USS SHIELDS DD-596 All Eras Reunion Association Newsletter September 2020 Jene Cain, ETR2 61-63 Editor This Newsletter Sent to 690 Former Crew Members, Families & Guests USS SHIELDS DD-596 All Eras WWII Korea Vietnam Copyright © 2002 - 2020 http://www.dd596.com Keeping SHIELDS Safe in a Storm By: Joseph Sperandio, LCDR, CO, 60- 61 Unfortunately our 2020 reunion has been cancelled due to the virus. While it will not As told at the October 2019 Reunion to replace a reunion this special edition will offer Dave Murphy, LTJG, ‘57 - ‘60 you the opportunity to relive some memories As skipper of the SHIELDS it was my during your time aboard the SHIELDS. responsibility to keep the ship and her crew safe and well This issue contains nine sea stories. My thanks under all conditions. During a storm at sea this required special training and seamanship. The only two things we to those who submitted these accounts. could do to remain safe was to pick the speed and course Jene Cain, Editor we thought would be safest. In calm seas we usually steamed at 15 knots (17.3 mph) but in a storm we reduced our speed to about 10 to 12 knots (11.5 to 13.8 mph). At slower speeds too little water went past the rudders making it difficult for the helmsman to control the ship’s heading. The nautical term for this condition is “insufficient steerage-way”. At speeds much above 12 knots (13.8 mph), the SHIELDS would be pounded by the waves with the real danger that a seam in the hull might be opened to the sea causing flooding. The course we steered, or more accurately tried to steer, was controlled by the direction of the wind and the waves. Wind and waves were usually, but not always, coming from the same direction. Our planned port of call was simply no longer a consideration. Prudence demanded we steer that course which kept the An undated early photo of SHIELDS. crew as comfortable as possible and posed the least risk Source: NavSource Naval History. of damaging the ship. http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/596.htm Picking the safest course and speed was pretty much a matter of trial and error, but even so past experience gave us some guidelines. We never steamed directly into the wind. If we did, the SHIELDS’ stem would plough into a wave dumping a load of heavy green water on the forecastle. By steering about 30 degrees either to port or starboard, the bow picked up less water. Steering at such an angle did often twist the ship away from the wind but, with sufficient steerage-way the helmsman could eventually bring her back on course. Likewise we never steamed in a storm with the wind and waves dead astern. Had we done so the following sea might raise up the stern and push the ship forward like a surf-board. Alternatively the waves might cause the ship to yaw excessively with a danger of being Masks! L to R Sam Mills, ETR3, Jene Cain ETR3 after turned broadside to the waves. cleaning the ECM Domes on the after stack. Earlly 60s Continued on page 3 USS SHIELDS DD-596 All Eras Reunion Association Newsletter September 2020 Page 2 Board Members Contact Info Eldest Living Shipmates Jack Blann, LTJG, 61-63 10 ELDEST OFFICERS President, Memorabilia Keeper New addition in bold face 1008 N. Beeline Hwy Payson, AZ 85541-7312 Fredell, Erling W., LT, 49, 12/01/1918 Cell Ph: 928-308-4850 Holstrom, Robert W. P., ENS, 45-46, E-mail: [email protected] 01/30/1925 Chet A. Swart, RD1, 52 Clausen, Paul K., LT, 53-54, 02/23/1925 Secretary Sperandio, Joseph L., CDR, 60-61, 09/06/1925 PO Box 1227 McQueen, Albert H., ENS, 45-46, 02/20/1926 Fullerton CA 92836-8227 Phone: 714-526-8256 Batchelor, Kenneth F., LCDR, 64, 10/21/1926 E-mail: [email protected] Gleghorn, George Jay, LTJG, 52-53, 05/27/1927 Roy Cook, ETN2, 56-59 Treasurer George, Charles A., LT, 60, 07/19/1927 7239 N. 15th St. Lobley, Stanley R., ENS, 53, 08/12/1927 Dalton Gardens, ID, 83815-9507 Gooden, Richard O., LT, 58-59, 01/18/1928 Cell Ph: 208-640-4447 E-mail: [email protected] 10 ELDEST ENLISTED Larry L. Danforth, LTJG, 64-65 New addition in bold face Webmaster 4312 Evergreen LN STE A Hendrickson, Jack M., MM2, 45-46, 10/11/1921 Annandale, VA 22003-3273 Dukett, James E., MM3, 44-46, 01/29/1923 Cell Ph: 703-303-1739 Bainton, Donald O., TM2, 44-46, 07/18/1923 Phone: 703-536-1926 E-mail: [email protected] Lynch, Jack S., GM2, 50-52, 07/10/1924 Hellwig, Eugene C., FN, 50, 07/17/1924 Alan H. O’Shea, FN, 58-59 Bowman, Joaquin, S1C, 44-45, 10/03/1924 Vice President 709 Mossburn CT Hensley, Richard V., S1, 45-46, 11/12/1925 Fuquay Varina, NC 27526-7788 Preciado, Gustavo, S1, 45-46, 01/02/1926 Phone: 919-567-0498 Anderson, Byron S., BMG3, 50-52, 01/28/26 E-mail: [email protected] Boswell, James C., RM3, 44-46, 02/01/26 Friends to the Board Contact Info Newly Found Shipmates Jene Cain, ETR2, 61-63 Newsletter Editor None 26793 W Irma Ln Buckeye, AZ 85396-9233 Ph: 928-252-2060 Cell Ph: 612-719-4350 E-mail: [email protected] Recently Passed Shipmates Judy Ragan Ship’s Store 3459 Township Ave Darby, Raymond L., EM3, 63, Simi Valley, CA 93063-1546 Fleming, William H., GM3, 54-58 Ph: 805-527-2196 Lauderdale, Charles T., SN, 52-55 E-mail: [email protected] Pierce, Harold P., LT, 60 Jim Durough, ETN2, 62-65 Rawls, Harvey A., S2, 45 Assistant Newsletter Editor Shipmate Locator 5470 South Shades Crest Road These Lists provided by: Bessemer, AL 35022-4183 Phone: 205-425-9197 Jim Durough, ETN2, 62-65 E-mail: [email protected] USS SHIELDS DD-596 All Eras Reunion Association Newsletter September 2020 Page 3 Continued from page one My online research leads me to believe that only two Fletchers sank in storms although several Keeping SHIELDS Safe in a Storm older, smaller tin cans did.1 Yet another problem is that the propellers might USS SPENCE (DD-512) was Sunk by Typhoon be raised out of the sea; causing them to spin in Cobra air thus reducing the ship’s speed with the danger Wikipedia describes how Typhoon Cobra of loss of steerage-way. All things considered, sank SPENCE as follows: “On 17 December when in a storm, we steamed into the wind far [1944], Spence prepared to refuel and pumped more often than we had the wind astern. out all of the salt water ballast from her tanks; but Although my responsibility as CO was rough seas caused the fueling operation to be virtually unlimited, my authority was not. I still cancelled. The next day, the weather worsened had to follow orders issued by the admiral who and the storm turned into a major typhoon. As the commanded the task force and ordered the ships wallowed in canyon-like troughs of brine, course and speed for the entire task force Spence's electrical equipment got wet from great including, of course, the SHIELDS. If I ever quantities of sea water taken on board. After a thought his ordered course and speed caused an 72-degree roll to port, all of the lights went out undue risk to the SHIELDS, I could have and the pumps stopped. The rudder jammed;2 requested permission to maneuver independently and, after a deep roll to port about 11:00 [hours], i.e. pick the SHIELDS’ course and speed. I never Spence capsized and sank. Only 24 of her had to ask for such permission since, when a complement [of about 300] survived. One of the storm was approaching, the admiral always 24 survivors was David Moore . who floated at issued an order granting permission for sea for two days and also was responsible for independent maneuvering. I do not know for saving the lives of two other men.”3 certain but strongly suspect the Admiral was covering his own ass mindful of the trouble that USS Philip (DD-498) sunk on her way to be Admiral Halsey experienced in two storms during Scrapped the Second World War. USS Philip (DD-498) was struck from the I am pleased and proud to say that Navy List in 1968. She later sank in a storm on during the time I was privileged to be CO of the her way to be scrapped. When she sank she SHIELDS that all officers and crew did their very was not owned by the US Navy, so it is accurate best during every storm. Despite these efforts we to say that only one Fletcher was sunk by a storm did lose one man overboard at night in a storm. during active Navy service. He was standing watch on deck on the fantail. No one saw him go over the side and he was To Increase Stability never found. Skipper Joe Sperandio in his article entitled “Keeping SHIELDS Safe In A Storm” elsewhere in this issue describes how skilled Storms at Sea seamanship was indispensable to keeping a destroyer safe in a storm. By David R. Murphy LTJG 57 - 60 The Engineering department might have You're lucky to be reading this, safe and helped. We could have pumped seawater into dry on land. You didn't lose your life at sea in a SHIELDS’ fuel oil tanks; thus adding weight to the storm on the SHIELDS or otherwise.