Winter 2015/2016 January 21, 2016 USS BRISTOL DD 857 VETERANS ASSOCIATION ussbristoldd857.org Editor: [email protected]

In This Issue

Operation Ivy Bells………….…1 Luck……………………….……3 An Experience To Recall………4 Student Who Got 0%………….5 Japan’s Coup de tat……………5 Ben Stein’s Thoughts…………..8 As We Grow Older….………….9 Gulf of Tonkin………………….9 Humor…………………………14 Some Good Things To Know…. 15 Kilroy was Here………………16 A Man’s Age ………………….17 Old Friends……………………18 Rare and weird facts about World War II………………….19 Snippets………………………..20 Operation Ivy Bells believed that he could find the tiny Desert Storm………………….22 Soviet cable under the immense The Story of Vittles, the Boxer, Charlie Weaver forwarded this article from Together We Served expanse of the ocean. Bradley During Berlin Airlift………….22 remembered the signs that he saw Why Do Navy Planes Have during his childhood along the Tailhooks?…………………….23 Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. Mississippi River warning boaters The Last Wishes of Alexander not to anchor near cables. He the Great………………………23 rationalized that the Soviet’s would Jim Martin, WWII, The Regulus guided missile submarine, USS Halibut (SSN use similar signs and lead him right Paratrooper…………………..23 to his target. Bradley’s theory Deep Dive USS Chopper SS 587) which carried out Operation Ivy Bells. proved correct when the Halibut 342……………………………..24 located a series of such signs in the Company Memo………………28 Nearly 400 feet beneath the Northern part of the Sea of Okhotsk, Snipes Lament………………..29 after an arduous search. Seven Little Stories…………..30 frigid waters of the Sea of Okhotsk, deep inside Soviet The divers found the cable and Koren War Mural……………30 installed a 20-foot long listening Obit: MOH Awardee………..30 territorial waters, the divers stayed alive only by the device on the cable. designed to umbilical cords that pumped attach to the cable without piercing warm water into their dive suits. the casing, the device recorded all In an effort to alter the balance communications that occurred. If the of Cold War, these men scoured cable malfunctioned and the Soviets the ocean floor for a five-inch raised it for repair, the bug, by diameter cable carry secret design, would fall to the bottom of Soviet communications between the ocean. Each month Navy divers military bases. retrieved the recordings and Captain James Bradley installed a new set of tapes. conceived the mission and firmly

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Upon their return to the United Naval Academy a few years ago 2016 Reunion States, intelligence agents from comparing the heroism of the "D- the NSA analyzed the recordings Day Generation" to the drugs-and- and tried to decipher any sex nihilism of the "Woodstock encrypted information. The Generation." And Steven Spielberg, Save te dats-- Soviets apparently were in promoting his film "Saving confident in the security of their Private Ryan," was careful to justify Septmber 26, 27, 28, communications lines, as a his portrayals of soldiers in action surprising amount of sensitive based on the supposedly unique 29. depart 30t,2016 information traveled through the nature of World War II. lines without encryption. The Americans continued their An irony is at work here. Lest we operations undetected until 1981, forget, the World War II generation Te 2016 reunion will be when one day, surveillance now being lionized also brought us satellites showed a number of the Vietnam War, a conflict which held on tose dats at te Soviet warships, including a today's most conspicuous voices by Courtyard Marriott in salvage ship, anchored over the and large opposed, and in which few undersea cable. Another of them served. The "best and Wilmingtn, NC. intelligence-capable submarine, brightest" of the Vietnam age group USS Parche (SSN-683), was once made headlines by castigating quickly sent to the site to retrieve their parents for bringing about the the pod. Unable to find the tap, war in which they would not fight, Arrangements are the Parche’s divers realized that which has become the war they the Soviets had discovered the refuse to remember. underway to finalize the operation. The submarine made it back to the United States Pundits back then invented a term reunion events. When tat safely, leaving American leaders for this animus: the "generation to determine how the Soviets gap." Long, plaintive articles and is all set, te BRAT wil had suddenly detected the tap. even books were written examining After a long probe, United States its manifestations. Campus leaders, sent out the registration counter-intelligence agents who claimed precocious wisdom determined an NSA employee, through the magical process of papers. In the meantme Robert Pelton, betrayed reading a few controversial books, Operation Ivy Bells to the urged fellow baby boomers not to mark your calendars. Soviets. He sold the secret of trust anyone over 30. Their elders Operation Ivy Bell for $35,000, who had survived the Depression which ended nearly a decade of and fought the largest war in history FYI –Your officers all met espionage. Pelton was later were looked down upon as shallow, convicted and sentenced to life materialistic and out of touch. in Wilmington in mid- in prison. The original tap that was discovered by the Soviets is Those of us who grew up, on the October (at their own now on exhibit at the KGB other side of the picket line from museum in Moscow.s of the so- that era's counter-culture can't help expense) to visit prospectve called 60s generation. Tom but feel a little leery of this sudden Brokaw has published two oral gush of appreciation for our elders sits and consider potntal histories of "The Greatest from the leading lights of the old Generation" that feature ordinary counter-culture. Then and now, the events. It was agreed tat people doing their duty and national conversation has proceeded suggest that such conduct was from the dubious assumption that the Courtyard will best historically unique. those who came of age during Vietnam are a unified generation in meet our needs. Chris Matthews of "Hardball" is the same sense as their parents were fond of writing columns praising and thus are capable of being the Navy service of his father spoken for through these fickle while castigating his own baby elites. Look forward t seeing you boomer generation for its alleged softness and lack of struggle. In truth, the "Vietnam generation" is in Septmber. William Bennett gave a startling a misnomer. Those who came of age condescending speech at the during that war are permanently

2 Winter 2015/2016 January 21, 2016 divided by different reactions to a percent of those who died were young men who faced the issues of whole range of counter-cultural volunteers. war and possible death, and then agendas and nothing divides them weighed those concerns against more deeply than the personal While some attention has been paid obligations to their country. Citizen- ramifications of the war itself. The recently to the plight of our soldiers who interrupted their sizable portion of the Vietnam age prisoners of war, most of whom personal and professional lives at group who declined to support the were pilots; there has been little their most formative stage, in the counter-cultural agenda, and recognition of how brutal the war timeless phrase of the Confederate especially the men and women who was for those who fought it on the Memorial in Arlington National opted to serve in the military during ground. Cemetery, "not for fame of reward, the Vietnam War, are quite different not for place or for rank, but in from their peers who for decades Dropped onto the enemy's terrain simple obedience to duty, as they have claimed to speak for them. In 12,000 miles away from home, understood it." Who suffered fact, they are much like the World America's citizen-soldiers loneliness, disease, and wounds with War II generation itself. For them, performed with a tenacity and an often-contagious elan. And who Woodstock was a side show, college quality that may never be truly deserve a far better place in history protestors were spoiled brats who understood. Those who believe the than that now offered them by the would have benefited from having war was fought incompletely on a so-called spokesmen of our so- to work a few jobs in order to pay tactical level should consider called generation. their tuition, and Vietnam Hanoi's recent admission that 1.4 represented not an intellectual million of its soldiers died on the Mr. Brokaw, Mr. Matthews, Mr. exercise in draft avoidance, or battlefield, compared to 58,000 total Bennett, Mr. Spielberg, meet my protest marches but a battlefield that U.S. dead. Marines. 1969 was an odd year to be was just as brutal as those their in Vietnam. Second only to 1968 in fathers faced in World War II and Those who believe that it was a terms of American casualties, it was Korea. "dirty little war" where the bombs the year made famous by did all the work might contemplate Hamburger Hill, as well as the gut- Few who served during Vietnam that is was the most costly war the wrenching Life cover story showing ever complained of a generation U.S. Marine Corps has ever fought: pictures of 242 Americans who had gap. The men who fought World five times as many dead as World been killed in one average week of War II were their heroes and role War I, three times as many dead as fighting. Back home, it was the year models. They honored their father's in Korea, and more total killed and of Woodstock, and of numerous service by emulating it, and largely wounded than in all of World War II. anti-war rallies that culminated in agreed with their father's wisdom in the Moratorium march on attempting to stop Communism's Significantly, these sacrifices were Washington. The My Lai massacre reach in Southeast Asia. being made at a time the United hit the papers and was seized upon States was deeply divided over our the anti-war movement as the The most accurate poll of their effort in Vietnam. The baby-boom emblematic moment of the war. attitudes (Harris, 1980) showed that generation had cracked apart along …………………………………….. 91 percent were glad they'd served class lines as America's young men their country, 74 percent enjoyed were making difficult, life-or-death Sometimes , it's not really their time in the service, and 89 choices about serving. The better percent agreed with the statement academic institutions became focal just luck. Contributed by Joe that "our troops were asked to fight points for vitriolic protest against Kelsey in a war which our political leaders the war, with few of their graduates in Washington would not let them going into the military. Harvard Elmer Bendiner was a navigator in a win." And most importantly, the College, which had lost 691 alumni B-17 during WW II. He tells this castigation they received upon in World War II, lost a total of 12 story of a World War II bombing run returning home was not from the men in Vietnam from the classes of over Kassel, Germany , and the World War II generation, but from 1962 through 1972 combined. Those unexpected result of a direct hit on the very elites in their age group classes at Princeton lost six, at MIT their gas tanks. "Our B-17, the who supposedly spoke for them. two. The media turned ever more Tondelayo, was barraged by flak hostile. And frequently the reward from Nazi antiaircraft guns. That Nine million men served in the for a young man's having gone was not unusual, but on this military during Vietnam War, three through the trauma of combat was to particular occasion our gas tanks million of whom went to the be greeted by his peers with studied were hit. Vietnam Theater. Contrary to indifference of outright hostility. popular mythology, two-thirds of Later, as I reflected on the miracle these were volunteers, and 73 What is a hero? My heroes are the of a 20 millimeter shell piercing the

3 Winter 2015/2016 January 21, 2016 fuel tank without touching off an lad in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. It thunderous roar. Blue flames knifed explosion, our pilot, Bohn Fawkes, is about the vivid memory of a from her manifolds with an arrogant told me it was not quite that simple. privately rebuilt P-51 from WWII snarl. I looked at the others' faces; "On the morning following the raid, and its famous owner/pilot. there was no concern. I lowered the Bohn had gone down to ask our bell of my extinguisher. One of the crew chief for that shell as a In the morning sun, I could not guys signaled to walk back to the souvenir of unbelievable luck. believe my eyes. There, in our lounge. We did. The crew chief told Bohn that not little airport, sat a majestic P-51. just one shell but 11 had been found They said it had flown in during Several minutes later we could hear in the gas tanks. 11 unexploded the night from some U.S. Airport, the pilot doing his pre-flight run-up. shells where only one was sufficient on its way to an air show. The He'd taxied to the end of runway 19, to blast us out of the sky. It was as if pilot had been tired, so he just out of sight. All went quiet for the sea had been parted for us. A happened to choose Kingston for his several seconds. We ran to the near-miracle, I thought. stop over. It was to take to the air second story deck to see if we could very soon. I marveled at the size of catch a glimpse of the P-51 as she the plane, dwarfing the Pipers and started down the runway. We could Canucks tied down by her. It was not. There we stood, eyes fixed to a much larger than in the movies. She spot half way down 19. Then a roar glistened in the sun like a bulwark ripped across the field, much louder of security from days gone by. than before. Like a furious hell spawn set loose -- something mighty The pilot arrived by cab, paid the this way was coming. "Listen to that driver, and then stepped into thing!" said the controller. the pilot's lounge. He was an older Even after 35 years, so awesome an man; his wavy hair was gray In seconds the Mustang burst into event leaves me shaken, especially and tossed. It looked like it might o u r l i n e o f s i g h t . I t ' s t a i l after I heard the rest of the story have been combed, say, around was already off the runway and it from Bohn. the turn of the century. His flight was moving faster than anything I'd "He was told that the shells had jacket was checked, creased and ever seen by that point on 19. Two- been sent to the armorers to be worn - it smelled old and genuine. thirds the way down 19 the Mustang defused. The armorers told him that Old Glory was prominently sewn to was airborne with her gear going up. Intelligence had picked them up. its shoulders. He projected a quiet The prop tips were supersonic. We They could not say why at the time, air of proficiency and pride devoid clasped our ears as the Mustang but Bohn eventually sought out the of arrogance. He filed a quick flight climbed hellishly fast into the circuit answer. "Apparently when the plan to Montreal ("Expo-67 Air to be eaten up by the dog-day haze. armorers opened each of those Show") then walked across the We stood for a few moments, in shells, they found no explosive tarmac. stunned silence, trying to digest charge. They were as clean as a what we'd just seen. whistle and just as harmless. After taking several minutes to perform his walk-around check, the The radio controller rushed by me to Empty? Not all of them! One tall, lanky man returned to the flight the radio. "Kingston tower calling contained a carefully rolled piece of lounge to ask if anyone would be Mustang?" He looked back to us as paper. On it was a scrawl in Czech. available to stand by with fire he waited for an acknowledgment. The Intelligence people scoured our extinguishers while he "flashed the The radio crackled, "Go ahead, base for a man who could read old bird up, just to be safe." Though Kingston." "Roger, Mustang. Czech. Eventually they found one to only 12 at the time I was allowed to Kingston tower would like to advise decipher the note. It set us stand by with an extinguisher after the circuit is clear for a low level marveling. Translated, the note read: brief instruction on its use -- "If you pass." I stood in shock because the see a fire, point, then pull this controller had just, more or less, "This is all we can do for you now... lever!", he said. (I later became a asked the pilot to return for an Using Jewish slave labor is never a firefighter, but that's another story.) impromptu air show! The controller good idea.” The air around the exhaust looked at us. "Well, What?" He ……………………………………. manifolds shimmered like a mirror asked. "I can't let that guy go from fuel fumes as the huge prop without asking. I couldn't forgive started to rotate. One manifold, then myself!" An Experience To Recall. another, and yet another barked -- I Contributed by Gary Johnson stepped back with the others. In The radio crackled once again, This 1967 true story is of an moments the Packard -built Merlin "Kingston, do I have permission for experience by a young 12 year old engine came to life with a a low level pass, east to west, across

4 Winter 2015/2016 January 21, 2016 the field?" "Roger, Mustang, the Brigadier General, who wove a Q8.. If you throw a red stone circuit is clear for an east to west wonderfully fantastic memory for a pass." "Roger, Kingston, I'm coming young Canadian boy that's lasted a into the blue sea what will it out of 3,000 feet, stand by." lifetime. become?

We rushed back onto the second- …………………………………… * Wet story deck, eyes fixed toward the eastern haze. The sound was subtle S T U D E N T W H O Q9.. How can a man go eight at first, a high-pitched whine, a muffled screech, a distant scream. OBTAINED 0% ON AN days without sleeping ? Moments later the P-51 burst EXAM From Joe Kelsey through the haze. Her airframe * No problem, he sleeps at straining against positive G's and night. gravity. Her wing tips spilling I would have given him 100%! contrails of condensed air, prop-tips Each answer is absolutely Q10. How can you lift an again supersonic. The burnished grammatically correct, and elephant with one hand? bird blasted across the eastern funny too. The teacher had no margin of the field shredding and tearing the air. At about 500 mph sense of humor. :) * You will never find an and 150 yards from where we stood elephant that has one hand. she passed with the old American Q 1 . . I n w h i c h b att l e d i d pilot saluting. Napoleon die? Q11. If you had three apples and four oranges in one hand Imagine. A salute! I felt like * his last battle laughing; I felt like crying; she and four apples and three glistened; she screamed; the oranges in other hand, what Q2.. Where was the Declaration b u i l d i n g s h o o k ; m y h e a r t would you have? pounded. Then the old pilot pulled of Independence signed? her up and rolled, and rolled, and * Very large hands rolled out of sight into the broken * at the bottom of the page clouds and indelible into my Q12. If it took eight men ten memory. Q3.. River Ravi flows in which hours to build a wall, how long state? I've never wanted to be an American would it take four men to build more than on that day! It was a time when many nations in the world * liquid it? looked to America as their big brother. A steady and even-handed Q4.. What is the main reason for *No time at all, the wall is beacon of security who navigated divorce? already built. difficult political water with grace and style; not unlike the old * marriage Q13. How can u drop a raw egg American pilot who'd just flown onto a concrete floor without into my memory. He was proud, not arrogant, humble, not a braggart, old Q5.. What is the main reason for cracking it? and honest, projecting an aura of failure? America at its best. *Any way you want, concrete * exams floors are very hard to crack. That America will return one day! I know it will! Until that time, I'll Q6.. What can you never eat for Spread some laughter, share the just send off this story. Call it a loving reciprocal salute to a breakfast? cheer. Let's be happy, while Country, and especially to that old w e ' r e h e r e ! * Lunch & dinner American pilot: the late- …………………………………… JIMMY STEWART (1908-1997), Q7.. What looks like half an Japan's Coup d’etat From A c t o r , r e a l W W I I apple? Hero (Commander of a US Army Together We Served Air Force Bomber Wing stationed in * The other half England), and a USAF Reserves

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Victories in Midway, Guadalcanal ordered that an atomic bomb be over 100,000 Allied troops. The and New Guinea were the beginning dropped on Japan. On August 6, total number of casualties for the of the end for Japan's supremacy in 1945, the B -29 bomber "Enola entire operation was estimated to be the Pacific. It would take another Gay" dropped an atomic bomb on 250,000 - 500,000 Allied troops and two and a half years of bitter, deadly the Japanese city of Hiroshima, millions of Japanese troops and combat, invading island after island killing an estimated 80,000 people civilians. held by the Japanese before the and fatally wounding thousands Japanese were finally defeated, but more. Tens of thousands more died In an attempt to avoid the bloody not without a great cost to both in the following weeks and months invasion, the Allies issued the sides. from wounds and radiation Potsdam Declaration, demanding poisoning. the "unconditional surrender of all Steeped in century's old military the Japanese armed forces." Failure tradition, the Japanese fought to the Believing this to have been such a to comply would mean "the death, many by their own hands in dramatic demonstration of American inevitable and complete destruction the tradition of the Samurai Bushido power, President Harry S. Truman of the Japanese armed forces and honor code known as Seppuku - to called for Japan's surrender 16 hours just as inevitable the utter die with honor rather than fall into later, warning them to "expect a rain devastation of the Japanese the hands of their enemies. of ruin from the air, the likes of homeland." Totally unaware the The last battle of the war was fought which has never been seen on this United States possessed two nuclear on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa. earth." After the Hiroshima attack, a bombs and the threat was real, the It was from this island that faction of Japan's supreme war response by Japanese Prime Americans planned on launching council favored acceptance of the Minister Kantaro Suzuki was his ships, planes and troops for an Potsdam Declaration, but the government was "paying no invasion of the Japanese mainland. majority resisted unconditional attention" to the Allied ultimatum. Knowing from first-hand experience surrender. of how fanatical Japanese warriors After days with no sign that the had been during every island battle, Victories in Midway, Guadalcanal Japanese would accept the surrender American planners expected it to be and New Guinea were the beginning offer, President Harry Truman the bloodiest seaborne attack of all of the end for Japan's supremacy in ordered that an atomic bomb be time, conceivably ten times as costly the Pacific. It would take another dropped on Japan. as the Normandy invasion in terms two and a half years of bitter, deadly of Allied casualties; estimated to combat, invading island after island On August 6, 1945, the B -29 over 100,000 Allied troops. The held by the Japanese before the bomber "Enola Gay" dropped an total number of casualties for the Japanese were finally defeated, but atomic bomb on the Japanese city of entire operation was estimated to be not without a great cost to both Hiroshima, killing an estimated 250,000 - 500,000 Allied troops and sides. 80,000 people and fatally wounding millions of Japanese troops and thousands more. Tens of thousands civilians. Steeped in century's old military more died in the following weeks tradition, the Japanese fought to the and months from wounds and In an attempt to avoid the bloody death, many by their own hands in radiation poisoning. invasion, the Allies issued the the tradition of the Samurai Bushido Potsdam Declaration, demanding honor code known as Seppuku - to Believing this to have been such a the "unconditional surrender of all die with honor rather than fall into dramatic demonstration of American the Japanese armed forces." Failure the hands of their enemies. power, President Harry S. Truman to comply would mean "the called for Japan's surrender 16 hours inevitable and complete destruction The last battle of the war was fought later, warning them to "expect a rain of the Japanese armed forces and on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa. of ruin from the air, the likes of just as inevitable the utter It was from this island that which has never been seen on this devastation of the Japanese Americans planned on launching earth." After the Hiroshima attack, a homeland." Totally unaware the ships, planes and troops for an faction of Japan's supreme war United States possessed two nuclear invasion of the Japanese mainland. council favored acceptance of the bombs and the threat was real, the Knowing from first-hand experience Potsdam Declaration, but the response by Japanese Prime of how fanatical Japanese warriors majority resisted unconditional Minister Kantaro Suzuki was his had been during every island battle, surrender. government was "paying no American planners expected it to be On August 9, a second U.S. atomic attention" to the Allied ultimatum. the bloodiest seaborne attack of all bomb was dropped on the Japanese After days with no sign that the time, conceivably ten times as costly coastal city of Nagasaki. That same Japanese would accept the surrender as the Normandy invasion in terms day, offer, President Harry Truman of Allied casualties; estimated to

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Japanese Emperor Hirohito other rebels decided to continue convened the Supreme War Council. planning and to attempt a coup d'etat Originally, Hatanaka hoped that After a long, emotional debate, he on their own. simply occupying the palace and backed a proposal by Prime Minister showing the beginnings of a Suzuki in which Japan would accept Hatanaka spent much of August 13 rebellion would inspire the rest of the Potsdam Declaration "with the and the morning of August 14 the Army to rise up against the move understanding that said Declaration gathering allies, seeking support to surrender. This notion guided him does not compromise any demand from the higher-ups in the Ministry, through much of the last days and that prejudices the prerogatives of and perfecting his plot. In the hours and gave him the blind His Majesty as the sovereign ruler." meantime, extremists were calling optimism to move ahead with the The council obeyed Hirohito's for a death-before-dishonor mass plan, despite having little support acceptance of peace, and on August suicide. from his superiors. 10th the message was relayed to the United States. Shortly after the surrender was Having set all the pieces into decided, a group of senior army position, Hatanaka and his co- Two days later the United States officers including Anami gathered in conspirators decided that the Guard answered that "the authority of the a nearby room. After a silence, would take over the palace at 2 AM. Emperor and the Japanese General Torashiro Kawabe, Deputy The hours until then were spent in government to rule the state shall be Chief of Staff of the Imperial continued attempts to convince their subject to the Supreme Commander Japanese Army General Staff, superiors in the Army to join the of the Allied Powers." After two proposed that all senior officers coup. days of debate about what this present sign an agreement to carry statement implied, Emperor out the Emperor's order of At about the same time, General Hirohito brushed the nuances in the surrender- "The Army will act in Anami committed seppuku, leaving text aside and declared that peace accordance with the Imperial a message that, "I - with my death - was preferable to destruction. He Decision to the last." It was signed humbly apologize to the Emperor ordered the Japanese government to by all the high-ranking officers for the great crime." Whether the prepare a text accepting surrender. present, including Anami. "This crime involved losing the war, or the written accord by the most senior coup, remains unclear. But there was a group of high officers in the Army acted as a ranking officers and cabinet formidable firebreak against any At some time after 1 am, August 15, members who began a coup in attempt to incite a coup d'etat in Hatanaka and his men surrounded hopes of stalling the surrender by Tokyo." the palace. Hatanaka, Shiizaki and plotting to seize the Imperial Palace Captain Shigetaro Uehara went to and to prevent the broadcast of That same evening of August 14, the office of Lt. General Takeshi Emperor Hirohito's surrender speech Hatanaka's rebels set their plan into Mori, commander of the 1st to mark the end of World War II. motion. The Second Regiment of the Imperial Guards Division, to ask They did this in hopes of securing First Imperial Guards had entered him to join the coup. When Mori better terms of surrender. the palace grounds, doubling the refused to side with Hatanaka, strength of the battalion already Hatanaka killed him, fearing Mori Late on the night of August 12, stationed there, presumably to would order the Guards to stop the 1945, Major Kenji Hatanaka, a provide extra protection against rebellion. Hatanaka then used member of Military Affairs Section Hatanaka's rebellion. But Hatanaka, General Mori's official stamp to of the Japanese Ministry of War, along with Lt. Col. Jiro Shiizaki, authorize Imperial Guards Division along with Lieutenant Colonels convinced Colonel Toyojiro Haga, Strategic Order No. 584, a false set Masataka Ida, Masahiko Takeshita, the commander of the 2nd Regiment of orders created by his co- and Inaba Masao, and Colonel of the First Imperial Guards, of their conspirators, which would greatly Okitsugu Arao, the Chief of the cause, by telling him (falsely) that increase the strength of the forces Military Affairs Section, spoke to Generals Anami and Umezu, and the occupying the Imperial Palace and War Minister, General Korechika commanders of the Eastern District Imperial Household Ministry, and Anami (the army minister and "most Army and Imperial Guards "protecting" the Emperor. powerful figure in Japan besides the Divisions were all in on the plan. Emperor himself) and asked him to Hatanaka also went to the office of The palace police were disarmed do whatever he could to prevent Shizuichi Tanaka, commander of the and all the entrances blocked. Over acceptance of the Potsdam Eastern region of the army, to try to the course of the night, Hatanaka's Declaration. General Anami, in persuade him to join the coup. rebels captured and detained photo on the left, gave no indication Tanaka refused, and ordered eighteen people, including Ministry as to whether or not he would help Hatanaka to go home. Hatanaka staff and workers sent to record the the young officers. Hatanaka and the ignored the order. surrender speech.

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on NHK radio broadcasting station, I don't like getting pushed around Hatanaka and his rebels spent the to explain to the people of Japan for being a Jew, and I don't think next several hours fruitlessly what he was trying to accomplish Christians like getting pushed searching for Imperial House and why. He was refused. Colonel around for being Christians. I think Minister Sotaro Ishiwatari and Haga, commander of the 2nd people who believe in God are sick Koichi Kido, Lord Keeper of the Regiment of the First Imperial and tired of getting pushed around, Privy Seal, and the recordings of the Guards, discovered that the Army period. surrender speech. The two men, did not support this rebellion, and he along with the recording, were ordered Hatanaka to leave the palace I have no idea where the concept hiding in the "bank vault," a large grounds. came from, that America is an chamber underneath the Imperial explicitly atheist country. I can't find Palace. The search was made more Just before 5 am, as his rebels it in the Constitution and I don't like difficult by a blackout in response to continued their search, Major it being shoved down my throat. Allied bombings, and by the archaic Hatanaka went to the NHK studios, organization and layout of the and, brandishing a pistol, tried Or maybe I can put it another way: Imperial House Ministry. The rebels desperately to get some airtime to where did the idea come from that did find Chamberlain Yoshihiro explain his actions. A little over an we should worship celebrities and Tokugawa, Emperor Hirohito's hour later, after receiving a we aren't allowed to worship God as closest personal aide. Although telephone call from the Eastern we understand Him? Hatanaka threatened to disembowel District Army, Hatanaka finally gave him with a samurai sword, up. He gathered his officers and I guess that's a sign that I'm getting Tokugawa lied and told them he did walked out of the NHK studio. old, too. But there are a lot of us not know where the recordings or who are wondering where these men were. During their search, the At dawn, Tanaka learned that the celebrities came from and where the rebels cut nearly all of the telephone palace had been invaded. He went America we knew went to. wires, severing communications there and confronted the rebellious between their prisoners on the officers, berating them for acting In light of the many jokes we send palace grounds and the outside contrary to the spirit of the Japanese to one another for a laugh, this is a world. army, demanding that the dishonor little different: This is not intended brought by their treason could only to be a joke; it's not funny, it's At about the same time, another be absolved through seppuku. A intended to get you thinking. group of Hatanaka's rebels led by number of conspirators committed Captain Takeo Sasaki went to Prime ritual suicide that morning, on the In light of recent events - terrorists Minister Suzuki's office, intent on grounds of the Imperial Palace. attacks, school shootings, etc. I killing him. When they found it think it started when Madeleine empty, they machine-gunned the By 8 AM, the rebellion was entirely Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, office and set the building on fire, dismantled, having succeeded in her body found a few years ago) then left for his home. Warned on holding the palace grounds for much complained she didn't want prayer in the attempt on his life, he escaped of the night but failing to find the our schools, and we said OK. Then minutes before the would-be recordings. Hatanaka, on a someone said you better not read the assassins arrived. After setting fire motorcycle, and Shiizaki, on Bible in school. to Suzuki's home, they went to the horseback, rode through the streets, estate of former Prime Minister tossing leaflets that explained their The Bible says thou shalt not kill; Kiichiro Hiranuma to assassinate motives and their actions. Within an thou shalt not steal, and love your him. Hiranuma escaped through a hour before the Emperor's broadcast, neighbour as yourself. And we said side gate and the rebels burned his sometime around 11:00, August 15, OK. house as well. Hatanaka placed his pistol to his forehead, and shot himself. Shiizaki Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we Around 3 am, Hatanaka was stabbed himself with a dagger, and shouldn't spank our children when informed by Lieutenant Colonel then shot himself. In Hatanaka's they misbehave, because their little Masataka Ida that the Eastern pocket was found his death poem: "I personalities would be warped and District Army was on its way to the have nothing to regret now that the we might damage their self-esteem palace to stop him, and that he dark clouds have disappeared from (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). should give up. Finally, seeing his the reign of the Emperor.”………… We said an expert should know what plan collapsing around him, Ben Stein’s Thoughts from he's talking about. And we said Hatanaka pleaded with General Don Tanner okay. Now we're asking ourselves Tatsuhiko Takashima, Chief of Staff why our children have no of the Eastern District Army, to be conscience, why they don't know given at least ten minutes on the air My confession: right from wrong, and why it doesn't

8 Winter 2015/2016 January 21, 2016 bother them to kill strangers, their $30.00 wallet/handbag the amount 2. Rest classmates, and themselves. of money inside is the same. 3. Exercise 4. Diet Probably, if we think about it long Whether we drink a bottle of $300 5. Self Confidence and hard enough, we can figure it or $10 wine- - - the hangover is the 6. Friends out. I think it has a great deal to do same. with, 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.' Maintain them in all stages of life Whether the house we live in is 300 and enjoy healthy life. Funny how simple it is for people to or 3000 sq.ft. - - - loneliness is the trash God and then wonder why the same. Sent with smiles and affection from world's going to hell. Funny how we Joe Kelsey believe what the newspapers say, You will realize, your true inner ………………………………………… but question what the Bible says. happiness does not come from the The Gulf of Tonkin incident in material things of this world. August 1964 proved to be America’s Funny how you can send 'jokes' key entry point to war in Vietnam. through e-mail and they spread like Whether you fly first or economy The encounter sparked the first open wildfire, but when you start sending class, if the plane goes down - - - fighting between the United States messages regarding the Lord, people you go down with it. and North Vietnam, the first U.S. think twice about sharing. bombing of the North and an Whether you fly first or economy intensification of U.S. support for Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and class, if the plane reaches its South Vietnam. It led to obscene articles pass freely through destination - - - everyone arrives at congressional passage of the Tonkin cyberspace, but public discussion of the same time. Gulf Resolution, which became the God is suppressed in the school and workplace. Therefore . . . I hope you realize, when you have mates, buddies and Are you laughing yet? old friends, brothers and sisters, with whom you chat, laugh, talk, Funny how when you forward this sing, talk about north-south-east- message, you will not send it to west or heaven and earth -- that is many on your address list because true happiness!! you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for Five Undeniable Facts of Life sending it. 1. Don't educate your children to be Funny how we can be more worried rich. Educate them to be happy so legal justification for America’s about what other people think of us when they grow up they will know entry in the war. As with so much than what God thinks of us. the value of things not the price. about Vietnam, events in the Gulf of 2. Best wise words: "Eat your food Tonkin were not what they seemed Pass it on if you think it has merit. as your medicines. Otherwise you at the time, and the consequences have to eat medicines as your proved enormous. Even after five If not, then just discard it. No one food." decades, we still struggle to will know you did. But, if you 3. The one who loves you will never understand what happened at the discard this thought process, don't leave you because even if there are Gulf of Tonkin and why. sit back and complain about what 100 reasons to give up he or she Things seemed clear-cut at the time. bad shape the world is in. will find one reason to hold on. During the afternoon of Aug. 2, 4. There is a big difference between 1964, the U.S. destroyer Maddox My Best Regards, Honestly and a human being and being human. was steaming in the Gulf of Tonkin Respectfully, Only a few really understand it. – waters of the South China Sea 5. You are loved when you are born. between the coast of the Democratic Ben Stein You will be loved when you die. In Republic of Vietnam (i.e., North …………………………………….. between, you have to manage! Vietnam) and the Chinese island of As we grow older, and hence Hainan – when it came under attack wiser, we slowly realize that If you just want to walk fast, walk from North Vietnamese torpedo wearing a $300 or $30 watch - - - alone; but, if you want to walk far, boats. Maddox retreated down the they both tell the same walk together! gulf, where the destroyer C. Turner time. Whether we carry a $300 o Joy joined it. Both ships headed Six Best Doctors in the World back north in company. 1. Sunlight

9 Winter 2015/2016 January 21, 2016

On the night of Aug. 4, the which he now represented as of Vietnamese officials told the U.S. warships, particularly C. Turner Joy, South Vietnamese origin. The delegation at a 1997 conference on reported renewed attacks against Tonkin Gulf Resolution was “missed opportunities” in the them. President Lyndon B. Johnson, repealed in 1970; Johnson repeated Vietnam War that the dispatch of denouncing “hostile actions against the story of the “South Vietnamese” torpedo boats on Aug. 2 had been at United States ships on the high raids in his 1971 memoir. the initiative of local commanders. seas,” ordered retaliatory bombing Secrecy surrounding these events This formula disguised the hand of against North Vietnamese naval gradually unraveled. Maddox, it the Vietnamese general staff but also bases. Sixty-four planes from the turned out, had been on a mission contained the sense that no national aircraft carriers Ticonderoga and specifically aimed at collecting decision to fight the Americans was Constellation attacked the North in intelligence on North Vietnamese made. what was called Operation Pierce communications and coastal radars. No Evidence. By far the deepest Arrow. Two aircraft were shot down Then it emerged that Maddox, mystery of the Tonkin Gulf concerns and one pilot – Lt. j.g. Everett though in international waters when the “second attack,” the notion that Alvarez Jr. – was captured, it fought off the North Vietnamese on the night of Aug. 4 the North becoming the first U.S. prisoner to torpedo boats, had been in territorial Vietnamese came back to fight be held by the North Vietnamese in seas when the Vietnamese patrol Maddox and C. Turner Joy together. Hanoi (the body of the other pilot craft left base to intercept it. The It was this allegation of a repeated lost, Lt. j.g. Richard C. Sather, was commando raids had not been South attack in the face of U.S. warnings repatriated in 1985). Johnson asked Vietnamese after all, but attacks that underpinned the retaliation. But Congress for a joint resolution using indigenous troops, unilaterally unlike the sea battle of Aug. 2, there approving his orders. Passed almost controlled by the U.S. special was no physical evidence for this unanimously in the heat of the affair, operations command in Vietnam. engagement. The destroyers had this became the Tonkin Gulf The strikes that took place during maneuvered to avoid torpedoes, and Resolution, and its open-ended the Maddox cruise were partly Lt. Cmdr. Robert C. Barnhart Jr.’s C. sanction of “all necessary measures intended to trigger the North Turner Joy pumped out more than to repel any armed attack ... and to Vietnamese to activate their nets so 370 5-inch and 3-inch shells, yet prevent further aggression” became that the United States could record there were no photos of attack boats, a crucial legal underpinning of the them. The 1971 leak of the Pentagon no shells hitting the ships, no entire U.S. effort in the Vietnam Papers revealed that the attacks prolonged observation of an enemy. War. themselves formed part of an Capt. John Herrick reported an Doubts and Secrecy. In subsequent extensive program of “graduated initial radar contact. After that, years – even while the fighting in military pressures” against the North Maddox dispatches recorded a Vietnam still raged – many aspects called OPLAN 34A. When mélange of sonar and radar contacts. of the original account came into audiotapes of Johnson’s telephone When the ship trained its guns on question. The first important conversations on these days were the most solid of these, the vessel in element to come under scrutiny was declassified in the late 1990s, those the cross hairs was C. Turner Joy. the question of provocation for the with McNamara showed that both Barnhart’s destroyer detected North Vietnamese attack on Aug. 2. were aware of the connection nothing on sonar, not even the Senior administration officials, from between the Maddox mission and torpedo some of his sailors said they Defense Secretary Robert S. the coastal raids from the very saw. McNamara on down, testified in beginning. As the on-scene naval commander, hearings on the Tonkin Gulf Hanoi’s choices obviously factored Herrick sent a dispatch warning Resolution that the U.S. warships into the incident. Johnson based his against premature action – he and had been in international waters and decision for retaliatory bombing on Maddox’s skipper, Cmdr. Herbert L. exercising free passage, their cruise an assumption that the North Ogier, doubted the authenticity of unrelated to anything else. Certain Vietnamese intended a confrontation everything except the initial radar “South Vietnamese” commando in the gulf. The release in the late contact. Aircraft scrambled from raids, “if there were any” (per 1970s of the memoranda recording Constellation and Ticonderoga also McNamara’s testimony), were Johnson's meetings on this decision failed to spot anything, and when unknown aboard Maddox. show that CIA Director John vectored to attack by the destroyers, But suspicions to the contrary arose. McCone assured the president that found only the U.S. warships By 1966, advocates were calling for Hanoi had sought battle. But the beneath them when they rolled in. a repeal of the resolution. Increasing CIA had no direct evidence at the It turned out to be Washington on a doubts and political pressures led to time. A postwar Vietnamese official hair trigger. The Johnson- new hearings in 1968, during which history attributes their response to McNamara telephone tapes show McNamara admitted that Maddox the general staff and the naval the president and defense secretary had been operating in close command, not the North Vietnamese mulling over bombing targets before proximity to the commando raids, leadership. Similarly, senior the alleged attack was even

10 Winter 2015/2016 January 21, 2016 reported. This was possible due to the actual events of Aug. 2, or that The 325th Division began National Security Agency (NSA) North Vietnamese Swatow-type preparatory training for this move communications intercepts – and patrol boats were not armed with about September 1964. For the therein lies another tale. When the torpedoes and lacked speed to Democratic Republic of Vietnam, very first sighting report arrived, maneuver as indicated in the Tonkin Gulf provided evidence that Washington and the Pacific Fleet destroyers’ spot updates on the wild the United States was determined to presumed the expected attack and night of Aug. 4. They also wage a full-scale war. Hanoi moved made their strike plans. McNamara discounted Herrick’s warning to meet that challenge. and Johnson discussed specific dispatch. Johnson retaliated, and In Washington, as the Pentagon targets before any meetings North Vietnam and the United States Papers first documented, top took place. moved closer to war. officials had struggled for months to But the intelligence was wrong. Escalation. NSA post-mortems in contrive a scenario making it NSA had pulled down a series of late 1964 cast some doubt on the politically feasible to broaden the North Vietnamese messages related chronology but hewed to the official U.S. effort in Vietnam. Part of that to the Aug. 2 attack, and a few line. Deputy Director Louis Tordella was to obtain congressional between Aug. 2-4 pertained to satisfied himself by the early 1970s approval. An interagency working making patrol, not torpedo, boats that a mistake had been made, as did group had written several drafts for ready for sea. The volume of North CIA intelligence chief Ray Cline. a proposed resolution. The Tonkin Vietnamese communications The Senate's Foreign Relations incident became the perfect decreased after Aug. 2, sighting and Committee staff director, Carl opportunity. The White House sent position reports disappeared from Marcy, also discovered the its draft resolution to Capitol Hill this traffic, and the patrol boat discrepancies. Yet they remained the night of the Pierce Arrow intercept could be interpreted as concealed for a very long time. In attacks; it passed Aug. 7. relating to sending someone to 2005 and 2006, the NSA finally Johnson’s concern for “the scenario” rescue survivors from the first declassified full texts of the most and his careful search for political engagement. A North Vietnamese important intercepts, revealing the cover reflect his determination to naval officer captured in 1966 said chronological transpositions in its press ahead in Vietnam but not the under interrogation that he had been messages. The agency’s official misgivings he also expressed, or his the senior deputy to the enemy history on Vietnam, declassified in ambitious plans for social torpedo boat commander. He had 2007, examines the evidence and legislation. The president had vivid recollections of the first fight, concludes that there was no incident acquired a stake in Vietnam policy. but insisted there was no battle on in the Gulf of Tonkin on Aug. 4, Like his predecessor, John F. Aug. 4. 1964. The NSA also released the full Kennedy, the seeming inability of The NSA’s listening posts in the record of its Tonkin Gulf messages, the South Vietnamese allies to region included one at Phu Bai in demonstrating how reporting from progress against the National Vietnam, another in the Philippines, Phu Bai differed from other Liberation Front frustrated him. U.S. and the special van installed aboard intercept stations. In the meantime, military capability and expertise Maddox for the cruise. The at the “missed opportunities” appeared to be the solution. But Philippines base had decoded its conference in 1997, North Johnson still thought that Vietnam intercepts and reported them in a Vietnamese Gen. Vo Nguyen Giap could be fought on the side without timely fashion, but the Phu Bai base openly told McNamara that Vietnam impacting his domestic goals. That was delayed and reported late – in had never made any second attack. turned out to be a major error. fact, during the time frame of the The most important effects of this During August 1964, shortly after alleged second attack. Washington episode were in Hanoi and the incident, the United States sent officials compiling communications Washington. Shortly after the B-57 jet bombers to Da Nang and intelligence summaries assumed that incident, the North Vietnamese sent Bien Hoa, and also deployed F-100 the late Phu Bai intercepts were up- an infiltration group to South and F-102 jet fighters to Vietnam. to-the-minute reporting and included Vietnam that, for the first time, Air Force personnel in South them as such. They did not check stayed together as a unit instead of Vietnam increased by nearly 20 with Maddox, which itself recorded dispersing among the National percent, while the overall U.S. force no messages indicating a renewed Liberation Front as cadres. While it level – which had held steady for attack. In addition, one dispatch that was true that Hanoi decided in half a year – swelled from 16,500 to analysts at Phu Bai decided was the December 1963 to increase its 23,300 between June and December. attack order for Aug. 4 contained support for the insurgency in the The B-57s at Bien Hoa offered the decoding and translation errors and South, it had not previously target for a spectacular commando was intercepted by no one except committed regular army formations. raid that November, helping that station. Washington officials In the fall of 1964, Hanoi decided to persuade Johnson to escalate still either did not notice or did not care send a full regular infantry division further. that the messages corresponded to to the South as a constituted force.

11 Winter 2015/2016 January 21, 2016

Today, the Gulf of Tonkin reminds Constellation, though still about 200 USS Constellation (CVA-64) on us that small events can have miles away, was rapidly moving into Yankee Station. Photo Courtesy enormous consequences. Only one position to provide support. Forrest Zetterberg American died – Sather during Pierce Arrow – as well as a small For four hours now, since midnight, At midnight, the carrier went to number of North Vietnamese sailors. my crew of four (including our radar flight quarters and to Condition One But the bombing gave the war new intercept officer controller, Lt. (j.g.) Cap, which required that the aircraft intensity. It also challenged the Al Drum) had been on the catapult, be manned and spotted on their North to strike directly at strapped into our respective seats in respective catapult—100 percent Americans, as Hanoi did starting the E-1B, awaiting the order to combat ready and prepared for an with Bien Hoa. And the Tonkin Gulf launch. There were about 30 knots immediate launch. I was assigned to Resolution would be stretched of wind whistling over the open the first four-hour watch, starting at beyond its context to cover a overhead escape hatch. The sky was midnight, and was spotted on the commitment that no one except the black as ink. number two catapult. F-4 Phantoms war managers foresaw. Events can were manned and on standby for be crucial not just for their intrinsic It was my second cruise to Vietnam. launch along with the A-1Hs and the importance, but also as a hinge for I was 23 years old, a lieutenant A-4s. the plans and purposes of others, (j.g.), and plane commander of the and for what an adversary might radar E-1B aircraft, affectionately We were advised that we would be conclude from them. Americans in known as the “Willie Fudd.” We heading into an area saturated with Vietnam, and since, would have to were assigned to the Constellation severe weather of high seas and high relearn that lesson. as a part of the VAW-11 four-plane winds with the possibility of detachment, based at NAS, North thunderstorms. I knew the weather From American Legion Magazine Island, San Diego. would be a factor, not only in flying …………………………………….. the aircraft, but also in completing The E-1B was not one of the our orders, which were to locate the Remembering the Gulf of Constellation’s sleek jets, like the destroyers, which might already be F-4 Phantom or the A-4 Skyhawk. under attack, and to provide positive Tonkin: A First Hand Account It was propeller-driven, and with its control of the jet fighters that would By: Capt. Forrest L. Zetterberg, big mushroom-shaped radar dome be supporting the destroyers. If we USNR (Ret.) and Carol Zetterberg sitting right on top, we weren’t could sight any North Vietnamese August 6, 2014 8:05 AM • Updated: going to win any beauty pageants. PT boats, that would be icing on the August 11, 2014 1:59 PM But we did have a job to do. cake. Because of the earth’s curvature, the The following is a first person Constellation’s radar horizon could The main purpose for the E-1B was account of the events over the Gulf not detect low-flying aircraft much its radar. The radar of a fellow E-1B of Tonkin on Aug. 4, 1964. Another farther out than about 30 miles. Our pilot had been able to pick up a five- view of the Gulf of Tonkin incident role was to extend the range of the gallon tin of cooking oil, for can be found in the August, 2010 ship’s radar, and to intercept example. But radar in severe issue of Proceedings. unidentified aircraft operating weather and high seas was a beneath her radar horizon. different matter. The sea At approximately 0355 on the “return” (the high waves) could morning of Aug. 4, 1964 in the The day before, the flight crews had saturate the radarscope by capturing South China Sea, the aircraft carrier been assembled and briefed on the the radar’s energy and reflecting it USS Constellation (CVA-64), was upcoming operation. back as potential targets. That steaming toward the Gulf of Tonkin resulted in our getting “ghost” at as high a speed as she could The Mission signals on our radar, and could make without losing her accompanying it impossible to definitively “paint” destroyers. Despite an attack by anything, even something very large North Vietnamese PT boats two — such as a destroyer — let alone a days earlier, the U.S. government PT boat. had decided to send the destroyers USS Maddox (DD-731) and Turner There was a way to minimize some Joy (DD-951), on a route similar to sea-return, but in this weather, it the one where that attack had would be a risky maneuver, occurred. requiring taking the plane down extremely close to the water—100 The carrier USS Ticonderoga was feet—and then tilting the radar already operating in the area and ! antenna so it could look up, over the

12 Winter 2015/2016 January 21, 2016 tops of the waves. It would be too The order caught me unprepared, I cleared the ship’s bow with a quick hazardous to try on a night with just as I was half-rising from my turn to the left, and then resumed the near-zero visibility and turbulent seat and turning to leave. For a heading of the ship. water. moment, I froze. Now? Are they serious?But there was no mistake. I checked in with Combat Besides, this maneuver created We were going to be launched. And Information Center (CIC) to get our another problem—that of not being in a matter of seconds. range and heading, the current able to detect small vessels such as situation, and the last known PT boats behind the sea return on At that moment, our crew was position of the Maddox and Turner the scope. relaxing and letting down as they Joy. I had no way of knowing that After four hours of sitting, strapped secured the aircraft. Suddenly—in a hours later, based on reports of into our seats, waiting, we finally split second—they had to be totally alleged North Vietnamese attacks decided the order to launch was not gearing up again, all physical and that night on the Maddox and Turner coming. The next crew to take over mental systems going into hyper- Joy—combined with the reports of the E-B would be in the ship’s island alert for the critical launch mode. the confirmed attacks two days by now, ready to walk out to the Not only that, we were headed into a earlier—President Lyndon Johnson aircraft as we left it. Our engines combat zone, at night, and in foul would order 64 aircraft from the were shut down and quiet. weather. At a time like that, blood U.S. carriers Constellation and ‘Launch the Fudd’ pressure goes up; hearts beat faster, Ticonderoga to make retaliatory breathing becomes rapid, and bombings against selected North anxiety levels leap. Vietnam bases.

We jumped to our seats, scrambling I didn’t realize I would be involved to complete as much as possible in happenings that would lead our before imminent launch: re- nation, ultimately, into the Vietnam fastening seat belts, hooking up War. parachute harnesses and leg straps, Over the Gulf re-fastening kneeboards and jamming our helmets back on our heads. What we didn’t complete now would have to be done after launching.

I switched on the ignition, moved the mixture to rich, heard the whine ! of the starters turning the engines Lt. j.g. Forest “Zeke” Zetterberg in over, counted six blades, pushed the E-IB cockpit. Photo Courtesy master switch on, then flipped the Forrest Zetterberg ! right magneto switch to “Both” and An E-1B in air, seen from above, hoped the engine would start. It I shrugged myself out of my rendezvousing for formation flight. caught and roared back to life. Photo Courtesy Forrest Zetterberg parachute harness and unhooked the Quickly, as I repeated the process leg straps, then unstrapped the for the left engine, I checked the cat It took us about an hour to get to the buckle of the six-point seat belt. officer, who was already making the Next, I unsnapped my kneeboard general operating area, and during overhead circling motion, to bring that time, I reviewed our orders: We with my briefing material from its both engines to full takeoff power. place around my thigh. Finally, I were to provide overhead air cover pulled off my helmet and stuffed it for the Maddox and Turner Joy. I checked my engines for full power Ordinarily that would have meant into its bag. Relieved that we were and signaled with my running lights standing down, I pulled myself up locating the destroyers and that I was ready. With that the providing direction for the aircraft out of my seat to follow the first catapult flung my crew and me off officer, who had already made his operating in the area. But there the deck and out into the void of the were more surprises in store that way to the exit door at the back of night sky. the plane. night. While still en route to the station, we soon realized, by Suddenly, the ship’s 1MC intercom But I wasn’t looking at the sky . . . crackled to life, and the order barked listening to CIC, that there were no or the sea either. My eyes locked jets coming from the “Connie,” at out over the flight deck:“Launch the onto the attitude gyro, to position Fudd!” least not at that time. I assumed it the aircraft in a five-degree climb. had something to do with the

13 Winter 2015/2016 January 21, 2016 weather, but never knew for sure. Overpass 010. I am assuming carrier. We had not seen any PT That significantly changed our control. First, stop all this chatter. boats, nor had the aircraft from the situation. Without the Section leaders, assemble your Ticonderoga seen any. Since our Constellation’s jets, what would our aircraft. I will be putting you all in time on station was up, we headed role be? holding. I will need one aircraft to back to the Constellation for search for the PT Boats. recovery. We still had the task of locating the destroyers and the PT boats, but As nearly as I can remember his After trapping aboard, and having with the poor visibility and high exchange with the jets went an initial debrief, I immediately seas creating false readings, would something like this: “Overpass 010. went to my quarters and crashed. we be able to find them? This is Screaming Eagle 01. I’m When I awoke several of hours later, senior pilot out here . I’m your the Connie’s aircraft that had carried About eight to twelve jets from bloodhound.” “Eagle 05. This is out the strike on the North Ticonderoga were milling about in Eagle 01. You are now section Vietnamese bases had already the area. There was confusion and leader of our flight. Assemble your returned. I went to our Ready Room we were hearing a lot of chatter. chicks. Overpass 010 is your for a briefing and learned that the Ordinarily, under those control. Report to him when your Connie had suffered two losses. circumstances, Ticonderoga’s jets chicks are mustered.” would have been under the control Lt. Richard Sather’s A-1H aircraft of the destroyer Maddox, or “Eagle 01. This is Overpass 010. was shot down and Sather was Ticonderoga’s E-1B radar plane. Turn right to 020 degrees. Your killed while attacking a PT boat But neither of these options would spook is 22 miles. Descend to 1,000 base. The second loss was Lt. (j.g.) work that day. We learned from feet. Report level, weapons safe. If Everett Alvarez, Jr.who was Ticonderoga’s E-1B that it was at we find a spook, I’ll vector you for a captured and spent the entire war as her ship for recovery. re-attack. We’ll go weapons hot at a prisoner of war. that time. It was clear Ticonderoga’s aircraft During my tour of duty aboard the were without direction. The thought “Roger, 010. Eagle 01 copies. I’ll Constellation, I was also the was troubling. Without control from report level angels 1. Weapons Intelligence officer for our that ship’s E-1B, there was a risk of safe.” detachment. As such, I saw urgent aircraft colliding, unless the Maddox “Roger, Eagle 01. Anticipate messages from President Johnson was filling that role. Then we heard dropping flare one mile short of and Secretary of Defense Robert from the Maddox on our radio: spook.” McNamara to the area commanders, “Overpass. This is Maddox. Our “Roger. Eagle 01 is under my directing them . . . in what seemed radar is down. Can you take over the control; and 05 is mother hen. 05, to be something between an order control of the Ticonderoga’s stand by for holding instructions. and a plea . . . to find proof—pieces aircraft?” Return this frequency when finished of metal or wood—anything that assembling your chicks.” would verify that there had had been I quickly realized the grave danger “Roger. Eagle 05 copies.” an attack by the North Vietnamese inherent in the situation. With less that night. than ideal flying conditions and the In this way, by assigning aircraft to lack of Maddox control, the sections, Lt.j.g. Drum took a scene Reflecting on my own experience situation was a mess, and a very of chaos and restored order. He and observations as a part of the hazardous one. continued searching for the PT Gulf of Tonkin Incident, and boats, using the Ticonderoga’s because of the lack of any evidence The last thing I wanted to see was aircraft, and vectoring them over of an attack, it seems likely that the our jets strafing our own destroyers several possible targets, but each Vietnam War was a war that was or colliding with each other. I talked time the results were same— declared based on an attack that may with Al, our radar-intercept operator. negative contact. During our entire not have occurred. “Before we can attempt to vector time on station, there appeared to be …………………………………… anyone over any target, we have to no serious threat to the Maddox or Humor get control of these airplanes.” Al the Turner Joy. agreed and suggested a plan. It Old Dr Geezer from Don Tanner sounded like it would work, and I The initial confusion from the said, “Let’s do it.” reported attack eventually ended, as An old Dr. Geezer became very did the evasive maneuvering of the bored in retirement and decided to With that, Al got on the radio and destroyers. An uneasy calm settled open a clinic. He put a sign up addressed the Ticonderoga jets. over the area, and the Ticonderoga outside that said: "Dr. Geezer's “Everyone, listen up. This is recalled her aircraft back to the

14 Winter 2015/2016 January 21, 2016 clinic. Specialist treatment for $500. …………………………………………….. 14. Laziness and inactivity kills just

If not cured, you get back $1,000." Some Good Things To Know as many people as smoking.

From Charlie Weaver Doctor Young, who was positive 15. A human brain has a capacity to that this old Dr. Geezer didn't know 1. Your shoes are the first thing store 5 times as much information as beans about modern medicine, people subconsciously notice about Wikipedia. thought this would be a great you. Wear nice shoes. opportunity to make a quick 16. Our brain uses the same amount

$1,000. So he went to Dr. Geezer's 2. If you sit for more than 11 hours of power as a 10-watt light bulb. clinic. a day, there's a 50% chance you'll die within the next 3 years 17. Our body gives enough heat in Dr. Young: "Dr. Geezer, I have lost 30 minutes. to boil 1.5 litres of all taste in my mouth. Can you 3. There are at least 6 people in the water. please help me??" world who look exactly like you. 18. The Ovum egg is the largest cell

Dr. Geezer: "Nurse, please bring 4. There's a 9% chance that you'll and the sperm is the smallest cell. medicine from box 22 and put 3 meet one of them in your lifetime. drops in Dr. Young's mouth." 19. Stomach acid (conc.HCL) is Dr. Young: Aaagh!! -- That's strong enough to dissolve razor 4. Sleeping without a pillow reduces

Petrol!" back pain and keeps your spine blades.

Dr. Geezer: "Congratulations! stronger. You've got your taste back. That will 20. Take a 10-30 minute walk every be $500." 5. A person’s height is determined day & while you walk, SMILE. It is by their father, and their weight is the ultimate antidepressant.

Dr. Young is annoyed and returns determined by their mother. after a couple of days figuring to 21. Sit in silence for at least 10 recover his money. 6. If a part of your body "falls minutes each day.

Dr. Young: "I have lost my asleep", You can almost always memory, I cannot remember "wake it up" by shaking your head. 22. When you wake up in the anything." morning, pray to ask God's guidance

7. There are three things the human for your purpose, today.

Dr. Geezer: "Nurse, please bring brain cannot resist noticing, food, medicine from box 22 and put 3 attractive people and danger. 23. Eat more foods that grow on drops in the patient's mouth." trees and plants and eat less food

Dr. Young: "Oh, no you don't. 8. Right-handed people tend to that is manufactured in plants.

That's Petrol" chew food on their right side Dr. Geezer: "Congratulations! 24. Drink green tea and plenty of You've got your memory back. That 9. Putting dry tea bags in gym bags water. Eat blueberries, broccoli, and will be $500." or smelly shoes will absorb the almonds.

unpleasant odor. Dr. Young (after having lost $1,000) 25. Try to make at least three leaves angrily and comes back after 10. According to Albert Einstein, if people smile each day. several more days. honey bees were to disappear from Dr. Young: "My eyesight has earth, humans would be dead within 26. Don't waste your precious become weak --- I can hardly see 4 years. energy on gossip, energy vampires, anything he complains. issues of the past, negative thoughts 11. There are so many kinds of or things you cannot control. Instead Dr. Geezer: "Well, I don't have any apples, that if you ate a new one invest your energy in the positive medicine for that so, here's your everyday, it would take over 20 present moment.

$1,000 back." (giving him a $10 years to try them all. bill). 27. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch Dr. Young: "But this is only $10!" 12. You can survive without eating like a prince and dinner like a Dr. Geezer: "Congratulations! You for weeks, but you will only live 11 college kid with a maxed out charge got your vision back! That will be days without sleeping. card. $500." 13. People who laugh a lot are 28. Life isn't always fair, but it's

Moral of the story--Just because healthier than those who don’t. still good. you're "Young" doesn't mean that you can outsmart an "old Geezer"! 29. Life is too short to waste time

15 Winter 2015/2016 January 21, 2016 hating anyone. Forgive them and (ret) move on. When Kilroy went off duty, the riveters would erase the mark. Later 30. Don't take yourself so seriously. on, an off-shift inspector would No one else does. come through and count the rivets a second time, resulting in double pay 31. You don't have to win every for the riveters. argument. Agree to disagree. 32. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present. He is engraved in stone in the 33. Don't compare your life to National War Memorial in others. You have no idea what their Washington , DC , back in a small journey is all about. alcove where very few people have seen it. For the WWII generation, 34. No one is in charge of your this will bring back memories. For happiness except you. you younger folks, it's a bit of trivia ! that is a part of our American 35. Frame every so-called disaster history. Anyone born in 1913 to with these words: 'In five years, will about 1950, is familiar with Kilroy. One day Kilroy's boss called him this really matter?' No one knew why he was so well into his office. The foreman was known, but everybody seemed to get upset about all the wages being paid 36.Help the needy..Be generous...Be into it. So who was Kilroy? to riveters, and asked him to a "giver" not a '"taker". investigate. It was then he realized what had been going on. The tight 37. What other people think of you spaces he had to crawl in to check is none of your business. the rivets didn't lend themselves to lugging around a paint can and 38. Time heals everything. brush, so Kilroy decided to stick with the waxy chalk. He continued 39. However good or bad a situation to put his check mark on each job he is, it will change. inspected, but added 'KILROY WAS HERE' in king-sized letters next to ! 40. Your job won't take care of you the check, and eventually added the sketch of the chap with the long when you are sick. Your friends will. In 1946 the American Transit Stay in touch. nose peering over the fence and that Association, through its radio became part of the Kilroy message. program, "Speak to America ," 41. Envy is a waste of time. You sponsored a nationwide contest already have all you need. Once he did that, the riveters to find the real Kilroy, offering a stopped trying to wipe away his prize of a real trolley car to the 42. Each night before you go to bed, marks. Ordinarily the rivets and person who could prove himself to chalk marks would have been pray to God and be thankful for be the genuine article. Almost 40 what you accomplished that day. covered up with paint. With the war men stepped forward to make that on, however, ships were leaving the claim, but only James Kilroy from 43. Remember that you are too Quincy Yard so fast that there wasn't Halifax , Massachusetts , had time to paint them. As a blessed to be stressed. evidence of his identity. ……………………………………. result, Kilroy's inspection "trademark" was seen by thousands KILROY WAS HERE! from 'Kilroy' was a 46-year old shipyard of servicemen who boarded the SSG Joe Zager, USA worker during the war who worked troopships the yard produced. as a checker at the Fore River Shipyard in Quincy . His job was to His message apparently rang a bell go around and check on the number with the servicemen, because they of rivets completed. Riveters were picked it up and spread it all on piecework and got paid by the over Europe and the South Pacific. rivet. He would count a block of rivets and put a check mark in semi- waxed lumber chalk, so the rivets wouldn't be counted twice.

16 Winter 2015/2016 January 21, 2016

to map the terrain for coming invasions by

U.S. troops (and thus, presumably, were the first GI's there). On one occasion, however, they reported seeing enemy troops painting over the Kilroy logo!

!

! And The Tradition Continues...

Before war's end, "Kilroy" had been here, there, and everywhere on the long hauls to Berlin and Tokyo . To the troops outbound in those ships, ! however, he was a complete mystery; all they knew for sure was that someone named Kilroy had "been there first." As a joke, U.S. servicemen began placing the graffiti wherever they landed, ! claiming it was already there when EVEN Outside Osama Bin Laden's they arrived. House!!!

Kilroy became the U.S. super-GI Share This Bit Of Historic Humor who had always "already been" With All Your Friends! :) wherever GIs went. It became a challenge to place the logo in the ! most unlikely places imaginable it is said to be atop Mt. Everest , the In 1945, an outhouse was built for Statue of Liberty , the underside of the exclusive use of the Arc de Triomphe, and even Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill at scrawled in the dust on the moon. the Potsdam conference. Its' first occupant was Stalin, who emerged and asked his aide (in Russian), "Who is Kilroy?"

To help prove his authenticity in 1946, James Kilroy brought along ! officials from the shipyard and ! some of the riveters. He won the God Bless you World War II trolley car, which he gave to his nine Veterans! children as a Christmas gift and set …………………………………….. it up as a playhouse in the Kilroy yard in Halifax , Massachusetts . A Man's Age According To Home Depot from Rich Faughnan

For all the men who think they ! aren't old...

As the war went on, the legend You are in the middle of some home grew. Underwater demolition teams projects: putting in a new fence, routinely sneaked ashore on ! painting the porch, planting some Japanese-held Islands in the Pacific flowers and fixing a broken door

17 Winter 2015/2016 January 21, 2016 lock. You are hot and sweaty, swear not to wear that shirt anymore covered with dirt, lawn clippings because it makes you look fat. The and paint. You have your old work cutie running the register smiles clothes on. You know the outfit -- when she sees you coming and you shorts with a hole in think you still have it. Then you the crotch, an old T-shirt with a stain remember -- the hat you have on is from who-knows-what, and an old from Bubba's Bait & Beer Bar and it pair of tennis shoes. says, 'I Got Worms.'

Right in the middle of these tasks In your 60s: Stop what you are you realize that you need to run to doing. No need for a hat any more. ! Home Depot for supplies. Hose the dog crap off your shoes. Depending on your age you might The mirror was shattered when you Please send back. (I did) It's neat. do the following: were in your 50s. You hope you Don't delete this one, you'll laugh have underwear on so nothing hangs when you see the return message. I In your 20s: Stop what you are out the hole in your pants. The girl have seen too many dear friends doing. Shave, take a shower, blow running the register may be cute but leave this world, too soon; before dry your hair, brush your teeth, floss you don't have your glasses on, so they understood the great freedom and put on clean clothes. Check you're not sure. that comes with aging. yourself in the mirror and flex. Add a dab of your favorite cologne In your 70s: Stop what you are because, you never know, you just doing. Wait to go to Home Depot might meet some hot chick while until you call the drug store to have standing in the checkout line. And your prescriptions ready for pick too yes, you went to school with the and check your grocery list for a pretty girl running the register. quick stop there. Got to save trips! Don't even notice the dog crap on In your 30s: Stop what you are your shoes. The young thing at the doing, put on clean shorts and shirt. register stares at you and you realize ! Change your shoes. You married the your balls are hanging out the hole hot chick so no need for much else. in your crotch -- who cares. Whose business is it, if I choose to Wash your hands and comb your read, or play on the computer, until hair. Check yourself in the mirror. In your 80s: Stop what you are 4 AM, or sleep until noon? I will Still got it! Add a shot of your doing. Start again. Then stop again. dance with myself to those favorite cologne to cover the smell. Now you remember you need to go wonderful tunes of the 50s, 60s & The cute girl running the register is to Home Depot. You go to Wal-Mart 70s, and if I, at the same time, wish the kid sister of someone you went instead. You went to school with the to weep over a lost love, I will. to school with. old lady greeter. You wander around trying to remember what you are In your 40s: Stop what you are looking for. Then you fart out loud doing. Put on a sweatshirt that is and turn around thinking someone long enough to cover the hole in the called your name. crotch of your shorts. Put on different shoes and a hat. Wash your In your 90s & beyond: What's a hands. Your bottle of Brut is almost home deep hoe? Something for my empty, so don't waste any of it on a garden? Where am I? Who am I? trip to Home Depot. Check yourself Why am I reading this? in the mirror and do more sucking in ……………………………………. than flexing. The hot young thing ! running the register is your OLD FRIENDS……. daughter's age and you feel weird from Joe Kelsey I will walk the beach, in a swim suit about thinking she's spicy. that is stretched over a bulging body, Thanks for being my friend for so and will dive into the waves, with In your 50s: Stop what you are long! abandon, if I choose to, despite the doing. Put on a hat. Wipe the dirt off pitying glances from the jet set. your hands onto your shirt. Change "Good friends are like quilts-they They, too, will get old. shoes because you don't want to get age with you, yet never lose their dog crap in your new sports car. warmth." I know I am sometimes forgetful. Check yourself in the mirror and But there again, some of life is just

18 Winter 2015/2016 January 21, 2016 as well forgotten. And, eventually, I other people think. I don't question remember the important things. myself anymore. I've even earned the right to be wrong.

So, to answer your question, I like being old. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be. And I Over 100,000 Allied bomber shall eat dessert every single day (if crewmen were killed over Europe. ! I feel like it).

Sure, over the years, my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break, when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us strength, and understanding, and compassion. A heart never broken, is pristine, and sterile, and will never know the joy of being imperfect. More U.S. servicemen died in the Air Corps then the Marine Corps.

!

MAY OUR FRIENDSHIP NEVER COME APART, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S STRAIGHT FROM Polish Catholic midwife Stanisława ! THE HEART! Leszczyńska delivered 3,000 babies at I am so blessed to have lived long Editor’s Note: Our leadership has the Auschwitz concentration camp enough to have my hair turning agreed to continue in office until we during the Holocaust in occupied gray, and to have my youthful can meet again in Wilmington, NC, Poland. laughs be forever etched into deep in October. grooves on my face. So many have never laughed, and so many have Also, our shipmate and friend Earl died before their hair could turn “Charlie” Weaver is home from silver. hospital doing well from total knee replacement. There are no coincidences: our prayers have been heard and God has responded. Charlie, God has other plans for # you. …………………………………….. In World War II, British soldiers got a ration of three sheets of toilet paper a Rare and weird facts about day. Americans got 22. World War II from Ray Storey !

As you get older, it is easier to be The first German serviceman killed in positive. You care less about what the war was killed by the Japanese.

19 Winter 2015/2016 January 21, 2016

Only one out of every four men serving The mortality rate for POWs in Russian o n U - b o a t s s u r v i v e d . . c a m p s w a s 8 5 p e r c e n t . .

! Four of every five German soldiers ! killed in the war died on the Eastern Had it been necessary for a third atom Front The Siege of Stalingrad resulted in more bomb, the city targeted would have been Russian deaths (military and civilian) T o k y o . . than the United States and Britain sustained (combined) in all of World War II .

! ! An Imperial Japanese Army intelligence officer, who fought in World War II, ! Hiroo Onoda never surrendered in 1945. Only 20 percent of the males born in the Until 1974, for almost 30 years, he held Soviet Union in 1923 survived the war. Adolf Hitler's nephew, William Hitler, served in the US Navy during World his position in the Philippines. His W a r I I ! ! ! . former commander traveled from Japan to personally issue orders relieving him from duty in 1974. (???) .

! !

In World War II, the youngest During World War II, the largest serviceman in the United States military Japanese spy ring was actually located was Calvin Graham - age 12. Graham i n M e x i c o . . lied about his age when he enlisted in ! the US Navy. His real age was not discovered until after he was wounded. ………………………………………….

Snippets: The following are little notes that our shipmates are sending in with their annual dues:

Hi

! The dues payments have started to (Unbelievable) ! come in and many of them have very brief hand written comments in

20 Winter 2015/2016 January 21, 2016 them. I got one yesterday that I Take care. (Gary Johnson) Tony, thought should be shared with all of Thanks for serving our ass’n. Our you. Editor’s Note: officers deserve thanks for their The night of the black out in 1965 I work!! Please extend my thanks. Tony was on liberty at my Mother’s house I’ll try to attend soon. Err 10-30-15 in Brooklyn. No TV stations but (Erv Zimmer, ET2, 1957-58) radio worked okay. No power failed Thanks to all the Officers of the USS in Bay Ridge section of Brooklyn. Thanks to all of the officers who Bristol Assoc. Without vets like all of Had to hitch hike back to ship in the willingly agreed to continue their you we would be forgotten. morning because the subway was positions for another year. not running yet. Got a ride right to I have many memories of serving the Sand St Gate. Walked down to We were sorry that the City of aboard the Bristol. Many good, Pier Charlie and saw BRISTOL Baltimore had to erupt like it did some not so good. Always enjoy the coming in. Once the brow hit the during the time of the October 2015 Reunions. I do hope you younger pier I heard “Liberty Call” Within Reunion. Not only because it was so guys have many more. five minutes liberty call got bad for the city, but because it was cancelled. close enough to where we live that Thank you, May God Bless all of we has planned to make it this year. you. Thanks for all you and the other Due to our ages, we don’t travel officers do to keep the tradition very much these days. Wendell Robinson alive DK3 1952-1954 Our best wishes for a healthy and Bristol made my life what it became happy year to all Shipmates. John and I really am thankful! Hardt, P.O., GM3, 1945-46 I caught a news item on TV. 50 years ago today was when they had Take care, 11-1-2015 the first east coast power blackout. Sail safe,Marvin Marsh Tony, you and your fellow shipmates Some were on liberty (lucky guys) RM2 1955-57 are to be commended for steering and some still aboard ship. the BRISTOL Assoc these many I was aboard ship. Happy Halloween, years. Have hoped to attend a Thanks to you & the active board reunion but my wife’s health keeps Lights flashed as I was for providing us the continuing me home with her. I retired from below, playing a record and then the information & support of USS American Airlines after 41 years lights came back on. (Got my tunes Bristol ASSOCIATION. Have a (1954-1995) and continued our life again.) Someone came below deck great year! here in Phoenix, AZ. Started with to say that the city was dark. /s/ Jim Payne AA in Buffalo, NY 8-1-1954 and Boo! transferred to Phoenix, AZ Remember how we went upriver to 3-1-1958. Don Reasor, YN2 47-49 try and kickstart a power station? Tony, (Didn't work.) Didn't we run into a Clay is not well, but still remembers ship that was docked and bent our his time on the Bristol. Don sent a photo of his grandson’s bullnose back? graduation from Arizona State Thank you, University: “Summa Cum Cool to look over the river to (Written by Elise Hall for Clayton L a u d e ” … m a j o r e d i n C i v i l Manhatten and see total darkness. Hall SK3 1946-47 Engineering Structures and was #1 Just a helicopter over the Empire in his class and just got his masters State Building so planes knew where Hi Tony, this moth in Tower Engineering from it was. I hope you and your wife are doing Barrett, the honors college at ASU. well and have a nice Summer. I First blackout, nobody knew what appreciate the joy you, Paul and the happened. Kind of calm. others are doing for us. I know it is Magical.... not an easy job.

Second blackout, some people knew Wishing you and your family a the burglar alarms didn't work. happy holiday season. Strange how 50 years pass.... My best to you, I still have a copy of Time magazine Harry Campbell EM2 1958-60 and it mentions the Bristol in it.

21 Winter 2015/2016 January 21, 2016

Desert Storm from Charlie they left their loved ones with a “Throughout the history of the Air Weaver kiss. Force, animal mascots have There's thunder over sand dunes, provided unit identityand made To many they are Hero's, valuable contributions to esprit-de- and fire in the nighttime sky; protecting Freedom's right; corps,” Mr. Aitken said. “The The valiant troops of Desert parachute allows us to tell the story But they're really just the kid next Storm are poised and don't ask of the Berlin Airlift's mascot and the door, who got caught up in the special bonds between Vittles and why. fight. the pilots (who) he flew with as a They're ready to do battle, to 'crew dog.’ It's a wonderful story The sky's still blue in Texas, and oppose a ruthless foe; and already a special hit with our the soil has been turned; visitors.” Some will take that one way path, that all great Warrior's know. It's winter now in Boston, and in Mr. Steber said it did not take long Long Beach whales returned. for him to grow fond of Vittles and Six months ago I tilled the soil, soon realized that he would make a the young Nebraskan say's; They say that life's a gamble, and great companion. We all one day will die; Today I face an enemy, who say's “I had a friend in Germany who had this land is His. For some there is no better life, a 1-year-old boxer (who) I fell in love with, and he sold him to me,” From ten thousand feet above the than to soar with comrades in the said Mr. Steber, a former Air Force sand, a pilot blinks his eye's; sky. pilot.

If He didn't know any better, these Others will put down the gun, Mr. Steber said he soon discovered could be Texas skies. when their tour of duty's through; some of his missions required him to be away for two to three days at Off the coast of California, the sea Some will pay that costly price, time. So he started taking Vittles is just as blue; protecting me and you. with him, and soon other pilots began to fly Vittles on their missions As it is here on this Carrier, thinks There will always be a Warrior, as well. a boy from San Berdo. who will gladly pay the price; “In Berlin, as soon as we were The Marine sits in his foxhole, his If the cause be just and moral, it's unloaded, we had to take off again,” thoughts begin to roam; like the rolling of the dice. Mr. Steber said. “Sometimes, Vittles would be nosing around other To a girl he left in Boston, a place You can not pay for Freedom, with airplanes, and I had to take off that he calls home. a credit card or cash, without him.”

It's the way it's always been, for There is a chance we all must take, The dog began catching rides with young Warrior's in the sand; other pilots, and sometimes it would We ALL end up Tombstones in be several days before they would meet up again, Mr. Steber said. Many miles away from home, who the grass! may die in a distant land. “Everybody knew who Vittles …………………………. belonged to and eventually got him They are here to do their duty, back to me,” Mr. Steber said. “The none hoped it would come to this; The story of Vittles the Boxer and other pilots would feed him and even take him to the officer’s club.” the Berlin Airlift. But when their Country called Sometimes pilots would give Vittles them, From Charlie Weaver pans of beer until he got so looped that his legs would go straight out

22 Winter 2015/2016 January 21, 2016 and he would have to be carried Times, as well as on the local face of death, even the best doctors home, Mr. Steber said. television news. The beloved mascot in the world have no power to of all who participated in the Berlin heal .." Eventually, Gen. Curtis E. LeMay airlift was buried on the grounds of heard about the dog and summoned Biggs AFB. 2. "I want the road to be covered then-Lieutenant Steber to his office. …………………………………… with my treasure so that everybody “General LeMay called me in and Why do Navy planes have sees that material wealth acquired said, ‘Are you the pilot who owns on earth, will stay on earth.." the dog who is flying in our tailhooks? airplanes?’” said Mr. Steber, who 3. I want my hands to swing in the confirmed he was, thinking he was Well, after a tough day of flying on wind, so that people understand that in a great deal of trouble. and off an aircraft carrier, the we come to this world empty planes are always washed. The “General LeMay replied, ‘Without a handed and we leave this world hooks are used to hang the planes parachute? That dog is one of the empty handed after the most best morale builders that I’ve had over the side to drip dry. If you over here. I want that dog to have a precious treasure of all is exhausted, didn't know, now you do. parachute!’” and that is : TIME.

Soon afterward, Vittles had a We do not take to our grave any parachute of his own, designed with material wealth. TIME is our most a s t a t i c c o r d t h a t w o u l d precious treasure because it is automatically open the dog’s LIMITED. We can produce more parachute in case they needed to bail wealth, but we cannot produce more out. time. When we give someone our time, we actually give a portion Although Vittles accumulated of our life that we will never take thousands of flying hours, including back . Our time is our life! The best flying on 131 missions with ……………….. present that you can give to your Lieutenant Steber during the Berlin family and friends is your TIME. Airlift, he actually never needed to The last wishes of Alexander May God grant you plenty of TIME, use his parachute. to share with all. the Great...... On his death bed, …………………………………….. Vittles became a celebrity at home Alexander summoned his army and abroad. In fact, his popularity generals and told them his three was such that he became known as “the world’s most photographed ultimate wishes: dog. His picture appeared in numerous magazines and 1. The best doctors should carry his newspapers, as well as in the coffin … comics. In one cartoon, Vittles is sitting at a table in the officer’s club 2. The wealth he has accumulated with a fork and knife in his paws. (money, gold, precious The chief cook is behind him, stones)should be scattered along yelling: “I don’t care how many the procession to the missions he’s got, he’s not eating in my dining room!” cemetery .... When the Soviet blockade of Berlin 3. His hands should be let loose, so ended in 1949, Steber and Vittles they hang outside the coffin for all were sent to Biggs AFB, Texas. At to see !! One of his generals who On the 70th anniversary of D-Day the age of 6, Vittles contracted heart was surprised by these unusual worms from a mosquito bite and fell paratrooper Jim Martin jumped ill. LeMay, upon hearing the news, requests asked Alexander to into Normandy again at the age of arranged for a veterinarian to care explain .Here is what Alexander the 93 years old. He was a member of for the dog, but nothing could be Great had to say : the 101st Airborne Division. His done. When Vittles died, the news jump was a success and he told was reported on the front pages of 1. "I want the best doctors to carry reporters that he felt fine after the El Paso Times and the Air Force my coffin to demonstrate that in the making his most recent jump……………………………….

23 Winter 2015/2016 January 21, 2016

A Summary of Findings Which 1.135 and 1.140 at the time of AC scope (Sonar) simultaneously Caused The Deep Dive of the failure. ordered all ahead one-third. USS CHOPPER (SS 342) There was no unusual activity or The diving officer looked at and 7 October, 1969 events taking place aboard. observed that normal indication for bow and stern planes was not Since 11-19-01 functioning; and the emergency bow The USS CHOPPER is a Guppy 1A and stern plane angle indicator lights diesel powered submarine. On 11 were not functioning and that he had February, 1969, USS CHOPPER ! no indication whatsoever of the (SS 342) was operating off the coat Loss of Alternating Current actual position of either bow or stern of Cuba in waters with and average At about 1342 on 11 February, 1969 planes. depth of 1800 fathoms (10,800 feet). (approximately two minutes later) The hydraulic manifold operator, USS CHOPPER was operating with with all ahead full being answered, noticed that he had no light the USS HAWKINS (DD 873). without knowledge of any personnel indication on the TP-TR (hull and At 1340 hours the status of the USS on board as to probable cause, the ballast tank opening indicator panel) CHOPPER (SS 342) control two on line AC ICMG motor board. mechanisms were as follows: generators suddenly tripped off The I.C. Electrician of the watch Submerged at 150 feet. without warning, causing immediate moved to the gyro compass control Trim angle about 1 degree down. loss of functions of the following panel in order to shift gyro filaments Rudder angle unknown. equipments on board USS power supply as is required upon the Speed full ahead rung up (230 CHOPPER (SS 342) which were loss of AC power. RPM) and answered on both shafts. dependent on AC power: The auxiliaryman moved to a Speed between 7 and 9 knots. All alarms (except diving alarm) position adjacent to and facing the Bow planes in emergency power for 1 and 7 MC speaker systems. air manifold. training purposes. Hydraulic accumulator indicator. The attitude of the submarine Stern planes in normal power. Motor order telegraphs. increased from a "slight down Bow and stern planes indicating TP-TR (hull and ballast tank angle" of 2 or 3 degrees to between between 5° up and 5° down as opening indicator panel) board. 12 and 15 degrees down.The Officer required to maintain ordered depth 27 MC speaker system. of the Deck ordered all ahead one and ordered 1° down angle. Shaft revolutions indicator. third. Normal plane angle indicators and Normal bow and stern plane The officer conning the submarine emergency planes angle indicators indicators. simultaneously ordered all ahead functioning properly. Normal rudder angle indicator. one third. Submarine in trim and trim pump Bow planes rigging indicator. The Diving Officer noticed there and trim manifold secured. Rectified 6 volt DC power for: was no normal or emergency Main ballast tanks and Safety Tank a) Auxiliary angle indicator. indication of the position of the bow vents open and bow buoyancy vent b) auxiliary bow and stern plane or stern planes. shut. angle indicators. The hydraulic manifold operator Submarine was conducting c) TP-TR (hull and ballast tank noticed he had no indication on the unlimited (except restricted to 150 opening indicator panel). TP-TR (hull and ballast tank foot depth on orders of d) AC lighting. opening indicator panel) board. Commanding Officer) evasive e) All sonar equipment. The I.C. Electrician of the watch maneuvers as directed by the f) All radio equipment. moved to the gyro compass control exercise message. g) Auxiliary gyro synchro amplifier. panel in order to shift gyro power Two of the four ICMG (interior h) All other electronic equipment. supply to filaments only as is communications alternating current The stern planes were considered to required upon the loss of AC power. motor generators) #3 and #5 were be at full dive at the instant of AC The auxiliaryman moved to a providing AC power to lighting power loss. position adjacent to and facing the systems, normal indicator systems, air manifold. MC speaker systems, sonar systems, Sequence of Events radio and other equipments 0 to 5 Seconds After Loss of AC requiring AC power throughout the Power submarine. The Officer of the Deck ordered all The state of the submarine's ahead one-third and commenced batteries was at one half capacity. moving from a position by number 2 ! The batteries specific gravity was periscope to a position next to lower Sequence of Events estimated to have been between conning tower hatch. 5 to 15 Seconds After Loss of AC The officer conning the submarine Power under instruction, observing "J"

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The attitude of the submarine auxiliaryman responded to the order. the submarine was next to increased from a slight down angle In addition the diving officer impossible and a tremendous of 2 to 3 degrees to between 12 and ordered the stern planesman to shift amount of loose material of every 15 degrees down. to emergency and the stern nature was moving forward The helmsman picked up the sound planesman responded to the order. violently. powered hand phone in the conning The commanding officer entered the tower (XJA circuit inter control room and was able to pull compartmental sound powered himself to a position between the phone system) and rang ladder from control to conning maneuvering room twice and tower and the control room table. ordered all ahead one third as One of the chiefs fell to the forward instructed by the conning officer. end of the forward battery as he The order was not heard or attempted to climb into the control acknowledged in maneuvering. (It room. was not substantiated by later The hydraulic manifold operator evidence that the maneuvering room shut the forward group and safety was actually called up or that the vents. Bow buoyancy vent was shut ! sound powered phones were not and safety vent was open. functioning.) The stern planesman shifted plane Sequence of Events The instructor planesman took control to emergency. 30 to 60 Seconds After Loss of AC charge of the planes. The diving officer or commanding Power The commanding officer left the officer ordered "blow the forward The submarine's down angle wardroom and proceeded towards group, blow safety. continued to increase and the the control room. The engineering officer arrived at forward and downward travel of the the crew's berthing compartment in submarine was decelerating due the the after battery and was unable to the applied all back full propulsion proceed further. and the affect of blowing bow The auxiliaryman blew the forward buoyancy, forward group and safety group and safety as ordered. tanks. The planesmen continued to The diving officer ordered both struggle with the planes, in hand ! planesman to shift to hand power. power, attempting to place them in a Sequence of Events Water started flowing out of the rise position. The commanding 15 to 30 Seconds After Loss of AC auxiliary vent manifold and into the officer was attempting to calm the Power I.C. board. men and in control and restore order. The rate of change of increasing In the maneuvering room, the senior The submarine reached a maximum down angle accelerated rapidly from controllerman on the starboard side depth of approximately 1011 feet in about 15 degrees down to of the cubicle after attempting to the bow section, approximately 720 approximately 40 to 45 degrees communicate repeatedly with feet in the after section with an down; with full speed ahead still control room on hand phone, looked angle greater than 75 degrees down. being answered. at the pressure gauge mounted on The starboard controllerman on the bulkhead by his right shoulder watch in the maneuvering room and noted the the gauge indicating picked up the XJA circuit (inter 150 psi (330 + feet) and estimated compartmental sound powered that the down angle was about 40 to phone system) but heard no 45 degrees at which time he ordered conversations. the port controllerman to come to The Officer of the deck took the "All back full", both men took this hand telephone from the helmsman action immediately. and ordered "All stop" and At the diving stand in the control immediately "All back full". There room, the angle indicator was was no response to this order, nor pegged in the down angle position, was it heard in the maneuvering over 45 degrees, and the depth room. gauge was passing 400 feet. The after torpedo room watch The air manifold operator cut-in air picked up the hand phone (XJA banks 1 and 5 in response to the circuit) and heard no conversation commanding officer's orders. At this stage, with a down angle of ! on the phone. Sequence of Events The diving officer ordered "Blow about 45 degrees, further controlled bow buoyancy" and the movement of personnel throughout

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60 to 70 Seconds After Loss of AC 70 to 120 Seconds After Loss of AC Sequence of Events Power Power 120 to 150 Seconds After Loss of The submarine's downward motion The submarine up angle rapidly AC Power was reduced to zero. The submarine increased to at least 83 degrees and The submarine broke the ocean's gained sternway (movement in the submarine quickly accelerated in surface in a near vertical attitude reverse) in a near vertical position, a forward and upward motion, and rose to a position which almost bow down followed immediately by during which time the diving officer cleared the after sail area, before a change in attitude as the reiterated the the commanding settling stern first to a completely submarine started toward and officer's order to ,"Open the forward submerged condition stern down. through zero angle into an up angle group vents", to which the hydraulic The conning tower depth gauge was and change of momentum toward manifold operator responded. The observed to read 205 feet at the the surface. In addition, the air manifold operator received an deepest point of reentry, at which following sequence of events order from an unknown source to, time the forward group, bow occurred: "Blow the after group", and buoyancy and safety vents were The bow plane mechanical indicator complied. The diving officer shut. The submarine resurface at an was observed passing from a dive to repeated his order to, "Get the rise angle of about 40 degrees and a rise position at about the moment off the planes". remained on the surface, dead in the the submarine went through a Note: All the loose material which water. The high pressure air neutral angle. had accumulated on the forward manifold was secured. The The commanding officer ordered bulkheads of all compartments, submarine returned to the surface "Forward group vents opened", except maneuvering room, now for the second time at about 1345. however the hydraulic manifold literally "fell" aft through the air and The BT trace card in use during this operator could not or did not crashed in mass on after bulkheads. incident does not disclose any immediately respond to orders. One deck plate in the forward indication of extreme thermal The commanding officer ordered " torpedo room sailed through the air, gradient. All variable ballast tank All stop" which was answered by from between the torpedo tubes, readings were the same both prior to maneuvering. passed through the forward battery. and subsequent to the incident. The diving officer ordered both In the sonar room there was a stop planesman to "Get the rise off" (Still watch hanging by a three inch long Findings no indication or reports on loop from a knurled knob which The CHOPPER (SS 342) was able mechanical indicators as to planes secures a vertical panel on sonar to restore sufficient propulsion position) stack. This stop watch fell from the machinery so as to return to port The diving officer ordered, "Secure knob on which it was hanging under her own power. the blow to bow buoyancy and during the up angle. In order to The I.C. Electrician on watch, was forward group., which was cause the loop holding the watch to not "aware" that the transfer switch acknowledged and accomplished by slip off the knurled knob it is which provides AC/DC power to the air manifold operator. necessary to tilt the panel outward emergency indicators was not of the The commanding officer ordered, from a vertical position to a near automatic relay type which provides "All ahead full", which was horizontal angle of at least 82 6 volts DC emergency power to acknowledged and done by degrees. At this stage of the incident angle indicators upon loss of AC maneuvering. many personnel could no longer power. The after torpedo room requested recall what occurred, as evidenced The diving officer was aware that permission to load one red by written statements and tape the transfer switch which provides combination flare (never recordings. AC/DC power was not of the acknowledged or accomplished). automatic type, however he did not Note: With the exception of a small at anytime during the incident order leak in air conditioning overboard the I.C. Electrician of the watch or discharge line, no major salt water any other person to shift the switch system internal to the submarine had to the DC power supply position. failed, though the submarine was The diving officer upon noticing not rigged for deep submergence that there was no lighting on the TP- and was in a neutral angle at about TR panel indication board assumed 740 feet at this moment. that all DC power foreward had been lost causing loss of pressure in the hydraulic system. He therefore ordered planesman to "shift the planes to hand power" and ! attempted to pass the word over the Sequence of Events ! XJA handset to "Shut all vents by

26 Winter 2015/2016 January 21, 2016 hand". The order to shut vents by Manometers No. 3 and No. 4 main more ACMG sets and hand was not acknowledged by any engine- broken by falling gear. possibly the loss of all AC person. power man be caused by The hydraulic manifold operator on Convening Authority Comment transient CC voltages. two occasions shortly after loss of The first attempt by conning tower These transient voltages are AC power requested emergency to call the maneuvering room is superimposed on DC indication for the TP-TR board. His considered to have failed as a result circuits when the circuits request was not acknowledged. of the selector switch on the E-call are subjected to current The "WARNING" plate specified in being in some position other than surges and current Blueprint No SS-6505-H-806820 to the maneuvering room, or due to a interruptions. In answering be found mounted in the vicinity of low intensity ring not heard in the bells, controllerman in the the control room I.C. switchboard maneuvering room because of the maneuvering room should could not be found. (NOTE: high background noise which observe current surges and "WARNING! LIGHT OUT normally accompanies a full bell in allow the surges to decay INDICATES THAT 6-8 VOLT BUS the after portion of the ship. The before proceeding with the ON I.C. SWITCHBOARD IS conning tower phone had been used steps that normally follow. BEING SUPPLIED FROM THE just prior to the loss of AC power to This area of transient EMERGENCY 6 VOLT the after torpedo room. The selector voltages/current surges is BATTERY." ) switch may not have been placed in being pursued with The conning officer under the maneuvering room position. NAVSHIPS and more instruction used the conning tower After this first attempt to call the information will follow. handset phone (XJA circuit) maneuvering room, the E-call was approximately 15 minutes prior to neglected. For a few following 3 Deck plates in the forward the loss of AC power and engaged in seconds orders were issued by the Torpedo Room were not a conversation with the after torpedo OOD in the blind. It is considered bolted down. They literally room watch and experienced no that phones were not yet manned in fell from one end of the difficulty whatsoever. the maneuvering room when the department to the other Damaged or Out of Commission OOD issued his orders in the blind. when the ship took large Equipment The loss of AC power was related to angles. Only through No. 3 and No. 4 ICMG sets- flooded the battery gravity (charge chance were there no with salt water and fuel oil. condition), the propulsion orders serious injuries as a result FTR GSIR- hit with a deck plate immediately before the loss of AC of there flying objects. No. 3 torpedo tube outer door in power and the resulting auxiliary hand- inoperative. voltage fluctuations from the 4 Auxiliary plane angle OMA (Cavitation indicator propulsion orders of full ahead. indicators are operated by a hydrophone)-flooded sliding type contactor. By BQR2-B2 (passive sonar) 2 Lessons Learned And Action Taken design these contactors are hydrophones-flooded As a Result of The capable of adjustment so 1/64" leak in expansion joint USS CHOPPER (SS342) Casualty that a light is always on forward of "B" valve- hole was there Following the loss of AC power the and therefore the position previously, but chipped paint expose CHOPPER experienced a depth of the planes (or rudder) is the hole. excursion to approximately 1000 always known. All Starboard main motor circulating feet. Large angles up to about 84 auxiliary indicators should water pump motor-flooded with salt degrees were taken. The following so adjusted or a report water. lessons to be learned are derived made that they don't meet Shallow water depth gauge in from this incident. design specifications. control room- depth. 1 Master gyro-mercury spilled out. 2 Shipboard personnel 5 Loss of AC power on a Low ground reading in battery should be knowledgeable diesel submarine causes a wells- spilled electrolyte. regarding the rated load rapid communications with Lighting voltage regulator (No. 1) - capabilities of instilled maneuvering, namely MB salt water. ship's service ACMG sets. circuits and 1 & 7 MC if Stern light - flooded. While underway the this failure occurs at high No. 2 air condition circulating water number of ACMG sets in speed, the ship is left with pump motor-salt water operation should be reduced ability to recover Forward torpedo room lower hatch sufficient so that the loss of from a depth excursion. does not seat-depth. one ACMG will not COMSUBLANT is No. 2 auxiliary tank does not hold overided the remaining working toward and air pressure-depth sets. The loss of one or emergency communication

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system to improve this Company Memo Contributed employees who are not Christians situation. However, until a Charlie Weaver and to those still celebrating modification is approved Reconciliation Day. and installed, the consequences of an AC FROM: Patty Lewis, Human There will be no Christmas tree and power casualty should be Resources Director no Christmas carols will be sung. thought out ahead of time TO: All Employees by all watch standers, DATE: November 1, 2012 We will have other types of music particularly when ship RE: Gala Christmas Party for your enjoyment. speeds are over abut 5 knots. The practice of I'm happy to inform you that the Happy now? ensuring the E call company Christmas Party will take rd selectors on the conning place on December 23 , starting at Happy Holidays to you and your tower and control room noon in the private function room at family, phones are returned to the Grill House. Patty "Maneuvering" after each use should be instituted. There will be a cash bar and plenty Company Memo of drinks! We'll have a small band FROM: Patty Lewis, Human 6 It was apparent in this playing traditional carols... feel free Resources Director casualty that all watch to sing along. And don't be TO: All Employees standers were not surprised if our CEO shows up DATE: November 3, 2012 thoroughly checked out on dressed as Santa Claus! RE: Holiday Party indications, corrective actions, and differences A Christmas tree will be lit at 1:00 Regarding the note I received from a between loss of AC power, PM. Exchanges of gifts among member of Alcoholics Anonymous loss of DC power, loss of employees can be done at that time; requesting a non-drinking table, you main hydraulic power, and however, no gift should be over didn't sign your name... loss of normal hydraulic $10.00 to make the giving of gifts power to the planes. Drills easy for everyone's pockets. I'm happy to accommodate this on these causalities should request, but if I put a sign on a table be conducted until COW, This gathering is only for that reads, "AA Only", you (chief of the watch) employees! wouldn't be anonymous anymore. planesman, Diving Officer, How am I supposed to handle this? and I.C. Electrician Our CEO will make a special recognize quickly and announcement at that time! Somebody? accurately which causality has occurred and know by Merry Christmas to you and your And sorry, but forget about the gift rote how to correct it. family, exchange, no gifts are allowed since Patty the union members feel that $10.00 7 DC indicators for bow and is too much money and the stern planes and rudder are executives believe $10.00 is a little sometimes called Company Memo chintzy. emergency indicators. This FROM:Patty Lewis, Human terminology could be Resources Director REMEMBER: NO GIFTS confused with emergency TO: All Employees EXCHANGE WILL BE power to the planes or DATE: November 2, 20102 ALLOWED. rudder. DC indicators RE: Gala Holiday Party Patty should be called "Auxiliary Angle indicators" and not In no way was yesterday's memo Company Memo "Emergency Angle intended to exclude our Jewish FROM: Patty Lewis, Human indicators". A change to the employees. We recognize that Resources Director SSORM will be Hanukkah is an important holiday, To: All Employees forthcoming. which often coincides with DATE: November 4, 2012 Christmas, though unfortunately not RE: Generic Holiday Party Editors Note: this year. Earl “Charlie” Weaver submitted What a diverse group we are! I had this article. It just goes to However, from now on, we're no idea that December 20th begins show that “war is hell, calling it our "Holiday Party." The the Muslim holy month of especially in peace time.” same policy applies to any other

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Ramadan, which forbids eating and TO: All F*%^ing Employees each ship, that legend fails to drinking during daylight hours. DATE: November 5, 2012 reach. It's down below the RE: The F*%^ing Holiday Party There goes the party! Seriously, we waterline, it takes a living toil. a can appreciate how a luncheon at I've had it with you vegetarian hot metal living hell, that sailors this time of year does not pricks!!! We're going to keep this call the "HOLE". accommodate our Muslim party at the Grill House whether you employees' beliefs. Perhaps the like it or not, so you can sit quietly It houses engines run by steam, Grill House can hold off on serving at the table furthest from the "grill your meal until the end of the party of death," as you so quaintly put it, that make the shafts go 'round.a or else package everything for you and you'll get your f*%^ing salad place of fire and noise and heat, to take it home in little foil doggy bar, including organic tomatoes. that beats your spirits down. baggy. Will that work? But you know, tomatoes have Where boilers like a hellish heart, Meanwhile, I've arranged for feelings, too. They scream when with blood of angry steam Are of members of Weight Watchers to sit you slice them. I've heard them molded gods without remorse, are farthest from the dessert buffet, and scream. I'm hearing them scream pregnant women will get the table right NOW! nightmares in a dream. closest to the restrooms. The rest of you f*%^ing wierdos Whose threat that from the first Gays are allowed to sit with each can kiss my *ss. I hope you all have roar, is life living doubt, That any other. Lesbians do not have to sit a rotten holiday! minute would with scorn, escape with Gay men, each group will have their own table. Drive drunk and die, and crush you out. Where turbines scream like tortured Yes, there will be flower The B*tch from H*ll!!! souls, alone and lost in hell, As arrangement for the Gay men's table. ordered from above somewhere, Company Memo they answer every bell. To the person asking permission to FROM: Joan Bishop, Acting cross dress, the Grill House asks that Human Resources Director The men who keep the fires lit, no cross-dressing be allowed, DATE: November 6, 2012 and make the engine run.are apparently because of concerns RE: Patty Lewis and Holiday Party about confusion in the restrooms. strangers to the world of night and Sorry. I'm sure I speak for all of us in rarely see the sun. They have no wishing Patty Lewis a speedy time for man or God, no tolerance We will have booster seats for short recovery from her recent nervous people. breakdown and I'll continue to for fear, Their aspect pays no Low-fat food will be available for forward your cards to her at the living thing, the tribute of a tear. those on a diet. asylum. For there's not much that men can

I am sorry to report that we cannot In the meantime, management has do, that these men haven't done. control the amount of salt used in decided to cancel our Holiday Party the food . The Grill House suggests and give everyone the afternoon of Beneath the decks, deep in the that people with high blood pressure the 23rd off with full pay. holes, to make the engines taste a bite first. run.And every hour of every day, Happy There will be fresh "low sugar" they keep their watch in hell, for if fruits as dessert for diabetics, but the Whatever!..Joan…………………… the fires ever fail, their ship's a restaurant cannot supply "no sugar" Snipes Lament Now each of us useless shell. desserts. Sorry! from time to time, has gazed upon the sea.And watched the warships When ships converge to have a Did I miss anything?!?!? pulling out, to keep this country war, upon an angry sea,the men Patty free.And most of us have read a book, or heard a lusty tale. below just grimly smile, at what their fate might be. They're locked Company Memo About the men who sail these FROM: Patty Lewis, Human ships, through lightening, wind in below like men fore doomed, Resources Director and hail. But there's a place within who hear no battle cry, it's well

29 Winter 2015/2016 January 21, 2016 assumed that if they're hit, the That's HOPE ► 2 DEC 2015 4. We plan big things for tomorrow ► men below will die. For every in spite of zero knowledge of the The Congressional Medal of Honor day's a war down there when the future. Society announced that Private gauges all read red, Twelve That's CONFIDENCE George Taro Sakato, Medal of hundred pounds of superheated 5. We see the world suffering, but Honor recipient, passed away still we get married. December 2, 2015, in Denver, steam, can kill you mighty dead. That's LOVE Colorado at the age of 94. Private 6. On an old man's shirt was written Sakato was born in Colton, So if you ever write their sons, or a sentence, 'I am not 60 years old, I California, on February 19, 1921. try to tell their tale, the very am Sweet 16 with 44 years of He grew up outside San Bernardino words would make you hear, a experience. where he graduated from Redlands That's ATTITUDE High School. After World War II fired furnace's wail. These men of 7. One of the things age changes is; began, his family moved to Arizona steel the Public never gets to know At 22 you walk into a bar and look to avoid internment on the west so little's heard about the place, around for a nice looking girl to hit coast. He joined the Army in 1944 on, at 80 you walk in and look and volunteered for the 442nd that sailors call the hole. But I can around to make sure where the toilet Regimental Combat Team, which sing about the place, and try to is !! was mostly made up of Japanese make you see the hardened life of That's SMART…from Joe Kelsey -Americans. In October 1944 after …………………………………… his platoon had virtually destroyed men down there, cause one of two enemy defense lines near them is me. Korean War Mural - Biffontaine, France, his unit was pinned down by heavy enemy fire. I've seen these sweat soaked heros As this year marks 65 years since Disregarding the enemy fire, Private fight, in superheated air.To keep the start of the Korean War, a new Sakato made a one man rush that encouraged his platoon to charge their ship alive and right, though 20 foot tall black and white mural in downtown Amherst, Ohio, pays and destroy the enemy strong no one knows they're there. And point. Taking charge of the squad tribute to veterans of America’s thus they'll fight for ages on, til after his squad leader was “Forgotten War.” It’s the third mural mortally wounded, he continued steamships sail no more, amid the for local artist Mike Skeletal who his relentless tactics to stop an boiler's mighty heat and turbines has painted the outside wall of a organized enemy attack. He was hellish roar. two story brick building into a awarded a Distinguished Service Cross for his actions, but the historic timeline. The Korean War So when you see a ship pull out to 1990s review upgraded it to a mural, which was dedicated during a Medal of Honor. The 442nd meet a warship foe. Remember ceremony this past Veterans Day, Regimental Combat Team remains faintly, if you can, the men who features a silhouette of the Korean the most decorated for its size and sail below. author unknown but peninsula surrounded by combat length of service in the history of American warfare. He was awarded submitted by Charlie Weaver, soldiers, fighter jets, a battleship and the Medal of Honor by President MM2…………………………………… a nurse. “Korean veterans that I’ve William J. Clinton at a White House met are so proud and thankful that a ceremony on June 21, 2000. Seven Little Stories...... younger guy paid respect to them with this mural,” said Sekletar, a Funeral services are pending. 1. Once all villagers decided to pray member of Sons of The American There are 78 recipients alive for rain. On the day of prayer all the today. people gathered, but only one boy Legion Squadron 118 in Amherst. …………………………………….. came with an umbrella. “Truly, it’s a real honor for me to That's FAITH pay my thanks in this way, so I 2. When you throw a baby in the air, guess the Korean War is no longer she laughs because she knows you the ‘Forgotten War’ in Amherst, will catch her. That's TRUST Ohio.” 3. Every night we go to bed without Happy New Year 2016!!! any assurance of being alive the …………………………………… next morning but still we set the alarms to wake up. Obit: George Taro Sakato

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