THE
NATIONAL
(ADMIRAL
Center
Orange
Fredericksburg,
USS
An
James
MUSEUM
for
May
Interview
Zeilan,
Pacific
Grove,
NIMITZ
B.
7,
2004
Brown
APA-3
OF
War
Texas
with
Texas
MUSEUM)
THE
Studies
PACIFIC WAR My name is Richard Misenhimer and today is May 7, 2004. 1am interviewing Mi. James
B. Brown at his home at 346 County Road 315, Orange Grove, Texas 78372. His phone number is area code 361-384-3166. This interview is in support of the National Museum of Pacific War, Center for Pacific War Studies, for the preservation of historical infonnation related to World War II.
Mr. Misenhimer
Mr. Brown, I want to thank you for taking time to do this interview today.
Mr. Brown
Thank you.
Mr. Misenhimer
Let me ask you first, what is your birth date?
Mr. Brown
July 16, 1923.
Mr. Misenhimer
Where were you born?
Mr. Brown
Yoakum, Texas.
Mr. Misenhimer
Did you have brothers and sisters?
Mr. Brown
Yes. I have two half-brothers and two sisters and one brother.
Mr. Misenhimer
Were either of your brothers in the service? Mr. Brown
Yes. Joe was; my real brother. One of the others was in the service in Germany. My brother was in Germany. He got captured in France and then they hauled him to
Germany. But he got liberated and came back.
Mr. Misenhimer
Did both of them come home?
Mr. Brown
Yes they came home. They were lucky.
Mr. Misenhimer
Where did you go to high school?
Mr. Brown
I didn’t go to high school. I went through the fifth grade.
Mr. Misenhimer
At Yoakum?
Mr. Brown
No. I started there but then I moved to Nordheim. I had to make a living the best way I could so I had to quit school after fifth grade.
Mr. Misenhimer
What did you do after that?
Mr. Brown
Picked cotton. Then after that I drove a truck and hauled cattle from Victoria to Houston and San Antonio for ranches in an 18-wheeler.
2
Mr.
In
Mr.
not
Where
liked
I
Mr.
Did
Mr.
February
In
Mr.
When
Mr.
(laugh)
Mr.
Driving I
Mr.
How
Mr.
Mr.
volunteered.
was
San
1943.
get
Brown
Miseithimer
Brown
Misenhimer
you
Brown
Misenhimer
Brown
Misenhimer
Brown
Misenhimer
to
old
about
did
did
Antonio.
into
Yes.
ride
an
volunteer
were
or
I
you
you
18-wheeler?
the
can’t
somewhere
15.
instead
I
They
learned
go
join
you
Army;
I
into
remember
rode
or
then?
at?
of
were
were
the
how
that
walk.
a
along
going
bus
service?
you
I
and
should
(laugh)
the
up
in
drafted?
then
to
there,
there
date
draft
get
I
went
I
but
one
into
me
don’t
into
it
3
into
evening
the
was
remember
the
Navy
the
in
Navy.
Army
and
because
cool
exactly.
it
and
left
weather.
it
my
about
would
brother
It
10:00
be
was
a
had
little
from
probably
told
better.
Cuero.
me
to
in I They had two flats and I thought we never would get there in that old bus. The next day
they told us. “If you are going to volunteer for anything here’s the Navy, here’s the
Marines and here’s Army, pick which one?” I picked the Navy of course. I didn’t want in the Marines.
Mr. Misenhimer
Let me back up a minute. December 7, 1941 as you recall Japan attacked Pearl Harbor.
Do you remember where you were when you heard about that?
Mr. Brown
I was in Cuero driving a cattle truck.
Mr. Misenhimer
What was your reaction when you heard that?
Mr. Brown
I was shocked; really shocked.
Mr. Misenhimer
You were about 18 at that point.
Mr. Brown
No, I was a little younger.
Mr. Misenhimer
You were born in 1923?
Mr. Brown
1923.
Mr. Misenhimer
Did you think that would cause you to go into the service when you heard that?
4 Mr. Brown
I figured that later on I might have to, yes. It didn’t bother me none. I figured it was supposed to be that I would take care of things and do that for my country.
Mr. Misenhimer
When you went in at San Antonio, where did you go from there?
Mr. Brown
I went back home and took what little clothes they said to bring and I caught a train there and went to San Diego, California.
Mr. Misenhimer
To boot camp?
Mi. Brown
To boot camp for twelve long weeks. I thought I would never get out of walking and marching. When I got out of there then I went to San Francisco.
Mr. Misenhimer
What all did you do in boot camp? Tell me about boot camp.
Mr. Brown
It was mostly just marching and the guns. We got a gun and all that. And swimming; of course, I didn’t know how to swim but I learned how to swim.
Mr. Misenhimer
Did you have knot tying and that sort of thing?
Mr. Brown
Oh yes. We had all of that. They told us everything about what to do and we went to
movies at night and all that.
5 Mr. Misenhimer
What did you live in there?
Mr. Brown
They had so many that we were in a tent. They had wood walls but the top was canvas.
Then after I stayed there about four weeks they moved us into a barracks. The name of it was Paul Jones I think.
Mr. Misenhimer
How was the food there?
Mr. Brown
It was good. It was pretty good except on Friday they would give us cold cuts.
Mr. Misenhimer
Anything else that you recall from your time in boot camp?
Mr. Brown
No, just that they put us in a boat like a life boat and made us row in the bay there a little bit. We would march out to Pacific Beach and it was about 10 miles out there. Sometimes we would jog. Then we would have to break step when we came to the bridges so it wouldn’t fall in under the weight. After that I went to San Francisco.
Mr. Misenhimer
You went from San Diego to San Francisco?
Mr. Brown
Yes.
Mr. Misenhimer
On a train again?
6 Mr. Brown
Yes, on a slow train. We got there and I didn’t know what, I had never been there before.
They took us on a ferry from Oakland across to San Francisco. Then a bus picked us up and took us halfway back and we went to Treasure Island.
Mr. Misenhimer
What did you do there?
Mr. Brown
I thought this was the best place that I had ever been because they said, “You can relax here. You can go swimming. You can go see a show. You can go ashore.” That’s what we did for about a month. I thought I had it made. Then one day they came and said, “Get all your stuff, we have a place for you.” They took me to this old ship and when I say old, to me it was old. I wasn’t assigned to the ship. They put us in cots up in one of the holds.
We stayed there for about three days and then they sailed. We went under the Golden
Gate Bridge and we didn’t know where we were going. I got a little nauseated. Most of the guys got sick because the old ship did all that rocking. They headed north and they fmally told us we were going to the Aleutian Islands.
Mr. Misenhimer
What kind of a ship were you on?
Mr. Brown
It was a transport. It was PA-3, the USS Zeilin.
Mr. Misenhimer
APA-3?
7 Mr. Brown
Just PA-3, Pacific Attack. I was supposed to be stationed on the place after they fought the Japs. But there was not a Jap there. They had abandoned it and left. I didn’t blame them because it was so cold. Then I couldn’t be on the island there so they brought me back. I was doing watches all this time; look-out watches with binoculars. When I got back to San Francisco they assigned me and some other boys.
Mr. Misenhimer
On the Zeilin when you went up there, what were your duties aboard ship?
Mr. Brown
Just scrubbing paint and painting and stuff like that.
Mr. Misenhimer
Did you have any special schooling in boot camp or anywhere?
Mr. Brown
No.
Mr. Misenhimer
You were just a Seaman?
Mr. Brown
Yes. I was an Apprentice then a Second and then a First at the end. That’s all I had. We had 32 boats, landing craft on the ship, the davits and all and 4 tank lighters, what they called tank lighters, 50 foot. Personnel carriers were 30 foot.
Mr. Misenhimer
This was on your PA?
8 Mr. Brown
Yes. That’s when we took off for Hawaii.
Mr. Misenhimer
After you came back from Alaska?
Mr. Brown
Yes.
Mr. Misenhimer
Did you stay on the Zeilin?
Mr. Brown
Yes. I was still on it; I was assigned to it then. We went there and I was amazed at the sunsets and how beautiful they were. We stayed on the ship and we stayed there about a week or so; maybe a little longer. I can’t remember just exactly. I got to go ashore and all that. Then one day we sailed.
Mr. Misenhimer
When you were in Pearl Harbor was there much wreckage still left there from the attack?
Mr. Brown
The Arizona was sitting there. That’s where we went in the harbor.
Mr. Misenhimer
Was there much other wreckage anywhere else?
Mr. Brown
Yes. They were cleaning up. This was 1943 but it took a long time to clean it up. Then we sailed all the way to New Zealand. But on the way our evaporator that made the drinking water and for showers and all that water, it went out. We stopped at the Hebrides
9 Islands and we had to haul water on one of the tank lighters for drinking but we took saltwater showers. (laugh) That wasn’t too good. It was hot down there.
Mr. Misenhimer
When you went down there, were you in a convoy or by yourself?
Mr. Brown
By ourselves. That was kind of scary. We had a lot of GQ’s on the way; general quarters.
Mr. Misenhimer
What was your battle station?
Mr. Brown
I was on the look-out; the same that I had been; right off the bridge, on the end of the bridge on each side there. I had big binoculars.
Mr. Misenhimer
That was your battle station?
Mr. Brown
That was it then.
Mr. Misenhimer
When you crossed the Equator did you have any kind of a ceremony or anything?
Mr. Brown
Yes. I got my head shaved and they put two coke bottles, they taped them together and made me use them for binoculars, and I shined shoes for the guys that had been across and all that. They threw us in a coffin and raised us up, we didn’t know this because we were blind-folded, but they raised us up and it had holes in it and they said, “We’re going to put him overboard.” And they took a saltwater hose and sprayed us and we thought we
10 were in the water. (laugh) We had a time. That was funny for them, but not us. There were quite a few of us that hadn’t been across.
Mr. Misenhimer
Did they give you a certificate or something like that?
Mr. Brown
Yes. I’ve got it here somewhere; I don’t know where it is.
Mr. Misenhimer
That made you a sheilback, huh?
Mr. Brown
That made me a trusty sheilback. (laugh) Then we got our evaporators fixed and went on to New Zealand.
Mr. Misenhimer
Now on your ship, were you taking troops too or what?
Mr. Brown
Not then. We were empty; just the crew.
Mr. Misenhimer
How big is the crew?
Mr. Brown
I guess it was about 100 people or something like that. We had a lot of officers and I couldn’t figure out why they had so many officers, but they did.
Mr. Misenhimer
What was the armament on that ship?
11 Mr. Brown
We had four 3 inch guns, two forward and two aft and two quad-40’s, one forward and
one aft. Then we had six 20 single mm’s. Then we had the 50’s. We had about ten 50’s
lined up on each side. Usually whenever we had soldiers they knew how to operate those,
when we had those on there, they would man them.
Mr. Misenhimer
But as far as going to New Zealand the sailors manned them then, is that right.
Mr. Brown
Yes, just sailors on there then. Then we took on Marines. I think it was the 2nd Division.
Then we joined a convoy. They had a big convoy.
Mr. Misenhimer
Tell me about your time in New Zealand. What all did you do down there?
Mr. Brown
We went ashore.
Mr. Misenhimer
Was that at Wellington?
Mr. Brown
Wellington, yes. It was cold. It was summer here but it was winter there. I couldn’t get over that because nobody had ever told me about that. We took off then for Tarawa.
Mr. Misenhimer
Were the people friendly in New Zealand?
Mr. Brown
Oh yes they were, real friendly.
12
What
Mr.
must
We
for
Mr.
Some Mr.
Did
Mr.
They
No
To Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
Did About
Marines
About
Mr.
Mr.
our
load
I
got
Misenhimer
Brown
Misenhimer
you Brown
Miserihimer
Brown
you
Misenhimer
Brown
Misenhimer
didn’t.
have
day
loaded
of
how
two
own
to
the
do
get
and
it
did
Tarawa
been
yes
weeks.
what
ship, long
guns
I
a
it,
left.
you just
chance
and
some
over
did
we
did
but
go
went
and
We
then
called
you
to
you
we
500
of
to
that
were
ashore
Tarawa?
it.
go
tanks
loaded
stay
all
Marines
We
went
combat
home
load
waiting
in
and
had
had
badly.
all
New
the
with
on
had
cranes
loading?
that
tracks
on
ship,
Zealand?
there
any
fun.
for
other
that
and
or
of
the
13
That’s
because
who
the
ships
would
ammo
Marines.
New
loaded
about
to
we
pick
and
Zealanders?
come
had
I
all
it?
think
all
it
I
up
bunks
in
that.
can
and
and
we
say
We
for
must
put
then
about
them
had
it
have
we
on.
some
that.
picked
down
had
on
over;
below.
up
there
the it Mr. Brown
Gosh, I don’t know that. It’s been over 60 years.
Mr. Misenhimer
Were you there the first day when the initial raid went in or when?
Mr. Brown
Yes. They fired at the ship with the big guns and the ship had to take off and get out of the range of those big guns. I think the island was about 2 ‘/2 miles long and about half or a quarter of a mile wide. They were dug in real deep, I mean it was unreal how bad it was. These pill boxes had concrete covered up with sand and they would have just a little hole sticking out. The way that the Marines fmally got control was to stick a flame thrower in that hole and bum them. We found out that a lot of the officers that were in those particular things put a gun in their mouth and killed themselves rather than give up; but that’s what happened. I want to say that being at the Equator and being that hot, you can imagine the bodies lying on the beach there, all the dead people that were there.
Mr. Misenhimer
Did your troops go on the first raid, the Marines on your ship?
Mr. Brown
Yes. They had what they called ducks that would go in the water and go up there.
Mr. Misenhimer
Right, the tracked vehicles.?
Mr. Brown
Yes they had tracks on them and they would go real slow, about 5 miles an hour.
14 Mr. Misenhimer
They had a real problem at Tarawa because of that reef. They weren’t aware of it and the tide was low.
Mr. Brown
It lasted three days. One destroyer got too close and the tide went out and they expended every bit of his ammo that night on there; it was just point blank you know. They would fire every so often, those 5’s were broadside; every ten minutes or something like that.
Then they expended every bit of their ammo that night. Finally they got off.
Mr. Misenhimer
How close did you get to the shore?
Mr. Brown
It wasn’t too close. You couldn’t get all the way you know because they had mines and all these barricades and wire and all kinds of things out there where you couldn’t get in.
Mr. Misenhimer
The Invasion of Tarawa was November of 1943.
Mr. Brown
That’s when it was. It was still hot there.
Mr. Misenhimer
Yes, that’s the same as May here.
Mr. Brown
Yes that’s right.
Mr. Misenhimer
And it’s close to the Equator so it’s hot there all the time.
15 Mr. Brown
Yes it is. You are right on the Equator.
Mr. Misenhimer
Did your ship fire on the shore with your 3 inch guns or not?
Mr. Brown
No. They had a pier and there was an old ship there and just before daylight we had a battle wagon that blew it up. Then they started landing. We had some dive bombers come in. We had a flat top with us; I think we had two if I can remember right and they came in and softened them up a little bit because we didn’t know it would be that tough to get on to. That was where instead of being a boy I became a man. That was bad.
Mr. Misenhimer
Did they bring the wounded back to your ship?
Mr. Brown
Yes, we had some of them. They gave them Red Cross clothing because all of theirs was shredded and tore up and everything. We had a few but not many, not too many of them.
Mr. Misenhimer
You mentioned the bodies on the beach; did you get into the beach to see that?
Mr. Brown
No, you could smell it. It was bad though.
Mr. Misenhimer
You were what, probably a mile or two off the shore?
Mr. Brown
No about a half mile or maybe less. I can’t just exactly tell because I don’t know distance
16 on water but you could just look. It wasn’t easy.
Mr. Misenhimer
The Marines from your ship went in on those LCVP’s?
Mr. Brown
Yes and a lot of them didn’t make it. I think we lost about 2,000. I think there was about
4,000 Imperial Japanese Marines on there; what they called the best ones they had. Then we went back to Pearl.
Mr. Misenhimer
In a convoy?
Mr. Brown
I think it was a convoy but not very many ships though. Some of them stayed. I guess they wanted to pick up the remaining Marines. They classified our ship as a second class hospital ship. I guess that’s why we had a lot of officers; they were doctors. We went to
Pearl and then we went to the Marshall’s.
Mr. Misenhimer
What did you do at Pearl this time, anything?
Mr. Brown
Just unloaded and loaded up again. Then we went to the Marshall’s to Kwajalein and
Eniwetok. It’s not on here but it’s there somewhere.
Mr. Misenhimer
Yes it’s in the Gilbert Islands there.
Mr. Brown
Marshall Islands are just north of the Gilbert’s. It wasn’t too bad there. We didn’t have
17
big
Yes.
Mr.
That
Mr.
Yes And
Mr.
Mr.
I
Mr.
Anny That
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
Who
little Mr. Mr.
Yes. That
any
think
tank
Brown
Misenhimer
Brown
Misenhimer
then Brown
Misenhimer
Brown
trouble
Misenhimer
Brown
Misenhimer
your
was
When
was
billy
was
When
did
into
it
lighters.
was
but
you
later
Army.
job
in
island
Kwajalein.
we
on
that
February
then
Army;
take
was
on
left
it
was
and
at
though?
I
I
still
there;
there
got
was
all.
it’s
then
over,
of
as
on
a
been
Marines
1944?
we
look-out
we
a
deckhand
we
gun,
went
went
a
landed
long
a
or
to
is
20
back
Army?
time
that
on
Guam
mm
and
it.
to
right?
ago.
loader.
Pearl
They
18
everything
I
believe
again.
put
us
it
and
was.
in
the
took
I
was
water
them
assigned
and
ashore.
they
to
This
one
put
a
of
was
half
the a track in it, you’ve seen those half tracks? We kept going down and I thought we were going to sink. We kept going down arid going down. We had a 37mm gun in back of it.
We had enough room that we put it in back of it and we were supposed to hook it up whenever we went ashore. We went ashore but we didn’t go all the way. We went as far as we could because we hit bottom. There were a few of those amtracks and ducks and they blowed those up all around. We let the ramp down and I said, “I don’t know whether they can drive that thing out.” They had to fix where the exhaust would go in and out.
They drove it out and they said, “Stop.” And they stopped and this one guy and me had to hook up that 37mm behind them. It went underwater of course. Before we got it, we had a cable on the ramp and the wheel went between and there were two of us. That thing was heavy. Do you know we literally picked it up because they would put one mortar here and one there and one over here, like rain drops all around. I thought, “Boy this is going to be it.” I was so scared. But we picked it up and set it over there and hooked it up and they went on. I told that guy, “Let’s get out of here.” The guy running the boat, the coxswain, “Get out of here.” “Okay” and he got those twin engines going backwards. The ramp was still down and they dropped one right where we were. It would have been right on top of me. Then another one over here and another over here and they swung it around and put one just exactly where we had been. They just kept following us. They had our range almost but they just didn’t put it far enough. We went out and I had my buddy, he was on another one and he went in and he got hit in the stomach. It didn’t kill him but he got hit.
Mr. Misenhimer
With a bullet or with shrapnel?
19 Mr. Brown
Shrapnel. He was lucky there. A guy named Turner. He was a good friend.
Mr. Misenhimer
The tank lighter, was that an LCT or LCM?
Mr. Brown
No it was a 50 footer but not quite as wide as this room. It was 50 foot long and had a big ramp. It had two sets of 50 calibers on it. The engineer and I were supposed to fire but the guys were already on shore so we couldn’t do that. Then we stayed there in the boat for seven days and nights. We would eat C-rations. One day I was eating there and my buddy said, “Look.” I looked and there was a dead man floating right by us. I said, “Well I can’t help him.” So I just kept eating. We would haul fuel and ammo. One night we had a 50 gallon drum sitting there and it was full. I was lying on top of it and they had a firefight on top of the hill. You could hear the bullets hit all around. One of them hit near us and we could hear ping, ping, ping and I said, “That’s getting close.” We were sitting on a hook at anchor. They said, “Yes, but we can’t move.” “Well, okay.” I got off of there and got on the tail end. I got off of all that fuel. That fuel could blow up.
Mr. Misenhimer
That was on the Zeilan right?
Mr. Brown
Yes but we were on the little boat, the 50 footer. We had been in the water hauling stuff in and out and in and out. I think it was about when they had a whole lot of the hill there; it was real high and they had a lot of it secure and we looked back and this battle wagon was firing broadside. It was firing over our heads. We could see them go over if I looked
20 fast enough. They were about that big and about that long (showing with his hands) and they were firing up at that hill. I said, “They ought to have that place secure up there.”
The Army called in and said to give them some firepower. Guess what? They made a mistake and it landed on our troops. They called us to the beach and said to pick up the wounded. “What?” “Why?” We went over there and those guys were pretty mad at us.
They said, “Do you know what kind of a Navy you have?” I said, “Well, it wasn’t my fault.” But they landed on them.
Mr. Misenhimer
This was on Guam, right?
Mr. Brown
Yes, on Guam. We finally got away from there and went back to Pearl. We stayed I guess maybe two weeks or more and then we went to New Guinea,,down here at Hollandia. It’s on the bottom end (pointing to a map).
Mr. Misenhimer
Did you take troops down there?
Mr. Brown
Yes. We moved them up the coast. It wasn’t bad there at all we just moved them. They had been there and we moved them up the coast.
Mr. Misenhimer
When you went down to New Guinea did you take troops down there?
Mr. Brown
No. We were just assigned to move them.
21 Mr. Misenhimer
So you went empty down there?
Mr. Brown
Yes and we moved them to a forward area. They said we had a lot of time to kill and I
wondered why they didn’t come down and take us to Australia and let us have a little
time off. But they didn’t. From there we went back to Pearl and then loaded up and went
all the way to Luzon in the Philippines.
Mr. Misenhimer
Did you go to Luzon for the fighting there?
Mr. Brown
Yes. It wasn’t too bad. We went in the boat and they didn’t tell us but the tide went out
and we were on the beach for what seemed like forever.
Mr. Misenhimer
You were still in your small boat?
Mr. Brown
Yes I was on the 50 footer, the tank lighter, I was assigned to it. We stayed on that beach for I don’t know; the tide went out at least 500 yards. I guess it would go down ten or more feet. We sat there and they had I guess a Jap spotter and every ship out there fired on him but they couldn’t hit him, he was too high. He was way up there. Then we loaded up and after we unloaded everything, we left the guys there. Some of them were wounded and we took them back; about 10 or 15 of them. We sailed that evening and all night and we got to I believe about Manila and that morning at sunrise we had GQ, general quarters. I ran to my gun up the stairs and this gny, Jap, came out of the sun, he had the
22 sun behind him. We had a convoy and it was ironic. He went up and picked my ship out.
We were on the right flank and we had an Admiral on there too. Maybe he knew it, I
don’t know but anyway, we couldn’t get him. He was coming right at me. I was on the
bridge on the gun loading it. I said, “Well, this is it.” At the last minute he cut it to the
right a little bit and then he done like this (gestured) and we were in a turn, a fast turn,
and if it would have been another minute he would have missed us, but he hit right where
my buddy was. That was it. He blew a hole you could put a garage in there. He went
through three decks and knocked three of our boats off in the water. We put the fire out.
Mr. Misenhimer
This was your friend Turner that was killed?
Mr. Brown
Yes and about eight more of them. They weren’t as good of friends as he was. I had been
on that gun lots of times. You would change around. I could have been there, but I wasn’t. But he lost his life and we buried him at sea; him and all the rest of them. But there was a bunch of wounded soldiers up there and they got killed. He went right down through. It was bad. They were on their way home. Then we went back to the States to get this fixed.
Mr. Misenhimer
How did you get back? What did they do to your ship there?
Mr. Brown
They put a board across the hole; I think it was 2 X 8’s and bolted them on and put canvas over them and painted it gray so it would look like the deck but you couldn’t walk across it. We would go around. We sailed around all the way back to Pearl.
23 Mr. Misenhimer
But there was no hole in the side of the ship?
Mr. Brown
No.
Mi. Misenhimer
Just strictly down through the deck.
Mr. Brown
Just through the deck. He wanted to go down through the stack but he didn’t make it. He would have blown us up completely if he went in there. We went all the way back to
Pearl.
Mr. Misenhimer
I think you said that you stopped somewhere along the way, maybe Ulithi to get repairs?
Mr. Brown
Yes I think it was one of the islands, I can’t remember the name of it, and it’s been so long. I did know it. It was one that had a shipyard but I can’t remember which one.
Anyway they fixed us up there and we sailed back to Honolulu and then to San
Francisco. I got a 14 day leave and rode a slow train all the way to Mississippi where my sister was and stayed there for two or three a days. Then I went back to see my dad in
Yoakum and then I rode a train to Dallas. I think it took me 4 ‘/2 or 5 days to get back and
I was late. Of course I had a paper to show them what happened. From there we went all the way and boarded up.
Mr. Misenhimer
You’re back on the Zeilan again?
24 Mr. Brown
Yes I’m back on the Zeilan, my ship and we went to Iwo Jima.
Mr. Misenhimer
You weren’t back there very long because Luzon was invaded in January of 1945. Did you get to Iwo Jima for the start of the fighting or when?
Mr. Brown
It was after; we were the second wave. That’s why I’m still here I think because they lost a lot of sailors there. I wasn’t in the main one, I was one of the reserves and we came in later. Since we were in reserve we came in later. We dropped supplies. It lasted so long. I think a month or something like that.
Mr. Misenhimer
So you got there about halfway through the fighting or about the end of the fighting?
Mr. Brown
About nearly the end. But I could see Mount Suribachi and the flag up there where they had put the flag. Then I also saw the B-29 that was there. It had landed crippled from bombing Japan. Then we loaded up and went all the way back to the States. I got off and went back to San Francisco. We changed Captains, I don’t want to say this but it happened to us, we ran aground with the new Captain (laugh). We got off; tugboats pulled us off and we went down to San Diego and that’s where I got off the ship. I think I spent maybe six months in the desert. I’ve forgotten the name of the camp but it was out there about 20 or 30 miles. It was hot.
Mr. Misenhimer
What did you do there?
25
told
ocean.
had
The
In
Mr. Mr.
mustered
mustered
there.
remember
was Mr.
A
Yes,
Mr. It
leaving
It
Mr.
I
Mr.
Mr.
just
was
was
separation
1946?
Brown
Misenhimer
seen
Brown
them, Misenhimer
last
Brown
Misenhimer
Brown
Camp
that’s
washed
It
a
where
every
part
naval
was
enough
out
out
“Please
we
what
Wallace
of
close center?
at
and
dishes.
you
day.
base
went
Camp
1945
it
of
from
wait
don’t Guys
to
was.
was
the
by
through
(laugh)
in
the
Wallace
there
to
Galveston.
it?
I
ocean.
One
would
talk
think
Grand
get
they
I
day
Arizona
to
out
had
out
They
the
be
me.
Canyon
they
put
if
coming
mess
of
winter
I
you
I
got
tried
the
me
want
in
told
duty
Navy.
out had
on
but
the
time.
in
to
26
me
to
a
of
and
for
I
northern
get
to
train
get
didn’t
to
I
there
have
the
me
some
wasn’t
get
my
to
whole
to
my
get
more
in
Corpus
feet
part
were
re-enlist
I
in
stuff
to
think
on time
but
and
points.
see
leaving.
where
dry
and
two;
there
the
I
it
there
was
land.
was
off
There
Grand
my
almost
there.
was
at
we
the
I’ve sister
Galveston
would
go
a
Canyon.
winter
three
had
lot
to
lived.
I
of
be
enough
years.
think
time.
snow
but
some
I
I
got
got
it
I
I I Mr. Misenhimer
What was the highest rank that you got to?
Mr. Brown
I was coxswain. They gave it to me right at the last. It was kind of like wanting me to stay
in. They told me I could be a Chief but I said, “No, I’m not a sailor. I’ve done my part and now I’m going to go home.” I did.
Mr. Misenhimer
What medals and ribbons did you get?
Mr. Brown
Let me show you.
Mr. Misenhimer
He is showing me a picture of himself here in his sailor uniform about the time he was going to get out in San Diego. On his left shoulder was the Amphibious Patch, and on the right a Seaman Ribbon.
Mr. Brown
Then I got my Crow before I got out of California. I said, “No, I’m not staying in.”
Mr. Misenhimer
You’ve got five Battle Stars.
Mr. Brown
I don’t know where all of this went. I have no idea where all that went, the suit and everything. That was a long time ago. I’m not young anymore.
Mr. Misenhimer
Did you get home with any souvenirs?
27 Mr. Brown
Yes I got a piece of that Jap plane but I lost it somewhere but I don’t know where.
Mr. Misenhimer
A piece of the metal off of it?
Mr. Brown
It was a piece of aluminum; the wing or something. I had it for a long time. I moved out
of Corpus. I was getting in trouble down there thinking about all this. I moved to East
Texas with my other sister and I went to work in logging. Weekends I would go and
drink terrible. Finally I got a job with AT&T. They were putting cable from Dallas to
Houston and I worked for them driving one of their trucks. I was a truck driver. The same
work as the other guys but I had to drive while they slept. Then we went all over the
country. I stayed with them I guess it was two years. They moved us every month or so. I
got tired of that. I got married to my first wife and that didn’t last long; a mistake. I quit
them and I drove an 18 wheeler tanker for about a month and then I quit it. I said, “No
more truck driving for me.” I haven’t driven one since.
Mr. Misenhimer
Did you ever see any USO shows?
Mr. Brown
In New Guinea they had one there. No big stars just a bunch of guys acting crazy, I called it acting crazy. In San Diego I saw the Marx Brothers; they came and entertained us a little bit. They’re gone now.
Mr. Misenhimer
Did you have any experience with the Red Cross anytime?
28
Then
Mr.
Mr.
It
Mr.
What
Mr.
Yes.
On Mr.
Mr.
Once Mr.
How think
right.
Mr.
Yes
No.
When Mr.
Mr.
was
April
Misenhimer
Brown
Misenhimer
Brown
Misenhimer
Brown
Misenhimer
Brown
Misenhimer
Brown
we
I
in
about
kind
I
in
terrible; You
think
you
got
May
a
got
12,
while.
of
about were
would
your
I
paid.
of
1945
reaction
was
we
1945
on
mail?
My
$19
at
had
make
We
President
the
sea.
sisters
Germany
a
did
lost
had
Could
month.
ship
it
I
people
don’t
our
out
to
would
could
Roosevelt
you
make
President.
with
surrendered,
remember
have
get
you
write
no
our
your
to
get
died,
mistakes
and
own
that?
paid
just
29
did
I
do
what
would
where
with
you
regularly?
you
and
they
recall
any
all
get
then
I
was
hear
regularity?
four
called
hearing
they
when
about
or
pay
would
five
I
that?
about
heard
chit.
letters
give
that?
It
he
at
had
you
died.
a
time.
to
money.
be
just I
that.
All
No.
Mr. When
Mr.
Mr.
When city.
Mr. Nobody
I
Mr.
Mr.
dropped
heard
Mr.
Any
We Mr.
Mr.
Yes.
mean
the
Brown
Misenhimer
Brown
Yes
Misenhimer
Brown
Misenhimer
were
Brown
Misenhimer
Brown
We
It
kind
they
you
Japan
was
time.
in
it
could.
listened
the
happy
of
my
were
seems
had
terrible
surrendered
celebration
A
She
mind
dropped
Bombs
in
to about
like
told
the
but
her
I
we
couldn’t
Pacific
more
it
all it
on
it.
or
did
did
ended
but
the
I
Japan.
anything?
couldn’t
lies
you
too.
we
at
time
figure
the
any
on
all wanted
I
I
can’t
and
war
got
have
us
time
comprehend
out
listened
and
off
and
remember.
it
did
any how
30
the
to
that
sunk
you
kind
be
big
ship
to
was
through
us
ever
what
her
a
of
Of
and
twice.
bomb
fine
a
lies.
hear
course
celebration?
kind
I
with
over
was
it
I
Tokyo
of
guess
was
I
me.
there
here.
bomb
was
that
Rose?
she
so
in
I
that
would
got
happy.
was
California
was.
off
telling
kill
before
a
when
Japan whole
they I
out he
and
He
Mr. One
Mr.
Mr.
(tape
take
We
Mr.
No.
They
When
ZigZag
How
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
Did
Sometimes, Mr.
into
stood
of
then
lost
Brown
Misenhimer
Brown
Misenhimer
Brown
Misenhimer
guy Brown
Misenhimer
she
casualties Our
side
about
would
it.
this
the
they
a
play
he
did
up
ship
few
ended)
wheels,
Anned
backed
you
tell
what
on
called
good
before
wouldn’t
other
the
us
know
now?
music?
all Forces
it
up.
personnel
it.
than
then.
killed
hit
about
We
pretty
It
pick
you
went
that?
Radio;
always
the
the
was
good.
it
30
up
engine
things
up
footer
did
that
like
went
I
guess.
you
that
the
that
and
at
on
ever
only
Marshall
and
31
happened.
they
a
We
zigzag
hear
hit
time
had
had
the
Armed
Islands.
course
to
your
a
bottom
drag
newspaper
ship
Forces
and
it
The
and
out
took
they
coxswain
he
to
Radio?
on
casualties
the
fell
called
there,
ship
off
ran
it
the
the
to
the
or
it
back
take
forward
Zealand
did
ZigZag.
him
and you
That
or
he
he
we
Well
That
Mr.
make
Mr.
Mr.
When Mr. None
What Mr.
I
Mr.
Islands. Mr.
Yes.
From
Mr.
was
anything
told
would
had
Brown
Misenhimer
Brown
Misenhimer
Brown
Misenhimer
Brown
Misenhimer
was
would
they
That’s
it
talking
was
that
the
the
me
an
then.
I
his
have
don’t screw
were
I
your
Ensign
kamikaze
to
for
be recall.
first
what
It
about
go
scary.
to
seven
was
most
pretty
think
under
up
trip
go
that
happened
the
there
pretty
get
came
frightening
What
we
days
and
nice
there?
came
sailors
it
lost
and
he
bad.
himself.
and
but
down.
did
off
didn’t
any
get
there.
yes,
there
you
nights
the
time?
him
sailors;
That
your
think
know
He
ship
at
I
some
and
Guam
can’t
didn’t
and
crew,
on
of
we
much.
I
32
our
water
used the
the
might
remember
I
turn
the
was
officers
boat.
mortars
I
some
and ship’s
had
me
have
in
One
I
the
in.
been
bad
told
that
crew.
lost
at
us
I
boat
time
language,
called
Guam.
in
you
him
losing
some
that
seven
to
had?
if
the
him
soldiers.
boat
he
I
any
didn’t
days
beach
I
wanted
a
said,
without
men
90
and
think
Day
and
“If
some
at
nights
you
a
back
Wonder.
Marshall
I
shower
would
water
want
and and water you can go get it yourself. You’re younger than me. You go get it.” He went up
there and got his water.
Mr. Misenhimer
If he would have put you on report and put you in the brig you would have been better
off.
Mr. Brown
Well yeah, I could have gotten back on the ship. (laugh) That was the only time that I had
any clash with any of them.
Mr. Misenhimer
Did you think most of them knew their job pretty well?
Mr. Brown
Yes.
Mr. Misenhimer
How about the one that ran you aground?
Mr. Brown
Oh that was a new Captain. I bad gotten off the ship at San Diego. I have an honorable discharge somewhere around here. My wife has it put away somewhere.
Mr. Misenhimer
What was your feeling when you came home?
Mr. Brown
Very happy. Real happy.
Mr. Misenhimer
Did you have any trouble adjusting to civilian life?
33 Mr. Brown
No not really.
Mr. Misenhimer
You mentioned awhile ago that you started drinking or something.
Mr. Brown
I did, I drank.
Mrs. Brown
You said that you used to sleep under the trees a lot.
Mr. Brown
In East Texas I would go on weekends, you know I would work all week then I would go to a show and then I would get me a fifth of Jim Beam and I would walk home eight miles. Sometimes I would get there and sometimes I wouldn’t. I went fishing a lot.
Mr. Misenhimer
Have they had any reunions for your ship?
Mr. Brown
No.
Mr. Misenhimer
Did you ever use your GI Bill?
Mr. Brown
Yes. We bought a house in Corpus, that’s right we did. It’s been quite a while ago. It’s been 50 years. We’ve been living together 51 years.
Mrs. Brown
I remember that. We got the house. We got the loan.
34
How
Mr.
Yes
Mr.
pretty
Mr.
You they
it
Tarawa;
sitting Mr.
Yes. Mr.
They
good. They
What
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
I
think
was
Misenhimer
Brown
Misenhimer
we
Brown
Misenhimer
Brown
just
Misenhimer
Brown
all
was
They
would
bad were
did
there
so
it
buried
buried
we
took
that
was
beat
you
for
were
airight;
had
and
treat
ceremony?
the
almost
it
think
it
some
up,
off.
seemed
some
an
airight.
guy
the
this
arm
of
they
The
at
4%.
wounded
that
nets
the
sea
soldier
and
Pharmacists
like
We
were
You
lost
Pharmacists
right?
on
a
had
10
hand
the
his
can’t
or
and
good.
or
picked
Marine.
arm.
side
12
things?
landed
do
Mate
We
of
of
Mates?
that
my
up
the
had
Now
just
on
35
today.
some
friends
ship
that
about
went
they
that
I
boat
believe
in
out
ten
could
the
they
but
there
doctors
China
they
used
probably it
was
and
had
to
Sea.
on
threw
in
climb
to
there
the
fix
take
it
Marshall’s
it
down.
over.
and
but
it
off
they
back
That
We
because
were
or
were
then
was in Mr. Brown
We slid them off the back under a flag. It seems like it was on the aft part of the ship.
They were sewn in canvas bags with weights and holes in the canvas so they would sink.
It was in the South China Sea near Luzon. That was kind of bad.
Mr. Misenhimer
It would be.
Mr. Brown
That’s where the tide went way back. There was this guy that was in the Air Force. They
didn’t call it Air Force then it was Army Air Corps. He was in I think it was a P-38 and
he was chasing a Zero. He never pulled out and the Zero hit the ground and he went right
in behind him. Both of them. Apparently he was wounded or he had killed his friend or
something and they went right into the ground.
Mr. Misenbimer
Did you see many dogfights between our planes and theirs?
Mr. Brown
That was about the only one.
Mr. Misenhimer
This one time the kamikaze got you, were you attacked by Japanese planes more than that?
Mr. Brown
Just that once.
Mr. Misenhimer
You were never bombed or anything?
36
before
about
out there
No
Mr.
The
Mr.
him
cleaned
stack That
Mr.
In
Mr.
Mr.
Yes,
Of
come
Mr.
young
No,
Mr.
Leyte.
it
course
one
Brown
Misenhimer
part
Brown
in
Misenhimer
Brown
Misenhimer
just
Brown
they
somewhere
was
was
24
I
back
I
something
wouldn’t guy.
got
of
everything.
that
knots
that
just
took
Leyte.
the
the
on. or
They
was
one.
pieces
Philippines
maybe
and
shafts.
a
500
over
When
be
there?
and
did
We
the
We
here;
and
pound
they
threw
there.
They
whole
lock
looked
that
It
took
we
was
wasn’t
it wanted
them
bomb.
came
him
would
put
bomb
a
ship
where
for
shovel
them
over
a
in
to
would all
more
hit
It
whole
have
do
they
they
knocked
the
too;
all
and
it
that.
to
shook
blown
together
vibrate.
way
body?
first
told
what
37
threw
come
I
don’t
out
back
used
us.
that
was
it
it
but
They
and
one
up
They
all
the
know.
on left
whole
they
and
threw
of
over
never
one
of
locked
the
taken
didn’t.
him.
ship.
the
engine.
him
twin
did
side
the them
overboard.
If
get
I
engines
it
suppose
We bottom
and
it
had
in
straight.
would
him
so
and
gone
out
Before
they
he
too.
it
get was
That
down
of
knocked
couldn’t
We
it.
up
I
just
was
was
We
put
the
to a
May
Beeville,
Lesle
Transcribed
ago.
(end
In
Mr.
That
to
Mr.
Yes.
Mr.
That
Mr.
get
1944
Brown
Misenhimer
Brown
Misenhimer
of
18,
was
We
was
W.
our
interview)
I
2006
Texas
Dial
went
think.
when.
at
mail.
by:
Guadalcanal
by
I
don’t
there.
know,
We
before
went
I
can’t
you
over
got
remember.
to
there?
Tulagi.
38
I
did
We
Cell: Alice,
Home:
P.O.
Richard
Oral
know
would
Box
History
Texas
(361)
(361)
the
Misenhimer
go
3453
dates
over
78333
by:
664-4071
701-5848
but
there
it’s
back
been
and
so
forth long