace A few minutes later, Hutchins’ command echoed through the ship “Stand By to Ram!” Determined not to let the sub escape, he closed her starboard quarter at 25 knots. Hopmann tried to avoid the blow, but started his turn to late. A sudden wave lifted the Borie up and she crashed down on U-405’s deck between forecastle and stem at a 30- degree angle.. For the next ten minutes, they would be locked together in a lethal embrace. Within seconds of the collision, the crew put into action a drill the executive officer repeatedly had run during the past months. With the exception of the black gang and gun crews, as many as possible armed themselves with a variety of weapons ranging from Thompson submachine guns to shotguns to pistols. They took stations on the port side and added fire to the 20-mm. Any submariner who braved that hail of fire died before returning fire. Two incidents illustrate the ferocity of the encounter while the ships were locked together. In the first, FN1/c David Southwick threw his sheath knife at a sailor less then 10 yards away, killing him. In the second BMC Walter Kruz hurled a 4-inch shell casting at a different sailor, knocking him into the frigid water. While the battle raged topside, the black gang became raged in a desperate battle below decks. When the two ships separated, Hutchins became aware of the seriousness of the damage. As the flooding worsened, a damage control party joined the black gang as they strove to keep back the sea. Together they managed to keep both engine rooms manned throughout the rest of the battle even to the point of operating forward engine room in neck-deep cold water. More Fighting, Than Victory By the time the Borie slid off the submarine, about 35 of the U-405’s crewmen were out of action. Hopmann managed a series of evasive maneuvers in an attempt to escape and opened the range to around 400yards, which allowed the destroyer to engage with coordinated 4-inch salvo. The destroyer then fired a torpedo at the U-405 but missed because of high seas. The sub next began turning in a tight circle, and the destroyer because of her very wide turning radius, was unable to close. During this maneuvering, LT Hutchins realized that the stern tube continually pointed at his ship. He ordered the searchlight extinguished to reduce the possibility of taking a torpedo from the stern tube and in hope that the boat would try to escape in the darkness and he could reengage her. It worked. Now on a collision course, the boat gamely attempted to ram the destroyer on her starboard side.

Hutchins wrote in the after action report, “Borie immediately turned hard left, backing full on port engine throwing stern towards the sub, to bring it in range of projectors and fired starboard depth charge battery.” Three depth charges set at 30 feet straddled the conning tower, bring the stem of the U-boat to a stop six feet from the Borie’s starboard side. Once again, the sub tried to flee. Since the range opened to 700 yards, a 4-inch salvo delivered the coup de grace and the U-boat glided to a stop and surrendered. U-405 fired off a shower of white, red and green Very pistol flares, while about 15 of her crew made their way to the yellow life rafts. As they prepared to collect the U-405 survivors, the Borie’s crew noticed that the occupants of the raft continued to fire Very rounds. Alarmingly, these were answered from a distance by a similar flare display. Shortly thereafter, the destroyers sound operator heard a torpedo headed in the ship’s direction. The Borie narrowly avoided it, with a number of the crew observing the torpedo’s wake as it went down the port side. Already severely damaged and in no condition to battle a third U-boat, the destroyer cleared the area. The Final Battle In many ways, the fight to keep the badly damaged BORIE afloat in seas that had increased to 40 feet rivals the drama of the battle. The black gang abandoned the now-flooded forward engine room but, aided by a damage control party managed to keep the fire room and the rear engine room operating so the ship could still make way. The flooding of the forward engine room, however, resulted in the loss of all generators and electrical power. The crew worked through the night throwing anything they could overboard to lighten the ship. By dawn on 1 November, only one engine was working, and saltwater had contaminated the ship’s fuel supply and the water supply for the boilers. At 0900, the last turbine seized. Alone and unable to maneuver in sub-infested waters, Hutchins decided to call for help, but the radio had no power. Undaunted, the radiomen used lighter fluid, kerosene and rubbing alcohol to get the Kohler auxiliary generator working. At 1110, the Card received a message “commenced sinking.” Two aircraft , found the stricken destroyer 14 miles away. The Goff dashed off, arriving just before noon and immediately began attempts to aid the dead-in-the-water destroyer, but efforts were doomed by the heavy seas. At 1630 Hutchins gave the orders to abandon ship. Remarkably, the Borie’s crew had suffered no serious casualties in its battle with U-405, but as a result of abandoning ship loss 24 men and 3 officers. The next morning, the Borie was still afloat, and Capt. Isbell ordered the task force to sink her. The struggle between the USS Borie and U-405 shows the grit and determination of both sides in the Battle of the Atlantic. It also demonstrates what a junior officer, a crew composed of reservist, and a WWI era ship can accomplish in the heat and aftermath of combat.

Naval History, Feb. 2019