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Page 1 MEDAL OF USHAKOV

The MEDAL OF USHAKOV was a Military award created on 3/3/1944 by the Supreme Soviet of the USSR to honor the Rus- sian Admiral Fyodor Ushakov who never lost a battle and Proclaimed Patron of the and is being awarded to sailors who delivered supplies to during WW II for their bravery. Many of you who have received awards from the Russian Embassy in the past are now receiving them. If you came back on board since they were being issued, contact: THE EMBASSY of the RUSSIA FEDERATION, 2650 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20007 giving your name, address, you sailed on, and the date to the Murmansk Area, the Black Sea or Persian Gulf areas.

Image sent in by John L. Haynes • 13887 Rue Charlot Lane • McCordsville, IN 46055 • 317-514-0100 • [email protected]

Burial at Sea See page 13 - Rod MacRae

Page 2 Officers for 2011/2012 Charles A. Lloyd, Chairman & Sec.Treas. 1985-2012 115 Wall Creek Drive Rolesville, N.C. 27571 1-919-570-0909 • [email protected] Ron Carlson 616 Putnam Place Alexander, VA 22302-4018 Board of Directors DearEveryone, 11/2/12 C.A. Lloyd...... NC John Stokes...... CA Don Gleason...... KS At last I have gotten around to getting another POINTER out to all of you. It has been Clarence Korker...... FL a trying time but here it is. Hilda told me that I had to clean up this room so I took off Joe Colgan...... MD 3 days cleaning and on the THIRD day, I found my “TREADMILL” but now I can’t Gerald Greaves...... RI find anything that I hadn’t lost. When I thought I had everything in order, Major John Al Sniff...... FL Hankins from Houston sends me a YANK Magazine and I decided to pull up YANK Kenneth Sneed...... IN Ralph McNally...... OK MAGAZINE WW II on the computer and there was un-believable material there. I Joseph Benedict...... MN knew of YANK magazine and it never occurred me to put in a search. Some from his Richard Hudnall...... AZ “YANK”, I have copied some in this POINTER. The cover is old and the date was torn Zed Merrill...... OR off but it is great that another original has been saved all these years. Joe Esposito...... IL Bernard Stansbury...... VA Someone in the past has sent me the PELICAN magazines from Algiers, NOLA Armed Forrest Flanagan...... WV D. Wayne Sherman...... MO Guard Center. Some one sent me a stack of THE PLANE SHOOTER bulletins from Arnold Latare...... IA Camp Shelton, Va. Gunnery School which turned into the ALOHA PERSONNEL Bob Ober...... OH SEPARATION CENTER heading in it’s place after they closed the Training Center. J.F. Carter...... LA Howard Long...... SC If you are still with us, let me know and I will give credit where due. Michael G. Walling James Duncan...... GA just sent me his book, “FORGOTTEN SACRIFICE” on Arctic Convoys which tells of Tom Dufrense...... MA John Haynes...... IN those dreaded convoys. Like many others, it is a very good book. It tells of the S.S. MARY LUCKENBACH being hit carrying ammo and exploding, killing all 41 and 16 AG. No Trustees survivors. My brother Whitson brought home two pieces of twisted metal that fell on their C.A. Lloyd...... NC , the S.S. EXPOSITOR, which was over a couple of lanes from it, almost blowing Theo Schorr...... PA them off the ship. I kept the two pieces until I moved and left behind and probably in now John Shirley...... TX in a landfill in North Raleigh forever. Arthur Fazzone...... NY Louis Tew...... CT Al Colella...... MO When you get to the REUNIONS, you will see a lot of the groups have folded. So sad, but Jay Wildfong...... WI when I get their notice, I think of the song, “You gotta know when to them; know Henry Harrison...... WA when to fold them, when to walk away, know when to run”. I may be close to that deci- Mervil Yarbrough...... NV sion. Then, I get a call from Jay Wildfong in Wisconsin who informs me that their crew Leo Feist...... WV had held another meeting and was sending a sizable check for the POINTER from the Chaplains Illinois/Wisc crew and with that encouragement and others, here is the results---another Lyle Kell...... WA POINTER. Our numbers are shrinking and I am not picking up many more new ones Buck Donaldson...... TN so I can’t add names to the ships and there’s no need to send repeats. Carolyn Cochran in Ohio has been of great help over the last 15 years or more in sending them out for me. ATTENTION Needless to say, as the numbers fall, so does the funds to pay the bills. A lot of you have You know where you are. given beyond the call of duty is why this one is being printed. Thanks for those who have You know where we are. donated. You know who you are. WE ARE NOT GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIZED! We know where we are. Several of the Armed Guard has sailed on to be with Him and they had told their widows But we don’t always know ahead of their departure that just in case---put in the Obit that in liu of flowers, send where you are. donations here to the Armed Guard and I have sent the widows the names of those who Please notify us when you move. donated but not the amount and I have sent each the last POINTER saying “THANKS” Non-Profit Organization and I notify the widow, the name. Tax Exempt No. 74-2316668

God Bless each and everyone of you for what you did and all the women for putting up Remember, I “STILL” can’t move as fast with us. I am so glad our paths have crossed over the years and stay on the green side of as I did when I was in my twenties! When the grass. cal you call, let the phone ring so I can get to it! Officers - Gunners - Signalmen - Radiomen - Corpsmen - Waves - -CAL Boatswains - Coxswains - Ship’s Company - Radarmen Page 3 LETTERS FROM THE CREW

H H H H H H H H H 70 veterans and 170 students have par- tacted to represent the Armed Guard ticipated in these programs. It has been and MM) Cal, it was a nice reunion, except for a wonderful experience for all involved. O O O attendance. We had 29, including guests. Eleven Armed Guards, no MM. We only select our very best students and they undergo an extensive orientation Dear Crew: As it stands now, this was our last re- prior to their trip. The trips are at no cost Fred Mullinax, PO Box 1128, College union. We are just getting too old to to both the veterans and the students. of the Ozarks, Point Lookout, Missouri get the work done. I have always said We started this program in order to hon- 65726 contacted me and I thought I would we would keep on until we got down to or our veterans and promote and encour- include some E-Mails correspondents we 10 people in attndance. Mary and I are age patriotism among our students by made. The four I’ve contacted who are both 90, and others have various health exposing them firsthand to history and to willing to participate in this endeavor are: problems, so it’s not a final decision, but those who lived and experienced it. We another reunion is highly improbable. are particularly sensitive to the needs of John F. Dunn all trip participants. I would be happy PO Box 1452 Sorry, Cal, it is with much regret that to supply you with the names of any of Charlestown, RI 02813 (401)364-3866 we make the decision. the veterans (approximately 70, includ- S.S. JOHN A. QUITMAN 6/44/8/45 Arnie Latare ing some from NC) who have been on [email protected] previous trips. I believe all would concur John L. Haynes that it was a very positive experience be- 13887 Rue Charlot Ln. H H H H H H H H H ing with our students. McCordsville, IN 46055 (317)514-0100 S.S. ELDENA 2/42 Dear Mr. Lloyd, June 19, 2012 Our trip organizers are Ray and Cristy Pfeiffer of WWII tours. We have worked William F. (Bill) Ryan My name is Fred Mullinax and I am Ex- with them on several trips. They are top 445 Grove Ln. ecutive Vice-President of the College of notch individuals with almost thirty years Melbourne, Fl. 32901 (321)223-5651 the Ozarks in Point Lookout,Missouri. of experience in conducting tours for nu- S.S. MEANTICUT & The College of the Ozarks has a pro- merous veterans organizations and other ROBERT LOWERY 42 & 43 gram called Patriotic Education where groups. We are currently planning a trip we select students and pair them with to England for May 2013. We are in- Rod A. MaCrae World War II veterans and send the terested in contacting veterans of the 8th 1 Armor Dr. group, along with faculty and staff, to Air Force who were stationed in Eng- Black Mountain, NC 28711 (828)669-7769 the places where the veterans served land. We are also interested in Navy vet- S.S. BODIE ISLAND TUG 9/43-5/45 during the war. For example, we just erans of the Armed Guard and would be returned from a trip to Dachau, Mau- interested in discussing with you the pos- Fred’s letter says it all. We hope they care thausen and Auschwitz with veterans sibility of your participation in our pro- spread the word of what the USN Armed of units that liberated concentration gram. I would be happy to answer any Guard and Merchant Marine did. (CAL) camps in Germany and Austria, as well questions you might have about our pro- O O O as survivors of the camps. In April stu- gram via email, or telephone. My num- dents and veterans who served in the ber at the college is (417) 690-2545 and Philippines attended 70th Anniversary my cell number is (417) 231-2284. I am Dear Mr. Lloyd, commemorations of the Bataan Death also traveling in NC the first week of July March and the fall of Corregidor. We and would love to talk with you in person Thank you for your quick response. I have now made eleven trips since 2009. in Rolesville if that would be convenient. have looked at the armed guard web We have visited ; Battle of I look forward to hearing from you. site and enjoyed looking at the in- the Bulge sites in Belgium and Lux- formation on Loch Ewe, Scotland. I emburg; Market-Garden battle sites Thank you for your assistance. particularly enjoyed reading about you in Holland; Berchtesgaden, Munich and your brothers in “The Lloyd Boys and Nuremberg in Germany; and M. Fred Mullinax-Executive of WW II” web site. What an inspira- North Africa and Okinawa and Iwo Vice President-College of the Ozarks tional story. Your story and that of the Jima. Several of these places have been [email protected] approximately 70 other WW II vet- visited more than once with different 417-690-2545 erans who have been on our Patriotic veterans and students. Approximately (These are the four men I have con- Education trips, are what we are trying Page 4 LETTERS FROM THE CREW

To those in Authority, July 17, 2012

The biggest TRAGEDY was when I heard of the two ships at Port Chicago blowing up in Port Chicago itself and the USN Armed Guard WW II Veterans went there to HONOR all those killed and injured in the explosion but not to make a racial issue out of it as it has been seen by the NAACP. There were others besides the blacks who died there. We had nothing to do with who loaded the ammo on the ships or at the depot. We were at war and everyone, black, white, yellow, pink or any other color you suggest had a job to do and we did it. Some got killed, some injured and most came back a lot different person; better or worse. I am sure the families of those killed, regardless of color, thought of their son; sweetheart; friend, etc. equally at the time.

I had rather, and I am sure they would too, knowingly, if they had took one flight at 36,000 over Germany at the time this happened and I didn’t hear of the NAACP or any other group going over and saying this or that color was discrimi- nated because of color or race. Therefore, until you have the gall to Honor those killed and injured that day without any organization using it as a platform to use it as a racial issue, you can count our crew out of having a part in any ceremony.

I am now 86 years of age and I have a feeling that I want be around too many more years to remind you of the way I feel so I will do it now. I feel sorry for every person, including our enemy, who lost their lives during any wars. I located several of the Armed Guard and Merchant Seamen over the years who were on Liberty at the time the ships blew up. They told me of their feelings and how thankful they were they were spared.

I am indebted to many Armed Guard and Merchant Seamen who helped in placing the first Memorial Plaque at Port Chicago. A majority are now sailing into Eternity. God Bless them all. Do what you have to do to keep those killed and injured known to future generations. USN Armed Guard WWII Veterans Charles A. Lloyd, Chairman • 115 Wall Creek Drive • Rolesville, NC 27571 1-919-570-0909 • [email protected] to convey to our students. This experi- could make members of the Armed H H H H H H H H H ence for them is “life-changing.” Our Guard part of our 2013 trip to Eng- program has three goals: (1) honor the land. This would be very educational Two old shipmates got together for veteran (2) commemorate the fallen for the students and an opportunity an evening of dining and reminiscing and (3) educate the students. If you for them to learn about the important recently in Burlington, Massachusetts could spare one hour to talk with me in role played by the Armed Guard in the and to celebrate an enduring friendship person, I would be honored to travel to Battle of the Atlantic. I received a real of 65 years. Jack S. Singleton of De- Rolesville for a discussion. education a couple of weeks ago when I land Florida and Dr. Louis Higgins of visited the “Western Approaches” mu- Reading Massachusetts can trace their As I mentioned in my earlier message, I seum in , England and this friendship back to Boot Camp in New will be in NC the first week in July. On got me thinking about the need to learn Port, Rhode Island in April and May of Monday, July 2 I will be visiting with more about the Armed Guard, which 1943 in Company 970. From “Boots” Mr. Wayne Carringer of Robbinsville, led me to you. It would be an honor to to Gun Crew #16097 at Little Creek, NC to present him with a stained glass personally meet you. Kindest regards. Virginia and then to the AGC in clock made by our students at the col- Brooklyn. Little did they know when lege. Mr. Carringer is a Bataan Death Fred Mullinax they were assigned to the S.S. JOHN March survivor who was with our stu- S.COPLEY in that their H H H H H H H H H dents on an April trip to the Philip- first cruise would be filled with such a pines. I will also be in Charlotte, NC variety of experiences or last as long as The Secret Service issued new rules of to visit with a gentleman who helped us it did. on our recent trip to visit concentration conduct for agents last Friday. They can no longer get drunk, procure hookers or camps in Europe. After loading with 500 lb bombs and go to strip bars. The rules say that from drums of AV gas the COPLEY set now on, if agents feel compelled to en- I could be in Rolesville at a time suit- sail in convoy for the Mediterranean. gage in such behavior, they can run for able to you anytime on July 5-9. I Following the discharge of its cargo public office like everyone else. would really like to discuss how we in , North Africa , the ship was Page 5 LETTERS FROM THE CREW

Special to the crew Many of you have asked to put your loved ones Obituary and picture in the POINTER. It is with regret that I have to tell you that I have to draw the line on EVERYONE. If I did it for one, I would have to do it for all and I wouldn’t have room for a POINTER. I did it on the late Tom Bowerman who put the AG Web Site together and I thought he was deserving and the World should know. Many more were deserving like Ernie Cochran, Alex Lombardi, Neal Vermillion, Carl Winder, Rudy Kozak, My Brother L.D., and many more. I was about to leave out Mike Molinari who made the Murmansk Run and had severe frostbite on the feet. Mike came aboard way back and immediately started the Brooklyn Chapter and helped get a plaque at the old Brooklyn AGC and got the old Flag Pole restored there and flowers placed at the Battery Park Park Memorial to honor those KIAs in the Eastern Atlantic, half way across the Atlantic. Cambridge, England got the honors for those killed from there all the way to Russia. I do hope you understand my position.

calloyd loaded with a deck load of Half-tracks TRIPPE (DD-403), subjected the sub cane of 1944 in an empty . and crews destined for Italy, with over- to such severe attacks that The storm took out five ships along the night stays at and Syracuse, Sic- serious leaks forced the sub to surface. Atlantic Seaboard including two US ily in order to be in the first convoy After trying to fight it out with the es- Coast Guard Cutters, a navy into when it would be liberated corts and losing 17 of its crew, Capt/Lt. and and another lighter from the Germans. Naples harbor was Horst Deckert scuttled the U-boat and vessel along the Atlantic seaboard. Fi- a mess with no usable docks available abandoned ship to be taken prisoner by nally, after 14 months with their first to unload onto, so the half tracks were the escorts. Tugs from Oran and Mers voyage at an end, the crew that left unloaded onto L.C I‘.s. Numerous air el Kabir soon took the Copley in tow on the SS Copley, returned on Pierre raids during this period kept the gun and returned her to be tied up at dock. Soule. Following their survivors leave, crews busy at their stations. Despite all The only casualty aboard the Copley the crew was given a two weeks R & R this activity, half the crew was able to was Armed Guard Seaman Raymond at the College Arms Hotel in Deland, take an excursion on alternate days to Barlow who suffered a broken back Florida the ruins of Pompeii. when he was blown off the bridge, hit- ting the boat davit below. After separation from the Navy, Single- On their return to Oran, , the ton attended college, graduating from COPLEY took on a deck cargo of Several weeks after being tied up at Fairleigh Dickerson University and L.C.T.s destined for the U.S.A. The dock alongside the SS Daniel Web- entered the business world with Bruns- crew was elated, hoping that they might ster which suffered a similar fate at wick Industries, finally moving to De- make it home for the holidays but fate the hands of German Torpedo planes, land, Florida as head of one of their intervened. About ten miles out of half of the Armed Guard crew were re- divisions. Higgins attended North- Oran at 15:16 hours, December 16, a moved and sent home. Both Singleton eastern University and then graduated U-Boat lying in wait believing that and Higgins, with the other half of the from Tufts Dental School, set up and the COPLEY was transporting troops crew were maintained on board to care practiced his profession for 38 years in plus their , fired one tor- for the weapons. On April 21, 1944, Everett, Massachusetts. They have kept pedo. The torpedo struck in Number orders came through detaching the in touch via yearly Christmas greetings. 3 hold about 12 feet forward of the en- crew and flying them via Algiers and O O O gine room bulkhead. The ship slowed Bari to take over the SS Pierre Soule, to a halt but fortunately did not sink, which was awaiting a new propeller in despite a large crack that encircled the dry dock at the Italian Naval Base in Now--this made my day when I learned ship down to the keel. The fact that the Taranto, Italy. of the two shipmates getting together af- ship was empty and the sea very calm ter all these years. When I searched Cap- must have saved her from breaking in With repairs finally completed, the tain Art Moore’s book, “A CARELESS half. Soule set off for the States by way of WORD-A NEEDLESS SINKING” , Scotland with Singleton as and saw where the U-Boat had 35 survi- Retribution was swift and certain. acting GM3/c and Higgins as acting vors. I learned later that the U-Boat crew Escorts from the convoy which the SM3/c. Fate was not finished with scuttled the sub and the sub’s crew tried to COPLEY was about to join; the USS the crew yet as they had yet to face out gun the DEs, I decided to try and lo- WOOLSEY (DD-437) and the USS the fury of the Great Atlantic Hurri- cate some of the surviving sub crew if still Page 6 LETTERS FROM THE CREW

around. A friend of mine was going over Contact Walter Alexander visited and floral offerings placed every to Germany in a few weeks and I con- 2311 Idavere Rd Memorial Day. tacted her to see if she could help locate any Roanoke, VA 24015-3903 of them. She searched GOOGLE with her 540-353-5826; [email protected]. I feel you will appreciate Marty’s tribute computer and found the Web Site for Ger- to the “401”. I found it after his death man U-Boat Captains, etc. and according Walter Alexander, Publicity Coordina- and sent it to the editor. Mart died in to it, the Captain is still alive at 92 years tor USNTCBA The Memorial Stone January. Accept my donation with sin- old. Hopefully, he is still alive and we can is placed at Port Deposit, Md. Veteran’s cere THANKS for all of your and Hil- locate him and some of the crew. Plaza located on the banks of the Susque- da’s efforts. There’s no question that old hanna River near the old Navy jetty. age comes at the most inconvinent time. Here is the Web Site: http://www.uboat. I hope this request is not too difficult. H H H H H H H H H net/men/commanders/193.html and (Honor James Macconnchie) http://www.uboat.net/men/commanders/ Jeanne Wiegler crews.html?crew=37a It may be helpful to Dear Cal, 31 Jerico Rd. others who would like to hear from some- Toms River, N.J. 08757-6369 one who tried to kill them. (calloyd) Your recent “POINTER” was especially 732-505-8388 interesting to me. May I ask that a copy H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H is sent to 401st historian, Donald Byers in Texas? My copy will be sent to Paul NAVAL TRAINING CENTER Knight at a small Air Force museum in Hi Cal. BAINBRIDGE ASSOCIATION England. As a young lad, he lived near We communicated a while back when I will hold their 15th annual reunion in the base where my late husband was was doing some research on my fathers Chattanooga, Tennessee, from October stationed. They stayed in contact until Navy career. Just wanted to let you know 3 – 6, 2013. The reunion welcomes all Marty’s death. We now keep in touch. that there is an interesting and informa- men and women (WAVES) who served Paul often expresses his gratitude to the tive web site called “Hyperwar: A Hy- at the Base either as military or Civil and their veterans who pertext History of the Second World Service, anytime between 1942 – 1976 helped keep his country free. Graves are War” that is attempting to document Page 7 LETTERS FROM THE CREW much of the history of World War II. Dear Mr. Lloyd, enced it. We are particularly sensitive to This web site is totally supported by vol- the needs of all trip participants. I would unteers, and driven by Patrick Clancey, Thank you again for your wonderful be happy to supply you with the names who has done a great job pulling together hospitality during my visit to Raleigh of any of the veterans (approximately considerable information. Much of the last week. It was an honor to meet you 70) who have been on previous trips. information is from original material and the other Armed Guard and Mer- I believe all would concur that it was a provided on loan from the Navy, and due chant Marine veterans. I enjoyed myself very positive experience being with our to the age of the material, most of it has immensely. We owe all of you a debt of students. to be entered by hand. gratitude that we will never be able to repay. We are currently planning our next four I recently completed entering a volume Patriotic Education trips. These trips entitled “Office of Naval Operations, Our college has attempted to show its will be to China, Guadalcanal, Eng- Arming of Merchant Ships and Na- gratitude to World War II veterans by land and Korea. The England trip will val Armed Guard Service”. This is now the establishment of its Patriotic Educa- be in late May and early June of 2013 available on line for any interested re- tion program in 2008. Under this pro- (probably 10 to 12 days in duration). searcher to use, at the following web site: gram we select students and pair them This trip will focus on both the Bat- http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/ with World War II veterans and send tle of the Atlantic and the Bombing Admin-Hist/172-ArmedGuards/index. the group, along with faculty and staff, Campaign against Germany. Accord- html#index to the places where the veterans served ingly, we are most interested in making during the war. For example, we recently contact with veterans who served in the Through my urging, Mr. Clancey has had a group of World War II veterans Armed Guard, Merchant Marine and managed to secure a copy of the volume (whose units liberated Nazi concentra- the Eighth Air Corps. Our current plan entitled “UNITED STATES NAVAL tion camps in Germany and Austria); would be to invite eight veterans from ADMINISTRATION IN WORLD survivors of Nazi concentration camps, these branches of service as our hon- WAR II: History of the Naval Armed students and staff visit Dachau, Mau- ored guests on this trip (probably two Guard Afloat, World War II”. I will be thausen and Auschwitz. Last December Armed Guard, two Merchant Marine starting work on entering that one short- we had veterans and students attend the and four Army Air Corps). We have not ly, so more information on the Armed 70th Anniversary of the Japanese attack finalized an itinerary yet, but we would Guard will be available to researchers, on Pearl Harbor; they also visited Ok- definitely include places of historical veterans, and their families. inawa and Hiroshima, Japan. We have interest to all the veterans. These would taken eleven trips since 2009. We have include London, Cambridge American Would it be possible for you to men- visited Normandy; Battle of the Bulge cemetery, airfields and museums in East tion this web site in a future issue of the sites in Belgium and Luxemburg; Mar- Anglia, Liverpool and possibly Cardiff Armed Guard newsletter? I think that ket-Garden battle sites in Holland; Ber- or Swansea. A more detailed itinerary others will find it interesting as well. chtesgaden, Munich and Nuremberg will be completed by this fall. We also Thanks, and keep up the good work. in Germany; Italy and North Africa hope to have all of our veterans selected Looking forward to seeing another issue and Okinawa and Iwo Jima. Several of by this fall as well. The student partici- of the newsletter soon! these places have been visited more than pants (usually two per veteran) will also Regards, once with different veterans and stu- be selected this fall. Rick Pitz dents. Approximately 70 veterans and 105 Penngrove Ave. 180 students have participated in these If you are aware of any veterans of the Penngrove, CA 94951 • [email protected] programs. Armed Guard and Merchant Marine H H H H H H H H H who would be interested in a trip of this We only select our very best students nature, we would be delighted to talk and they undergo an extensive orienta- with them and send them an application Good talking with you Charles. My tion prior to their trip. The trips are at to complete. I believe this will be a very book is called Waves Astern by E. Spur- no cost to both the veterans and the stu- nice trip and wonderful experience for all geon Campbell and is available from the dents. We started this program in order the participants. Thank you again for your publisher by calling 1 888 280 7715 or to honor our veterans and promote and interest and support of our program. at www.autherhouse.com Also sold by encourage patriotism among our stu- Amazon and other on line bookstores. dents by exposing them firsthand to his- Kindest regards, H H H H H H H H H tory and to those who lived and experi- Fred Mullinax

Page 8 REUNIONS 2012-2013

USN ARMED GUARD MEETINGS AND REUNION 2012-2013 NOTICE: Hosts Names, Address, Zip Code, Tel., E-Mail and meeting places may change anytime so it’s up to you and the hosts to keep each other notified. Any changes hopefully will be in the next POINTER. If your group or area is not included or needs corrected, advise NOW for the next POINTER.

Northern New England members of Sept. through May and welcome more great “sit down” luncheon and view the the U.S. Navy Armed Guard Veterans to attend. Contact them for further Forked River. Come on down and join of World War 2 will hold their Spring info. us. Those outside of NJ are welcomed, 2013 meeting May 15, at the Red Blaz- too. (Mike Chengeri) er Restaurant in Concord, N.H. Meet The Long Island AG Chapter meet at 1, eat at 2. Sign up no later than May at the Farmingdale, N.Y. Library, 4th *NORTHERN N.J. CREW is now 11 with Bob Norling, 6 Tow Path Lane, Wed. at 11 AM. Contact: Dot and meeting at STASHES RESTAU- Concord NH 03301. Phone 603-224- James Pellegrino, 527 Livingston St., RANT, Wood Ave.(Off Rt.1 North) 4927, E-mail [email protected] Westbury, N.Y. 11590 516-997-5585 Linden. N.J. on the 1st Tuesday (Monthly) at 12 noon. Hosts: Ernest PCSA 2013 reunion, Norforlk, VA, Buckley, Wa AREA contact is still Stoukas, 65 Webb Dr., Fords, N.J. May 16-18, Contact Duane”Bucky Hank and Sandy Harrison, 27014 08863 732-225-2054. Walters, 103 Cross Road Camillus, Lower Burnett Rd. E., Buckley, Wa Ny 13031, E-mail Buckypcsa@ twcny. 98321-360-897-9381 Cell: 253-222- Iowa/Mn/Daks still meet the 2nd rr.com , Thanks for the reminder!! 3025 [email protected] and they still Wednesday monthly at 10 A.M. for meet at Elmer’s 7427 Hosmer, Ta- coffee and gab monthly at the Machine The Lansing, Mich. AG/MM Hosts, coma, Wa. 98408 253-473-0855. They Shed on the West Side of Des Moines, Carl and Ruth Mescher, 508 Wayland, are also meeting at “THE RIVER’S Ia. off Exit 125 on I-80/I-35, the Hick- E. Lansing, Mi. 517-332-1027 says EDGE RESTAURANT” in Olympia, man Rd. Contact Arnie Latare, 4400 they are planning a June 2013 reunion Wa. 12/2/12 for Christmas brunch and E.P. True Pkwy #59, W.Des Moines, if possible and more will be in next would love to have a R.S.V.P.. Ia. 50265 515-225-1084 malata@q. POINTER. com . All the AG/MM and family are Cleveland, Oh. Ag/MM Crew meet welcomed. George E. Hale has informed me that 1st. Sat of each Mo. at Denny’s, 4431 the American Merchant Marine has W.150th St., Cleveland.(I-71) Con- The TEXAS USN Armed Guard Re- started a : GETTA MEMBER” drive tact: A.H. Borgman 25534 Chatworth union will be held Mar. 1-3, 2013 at the to get the MM and AG plus other Dr., Euclid, Oh. 44117 216-481-1142 Country Inn and Suites, College Sta- WW II Veterans together. Hale is the tion, Tx. Hosts are Polly and Harold CEO of the Carl W. Minor Chapter Delaware Valley AG/MM meet at Lukefahr, 1356 CR 453, Bay City, Tx. Central Coast California and states 11:30 AM at the “OLD COUNTRY 77414 and their 2 daughters, they are a hundred or more miles from RESTAURANT” Oxford Center, other known chapters and would like Fairless Hills, Pa. John Harman, Host, Cindy Skinner, 6475 CR-258, Cam- to get more Veterans together. They 9 Tree Ave, Levittown, Pa., 19054 215- eron, Tx. 76520 979-364-2375 and meet at noon in COCO’S BAKERY 295-3114. Cathy Willis PO BOX 161210, Aus- RESTAURANT 411 Five Cities Dr., tin, Tx. 78716 512-565-6117. Tx- Pismo Beach, Ca. on the 2nd Tuesday The SOUTH New Jersey Pinelands [email protected] of ODD NUMBERED MONTHS! Armed Guard Unit meets the 4th George E. Hale, 7862 Santa Ynez Thurs. of the mo. at 12:30 PM at THE The Texas AG Crew meet on the 1st Ave., Atascadero, Ca. 93422 gnnhale@ CAPTAINS INN. 304 E Lacey Rd., Monday at 9 AM at Ramsey’s Res- gmail.com 1-805-461-1268. Forked River, NJ 609-693-3351. The taurant 1401 N. Navarro, Victoria, Tx. hosts are: Mike Chengeri 908-486- with Hosts Norm Neureuther, 361- ARIZONA: Pat and Fred Gustin, 6577, 578-7900 [email protected] 1221 E.Clearwind Pl., Oro Valley, Az. 85755 520-825-7531 continue to meet Al Messina 732-350-1304 and Wil- Association address at 10:30 AM to 12:00 in their area liam Wilkie 609-597-2946. They ask has been changed to DESA P.O. Box at the OLD TIME KAFE 1425 W. all NJ Armed Guard members to come 488, Henderson Harbor, N.Y. 13651. Prince Rd., Tucson, Az. 85742 293- join in with them. Wives & Widows of 315-938-7000 Please contact Dori 2324 on the 2nd Thurs. of each month, the members are welcomed to attend a Glaser (800) 603-3332 for their Re- Page 9 REUNIONS 2012-2013 unions and meetings. Their 37th An- R. I. Host Gerry Greaves 1287 S. Hutter 585-473-8103, Forest Lane 14 nual Convention will be held Sept. 23- Broadway, E. Providence, RI., 02914 Hanna Ln., Webster, N.Y. 14580 585- 27, 2012 in Norfolk, Va. 401-431-0011 [email protected] 217-9897 [email protected] says: “C.A., we held our last OFFI- The Harrisburg. Pa. Area new hosts CIALLY meeting today with 3 ladies Albany, NY Area Armed Guard/Mer- Charles Hastings, 300 Old Orchard and 7 Armed Guard members present. chant Marine WW II meet the 4th Ln., York, Pa. 19403 717-843-6231 As I told you in my last phone call that Thurs. of month at Schuyler Inn, 545 and Eugene Alexander 1147 Gal- we were planning on shutting down the Broadway, Menands NY at 11:30 AM. way Ct., Hummelstown, Pa. 17036 RI & E. Ma. Chapter. We decided we Host are Art and Marion Fazzone 3936 717-220-1090 meet at 11 A.M. 1st would meet as always but would not Albany St., Schenectady, NY 12304- Thurs of mo. except Jan.,Feb., Mar. send out notices. Our official meeting 4371 (518)374-5377 mamoon3@aol. at: THE OLD COUNTRY BUF- will still be held on the first Thurs. of com and Peter Falasco, 49 Monroe FET 5083 Jonestown Rd. (Rt-22), April and Oct. at the same place. The Ave., Latham, NY 12110 (518) 785- Harrisburg, Pa.. IMPERIAL ROOM at 1 Rhodes 7890 (CHANGES UNDERLINED) Place, Cranston, RI. at 11:30 A.M.. The Suncoast Ag/MM WW II Vet- Patrol Craft Sailors Assn. Reunion will erans will continue meet at Kally’s Wisc/Illinois meet at the Sturtevant be held May 16-18, 2013 in Norfolk, K’s RESTAURANT ON the 2nd Driftwood Restaurant at Noon. Hosts Va. CONTACT: Duane “Bucky” Wal- Saturday are Jay and Jane Wildfong, 13211 Du- ters, 103 Cross Rd., Camillus, N.Y. of the month @ 11:30 AM. Contact rand Ave., Sturtevant, Wi. 53117 262- 13031 315-487- 2623 buckypcsa@tw- Bob Bouschor, 73 Hickory Branch 886-2966 Everyone welcomed. cny.rr.com for time and place. Lane, Safety Harbor, Fl. 34695- 4645 US Navy Armed Guard & Merchant NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND 1-727-725-1830 or Fred Simonson, Marine Veterans of WW ll. Meet ev- members of the USN Armed Guard 1-352-563-1859. They have volun- ery third (3rd) Sat.of the month, ex- Veterans of WW II will hold their teered to carry on since the passing cept June,July and August at Marsh Spring 2013 meeting May 15th at the of Hal Conn who kept the crew to- Landing Restaurant at 44 North RED BLAZER Restaurant in Con- gether for years.. Broadway,Fellsmere, FL. For info con- cord, NH qat 1 PM and eat at 2 PM. tact C.F. “Korky” Korker 772 571-0230 Contact: Bob Norling, 6 Tow Path THE SARASOTA MANATEE E-Mail [email protected] Lane., Concord, N.H. 03301 Ph. 603- CHAPTER of the AMMV along 224-4927 E-Mail [email protected] with the Armed Guard in the area The LOGANSPORT, IN. AREA have moved their meetings to meets at the VFW POST 1024 Erie Bainbridge, Md. USNTC Organiza- DUFF’S, 6010 14th St., Bradenton, Ave. on the last Friday of each month tion has placed a Memorial at PORT Fl. and meet the last Wed. of the at 11:30 except December. Hosts are DEPOSIT, Md. to honor all the men mo. (excluding-July/Aug) at 12:30 William and Betty Zwyers, 9239 N and women who took their training P.M. but most go at 11:30 to enjoy State Rd 29, Frankfort, In. 46041 765- there or worked there. I was there Sept. the buffet lunch and hold their SEA 258-3353 - Dec. 1943. (cal) STORY Session. Ed Cleary (AG) attends and wants more AG to join The Armed Guard/Merchant Marine The American Merchant Marine Sili- in. New Host: Richard J. Arcand, meet the 2nd Friday of the Month at con Valley Veterans Chapter meet 5674 Bay Pines Lakes Blvd., Saint the American Legion Post #470, 9091 CARROW’S RESTAURANT at 3180 Petersburg, Fl. 33708 727-392-5648 E. 126th St., Fishers, In. 46038 at El Camino Real, Santa Clara, Ca. on NOON Armed Guard John Haynes is the 4th Friday of each month (except The SOUTHERN Calif. Region of Secretary and would like to have all the Nov/Dec) at 11:30 A.M.. They take in Armed Guard meet every 2 mos. al- Armed Guard to join in. the Santa Clara Veterans Day Memo- ternating starting with the WEST rial Services at the Memorial Park and BUFFET in Carlsbad, Ca.. at 11:30 The Rochester, N.Y. Area AG/MM would like to have many Armed Guard AM and San Diego FAMILY meet on the 2nd Tuesday 11 A.M. at to come join in the Comradary and Restaurant,Chula Vista. Contact the JAY’S DINER 2612 W.Henrietta show their AG Colors. Contact: Perry Howard Wooten, 2438 E. Vista Way, Rd., Rochester, N.Y 585-424-3710. Adams, 5100 EL CAMINO REAL Spc-23, Vista, Ca. 92084 760-724- Hosts John Shevlin 585-467-2057; Apt 303, Los Altos, Ca 94022 650- 4724 [email protected] Walter Mace 585-394-7165, Frank 967-3696. Page 10 REUNIONS 2012-2013

MM/AG Susquehanna Mariners hold Driver’s license. Mail two days ahead. Lincoln, Ne. Memorial Gardens, 2740 their meetings at the Brethen Village at LST 27th Annual Reunion will be A St., Lincoln, Ne. 68502 402-441- 3001 Lititz Pike, Rt. 501, Lancaster, Pa. held (2013 undecided as of 10/21/12) 7847 [email protected] Contact Wm. Balabanow, P.O.BOX Contact Linda Gunjak-LST, P.O.Box O O O 5093, Lancaster, Pa. 17601 717-569- 167438, Oregon, Oh. 43616 1-800- 0391 [email protected] 228-5870 [email protected]. Richmond, Va. Chapter of the Armed The S.S. JOHN W. BROWN will be- USN Sailors Assoc. 20th An- Guard was disbanded as of Dec.10, gin selling tickets Jan.2, 2013 @ $140. nual Reunion: 2013 Contact: David 2011 per person and the sailing dates are: Blomstrom, 7324 SW FrWay, #208 O O O June 1st, Sept. 7th and Oct 5th. You Houston, Tx. 77074 713-541-91911 can order tickets by calling: 410-558- [email protected] 0164. ([email protected]) Craigville, WV crew with Forrest Fla- Ohio Memorial Park is located at 8005 nagan has folded. Cleveland/Massillon Rd, P.O.Box 3, O O O Clinton, Oh. 330-773-2385 www. ovmp.org Rudy Kozak Fl. Chapter has folded Cleveland meets the first Monday of O O O every month not Sat at 10:30 a.m.

The S.S. JEREMIAH O’Brien sailing dates for 2013 are: May 18th 13 PM - 4 PM @ $85.each; Oct. 12 FLEET- WEEK Sat. @ $125 Each and Oct. 13 FLEETWEEK Sun @ $100. Each. Contact: The National Liberty Ship Memorial, Inc., Eliz Anderson-Office Mangr. 415-544-0100 1275 Colum- bus Ave. Suite 300, San Francisco, Ca. 94133-1315 liberty@ssjeremiaho- brien.org The O’Brien has just come out of expensive drydock costs and needs donation, NOW!

Oregon MM/AG Chapter host Ruth- ann Heineken, 7055 SW 184th Ave., Portland, Or. 97007 503-848-7031 asks all in the area to come and be with them. They meet at the Home Town Buffet, 13500 Pacific Hiway.

For the yearly July meeting Memo- rial Service at the PORT CHICAGO TRAGEDY , Contact: National Park Service, 4202 Albhambra Ave., Marti- nez, Ca. 94553 925-228-8860 The fol- lowing ID is required: Name/Gender, Date of Birth, Address, Phone Number, E-Mail if you have one, Govt. ID or Page 11 www.womanofthewaves.com The U.S. Navy Armed Guards By Helen Glass

There is a branch of the Navy that never received much relief in a period of one year. These women who served in the attention and they well deserve it. The U.S. Navy Armed Guard. Armed Guard showed them they could do it. I had never heard of the Armed Guard until Charles A, The motto of the Armed Guard is “We Aim to Serve” and Lloyd, Chairman and Secretary of the USNAG WW2 organi- they did it proudly. I’ve listed some of the names of WAVES zation gave me the facts. So I wrote a poem in their honor, to who were in the USNAG. I hope some WAVES National mem- tell their story in poetry form. bers/White Caps readers will recognize someone and let me However, my hat’s off to those WAVES who became an know. Ambrosius, Caroline; Anderson, D.L.; Bauer, Mary; integral part of the Guard. These pioneer women overcame Billings, Mabel; Borders, Dorothy; Carpenter, Emma Lee; many barriers in the beginning. The Navy had doubts whether Carmichael, Marjorie; Coffee, Florence; Farha, Mary; Finger, the WAVES could substitute for men at the Armed Guard Cen- Nora Ward; Jones, Thelma Frazier; Gustafson, Ellie; Jones, ter. Operations there went round the clock seven days a week. Thelma; Parkinson, Dorothy; Sproles, Sarah; Stark, Virginia; So they felt it was impossible for women to carry out the night Striffler, Barbara; Taylor, Joyce; VanDyke, Myrtle; Welch, W. assignments, covering the fatigue and modesty. Frances; Witzel, Ruby; Wingo, Josette. But, after careful consideration, the assignment of WAVES I was honored, when in 1985, I received a letter from started with 3 WAVE officers reporting aboard followed by 3 Josette Wingo from California. The newspaper in Los Angeles WAVE storekeepers. Then, in February 1944, 36 WAVES of had a special edition of their newspaper honoring the 40th many ratings came aboard followed by many more. They now anniversary of the ending of WW II. They included my poem numbered 418 WAVES in every department except lower deck “A WAVES Lament”, which tells the story of being a WAVE. which was out of bounds to them. And again after a survey of Josette said I had done a lot to help make our invisibility known. general efficiency by Department Heads, the consensus was Josette, a U.S. Navy Gunner’s Mate, was the author of “My that they lacked experience and the necessary physical strength Mother Was a Gunner’s Mate”, I understand. in the Supply Department, that they were incapable of working In my poem “She’s In The Navy Now” I say “She didn’t take under pressure. But statistics showed that of the 30 girls who the place of a man you see she made her own place in History” volunteered to work the 1700-0100 shifts, only 3 requested and this is true of the women in the U.S. Navy Armed Guard.

OUR GUARDIAN ANGELS ON THE WAVES

In World War 1 and World War 2 “It was the U.S. Navy Armed Guard personnel These gallant men were protecting you The Maritime men and ships, brought victory again.” Little was known of these brave men in blue “A loose lip sinks a ship” But they had an important job to do. was the saying of the Armed Guard Men of the U.S. Navy Armed Guard And they took this seriously Helped defeat the enemy-hit them hard whether on a vessel or in the ship yard. They maintained the guns and ammunition too The U.S. Navy Armed Guard Protected the ships’ cargo and its crew Was a dedicated crew of men at sea Codes and messages, sent and received back then Loyal to their country, risking their lives By highly skilled radio and signalmen Fighting for peace and freedom for you and me. American and Allied Merchant No one group of fighting men shipping was being attacked can say “They did it alone” ever again. But guns were prohibited by the Neutrality Act. It takes love and devotion Many ships were damaged or sunk On every sea and ocean and many men’s lives battered or lost If there is ever to be The Act was unfair to all concerned Peace and victory. Look what happened, look what it cost Then things changed for the better By Helen Anderson Rickard Glass When in November 1941 U. S. Navy, WW II – AMM 3/C Armed Guards on merchant ships Composed June 2012 especially for again “manned the gun.” Charles A. Lloyd, Chairman “If not for the Merchant Seamen, the war USN Armed Guard Veteran, WW II would have been lost by the Allies then”

Page 12 PAGE 8 Visit our website: www.womenofthewaves.com OCTOBER 2012 RODERICK A. MaCRAE STORIES

Cal, I had a great chat with you last engineering. It wasn’t long before I was Officer or C.P.O. called me out of line. I week on the phone and received the working 12 hour days, 6 days a week so remember his words to this day: “MAC great POINTER magazines and I am I dropped out of school to my dismay. RAE-=RODERICK-3 RD Class M/M sending you a little of what happened to Half of our class had been drafted into – FALL OUT. YOU CAN’T GO TO me during WW II. It may be jumbled the service but I received a 6 months de- BASIC - TAKE THESE PAPERS up a little because something I wrote in ferment on the war effort. We had only AND OUR PAPERS AND RETURN October 2000 and I didn’t want to re- 6 metal turning lathes and I was on a 15’ TO THE SEABEE OFFICE - YOU write it over I will send this on to you lathe, machining everything needed for AREN’T EVEN A UNITED STATES and some may be a repeat. the engines. I was still an immigrant as CITIZEN. YOU ARE STILL AN IM- when my dad died, we were not in the MIGRANT”! I was born in Glasgow, Nova Scotia, States long enough to receive his second Canada. My family and I immigrated to papers. As time went on, I went on all I had already taken out my first papers the , Ma., area in the 30s at dur- breakdowns and sea trails on all 6 tugs; to become a naturalized citizen. It took ing the depression. My dad died at the which were 205 ft. long. I was an observ- 7 years more to file for your second pa- age of 41 in the 30s of an heart attack er and very proud of my engine, pump pers which would be 3 years more. The and we had a very hard, lonely life, even and valve work I had done on the ship reason for this was to see you had a job, skipping meals to survive. I’d get bones and was still a teenager. no arrests, nor violations. It seemed all from different grocery stores and my the office holders in Boston were Irish mother would add onions and potatoes In 1942, still being deferred 6 months at and I was 100 per cent SCOTCH!. The to make a soup but survive we did. Even a time, we received in our shop, German machine shop gladly took me back but to this day, I tend to be frugal with my diesel engines. The oil, water pumps, most of my friends were either in ser- ways of living. I have two girls and a son valves, etc. that had been taken from a vice or 4F. The last salvage tug completed , all grown, and I did not skimp of their captured German Nazi . All was the BODIE ISLAND. I was on her wants for clothes I attended high school were smashed up and partially destroyed. trial runs and shakedowns. I could oper- and studied mechanical arts and was Since the old timers machinists were ate those pumps and diesels as good as taught electricity, drafting, algebra, trig, Dutch, Swedish and other countries, any engerneering officer. The owner of math, tool and die making and graduat- they knew the millimeters and centim- the shipyard called me to his office. The ed in 1940 with honor grades and got a eters. It was part of our job to convert government was looking for volunteers job in East Boston as an apprentice due this into inches to the thousandths of an qualified to operate the machinery and to my schooling, became an apprentice inch and it was very tedious work; close engines. I took my tests, was granted oil- in tool and die maker pertaining to ma- tolerances. We had an F.B.I. at both ends er-machinists rating, given Coast Guard rine machinist work. Most of the other of our lathe and milling machine. When papers, passport and uniform. I was put machinist were Swedes or Danes. They we finished our parts, the F.B.I. would on a 12 hour watch, 12 hour off watch 7 really helped me and I caught on quick. take them some place to be reassembled. days a week operating the auxiliary en- The men liked me and I learned fast. I I was making $1.50 an hour wages and gines. I was engaged to be married by this was 16 years old and was paid Fifty cents I told my mother that I wanted to enlist time and the tug was to leave for New an hour. My bus fare was twenty cents a into the military and she gave me ap- York soon for a 3”50 deck gun and two day with two dollars a week taken out proval. single 20mm anti-aircraft guns and a car- for taxes. My mother got fifteen dollars bine rifle apiece. After my “WAR TIME” a week from me. My 2 sisters worked in I went to the Seabees office in Boston marriage, I was still on a 24 hour work an insurance company office at $12.50 a and took my physical and passed. After week at $60. per month. I told my wife week apiece and they had to buy fecent the officer in charge found out I my ex- that we were going on another sea trial. clothes for their work. All of a sudden, perience as a tool and die maker, I was I had the 8-12 evening watch with my 3 we thought we were rich!! My mother accepted in the Navy Seabees and given rd engineer and at midnight, I sacked out was still doing washing and ironing for a Machinist Mate 3rd class rating on the and when I woke up for the 8 AM watch, people. We had no car so we walked, spot! I was to report for basic for train- all I could see was ocean. walked and walked. ing in 2 weeks, even though I was on deferment. I left my job; my friends and Roderick A. MaCrae (MM) The Japs bombed Pearl Harbor and our church. People gave me a “GOODBYE 1 Armory Dr. small shipyard got a government con- PARTY” and I left home with a lot of Black Mountain, N.C. 28711 tract to build six “deep sea salvage tugs”. tears and I went to the South Boston 828-669-7769 I was attending Northeastern University train station and a group of about 50 were O O O 5 nights a week majoring in mechanical pooled in a group to leave, when a Navy Page 13 RODERICK A. MaCRAE STORIES

Rod MacRae power station to that port. At the time, As to the Isle of WRIGHT, it was the Black Mountain, N.C. the Allies and Germans were in a battle ILSE OF WIGHT. We used to tie up USN Armed Guard WW II there. In the ensuing battle, I was hit in there. It was a training ground for the Veteran the left eye by shrapnel and was taken to British Commandoes. We saw them sev- an Army Mash Hospital tent. eral times. They were the experts at killing At age of 87, it still is hard to forget. For- with piano wire slings. get the memories of on In months preceding being at Omaha the unforgetable day, June 6, 1944 where at DAY, our tug, the BODIE ISLAND I will be 90 years old in 2 months. I go to some 2,000 men lost their lives in about had made six runs to Murmansk, Russia. a mental health meeting every Thursday. 2 hours. along with thousands more in- We towed towed ships back to Northern I am the oldest and treated excellent at jured. England. One incident I recall that I can the V.A. at Oteen, N.C.. I am 60 % D.A.. not get out of my mind particular was Sail on Cal. As a Machinist Mate, assigned to the a ship was sunk right beside us and our engine room of a Salvage Tug Boat. Rod crew was ready to throw the lifelines over Here is a donation to help you with the and his 28 men crew remained at Omaha to the men who were screaming for help, organization. Keep up the good work. Beach for 3 days with orders to pull disa- but the British, who were in command bled Landing Craft away from the beach. of the ship, ordered us to take no survi- Roderick A. MacCrae His Tug, BODIE ISLAND, was named vors. We despised them for that. I can still 1 Armory Dr. after an island off the coast of North see those four or five men screaming for Black Mountain, NC 28711. Carolina. Of the twelve tugs sent out on help and we couldn’t help them out. You O O O convoys from in 1943, his didn’t sleep much standing the engine tug was one of the three still afloat by the room watch. Midway through the war, end of the war. The nine others was sunk the captain and two other helmsmen and (Thanks Rod) calloy or damaged beyond repair. two deckhands were forced to leave the Bodie Island after all experienced nerv- The BODIE ISLAND was up close ous breakdowns. to the beach as they were high and dry. There was a GI on the beach soon after O O O the invasion there and he was just staring at me in shock. He was just standing still. Dear Cal, 7/24/12 He had both arms out, but he didn’t have any arms. The were blown off , both of I have been a “LOYAL FAN” of yours them at the elbow. It was as if he was try- for years. Reading the last POINTER ing to say, “Help me” or something. That was very good. I always read them several was a bad scene. There were several bad times and the article in particular as we scenes with LST, Landing Craft, etc. that tied up there several times or “dropped was on fire and some blown to pieces. The the hook”. I was in W.S.A.. The Deep Germans had firepower from every angle Sea Diving Salvage Tug THE BODIE of the beach. ISLAND”. We did salvage work up and down both coasts, as well well as 6 trips On the way to the French Coast on June to Murmansk, Russia. The runs were very 5th, our Salvage Ship was towing a hugh bad as we picked up no survivors on any concrete “MULBERRY DOCK” to be trip. We towed damaged ships to Mid- used as a breakwater. As we neared the I thought you may be interested in the attached dleborough, Northern Ireland. We also photo of Rod MacRae. I took this photo(inside French Coast, passing many ships head- towed a Mulberry Dock from Wigton ing towards the beach, German guns fire- front cover) last week and learned that you Bay, Scotland to Omaha Beach June 6, may be writing a story about him. You may dand sank our Mulberry tow killing 17 1944 at 6 A.M.. The Germans shelled it British Anti-Aircraft soldiers unit that remember he was in the Coast Guard and and sank it. We stayed at Omaha Beach, served in eight different countries during was stationed on the top of the Mulberry pulling all type crafts away from the Dock where they manned 75 MM guns. WWII. He has received four metals from beach. We stayed 3 days. (11,000 dead Russia thanking him for his service bringing and wounded”. We stayed in the U.K. supplies to Russia during the war. He can be The third week of July, at the Port of until the war ended. Sailed for 9 years lat- Arromanches, we were towing a hugh contacted at 828 669-7769. -Mike Mayer er on P-2 transports as chief Machinists. [email protected] Page 14 A SURVIAL STORY

WW II B17 Survival Story

B-17 “All American” (414th Squad- ron, 97BG) Crew Pilot- Ken Bragg Jr.Copilot- G. Boyd Jr. Navigator- Harry C. Nuessle Bombardier- Ralph Burbridge Engineer- Joe C. James Ra- dio Operator- Paul A. Galloway Ball Turret Gunner- Elton Conda Waist Gunner- Michael Zuk Tail Gunner- Sam T. Sarpolus Ground Crew Chief- Hank Hyland

A mid-air collision on February 1, 1943, between a B-17 and a German fighter over the Tunis dock area, became the subject of one of the most famous pho- tographs of World War II.

An enemy fighter attacking a 97th Bomb Group formation went out of con- trol, probably with a wounded pilot then continued its crashing descent into the rear of the fuselage of a Fortress named All American, piloted by Lt. Kendrick R. Bragg, of the 414th Bomb Squadron. When it struck, the fighter broke apart, but left some pieces in the B-17. The left horizontal stabilizer of the Fortress and left elevator were completely torn away. The two right engines were out and one on the left had a serious oil pump leak. The vertical fin and the had been damaged, the fuselage had been cut al- most completely through connected only at two small parts of the frame and the radios, electrical and oxygen systems were damaged. There was also a hole in the top that was over 16 feet long and 4 feet wide at its widest and the split in the fuselage went all the way to the top gunner’s turret.

Although the tail actually bounced and swayed in the wind and twisted when the plane turned and all the control cables were severed, except one single elevator cable still worked, and the air- craft still flew - miraculously! The tail gunner was trapped because there was their own parachute harnesses in an at- ing to keep the bomber from coming no floor connecting the tail to the rest tempt to keep the tail from ripping off apart, the pilot continued on his bomb of the plane. The waist and tail gunners and the two sides of the fuselage from run and released his bombs over the used parts of the German fighter and splitting apart. While the crew was try- target. Page 15 A SURVIAL STORY

When the bomb bay doors were the plane. When they tried to do the They turn back toward England had to opened, the wind turbulence was so same for the tail gunner, the tail began be very slow to keep the tail from twist- great that it blew one of the waist gun- flapping so hard that it began to break ing off. They actually covered almost ners into the broken tail section. It took off. The weight of the gunner was add- 70 miles to make the turn home. The several minutes and four crew members ing some stability to the tail section, so bomber was so badly damaged that it to pass him ropes from parachutes and he went back to his position. was losing altitude and speed and was haul him back into the forward part of soon alone in the sky. For a brief time,

Page 16 A SURVIAL STORY two more Me-109 German fighters at- tacked the All American. Despite the extensive damage, all of the machine gunners were able to respond to these attacks and soon drove off the fighters. The two waist gunners stood up with their heads sticking out through the hole in the top of the fuselage to aim and fire their machine guns. The tail gunner had to shoot in short bursts be- cause the recoil was actually causing the plane to turn.

Allied P-51 fighters intercepted the All American as it crossed over the Chan- nel and took one of the pictures shown. They also radioed to the base describ- ing that the empennage was waving like a fish tail and that the plane would not make it and to send out boats to res- cue the crew when they bailed out. The fighters stayed with the Fortress taking hand signals from Lt. Bragg and relay- ing them to the base. Lt. Bragg signaled that 5 parachutes and the spare had been “used” so five of the crew could not bail out. He made the decision that if they could not bail out safely, then he would stay with the plane and land it.

Two and a half hours after being hit, the aircraft made its final turn to line up with the runway while it was still over 40 miles away. It descended into an emergency landing and a normal roll- out on its landing gear.

When the ambulance pulled alongside, it was waved off because not a single member of the crew had been injured. No one could believe that the aircraft could still fly in such a condition. The Fortress sat placidly until the crew all exited through the door in the fuselage and the tail gunner had climbed down a ladder, at which time the entire rear section of the aircraft collapsed onto the ground. The rugged old bird had done its job.

I love stories about America’s past.Pass this on to someone you know who will Bill Everett appreciate this story. http://www.Bills-Shop.com Page 17 JAPANESE TRAIN SANK

THE AMERICAN SUB THAT more trip with the men he cared for like The rail line itself wouldn’t be a problem. SANK A JAPANESE TRAIN a father, should his fourth patrol be suc- A shore patrol could go ashore under cessful. Of course, no one suspected when cover of darkness to plant the explosives In 1973 an Italian submarine named he had struck that deal prior to his fourth ... One of the sub’s 55-pound Enrique Tazzoli was sold for a paltry and what should have been his final war charges. But this early morning Lucky $100,000 as scrap metal. The submarine, patrol on the Barb, that Commander Fluckey and his officers were puzzling given to the Italian Navy in 1953, was Fluckey’s success would be so great he over how they could blow not only the originally the USS Barb, an incredible would be awarded the Medal of Honor. rails, but also one of the frequent trains veteran of World War II service with a that shuttled supplies to equip the Japa- heritage that never should have passed Commander Fluckey smiled as he re- nese war machine. But no matter how so unnoticed into the graveyards of the membered that patrol. “Lucky” Fluckey crazy the idea might have sounded, the metal recyclers. they called him. On January 8th the Barb’s skipper would not risk the lives of Barb had emerged victorious from a run- his men. Thus the problem .... How to The USS Barb was a pioneer, paving the ning two-hour night battle after sinking detonate the charge at the moment the way for the first submarine launched mis- a large enemy ammunition ship. Two train passed, without endangering the life siles and flying a battle flag unlike that of weeks later in Mamkwan Harbor he of a shore party. PROBLEM? any other ship. In addition to the Medal found the “mother-lode” ... More than 30 of Honor ribbon at the top of the flag enemy ships. In only 5 fathoms (30 feet) Solutions! If you don’t look for them, identifying the heroism of its captain, of water his crew had unleashed the sub’s you’ll never find them. And even then, Commander Eugene “Lucky” Fluckey, forward torpedoes, then turned and fired sometimes they arrive in the most unu- the bottom border of the flag bore the four from the stern. As he pushed the sual fashion. Cruising slowly beneath the image of a Japanese locomotive. The USS Barb to the full limit of its speed through surface to evade the enemy plane now Barb was indeed, the submarine that the dangerous waters in a daring with- circling overhead, the monotony was “SANK A TRAIN”. drawal to the open sea, he recorded eight broken with an exciting new idea: Instead direct hits on six enemy ships. of having a crewman on shore to trigger July 18, 1945 (Patience Bay, off the coast explosives to blow both rail and a pass- of Karafuto , Japan ): It was after 4 AM. What could possibly be left for the Com- ing train, why not let the train BLOW And Commander Fluckey rubbed his mander to accomplish who, just three ITSELF up? Billy Hatfield was excitedly eyes as he peered over the map spread months earlier had been in Washington explaining how he had cracked nuts on before him. It was the twelfth war patrol , DC to receive the Medal of Honor? He the railroad tracks as a kid, placing the of the Barb, the fifth under Commander smiled to himself as he looked again at nuts between two ties so the sagging of Fluckey. He should have turned com- the map showing the rail line that ran the rail under the weight of a train would mand over to another skipper after four along the enemy coastline. break them open. “Just like cracking wal- patrols, but had managed to strike a deal nuts,” he explained. “To complete the with Admiral Lockwood to make one Now his crew was buzzing excitedly circuit (detonating the 55-pound charge) about bagging a train! we hook in a micro switch ... Between Page 18 JAPANESE TRAIN SANK two ties. We don’t set it off, the TRAIN micro switch. When the need was pro- saboteurs had been told that, with the does.” Not only did Hatfield have the posed for a pick and shovel to bury the explosives in place, all would retreat a plan, he wanted to be part of the volun- explosive charge and batteries, the Barb’s safe distance while Hatfield made the teer shore party. engineers had cut up steel plates in the final connection. If the sailor who had lower flats of an engine room, then bent once cracked walnuts on the railroad The solution found, there was no short- and welded them to create the needed tracks slipped during this final, danger- age of volunteers; all that was needed was tools. The only things beyond their con- ous procedure, his would be the only life the proper weather...a little cloud cover to trol were the weather....and time. Only lost On this night it was the only order darken the moon for the mission ashore. five days remained in the Barb’s patrol. the saboteurs refused to obey, all of them Lucky Fluckey established his own crite- peering anxiously over Hatfield’s shoul- ria for the volunteer party: Anxiously watching the skies, Com- der to make sure he did it right. The men mander Fluckey noticed plumes of cirrus had come too far to be disappointed by a ...No married men would be included, clouds, then white stratus capping the switch failure. except for Hatfield, ...The party would mountain peaks ashore. A cloud cover include members from each department, was building to hide the three-quarters 1:32 A.M. ...The opportunity would be split between moon. This would be the night. Watching from the deck of the Barb, regular Navy and Navy Reserve sailors. Commander Fluckey allowed himself a At least half of the men had to have been MIDNIGHT, July 23, 1945 sigh of relief as he noticed the flashlight Boy Scouts, experienced in how to han- The Barb had crept within 950 yards of signal from the beach announcing the dle themselves in medical emergencies the shoreline. If it was somehow seen departure of the shore party. He had skill- and in the woods. FINALLY, “Lucky” from the shore it would probably be mis- fully, and daringly, guided the Barb with- Fluckey would lead the saboteurs himself. taken for a or Japanese patrol in 600 yards of the enemy beach. There boat. No one would suspect an Ameri- was less than 6 feet of water beneath the When the names of the 8 selected sail- can submarine so close to shore or in sub’s keel, but Fluckey wanted to be close ors was announced it was greeted with a such shallow water. Slowly the small in case trouble arose and a daring rescue mixture of excitement and disappoint- boats were lowered to the water and the of his saboteurs became necessary. ment. Among the disappointed was 8 saboteurs began paddling toward the Commander Fluckey who surrendered enemy beach. Twenty-five minutes later 1:45 A.M. his opportunity at the insistence of his they pulled the boats ashore and walked The two boats carrying his saboteurs officers that “as commander he belonged on the surface of the Japanese homeland. were only halfway back to the Barb with the Barb,” coupled with the threat when the sub’s machine gunner yelled, from one that “I swear I’ll send a mes- Stumbling through noisy waist-high “CAPTAIN! Another train coming up sage to ComSubPac if you attempt this grasses, crossing a highway and then into the tracks!” The Commander grabbed a (joining the shore party himself ).” Even a 4-foot drainage ditch, the saboteurs megaphone and yelled through the night, a Japanese POW being held on the Barb made their way to the railroad tracks. “Paddle like the devil!”, knowing full well wanted to go, promising not to try to es- Three men were posted as guards, Marku- that they wouldn’t reach the Barb before cape! son assigned to examine a nearby water the train hit the micro switch. tower. The Barb’s auxiliary man climbed In the meantime, there would be no more the ladder, then stopped in shock as he 1:47 A.M. harassment of Japanese shipping or shore realized it was an enemy lookout tower.... The darkness was shattered by brilliant operations by the Barb until the train an OCCUPIED tower. Fortunately the light and the roar of the explosion. The mission had been accomplished. The crew Japanese sentry was peacefully sleeping boilers of the locomotive blew, shattered would “lay low”, prepare their equipment, and Markuson was able to quietly with- pieces of the engine blowing 200 feet into train, and wait for the weather. draw and warn his raiding party. the air. Behind it the cars began to accor- dion into each other, bursting into flame July 22, 1945 (Patience Bay , off the coast The news from Markuson caused the and adding to the magnificent fireworks of Karafuto, Japan ) men digging the placement for the explo- display. Five minutes later the saboteurs Patience Bay was wearing thin the pa- sive charge to continue their work more were lifted to the deck by their exuber- tience of Commander Fluckey and his slowly and quietly. Twenty minutes later ant comrades as the Barb turned to slip innovative crew. Everything was ready. In the holes had been dug and the explosives back to safer waters. Moving at only two the four days the saboteurs had anxiously and batteries hidden beneath fresh soil. knots, it would be a while before the Barb watched the skies for cloud cover, the in- was into waters deep enough to allow it ventive crew of the Barb had built their During planning for the mission the to submerge. It was a moment to savor, Page 19 JAPANESE TRAIN SANK

the war, on August 6th the B-29 bomb- er Enola Gay dropped a single atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima , Japan . A second such bomb, unleashed 4 days later on Nagasaki , Japan , caused Japan to agree to surrender terms on August 15. On September 2, 1945, in Tokyo Harbor the documents ending the war in the Pa- cific were signed.

The story of the saboteurs of the USS Barb is one of those unique, little known stories of World War II. It becomes in- creasingly important when one real- izes that the 8 sailors who blew up the train near Kashiho , Japan conducted the ONLY GROUND COMBAT OPER- ATION on the Japanese “homeland” of World War II. The eight saboteurs were: Paul Saunders, William Hatfield, Francis Sever, Lawrence Newland, Edward Klin- glesmith, James Richard, John Markuson and William Walker.

Eugene Bennett Fluckey retired from the Navy as a Rear Admiral, and wears in addition to his Medal of Honor, FOUR Navy Crosses...a record of awards un- matched by any living American. In 1992 his own history of the U.S.S. Barb was published in the award winning book, the culmination of teamwork, ingenuity TRAIN! THUNDER BELOW. Over the past and daring by the Commander and all several years proceeds from the sale of his crew. “Lucky” Fluckey’s voice came On August 2, 1945 the Barb arrived at this exciting book have been used by Ad- over the intercom. “All hands below deck Midway, her twelfth war patrol conclud- miral Fluckey to provide free reunions not absolutely needed to maneuver the ed. Meanwhile United States military for the men who served him aboard the ship have permission to come topside.” commanders had pondered the pros- Barb, and their wives. The Admiral had He didn’t have to repeat the invitation. pect of an armed assault on the Japanese graduated from the US Naval Academy Hatches sprang open as the proud sail- homeland. Military tacticians estimated in 1935 and lived to age 93, passing on ors of the Barb gathered on her decks such an invasion would cost more than in 2007. to proudly watch the distant fireworks a million American casualties. Instead display. The Barb had “sunk” a Japanese of such a costly armed offensive to end

Alberto Vargas

Page 20 THE GERMAN

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Page 23 2 JAP PLANS DOWN

Page 24 MOVING UP IN ITALY

Notice wire cutters on front of jeeps to save cutting off heads...

Page 25 ACROSS THE CHANNEL WITH THE U.S. MERCHANT MARINE

Page 26 Art work by Correspondent Cpl. Jack Coggins, nowhere does he mention the Armed Guard... ACROSS THE CHANNEL WITH THE U.S. MERCHANT MARINE

Art work by Correspondent Cpl. Jack Coggins, nowhere does he mention the Armed Guard... Page 27 MOVING UP IN ITALY

Page 28 THE ARMED GUARD POINTER

Page 29 GREY WOLVES

German of all foreigners, the Japanese probably numbers of the copied U-Boat and Grey Wolves. thought having the Germans operating only at Hitler’s insistence, did he send in their sphere of operations distasteful one submarine, U-511 commanded by In the early months of 1942, German and intrusive. Kapitanleutnant Fritz Schneewind as U-Boats were winning the sea war in a gift. The U-511 left Europe in May the Atlantic with their attacks on allied However, as the war progressed to- and safely arrived in Penang on the 17 supply shipping. As an island nation, wards the end of 1942 and the allies be- July then sailed to Kure in Japan were Britain needed to bring vast quanties gan to build their ‘bridge of steel’ from the U-Boat was officially handed over of military equipment and food across America to England, Germany lost the to Emperor Hirohito as a personal gift the Atlantic to survive the war. After initiative in the Battle for the Atlantic from Hitler. the fall of France in the spring of 1940, to the allies’ new weapons and tactics the Germans had direct access to the and had to face the unpleasant reality Also in May 43, Germany had lost the Atlantic Ocean from the French coast that the enemy was drawing closer to Battle of the Atlantic. U-Boat losses in the Bay of Biscay. They established the Fatherland. It became even more had reached an intolerable level for massive submarine pens at Saint Naz- imperative they persist in their at- the Germans with the loss of 38 U- aire, Lorient, LaRochelle, Bordeaux, tempts to establish a base where they Boats for that month alone. British LaPallice and Brest. In peace time, the could have their Grey Wolves operat- Coastal Command had put into op- journey from America to Britain was ing in the Far East .The breakthrough eration a scheme of air/sea coopera- hazardous enough due to the weather in negotiations the Germans had been tion against U-Boats operating from but as British and American supply waiting for finally came in December French ports. Bombers based in the ships crisscrossed the Atlantic, Hitler’s 1942. By this time, the Japanese were south of England in conjunction with U-Boats hunted the allied ships relent- more receptive to the idea as their own and guided by lessly. From 1939 to 1941, approxi- war machine was suffering major set- microwave radar proved deadly. Allied mately 1017 ships had been lost due backs as well and having U-Boats as- shipping losses due to U-Boat action in to submarine action and in 1942 alone, sist the Imperial Japanese Navy did of- 1943 was reduced to 597. It became 1159 ships went to the ocean floor fer advantages against an increasingly imperative that wide ranging action along with many of their brave crew. powerful and tenacious enemy. in the Far East against general allied The Battle of the Atlantic was, ‘the only shipping take place as soon as possible. thing that ever frightened me,’ said the Hitler told the Japanese ambassador With the Penang base now available, wartime British Prime Minister, Win- in Berlin in January 1943 that Ger- a massive blow against an unspecting ston Churchill. many would like to give the Japanese enemy might help Germany regain the government two new U-Boats as a initiative against the allied supply lines. With no reason to consider why their present. His motive was twofold. First, Donitz authorised a new mission to be- successes would not continue, U-Boat to show a spirit of solidarity between gin operations in the Far East. High Command decided to expand the two nations and secondly, to see if their operations into a new area where the Japanese would participate in the During late June and early July 1943, their could inflict addi- war against Russia. The Japanese gov- eleven long range U-Boats includ- tional damage to allied shipping. The ernment accepted the offer of the two ing U-168 commanded by Kapitan- Germans began negotiations in August submarines as they wanted to copy the leutnant Pich were to be sent to the 1942 with Japan for a base in Malaya. design. Indian Ocean. The submarines were From the base they could use their U- scheduled to sail from French, Norwe- Boats against the enemy in the Indian In April, Grand Admiral Donitz de- gian and German ports just after the Ocean who at the time did not possess cided his U-Boatwaffe need practical monsoon season was over in their new the sophisticated anti submarine equip- hands on experience at the base, and area of operations and were to arrive in ment that the allies had in the Atlantic. ordered U-178 already heading to an late September. They became known as Japanese High Command was not con- area south of to proceed the Monsun Gruppe. They would op- vinced the idea was viable as tonnage to Penang on the Malay Peninsula erate from Japanese provided bases at sunk in the Indian Ocean would only and report on the situation and facili- Penang, and Sabang. All were benefit Germany and the required Jap- ties there. Hitler’s gift of the two new fully loaded with supplies for the Far anese personnel and supplies needed submarines had still not been sent as Eastern bases. Of the eleven, one was to keep U-Boats operational could be Donitz was reluctant to give up two of forced to return to port just after depar- better used for their own military pur- his brand new boats. He had no faith ture, five were sunk in the Atlantic and poses. With their traditional distrust in the Japanese ability to produce great one in the Indian Ocean. Only four ac- Page 30 GREY WOLVES tually arrived safely in Penang. Among pistol in the torpedoes and that tropical HMS Bulldog commanded by Com- them was U-168 which was one of conditions affected U-Boat batteries. mander Baker-Creswell was the first eighty seven type IXC/40 submarines. Other examples such as the difference to capture the Enigma technology used in viscosity and density of Japanese die- by the German navy from the disabled Helmut Pich at 31 was the most ex- sel oil to German diesel oil, anti cor- U-110. The Enigma machine was ini- perienced U-Boat commander in the rosive paint, grease, lubricating oil and tially developed just after WW1 for use Monsun group. He came from a prom- suitable torpedoes of a type U-Boats as a commercial encrypting device but inent East Prussian family with a proud could use. These were just a few of the the Germans developed it for military military tradition. Pich had entered the problems the Germans encountered. use. The machine resembles an old Reichmarine in 1934 and at his own re- fashioned type writer which scrambled quest, transferred to the U-Boatwaffen There was also the inability or reluc- the text typed into it. This was achieved in 1941 to become a member of that tance by the Japanese to enthusiasti- by means of three notched wheels or elite group of German seamen, the sub- cally pitch in and assist. This is not to rotors inserted into a steel cylinder. mariners. True to family tradition, his say they did nothing. They did carry out Each letter to be used had 150 trillion two brothers also joined the military. their duties but it’s quite possible they possible substitutions. The message was One was a doctor in the Wehrmacht found the U-Boat too sophisticated to unscrambled by another machine with and the other, an officer in the Luft- service and the Germans suspected that its rotors adjusted to the same settings waffe. in some cases; the Japanese work crews as the machine used to send the origi- were more interested in spying rather nal message. German experts refined A second Monsun group of four U- than helping. Certainly the Germans the basic machine with the addition of Boats sailed in early November 1943. found them unreliable and difficult to electronic circuits and other mechanical Only one arrived. deal with. The relationship between the innovations. The settings were changed two so called partners was on a strictly approximately every 24 hours accord- Initially, the U-Boats enjoyed reason- business only nature. ing to instructions in the code books able operational successes in the In- which also listed the daily variations dian Ocean as most shipping in On a personal level, one German of- with which they were issued. the region seemed to be operating at ficer described the Japanese as either an almost peace time level. This was stony faced or smiling. There was no U-110 Kapitanleuntant Fritz-Julius to eventually change to such a degree, in between. With rare exceptions, the Lemp had just attacked convoy OB318 that it became just as dangerous for Germans disliked them intensely. The south of Greenland when his U-Boat U-Boats to carry out their war patrols problems the Germans encountered became the target of a combined depth in the Indian Ocean as it was in the with their reluctant host forced them charge attack from HMS Aubretia and North Atlantic. During WW2, the In- to place a heavy reliance on re-supply HMS Bulldog who were reacting to a dian Ocean was the only theatre of op- from Germany especially torpedoes. U-Boat contact. Suddenly, the dam- erations where the submarines of seven The Befehlshaber der Underseaboote aged U-110 surfaced. The immediate nations, Great Britain, Netherlands, [BdU] decided in early 1944 to or- reaction of any escort captain is to go United States, France, Italy, Germany der the remaining U-Boats of the first full ahead and ram. Captain Baker- and Japan were locked in mortal com- Monsun Gruppe to return to Trond- Creswell on Bulldog, in a split second bat. The experiment in German/Japa- heim in Norway. The French U-Boat decision, stopped his destroyer from nese Naval co-operation was however, bases at St Nazaire, Lorient and Brest ramming this U-Boat, and most likely destined to fail. had been abandoned in the face of the sinking her. He remembered attending advancing allied armies by this stage of a staff college lecture about the impor- It was not through a lack of suitable the war .Their orders were clear. Bring tance of capturing the ciphers from a targets or the ability and courage of back as much strategic cargo as possi- stricken German naval vessel. Here the U-Boat Commanders and crew. It ble. Rubber, tin ingots, opium, quinine, was an opportunity that was too good was the age old problem of supply and tungsten and molybdenum to name a to miss. He ordered a boarding party re-supply that has caused numerous few, and expend any remaining torpe- under command of Sub-Lieutenant military adventures through out the does on targets of opportunity. Unfor- David Balme to board the U-Boat and centuries to fail. U-Boat crews made tunately, the return trip for the group retrieve what he could. Before aban- their boats work with what material was to be delayed due to a series of doning his submarine, Lemp had given was available. Two major problems all events that took place back in 1941-42. orders for scuttling charges to be set the German submarines had to face but neglected to destroy the ships secret was the rate of failure of the magnetic On 9 May 1941, the British Destroyer documents and the Enigma machine. Page 31 GREY WOLVES

Fortunately for the allies, the charges Grazier and Lieutenant Anthony Fas- for the long journey home. Because the failed to explode allowing sailors from son entered the doomed U-Boat and Allies were reading and deciphering the the British boarding party to locate and retrieved key signal documents and Enigma coded transmissions, the sup- collect the submarines Enigma encryp- information about a new mechani- ply ship was sunk on the 12 February tion machine and its essential accesso- cal addition to existing German Navy 1944 by a British destroyer before the ries. Enigma machines. Working as quickly U-Boats reached her. A reserve , as they could, they passed the docu- Brake was sent but that was also inter- Lemp had the dual stigma of having ments up the U-559 conning tower to cepted and sunk. . A task force code sunk the British passenger liner Athe- seaman Tommy Brown who handed named C.S.4 consisting of two cruis- nia as Kapitanleutnant of the U-30 and them to members of the boarding party ers, HMS Suffolk and Newcastle with lost the Kriegsmarines encrypting de- in a waiting boat. Unfortunately, Gra- an escort , HMS Battler vice to the allies. Lemp was reported zier and Fasson left their escape too plus two , HMS Quadrent having attempted to swim back to the late and became trapped in the sinking and Roebuck had sailed from Mauri- U-Boat to destroy the secret codes and U-Boat as she slipped under the waves tius on 6 March. The task force was a the Enigna machine when he realised for the last time. Tommy Brown was few miles from the rendezvous point the scuttling charges had not gone off. thrown clear and survived. between the German supply tanker A German eye witness reported Lemp and three U-Boats. Friend and foe were was shot by one of the British sailors The courage and sacrifice of these three both battling atrocious weather. but his fate is open to question as he men was to have far reaching effects simply disappeared. Of the U-Boats through out the war because of the It is to the great credit of the aircrew crew, 15 were killed in action and 32 information they were able to obtain. from HMS Battler that they flew at captured. Their efforts possibly saved millions all considering the weather conditions of tons of allied shipping and many but on the 11 March, at 1056 [10-56 Admiral Sir Dudley Pound as First Sea thousands of allied lives that would AM] they spotted the supply tanker Lord at the British Admiralty was de- have otherwise been lost if the Enigma and three submarines about half a mile lighted with this coup. He signalled, ‘his secrets remained secret. The Ameri- away from the tanker. The submarines congratulations,’ and added, ‘The petals can capture of U-505 off Cape Blan- seemed as if they were waiting for sup- of your flower are of rare beauty.’ which co provided additional information plies. The three U-Boats had received was a cleverly disguised coded message for the counter intelligence experts at some supplies, transferred under very acknowledging the importance of the England’s highly secret difficult circumstances.U-I88 com- capture but not disclosing its identity. to continue to decipher the code that manded by Siegfried Luddon had re- The U-Boat was taken under tow but Berlin had thought unbreakable. ceived fuel and supplies and U-532 un- the Admirality ordered the U-110 be der Ottoheinrich Junker had also got allowed to sink to protect the secret of In fact, Polish scientists had been qui- his fuel and supplies but no lubricating its capture. Bulldog’s commanding of- etly working behind the scenes on the oil. Pich and his U-168 managed to get ficer was awarded the Distinguished machine as far back as 1930 and pooled only part of his fuel requirements. Be- Service Order and at the investiture, their knowledge with the British when cause of the weather, resupply had to be King George V1 told him, ‘Your action Poland was invaded by the Germans in suspended until it was safe to continue. is the most significant event of the war 1939. At its peak, 10,000 people were Realising they had been spotted, the at sea’. involved at the Government Code and three U-Boats submerged. Cipher school. The success of the code At the time, the action was the most breakers contributed to the destruction The British destroyer, HMS Roebuck significant event of the war at sea but of the Italian navy, the mounting of a was dispatched to sink the German when new parts were added to the na- defence against Hitler’s U-Boat attacks ship and opened fire on Brake from val Enigma machines, the attack and on allied convoys and the destruction approximately 10-13 miles away. The capture in October 42 of U-559 by of much of the supply shipments for crew abandoned ship after scuttling HMS Petard added immensely to the Rommel’s North African campaign their boat under fire but the task force knowledge of the updated Enigma ma- and possibly shortened the war by two made no effort to rescue the survivors chine and the cipher codes. Thanks to years. because of the U-Boat’s in the area. the bravery of two Petard crew and one After the task force had left, U-168 officer who swam to the abandoned Several of the remaining Monsun U- surfaced and rescued all but four of the and sinking U-Boat before a boarding Boats set out to rendezvous with their survivors from the Brake. The dejected party had arrived. Able seaman Colin supply tanker Charlotte Schliemann Germans returned to their base in Pen- Page 32 GREY WOLVES ang to await further orders .The U-168 crowded space. The U-Boat was never his repairs were completed on 5 No- spent the next few months undergoing very spacious at the best of times. Af- vember] Pich had orders to carry out extensive repairs but U-188 was again ter an arduous but successful voyage, a one day trial of his batteries on his ordered back to Germany, her valuable sinking five ships and shooting down a way to Surabaya before beginning his cargo of essential war materials needed RAF Catalina of 265/H squadron on new war patrol. As a matter of routine at home. The return journey was made the way. U-862 arrived in Penang on the Japanese authorities were notified without incident but without lubricat- the 9 September but with her engines of U-168’s departure time, course, ing oil, the worn out engines could only in need of a major overhaul. Because destination, speed, arrival time and the get her as far as Bordeaux in May in- Penang was not able to carry repairs fact the submarine would be travelling stead of her home base at Lorient. Back of this type, the submarine was sent on the surface. The Japanese transmit- in Berlin, Ludden submitted a feasibil- to where the fully equipped ted this information to all their relevant ity report to the BdU Commander in British Naval base captured intact by naval units. Unknown to the Germans Chief of U-Boats about the strategic the Japanese was able to carry out the and the Japanese, the allies had, by this and propaganda advantages of carrying necessary work. late stage in the war, penetrated Japa- out operations in and around the ter- nese communications and passed on the ritorial waters of Australia. While he was waiting for his U-Boat information about the German subma- to be repaired, Timm requested per- rines intended movements to a Dutch In the meantime, events were taking mission from the BdU to carry out op- submarine already in the area. The in- place that would ultimately dictate the erations in Australian waters. Whilst formation was so good that the Dutch fate of Pich and his crew. Despite the it was fully understood that any ship- commander was later to remark,‘they mediocre tonnage sunk, reports to BdU ping sunk in this particular area would were only five minutes late.’ command indicated the opportunities be of limited benefit to the Fatherland, were much more available in the Indian the psychological value of having a Lieutenant-Commander H. Goossens, Ocean than currently available in the U-Boat deep in the enemies’ territory of the subma- Atlantic. Donitz decided to send more would prove Germany’s Third Reich rine, ‘Zwaardvisch ‘ [Swordfish] of his valuable submarines to the Far could and would strike her enemies no was on his fourth war patrol on the 6 East. It would prove to be a fatal deci- matter how far away they were. [This October. His submarine was part of the sion for the U-Boats and their crews. was to prove correct as Timm’s exploits British 8th Flotilla based in Fremantle around Australian and New Zealand in Western Australia. His condensed Kapitanleutnant Heinrich Timm and waters did cause considerable conster- description of the attack on the U-168 his U-862 left Kiel during May in a nation to the military authorities at is from a Royal Navy Operational re- convoy of other U-Boats destined for the time.] Pich requested permission port dated 16 November 1944. the Far East and operations in the In- to accompany Timm on the new ven- dian Ocean. With the defeat of their ture. The BdU Commander in Chief of From dawn 6 October, Zwaardvisch U-Boat’s in the Atlantic, the German Submarines sent a message on the 14 was cruising submerged north of Goe- Navy desperately needed to find new September to the base in Penang au- noeng Laasem [ Java] ways of interrupting allied supply lines. thorising both Timm and Pich to com- 0641H [zero time] a submarine defi- It was thought that by increasing the mence operations in Australian waters. nitely recognised as not allied was commitment to operations in the Far It’s possible the Japanese had been ex- sighted bearing 304 degrees, range ap- East, and by striking the enemy hard, it erting some pressure in Berlin through proximately 5,900 yards. This subma- would give Germany enough breathing diplomatic channels to have U-Boats rine appeared to be steering a course space to allow the U-Boat offensive to operating around Australian territory of approximately 115 degs while the recover and to take the initiative again. but any request would have only been speed was between 13 and 15 knots It would be four years before Timm for their own purpose. Certainly Lud- [250 revs.] I altered course and de- and his crew would return home. den’s report would have been a major cided on a target speed of 14 knots. As factor in the BdU decision to allow a course alteration was expected [by Crammed into every available space in Timm and Pich to begin operations in U-168] at any moment, I decided not U-862 were tons of foodstuffs, ammu- the new area. to fire on an 110degs track, but on this nition, lubricants and torpedoes plus as course of 030. I fired 6 torpedoes with ballast, hundreds of flasks of mercury On the 6 October 1944, Kapitan- a minimum firing interval of 5 seconds. and a shipment of lead for the Japa- leutnant Pich and U-168 was the first [Some torpedoes appeared to have de- nese war effort. Carrying out regular to leave for offensive deployment in the fects and were repaired on board there- duties was extremely difficult in such a Australian area. [ Timm followed after fore the Dutch commander allowed for Page 33 GREY WOLVES some torpedoes to malfunction.] The the news of the U-168 sinking reached We parted almost as friends. We be- target’s length was set at 250 feet and Soerabaja, the German U-Boat base longed to the officer’s mess; we spoke depth setting of all torpedoes was 6 and Commander was notified by the Com- German; we received the same rations 10 feet. The first torpedo was aimed half mander of the local Kempei Tai [Japa- as they did; we read German books; we a length ahead .The second just ahead nese Secret Military Police] Together played snakes and ladders, etc.’ and the remainder fired by interval. they drove to the coastal village where the U-Boat survivors had been landed. They were made as comfortable as pos- On the upper deck of the U-Boat, Upon learning of the capture of Pich sible and the Zwaardvitch and her pris- a lookout spotted the torpedoes ap- and some of the crew, the Japanese oners eventually docked at the United proaching and shouted a warning but it Commander became enraged and be- States Naval Submarine Base in Fre- was too late. The first torpedo exploded rated the German about the shame of mantle, Western Australia on the 26 in the fore part of U-168, the second hit capture which they, the Japanese would October. Within a few days, the five the control room but failed to explode never allow to happen. German submariners were transferred and the third hit the engine room and to the Gaythorne Internment and penetrated the pressure and also Goosens also wrote in his report; At Camp in Brisbane, failed to explode. Some of the crew on 0745 the transfer of the prisoners was Queensland. Here they were interro- the bridge were wounded or killed and completed but as I sailed off I found I gated by the Allied Translator and In- U-168 sank to approximately 120 feet. had two more prisoners than expected. terpreter Section [A.T.I.S.] This was an The medical officer and a wounded rat- intelligence unit composed of language Pich describes the attack; ing who was being treated below. personnel from all the Allied Nations It was at the change of watch, owing to The Commanding Officer of the sub- for the purpose of obtaining military which attentiveness suffered of course, marine was Kapitanleutnant Helmut intelligence. It brought together a series when the first torpedo hit us forward. Pich. I was able to ascertain the U- of steps taken by various headquarters The boat went down vertically into the Boat was a 1,6oo ton boat with 4 bow to organise and systematise the exploi- depths and took half our comrades with and two stern torpedo tubes. She was tation of captured documents and the her. I managed to get out of the sunken 2 years old and had made 3 patrols of interrogation of prisoners of war. The boat with part of the crew and reach 135, 75 and 35 days .They had had interrogators worked on the assump- the surface. Our opponent lay not far supplies during the long voyage from tion that information must be gained away and I swam towards the Dutch a supply submarine. The crew comple- from a prisoner in the first two weeks submarine and was taken aboard. ment was 52. after that, it’s not worth the trouble. Kapitanleutnant Pich was to admit lat- They got to work on Pich and his crew er that no counter measures were taken Goossens information about the U- straight away. What cargo were they against attack nor did he offer any ex- Boat’s patrols was incorrect as U-168 carrying? Where were the minefields? cuses had just started its fifth patrol the day What Japanese ports did the U-Boats before it was attacked. During his pa- use? What identification signals were Lieutenant-Commander Goossens trols, Kapitanleutnant Pich had sunk used between the German and Japa- continues; three British ships, Fresno City, Haich- nese naval units? They wanted to know Looking through the periscope, the ing and Salviking, one Greek ship, the everything and anything. submarine was seen settling down for- Epaminondas C Embiricos and dam- ward at an angle of 45 degrees. Only aged the Norwegian ship, Fenris as well INTERROGATION REPORT the stern was visible. I waited 10 min- as sinking six sailing ships. NUMBER 676 Serial 837. utes before surfacing in case there was any air cover present. The U-168 had taken 25 of her crew An assessment of five of the prisoners with her to a watery grave at the bot- from this report covered the following Twenty seven survivors were taken tom of the Java Sea. The five survivors areas. aboard the Dutch submarine but it was aboard the Zwaardvisch were now of- decided that there were too many to be ficially prisoners of war or as Pich de- [1] Assessment of Prisoners. [2] [Sink- able to safely continue the patrol. Three scribed it, ‘We became the spoils of ing Action. [3] Details of U-168. [4] officers were selected to stay and the war.’ Pich also praised his captor. ‘In our Operational Information. [5] German rest were taken to a local fishing boat profession, we respect one another. The U-Boat Bases- Batavia, Penang, Soera- that happened to be in the area so they Dutchman treated us in an exemplary baja. [The original brief summing up could be transported safely to Japa- way; as though we were comrades. They report was 25 pages in length and con- nese occupied territory. Later, when did everything to make our lot easier. tained quite detailed and useful infor- Page 34 GREY WOLVES mation. The following is a brief profile any kind, he later decided to tell any- in remote bushland POW camps. Here summary of the five prisoners compiled thing he knew about the Japanese as he they lived with hopes, fears, frustration, by the questioning allied officers of felt no patriotic responsibility towards power struggles, loyalties, betrayals and A.T.I.S at Gaythorne.] Japan. the heartache of not knowing what was happening back home to their families, Pich,Helmut. After ten weeks in Gaythorne, Kapitan- friends, love ones and their country. Kapitanleutnant. [Age 31] Was secu- leutnant Pich, Doctor Wenzel and Tor- That they were generally treated well rity conscious in the highest degree and pedo Officer Baenge were transferred to under the circumstances was evident by refused to make any other statement the POW internment camp at Dhur- the many who returned to Australia to beyond name and rank. He spoke slow- ringile in Victoria arriving mid Janu- settle. ly and hesitantly and always remained ary 1945. Quartermaster Feiertag was very courteous, cool and not excitable sent to the nearby camp at Murchison On the 21 January 1947, Pich and his and appeared to be very self reliant. and Oberleutnant Niemann arrived in crew along with other German POW’s He was liked very well by his crew and Dhurringile in July. Pich had the dubi- were repatriated on the RMS Orontes seemed to be a quiet and capable of- ous distinction of being the only POW from Port Melbourne in Victoria to ficer. U-Boat commander in Australia. Even Hamburg via Ceylon and . though the submariners had been Helmut Pich rejoined the German Wenzel, Georg away from Germany for approximately Navy and served with NATO and re- Ship’s Doctor. [Age 31] He was a fa- eighteen months, to most prisoners, tired with the rank of Fregattenkapitan. natical Nazi and true to type, very ar- they were a great source of information He died on the 18 March 1997 aged rogant, making constant. complaints as about the progress of the war and about 83. to treatment, food, health etc. the homeland. To the German POW’s who had been there for most of the Baenge, Hans. war, the news they got was dishearten- REFERENCES. Torpedo Officer. [Age 22] He was a ing. On a personal level, the Pich family For excellent detailed information typical example of the younger gen- had lost their property in East Prussia about the U862; Stevens, David. eration of . He was ex- and Helmut Pich’s home in Berlin had U-Boat Far From Home. Allen and tremely arrogant with unpleasant man- been bombed out twice. Unwin. Australia. 1997. ners and conceited. He appeared to be very excitable and not too intelligent When the war ended in Europe and and became confused when cross-ex- Germany had surrendered uncondi- General Information. amined. tionally, A.T.I.S interrogators tried Mac. Gregory. [email protected] once again to obtain details of the Jap- Feiertag, Hans. anese minefields and harbour defences Knee, Arthur and Lurline. Tatura Quartermaster. [Age 21] He was a from Pich and Feiertag in prepara- Irrigation and Wartime Camps simple-minded, rather easy going type. tion for an island to island invasion of Museum, Tatura, Victoria, Australia, Nevertheless he was convinced of the Japanese held territory. It was pointed Mitchell,Brett. Strategic Historical necessity of not saying anything which out to the officers that because of the Studies. Sea Power Centre, Depart- in the least way could be derogatory to unconditional surrender, they were re- ment of Defence, Canberra. Australia. his Fatherland and did not seem to be leased from their oath of allegiance to Military History on Line.com –The highly intelligent. Hitler and were now obliged to cooper- Battle of the Atlantic.MacDonough, ate. The Germans pointed out that they Frank. West Essendon, Melbourne, Nieumann, Heinz had received no official authorisation Victoria, Australia Winter,Barbara. Engineer Officer. [Age 35] [Of the to cooperate and it was still their duty Stalag Australia. Angus and Robertson. five, Chief Engineer Oberleutnant not to reveal any secrets of an ally still Australia. 1986. Heinz Niemann was the one the inter- fighting. The island to island invasion org/hyperwar-internet reference. rogators were most interested in. This never took place as Japan surrendered in the Atlantic-U-Boat Operations. officer gave almost all the information in August 1945. contained in this report. He was intel- Photographs. [C] Ken Wright. 2004. ligent, pleasant to talk to, amiable and During WW2, approximately 1400 MacDonough, Frank. West Essendon, rather broad minded. However, he was captured German servicemen and 220 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. essentially a Nazi. After hesitating at merchant seamen including officers first about about giving information of were transported to Australia and held Page 35 IT’S HOTTER’N HELL AT ANDIMESHK

Friday, August 28, 2009 from a steel furnace, and the heat plays right to sweat it out. It’s Hotter’n Hell at strange tricks. Some types of soap just Andimeshk It’s Hotter’n melt away, vaseline turns to liquid and At Andimeshk perspiration dries as it Hell at Andimeshk shaving-cream crumbles. leaves the pores—you can’t sweat, Andimeshk is practically in the suburbs YANK 25 Aug 1944 By Sgt. Burtt Evans of Dizful, “the City of the Blind,” hot- YANK Staff Correspondent test inhabited spot on earth. Dizful is one Many of the USN Armed Guard and Mer- Believe-It-or-Not place that lives up to chant Marine can elate to this. My brother, Desert District, Iran—A GI died at its billing. Whitson, whose letter states it was 138 de- Andimeshk post here and went to hell. grees in the shade and there was no shade “Where were you last stationed?” asked To avoid the heat, the people of this an- and also he states he hated to leave the sol- the Devil. cient city long ago went underground. diers behind that was serving in the area. All the mysterious­ functions of a Persian Whitson said that he lived off of salt tablets “Andimeshk,” replied the GI. city are performed in a labyrinth of caves and after leaving the area, a sandstorm in many feet below the earth’s surface. The the middle of the Persian Gulf covered the “Oh,” said the Devil sympathetically. wealthier the people are, the deeper they sun and covered the ship with sand and they can afford to dig, and there is a saying in had to pitch in and help the MM crew shovel “In that case you’d better rush over to the Dizful that “the robes of the rich rest on and wash off the sand should it rain on it supply sergeant and draw your woolen Noah’s waters.” Many of the inhabitants and cause havoc. (calloyd) underwear and winter overcoat.” never come up into the daylight. More than half are at least partially blind— This YANK Magazine is dedicated to They don’t publish the temperature at some because of disease, some because of all the war correspondants who covered Andimeshk,­ but estimates of the sum- their long stay below the earth. WW II alongside of the troops with a mer heat range from 130 to 180 degrees, camera, film and without a gun to cap- with most of the soldier vote favoring Other Army posts in the Persian desert ture and preserve history for those who the higher figure. Worst thing is that it’s are almost as hot as Andimeshk. As one were not there to see some of the horrors almost that hot at night, making it hard GI put it: “To my mind, when it gets over of war of those who were there. Many to sleep. An old-time GI resident of this l50 degrees it doesn’t make much differ- lost their lives to bring the front home desert hot box will pour a canteen of wa- ence.” to the soldiers family and friends. Many ter onto his mattress, then lie down in it are on the front lines today. Say a prayer and try to get to sleep before the water And nature kicks up other annoyances for them. Many YANK magazines can evaporates. form these camps. Ahwaz has almost be seen by searching on the web: YANK daily duststorms and the American sol- Magazine WW II . KPs have four meals a day to deal with diers who unload supply ships at the im- at Andimeshk — the usual three, plus portant port of Khorramshahr often la- Anonymous: cold fruit juices and snacks at 0930. This bor through sandstorms that blot out the breaks up the work day, which runs from sun. At Bandur Shapur it’s the humidity June 21, 2010 7:18 AM 0530 to 1300 for most of the men; it’s and stench that get you. murder to work in the afternoon. My father, Sgt. Emory Turner, served in The summer heat is even too much for the Persian Gulf Command during WWII Metal subjected to this red-hot sun has the flies. When the troops first hit this and often talked about the City of the Blind. caused many a flesh burn. Your dog tags waste area “the natives greeted them with He said the flies were so bad they would will sear your chest in the short walk from these heartening words: “InJuly the flies lay their eggs in the eyes of the children and barracks to mess hall. Yet the men here die; in August Johnny dies.” But thanks hatch, leaving them permanently blind. do heavy work, packing supplies for Rus- to sun helmets, salt tablets and numerous He also witnessed those soldiers whose sia. Most of them, like T/Sgt. Jo­seph E. heat-stroke centers, the medics have kept flesh was burned clean off their arms when Dionne, S/Sgt. Milton Kaplan, T-4 Peter heat casualties at a minimum. they were careless. No one came out during Farkas, T-4 Edward A. Marusa, Cpl. Ed- the day, and they could only travel at night ward G. Rice and Pfc. Carl C. Miller, are Andimeshk must be unique in one re- after the sun went down. spending their second summer here. spect. It is probably the only place in the world where the American soldier is de- The occasional breeze hits you like a blast nied his one inaliena­ble privilege—the Page 36 MAEDCHEN IN UNIFORM

Page 37 MAEDCHEN IN UNIFORM

Page 38 DELIVERING THE GOODS

#The Armed Guard’s motto was “We aim #“We were just young kids,” he said. “I was to deliver.” And they did. gung-ho. All I wanted was to be in the Navy.” #Mr. Hicks was born in Monroe and the youngest of four. His father was a city #During his two years and three months fireman, and the family lived in homes in the Navy, Mr. Hicks visited many other on E. Fourth, Island and Navarre Sts. ports, including Egypt, Ceylon and India, Mr. Hicks went to school at Lincoln and where the crew of Texarkana made its way was “dunked” at First Baptist Church to Hooghly River in Calcutta. Mr. Hicks on Wadsworth. It was generally a happy remembers the stench but, he added, “You Photo By Kim Brent childhood. get used to it.” Monroe Veteran In Navy’s Armed Guard Delivered #When the war began, his older brothers #Mr. Hicks spent the war steaming across The Goods were drafted into the Army and Army Air the seas, delivering rubber and arms or Corps. By the time Mr. Hicks was a senior picking up crates of tea and camelhair In 1941, the United States created the at Monroe High School, he knew his time coats. During his time in the Navy, Mr. Armed Guard, a service branch of the was coming. Drafted into the Navy, Mr. Hicks went around the world, manning Navy whose role during World War II Hicks chose the Armed Guard for his ser- his machine gun and spending time with included protecting Merchant Marines vice. His first ship was the SS Red Rover fellow sailors. His only encounter with and delivering goods, such as ammunition, (Come on over!), and he was trained to battle was that torpedo that cruised harm- around the world to fortify troops in battle. man the 20mm machine gun. lessly off the bow. Sometimes at night he would look up at the sky and marvel at the #Thousands of these ships steamed into #The sailors’ first destination was the stars twinkling above the South Pacific. hot zones to deliver necessary supplies. South Pacific islands, such as Guadalcanal. During the course of the war, hundreds Mr. Hicks never had even seen the ocean #“It was almost like I was on vacation,” he were sunk and 1,810 members of the before then. said. “I felt guilty.” Armed Guard lost their lives. Naval his- torians said the Armed Guard was not #“We didn’t know what we were taking #But he did the job he was assigned. Af- credited with winning the war, but with- or where we were going,” he recalled. “It ter his honorable discharge as a seaman out those men and their ships, the Allies could’ve been candy bars; it could’ve been first class, Mr. Hicks made his way back surely would have lost. peanut butter.” to Monroe and eventually married Don- na, the girl next door. This month they #A total of 144,970 enlisted men and #Upon their return to stateside, Mr. Hicks will have been married 57 years. officers served in the U.S. Navy Armed changed ships to the SS Texarkana Vic- Guard during World War II. One of those tory. The Victory ships replaced the slower #Mr. Hicks spent much of his working men was Marv Hicks of Monroe. Now Liberty ships, and more than 200 were career in the heating and cooling business 86, Mr. Hicks fondly recalls those years he named after American cities. Loaded in Monroe while helping raise a family. spent on the high seas going from port to with guns and ammunition, the Texarkana The couple has four children, eight grand- port to help deliver goods. He was one of headed for Australia. children and four great-grandchildren. the lucky ones who escaped combat. #The ship could cruise at 18 knots and #On the wall in their apartment on Frank #“I didn’t even fire a gun,” Mr. Hicks said. often zigzagged to avoid enemy detection. Dr. west of N. Telegraph Rd. is a framed “I didn’t see any warfare.” It was outside Australia where Mr. Hicks picture of Mr. Hicks in his Navy uniform had his closest encounter with real danger. from almost 70 years ago and his honor- #Like many others, Mr. Hicks lost friends A Japanese torpedo cruised past the ship’s able discharge certificate. from home in the war. So although he feels bow, missing its intended target by yards. guilt for having escaped battle, he is proud #Mr. Hicks thinks it’s a bit much to dis- of his small role in the country’s victory. #“It just missed us,” Mr. Hicks said. “We play something like that, but to his wife Although the Armed Guard unit hasn’t were lucky.” the picture and certificate are reminder s been featured in Hollywood, often histori- of a time long ago; a time when she eyed ans credit the Navy branch for shortening #Mr. Hicks recalled that back then he and a handsome sailor in a yellow convertible the war and making life less hellish for the the crew didn’t think much about what Buick who had proudly served his country. Allies in combat. could happen. Page 39 TORPEDOED Naval Armed Guard Service: Japanese Atrocities Against Related Resource: Naval Armed Guard Service During World War II

Source: Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. “History of the Armed Guard Afloat, World War II.” (Washington, 1946): 252-253. [This microfiche, identified as United States Naval Administrative History of World War II #173, is located in Navy Department Li- brary, and can be purchased, or borrowed through interlibrary loan.]

There are three outstanding examples Others were taken to the after section “Our ship was hit at about 9.30 the night of Japanese cruelty to survivors from of the submarine and beaten. About of February 6th. The first two pickles ships which they had torpedoed which 60 people were killed in this awful or- hit us in hold No.3 starboard side. They should not go unmentioned. These cas- deal. The approach of a plane forced came so close together the two explo- es illustrate the fanatical nature of the the submarine to submerge. A few men sions sounded almost like one. It was opponent with which the armed guards were able to untie their hands and es- sort of a bang, bang effect, like a double had to deal while on duty in Pacific cape. Others died as the submarine barrel shotgun being fired quickly. At and Indian Ocean waters. These cruel submerged. Sharks killed others. There the time, Mac, myself and three others acts took place in 1944 after the tide were few survivors. Five men refused to were in the vet dispensary, which for- of battle had already turned against the go aboard the submarine, including the tunately was on port side. I think that Japanese. Armed Guard officer. They were able we all realized what had happened and to escape. British ships picked up the immediately made for the door. The The Richard Hovey was torpedoed in survivors. lights of course were gone and it was the Indian Ocean on March 29, 1944, pitch black. I couldn’t make my voice just two days after she left Bombay. The On October 30 the John A. Johnson heard above the noise of the ship so lost Japanese submarine fired at No. 2 and was torpedoed between and contact with the other men. It’s the best No. 4 lifeboats and actually rammed San Francisco. The ship broke into two thing they didn’t follow me. I turned to No. 2 boat. The submarine took No. 1 parts and both sections were set on fire the right after getting through the door lifeboat in tow and took four prisoners, by shelling. The submarine machine and tried to get to the ladder going including the master. The only persons gunned lifeboats and rafts. Of the elev- topside. The hatch covering between who died were one [U.S. Naval] Armed en dead or missing, five were Armed upper and middle compartments had Guard and three men who were lost in Guards. A plane quickly sighted the been blown--.away and I fell into the the engine room. The men were able to survivors. The submarine also rammed lower compartment. Down there it was avoid machine gun fire only by diving a raft and a lifeboat. Meanwhile the all broken bottles, oil from the stor- into the water behind the boats and excited submarine crew shouted “Ban- age tanks and I. I slipped, slid, prayed the rafts which were being towed by zai” and hurled other remarks not fit to and grunted around down there until the lifeboats. The Armed Guard died print at the helpless Americans. I finally found a girder pointed in the of burns received aboard the ship. One right direction. It was like everything of the most interesting facts about the JAGGERS WRITES OF THE else, covered with oil, and climbing was struggle of the survivors for life is that TORPEDOING a problem. I seemed to get up three feet the junior assistant engineer construct- and slide.back two. ed a still. The water which was distilled By Dot Mead - 1945 helped to save the lives of several men. After what I imagined to be hours, I The following is a portion of a letter made the upper deck. When I could The Jean Nicolet was also torpedoed written by Pvt. John Jaggers, Mae Jag- look up and see a star it appeared so in the Indian Ocean. Two torpedoes gers’ son, to his wife, Dorothy, describ- good! Mac and the other fellows turned hit her on July 2. The Japanese shelled ing the torpedoing of the ship, carrying left on leaving the dispensary and were the ship and then forced about 95 a cargo of mules, which he was on last already on deck. I found a life belt, put men to come aboard the submarine winter en route India. Because of the it on and went around starboard side from the boats. They forced the men fate of some of the ships which went looking for Mac. I couldn’t find him so to give up all personal possessions of before them they were ordered to take a went back to my raft. He was assigned any value and tied their hands behind longer route, thinking it safer. Because to the same one but wasn’t there. I went their backs. They then forced the men of military regulations details of the to the bridge, still looking for him, and to run through a gauntlet and hit them disaster could not be disclosed when it heard he had gone off in one of the with bayonets and pieces of lead pipe. happened. lifeboats. I found some water, a rain- Page 40 TORPEDOED coat and went back to my raft. (I didn’t up and stopped about 70 feet from us. The first day on the raft we neither ate see Mac again until I reached shore. Baby, I was scared. If I was frightened nor drank. We found that the cover He was picked up four days before me aboard ship, it was nothing compared on our food supplies was loose and and made it here, the same day a ship to this. The sub stayed near us a few the stuff that was not in cans, such as found us). The Capt. was at the raft minutes; not moving. The periscope crackers, was spoiled by salt water. It and we stood there doing what little we turned around several times but no one was during this day we figured our daily could and waiting to see if we would came out on deck. Then it moved off ration. The same morning we fully ex- be ordered .to abandon ship. About and we never saw it again. Of course we pected the sub to pay us a visit. this time the third torpedo hit, again thought they were waiting for daylight on starboard side and slightly forward to come pack and shoot us like fish in This was also the same day we got the of the other two. Soon after we were a barrel. four rafts tied together. We would like shelled once. When the last torpedo to have gone back to the ship. We could hit, the ship broke in two, right forward Our raft was built for eight men and see it still floating but it was impossi- of the bridge. Holds No. 1, 2 and 3 sank that night we had 17 aboard. When it ble to paddle that far. We needed more immediately. was almost morning we found another food, water, blankets and clothing for raft and tied the two together. They took the men, but the stern of the ship drift- Now there was no doubt about our get- one of our men leaving us 16 which we ed as fast as we did and it was impos- ting off the thing. My raft was the first kept until rescued seven days later. They sible to get near it with a raft. (Mac was of our group of two that was cut loose. also had 16 men. in a lifeboat having oars and was able It didn’t drift away from the ship so that to return to the ship on the third day no one could slide down the rope to it. The next morning, the 7th, we saw two after we were sunk). We drifted slowly Thinking it was free a Lt. asked me to more rafts about 700 yards away. To give away from the ship and after the fourth go down the ladder on the outside of you some idea of how hard a raft is to day didn’t see it again. I heard later it the ship, swim out to the raft and see if manage, we paddled from 7 A. M. until remained afloat for 10 days and finally I could ,throw the line back aboard. The three that afternoon before we reached had to be sunk. Not bad for just one ladder ended half way down the side of them and tied the, four together. half a ship. the ship; so I had to jump. ‘The water was covered with oil and debris and if We now had 60 men in the four rafts. Everyone seemed to do fairly well until it hadn’t been for the lifebelt I couldn’t Some were injured so we kept the origi- the fifth day on the rafts. Then the con- have made the raft. The ship still had a nal 16 in our raft to make room for stant exposure, lack of food and water little forward motion and I swam like them. Even then there was no room to began to take effect. A few of the men the very devil to get to the raft. I found move. We sat jammed against each oth- weren’t exactly right in the “noggin.” a line attached to the ship and it was er, not daring to move our feet without The nights were the worse, for then easily pulled where it could be loaded. stepping on someone. Because of our we were colder - not that we were ever heavy load, the deck (floor to you) was warm. I thought that the Indian Ocean After we got men both off the ship and constantly covered with water and each was tropical, but how wrong I was! The out of the water we paddled quickly wave came over the sides on our backs. night we were torpedoed the water away. The ship was listing badly and we We were never dry, even during calm temperature was 58 degrees. Some of thought it might turn over on us. I nev- weather. the men had nothing on but shorts, and er paddled so hard in my life and made from three to five men had to share one less time. Rafts are the most stubborn To make our food and water last as long blanket. Through everything ole John- things I have ever seen. as possible, and still sustain us, we de- nie seemed to do okay. I didn’t feel es- cided to ration each man two ounces of pecially hungry, but I would have given We reached a point about 300 to 500 food and four ounces of water per day. most anything for a big drink of water. yards from the ship and stopped to rest. This way our food would have been About 9 o’clock of the 7th day on the We hadn’t been there but a few minutes gone at the end of 20 days and water raft we were picked up . . . when I heard a diesel motor running at 25. We felt sure they would find us slowly. Knowing it was a sub and think- by then for we believed ourselves to be (Thanks to Steve Jaggers) ing it was coming alongside to machine only 50 miles from land. We found later gun us, three of us jumped in the wa- we were 100 (due west of Australia). We ter. The others lay flat in the raft hop- also thought our S.O.S. might have been ing not to be seen amid all the pack- heard, not knowing the radio had been ing cases, etc, floating. The sub came blown apart. Page 41 TRAGEDY AT BARI Naval Armed Guard Service: Tragedy at Bari, Italy on 2 December 1943 Related Resource: Naval Armed Guard Service During World War II

Source: Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. “History of the Armed Guard Afloat, World War II.” (Washington, 1946): 166-169. [This microfiche, identified as United States Naval Administrative History of World War II #173, is located in Navy Department Library, and can be purchased, or borrowed through interlibrary loan.] were ashore. It was reported that three bombs hit the ship.

The Lyman Abbott was more fortu- nate, for she escaped with only moder- ate damage. Her report indicates that the harbor was crowded with some 30 ships plus one ship outside and that the harbor soon became an inferno of flames and smoke accompanied by vi- olent explosions of the burning ships. The master ordered “abandon ship” at 2015 when several burning ships drift- ed close, but she was re-boarded [when the danger passed]. Her only damage from bombs was to her rudder, but One of the most disastrous bombing prevent danger to other ships. A bomb the explosions added to her damage. attack against allied ships during the crashed through to the engine room at One Armed Guard was killed and the entire war took place at Bari, Italy, on about 1920 and an incendiary bomb Army Cargo Security Officer also died. December 2, 1943. This port was in the hit forward of the bridge. The German Nearly all of the Armed Guards suf- British theater of operations, but sev- pilot [of the attacking aircraft] strafed fered burns and some of them were hit eral American [merchant] ships with the deck [with machine gun fire]. An- by fragments. All in all, it was a grim [U.S. Navy] Armed Guards aboard ti-aircraft fire from ashore also hit the night for the Abbott, but she was able were at Bari on that fateful day [when ship. A searchlight was [shined] on the to leave on January 10 [1944]. a German air raid occurred]. When the ship for seven minutes after the attack last bomb had fallen, and the last ship began, apparently because somebody The Louis Hennepin was the only exploded, and the large fires had run ashore forgot to turn it off. All of the ship carrying Armed Guards which their course, 17 ships had been sunk Armed Guards survived but the dead escaped without material damage. But and six damaged. There were five Unit- and missing among the merchant crew two bombs landed about 100 yards ed States ships sunk and one damaged. numbered 10 and there were also casu- from the ship and two Armed Guards One other United States ship came alties to Army personnel [who were on were wounded. Her Armed Guard of- through unscathed. board]. ficer reported that lights along the dock All of the Armed Guards were lost stayed on for 13 minutes after the first The Joseph Wheeler had her starboard with the John Harvey [which was car- bomb dropped, and [he] declared that side blown out and was on her port rying mustard gas]. Most of the mer- port facilities were inadequate and that side when her Armed Guard officer, chant crewmen were also missing. Ap- there was a lack of coordination. This who had been ashore arranging for the parently the only people who survived ship fired some 6,000 rounds of 20mm pay of his men, last saw her. The only were those who were ashore. ammunition during the attack. She also Armed Guard survivors were the of- fired on December 11. ficer and twelve men who were taking The John L. Motley had grim luck a well-earned liberty in the town. There on her trip to the Mediterranean. On The John Bascom was hit by three were 15 Armed Guards dead or miss- August 8, calcium carbine had caused bombs at 1945. This fine ship was ap- ing and 26 of the merchant crew miss- an explosion and fire [on board]. Then parently the first in the harbor to open ing. came her end at Bari. There were only fire [on the attacking German aircraft]. five survivors from her Armed Guards, An explosion on the John L. Motley The Samuel J. Tilden was bombed and and 30 of the merchant crew were caused the whole port side of the Bas- then sunk by two British torpedoes to missing or dead. Four of her survivors com to cave in. The ship did not have a Page 42 TRAGEDY AT BARI chance to survive. From this awful car- nage emerged one of the finest heroes Note: Among the ships sunk when of the Armed Guard Service. Ensign German JU-88 bombers attacked the Kay K. Vesole won the Navy Cross and port of Bari on the night of 2 Decem- later had a Navy ship named for him. ber 1943 was John Harvey, which was But he lost his life in heroic service to carrying mustard gas intended for use his crew. Wounded in the shoulder and in retaliation by the Allies if German over the heart, he still went from gun to forces initiated gas warfare. Most of the gun directing action and rendering aid released gas was carried out to sea by an cal Department: Medical Service in to the wounded and dying. Weak from offshore breeze, but many military and the Mediterranean and Minor Theat- the loss of blood, he conducted a party civilian personnel were temporarily in- ers. (Washington: Office of the Chief of his men below decks and supervised capacitated or killed by undetermined of Military History, Dept. Of the the carrying of wounded to the boat amounts of the gas which were held in Army): 350-351.] deck. When the ship was in a burning solution in oil that was floating on the and sinking condition he supervised water. Of the more than 800 casualties For further information: the loading of the only lifeboat not hospitalized after the raid, 628 suffered destroyed. His crew had to force him from mustard gas exposure. Sixty-nine Infield, Glenn B. Disaster at Bari. into the lifeboat. He wanted to swim to deaths were attributed in whole or in New York: Macmillan, 1971.[contains make room for men with worse wounds part to this cause. a useful bibliography and reproduc- than his. He insisted on rowing with tions of official reports]. his uninjured arm as he helped dis- Medical officers and aidmen treating the embark the wounded. He helped carry casualties were unaware of the presence Mahoney, Tom. “Comment and Dis- wounded to the bomb shelter and had of the gas, which was diluted sufficiently cussion: The Bari Incident.” United to be restrained from going back into to be detected by odor. In the belief that States Naval Institute Proceedings. 94, the flames to rescue other wounded casualties covered with oil but showing no.1 ( Jan. 1968): 101-102. [comments when an ammunition ship blew up. no physical damage were suffering from regarding mustard gas casualties]. He dispatched a signalman to the end exposure and immersion, they were of the jetty to signal for help. He re- wrapped in blankets, still in their oil- Morison, Samuel Eliot. - Saler- fused to embark in the first boat sent soaked clothing, given hot tea, and left no - Anzio, January 1943 - June 1944. to rescue the Bascom survivors but was as they were for twelve to twenty-four vol.9 of History of United States Na- forced into the second. He appears to hours while the more urgent blast inju- val Operations in World War II. Bos- have sacrificed every chance to recover ries and surgical cases were treated. ton: Little Brown, 1954. [On pages in his efforts to save others. He was in Those with the energy and will to clean 319 and 322, Morison briefly describes every sense one of the finest heroes of the oil from their own bodies suffered the raid calling it “the most destructive World War II and typified the finest no serious damage, but the remainder enemy air raid on shipping since the in the traditions of the Navy and the suffered varying degrees of mustard .”]. Armed Guard Service. From this de- burns. Eyes began to burn about 6 struction of his ship nine of his Armed hours after exposure, and were so bad- Sanders, D.M. “The Bari Incident.” Guards perished with him. Nine men ly swollen in 24 hours that many of the United States Naval Institute Pro- from that crew were awarded Bronze patients thought themselves blind. The ceedings 93, no.9 (Sep. 1967): 35-39. Star Medals. first deaths occurred without warning Southern, George. Poisonous Inferno: 18 hours after exposure. World War II Tragedy at Bari Harbour. Bari was one of those sudden blows Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife Publishing, which did great damage but did not About 90 percent of the gas casual- 2002. [Includes a chart on pp. 14-15 of long delay the victorious march of the ties were American, the bulk of them ship berthing at port of Bari, with loca- allies in Italy. The blow was too sudden merchant seamen. Since no U.S. hos- tions of ships indicated.]. for Armed Guards to do much to de- pital facilities were yet available in fend their ships. It well illustrates the Bari - equipment for all but one of 08 August 2006 danger which was always just around the U.S. hospitals scheduled for the the corner for all Armed Guard crews. area were destroyed in the bomb- Men who go through such actions have ing - casualties were hospitalized in to be highly disciplined and trained, British installations. [Adapted from: and to have superb courage. Wiltse, Charles Maurice. The Medi- Page 43 THE ARMED GUARD POINTER-1945

Page 44 THE ARMED GUARD POINTER-1945

Page 45 MORE FROM THE CREW

Mr. Lloyd, Hope this not finds you and Mrs. in the best of health.

Here is a small donation.

This photo of the SS Hawaiin Ship- per Gun Crew would like it in a future Pointer if you have space. Had a copy made so you can do as you like with it. Have a had no contact with any of the crew.

Thank You, An Old Armed Guard Charles L. Greene 705 N. Bumblebee Dr. Little River-Academy, Texas 76554

© 2011 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Page 46 MERCHANT SHIPS A NORMANDY Naval Armed Guard Service: Merchant Ships at Normandy during the D-Day Invasion (Operation Neptune), June - July 1944 Related Resource: Naval Armed Guard Service During World War II

Source: Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. “History of the Armed Guard Afloat, World War II.” (Washington, 1946): 176- 185. [This microfiche, identified as United States Naval Administrative History of World War II #173, is located in the Navy Department Library, and can be purchased, or borrowed through interlibrary loan.]. Losses to merchant ships [during the supplies and ammunition had to be food and quarters to countless numbers invasion] were much lower than had moved topside, for the decks of some of troops and small boat crews. One of been anticipated. In fact, the operation of the ships were to be under water at her Armed Guards was wounded by a ran with all the regularity of a well- times. shell fragment. Not until June 17 did adjusted clock. Many ships plied back the Armed Guards leave the ship. and forth between English ports and The men aboard the 13 ships scut- the beaches at Normandy. Some ships tled off Omaha Beach and the 9 ships The Courageous reported E-boat at- made as many as three trips in June scuttled off had much the tacks en route to Omaha Beach, artil- alone. Most ships which went [to the same experiences. Crossing the [Eng- lery fire upon arrival on June 7, and air Normandy landing areas] in the early lish] Channel there were the [enemy] attacks every night from June 7 to 12. days of the invasion had some contact mines and the E-boats [small fast Ger- On June 9 her Armed Guards hit a with the enemy, but losses were small. man motor torpedo boats also known [German] plane which in turn dropped The Luftwaffe [German air force] no as Schnellboote or S-Boats; similar to a bomb so close that the decks were longer had the punch which made it American PT-boats]. By day German sprayed with fragments. The plane the scourge of ships in the Mediterra- 88mm guns fired at the block ships, and crashed. The Potterwas forced to sea- nean in 1942 and 1943. Overwhelming by night enemy bombers came over. ward on the night of June 7 by [Ger- [Allied] might was slowly reducing the man] 88mm [artillery] fire, but was German ability to strike. The James Iredell was the lead ship scuttled the next day. Many shell frag- among the block ships and she was ments landed on her decks and one Block Ships, Mission A scuttled at the appointed position on Armed Guard was wounded. Her crew the afternoon of June 7, 1944. At 2030 was relieved on June 13. Several bombs The story of how a modern [artificial] German artillery fire became so heavy landed close to the James W. Marshall. port was built at Omaha and Utah that the Armed Guards on this ship Her Armed Guard officer remained on beaches has already been revealed. and on the Baialaideand the Galves- board until June 22 in connection with Armed Guards on some 22 merchant ton were evacuated. But they returned the command of all Armed Guards on ships which were scuttled [deliberately to their ships on the morning of June the scuttled ships. But Army person- sunk] to make a breakwater played a vi- 8. The Armed Guards of theBaialaide nel took over the gunnery duties on the tal part in this operation. For days they remained at their guns until June 17. At Marshall on June 13. The Wilscox had endured the early fury of the German high tide the main deck of the ship was a narrow miss on June 11. Her Armed counter-attack and helped give fire six feet under water. The Armed Guards Guards were also evacuated on June protection to the forces ashore from on the James Iredell and the Galveston 13. The Armed Guards on the Auda- their partly submerged ships. This was recorded air attacks every night until cious remained aboard until June 18. a task which required courage and the June 15, when they were relieved. On The Armed Guards on the Olambala ability to do without sleep. the George W. Childs, which was scut- reported some 32 air attacks to June tled on June 8, the Armed Guards had 16, but only one merchant seaman was The 22 block ships were carefully pre- narrowly missed being hit by artillery wounded before the merchant crew was pared for their assigned operation. The fire as they lay off the beach on the night removed. Fragments from 88mm guns heavy [deck] gun aft was removed and of June 7. Mines and E-boats had been which were scoring near misses hit the four 20mm [anti-aircraft guns] and a encountered while crossing the Chan- decks of the Artemus Ward on June 40mm [anti-aircraft gun] were gener- nel. There were three or four air attacks 7. One Armed Guard was wounded ally substituted. The ships were stripped at night and one bomb landed 50 yards on June 9. Bombs narrowly missed on of all unnecessary gear. About eight ex- from the Childs. She was credited with June 10 and 11, and shell fragments hit plosive charges were placed in the holds two assists [in shooting down enemy on the latter date. Part of the gun crew and large openings were cut in the aircraft]. She established a kind of open was removed on June 19. Because of a transverse bulkheads. Necessary food house for visiting firemen by furnishing storm from June 19 to 22 [this was the Page 47 MERCHANT SHIPS A NORMANDY great storm which wrecked the artifi- States on the Queen Elizabeth. There Smith was hit by shell fragments from cial “mulberry” harbors at the Norman- was no loss of life among the Armed shore batteries while at Normandy dy beachheads], the ship cracked. The Guards taking part in this dangerous soon after D-Day. The Charles Mor- last Armed Guards were not removed operation. gan brought down two planes on June until June 22. The West Grama fired 9 but was hit by a bomb in her No. 5 about 19 times and scored one assist The Commander of United States Na- hatch the next morning. Killed and on June 9. One Armed Guard on this val Forces in Europe highly commend- wounded numbered about twelve, but vessel was wounded while at Omaha ed the Armed Guard personnel for no Armed Guards were injured. This Beach. A bomb landed close to the ship their participation in placing the block ship was abandoned. The Will Rog- on June 14. Her Armed Guards left the ships and defending the ships until re- ers shot down one plane and helped ship on June 18. She was credited with lieved by Army personnel. bring down another on the night of two assists [in shooting down German June 8. She survived the entire Nor- aircraft].Flight Command reported 30 Supplying the Army of Liberation. mandy operation only to be torpedoed to 35 alerts prior to June 15. near Liverpool in April 1945. She was Armed Guards on merchant ships beached. Shell fragments hit the decks At Utah Beach the George S. Was- making trips between Britain and Nor- of the John Steel prior to her departure son went through 32 raids from June mandy experienced just about every from Normandy. On June 8 five Armed 7 to 14. The David O. Saylor was form of attack. Submarines and planes Guards and two merchant crewmen forced to withdraw from Utah Beach were supplemented by the new “V” were injured on the Horace Gray when because of heavy artillery fire which bombs [the German V-1 missiles - the a 20mm shell exploded in her 5”/38 gun was straddling her on June 7. She was “buzz bomb” - an unguided cruise mis- platform [naval artillery is described also forced to withdraw once on June sile launched from bases in France to by bore size and bore length in calib- 8 but was successfully scuttled in the hit targets in England] which passed ers - thus this gun had a 5-inch bore, afternoon. Her Armed Guards left on over many ships on their way to Eng- 38 calibers - 190 inches - in length]. June 13. The West Nohno helped shoot land. Mines were a constant menace, Fragments landed on the Benjamin down several enemy planes on June 10. and they took a heavy toll of ships. E Hawkins on June 9 when a bomb land- Her Armed Guards left on June 18. boats were active [German fast torpe- ed close. Many shell fragments hit the TheBenjamin Contee Armed Guards do boats]. German artillery continued Collis P. Huntington during the early withdrew from the ship on June 14 af- to shell the anchorages [off the Nor- days at Utah Beach and this ship de- ter 32 raids. Artillery narrowly missed mandy landing beaches] for some days. stroyed a [German] plane. The Walter the Matt W. Ransom at Utah Beach. Fortunately, there as excellent [Allied] Hines Pagehit a plane on June 8. The Her Armed Guards reported many air cover and ships were required to an- Robert E. Peary was strafed by a [Ger- alerts and indicated that from 8 to 10 chor off the beaches for only a few days man] plane on June 9 and destroyed rounds of [German] artillery fire were before returning to England for more one plane on this date. The William observed each day to June 15. They left cargo. While the number of planes de- Carson suffered five casualties on June two days later. TheVitruvius reported stroyed by Armed Guards at Norman- 9 when a shell landed inside her 3”/50 that six planes were shot down by her dy is not large, their guns made excel- gun tub [a gun platform on the bow or fire and by the shore batteries on June lent records on the few occasions when stern which resembled a tub] and ex- 10. She was narrowly missed by bombs they fired. ploded. The Amos G. Throop was cred- on the night of June 11. The Armed ited with the destruction of one plane Guards on the Victory Sword brought It is impossible to describe all of the on this date. down six planes on the night of June action at Normandy. Attack was ex- 10. TheWest Cheswald claimed one pected, and most ships were attacked at The John S. Mosby and the Helias each plane destroyed. Her Armed Guards one time or another. Her we shall men- had five casualties from the anti-aircraft were not removed until June 19. The tion only ships which actually suffered fire at the beaches on June 9. Several West Honaker was damaged by two damage or which inflicted damage on soldiers were killed and wounded when skip bombs on June 8 and part of the the enemy. a German shell landed 20 feet from the merchant crew and the Armed Guards Ezra Weston on June 9. This ship was abandoned ship. Not until June 10 was One of the first merchant ships to be hit sunk off the English coast on August 8 she scuttled about 400 yards from the at Normandy was theFrancis C. Har- when she hit a mine. When the Armed beach. Her Armed Guards left on June rington. On June 7 she struck a mine. Guard officer called for volunteers to 14. The Armed Guard crews from the There were 25 casualties but no Armed man the aft gun, all Armed Guards vol- block ships were returned to the United Guards were injured. The Jedediah S. unteered even though orders had been Page 48 MERCHANT SHIPS A NORMANDY given to abandon ship. But the Armed soldier was killed. was encountered about 30 miles south Guards were forced to abandon ship in of Catherine Point. There were Army about 25 minutes. The Casimir Pulaski brought down a casualties aboard the James A. Farrell. plane on June 14. She was missed by The John Merrick avoided the mines by The James B. Weaver was credited with two aerial torpedoes by only 15 feet. a turn to the right. one [shot down enemy] plane on June Bomb fragments hit the Arthur Sewall 10. She also exploded two rocket bombs on July 12 and flak landed on her decks The William A. Jones was one of the [V-1 missiles passing overhead?]. A on July 29. On December 29 south of few merchant ships to bring down a ro- 20mm shell injured two men, neither Portland Bill a torpedo struck the ship. bot bomb [German V-1 missile]. She of them Armed Guards, on the Henry She fired at torpedoes and claimed shot the bomb down on June 25 [the Percy on June 10. Four men on the Ed- hits. There were no serious wounds to V-1’s flew low and slow]. Merchant ward W. Scripps were hit by bomb or Armed Guards, but there were casu- ships spoke of the Straits of Dover as shell fragments. alties among the merchant crew. The “Doodlebug Alley” because so many of Charles C. Jones had two very near the V-bombs were observed flying over. The John Hay was one of the few mer- misses from bombs on June 15 and one chant ships which reported firing at an soldier was slightly injured. The Cot- On July 25 the David Starr Jordan suf- E boat. Two [Navy Seabee] Construc- ton Mather downed a plane on the fered 15 casualties from fragmentation tion Battalion personnel aboard were same day. Flak landed on the decks of bombs which landed close. Two sol- hit by flak on June 10 and one Armed the Elihu Root on June 16 and bomb diers died. One three of the wounded Guard was injured on June 11. Frag- fragments hit the ship two days later. were Armed Guards. Perhaps the most ments from German shells landed on The William N. Pendleton was hit on unusual weapon with which a ship was the stern gun deck of the George G. June 18 by a bomb which did not ex- bombarded fell upon the Joseph Story Crawford on June 10. The Cyrus H. plode. A fire was quickly extinguished. on July 23. This consisted of a package McCormick came through the Nor- The Armed Guard officer and the chief of propaganda leaflets. mandy invasion with nothing worse radio operator were slightly wounded. than one member of the merchant crew The Moose Peakwas credited with one The Farallon towed ten block ships to hit by a bomb or shell fragment. But plane on June 19. France in three months. On her return she was torpedoed on April 18, 1945 voyages to England she towed dam- while en route from New York to the On June 25 the Matthew T. Goldsboro aged ships. On August 23 a British . was hit by fragments from shells burst- freighter was being towed when a tor- ing in the Straits of Dover. A hole was pedo struck the British ship. En route On June 11 the George White field blown in the engine room 15” in diam- to the United States with an LST [a claimed a hit on a German plane. The eter. She as also shelled by coastal bat- US Navy Landing Ship, Tank] in tow Dan Beard survived only to be torpe- teries on July 22. on December 20, the Farallonhad an- doed in January, 1945. The ship was other close call when the LST was tor- off the British coast. She broke in two Several ships struck mines, especially pedoed. A [Navy] destroyer escort came parts. Only 15 Armed Guards survived. toward the end of June. On June 28 the to the scene and was in turn torpedoed. Two merchant seamen were wounded Charles W. Eliot struck a mine off Juno The Farallontook this ship in tow after on June 11 when bombs fell close to the Beach and was a total loss. Two Armed the LST was abandoned. A [German George E. Badger. She may have hit a Guards and two merchant seamen were submarine] periscope appeared only 20 plane on this date. wounded. On June 29 four ships struck feet from the Moose Peak. mines. The Edward M. House, already The William L. Marcy was hit by shell credited with one plane at Normandy, Such were the principal events in the fragments from German shells on June was en route to Utah Beach. She struck history of the Armed Guards at Nor- 13 while in the Straits of Dover. She a mine in the afternoon but was able to mandy. The ships discussed above by no made seven voyages to France only to continue to the beach. There were only means exhaust the list. In any event, the have an explosion, perhaps from a mine, minor casualties. The H.G. Blasdell above mentioned ships were involved off on August 7. All hands was towed back to England after she in action which was typical of that to be abandoned ship but she was reboarded struck a mine. There were many Army found around Normandy. Their experi- the same day. Her Armed Guard officer casualties aboard the ship. Other ships ences were somewhat worse than those thought that perhaps a human torpedo which struck mines on this date were of many ships which were at Norman- struck the ship. Armed Guard suffered reported to be theJames A. Farrell and dy during the war. only minor cuts and bruises, but one the John A. Treutlen. The mine field Page 49 Mission Looks For Oil On Tanker

Two weeks after the attack on Pearl Har- was the second such trip they had taken It wasn’t until 2009 that state Sen. Sam bor, a Japanese submarine shot a torpedo and had been warned that Japanese sub- Blakeslee, R-San Luis Obispo, learned at an American oil tanker just off the Cali- marines were in the area. The torpedo hit about the potential environmental disaster fornia coast, sinking the ship and sending the ship’s bow, which cracked off when the from a local newspaper report about the 3 million gallons of crude to the bottom Montebello hit the ocean floor. Montebello, news that eventually prompt- of the ocean. All 38 people on board were ed him to help assemble a team of federal rescued. Quincy recalled a small spark of light as and state officials and scientists to inves- though someone had turned on a flash- tigate the situation. The effort will cost The SS Montebello has sat mostly intact light, an explosion that threw water up $2.3 million, money that will come out of 900 feet below the surface with the oil over the bridge, and then the ship began a fund that oil companies pay into for such remarkably still on board after seven dec- to sink from the torpedo hit. Quincy, a measures. ades. A mission to see how much of the 92-year-old former merchant mariner oil remains in the hold of the 440-foot now living in Danville, is the last remain- “It was one of those issues that was really ship launches this week to help officials ing survivor from the sinking of the Mon- not on anyone’s radar and no one really determine how to prevent the crude from tebello six miles off the coast of Cambria. knew the ship was out there,” he said. “I leaking and marring the celebrated central think that terrible incident in the Gulf of California coastline. “We thought it might catch fire because Mexico galvanized all the stakeholders to we were carrying a volatile product,” take action and be proactive and get an- “Eventually, something has to be done,” Quincy said. “Undoubtedly, it’s in there swers given the terrible cost and environ- said Andrew Hughan, a spokesman with somewhere because there haven’t been any mental damaged that occurred.” California Fish and Game. “If 3 million real hull leaks in the area.” gallons of oil made its way to the beaches A report recommending a possible course in front of Hearst Castle it would be a dis- The Montebello, meanwhile, has been of action is expected to be released later aster for the area.” sitting upright ever since. Murky pictures this year. from previous dives show a ship partially Divers along with a remotely-operated covered in a thick coat of barnacles, star- Officials worry a potential spill from the underwater vehicle will begin their as- fish and marine debris. Montebello could eclipse the massive sessment Wednesday and take samples, a Santa Barbara oil platform blowout that process that is expected to take as many as Few knew about the Montebello’s fate coated miles of coastline in 1969, washing 12 days. even immediately after it sank. Fearing a ashore the bodies of dolphins and seals. mass panic that the Japanese had gotten so The vehicle will drill and later seal a 1-inch close to shore, the government confiscated Another ship that sank in 1953 near San diameter hole into some of the tanks to newspaper reports about the sinking at Francisco called the SS Jacob Luckenbach take samples that will be analyzed by sci- the time and did not publicly disclose the slowly leaked some of the 475,000 gallons entists. event even into the Cold War, said Eggers. of oil the freighter was carrying, fouling the coast for decades. The Coast Guard While it’s possible the oil leaked out over In fact, Japanese submarines operated spent $20 million to remove oil from the the past decades, officials say it’s likely along the U.S. West Coast, although they ship and seal it from future leaks, which crude remains in the hull. By this point, did not sink the numbers of ships that had already killed tens of thousands of sea the oil is so old that it likely has the con- German U-boats claimed along the East birds. sistency of peanut butter, said U.S. Coast Coast and Gulf of Mexico. In addition to Guard spokesman Adam Eggers. the Montebello, two other tankers were For his part, Quincy said he intends on sunk on the coast off Oregon and Cres- keeping an eye on what the mission un- “No one knows what 70-year-old oil cent City, Calif. covers. He’s seen past videos that panned does,” he said. “It’s 40 degrees down there. over the ship and even spotted the area Is it going to rise to the surface, warm up Among other famous World War II at- where he had been standing when they and liquefy or it is going to be a rock?” tacks in the American theater, a float plane were hit. dropped incendiary bombs in the woods The Montebello set out from Port San near Brookings, Ore. Japan also launched “It’ll be interesting to see just how much Luis, Calif., on Dec. 22, 1941, bound for a thousands of bomb-laden balloons across the damage there was and where it was refinery in Canada with fresh crude. the Pacific in a largely failed attempt to set and all that,” he said. “It would bring back American forests ablaze. One bomb did a lot of memories. It was a wild night.” Crew member Richard Quincy said it kill an Oregon woman and five children. Page 50 UNDERSEA BATTLEFIELDS

Page 51 USN Armed Guard WW II Veterans 115 Wall Creek Drive Rolesville, N.C. 27571 1 (919) 570-0909 [email protected] www.armed-guard.com

“Donations keeps us afloat”

AUG/DEC 2012 Edition

REMEMBER ALSO: THE TWIN TOWERS THE PENTAGON AND FLIGHT 93 God Bless Them

This POINTER is in Memory of all Branches of service in WW II; the Navy, Army, Marines, Airmen, Seabees, Merchant Seamen, Wacs, Waves, and especially to the Special Unit of the Navy known as the U.S. NAVY ARMED GUARD which was first used as Gun Crews in WW I on board cargo, tankers and and where needed to protect the ship, cargo and the merchant crews who bravely ran the ships to each port of call until deactivated after WW I. They were established again for the same purpose in September of 1941 and remained active until WW II was over and the need for gunners were not needed. This issue is also in honor to all the people all over the world who built ships, planes, tanks, trucks, jeeps, guns, ammo and all things needed to win a war against the ruthless killers. Thanks to age theP farmers 52 who fed us all. Thank God for seeing us through.