Page 2 Officers for 2009 Charles A. Lloyd, Chairman & Sec.Treas. 1985-2009 115 Wall Creek Drive Rolesville, N.C. 27571 1-919-570-0909 [email protected]
Ron Carlson 616 Putnam Place Alexander, VA 22302-4018 703-549-5908 Dear Every One, Nov.28, 2008 Board of Directors C.A. Lloyd ...... NC Hilda and I wish everyone a “MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR.” They Bill Bartzatt...... NE Don Gleason ...... KS sure come fast in the past few years but we look for more. This has been a very hectic time in the Clarence Korker . . . . . FL last few months with politicians fighting for power, the economy in a turmoil and the high gas Joe Colgan...... MD Gerald Greaves ...... RI prices. The gas prices are getting back to normal now and let’s hope it stays that way. I know the Al Sniff ...... FL truck drivers who delivers our food are relieved. I am, for one, as there are many mouths are to Kenneth Sneed ...... IN be fed all over the world Ralph McNally...... OK Joseph Benedict . . . . MN each day and it was bad Richard Hudnall. . . . . AZ enough as it was before. Zed Merrill ...... OR Joe Esposito ...... IL Bernard Stansbury . . . VA I doubt if you can get William Sache ...... MA this POINTER before Hilary Makowski. . . . . PA Arnold Latare ...... IA CHRISTMAS as I held it Bob Ober ...... OH up to see whether we J.F. Carter ...... LA Howard Long ...... SC would go through with Mike Molinari...... NY the MM/AG reunion. Tom Dufrense ...... MA “WE WILL NOT Raymond Didur...... MI HOLD THE AG Trustees REUNION” for different C.A. Lloyd ...... NC Theo Schorr ...... PA reasons beyond my control John Shirley ...... TX and after all the turmoil of Arthur Fazzone . . . . . NY Louis Tew ...... CT all the foreclosures, bank- Johnny Stanley...... GA rupts, high gas prices at the Al Colella...... MO time, plus our age, I finally Jay Wildfong ...... WI Henry Harrison. . . . . WA decided that I did not want Mervil Yarbrough . . . NV to stick my neck out as I Neal Vermillion. . . . . MD Wm. A. Carter ...... DE did at Los Angeles at this late a date in my life. I do Chaplains Lyle Kell...... WA want to thank Jill Blaney ( Buck Donaldson . . . . TN Our own AG Bob Stevenson’s daughter) for volunteering to take care of the monies should we ATTENTION had gone through with the You know where you are. You know where we are. reunion, I want to thank We know where we are. Morris Harvey (MM) for But we don't always know where you are. his patience in trying to Please notify us when you move. make it happen. I had Non-Profit Organization started this letter several Tax Exempt No. 74-2316668 times, changed it and Remember, I “STILL” can't move ended up deleting. It is to as fast as I did when I was in my my sorrow, as I even delet- twenties! When you call, let the phone ring so I can get to it! -CAL
Officers - Gunners - Signalmen - Radiomen - Corpsmen - Waves - Boatswains - Coxswains - Ship's Company - Radarmen Page 3 LETTERS FROM THE CREW... ed things that I needed to keep. I hope To you wives who may loose your Ol’ by the crews were never known except on I can get most back in. It was a hard Salt, please let me know so I can post in reports. These reports can be found at the decision to make. the computer to let others know. If you Archives in College Park, Md.. (cal) still want to remain on the mailing list, I have included one Itinerary for the please advise. If I go, so goes the ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Merchant Seamen as I think I owe POINTER. Will you volunteer to Harvey that much to help him have a take over? My phone line is open from Dear C.A., successful reunion. He welcomes the 8 AM until 10 PM, 7 days a week. I My wife, Shirley and I have just Armed Guard to still come and join in. have caller I.D.. I will return the call returned from a trip that was the ful- AG are not obligated to pay any of the when I can. fillment of my life’s dream. We Convention Fees on the Itinerary, just –calloyd cruised the Norwegian fjords north- the things you care to take part in. I ward all the way to the North Cape and hope to attend for I would love to sail The Mariner’s Museum Library is beyond, to Kirkenes at the Russian the AMERICAN VICTORY in open again for ship’s pictures, border. There, I thought of the Armed Ta m p a . Contact: Patti Hinson Guard who were rescued and taken by The Mariner’s Museum Library, German planes from their lifeboats to a I have had two requests for our help. 100 Museum Dr., Russian P.O.W. Camp at Kirkenes, the One is from: Demid Rabchevsky, Flat 9 Newport News, Va. 23606 first American prisoners captured by 20 Gagarin St., Murmansk, Russia 757-591-7782 the Germans. It was a mild September 183034 who is writing research on [email protected] weather while we were there, sunny but Radio Operators on the Convoys to with a chill wind blowing from the Murmansk. A little info would help a ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Barents Sea where the Arctic convoys lot. Maybe you know of someone. The sailed in WW II. My own war-time other is that of: Matt Booi, 317 Dear Charles, cruises were all in the Pacific, but as I Adelaide St. W Suite 805, Toronto, Going through my Navy Records, I looked out across water off North Canada M5V 1P9 416-979-8458-234. came across several voyage reports for Cape, I couldn’t help but to imagine [email protected] . His ships I was on. One that I am enclosing the cold, fear and tension gripping the company is in the process of doing a is that of the S.S. FLOYD W Armed Guard and Merchane crews four part series on the men and ships of SPENCER while in the Pacific. We who were wondering if they would AG and the MM who sailed on them up left the Philipines on December 31, ever see home again. and down the East Coast and after talk- 1944 and one day out of port, we were ing with him, he wants to extend it to all attacked by a lone Japanese Torpedo On the way north of the Arctic Circle, theaters. Write your story in FULL. plane. Our ship brought up the tail end our cruise ship stopped in the Lofoten Now is the time to save our history and of a small convoy and we became the Islands at Svolvaer, the scene of a let it be shown to the world. I have fur- logical target for the enemy. When the British commando raid on a German nished a lot of material so far and initial attack occurred, (the dropping communication and supply center on places to look. Write while you are able. of the plane’s bomb) I was on watch in March 4, 1941. We visited a war muse- the radio room. When the ship’s um, Norway’s largest exhibit of uni- Again, I would like to personally say General Alarm sounded, I was relieved forms and military artifacts of the war. THANKS to all who have donated in of that duty by the Chief Radio While I was casually moving about the the past. This is what keeps the bills Operator. I hurried to my communica- museum, my attention was suddenly paid. Our POINTER cover speaks for tion post on the bridge where I was an drawn to two, very long lifeboat oars, itself. It brings back many of those eyewitness to the action of our gun over 15 foot long. They had drifted memories of when we were united to crew. As indicated by our gunnery offi- ashore in that area in 1945. Plainly vis- defeat our common enemy and there cer, Lt(jg) William S. Birdwell, Jr.’s ible and stenciled on one of them are were some dark days for so many of our report, the response from our Armed the words: “S.S. FAIRFIELD CITY”. AG and MM who went many months Guard Gun Crew was magnificent. They were from one of the doomed and some years without word from Official report is enclosed. Sincerely, Allied ships destroyed by German home. Those of you who went through subs and planes in PQ-17 , July 1942. those days, I know, remembers them. Ralph J. Rodriguez RM3/c 4286 Grannis Rd., Fairview Park, Oh. 44126 The oars did not drift into the Islands Would it not have been nice to have had *********** until 3 years after the disaster. The a cell phone then!! Thanks Ralph. Yes. Many brave incidents museum director is fully informed Page 4 LETTERS FROM THE CREW... about that convoy and the part the Armed Guard played in taking sup- plies to the U.S.S.R.. Four lifeboats got away from the FAIRFIELD CITY and I wonder if any survivors are still with us. Enclosed is a donation and I wish to say, “The Lord Willing, I will attend the Tampa, Fl. Reunion next May.” Keep the POINTERS going C.A. and God Bless.
Harold and Shirley Skinner, 2003 S. Lincoln St., Seattle, Wa. 99203
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Dear Chairman Lloyd I had the opportunity to take the HONOR FLIGHT-CLEVELAND to see the World War II Memorial in Group photo just before boarding the bus from Baltimore to Cleveland Washington, D.C. on April 16, 2008 with my 2 daughters, Peggy Callahan and Nancy McGuire. Peggy was my Guardian and Nancy was Guardian to Marvin King, a person that I had not met before. We flew into Baltimore and then, took a 50 minute drive into Washington. They even provided a box lunch. Enclosed is one photo showing (LR) Myself , Nancy and the Kansas Honorable Bob Dole, our Senator and a WW II Veteran.
The other is of the group taken just before boarding the bus to Baltimore. We arrived back in Cleveland, tired after a long day but the people who came to the airport to greet us made it all worthwhile. It was a great experi- ence. Will Kitson, Nancy McGuire(Kitson’s Daughter) & Kansas Senator/WWII Vet Bob Dole
Wilbur G. Kitson, 701 Harvard Ave., Convoys and I plan to write a about American radio service. Would Elyria, Oh. 44035 research work devoted to the Radio you be so kind as to send me names Service during WW II and describe and addresses of those you know. I’ll ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ the lives of some of the Radio be very grateful to you. I’m looking Operators who sailed in the convoys. forward to hearing from you. Yours Dear Mr. Lloyd, 10/18/08 I am very interested in radio technol- Sincerely, My name is Demid Rabchevsky. I am a ogy, too and am also a beginner as an pupil of the 8th forin. I study at amateur radio operator. I have Demid Rabchevsky, Gymnasium #9 and last year, I started already gotten some good informa- Flat 81, 20 Gagarin Street, to work as a guide in our school muse- tion from the British Veterans of the Murmansk, Russia 183039 um of the Arctic Convoys. I am very Convoys who were radio operators. interested in the histoy of the Arctic Now, I would like to get information ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Page 5 LETTERS FROM THE CREW... Front Row: Cliff Scholten; Tracy Corder; Lyle Ferguson and Myrt Van Dyke, our Wave Member who served in the mail room at the Brooklyn Armed Guard Center.
(Bottom photo) In the back of the National Guard truck( was:Grant Petersen, Ivan Edwards, Cliff Scholten, Tracy Corder; Lyle Ferguson; Lee Nylen; John Rudisill and Arnie Latare.
I had the distinction of having had both of his grandfathers in the USN Armed Guard during WW II.
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Lloyd, the street. The truck then turned To: All Navy AG Members and Our USN ARMED GUARD here in around and instead of winding Supporters- July 2008 Iowa had a very nice Honor recently. through the fairgrounds, they took us We were asked to be and were the back to the reviewing stand where I have had the privilege to be a part of GRAND MARSHALL for the chairs were set up for us to observe the your history by writing and compiling Veteran’s Parade on Veteran’s Day at balance of the 40 minute parade from the following books published by the the Iowa State Fair, the biggest and the reviewing stand. It was a special Glencannon Press: 1-800-711-8905 best State Fair in the USA. Col. King day for all of us. We were then recog- (Ret) who puts the parade together, nized on the Iowa Public TV, where Patriots and Heroes: True Stories of called and asked if we would do it, and they showed segments of the parade. the U.S. Merchant Marine in World if so, get as many men together as you War II, Vols. 1&2 Nightmare in Bari: can and that he would furnish the (Top photo) The World War II Liberty Ship transportation for us. We were able to Waiting for the parade to start photo is: Poison Gas Disaster and Cover-up get 10 men to take part and Col. King Back row L-R- Lee Nylen, Rusty Corder. Death’s Railway: A Merchant Mariner furnished a 2ton Iowa National Guard POW on the River Kwai No truck for us to ride in. Middle Row: Ia. National Guard Driver- Surrender: True Stories of the U.S. Lyle Ferguson; Grant Petersen; Gerald Navy Armed Guard in World War II We rode down the Grand Concourse, Bancroft; Arnie Latare; Ralph Turner and Action in the South Atlantic: The lined with spectators on both sides of John Rudsill. Sinking of the German Raider Stier by the Liberty Ship Stephen Hopkins Seizure and Rescue of the SS Mayaguez (Currently under review for publication by Glencannon)
Lester Ellison is a very good friend of mine. His WW II Tugboat experience aboard an Army Transport Tug was briefly told in my Patriots and Heroes series. Les‚ maritime career led to his desire to inform the American public about the role of the American Merchant Marine in WW II. In reviewing his life and work, I have decided to write a book concerning the American Merchant Marine and the USNAG and their involvement with Page 6 LETTERS FROM THE CREW... tugboats in WW II. Therefore, I am on the front of The Pointer. GOD SHALL NOT WANT. TELL looking for stories from mariners and BLESS AMERICA. GOD BLESS THEM ... I FEAR NO EVIL ... NAGs who served aboard any WW II US ONE AND ALL. TELL THEM I AM AT PEACE. related tugboats. These stories may Bonnie J. Bryan American Legion involve all the theaters, training, Paradise Post 259 Paradise, CA ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ first/last voyage, D-day, humor, battle, death, galley, life at sea and in port, etc. "Bonnie's Tribute to Tom” Dear Charles, April 30, 2008 I look forward to compiling and writ- WHEN THEY SPEAK OF ME .. Thank you very much for the POINT- ing this volume on our WW II tug- AND THEY SHALL .. TELL ERS. I thought you may find the boats. Thank you. Sincerely, THEM HOW I EMBRACED LIFE enclosed of interest to your crew. The TO ITS FULLEST, LIVING ITS photo is of the gun crew on the S.S. Gerald Reminick 83 Bayberry Dr, TURBULENCE AND SERENITY ASCANIUS and was taken after SUR- Huntington, NY 11743 (H) 631-421- THROUGH LOVING AND FACE ENGAGEMENT WITH 3242 (O) 631-851-6557 reminig@suny- SHARING WITH MY LOVED THE SUB U-181. The gun crew were suffolk.edu ONES. WHEN THEY SPEAK OF six D.E.M.S. Gunners and the rest ME ... AND THEY SHALL ... were Merchant Seamen who passed us ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ REMIND THEM THAT I SAID the ammunition. I am standing on "HOLD ON. IT'S GOING TO BE A right. Sadly, the tall lad, “Jack”, with Charles Lloyd, BUMPY AND YET EXHILARAT- his hand on my shoulder was lost at sea Tom and I were E-Mail buddies for at ING RIDE ... MY LIFE, YOU a few weeks later when he was trans- least 10 years. He encouraged me dur- KNOW. I DID IT MY WAY."... AND ferred to a Norwegian tanker at ing the time I was just recovering from WHEN THEY SPEAK OF ME ... Durban and it was sunk shortly after my husband's death with his humorous AND THEY SHALL ... LET leaving port. The S.S. ASCANIUS was E-Mails, he encouraged me, corrected THEM KNOW THAT I ACCEPT- in Port Elizabeth for two weeks for me, and was truly my mentor while I ED ME, UNDERSTOOD ME repairs. Everyday we saw survivors was researching and writing my book AND OFTEN TIMES HAD TO brought ashore from ships that had about the Armed Guard and the FORGIVE ME, AS SO MANY been sunk nearby. Merchant Marine ships they served OTHERS DID. WHEN THEY upon. He encouraged me when I SPEAK OF ME ... AND THEY When the engine was repaired, we were became a member of the American SHALL ... KNOW THAT I LOVED ordered to sail without escort to Cape Warrior Support Group sending care MY FAMILY, KNOW THAT I Town, We guessed what would happen packages to our troops in Afghanistan GAVE THANKS FOR MY CHIL- – and it did. We were barely out of and Iraq, presently up to 51, including DREN, AND LET IT BE KNOWN sight of land when a U-Boat surfaced the 13 to whom we are sending over the THAT I WAS TRULY GRATEFUL ahead of us. Our captain ordered past 4+ years. We never met; he called AND BLESSED FOR MY “REVERSE COURSE” and ordered me once and that was the first time I FRIENDS WHO NEVER LEFT full speed. The sub opened fire and all heard his gentlemanly, southern accent. MY SIDE. AND WHEN THEY it’s shots landed ahead of us. The 2nd Unfortunately, that weekend I was out SPEAK OF ME ... AND THEY mate came down from the bridge and of town. Prior to his passing, he sent E- SHALL ... KNOW THAT I WAS took charge of the gun crew. He gave Mail addresses of his "circle of friends" AWARE OF THE DARKNESS. us a range and our first shot fell about all across the world and some of us to HOWEVER, I WAS SYMBOLIC 1000 yards short. The blast from this this day, are E-Mailing each other, OF THE PHOENIX THAT ROSE shot burst both my eardrums, blew the knowing that we will probably never FROM ITS' ASHES, SOARING TO shells out of the ready box racks into meet either. I wrote one lady that she NEW AND GREATER HEIGHTS. the well deck and our accomodation was "God sent" and she promptly cor- IT WAS UPON MY LAST JOUR- which was just astern of the gun was rected me that she was "Tom sent". As NEY THAT HE DID CRADLE ME blown back two feet. It’s solid entrance long as I live, I shall miss him ... not IN HIS ARMS, BLESSING ME door was blown off it’s hinges. only his E-Mails with his sense of WITH HIS LOVE AND FOR- humor ... but with corrections and GIVENESS, "TAKING ME The 2nd mate then gave orders to fire encouragement to continue writing HOME". WHEN THEY SPEAK at full ramge and the shell fell just World War II true stories. He was OF ME ... AND THEY SHALL ... ahead of the U-Boat which had closed truly a wonderful person, dear to many. TELL THEM THE LORD IS MY the gap between us by a large amount. Thank you for putting Tom's picture SHEPHERD ... TELL THEM I The sub started to zig zag and every Page 7 LETTERS FROM THE CREW... shell we fired missed it by only a few feet. At that distance, we couldn’t see if it had minor damage or if any of it’s crew were hurt. We didn’t have a chance to find out because it lost no time in submerging. Maybe it decided to attack us on the surface because it had run out of torpedoes. Our captain resumed his course for Cape Town which we reached without further trouble. After the war, I learned that the sub was the U-181. We did hold them off, didn’t we.
Charles, I hope you find the enclosed diary snippets interesting. I made the diary as shown while I was a gunner on the S.S. HIGHLAND MONARCH. As you can see, a lot of poor souls did S.S. HIGHLAND MONARCH CREW not complete the journey. I suppose I must have seen at least fifty burials at still hear he corpse sliding down the check. I send it in memory of my father. sea because the ships I was on at the board, then see it stand upright and hear I will close for now with best wishes. time were in convoy did not stop for it hit the water.Best to you and Hilda. any of the burials so they did not make God Bless and take care Tom Franz, 2821 East Jackson St., much of an impression on me and right Ashland, Ky. 41102 now, I can not recall any of them except Richard Clarabut, 321 North Ave., the first one I saw. This was on the S.S. SOUTHEND ON SEA, Essex, SS2 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ASCANIUS in 1942 when we were in 4EH, England the Gulf of Aden sailing without Dear Friends in the U.S.A.- escort. Jap subs had sunk a lot of ship- ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ THE POINTER 8/18/08 ping in the area. A soldier died at 12 Thank you for the Jan/Apr. 2008 noon and at 2 pm, the bosun and Mr.Lloyd, 8/11/08 POINTER Edition. In short note, you Chippy had him sewn up in a canvas. In I want to take a few moments to drop a asked for the boy’s family name and spite of the danger, Captain Wilson line to let you know the work you are address of the boy who died and was brought the ship to a standstill and the doing is appreciated. The articles are buried at sea on an American ship north only sound was the lapping against the first rate and it helps provide informa- of Iceland in Convoy RA 64 of side of the ship. In the port quarter of tion on the Armed Guard in World War February, 1945. The boy’s name was the well deck, one end of a board was II. My father was a member of the Oustein Hagerupsen . The family con- placed on the top guard rail and the Armed Guard during WW II. He did sisted of 5 children when they left other to a trestle. Four soldiers placed not talk much of his service in the U.S. Northern Norway in February 1945. their comrade on the board. He was Navy in the Pacific. After his death in When they arrived in Glasgow, then completely Covered with the 1993 did I contact you and the organiza- Scotland, they had just 4 but being a Union Jack. The first mate read the tion with what information I had and it pregnant mother, she delivered another burial service, then gave the order to has proven to be very helpful in filling in baby in Scotland that spring. When the lift the board. The corpse shot out from the gaps in my family knowledge of his war was over, the family returned to under the flag. In midair, it turned military service. I am proud of his serv- Norway and during the next years, she upright and came down hitting the sea ice and proud to be an “Honorary gave birth to 4 more and became a large with a loud splash. Member” of your organization. Thanks family. to each and every one of you for your The engines sprang into life and we were service. I look forward to the next edi- Today, the parents are deceased but 7 of on our way. Strange, isn’t it. I can’t recall tion of “THE POINTER.” I realize the their children still live in Norway. One any of the other burials, but to me, this cost, time and effort involved to print the of them is Jacob Hagerupsen, one could have happened yesterday. I can POINTER so I hope you will accept my Binneveien 13F, 3960 Stathelle, Norway. Page 8 LETTERS FROM THE CREW... Jacob was 4 years old then so he is 67 now. He is not too good with the English language so he prefers that all of the cor- respondence goes through me. It would be great if any of your members were aboard the American ship at the time and we could find out a little of the circum- stances how little Oustein died and I could tell the family the name of the ship and the position of Oustein’s grave. I suppose that I have answered your ques- tion. May you have a nice summer and fall in the good old U.S.A.
A monument to THE NORWEGIAN WAR SAILOR was unveiled at Bygdoynes, Norway close to Oslo in 1980. The artist was Joseph Grimesland. On the pedestal is a metal plate with the following text: DURING WORLD WAR 2, 1939- 1945, MORE THAN A THOU- Joe Colgan, Admiral Reily, Joe Wieczorek and John Confair. See Letter page 25. SAND NORWEGIAN MER- CHANT AND NAVY SHIPS PAR- ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ THE POINTER and brought up the TICIPATED. THEY CARRIED May/Sept 2008 POINTER. I look OUT COUNTLESS MILITARY Charlie, forward to get the actual POINTER TASKS AND CARRIED 145 MIL- The Armed Guard of the to keep. Don Conley from Pueblo, Co. LION TONS CARGO OF DELAWARE VALLEY CHAP- and I get together here in Fremont. It INVALUABLE IMPORTANCE TER in Levittown Pa. of which I was the first time since we left the S.S. FOR THE ALLIED VICTORY. am the Chairman have decided CALEB STRONG in 1943 after a 9 THE MERCHANT SHIPS WERE along with Jack Remeter, our Sec. months “CRUISE”. They were here ARMED AND MORE THAN and Jack Harman, our Treas., that attending a square dance festival. Take HALF OF THEM WERE LOST. we three and those remaining will care and in touch. DANGER AND DRUDGERY continue to have our meeting to the MARKED MOST OF THE 35,000 last one one of us are standing. Our Virgil J. Clark 1890 North D St., WAR SAILORS. 4500 OF THEM numbers are dwindling but our Fremont, Ne. 68025 402-721-1046 WERE LOST/KILLED DURING spirit is still there. You have done a [email protected] THE LIBERATION OF wonderful service to the Armed NORWAY. THE COURAGE AND Guard by keeping us together. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ LOYALTY OF OUR WAR Many have made their last voyage SAILORS WILL ALWAYS BE and some still come to the meetings Excerpts from Theodore Shorr’s ship REMEMBERED WITH DEEP with canes, walkers and their wives EXTRA DUTY: Incidents out of rou- RESPECT AND GRATITUDE. who drive them to the meetings. tine: see article Sent by Baard Haugland, Gamleveien 88B/10, 1476 Rasta, Norway. Peter J. Cugasi, Sr. 55 Indian Red Rd., ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Levittown, Pa., 19057 215-547-2450 *********** C.A., Baard, I hope someone can come forward in ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ I thought I would tell you of the our Armed Guard Crew or that of the progress I have made on the Liberty Merchant Seamen who was aboard the ship at Hi Lloyd, Ship, S.S. ROBERT MONT- the time so as to give insight to the Hagerupsen Yes. I pulled up the AG website, GOMERY, sunk in the Thames River. family before we all join little Oustein. (cal) www.armed-guard.com and clicked on Last night, I had the biggest surprise Page 9 LETTERS FROM THE CREW... of my life. I received a phone call from letter and their addresses. I don’t think My first ship to sea as a 3rd Mate was on Mr. Leonard Nadel who read my story they were flooded but I will call them an old, old freighter-Army Transport in the May/Sept 2009 POINTER say- and check them out and let you know with a skipper from “days of sail.” I am ing he was on the ship at the time and whe time available. Thanks for the let- sure he wondered if I could cut it at age he was the actual one that I had quoted ter and the POINTERs all these years. of 19 going on 20 and new at that! The at the end of my writing as saying that I know we will come through this flood gun tubs were port and starboard next “if they got hit by a torpedo, they as we did the North Atlantic in WW II. to the old wood open bridge. would not need a life jacket but a para- chute.” He told me he had written an *********** What a Godsend those Armed Guard article in the December 2006 POINT- LETTER 2 were for me---good lookouters, company ER and I went ONLINE and read it. I Dear Chuck, and same age companions. I really wish I am so grateful to you and as you can You can’t believe what it meant to me to could see some of them again. One time in imagine, I still can’t believe it. How get your letter of interest in me about the Soloman Islands area, the Armed wonderful it is now I can put all the being flooded here in Cedar Rapids, Ia. Guard in the starboard tub, alerted me to pieces together and to acyually be able This year. It wasn’t quite as much water I shallow water he noticed. The salty skip- to speak to a man who was on the ship saw in WW II but this time it effected my per hadn’t seen it and so the kids put him that was sitting in my home town. I will home and my life. Your Armed Guard on task. I wish I knew the boys name. write you more when I know all the Bumper Sticker off my old Cadillac so “REST OF THE STORY”. A BIG thanks for the new one! We are the only I loved these boys for their company and THANK YOU from someone who has ones in a 4 block area to be back in our they really got a charge out of my equator never written anything before. home. Also, thanks for the 3 AG names crossing initiation. They made the most of you sent me that lived herel I did talk to it in a kind, considerate, fun loving way- Beryl and Ed Lingenfield 55410 Delta Louvas. He is 92 years old who was on toxic battleship gray paint and all. I had to Rd., Blue River, Or. 97413 541-822- The S.S. MONTANA, torpedoed find Davey Jones!! What a bunch, and I 3760 [email protected] 6/1/43 near the Persian Gulf. He can’t am so grateful that we are together now. drive so I offer to pick him up to have a Please stay on the job and keep bringing ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ drink one day. I am trying to get some of us together. the old POINTERS I have saved. They Roger Putnam, (MM) PO Box 2076 Dear Charles, 9/7/08 - LETTER 1 go way back and didn’t get flooded. Tulare, Ca. 93275 559-688-3656 You can’t believe what it means to me to Excuse my writing as it was 13 degree out hear from you about the flood we went this morning. I can’t make any reunions ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ through! so I hope you can keep up the good work you’ve been doing. I really appreciate it. Lloyd, We were forced to leave our home on Have fun “Old Salt” from an “Old Salt”. Do enjoy the POINTER but learned to June 11, 2008. We were out for over 2 not read some of the stories before bed- months but got back home three weeks Roger E. Karrick, 717-8th Ave. SW, time. Kaye, a girl I met in Philadelphia ago. Fortunately, we had a friend that Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52404 319-364-0768 when we voluteered and were together all we stayed with during that time and of our navy days and had a few laughs because of a bunch of my friends, we ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ from one of the POINTERs in the past were able to get it cleaned up and refur- showing the Waves getting their hair nished. FEMA helped some but not Hi C.A., done in the shop and also playing basket- enough. There no place like home!! I’ll use my good stationary today to let ball on the main deck at the Armed Guard you know that receiving my POINTER Center in Brooklyn. We were night shift Charlie, maybe you can help me. I lost always does something to my inner- and didn’t know of anything like that. We a bunch of important papers including works. Since I’m Merchant Marine, I were there until the end and all we knew my DD-214 and how I can get another always felt leftout of the veteran’s thing was we were there to work-1700 – 0200 one? I know it goes through the Coast - even though I had a Reserve Navy hrs.. My friend still lives in Maryland. I Guard but I don’t know how to get in Commission for about 15 years. Being do enjoy the POINTER. Thank you. touch with them. I hope you can help part of the POINTER group and after me, I’d sure appreciate it. a lot of lobbying, I picked up an Army Helen Muntz Behler 102 Pine Ct., York, Discharge and one from the Coast Pa. 17408 717-764-1500 You gave me four names of Armed Guard and I feel sort of like part of your Guard in our area on the back of your crew. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Page 10 LETTERS FROM THE CREW... Dear C.A., The word “CHIT”, familiar to all Enclosed is my check to help the HANDS, is derived from the Hindu cause. I realize that there are not many work, “CHITTE,” Meaning a letter, of us left to participate in our group. note, voucher, or receipt. The old East But, We must face the facts of life. As India Company passed the term along to the song goes, “Old Pappy Time is the British Army and Navy and it was pickin’ my pocket and I can’t make probaly obsorbed by the United States him stop it.” Navy in Asiatic stations many years ago.
I am a committee of one, having lost ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ my dear wife about three years ago. But, I am slowly coming to terms with Photo enclosed shipmates - (LR) Kinder, Dear Charles, this situation and am trying to carry Renkin and “Pop” Lane. I know you must We send our big hug to you and all your on. It isn’t easy and most of it is uphill have lost my name and address. Eugene. shipmates in the USA on occasion of but I’m doing the best I can. Life real- *********** Veteran's Day. Let us rejoin your friends ly doesn’t offer any guarantees and Didn’t exactly loose it—just failed to catch it not and families in common pray for those who life is like hash --- “It’s what you make there. (cal) passed away in battles against . We rise also of it.” I’ve had my day in the sun and a toast to wish you all Health and now I must deal with the twi-lite ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Happiness ahead. Hope that in the near years. future you can get two CD with documen- Dear Fellow Business Owners taries made in cooperation with our organi- It appears that the annual reunions are As a Business owner who employs zation. One of them was recorded over TV nearing an end. I am so glad that my 300 people making parts for GM set, so it's quality isn't very good, but you wife and I were able to attend several automobiles. I have resigned myself can see some of us, including some veterans of these while she was still here. She to the fact that foreign autombiles are you never meet again. really enjoyed going to different taking over about 60 per cent of Peace and God's blessing to you , places and meeting all the good peo- sales, even though they are not as Igor Kozyr on behalf of all members Arctic ple who were there. C. A., I send my safe as American built cars, so I will Allied Convoys Club, St Petersburg. Russia best wishes to you and Hilda for a have to lay off 40 percent of our P.S. May be it's not a case for sad thoughts, continued good health and much hap- work force. To compensate for this, I but I guess that these presentation remind piness in the days that lie ahead. figure that we were one family here what depends of us and our unity... Smooth sailing to all. and didn't know how to choose who will have to go. So, this is what I did. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ James L. Milton, 304 E. 2ND St., I strolled thru the parking lot and Huntington, In. 47542 got the license plate numbers from ALL OLD SALTS! Now hear this: US all of the foreign car owners and I Navy Armed Guard: You have earned an *********** have decided these folks will be the award from the USA. This award is granted Thanks, Milton for your wonderful letter. Yes. first to be laid off. If they foreclose to you by Congress (House and Senate) We, too, have met many wonderful people over on their homes and they can not pay and signed by the President. It is not a the years and I am thankful all our paths their bills, I will not lay awake at Presidential Award, but it has just as much have crossed. (cal) night trying to decide whether to go power since it is a Congressional Award. It bankrupt or keep my business open is ussued to you under Section 534 of ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ for my dedicated workers. I can't Public Law No.105-261. To receive your think of any another fair way to award certificate, you must contact your Hi Charlie, approach this problem. If you have a Congressman, and he or she can get it for I want to thank you for printing my better idea, let me know. I am send- you. Be sure to have your Congressman put story on Page 5 and 6 of the May/Sept ing this letter to all Business owners "Section 534 of Public Law No.105-261" on POINTER. I would appreciate it if you that I know. the bottom of your certificate. Lyle N. Kell, would put in the next POINTER: Story Chaplain 2821-180th St NE Marysville, was by: Eugene Beauchemin, 10 Aerial St., Sincerely, Wa. 98271 360-652-0392 LNK@waveca- Lexington, Ma. 02421 Tel- 781-861-1261. Their heart broken CEO boss. ble.com Any Questions-Contact Kell He wrote it while on board the S.S. LIL- LIAN NORDICA, 12/17/44-4/31/45. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Page 11 LETTERS FROM THE CREW... U.S. NAVAL AIR STATION and notified the driver who immediately fences that had been considered man- NORFOLK, VIRGINA DISASTER stopped the truck and ran to a nearby fire sta- proof and impossible to climb. Other tion. Assistant Fire Chief Gurney E. persons found themselves some time Undoubtedly, the loudest noise heard Edwards hurried to the scene and attempted later with shoes in hand, waiting for and one of the most devastating Navy to cool down the charges with a fire extin- street cars, with no memory of the event. accidents in Hampton Roads during guisher. As soon as he started his attempt, the The casualties amounted to 426, includ- World War II occurred at 11 AM Sept. first depth charge exploded, killing him ing 40 dead. Among them was Seaman 17, 1943. A NAS ordnance department instantly. For several minutes, charges contin- 2nd Class Elizabeth Korensky, the only truck was pulling four trailers loaded ued to explode. The blasts shattered windows woman killed and the first WAVE to die with depth charges on the taxiway up to seven miles away (10 km) and were heard in the line of duty in the war. between NAS and the NOB piers. Each in Suffolk, 20 miles (30 km) distant. trailer was designed to carry four aerial NAS Norfolk responded to the tragedy depth charges. To save time, two addi- In the center of the explosion was a group of by building six new brick barracks to tional charges were loaded on top of each old enlisted men's barracks opposite the dis- house the troops and added industrial trailer. Compounding the problem, the pensary, the vicinity of the current location of space by building R-80, the largest air- charges on top were not properly chained V-88. A total of 18 buildings were destroyed plane hangar in the world. Winning the down. One of the charges slipped loose by the blast. They were so badly damaged war was a full-time effort. and became wedged between the trailer that they had to be razed. Thirty-three aircraft and the ground. The friction of being were also destroyed with a monetary damage Researched by Charles A. Lloyd Chairman dragged against the road caused the of $1.8 million. USN Armed Guard WW II Veterans charge to begin smoking. **SEE CENTER SPREAD** According to official histories, the shock An alert Marine sentry spotted the smoke of the explosion found people scaling ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Page 12 REUNIONS
PLEASE NOTICE!! MANY ADDRESSES, TEL.#, E-MAILS, Etc. may change anytime so it’s up to you to find out! REGIONAL---MINI-REUNIONS ---GET-TOGETHERS-- MEMORIALS, ETC SUPPORT THESE LOCAL MEETINGS NOTICE: ANY CHANGES or additionals will be in the next POINTER IF NOTIFIED. If still holding meeting, Write down , Or E-mail WHERE-WHEN-HOSTS as I deleted my list in error. Include address-Tel-E-Mail if available The Merchant Marine will hold their Contact Tom Kidd [email protected] S.S. JOHN W. Brown Box 25846 23rd Annual Reunion at the if you can’t get Dori. Highland Station Baltimore, Md. Doubletree Hotel, Tampa Fl. May 14- 21224 410 -558- 0646 18, 2009.Contact: Morris Harvey Albany, NY Area Armed Guard and [email protected] 8055 Dacca Terr., Dunellon, Fl. 34433 Merchant Marine meet the 4th 352-564- 0267 Thursday of Month at the S.S.LANE VICTORY BERTH 94, P [email protected] SCHUYLER INN, 545 Broadway, O BOX 629 SAN PEDRO, CA. Menands, NY at 11:30 AM. Hosts are 9O733-0629 Tel. 31O-519-9545 They have invited all Armed Guard to Art and Marion Fazzone, 3936 Albany www.lanevictory.org. They support attend as they have program set up for both St., Schenectady, N.Y. 12304-4371. 518- the ship with summer cruises off crews. Their Convention Fees does not apply 374-5377 [email protected] and Catalina Island in memory of to the AG. AG, fill out forms or just send in Peter Falasco, 49 Monroe Ave. Merchant Marine and Naval Armed the things you care to attend and send to them. Latham, NY 1-518-785-7890. Guard lost at sea during time at war. I hope to attend. (cal) THE BUCKLEY , WA. Contact: S.S.AMERICAN VICTORY 7O5 The Lansing, Mi. Armed Guard 2009 Hank and Sandy Harrison 27014 Channelside Dr., Tampa, Fl. 336O9 MEETINGS: Mar. 18 and June 17 at Lower Burnett Rd., E. Buckley, 98321 813-228-8769 (MM sailing date the OLD COUNTRY BUFFET, 36O-897-9381. [email protected] They 5/16/09-AG welcomed) Okemos and again on Sept 16 with a still meet 2nd Wed. of each mo. at 12 place to be announced later. Contact noon at ELMER’S 7427 Hosmer, Armed Guard Wm.L Mcgee has his Carl Mescher 508 Wayland, East Tocoma, Wa. 98408-1220 253-473- long awaited Vol. 3 "AMPHIIBIOUS Lansing, Mi.. Their meeting at the 0855. OPERATIONS IN THE SOUTH Flegel Farm in Sept 2008 was a great PACIFIC In WW II" ready. Visit success with Bob Applegate, a sur- LST CREW CONTACT: Mike and www.BMCpublications.com vivor of the S.S. JEAN NICOLE Linda Gunjak, 6641 Spring Beauty Ct.
Page 13 IN MEMORY OF THE LATE TOM BOWERMAN
From: "Thomas Bowerman" To: "Charles Lloyd" Sent: Sunday, February 27, 2005 7:14 pm • Subject: Re: Me---Tom Bowerman I graduated from the Tuscaloosa Alabama High School in My next ship was the SS Lewis Luckenbach and we made 1940 and joined the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) several voyages. One of the gunners went on port director and was sent to Camp Icicle in the Cascade Mountains of leave of four days and learned that his wife had a Navy the state of Washington. While in the CCC I was a cook, a boyfriend and came back to the ship. I put him on port plumber, a carpenter, an electrician, ran the camp laundry, watch and he shot himself with the 38 caliber pistol I gave supply sergeant, tool room custodian, truck driver, ditch him. He had been drinking and I was removed for an digger, cut down trees, a road builder, fought forest fires, investigation of possible dereliction of duty on my part. planted trees, and a variety of other jobs at various times. Witnesses testified they had talked to him and could not I was in the CCC two years and joined the Navy right after tell he had been drinking and I was exonerated. Shortly Pearl Harbor, after being turned down by the Marine after that the Lewis Luckenbach was converted to a hospi- Corps due to having flat feet. tal ship.
I received three weeks of boot training +at San Diego My fifth and final ship was another tanker, the SS Esso Naval Training Station, three weeks of gunnery training Providence. I was on it until the war ended in Europe and on the four inch fifty at San Diego Destroyer Base and one was then sent to New Orleans, where I repaired the guns week walking the halls of Treasure Island Armed Guard on fleet ships that could not be repaired at sea. I was then Center and was put aboard his first ship, the SS Charles M sent to Galveston, Texas, where I was assigned to remov- Hall, a Liberty Ship, exactly seven weeks after leaving the ing guns and Navy equipment from merchant ships. I vol- recruiting office. unteered to stay on that job until it was completed and was finally sent to Memphis, Tennessee for discharge. I had The Charles M Hall went from island to island in the been away from home, with no leave for six years.I had Pacific, and mail never caught up with the ship. Tom and worked mostly with Yankees for the last four years and all the other gunners were Apprentice Seamen, there was a when I got home I could not understand a word my Signalman Third Class, Radioman Third Class, a Seaman Mother said, in her Southern drawl. 2/c Radio Striker, A Boatswains Mate Second Class and a Lieutenant JG gunnery officer. I took and passed tests for I then went in the Army Air Corps with the promise of Gunners Mate 3/C and Gunners Mate2/C but remained equivalent rating, but President Truman did not make it an Apprentice Seaman. Our ship went through the Panama retroactive and I joined one week end too soon and was a Canal and to Brooklyn, where we Private First Class. I stayed awhile and got out based on were detached and sent to the Brooklyn Armed Guard false recruitment promises. Later I joined the Air Force Center. My records were at Treasure Island and I was then and got out again. I was discharged as a Private First assigned to a tanker, the SS Esso Nashville, again as an Class, a rating I earned, without influence. Apprentice Seaman. I have built and maintained the Navy Armed Guard and After one voyage on the Nashville, nine of us were Merchant Marine web site for the past 13 plus years. It is: removed and transported to the Brooklyn Armed Guard http://www.armed-guard.com Center, to be charged with mutiny. The ship left again before the gunnery officer could file charges and we were Email me anytime you want a list of your shipmates, with required to sign in once an hour all day and given liberty at their names, addresses and phone numbers. It takes some night. I finally got an appointment with Commander of the work off the Chairman, who works for you and me William Coakley and we talked about the charges; refusal many, many hours every day. He is a good man and there to wash the Ensign's underwear and socks, and are not many of us left. Commander Coakley dropped all charges and ordered that we each be assigned to different ships. Tom Bowerman (Tom Deceased - 12/07) Navy Armed Guard 1942-1946, Gunners Mate Second I was assigned to the SS Charles Sumner, a Liberty Ship, Class and found that my records had arrived from Treasure ******** Island and I had been promoted from Apprentice Seaman I had planned to put this in the May/Sept 2008 POINTER and to Gunners Mate 2nd Class, all in one day. I just overlooked it. Tom's remark about me will stay with me. He was my helper and friend. (calloyd)
Page 14 THE FORGOTTEN BATTLE OF WWII The Forgotten Battle war effort and it was not surprising There were received, also, 96 cargo mer- of the Second World War that the Heads of the Great Powers, chant ships (Liberty type), tugs, 3 ice- Joseph Stalin, Winston Churchill breakers and 28 tankers. By the end of On the 31st August 1941 the first of and Franklin Roosevelt repeatedly war, the number of warships of the many Arctic Convoys, having the corresponded on this important Northern Fleet has grown by 3 times code name “Dervish”, arrived in subject and discussed it on the compared with the pre-war quantity. I Archangelsk. To protect these Arctic Tegeran’ and Yalta’ conference. did not mention of delivering foodstuffs Convoys a great 4 year battle between worth of $ 1.3 billion (or $20 billion in the Navies of the Allied countries and It is need to mention that after the today’s prices), which saved Russia from the German armed forces began. War and up to now, Russian histori- hunger. 15 million pairs of boots and ans evaluate Lend-Lease deliveries many, many others. And I need to say, More then 500 warships of Allied at 4% of the Soviet war-time mili- that nobody knows, how would have countries acted as escorts giving tary production. But now, when the turned the course of the Great Patriotic protection to these Arctic Convoys, true figures are published in War without this help of our allies. but most of them were Royal Navy. Russia, we can say that this estima- There were 435 ships of the British tion should actually be multiplied About 30 % of all Lend-Lease cargoes Home Fleet, comprising 2 battle by 5 or 6. I have no time to tell you were delivered to Russia by Arctic ships (King George V and Duke of about all numerous Lend-Lease Convoys. Convoy is a great formation of York), more than 15 cruisers deliveries. ships, consisting of a caravan of mer- (Belfast, Norfolk, Sheffield, chant ships (10 to 40 ships) and clear Trinidad, Edinburgh etc.), 2 escort But let us consider for example the system of its defense: close or direct pro- carriers (Victories, Windex problem of transport – the artery of tection, consisting of several dozens of Avenger), more than 100 destroyers, the war machine. destroyers, minesweepers and trawlers. frigates, corvettes, minesweepers From 1942, in this defending group was and submarines. In the Eastern part During 4 years of war, the Soviet included one escort aircraft carrier hav- of the Barents Sea the warships and Union received: more than 17 thou- ing antisubmarine air-crafts, and 1-2 air-crafts of the Soviet Northern sand (17,484) various air-crafts - submarines. The main task of the group Fleet also assisted in protection of fighters (Hurricane, Spitfire, Air was the protection of the ship’s caravan the Arctic Convoys. The delivering Cobra), bombers (Boston, against enemy air-crafts and submarines; cargos by the Arctic Convoys were Hamoden), flyong boats (Catalina) near mobile defending group, cruising at part of the global system of delivery and others. It is consisted to be 20-40 miles ahead of the caravan, com- to the Soviet Union of ammunition, about 20% of the Soviet wartime prising 2-4 cruisers and 4-8 destroyers strategic equipment, materials and production; 2.7 million tons of high and having a task to protect ships from foodstuffs, being provided under octane petrol - more than 50% of German surface light forces; distant pro- the American Lend-Lease program. Soviet production; more than 400 tection group, cruising at 150-300 miles thousand (410,000) lorries, trucks from the caravan and consisting of one There were three routes of delivery (Studebaker, Dodge) & jeeps - battleship, more than 5 cruisers and a these cargos to Russia: The first. more than 1.5 times (150%) of dozen of destroyers. The task of the Through Pacific Ocean to the Russia’s manufacture; 2 thousand group was to intercept and destroy the Soviet Far East. The second. locomotives and 11 thousand enemy’s battle group of heavy warships Through the Persian Gulf – Iran to goods-vans, flat wagons and tank trying to attack the caravan. the Soviet Azerbaijan. And the wagons. All these products were not third route of delivery was from produced in Russia at war time. It is Convoys sailed usually at intervals of 2- ports in Scotland and Iceland to to add that each second rail was 4 weeks. Their routes were at a distance Murmansk and Archangelsk. The delivered from the USA. The Soviet of 150 - 300 miles from the Norwegian last one was the shortest and the Navy received about 530 various coast, according to the summer or winter most dangerous option. In total, warships, including 1 battleship route, which varied due to the ice barrier. through all routes of delivery to (Royal Sovereign), 1 cruiser Convoys speed were about 9-10 knots, the Soviet Union was sent strategic (Milwaukee), 10 destroyers, 4 sub- taking 10-12 days for the 2000 miles cargos worth over $ 11.3 billion or marines (B1–B4), about 100 long journey. Almost every convoy was more than $ 180 billion in today’s minesweepers and more than 400 attacked by German ships, sub marines ones. Such deliveries had a vital (414) sloops, torpedo-boats, anti- and air-crafts especially in the region of importance for the Soviet Union’s subs boats and others. the North Cape and Bear Island. Page 15 THE FORGOTTEN BATTLE OF WWII German submarines attacked the con- At the beginning of 1942, the Germans It is necessary to note that for service voy usually by one or two so-called concentrated in their Northern in battle, many participants of Arctic ”wolf pack” each consisting of 3–4 Norway ports about 120 warships Convoys have been awarded with gov- submarines. The protection of the con- among which were 2 battleships ernmental awards. So, for example, 24 voy against them was carried out by (Tirpitz & Scharnhorst), and 2 “pock- Soviet seamen have been decorated by anti-submarine ships of the close et” ones (Admiral Scheer and the British awards. Officers have been escort. The task of anti-submarine air- Luetzow), 2 cruisers (Admiral awarded with Orders of British crafts of the escort aircraft carrier was Hipper & Prince Eigen), 3 destroyer’s Empire (Major General George to discover enemy submarines and flotilias (Types “Z” & Fridrich Inn), 3 Dzjuba, Commanders Nikolay Lunin, direct the escort ships to attack them. flotillas of minesweepers, 3 flotillas of Aleksey Gurin and others), and petty patrol ships and anti-submarine boats officers and sailors – with medals. The German Luftwaffe attacked con- plus 15-30 submarines. Many Soviet seamen have been also voys in "waves" of diving bombers and awarded with American military deco- torpedo bombers by 50–80 planes There was formed 2 Battle Group, rations. On its turn, the Soviet govern- simultaneously in each "wave". The consisting of most these surfaced ment by Decree of the 21st March defence of the convoy against these ships. 1944 awarded 44 British brothers in attacks was provided by intensive arms by Soviet state’ awards, but anti-aircraft fire from all ships. After In April, 1942, the Germans concen- Admirals Bruce Fraser and Robert 1942, some convoys applied lifted fas- trated on airfields in Northern Barnett were decorated with Orders of tened balloons to prevent from torpe- Norway more than 350 bombers and Suvorov of 1st and 3rd Class accord- do-bombers’ attacks at low altitude. In torpedo bombers, comprising ingly. And in November 1941, four some cases German’s battle group, Junkers-88, Ju-87, Heinkel-111, He- British pilots were handed over which included the Battle ships 115 and others. All these arrangements Orders of Lenin by the USSR ambas- “Tirpitz” or “Scharnhorst” had sailed had one single purpose - to disrupt the sador in London Ivan Maisky, for to intercept the convoys, as it hap- delivery of strategic cargoes to Russia. defending the Murmansk sky. pened with convoys PQ-8, QP-12, Most severely and seriously affected PQ-17, JW-55B and RA-55A. were the Convoys PQ-17 and PQ-18, In conclusion it is important to note which lost 37 ships in total. that since 1991, between the Arctic As a result of these battles, the Convoys veterans of the Allied coun- Germans succeeded in sinking 100 Afterwards, thanks to a number of tries, strong and friendly relationships merchant ships. measures taken by the British were restored and they are establish- Admiralty, the German plans were ing even greater understanding to pre- In spite of this 811ships from 41 con- broken and the convoy losses were serve the memory of the war events voys reached their destinations to considerably reduced. As a result, the and sacrifices. However it is unfortu- Northern Russian ports. In the return Germans had lost during the 4-years nate that over the last few years the (East to West) direction, 715 ships in battle 42 warships, including two bat- mass media of all ex- Allied countries 35 convoys passed through. tleships (Tirpiz and Scharnhorst), 3 have almost completely stopped to destroyers, 1 minelayer, 2 antisubma- remind people about the 4 year battle The convoys delivered about 3.4 mil- rine ships and 34 submarines. for Arctic Convoy’s defence and their lion tons of cargoes compare with 3.7 The German’s Luftwaffe lost more important role in WW II. million tons of cargoes taken on board than 150 air-crafts. The Royal and at the start of the shipping. Russian Navies had lost (most of them It is for this reason my ‘Paper’ is were the RN) -36 warships, including named “The Forgotten Battle”. It is important to mention that the 2 cruisers (Trinidad and Edinburgh), adverse and harsh weather conditions, 8 destroyers, 3 sloops, 2 patrol-ships 1 Veteran of Arctic convoys, especially in autumn and winter, were frigate, 6 corvettes, 11 minesweepers Professor Anatoly G. Uvarov, extremely severe with gales and and others. The Soviet Navy had lost St. Petersburg, Russia. storms force often reaching 9-10 also 21 submarines, which carried points of the Beaufort wind scale. The patrol service in Barents Sea. Losses air temperature of 20°C below zero of German sailors were approximately created further danger by causing the 9000. The Allies had lost 2000 naval sea spray to freeze on the ship’s super- personnel and 1000 Merchant structure. Seamen. Page 16 GUNS IN THE NIGHT ‘Guns in the Night’ won the Battle of the Barents Sea, fly- memory of Engineer-Lieutenant HMS Belfast and the Battle of ing his flag in HMS Sheffield. Charles Simpson: North Cape, 26 December 1943 Burnett, known on the lower deck as ‘Nutty,’ was remembered by one sailor ‘You weren’t frightened of attack, you HMS Belfast, the 10,000 ton cruiser as ‘a little chap (who was) seasick were frightened of falling overboard...40 which now rests on the River Thames swinging round the buoy in Scapa.’ feet waves, sea temperatures below zero, as a floating branch of the Imperial Captain Parham recalled that ‘a more ice forming on the upper works, ice three War Museum, is the largest, if not the really lovable Flag Officer one simply and four inches thick that would have to oldest, veteran of the Arctic Convoys. couldn’t have had.’ be chipped by hand...down below, icicles The ship has a thriving veterans four feet long hung from the ventilation.’ Association and this presentation has Inevitably, being flagship brought with been largely drawn from their inter- it certain responsibilities. Radar Just making your way around the ship views, supported by the ship’s logs Operator George Burridge recalled could be lethal for the unwary, as George held in the National Archives at Kew. It how ‘it was quite clear that we had to be Burridge remembered: ‘To get to your is an account of the Battle of North that much better than the other two place of work there were safety ropes all Cape as witnessed by Belfast’s people. cruisers in the squadron and I think along the low waist of the ship which Inevitably, their memories can some- that discipline was tighter as a result.’ you had to sort of clip on to and run times provide more of a series of The ship’s nickname was Tiddly B, ‘tid- along otherwise there was a strong risk impressions rather than strictly dly’ being naval slang for neat and tidy. of being swept overboard...It was made chronological recollections, but I hope quite clear that if you went on the upper you will all agree that they are no less By the time Belfast arrived at Scapa deck...unless you had gloves on if you powerful for that. the Arctic Convoy route had become touched any part [of the ship] with your one of the great naval battlegrounds of bare hands then it would just stick there.’ Belfast began her involvement with the the Second World War, and her first Arctic Run on Christmas Day 1942, year was a busy one, a mixture of con- Engine Room Artificer Ronald Jesse when she arrived at the Royal Navy’s voy screening and endless duty on the recollected a less dangerous but very principal base in home waters, Scapa Northern Patrol, the line of cruisers unpleasant aspect of mess deck life in Flow, described by her Captain with strung out between Iceland and Scapa. northern waters: ‘The sides of the mess characteristic understatement as ‘a became coated in...two inches thick of pretty grim bit of the Orkneys.’ Belfast In the Arctic the weather was ice, which was OK whilst it was still ice, was the new flagship of the 10th arguably a greater threat than the but as you came further back south it Cruiser Squadron, providing cover for Germans, as Captain Parham started to melt, and this is condensation the Arctic Convoys. recalled: ‘It is difficult to describe ice...most unpleasant, all swimming what conditions were like. It was of about on the floor. And if you were to be Belfast’s Captain was an experienced course desperately cold and in the slinging your hammock by that side of veteran, 42-year old Frederick Parham. winter desperately dark...around the the ship, as the ship rolled your ham- The ship’s company was well trained shortest day, the sun never rose at all mock would get all wet.’ and the ship herself, extensively rebuilt above the horizon... I was always after being almost destroyed by a mag- afraid of running into solid ice...I’m Boy Seaman David Jones was just 17 netic mine at the beginning of the war, reminded of the very lovely years old when he found himself in this was a formidable fighting machine – prayer...which asks God to “preserve inhospitable and dangerous environ- Parham described her as a ‘better ship us from the dangers of the sea and the ment. Sixty years on he recalled simply really after she was rebuilt than she was violence of the enemy” in that order, that ‘it was frightening...I was fright- when she was originally built.’ and how right the writer was.’ ened.’ Mail and leave, the secret to any Lieutenant Andy Palmer remem- sailor’s morale, were few and far In command of the 10th Cruiser bered how on one trip to Iceland, the between in northern waters: Squadron was Rear-Admiral Sir weather was so bad that it stripped the ‘Sometimes we went two or three Robert Burnett. Formerly the Royal two and half inch armour plate from months without any mail... the first two Navy’s Director of Physical Training the turret roof of Belfast’s half-sister and a half years, I think I had about ten and Rear-Admiral, Home Fleet Sheffield. days leave.’ In Scapa, evening excur- Destroyers, he enhanced his reputation sions to the Fleet Cinema and canteen just a few days after Belfast’s arrival, After more than sixty years the menace on the miserable rain-lashed island of on New Year’s Eve, when he fought and of the cold weather was still fresh in the Flotta were all that was available. Page 17 GUNS IN THE NIGHT This, then, was life for the men of the The operation was codenamed While Burnett’s 10th Cruiser Belfast during 1943: endless sea-time Ostfront and was commanded by Squadron screened the vulnerable in foul weather, with little to break up Rear-Admiral Erich Bey, an experi- merchant ships, Admiral Fraser, in the the monotony. Debate still rages enced destroyer officer who had seen battleship HMS Duke of York, with amongst historians about the strategic action at the Battle of Narvik in 1940 the cruiser HMS Jamaica and four worth of all this hardship, and I shall and the famous Channel Dash of destroyers, deployed to the south, leave it to other speakers to address February 1942. between Scharnhorst and Norway. this question. But whether their value The trap was set. If Fraser's Duke of was strategic or political, there is no Unknown to the Germans, the tempt- York could bring Scharnhorst to question that stopping the convoys ing target that presented itself was action, she would enjoy an over- attracted an enormous amount of the bait in an elaborate trap. British whelming superiority in firepower, enemy resources Intelligence had intercepted German with her 14-inch guns out-ranging signals and within hours the and out punching Scharnhorst's The convoy battles forced the Admiralty had informed the smaller 11-inch. At 0730 the British Germans to allocate and expend their Commander-in-Chief Home Fleet, superiority in numbers further dwindling numbers of air and sea Admiral Sir Bruce Fraser, that increased when Bey’s destroyers were assets, something which by this stage Scharnhorst was at sea, giving him detached to search for the convoy. of the war they simply could not afford plenty of time to dispose his forces. Failing to make contact, they were to do. In particular, the Arctic battle- ordered home as the weather wors- ground tied up most of the remnants of Burnett in HMS Belfast, with the ened. Germany's surface fleet. By December cruisers Norfolk and Sheffield, was 1943, both the battleship Tirpitz and to screen the convoys and maintain By this stage JW55B was 50 miles the battlecruiser Scharnhorst were contact with Scharnhorst. For the south of Bear Island, as the Germans present in Arctic waters. senior officers this was the opportu- headed north to intercept. Meanwhile nity they had been waiting for, and Admiral Fraser was 200 miles away to Between the beginning of November they accepted it calmly, although the southwest and Admiral Burnett's and the middle of December 1943, Admiral Burnett’s young cousin cruisers were approaching the convoy three eastbound and two westbound Arthur, serving as his Flag from the east. Arctic convoys reached their destina- Lieutenant, recalled the Admiral in a tions without loss despite attacks by perhaps more unguarded moment, First contact took place at 0855 on the U-boats and aircraft, and the phlegmatically remarking that it was 26th when Belfast detected Commander-in-Chief of the German ‘all in the hands of him up there’. On Scharnhorst by radar, heading south Navy, Grand Admiral Doenitz, came the lower deck, the news was greeted and only 30 miles east of the convoy. under increasing pressure to sanction a with a mixture of apprehension and The ship’s company went to action sta- sortie by one of these remaining heavy disbelief. tions and the three cruisers engaged surface ships. At Christmas time the the German ship at 1040, HMS opportunity presented itself, as it Stoker Larry Fursland recalled how Norfolk scoring a crucial hit which became apparent that outbound con- Christmas Day passed in the tense disabled Scharnhorst's main fire con- voys JW55B and homeward bound silence of anticipation, with the ship trol radar, leaving her almost blind in convoy RA55A would pass relatively closed up at defence stations. Finally, a gathering snowstorm. Scharnhorst close to one another as they rounded on the day after Christmas, St was forced to resort to aiming at the North Cape of Norway, only a Stephen’s Day, the storm broke: British muzzle flashes, but with short passage from the Kriegsmarine’s Belfast and Sheffield both using flash- Norwegian bases. ‘The Padre gave a short service of less propellant, Norfolk was her only prayer and we all had to go to our available target. Remembering his pri- Consequently on the evening of action stations... my place was down mary objective, Bey turned north and Christmas Day, 25 December 1943, the the port diesel, and that’s where I away, still trying to circle Burnett's battlecruiser Scharnhorst steamed went down and that’s where I stayed force and reach the convoy. from Langefjord, her mess decks for twelve hours... Chief ERA came adorned with traditional Christmas down and started up the diesels and Belfast had never fired a full broadside decorations. She was accompanied by left me. I was clamped up each side, before, and some of the effects could five large destroyers from the 4th watertight doors, and just a hatch to not have been anticipated. Alone at his Flotilla. go down’ action station on the port diesel gener- Page 18 GUNS IN THE NIGHT ator Larry Fursland was faced with a Norfolk disabled and Sheffield suffer- southwest, ideally placed to cut off problem: the vibration from the first ing from engine problems, at one point Scharnhorst’s retreat. Fraser made broadside had knocked out the two cir- Belfast was pursuing her formidable radar contact and closed in, contacting culating pumps which cooled it. adversary alone. George Burridge was Belfast by radio at 1750 – it is not diffi- Without the generator, two triple six- rather less than impressed by this cult to imagine the relief with which inch turrets – half Belfast’s armament development: that message must have been greeted. – would be out of action. Acting Shortly afterwards Belfast illuminated quickly, Larry diverted a fire main ‘I recall Admiral Burnett coming on Scharnhorst with starshell and at 1815, along the passageway above his posi- and saying that we were at the moment the ship’s log laconically records that tion and down through the hatch. alone and we were going to engage the ‘action with Scharnhorst began,’ Without any tools, he connected it to Scharnhorst, which frightened the life Burnett's cruisers engaging from one the generator with his bare hands, out of everybody! ... [The atmosphere] side and Duke of York and Jamaica bypassing the disabled pumps, and cir- was as tense as it could be, because we from the other. Ronald Jesse’s action culated salt water from the main knew we were in real danger then.’ station was at Belfast’s steering posi- through the generator for twelve tion: hours. He was completely alone. For The men down in the engine rooms his actions he was later awarded the were entirely cut off from the activity ‘I saw the gyro compass suddenly turn Distinguished Service Medal. on the Bridge. Without access to the from going south...it went right round upper decks, in a noisy and busy envi- from going south...it went right round Admiral Burnett was faced with possi- ronment, they simply had to carry on through west to east 270, degrees, I bly the most significant decision of his doing their jobs, always aware that if knew something sharp had happened career, as Captain Parham later things were going badly up above the and in fact that was the moment recalled: ‘The Scharnhorst turned ship might sink beneath their feet. when...the Duke of York was setting north and made away at high speed, Lieutenant Charles Simpson recalled about her.’ and this is where my Admiral, Burnett, the tension, as every ounce of power had to make his really big decision, and was squeezed out of the ship’s machin- Duke of York hit Scharnhorst with her I am absolutely convinced it was the ery for seventeen hours first salvo and began to inflict severe right one. Which was that he was not to damage. Scharnhorst’s forward 11-inch follow the Scharnhorst...because we It is sometimes hard to appreciate the turret Anton was put out of action couldn’t possibly have kept up. The lack of information available to the early, jammed to starboard with guns in weather was so bad that he would have small cogs in the wheel, the junior offi- the elevated position, and turret probably outstripped us and would cers and ratings closed up at action sta- Bruno, the remaining forward turret, merely have got round us and probably tions for hours at a time, while the soon followed when an outbreak of fire back on to the convoy. And so my action unfolded around them in total forced the crew to flood it to avoid a Admiral’s decision was to fall back on darkness. Brian Butler, confined with catastrophic explosion. At 1708 a 14- the convoy and wait and see, I remem- 26 other men in one of the ship’s six- inch shell hit Scharnhorst's aircraft ber him saying to me “I’ll bet she’ll inch turrets, recalled how ‘During lulls hanger aft of turret Caesar, starting come again.”’ in the action you’d sit there with your another fire. eyes closed, there was no way you Burnett was absolutely correct. could sleep... it was bitterly cold in the At 1725 Admiral Bey signalled to his Scharnhorst returned to the convoy, turret.’ Ron Jesse’s experience of the high command that Scharnhorst was only to find the 10th Cruiser Squadron actual combat was fairly typical: ‘The surrounded by heavy surface forces. once more in her path. Contact was bangs started and we worked up to full However at this stage his chance of regained at noon and all three cruisers speed and the bangs went on and the escape was still good, as Scharnhorst's opened fire. In a twenty minute fire- shudders and the bangs and then it all superior speed enabled her to gradual- fight Scharnhorst was hit again and died away and the Commander said ly increase the range. Her greatest Norfolk badly damaged by 11-inch “she’s made off.” chance came at 1824, when a lucky shot shells. severed the connection for Duke of In reality, things were going well. At York's main fire control radar, forcing The German ship now headed south 1230 Belfast had been joined by four her to cease-fire. A young officer, away from the convoy, attempting to destroyers detached from the convoys. Lieutenant Bates, recognising the return to Norway, and this time By now Admiral Fraser in Duke of urgency of the situation, climbed the Burnett shadowed by radar. With York was approaching to the south- mast and reconnected the radar. Page 19 GUNS IN THE NIGHT By this stage, unknown to the British, Captain Parham, “swing her back the Just 36 survivors were rescued before Scharnhorst was already lost. A shell other way and we’ll fire the other the British ships were ordered to vacate from Duke of York's last salvo had salvo” but by the time we got the ship the area due to the danger of attack by penetrated Number 1 boiler room and swinging somehow or other the U-boats. 1,927 men died, many on severed a steam pipe. Scharnhorst's Norfolk had crept up...and I would board Scharnhorst but several hun- only advantage slipped away from her have torpedoed her. So I had to say dred in the water. As a consequence the as her speed dropped to ten knots. Bey “I’m sorry she’s fouled the range” so command has become the source of sent his last signal to his superiors: “we we turned round and when we turned some controversy in recent years but shall fight to the last shell”. By now his back again the flames had gone out the U-boat danger was very real: at ship was ablaze from stem to stern, and she’d sunk...I was so certain that 1911 Rear Admiral Bey had received a according to eyewitnesses like Bob we’d got a hit that I had a swastika signal stating that all U-boats and air- Shrimpton, who had come up on deck, painted on to that particular tube. craft in the area were being deployed to his Asdic unusable in the frantic high assist Scharnhorst. Moreover it is speed manoeuvring of a surface action: In fact as Belfast turned a tremendous important to remember that in the ‘Once the Duke of York got in there, explosion had ripped through the frozen waters of the Arctic it is highly with those tremendous guns, it was German ship, probably originating unlikely that any of the Scharnhorst horrendous to watch...they just from her forward magazines. She rap- men would have survived more than a smashed the thing to pieces...it was just idly began to settle and at 1948, as few minutes wait for rescue. Their one blaze from one end to the other... ‘ Lieutenant Palmer fired, her radar blip lonely, tragic deaths affected many of vanished, to be followed by a series of those involved in the battle, like 17 As soon as Fraser recognised what had muffled underwater explosions. year old David Jones: ‘I sometimes happened he seized his chance, and think of them, particularly about ordered his destroyers to close in and The initial reaction aboard Belfast was Christmas and say a little prayer for attack with torpedoes. HMS one of elation but as the full enormity them. I’m not a religious person but I Saumarez paid the price for this daring of loss of life became apparent, for think of them sometimes.’ attack. Scharnhorst was mortally many this was replaced by more som- wounded but she still had teeth, and a bre feelings. All that could be seen British dead numbered eighteen, on German shell smashed into the flimsy were a pitifully small number of red board Norfolk and Saumarez. Each director control tower of the destroyer, lifejacket lights, each representing a was a small tragedy of course, but the killing eleven men. But four torpedoes man fighting for his life in the oil-cov- completeness of the victory could not of nineteen fired found their target, ered water. Seaman Jack Wright was be denied. Shortly after dropping leaving Scharnhorst dead in the water conscious that, when all was said and anchor in Murmansk Captain Parham as Duke of York and the cruisers done, the Germans were just ‘sailors gave the order to‘splice the mainbrace’, opened fire again. like ourselves.’ Bob Shrimpton an extra rum ration for all. In remembered a moment of dead silence: Murmansk eighteen year old Oscar de At 1928 Duke of York ceased fire for Ville was faced with the reality of bat- the last time having expended nearly ‘I think a lot of people were think- tle, as the victorious destroyers, five hundred 14-inch shells, and at ing there’s a hell of a lot of men on cheered by all the ships in the harbour, 1940 HMS Belfast was ordered in to there the same as us, youngsters, tied up alongside and their casualties deliver the coup de grace to families, wives, kids, and they’re in were brought across Belfast’s decks to Scharnhorst with Andy Palmer’s tor- that water. I think that was a subdu- the waiting ambulances ashore: pedoes. Years later he described the ing effect.’ moment: ‘I was detailed to be one of a hospital Even in the engine room, the unmis- party to take some of the wounded to a ‘In that very last stage she was a very takeable stench of oil fuel came hospital locally, which meant helping clear point of fire because ...she was a down through the ventilation shafts, them across the deck of destroyers mass of flames all the way along the reaching Charles Simpson and his onto land and that was quite a harrow- ship...we closed a bit [but] men: ‘I was so overcome with pity ing thing at 18 to be doing. I thought Scharnhorst was firing an occasional for those Germans swimming about they were very very brave guys – one gun and Bob wasn’t going to take the in oil fuel that I had no other feeling felt very bad about leaving them in a cruisers in any closer than 6000 than pity for several minutes...I hospital in a one-off village like yards...we swung the ship and fired the don’t think I felt like cheering the Kola...goodness knows how good it starboard torpedoes and I said to job had been accomplished.’ was.’ Page 20 GUNS IN THE NIGHT Although Fraser's forces entered the For their successful command of the The fellow-feeling between sailors Kola Inlet in triumph, it was not with- battle, Fraser was later made the first mentioned by many of the Belfast vet- out genuine regard for an enemy they Baron Fraser of North Cape, and erans when they talk about the believed had fought bravely in very Burnett was knighted. As for Belfast, Scharnhorst survivors cannot be over- unfavourable circumstances. In a mov- her Captain, Frederick Parham, stated. The HMS Belfast Association ing ceremony aboard Duke of York the received the Distinguished Service enjoyed a genuine friendship with the German survivors were assembled and Order. He also received a personal Scharnhorst Survivors' Association the flagship’s officers sombrely salut- tribute from his friend and the former for many years, several members trav- ed them, after which Admiral Fraser C-in-C Home Fleet, Lord Tovey, who elling to Germany in recent years to paid tribute to the courage and deter- wrote: ‘The combination of the gallant attend the last meeting before the mination of the enemy ship and her attack you and the other cruisers made German Association disbanded. Time, crew. Privately he later told his officers on the Scharnhorst, coupled with your apparently, really can heal wounds. that ‘I hope that if any of you are ever magnificent shadowing, is as fine an called upon to lead a ship into action example of cruiser work as has ever As for HMS Belfast, the ship went on against an opponent many times supe- been seen.’. to serve in Normandy and the Far East. rior you will command your ship as Her distinguished active career lasted gallantly as Scharnhorst was com- The awards did not just go to the sen- until 1963. Seven years later she was manded today.’ ior commanders. On display on board saved from the scrapyard at the HMS Belfast today are three eleventh hour, and brought to London, The ship’s company were very aware of Distinguished Conduct Medals where she opened to the public on the importance of their achievement. awarded to Larry Fursland and two Trafalgar Day, 21 October 1971. All of With the destruction of Scharnhorst other members of the Belfast's crew us who work on board are proud to any hopes the Germans had of mount- for their actions during the battle, bring the story of the Arctic Convoys, ing a serious surface threat to the along with letters and other memora- and of this almost forgotten naval bat- Russian convoys effectively evaporat- bilia. There are also a number of tle in the frozen north, to more than a ed. Tirpitz, harried by aircraft and Scharnhorst relics, including the ship's quarter of a million visitors every year. midget submarines, never sortied in spare battle ensign, landed in Norway Nick Hewitt anger again. before she sailed. Imperial War Museum
George Stanley remembered the tri- umphal return to Scapa: ‘All the ships were lined up as we came through, fan- tastic, cheers, you know...we got leave just after that...and I came home...we went to a pub...and my sister told some of the people that I’d just come off the Belfast and they had me up on the stage. I didn’t know what I was doing because I think I was drunk.’
The survivors of Scharnhorst were landed at Scapa Flow blindfolded for security and, perhaps rather ironically, dressed in the survivors’ suits kept on board for torpedoed merchant seamen.
Their signatures, together with those of Burnett and Fraser, were collected on a unique document, now part of the collections of the Imperial War Museum. Small facsimiles of this were obtained by many of the British partic- ipants in the battle. Page 21 APPLE OVER THE FENCE “Apple Over The Fence” cranked elevator. I, too, felt dead. Nearly seven months later, my broth- FICTION Hardened, I had become a number. ers and I were crammed into a coal car August 1942. Piotrkow, Poland. The Soon, my brothers and I were sent to and shipped to Theresienstadt camp in sky was gloomy that morning as we Schlieben, one of Buchenwald's sub- Czechoslovakia. "Don't return," I told waited anxiously. All the men, women camps near Berlin. the girl that day. "We're leaving." I and children of Piotrkow's Jewish turned toward the barracks and didn't ghetto had been herded into a square. One morning I thought I heard my look back, didn't even say good-bye to Word had gotten around that we were mother's voice, "Son," she said softly the little girl whose name I'd never being moved. My father had only but clearly, I am going to send you an learned, the girl with the apples. recently died from typhus, which had angel." Then I woke up. Just a dream. run rampant through the crowded A beautiful dream. But in this place We were in Theresienstadt for three ghetto. My greatest fear was that our there could be no angels. There was months. The war was winding down family would be separated. only work. And hunger. And fear.. and Allied forces were closing in, yet my fate seemed sealed. On May 10, "Whatever you do," Isidore, my eldest A couple of days later, I was walking 1945, I was scheduled to die in the gas brother, whispered to me, "don't tell around the camp, around the barracks, chamber at 10:00 AM. In the quiet of them your age.. Say you're sixteen." I near the barbed-wire fence where the dawn, I tried to prepare myself. So was tall for a boy of 11, so I could pull guards could not easily see. I was many times death seemed ready to it off. That way I might be deemed alone. On the other side of the fence, I claim me, but somehow I'd survived.. valuable as a worker. An SS man spotted someone: a litle girl with Now, it was over. I thought of my par- approached me, boots clicking against light, almost luminous curls. She was ents. At least, I thought, we will be the cobblestones. He looked me up and half-hidden behind a birch tree. I reunited. down, then asked my age. "Sixteen," I glanced around to make sure no one said. He directed me to the left, where saw me. I called to her softly in But at 8 A.M. there was a commotion. I my three brothers and other healthy German. heard shouts, and saw people running young men already stood. My mother every which way through camp. I was motioned to the right with the "Do you have something to eat?" She caught up with my brothers. Russian other women, children, sick and elder- didn't understand. I inched closer to troops had liberated the camp! The ly people. I whispered to Isidore, the fence and repeated question in gates swung open. Everyone was run- "Why?" He didn't answer. I ran to Polish. She stepped forward. I was ning, so I did too. Mama's side and said I wanted to stay thin and gaunt, with rags wrapped with her. "No," she said sternly. "Get around my feet, but the girl looked Amazingly, all of my brothers had sur- away. Don't be a nuisance. Go with unafraid. In her eyes, I saw life. She vived; I'm not sure how. But I knew your brothers." She had never spoken pulled an apple from her woolen jack- that the girl with the apples had been so harshly before. But I understood: et and threw it over the fence. I the key to my survival. In a place where She was protecting me. She loved me so grabbed the fruit and, as I started to evil seemed triumphant, one person's much that, just this once, she pretend- run away, I heard her say faintly, "I'll goodness had saved my life, had given ed not to. It was the last I ever saw of see you tomorrow." me hope in a place where there was her. none. My mother had promised to send I returned to the same spot by the me an angel, and the angel had come. My brothers and I were transported in fence at the same time every day. She a cattle car to Germany. We arrived at was always there with something for Eventually I made my way to England the Buchenwald concentration camp me to eat - a hunk of bread or, better where I was sponsored by a Jewish one night weeks later and were led into yet, an apple. We didn't dare speak or charity, put up in a hostel with other a crowded barrack. The next day, we linger. To be caught would mean death boys who had survived the Holocaust were issued uniforms and identifica- for us both. I didn't know anything and trained in electronics. Then I came tion numbers. about her, just a kind farm girl, except to America, where my brother Sam had that she understood Polish. What was already moved. I served in the U. S. "Don't call me Herman anymore." I her name? Why was she risking her life Army during the Korean War, and said to my brothers. "Call me 94983." for me? Hope was in such short sup- returned to New York City after two ply, and this girl on the other side of years. By August 1957 I'd opened my I was put to work in the camp's crema- the fence gave me some, as nourishing own electronics repair shop. I was start- torium, loading the dead into a hand- in its way as the bread and apples. ing to settle in. Page 22 APPLE OVER THE FENCE One day, my friend Sid who I knew had helped some other boy. "What did "You're crazy!" she said. But she invit- from England called me. "I've got a he look like? I asked. He was tall, skinny, ed me to meet her parents for Shabbat date. She's got a Polish friend. Let's and hungry. I must have seen him every dinner the following week. There was double date." day for six months." so much I looked forward to learning about Roma, but the most important A blind date? Nah, that wasn't for me. My heart was racing. I couldn't believe things I always knew: her steadfast- But Sid kept pestering me, and a few it. This couldn't be. "Did he tell you one ness, her goodness. For many months, days later we headed up to the Bronx to day not to come back because he was in the worst of circumstances, she had pick up his date and her friend Roma. I leaving Schlieben?" come to the fence and given me hope. had to admit, for a blind date this was- Now that I'd found her ;again, I could n't so bad. Roma was a nurse at a Bronx Roma looked at me in amazement. "Yes," never let her go. hospital. She was kind and smart. That was me! " I was ready to burst with Beautiful, too, with swirling brown joy and awe, flooded with emotions. I That day, she said yes. And I kept my curls and green, almond-shaped eyes couldn't believe it! My angel. word. After nearly 50 years of mar- that sparkled with life. riage, two children and three grand- "I'm not letting you go." I said to Roma. children I have never let her go. The four of us drove out to Coney And in the back of the car on that blind date, Island. Roma was easy to talk to, easy I proposed to her. I didn't want to wait. Herman Rosenblat, to be with. Turned out she was wary of Miami Beach, Florida blind dates too! We were both just doing our friends a favor. We took a stroll on the boardwalk, enjoying the salty Atlantic breeze, and then had din- ner by the shore. I couldn't remember having a better time.
We piled back into Sid's car, Roma and I sharing the backseat. As European Jews who had survived the war, we were aware that much had been left unsaid between us. She broached the subject, "Where were you," she asked softly, "during the war?"
"The camps," I said, the terrible mem- ories still vivid, the irreparable loss. I had tried to forget. But you can never forget.
She nodded. "My family was hiding on a farm in Germany, not far from Berlin," she told me. "My father knew a priest, and he got us Aryan papers." I imagined how she must have suffered too, fear, a constant companion. And yet here we were, both survivors, in a new world.
"There was a camp next to the farm." Roma continued. "I saw a boy there and I would throw him apples every day." What an amazing coincidence that she Page 23 FATHER MITCHELL
Page 24 LETTERS FROM THE CREW...
Page 25 THE GREATEST TRAGEDY IN THE HISTORY OF
CENTER will honor fl ight
Page 26 THE NORFOLK, VIRGINIA NAVAL AIR STATION
CENTER will honor fl ight
Page 27 HIGGINS BOATS FROM THE N&O
EARL W. NORWOOD PILOTED HIGGINS BOATS DURING THE WORLD WAR II INVASION AT NORMANDY. HE WAS 18. By Jay Price, Staff Writer BEAUFORT - The young men piloting Andrew Higgins' craft and see what was going on," he said. "They were all hunkered as onto the beachheads of World War II had to fight adrenaline and low as they could get." fear while precisely executing one of the most unnatural acts a sailor can be assigned: intentionally grounding a boat, then Later, he and his crew volunteered for another terrible job: cruis- somehow pulling it off the beach. Earl W. Norwood, 82, who ing along the beach to pull floating bodies out of the water. After teaches history at Carteret Community College in Morehead three days, they grew so distressed that they asked a senior non- City, piloted a Higgins boat in the third row of landing craft dur- commissioned officer whether they could stop. He reminded ing the Normandy invasion in 1944. In his hands were the wheel them that every dead GI they found was one more and the lives of 36 soldiers and three other sailors as he steered family that would know what happened. The crew returned to around mines and headed for the beach. The roar of guns and the somber hunt for two more days, until a storm blew the rest of explosions was like standing beside a freight train. the bodies offshore, Norwood said. He was 18. "I still have nightmares about that," he said. "Not bad ones now, I guess, more like dreams." Norwood ran aground at full throttle, sliding the boat as far onto [email protected] or (919) 829-4526 the sand as he could for the soldiers, he said. Then he gave the lone order of the whole maneuver: "Drop the ramp!" The crews Staff photo by Takaaki Iwabu were so well trained that the rest was done without speaking. Which was a good thing: He's still not sure how the man on the ramp's winch heard the order over the deafening din. After the first row of four soldiers dashed down the ramp, a German artillery shell tore through the hull and exploded, instantly killing two men in the second wave and wounding the other two. The rest didn't hesitate, Norwood said, clambering over the bodies toward the beach. In perhaps 90 seconds, the soldiers were gone. As a crewman cranked the ramp up as fast as he could, Norwood backed off the beach at full throttle. He had to hold the rudder perfectly straight or the boat would turn sideways and roll over in the surf, as many did that day. Once in deep water, he spun the boat and headed to sea, the hole from the artillery shell leaking with every big wave on the five- mile trip to his ship. There, Norwood was given another Higgins boat. Its coxswain had been wounded by a round that passed through the thin steel ramp and entered his eye. A front seat for a hellish battle The battle was so hellish that Norwood lost track of the trips to the beach; he thinks he made four. Sometimes the incoming fire was so intense that commanders on the beach ordered him to leave after loading only two or three wounded. Still, his crew brought 16 to 18 wounded men to a hospital ship. The worst part, Norwood said, was waiting while medics loaded the wounded. Under intense fire, he had to calmly feather the throttle to hold the boat straight so the surf wouldn't twist it out of the groove it had dug coming in. By his second trip, the GIs he was ferrying to the beach had seen the wounded returning. "There was no more standing up, trying to look over the sides
Page 28 THE NORTH RUSSIA RUN
CHAPTER II THE NORTH RUSSIA RUN
The Armed Guard met it's supreme test in the long and dangerous voyages to North Russia. Without doubt there were more hazards in these trips to Murmansk than in any other kind of naval duty. Gales were frequent. Ice fields were a common menace to navi- gation. Magnetic compasses became completely unreliable. Floating mines were often encountered. Choice of routes was limited. German sub- marines and surface craft were able to operate from nearby bases. German planes could shadow convoys for days and bomb ships from bases within twenty minutes flying time of Murmansk. Before escort carriers were used, only the weather and the guns of escorts and merchant ships stood in the nervous from loss of sleep and the sight theater of the war was like. No attempt way of wholesale destruction of every of men dying all around them. Few men is made to describe the losses of British merchant ship which ventured to the could stand the strain of many trips to ships. Many of the escorts were British relief of the hard-pressed Russians. Murmansk. They would generally and the British merchant ships were Convoys battled their way to the agree that it was the most horrible going to Russia side by side with approaches of Murmansk and then experience of their lives. Even the American vessels. But the story of the underwent constant attacks in the har- return trip was full of danger. Sea part played by escorts and ships of bor as they patiently waited to unload power was confronting land based air other nationalities must be told else- their precious cargoes. Cargo handling power under the most trying conditions where. facilities were very limited and the con- imaginable. The odds were heavily stant bombing of the city was not calcu- stacked on the side of the Germans. Yet Merchant ships going to North Russia lated to improve the situation. The the convoys, or remnants of the con- required special installation. Their story of the voyages to Murmansk, voys, got through. The life blood of bows were strengthened to give some therefore, is one of almost unbelievable victory never ceased to flow to the protection from ice. Heat coils were horror, or matchless courage, and of Russians. Fire power of merchant ships installed in their double bottoms and in unlimited devotion to duty. There is continually improved. Ship losses did water tanks to prevent freezing. The nothing quite like it in all history. Ships not cease, but they decreased. only ships which could undertake the which left the ports of the United States voyage were those which had received for Russia had about one chance in It is with the part the Armed Guard the special winter treatment. three of returning prior to the spring of played in this drama of life and death 1943. After that date the odds were that this chapter deals. American ships The records of the Arming Merchant much better. Chances of rescue from were almost constantly in North Ship Section of the Fleet Maintenance sinking ships in sub-zero weather were Russian waters either en route in har- Division of the Office of the Chief of not very good in spite of all efforts to bor, or on the return voyage to the Naval Operations indicate that some save personnel whenever possible. United States. They were under almost 347 merchant ships were dispatched to Even if nothing happened, the long daily attack. It is obviously impossible North Russia through April 26, 1945. watches in severely cold weather made and undesirable to mention every Most of the losses were sustained the trip one of the most trying experi- enemy encounter. We are interested, between January 5, 1942 and March 14, ences imaginable. But on most of the therefore, in describing the most spec- 1943. In this period 143 ships departed trips the Germans were encountered. tacular clashes with the enemy and in for North Russia and 111 arrived. Young men went to Murmansk in per- presenting to the reader a description Losses en router were 32 ships and on fect health. They returned tired and of what life for the Armed Guard in this the return voyage 14 ships were lost. Page 29 THE NORTH RUSSIA RUN These figures indicate that about one Convoy PQ 9-10, but there are no the SS Elestero, the SS Mana, the SS out of every three ships was lost.1 After Armed Guard voyage reports for these Bateau, and the SS Ballot, thus indi- this early period of heavy losses the tide ships. The SS West Nohno carried an cating that they did not carry Armed turned; only 10 ships out of more than Armed Guard. Three ships were in PQ Guards at this time. The SS Eldena, 200 were lost on the North Russia run 11. They were the SS City of Flint, SS the SS Mormacmar, and the SS for the remainder of the war, according Makawao, and the SS North King. Dunboyne carried Armed Guards and to the records of the War Shipping their Armed Guard officers give a Administration. Some of these early ships to Russia did vivid description of events, especially not carry Armed Guards and were of the heavy air attacks sustained dur- The Navy made every effort to give either unarmed or at best carried a few ing a month at Murmansk. The whole ships for Murmansk the best possible .30 or .50 cal. machine guns. trip was a bad one for the SS armament and large quantities of Nevertheless, the urgency of their car- Mormacmar. She left Boston on ammunition. These efforts began to pay goes was such that they were not February 18.On her deck were barrels off as expert Armed Guard crews delayed for armament. PQ 11 arrived in of phosphorous which would burn if gained experience in gunnery. While Murmansk on 23 February. At least one it came into contact with water. She some of the early Armed Guard crews ship, the SS City of Flint, engaged also carried tanks, trucks, and planes. went to Russia with improper winter enemy planes on February 26 and 28. When one day out of port, news came clothing, every effort was made to rem- Nine planes, three of which were Stuka to the ship that another ship had been edy this situation in 1942.The advice of dive bombers, were able to straddle the torpedoed about 60 miles ahead. Admiral Bird's expert on winter cloth- SS City of Flint with four or five Rather than risk her valuable cargo, ing was sought on the best available bombs on the latter date. On March 2 the ship went to Portland, Maine. She clothing for the North Russia climate the Germans concentrated their bomb- sailed again on February 22. When and before 1942 ended these crews were ing attack on the city rather than on the near Halifax she passed a burning being furnished with the best and most ships in the port. The return trip to ship which had been torpedoed. complete sets of winter clothing which Iceland was worse than the trip to While underway to Loch Ewe a could be obtained. Murmansk. Numerous floating mines severe storm, engine trouble, and fire were encountered and storms were a on deck came as triple blows to the On December 6, 1941 the SS Larranaga daily occurrence. A Russian merchant ship. The Armed Guard helped save left the port of Boston on a trip which ship was torpedoed, but an escort the SS Mormacmar from fire when was ultimately to take her to accounted for an enemy submarine. some of the barrels of phosphorous Murmansk. The Armed Guard on the broke open and started burning. More Larranaga got its first taste of battle PQ 12 contained five merchant ships trouble came on March 8 when a when it fired three rounds as a surfaced from the United States, none of which member of the ship's merchant crew submarine on Christmas Eve, perhaps appears to have carried an Armed broke into the slop chest and stole a scoring a hit on the second round. Not Guard. They were the SS El Coston, SS case of rum. Three of the able bodied until January 8 did the ship depart Capulin (later named SS Illapel), SS seamen were unable to stand watches Reykjavik, Iceland, with British Artigas, SS El Occidente, and the SS because of drunkenness. At Convoy PQ 8 for Murmansk. The Stone Street. The SS El Occidente car- Reykjavik the merchant crew refused Larranaga was lucky. German sub- ried guns but did not have trained men to work deck cargo ad the Armed marines inflicted losses on the escort- to man them. She was torpedoed and Guard was forced to work cargo from ing vessels on January 17 while the con- sank within two minutes on the return midnight of the 17th until the after- voy was about 60 miles northeast of voyage from Murmansk on April 13. noon on the 18th so that the ship could Kilden Island, but the merchant ships leave port and try to join up with the had scattered during the submarine PQ 13 was the first convoy to feel the convoy which had sailed on that day. attack. High level bombing attacks on full fury of the German attack. But Floating mines were spotted on two Murmansk on the last three days in even the attacks on this convoy were occasions on the way to Murmansk. February disturbed the stay of the only a foretaste of what was to come in Worse still, a sever gale caught the Larranaga at Murmansk but did no the months to follow. Of the 10 convoy on March 25 and scattered it. damage to the ship. She was back in American ships in this convoy, three, Only five of the original 20 ships were New York on April 20.2 the SS Raceland, SS Effingham, and together two days later. A German the SS Bateau, were lost before the plane began shadowing the ships on The SS El Lago and the SS West convoy reached Murmansk. No March 28, just out of range of their Nohno went to North Russia in reports exist for the SS Gallant Fox, guns. Meanwhile five other ships, Page 30 THE NORTH RUSSIA RUN including a destroyer, had joined up were heavily attacked by the escorting noon came a surface engagement with with the convoy. It was on this date that vessels. The presence of Russian planes German surface units. During this the SS Raceland was torpedoed or and the effective fire from anti-aircraft engagement a Russian merchant ship bombed and the SS Bateau was lost guns in the hills around Murmansk was torpedoed, and went to the bottom from unknown causes. Fortunately four were welcome sights to the battle weary in about two minutes. At times enemy destroyers and a cruiser joined the con- men as their ships slipped through shells hit dangerously near the mer- voy on March 29 in time to protect it in Kola Inlet and came to anchor at chant ships. On May 2 the escorts a surface battle with German destroyers Murmansk. dropped depth charges and the about 150 miles northwest of Germans shadowed the convoy by Murmansk. The battle was fought in a The convoy was at Murmansk until plane, but the convoy was now safely heavy snow squall. Shells were falling April 28. During this period it was through. On the next day friendly air- all around the merchant ships in the under almost constant attack. One wit- craft appeared overhead. convoy. The escorts sustained consid- ness stated that there were 110 alerts and erable damage and also inflicted dam- 54 actual bombing attacks. While this Only two ships had Armed Guards age on the attacking ships, including figure appears somewhat exaggerated, aboard in convoy PQ 14. These were the sinking of at least one German it is known that the Dunboyne manned the SS Yaka and the SS West Cheswald. destroyer. The convoy was able to plow her guns 58 times. None of the They left Reykjavik on April 8 and its way through heavy ice fields American merchant ships appear to arrived at Murmansk April 19. Many towards Murmansk. have received any appreciable damage of the ships in the convoy turned back while in the port. On the other hand the because of fog and snow. On April 15 The Dunboyne witnessed much action Eldena was credited by the Russian the inevitable German plane appeared on the approaches to Murmansk, government with shooting down three and circled the convoy out of range of apparently with another part of the bombers and the entire crew was the guns. The escorts made contact convoy. A scout bomber attacked on rewarded one month's pay. The with three enemy destroyers. Next day the morning of March 28, but dropped Dunboyne was officially credited with a German plane appeared at about the its bombs into the sea after the two enemy planes and may have helped same time but did not remain in the Dunboyne opened fire with all nine of bring down another. This action took vicinity of the convoy very long. At her guns. Later in the day a bomber place on April 3 when the Germans used 1235 the Convoy Commodore's ship dropped five bombs close to the SS four-motored bombers against the con- was torpedoed and sank in about a Mana and five close to the SS Ballot. voy for the first time. At least three minute. Rescue ships picked up 31 sur- The Ballot developed trouble with her British ships were hit. Armed Guards vivors from the icy waters. At least two steering gear and dropped astern out of suffered greatly from loss of sleep. A more torpedoes passed through the sight. She was not lost but apparently very bad day was April 15. In the early convoy but missed all ships. On April did not reach Murmansk. On the afternoon about 50 enemy planes were 17 from one to three planes dropped morning of March 30 the SS in the air at one time and late in the after- bombs without doing damage. Effingham was torpedoed 150 feet noon at least 125 planes became Torpedoes passed ahead of the leading astern of the Dunboyne, but was able to involved in dog fights. Two British ships in the convoy and the escorts launch two life boats. Some of the men ships were hit. Murmansk was taking a apparently sank a submarine. The con- died in these boats from exposure. The terrific pounding, but allied planes were voy entered the port of Murmansk on Dunboyne joined the convoy on March hitting back at the attackers. April 19, with its escort increased by 30 just before the entry into two Russian destroyers and with fight- Murmansk. Only nine of the original At last the long nightmare at er planes overhead. While in port the twenty vessels were present when the Murmansk was over for the merchant ships shared in the daily attacks which entry was made into the port of ships. The men on these ships had seen PQ 13 was receiving. The Yaka had a Murmansk. Even the entry into port bombs fall repeatedly all around them. long stay in Murmansk because she was contested by the Germans. When Now they had to fight their way back required repairs to her bow and pro- the convoy was abeam Kildin Island, home. The convoy left Murmansk on peller, and missed sailing with the con- about 20 miles north of Murmansk April 28 and arrived at Reykjavik on voy which left on April 28. On May 12 about four bombs were dropped ahead May 7. The most serious challenge and 14 she received damage from near of the Eldena and two near the other than from floating mines came on misses and on May 15 a bomb hit her Mormacmar. One of the bombs dam- May 1. On this date four of six German No. 2 boiler. Bombs on May 27 missed aged the Mormacmar slightly. Enemy planes delivered a torpedo or bombing the ship, but bomb fragments on June submarines were also in the area and attack without success. Shortly after 13 opened her deep tank and made 14 Page 31 THE NORTH RUSSIA RUN the four inch gun on the Expositor was brought to bear and the top of the con- ning tower was blown off. A torpedo was avoided by banking the ship full speed. The Armed Guard on this ship consisted of only four gunners, a sig- nalman striker, and an officer. They went without sleep for two days and nights on the approaches to Murmansk. The convoy reached Murmansk on May 6 and departed May 21, except for ships which had not completed loading or had been damaged in port. The Armed Guard voyage report of the Paul Luckenbach indicated that the Armed Guard went to general quarters 31 times in this fifteen day period and that enemy planes, mostly high altitude bombers were observed on about 15 occasions. Bombs fell around the Zebulon B. Vance on May 10, but holes in her port side. On this date the hours. The late spring and summer was caused no damage. The Armed Guard Yaka shot down one enemy plane. always the period most dreaded by men on the Mormacrio shot down one While in Murmansk from April 19 to bound for Murmansk, for this season German plane during a low level June 27 the Yaka experienced 156 air of the year permitted continual air bombing attack on May 12 in which raid alarms. Bombs were dropped on attacks and brought ships closer to four bombs were dropped within 50 the town or ship 48 times and on 19 German air bases. The sixteen yards of the ship. On May 15 bombs occasions planes dropped no bombs. American merchant ships were the landed within 75 feet of the Francis The Yaka was attacked five times and Alcoa Rambler, the Expositor, the Deer Scott Key and showered the ships with about 50 bombs were dropped near her. Lodge, the Mormacrio, the Texas (later bomb fragments. On the return trip German patrol planes the Kapitan Vislobokov), the Seattle picked up the convoy on July 2. Near Spirit, the Zebulon B. Vance, the Bayou On the return trip from Murmansk Iceland on July 5 the Germans sank at Chico, the Paul Lukenbach, the Capira, there was less than the usual amount of least seven ships and damaged another the Lancaster, the Hegira, the Francis enemy activity. The high point on the during a dense fog. The West Cheswald Scott Key, the Alcoa Cadet, the return voyage came when a plane, was lucky enough to escape damage Mormacrey, and the Topa Topa. launched from a British ship, shot from enemy action while at Murmansk, down an attacking plane. but a bomb fell fifty feet from the ship Floating mines were encountered along on the morning of April 23 and the route to Russia. German planes Conditions became worse for those destroyed a 50 ton crane which had been began to scout the convoy April 30. On ships from PQ 15 which remained at used in unloading tanks from the ship. May 1 one of three enemy planes was Murmansk after May 21. The She left with the April 28 convoy. shot down. Enemy bombs fell wide of Mormacrey experienced 166 air raid the ships and did no damage. On May 3 alarms and witnessed 56 attacks on the PQ 15 included sixteen American ships five or more torpedo planes succeeded docks and harbor in 53 days. Her when it left Iceland for Murmansk on in sinking three British merchantmen in Armed Guard saw three ships sink and April 26. Before most of these ships rapid order. The attack took place just two receive damage. She was in the ill returned to Iceland on May 29 they had after midnight. One of the enemy fated convoy which sustained such experienced constant attacks by the planes crashed in flames. A few min- heavy losses from mines or possibly enemy and had inflicted some damage. utes later an Expositor lookout discov- mines and torpedoes off Northern The convoy ran into the dangerous sea- ered a submarine conning tower in the Iceland on July 5. The Deer Lodge was son on the Murmansk run when ice center of the convoy and just a few damaged on may 18 and was twice began to force ships closer to Northern yards off the ship's starboard quarter. attacked after that date while at nearby Europe and daylight endured for 24 When the submarine changed course Rosta. The attacks of May 27 and June Page 32 THE NORTH RUSSIA RUN 29 were without serious consequences. to Archangel, arriving on June 1; the developed. A torpedo passed just Only the latter did minor damage. At largest part of the convoy arrived at astern of the John Randolph. This ship the end of July she went to Archangel Murmansk on May 30. The convoy led a charmed life on the outbound trip. and, after additional repairs, was ready departed from Murmansk on June 27 She experienced four near misses from for sea with a cargo of chrome ore. Not and those ships bound for Reykjavik bombs and two from torpedoes. The until September 15 did she depart docked on July 6. Behind these simple Syros heavily loaded with TNT was Archangel in a convoy which suffered facts about ship movements lies a grim torpedoed at 0100 on May 26 and sank heavy submarine attacks from story. Without doubt the German in less than 2 minutes. Shortly after September 20-22. On June 21 the Alcoa attacks on this convoy were heavier than noon the Alamar was hit just aft on the Cadet sank in Kola Inlet, apparently on any ships yet sent to North Russia, mainmast and sank. All hands were res- from a mine which had been dropped but the full fury of the German attack cued. The Armed Guard from this ship from an aeroplane into the mud and had did not materialize until a short time was on the Massmar when she too was eventually worked loose and struck the later. sunk on the return voyage, thus making ship. The Capira Armed Guard officer two ships which had been sunk from reported that his crew went to general One of the merchant ships in this convoy under that unlucky crew. May 27 was quarters 125 times in 53 days and that already had a proud claim of success the worst day for the convoy. Perhaps as enemy planes actually appeared 66 against the enemy even before she many as 108 German planes attacked. times. He actually counted 250 enemy reached Reykjavik. The Mauna Kea The American Robin was straddled by planes over Murmansk in this period. Armed Guard reported four or more seven bombs. The Mormascul sank. Planes approaching the port from the hits on a German submarine on April 3. The Mauna Kea was shaken by several North were generally at high altitude. When debris flew into the air, the Armed near misses. When the day ended six When they approached from the south Guard officer concluded that the sub- ships had been sunk, three were listing they were much lower, often appearing marine had been sunk. Another ship, the noticeably, and two were on fire. An to be as low as 500 feet. The common Alcoa Banner, had no guns aboard until unfortunate episode of the day was the form of attack was dive bombing. In she reached Iceland. Even after five .30 shooting down of a British plane which every determined raid German fighters cal. guns were placed aboard at Iceland had been launched from the convoy. accompanied the bombers. The there was no Armed Guard, only a Navy The American gunners did not recog- Germans used Junkers 88 or 87 dive radioman and a signalman to keep the nize the plane as friendly. The pilot was bombers, Messerschmidt 110 fighter- guns ready for instant use. rescued. The West Nilus received cred- bombers, and Messerschmidt 109 fight- it for shooting down one German plane. ers. Before each determined raid a On this voyage, as on all voyages to Heinkel 111 generally flew over at great North Russia, numerous floating mines The tide had turned by May 28. height on reconnaissance. The Capira were encountered. The Germans dis- Russian destroyers met the convoy on Armed Guard officer counted 24 enemy covered the convoy on May 24 and for that date. The City of Joliet sank from planes shot down by anti-aircraft fire the next six days attacked it more than the damage of the previous day. The and fighter interception during his stay 25 times. Both submarines and planes Armed Guards were saved and later at Murmansk. He thought the German were employed. Ships in the convoy placed on board the John Randolph. bombing rather poor because only two were machine gunned several times. They were on board this ship when it ships were sunk and two damaged by There was no night, only day, and, struck a mine and was lost on the return near misses while he was in port. His fig- therefore, little rest for the Armed voyage, but all Armed Guards were ure did not include the Alcoa Cadet, Guards. The enemy began attacking on saved. The Richard Henry Lee found sunk by an enemy mine. The Capira and May 25. On that date the Carlton was pieces of aluminum on her deck after Lancaster left Murmansk on June 27 in hit and had to return to Iceland. Bombs firing at a four motored plane. convoy PQ 13, consisting of 33 ships fell close to a number of ships, includ- Presumably these were shot off a from Murmansk and Archangel. The ing the American Robin (later named German plane. This ship had a narrow Capria witnessed the horrible spectacle Perekop), the City of Joliet, and the escape on May 29 when she mistakenly of six out of seven ships in sight suffer- Michigan. The City of Joliet avoided turned to go with the convoy to ing violent explosions off Iceland July 5. an aerial torpedo by hard right rudder. Archangel rather than follow the ships The Michigan shot down two German to Murmansk. While recovering posi- The next convoy to sail for North planes. There was no let up in the attack tion an enemy bomb was dropped 10 Russia, PQ 16, consisted of 35 ships. It in the early morning hours of May 26 as yards from the ship. The Mauna Kea left Iceland on May 20. The convoy split the convoy was off the north coast of received slight damage on the same day. on May 29. Part of the ships continued Norway. At 0105 a submarine attack Russian fighters helped beat off an Page 33 THE NORTH RUSSIA RUN attack on May 30, the day the convoy June 30, for on that date, the John almost 10 days in their boats. After arrived at Murmansk, but 13 bombs Witherspoon suffered damage to her seven days in the bitter cold weather, were dropped around the American forepeak water tank. A German plane they went ashore on Novya Zemlya and Robin. sighted the ships on July 1. From July 1 had seagull soup. They went down the to July 10 a large part of the convoy was coast again and two days later snared The Germans bombed Murmansk on wiped out. On July 2 the enemy made over 100 hell-diver ducks. This feast every clear day while the ships from PQ several attacks. One enemy plane was was shared with survivors from a 16 were anchored there. There were shot down and another landed to rescue British ship. Again they departed in more than 70 alarms. The Steel Worker the pilot. July 3 was an easy day. Enemy their boats and came upon the was sunk by a mine while standing out in aircraft were over the ships and at least Winston-Salem grounded on a sand Kola Inlet on June 3. one bomb was dropped. Independence bar. This was their first opportunity to Day witnessed heavy attacks in which have a real meal in 10 days. Not until 24 Relatively few enemy planes were at least eight enemy planes were July did the survivors reach Archangel. encountered by the convoy on its return. knocked from the sky by Armed More than a third had frozen feet. The The entire trip from Murmansk to Guards and two American ships, the men from the Daniel Morgan were res- Iceland was made in heavy fog which Christopher Newport and the William cued by a Russian tanker on July 6 and afforded some protection. But on July 5 Hooper were sunk by torpedoes. reached Molotovsk safely. The Pan grim tragedy stalked through the con- Patrick Hugh Wright, and Armed Atlantic was sunk on July 6 with the voy. With visibility about 800 yards the Guard on the former ship fired his .30 loss of 25 men. The John Witherspoon ships ran into a mine field some 10 miles cal. gun at the approaching torpedo was sunk by torpedoes on the same from the northwest point of Iceland. until it struck the ship. The Armed date. Part of the Armed Guard and Three of the six ships lost were Guard on the Daniel Morgan claimed ship's crew were in a boat for 53 hours American. They were the John better luck, for they assumed credit for before being rescued by the El Capitan. Randolph, the Massmar, and the hitting a torpedo 20 yards from the The remainder were in an open life boat Heffron. The Exterminator was dam- Carlton and saving that ship to sink even longer before a British was ship aged but reached Reykjavik. Many another day. About an hour and a half picked them up. Far luckier were the present at the disaster were convinced before midnight the convoy received Hoosier, the Samuel Chase, the that submarines were present. The orders to disperse so the slow and heav- Benjamin Harrison, and El Capitan. Nemaha reported near misses from shell ily loaded merchant ships were left vir- They were able to make Matochkin fire. But it appears that the ships ran into tually defenseless except for their Strait, where several other ships had a British mine field. The work of the machine guns and a few heavier guns. also found safety. On July 5 the escorts in rescuing survivors was Ironclad joined the Silver Sword, the notable. The Free French corvette From this point the history of the con- Troubador, and a trawler. They too Roselys was especially praised, for she voy becomes largely a series of separate were able to make Matochkin Strait. rescued 180 men. attacks by German submarines and Some of the ships, including the planes, most of which ended in sinking Ironclad, the Troubador, and the The ferocity of German warfare reached the merchant ships involved in the Benjamin Harrison were painted white a new high in the tragic destruction of attack. Most of the ships headed for so as to blend with the ice and snow. PQ 17. In no other convoy to North Novoya Zemlya and several sought Russia were American losses so high. safety in Matochkin Strait. On July 7 the Olopana and the Alcoa We lost more than three fourths of all Ranger were torpedoed and sunk. The our merchant ships in this convoy and After being at General Quarters for Bellingham took a fish, but this torpe- our losses on this voyage alone were over 28 hours, the Daniel Morgan wit- do failed to explode and she was able to more than one fourth of our total losses nessed the sinking of the Fairfield City reach Archangel on July 10. Her gun- in all voyages to North Russia. The rea- by bombs on July 5. Five enemy planes ners had been on almost continuous son for these losses in to be found in the then bombed the Daniel Morgan. Her watch from July 3 to July 10. fact that merchant ships dispersed July 4 Armed Guard shot down two planes and were left to shift for themselves. The but the ship was so damaged by bombs Two ships which attempted to break escorts went west to meet heavy units of that she sank. Other American ships out of Matochkin Strait prematurely the German navy which were reported which sunk on that grim day were the came to grief. They were the Hoosier be steaming toward the convoy. Pan Kraft, the Washington, the and El Capitan. The Hoosier was The convoy left Iceland on June 27. Carlton, the Honomu, and the Peter bombed and abandoned on July 9. El Heavy ice floes were encountered by Kerr. The men of the Washington spent Capitan was bombe and sunk by escort Page 34 THE NORTH RUSSIA RUN on July 10. She was about 65 miles "trickle movement" of ships into Artic who went through the grim experience northeast of Iokanski. waters. Merchant ships would depart of leaving a sinking ship can be forgiv- singly, without escort, every twelve en if they become slightly confused on The remaining American ships, the hours. But this scheme failed to work. dates and times when combats take Benjamin Harrison, the Ironclad, the As a matter of fact, PQ 18 marked the place. After all, the Armed Guard offi- Silver Sword, the Troubador, the turning point in North Russian opera- cer was a busy man while in a war zone. Winston-Salem, the Samuel Chase, and tions. It demonstrated the value of He did not take a typewriter with him the Bellingham were able to get safely escort aircraft carriers even in restricted to the bridge when attack was immi- through to Molotovsk or Archangel. waters. Further, it showed that ships nent. He did not even have a typewriter Two ships, the Benjamin Harrison and which were given sufficient armament furnished by the Navy Department. the Troubador used machine guns from could fight through stubborn opposi- Normally the signalman kept notes tanks. The former also removed tion and inflict heavy losses on the during the voyage and entries were ammunition from her cargo to use in enemy. Up to this time ships for North made in a rough log which every defending the ship. Russia had been inadequately armed Armed Guard officer was required to because guns were not available. But keep. Two more ships, the Silver Sword and most American ships in PQ 18 were the Bellingham, were torpedoed and supplied with four or eight 20 mm guns Convoy PQ 18 slipped quietly out of lost on the return trip with QP 14 in and with a 3"/50 AA bow gun, as well as Loch Ewe, Scotland, late in the after- September. Another, the Ironclad, went a stern gun for fighting submarines. noon of September 2, 1942. It carried aground in Russian waters in This was the best armed and best the customary sinews of war, tanks, November and was turned over to the defended convoy we had sent to North planes, oil, T.N.T., shells. It reached Soviets to become the Marina Raskova. Russia up to this time. While the ulti- Archangel on September 21 and left Only four American ships from the ill mate armament of eight 20 mm guns, a that port on November 17, arriving at fated convoy were able to return safely 5"/38 dual purpose stern gun, and a Iceland on November 26. Additional from Russia to fight again. The loss of 3"/50 AA bow gun was not yet avail- ships joined when the convoy was off life had been very light because of the able, the ships of PQ 18 gave proof of Reykjavik, Iceland on September 7. cooperation of all ships in rescuing men what they could do against a land based from life boats. aircraft when even a few suitable anti- Throughout September 3 the barome- aircraft guns were supplied. PQ 18, ter was falling and by evening the con- Survivors from the Carlton and the therefore, was a landmark in the war, a voy was in a gale with seas reported at Honomu fell into the hands of the turning point in the battle of supply. It least 90 feet high. It became necessary Germans and were not liberated until represents the dark hour which comes to station Armed Guard forward gun 1945. Nine of these men liberated were just before the dawn. watches amidships and for ships to turn survivors from the Carlton Armed into the wind in order to protect their Guard. Reports of some nature are in the Navy heavy deck cargoes. Many ships lost Department for all of the American life boats in the storm. With the return PQ 18 took everything the Germans ships which took part in the action, of better weather on September 5 the could throw at it, suffered tremendous except the SS Hollywood. While these first enemy contact was made. This was losses, but pushed through to reports do not always agree on details, a submarine sighted on the surface. No Archangel. In this convoy were some such as the number of planes attacking, attack developed. forty merchant ships and almost as the time at which the action took place, many escorts. The British supplied an and the exact results of the encounter, The presence of friendly planes over escort carrier, the Avenger. Twenty- they allow no doubt as to the main pat- the convoy on September 8 and 9 must three of the merchant ships were tern of the action and they present a have been a reassuring sight, although American, all defended by Armed clear and dramatic story of the main on both days these planes sent Armed Guards. Almost one third of the mer- events which transpired. It should be Guards to their battle stations. There chant ships were sunk on the voyage to remembered that a convoy of more than was an atmosphere of tenseness Archangel, of which eight ships were 75 ships takes up a lot of ocean. Armed throughout the convoy. Men were jit- American, two were Russian, and three Guard officers on individual ships were tery as they realized that the zero hour were British. So dark did the prospects not able to report clearly on events was fast approaching. look for pushing ships through to which they could not see. Then too, North Russia in convoy that the United men who were almost continually at A German four-motored bomber States and Britain experimented with a battle stations for days at the time and sighted the convoy on September 11. Page 35 THE NORTH RUSSIA RUN Next day a German seaplane received a but not until they had done their dead- had to stop counting. One of those rude surprise when planes from the ly work and sent eight ships to the bot- bombers, on fire and rapidly losing British carrier interrupted the custom- tom. Two were British, one Russian, altitude, drove his doomed plane with ary circling procedure. Both planes and five were United States owned and its deadly cargo of bombs on the for- escaped and prepared the way for the carried Armed Guards. The United ward deck of the Mary Luckenbach. heavy attack on September 13. States ships were the Macbeth The ship disintegrated. There was not a (Panamanian flag), the John Penn, the single survivor. She was one great mass The convoy was between Jan Mayen Wacosta, the Africander (Panamanian of grayish black smoke and flame that Island and Spitsbergen. It was Sunday, flag), and the Oregonian. In spite of must have reached a thousand feet in the worst Sunday the men in PQ 18 will German attacks on the ships crippled in height. The smoke was so think that it ever experience. Early in the morning the initial attack the loss of life was rel- appeared the Virginia Dare and the German reconnaissance planes atively small. At dusk more torpedo Nathaniel Green were also hit. Actually, appeared on all sides. Shortly before planes were over the convoy without the Nathaniel Green did suffer consid- 0900 German submarines struck twice doing damage. One fourth of the mer- erable damage to her deck cargo and and when their deadly torpedoes had chant ships had been wiped out in a sin- fittings. There were machine gun bullet dome their work two ships from the gle day. But at least ten German planes marks all over the ship. But she had convoy were at the bottom of the ocean. had been destroyed. It is impossible to established a proud record of from five One of these was a Russian ship, the assign credit to individual ships for to seven planes destroyed. Next day the other was the Oliver Ellsworth. The planes destroyed. It appears that the Convoy Commodore, a British rear latter, a Liberty ship, did not sink until William Moultrie led the field with admiral sent the following message to destroyers finished the job with gun four planes. One of the Armed Guard the ship "Reverence to your gunners, fire. Very few of the men in PQ 18 had officers concluded his description of you are at the top of the class." The St. any appetite for lunch as they watched the engagement with the laconic report Olaf was hit just aft of amidships by a the dull red glow on the horizon "No sleep tonight". This just about 3" shell, but suffered no casualties. This behind. summarizes the normal routine for happened during an attack by high Armed Guards on the long voyages to level bombers in which a large number The worst attack came in the afternoon. North Russia. of bombs were dropped around the First came a formation of bombers, ships in the convoy. The shell landed perfectly camouflaged so that they Less than four hours past midnight a only a few feet from the No. 5 hold could barely be seen as they skimmed German submarine located the convoy, which contained T.N.T. Estimated through the heavy grey clouds. They got a line on a fat British tanker and enemy losses for this day ran to 14 met such a barrage of gun fire as had sent her to the bottom or rather dam- planes. All enemy attempts to sink the never been experienced on the North aged the ship so severely that she had to British carrier had failed. Russian run. One bomber was shot be sunk by her own escorts. Snow flur- down, but not before bombs had been ries did not interrupt the ever present On September 15 German bombers dropped all around ships in the convoy. reconnaissance planes as they stalked returned in great numbers to drop It was a wonderful sight; ships which the convoy on the morning of bombs from high levels at the carrier were judged to be relatively impotent September 14 like great birds of prey. and the other ships. Wave after wave were filling the air with tracer ammuni- Torpedo planes which came in shortly came over to drop their loads for three tion. The British also launched carrier after noon in the hope of repeating their hours and forty-five minutes. There planes. A short time later a very large successes of yesterday met a warm were perhaps 60 to 70 bombers in the formation of torpedo planes came in for reception from the guns of the mer- attack. The clouds gave perfect protec- the kill. It is impossible to state how chant ships and their escorts, and also tion. The men on the ships could only many planes attacked. Figures vary from planes from the British carrier. gaze skyward and hope their luck from 20 to 50. They came in quite low; One Armed Guard officer counted six would hold out. Men stood by their one account says at about 30 feet. Many German planes in the water at one time. guns almost dead from lack of sleep. were painted black with green or About thirty minutes later a seemingly One Armed Guard officer reported that orange wing tips. They were weird and unending line of torpedo planes and he had not slept more than two hours at awful to behold. They darted up and bombers approached the convoy from night for the past three nights. He did down to confuse the aim of a thousand dead ahead and from the starboard side. not even leave the bridge for food. It was guns. Soon the water was alive with tor- One Armed guard officer counted thir- 21 hours out of every 24 on duty if men pedoes. British planes were able to take ty-five enemy planes before he became of the Armed Guard wanted to live, and to the air to help drive the Germans off, too busy with defending his ship and there was no overtime pay. Page 36 THE NORTH RUSSIA RUN Next day enemy planes appeared, but a but it appears that the Germans lost off Archangel on November 7, but friendly Catalina also showed up. By more than forty planes, with many reached Molotovsk on November 12. noon a welcome snow storm covered more damaged. This was big league On December 10 she proceeded to Kola the convoy completely and allowed shooting. The convoy had weathered Inlet and two days later anchored 12 tired men to relax slightly for the first the most furious attacks which the miles from Murmansk. Although there time in days. The carrier and some of Germans could possibly throw at it. It were 52 air raids while she was at Kola the other escorts left to take a returning had lost 13 ships, but it had modified Inlet, the Armed Guard fired at planes convoy back west. The survivors were the daring attitude of the German only once and these turned out to be sent back with the escorts. For the next pilots considerably. They were not as Russian. No bombs fell within a mile of two days the only danger came from bold after September 14. The battle for the ship. The voyage in convoy from floating mines and very limited subma- this supply lane had really been won, but Russia was equally uneventful, although rine activity. Enemy air activity was no one could be sure of this fact at the the convoy sailed south of Bear Island. limited to reconnaissance on time. The convoy departed December 30 and September 17. Russian escorts joined arrived at Loch Ewe on January 11, 1943. the convoy as it headed southwestward The return voyage from Archangel was Two storms were encountered. along Novoya Zemlya. relatively uneventful, except for foul weather which made it virtually impos- The John Walker, which left Iceland on At daybreak on September 18 Russia sible to keep station in convoy and which October 30, 1942 with an Armed Guard proper came into view when the tip of covered the ships and guns with ice and crew which had never been attacked by the Kanin peninsula was sighted. snow. The Lafayette (later the enemy planes, had a more exciting trip. Bombers and torpedo planes returned Novosibirsk) reported two torpedoes On the morning of November 4 six to the attack. Many ships had close fired at her when she was separated from enemy planes engaged in an attack which escapes from bombs, but the attack by the convoy on November 21, but no ship lasted two and one half hours. Four the torpedo planes was much more seri- received damage from the enemy. The planes first appeared and began drop- ous. The William Moultrie claimed weather was a powerful ally of the ping bombs, but one was quickly forced that she exploded a torpedo by gunfire. Armed Guards when it became very bad to retire with smoke streaming behind. The Kentucky took a fish and then was for it kept German planes away. Later, two additional planes joined. The bombed to go down as the last ship lost ship underwent eight separate attacks by on the trip. The enemy lost at least two Trickle Movement the Germans. On six of these attacks planes. bombs were dropped. The ship was able At the end of October, 1942 a daring and to elude the attackers briefly when heavy On 19 September 1942 the convoy somewhat startling experiment was ini- snow was falling, but when the atmos- arrived in Archangel Gulf only to face a tiated. Ten ships, five British and five phere cleared a plane approached at very raging gale from the northwest. Several United States flag, were to brave the haz- close range. This plane was forced to ships ran aground. The Germans made ards of the voyage to North Russia with- leave the scene with black smoke trail- one last attempt at the convoy on out continuous escort. Each ship was to ing. In all some 30 bombs were dropped. September 20, but their bombs were travel independently. Ships would leave The John Walker arrived safely outside ineffective. The convoy was safe. While Iceland at 12 hour intervals, so that they Archangel where she went aground some attacks were made on Archangel, would travel about 100 miles apart. This November 8. Not until 5 days later did the ships remained safe enough. was the most hazardous undertaking she dock at Molotovsk. She anchored in which could be assigned to a merchant Kola Inlet on December 16 and was The Armed Guards were officially ship. It placed great responsibility on the sprayed with bomb fragments on credited with the destruction of 28 Armed Guards. While the United States December 26 when bombs fell quite enemy planes on the voyage, and voy- ships did not fare too badly, no doubt close. Her return with the December 30 age reports of Armed Guard officers because of the element of surprise and convoy was uneventful. would seem to indicate the possibility secrecy and because of the protection that this figure is too conservative. The which the fog, rain, and sleet afforded, The Hugh Williamson was ship No. 7 Nathaniel Green led the field with eight the experiment was not repeated. in the Trickle Movement. A four planes destroyed, closely followed by motored German plane dropped the Virginia Dare with seven, and the The Richard H. Alvey left Iceland on bombs on November 7 and two William Moultrie with five. The exact October 29 and had no contact with the unidentified planes circled the ship on number of planes destroyed by carrier enemy enroute to Russia. She was November 9, but she arrived safely at planes and by the escorts is not known, escorted into the White Sea, grounded Molotovsk. The William Clark was Page 37 THE NORTH RUSSIA RUN torpedoed shortly after noon on fered heavy losses. Perhaps one of the American ships was one veteran of a November 4. The ship broke in two strongest arguments against sending ferocious German surface attack days after the second and third torpedoes unescorted ships to Russia was the earlier. The ship was the Jefferson struck. There was heavy loss of life, but small possibility of rescuing personnel Myers which was in a convoy from more than half of the personnel were from ships which were sunk while London to Hull when E boats saved. Some of the survivors were in a operating separately. There was small attacked it in "E Boat Alley" east of life boat for about three days. likelihood that ships could be sent Yarmouth on December 12. Five ships through after the Germans discovered from the convoy were reported sunk. The John H. B. Latrobe turned back what was happening. Perhaps the and did not complete the trip to Russia. experiment had value as a means of The first contact with the enemy She was heavily attacked by torpedo upsetting German tactics north of appears to have come on December 24 planes on the morning of November 4, Norway. when a Heinkel attacked an allied but miraculously escaped being struck patrol plane sixty miles north-east of by seven or eight torpedoes which were Convoy JW-51A consisted of some 16 the Faroe Islands. A storm of such launched by eight or nine planes in merchant ships and about an equal proportions struck the convoy on seven attacks. The planes flew in to number of escorts. It left Loch Ewe, December 29 that some ships, includ- launch their deadly fish at an altitude Scotland on December 15, 1942, and ing the Chester Valley, were forced to of 20 to 40 feet above the water. They made the trip to Russia without making heave to. The Yorkmar also became attacked in groups of three with only contact with the enemy. It traveled separated from the convoy. one plane normally launching a torpe- through perpetual darkness and low do. The other attacking planes strafed fog. On December 22 five ships contin- On 31 December 1942 a surface the decks. The ship avoided one torpe- ued on to Molotovsk. The remainder engagement took place between units do; another passed within 20 feet of the arrived at Murmansk on Christmas of the German Navy and the escorts. bow; and still another passed within 16 Day. The ships bound for Molotovsk The German force probably consisted feet of the stern. One torpedo either arrived on December 27. of a pocket battleship, a heavy cruiser, passed under the ship or close along- and several destroyers. None of the side to port. Two planes were definitely While the ships were at Murmansk merchant ships was seriously dam- damaged and several others were hit. there were from 60 to 70 air alarms and aged, although shells fell all around Fog, rain, and snow came to the rescue German planes actually appeared over them. Shells landed within 100 feet of of the Latrobe from the afternoon of 50 times. After two Russian planes were the Ralph Waldo Emerson and frag- November 4 to November 8. On the shot down on December 25, the ments actually did minor damage to later date she hit a small iceberg and Russians began placing two spotters on the Calobre. Aside from reconnais- was no longer able to maintain full merchant ships to aid in aircraft identi- sance, German air activity was non- speed because of the hole in her side. fication. No American ships were dam- existent during the remainder of the She steered badly and had much trou- aged, although bombs fell close to at voyage. ble with her magnetic compass. She least one vessel. El Oceano probably anchored briefly in Isa Fiord because of shot down a plane on January 24 and The Ballot ran aground on Kilden snow squalls and high winds. In view of the Greylock claims to have sent anoth- Island on 2 January 1943, and was a her condition, the reported attacks on er away trailing smoke next day. Eleven total loss, except for guns which could her route to Russia, and the value of her merchant ships, escorted by an even be salvaged. The other ships arrived cargo, the master decided to return to larger number of war ships, left safely in Kola Inlet on January 3, Iceland. Murmansk on January 29. The only except for four ships. The Ralph serious mishap on the return voyage Waldo Emerson, the Chester Valley, It will thus be seen that the trickle was that the Greylock was torpedoed the Jefferson Myers, and the Puerto Movement did not result in higher on February 3 when the convoy was off Rican, which went on to Molotovsk. losses to United States ships than had the Denmark Straits. She sank in thirty The ships which went on to been sustained in previous voyages in minutes. The Armed Guard got off in Molotovsk had no action, although convoy. What would have happened if the last boat. The convoy arrived at enemy planes were over that port three the experiment had been continued can Loch Ewe on February 9. times. only be guessed. It is not known to the Convoy JW-51B consisted of some 15 writer how many of the British mer- merchant ships and almost an equal Convoy JW-52 included only five chant ships traveling without escort number of escorts. It left Loch Ewe on American merchant ships. This convoy, were sunk, but apparently they suf- December 22. Among the ten consisting of about 15 merchant ships Page 38 THE NORTH RUSSIA RUN and a large number of escorts, left lost from 10 to 20 pounds. They The next few days witnessed some of Loch Ewe on January 17. After its manned four of the eight 20 mm guns the worst possible weather. Ships were arrival at Murmansk on January 27 its constantly day and night and the other unable to keep station in convoy and history merges with that of JW-51B guns were action commenced. After the became scattered. They managed to and a few ships from JW-51A. Ships in long days of strain from witnessing ride out the gale, but the J. L. M. this convoy came close to floating bombs cascading down around the Curry's hull and deck plates began to mines, notable on January 20 and 22. ships, this officer wrote that ten sec- crack on March 7 and the ship was An unidentified plane first appeared on onds could mean a lifetime of caught abandoned on March 8. On March 9 January 23. An air attack developed on unprepared. The Executive accounted the Puerto Rican was torpedoed some January 24 in which at least three for an enemy plane on February 5. On 287 miles north of Iceland. She had planes participated. The weather was February 19, when bombing began in straggled from the convoy in the gale. cloudy and there were frequent snow deadly earnest, the Nicolas Gilman was There was only one survivor. The boats squalls which offered protection for the damaged by a bomb exploding 150 feet overturned and the men froze on the planes. Nevertheless, it appears that away. The Chester Valley, which had rafts. All of the Armed Guard perished. three planes were shot down and that moved to Murmansk, was straddled by On March 10 the Richard Bland took only one torpedo was launched against bombs on February 21. On the same day another fish early in the morning and the convoy. The Cornelius Harnett, El the Germans dropped mines in the har- still another late in the afternoon. She Oriente, and Nicholas Gilman each was bor. The Nicholas Gilman shot down a had lost two boats and all of her rafts credited with the destruction of an plane on February 26 and the Calobre and did not have enough boats left to enemy plane. The Cornelius Harnett got another on February 28. The first take her crew off. More than half were was one of the first ships to be armed and only ship to receive serious damage saved, but 15 Armed Guards were listed with a 5"/38 gun. The Delsud aided in was El Oriente on 27 February 1943. A as missing. Wayne Baker BM 2/c did an the firing. Nothing more eventful than 100 pound bomb hit her poop deck, heroic act when he refused to come the dropping of depth charges took killing one Armed Guard and wound- aboard a life boat loaded with 27 men. place between January 24 and the ing three. Russian spotters on board He stayed aboard the half of the ship arrival of the convoy at Murmansk, identified these planes as friendly and which was still afloat and passed a knife except that one or more enemy planes probably prevented the Armed Guard to the survivors in the boat so that they appeared on January 25. The Gulf from warding off the attack. could cut it loose from the sinking ship. Wing reported that four bombs were For his heroism and sacrifice he was dropped and that one landed close to All hands on some 30 merchant ships awarded the Navy and Marine Corps her. Only the Cornelius Harnett was were glad to leave Murmansk on March Medal. late in arriving. She did not reach 1. Depth charges were dropped between Murmansk until January 29, for she March 2 and 5, indicating that German The men from the remaining ships had become separated from the convoy. submarines were around. On March 5 which anchored at Loch Ewe on 14 Five ships, including the Chester they took their deadly toll. First came March 1943 had the satisfaction of Valley went on to Molotovsk, arriving German planes which did no damage. knowing that with adequate guns they 7 January 1943. Floating mines were encountered in the could hold their own against the most morning and early afternoon. Two tor- determined attacks the enemy could Throughout February the Germans hit pedoes struck home at about 0930 with offer. They must have sensed that the Murmansk heavily, but they did not deadly accuracy. The Executive was hit tide was slowly turning. But at the initiate constant and consistent bomb- and later sunk by gun fire from the moment all that mattered was sleep. ing until February 19. The Gulf Wing escorts. The Richard Bland took a fish reported 102 plane attacks until she left but managed to stay afloat. The Calobre Convoy JW-53 was a large convoy of with other merchant ships in the return reported that three torpedoes were fired about 30 heavily loaded merchant convoy. The Executive from convoy and that one passed under her stern ships. It left Loch Ewe on February 15, JW-51B reported going to general some 25 to 30 feet from her hull. In the 1943. Eight American ships were in this quarters 52 times. It is impossible to early afternoon 12 German bombers convoy. It became known as the "Lost describe the strain which was imposed came in for the kill. Each is reported to Convoy" because American ships were on the Armed Guard during the month have dropped from three to six bombs, help in Russian ports until November of February. According to the Armed and one report states that a total of 44 1. Two American ships did not leave Guard officer on the Nicholas Gilman, bombs were dropped. One enemy plane Archangel until November 26. The "The suffering they endured is beyond left trailing smoke. Bombs were close to decision was reached to delay move- my power to express." Men on his ship the ships, but they survived. ment of the ships until the ice cleared to Page 39 THE NORTH RUSSIA RUN the north and total darkness came. This Mobile City on March 13 and another aircraft and submarines to attempt to convoy is significant because it was one bomb threw fragments on the ship. A knock out convoys. In all this much of the last to be heavily attacked on the British ship was sunk and incendiaries credit goes to those who administered North Russia run. But most of the were dropped on the Francis Scott Key. the Armed Guard. They gave the ships attacks took place at Murmansk and In March, April, and May there were to North Russia every preference in were not primarily directed at the mer- many heavy bombing attacks. On armament, amount of ammunition chant ships. March 27 the Thomas Hartley issued, and in necessary equipment. accounted for her third plane. Another The hard and costly experience of 1942 German aircraft detected JW-53 on British ship was hit on April 4 and on paid off in a better Armed Guard in February 23. They apparently directed April 11 bombs landed close to the 1943 and 1944. Enemy land based submarines to the convoy, for depth Mobile City. The Artigas may have planes were challenged by ships and charges were dropped on the next day. damaged two planes on April 13. defeated. This had hardly seemed pos- Two enemy planes again appeared on sible in 1942 when surface units every- February 24 and dropped bombs, but The return trip was uneventful except where were taking such a terrible beat- not until the following day did a deter- for the collision between the Francis ing from enemy land based aircraft. It is mined air attack develop. About a Scott Key and the Mobile City which one of the miracles which the Armed dozen German planes made the attack did only minor damage. On November Guard help accomplish. Life had sim- but did no damage. Bombs fell near the 8 a few depth charges were dropped. ply become unsafe for anything in the Bering and that ship shot down an Most of the ships arrived at Gourock, sky above a convoy in which all ships enemy plane. On February 26 part of Scotland on November 14. Their stay were manned with Armed Guards and the convoy split off to go to Molotovsk. in Russian waters had been a long one, fully armed. High level bombing accomplished but not an American ship had been lost. nothing. One plane came in at about This was to set the pattern for the Only two United States ships were in the 1500 feet to lay bombs 150 feet from the future. Only seven more American next convoy which went to Russia. But Francis Scott Key. Bombs also fell close ships were lost in North Russian opera- this 19 ship convoy which left Loch Ewe to Israel Putnam. So accustomed had tions and two of these were marine on November 15, 1943 appears to have some of the Armed Guards become to casualties. experienced nothing worse than the lurk- the German patrol plane which circled ing presence of German submarines, out of reach of gunfire that they gave it The first year and a half of operations enemy planes in the distance, and mines. the name "Peter the Leach." to North Russia had brought to the men A mine floated by within 30 feet of the of the Armed Guard great suffering Thomas Sim Lee. The return trip was Part of the convoy anchored in Kola and destruction. By the fall of 1943 equally uneventful. Only the sickening Inlet on February 27. Incendiaries land- their chances for survival were good, sound of depth charges reminded the ed on the deck of the Mobile City and although the trip was still a long and Armed Guards that the enemy sub- the Beacon Hill was strafed. The grueling experience. Behind this marines were stalking their quarry on Bering, now in the White Sea with the change in the situation were a number January 3 and 4. The return convoy Molotovsk bound convoy, had a close of factors. More and more of the ships arrived at Loch Ewe on January 8, 1944. call when bombs fell only 50 yards away. going to North Russia were new The Molotovsk bound convoy, which Liberties armed with a 5"/38 dual pur- The United States ships, the Arthur L. included the Beacon Hill, the Bearing, pose gun, a 3"/50 AA gun, and eight 20 Perry and the John Fitch, were in a the City of Omaha, and the Israel mm guns. Proper clothes were being slightly smaller convoy which left Loch Putnam, arrived at Molotovsk on furnished to the Armed Guard. As the Ewe on November 22, 1943. Neither ship March 2. Some of the ships engaged in a result of refresher gunnery instruction, experienced direct contact with the shuttle service between Russian ports they were becoming very adept at using enemy, but the John Fitch reported during the long stay in northern waters. the guns. Escorts were available in ade- enemy aircraft over Murmansk and The ships which remained at quate numbers. Escort carriers ren- floating mines and one enemy plane seen Murmansk were heavily attacked. On dered invaluable protection. Soon the on her return trip. Depth charges were March 3 several planes dropped high Germans were experiencing a shortage also dropped by escorts as she was mak- explosives and incendiary bombs. A of gasoline which kept their air opera- ing her way toward Molotovsk on British ship was hit. The Mobile City tions in this sector at a minimum. The December 2. These reports indicate that accounted for one plane on March 10 protective cover of friendly aircraft for the time being the enemy was doing and the Thomas Hartley got two. A over the ships was constantly expand- little more than harass ships bound for bomb fell about 50 yards from the ing. It was becoming unsafe for German North Russia. Page 40 THE NORTH RUSSIA RUN Before the six United States ships charge patterns laid by the escorts testi- the danger from Germans has been which left Loch Ewe on 12 December fies to the presence on many sub- reduced to a point where it is little 1943 returned to the friendly waters of marines in North Russian waters. worse than the constant gales. Men no Scotland they witnessed extensive sub- longer go out to die without hope. marine activity, enemy reconnaissance Nearly all of the ships in convoy JW- They have the ability to defend them- planes, bombing attacks on 56B which left Loch Ewe on January selves. From now on the convoys of Murmansk, and floating mines. But 22, 1944 were United States flag and over 40 ships becomes the accepted size the ships themselves were never in any carried Armed Guards. In this convoy for North Russia. Escorts are practical- serious danger. were 12 United States flag vessels. ly as numerous as the merchant ships. Depth charges dropped from January Two escort carriers become the accept- The high point in the voyage of convoy 27 to arrival at Murmansk on February ed standard. JW-55B to North Russia was the sur- 1 were were estimated to be 1,500. face engagement between the escorts Enemy planes were circling the convoy The twenty-eight ships which carried and the pocket battleship Scharnhorst from January 27 to 31. The customary United States Armed Guards in convoy which ended in the destruction of that mines were encountered. One enemy JW-57 made up more than half of the ship on December 26. There were only plane was reported destroyed on large and important convoy. This con- five United States ships in this convoy January 29. All of the ships got safely voy left Loch Ewe on February 20. It and their Armed Guards played no part through either to Murmansk or split on February 28. Part of the ships in the surface engagement except as Molotovsk. While at Murmansk went on to Molotovsk; the remainder spectators of the distant gun flashes as enemy planes appeared 14 times. No turned into Kola Gulf to unload their the escorts maneuvered for the kill. ships were damaged by bombs. The vital supplies at Murmansk. An enemy This engagement took place southeast history of this convoy merges with that plane detected the ships as early as of Bear Island. Earlier an enemy plane of JW-56A for the return trip to February 24. But enemy planes did not had apparently dropped four bombs at Scotland. The voyage reports of the attack the merchant ships. Next day the escorts on December 23. But no Armed Guard officers might almost be submarines made contact with the con- merchant ships appear to have been in summarized "Depth charges as usual". voy. Late in the evening a red flame any serious danger either on the trip to The enemy is still able to send his sub- shot 200 feet into the Artic sky and then Russia or on the return trip to Belfast in marines in for sneak attacks which do mushroomed out to indicate that a early February. some damage, but he is rapidly losing German torpedo had found its mark on his ability to inflict serious losses. a British escort. Thereafter about 400 More than half the ships in convoy Escort carriers shield the convoys from depth charges were dropped in the peri- JW-56A were United States flag. The air attacks. If planes do get in, they are od before the convoy split. The only nine United States ships were part of a met with a curtain of anti-aircraft fire other serious incident came on convoy which seemed to face hard luck from the escorts and the now well February 29. As part of the ships were throughout the voyage. Although the armed merchant ships. Numerous enroute to the White Sea and ships left Loch Ewe on January 12, destroyers and destroyer escorts drop Molotovsk, the Charles M. Schwab 1944, they did not reach Murmansk seemingly inexhaustible numbers of collided with a Russian escort. The lat- until sixteen days later. A storm forced depth charges, thanks to the system of ter sank. There was some enemy activi- them to heave to on January 14. Not having tankers carry large supplies of ty over Murmansk while the ships were until January 21 was the convoy these weapons for supplying the unloading. The Nathan Towson report- reformed at Akureyri, Iceland. During escorts. Rescue ships pick men from ed a dog fight between Russian and the night of January 25-26 disaster unfortunate ships out of the water German planes on February 29. came thick and fast for the tired Armed within minutes after their ships go Incendiary bombs were dropped on Guards and merchant crews. In rapid down. We have already learned to use March 12 and 25, but no ship was under order the Penelope Barker, the Andrew the favorable seasons of the year when attack while at Murmansk. The ships G. Curtin and a British ship which car- darkness covers the ships and when ice left Murmansk on April 7 and arrived ried the convoy commodore were tor- allows them to go north of Bear Island. in British ports on April 15. Many pedoed. Such disaster had not befallen The convoys which go to Russia have depth charges were dropped and a few a convoy since early 1943. The return become task forces of great striking mines were encountered. trip to Loch Ewe witnessed another power. Heavy units are able to deal sinking when a British ship was torpe- with any German battleships or cruis- Another large convoy was pushed doed on March 4, just two days out of ers which dare to offer a challenge. The through to North Russia before perpet- Murmansk. The large number of depth run to North Russia is still tough, but ual daylight set in. More than two- Page 41 THE NORTH RUSSIA RUN thirds of the ships in JW-58 were ow the convoy on October 1 and 2. But The convoy which left Loch Ewe on United States flag, for we sent thirty- no further losses were sustained and the December 30, 1944 contained 29 five ships out of Loch Ewe on March remaining ships reached British ports United States flag ships. It met with 27 in this convoy. Depth charges were on October 5. new enemy tactics, which were in them- dropped in great numbers from March selves an admission of defeat in the bat- 28 until the ships reached Murmansk Depth charges and floating mines sum- tle for the supply lane to North Russia. on April 4. More charges were dropped marize the activity of the convoy which German submarines now lay off Kola on April 5 as some of the ships went on left Loch Ewe on September 15 and Inlet to pick off ships which arrived at to Molotovsk. Floating mines were departed from Murmansk on and departed from Murmansk. On the seen on several days. It appears that November 2. There were 22 United afternoon of February 14 several ships much damage was done to enemy sub- States flag merchant ships in this con- were preparing to enter Kola Inlet in marines. Enemy air activity was negli- voy. Perhaps the explanation why the order to join the convoy which would gible. The Armed Guards had no actual voyage was so uneventful is that on only leave for Scotland three days later. A contact with the enemy, thanks to the one day of the outbound trip was visi- Norwegian tanker and the Horace Gray strong escort. The convoy left bility clear for a brief time. were torpedoed. The latter was beached Murmansk on April 28 and by May 7 and no lives were lost. She was a total the last merchant ship had anchored in The convoy which left Loch Ewe on loss. As the homeward bound convoy The Clyde., except for the unfortunate October 20 was made up predominant- was proceeding down the Kola River William S. Thayer. This ship was tor- ly of United States merchant ships, for into Kola Inlet to form up, the Thomas pedoed late on April 30 when about 50 twenty-one of our ships were in this Scott and an escort were torpedoed on miles south of Bear Island. Two torpe- convoy. The ships left Murmansk on February 17. On February 20 about ten does struck the ship. Many merchant December 10 and were back at enemy torpedo planes appeared. The seamen, some Russian passengers, and Gourock on December 20. This voyage John La Farge and the John Ireland seven Armed Guards were reported almost turned out to be as routine as were each credited with the probable missing in the freezing water. The after other trips, depth charges and mines. destruction of a plane. A bomb fell section of the ship remained afloat for But a determined air attack on within 50 feet of the Caesar Rodney. about three hours. Floating ice cakes December 12 in which 16 torpedoes Then came bad weather which spelled and a school of porpoise confused the were launched by German planes and ultimate disaster for the Henry Bacon. lookouts on the merchant ships and avoided by skillful maneuvering of the She weathered the hurricane, but was gave the appearance of many periscopes convoy converted the trip from being out of the convoy because of a break- and torpedo wakes. As a result many of entirely routine. Apparently carrier air- down of her steering engine. Thinking the merchant ships opened fire on craft destroyed two German sub- that she had passes the convoy, the alleged submarines. That enemy sub- marines on the return trip. The Harold Bacon was reversing her course in order marines continued to shadow the con- L. Winslow was credited with an assist to join up. About 23 German torpedo voy is proved by the many depth in knocking down one of the attacking planes hit her with from 24 to 46 torpe- charges which the escorts continued to planes on December 12. does. She did not have a chance to sur- drop until May 4. Floating mines were vive, but put up what must have been sighted at least six times on the return The convoy which left Loch Ewe on one of the finest battles of the entire voyage. November 29 was made up of about war. She may have shot down as many half United States and half allied ships. as five planes and damaged three oth- The next convoy for North Russia left We had 17 ships in the convoy. Depth ers, although some reports indicate a Loch Ewe on August 15, 1944. About charges were dropped about a dozen more conservative figure of three half the ships were United States flag. times before the ships reached planes destroyed and two smoking. The voyage was uneventful, except for Murmansk on December 7. More seri- When an enemy torpedo finally struck the expected depth charges and floating ous than the ever present German sub- home on the afternoon of February 23 mines. Not so uneventful was the marines on the return trip was the the ship went down in less than an hour. return trip. The return convoy left weather. The convoy left Murmansk on There are many heroes in the Armed Murmansk on September 28. On the January 11, 1945. It ran into three severe Guard service, but none perhaps set a afternoon of the next day two ships, the gales in eight days. So serious was the finer example than Lt. (jg) John C. Edward H. Crockett and a British ves- weather that the convoy took refuge in Sippola who was one of the seven sel were torpedoed. All of the Armed Thorshaven, Faroe Islands on January Armed Guards lost. His whole interest Guards on the Crockett were saved. 18 to reform. The ships left on January was in the safety of his men. Finally he Enemy submarines continued to shad- 20 and proceeded to British ports. was too weak to grasp a line near him in Page 42 THE NORTH RUSSIA RUN the icy water and went down. He was ous convoy which finally reached Whenever men recall the brave deeds awarded the Silver Star posthumously. Gourock on April 1. of World War II they will think of the There were 64 survivors out of 84 North Russia run. It was by all odds aboard. Some Norwegian refugees Convoy JW-65 was the last North the toughest assignment the Armed from the island of Soroy got safely Russian convoy to sustain loss from Guard faced. In spite of the large num- away in one of the life boats. The German submarines. It left Gourock ber of sinkings in the early days, the Germans could still strike hard in on March 12, 1945. In this convoy were loss of life was almost unbelievably spite of heavy armament on merchant 18 United States flag ships and about small. The North Russia run was ships, carrier plane protection, and half as many allied ships. The trip was tough, even without lurking sub- large numbers of escorts. But this largely routine, with the expected marines and vulture-like planes, but attack was to be next to the last major depth charges and floating mines, the ships went through. It represented one on North Russian ships before the until the ships were almost at their the greatest single challenge of ships collapse of Germany in May, 1945. destination. Then on March 20 the to land based planes. The ships took Germans struck. The Horace quite a beating, but won out. Credit A convoy which left Gourock, Bushnell was the first to be torpedoed goes to many men and many types of Scotland on February 3, 1945 ran into on that morning while 24 miles due ships. The escorts and the carrier heavy air opposition on the way to east of North Kilden Light. She was based planes formed a protective cur- Murmansk. Convoy JW-64 included beached at Tereberski, but declared a tain around the slow merchant ships 19 American flag ships. Enemy planes total loss. No Armed Guards were lost which plodded along, their hulls low attacking on February 6 were met by and merchant seamen casualties were in the water with the sinews of war. carrier based planes which shot down mainly in the engine room. Later in the Without the escorts, mainly British, two. Not until the convoy was about morning an escort was hit and sunk. the North Russia run would have 120 miles off North Cape and south of About noon the Thomas Donaldson turned into tragedy of the first order. Bear Island did a large plane attack was torpedoed while about 20 miles But much credit also goes to the develop. In this case the German air- from Kola Inlet. No Armed Guards Armed Guards who endured severe men met a curtain of shellfire from the were lost. The convoy left Murmansk cold, who manned their guns through merchant ships. The Nathan Towson on April 29 and arrived at Gourock on unbelievably long hours, and who left led the list with credit for a plane, for May 8. Many depth charges were their mark on the might of the an assist, and for a probable. The dropped, especially as the ships were Luftwaffe. Their performance was in Edwin L. Drake was credited with two leaving Kola Inlet. The high point in accordance with the highest traditions assists. So many ships were firing at the trip home came when escort gun- of the United States Navy and is one of the same plane that it is impossible to fire sank a surface target on April 30, the sagas of warfare. What higher give definite credit. The Armed presumably a surfaced submarine. compliment could be paid to a Navy Guards manned their 3"/50 AA guns About 13 floating mines were reported man than to indicate that he had made with icy seas breaking over the bows on the return voyage, thus indicating the run to Murmansk or Archangel? of their ships. It seems fairly certain that North Russian waters would still that at least four of from five to seven be dangerous now that Germany had Special mention should be made of the attacking planes were shot down. surrendered. Two other convoys went great services which Captain Samuel Bombs were dropped but did no dam- through to North Russia, leaving B. Frankel, USN, the Assistant Naval age. One serious incident was that Gourock on 17 April and 12 May 1945. Attache stationed at Murmansk, and ships fired at one of their own escort- Even after the surrender of Germany his two assistants Comdr. G. D. ing planes. The remainder of the voy- we were taking no chances on action by Roullard, USN and Lt. Comdr. J. age was anti-climax, the usual depth fanatical submarine commanders. As a Harshaw, USN (Ret.) rendered to charges and engagements between car- matter of fact the convoy which left Armed Guards. Without the help of rier based planes and the enemy on before the surrender and the one these men the trips to North Russia March 26 and 29. An oil slick was which departed after that date would have been even less endurable observed after 161 depth charges were dropped depth charges. But there was for the weary and battle scarred veter- dropped on February 11. About 100 no action by the Armed Guards on the ans of the North Russia run. These depth charges were also dropped as merchant ships. Ships in the 12 May men rendered all possible assistance in some of the ships continued on to the convoy returned independently, but all matters which concerned Armed entrance to the White Sea on February those in the April 17 convoy traveled Guards at North Russian ports. 13. About 100 depth charges were also with escorts on the return trip late in dropped on March 24. It was a victori- May. ************ Page 43 MEDAL OF HONOR Medal of Honor citation envision -- or, for the dwindling few, to ''Come left,” he said. Washington's The President of the United remember -- what the world looked rudder change put the burning destroy- States takes pride in presenting like on Oct. 26, 1942. The U.S. Navy ers between her and the enemy, prevent- was not the most powerful fighting ing her from being silhouetted by their the MEDAL OF HONOR to force in the Pacific. Not by a long fires. 'The move made the Japanese PLATOON SERGEANT shot. So the Navy basically dumped a momentarily cease fire. Lacking MITCHELL PAIGE few thousand lonely American Marines radar, they could not spot Washington UNITED STATES on the beach at Guadalcanal and high- behind the fires. Washington raced MARINE CORPS tailed it out of there. Nimitz, Fletcher through burning seas. Dozens of for service as set forth in the and Halsey had to ration what few destroyer men were in the water cling- following CITATION: ships they had. I've written separately ing to floating wreckage. “Get after about the way Bull Halsey rolled the them, Washington!” someone shouted. For extraordinary heroism and conspic- dice on the night of Nov. 13, 1942, vio- Sacrificing their ships by maneuvering uous gallantry in action above and lating the stern War College edict into the path of torpedoes intended for beyond the call of duty while serving against committing capital ships in the Washington, the captains of the with the Second Battalion, Seventh restricted waters and instead dispatch- American destroyers had given China Marines, First Marine Division, in ing into the Slot his last two remaining Lee one final chance. Blinded by the combat against enemy Japanese forces fast battleships, the South Dakota and smoke and flames, the Japanese battle- in the Solomon Islands Area on the Washington, escorted by the only ship Kirishima turned on her search- October 26, 1942. When the enemy four destroyers with enough fuel in lights, illuminating the helpless South broke through the line directly in front their bunkers to get them there and Dakota, and opened fire. Finally, as of his position, Platoon Sergeant Paige, back. Those American destroyer cap- her own muzzle blasts illuminated her commanding a machine-gun section tains need not have worried about car- in the darkness, Admiral Lee and with fearless determination, continued rying enough fuel to get home. By 11 Captain Glenn Davis could positively to direct the fire of his gunners until all p.m., outnumbered better than three- identify an enemy target. The his men were either killed or wounded. to-one by a massive Japanese task force Washington's main batteries opened Alone, against the deadly hail of driving down from the northwest, every fire at 12 midnight precisely. Her Japanese shells, he manned his gun, and one of those four American destroyers radar fire control system functioned when it was destroyed, took over had been shot up, sunk or set aflame. perfectly. During the first seven min- another, moving from gun to gun, never And while the South Dakota -- known utes of Nov. 14, 1942, the “last ship in ceasing his withering fire against the throughout the fleet as a “jinx ship” -- the U.S. Pacific Fleet” fired 75 of her advancing hordes until reinforcements had damaged some lesser Japanese ves- 16-inch shells at the battleship finally arrived. Then, forming a new sels, she continued to be plagued with Kirishima. Aboard Kirishima, it line, he dauntlessly and aggressively electrical and fire control problems. rained steel. At 3:25 a.m., her burning led a bayonet charge, driving the enemy “Washington was now the only intact hulk officially became the first enemy back and preventing a break through in ship left in the force,” writes naval his- sunk by an American battleship since our lines. His great personal valor and torian David Lippman. “In fact, at the Spanish-American War. Stunned, unyielding devotion to duty were in that moment Washington was the entire the Japanese withdrew within days; keeping with the highest traditions of U.S. Pacific Fleet. She was the only Japanese commander Isoroku the United States Naval Service. barrier between (Admiral) Kondo's Yamamoto recommended the unthink- /S/ FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT ships and Guadalcanal. If this one able to the emperor -- withdrawal from ship did not stop 14 Japanese ships Guadalcanal.But that was still weeks in Medal of Honor citation right then and there, America might the future. We were still with Mitchell lose the Pacific war.” On Washington's Paige back on the God-forsaken malar- On Nov. 15, 2003, an 85-year-old bridge, Lieutenant Ray Hunter had the ial jungle island of Guadalcanal, placed retired Marine Corps colonel died of conn. He had just seen the destroyers like a speed bump at the end of the long congestive heart failure at his home in Walke and Preston “blown sky high.” blue-water slot between New Guinea La Quinta, Calif., southeast of Palm Dead ahead lay their burning wreck- and the Bismarck Archipelago -- the Springs. He was a combat veteran of age. Hundreds of men were swim- very route the Japanese Navy would World War II. Reason enough to ming in the water and the Japanese have to take to reach Australia. On honor him. But this Marine was a lit- ships racing in. 'Hunter had to do Guadalcanal the Marines struggled to tle different. This Marine was something. The course he took now complete an airfield. Yamamoto knew Mitchell Paige. It's hard today to could decide the war,” Lippman writes. what that meant. No effort would be Page 44 MEDAL OF HONOR spared to dislodge these upstart Yanks machinegun section with fearless ering that “the extremely short range from a position that could endanger his determination, continued to direct the allowed the optimum use of grenades.” ships. Before long, relentless Japanese fire of his gunners until all his men They cleared the ridge. And that's counterattacks had driven supporting were either killed or wounded. Alone, where the unstoppable wave of U.S Navy from inshore waters. The against the deadly hail of Japanese Japanese conquest finally crested, Marines were on their own. As Platoon shells, he fought with his gun and broke and began to recede. On an Sgt. Mitchell Paige and his 33 riflemen when it was destroyed, took over unnamed jungle ridge on an insignifi- set about carefully emplacing their four another, moving from gun to gun, cant island no one had ever heard of, water-cooled .30-caliber Browning's, never ceasing his withering fire.” In called Guadalcanal. But who remem- manning their section of the thin khaki the end, Sgt. Paige picked up the last bers, today, how close-run a thing it line which was expected to defend of the 40-pound, belt-fed Browning's was -- the ridge held by a single Henderson Field against the assault of -- the same design which John Moses Marine, in the autumn of 1942? the night of Oct. 25, 1942, it's unlikely Browning famously fired for a contin- When the Hasbro Toy Co. called some anyone thought they were about to pro- uous 25 minutes until it ran out of years back, asking permission to put vide the definitive answer to that most ammunition, glowing cherry red, at the retired colonel's face on some kid's desperate of questions: “How many its first U.S. Army trial -- and did doll, Mitchell Paige thought they able-bodied U.S. Marines does it take something for which the weapon was must be joking. But they weren't. to hold a hill against 2,000 desperate never designed. Sgt. Paige walked That's his mug, on the little Marine and motivated attackers?” Nor did the down the hill toward the place where they call “G.I. Joe.” commanders of the mighty Japanese he could hear the last Japanese sur- Army, who had swept all before them vivors rallying to move around his And now you know. for decades, expect their advance to be flank, the belt-fed gun cradled under halted on some God-forsaken jungle his arm, firing as he went. And the ridge manned by one thin line of Yanks weapon did not fail. Coming up at in khaki in October of 1942. But by the dawn, battalion executive officer time the night was over, “The 29th Major Odell M. Conoley was first to (Japanese) Infantry Regiment has lost discover the answer to our question: 553 killed or missing and 479 wounded “How many able-bodied Marines among its 2,554 men, “historian does it take to hold a hill against two Lippman reports. “The 16th regiments of motivated, combat- (Japanese) Regiment's losses are hardened infantrymen who have never uncounted, but the 164th's burial par- known defeat?” On a hill where the ties handled 975 Japanese bodies. The bodies were piled like cordwood, American estimate of 2,200 Japanese Mitchell Paige alone sat upright dead is probably too low.” You've behind his 30-caliber Browning, already figured out where the Japanese waiting to see what the dawn would focused their attack, haven't you? bring. One hill: one Marine. Among the 90 American dead and seri- ously wounded that night were all the “But in the early morning light, the men in Mitchell Paige's platoon. enemy could be seen a few yards off, Every one. As the night of endless and vapor from the barrels of their attacks wore on, Paige moved up and machine guns was clearly visible,” down his line, pulling his dead and reports historian Lippman. “It was wounded comrades back into their fox- decided to try to rush the position.” holes and firing a few bursts from each For the task, Major Conoley gathered of the four Browning's in turn, con- together three enlisted communication vincing the Japanese forces down the personnel, several riflemen, a few hill that the positions were still company runners who were at the manned. The citation for Paige's point, together with a cook and a few Congressional Medal of Honor picks messmen who had brought food to the up the tale: “When the enemy broke position the evening before. Joined by through the line directly in front of his Paige, this ad hoc force of 17 Marines position, P/Sgt. Paige, commanding a counter attacked at 5:40 a.m., discov- Page 45 LETTERS FROM THE CREW...
At Noumea on November 1 + A lot of the material was garnered from a report to the Chief of Naval Operations from The Assistant Port Director of San Francisco on January 29, 1944. At Noumea on November 1, a terrific explosion At 0200 a US plane arrived to assist the escort and to occured at the base of one of the Finger Piers at 1305. scout the area of the attack. At day break other The S.S. Turner was at anchor about 800 yards dis- planes arrived for escort. tant. Steel fragments fell into the bay around the Turner. One piece formed a collar around the for- At 1605 November 25, we arrived at Espiritu Santo ward mast. I was blown out of a chair into the bulk- New Hebrides and anchored in Pallakula Bay to head by the concussion coming through an open port await the formation of a convoy for Guadalcanal. hole at my back in my cabin. I ran out onto the deck December 4 at 0812, we took departure from adjacent to my cabin and the mate on the bridge Pallakula Bay and joined a convoy consisting of the ordered me back inside. I obeyed after glancing into S.S. Ashley , ( A liberty EC2 vessel) and the S.S. the sky and seeing small black objects falling. Later, Thunderer escorted by the USS Eaton (DD510) and when I looked at the deck, it was pock marked from the USS Osterhaus (DE164). At 1609 the same day the falling debris. Obviously the mate had saved my we were joined by USS Serpens(AK97EC2) , USS life. A supply of explosives on the dock was the Alchiba (AKEC2) S.S. Cape Blanco and the source of the explosion. One of the ships at the dock S.S.Thomas J. Walsh escorted by USS Acre(DE167, had to break her lines to get free of the dock . USS Velocity(AM128) and SC 1046. The convoy reached Guadalcanal 0800 December 7, 1943. The On November 2 1943, the Turner departed from vessel was then ordered to Purvis Bay to await Noumea escorted by a sub chaser. We arrived at Suva orders. On December 11, we proceded to Tenaru in the Fiji's on November 5 and moored at Kings Beach escorted by the SC 518. The passengers were Wharf . She commenced taking on cargo immediate- disembarked and some cargo was discharged. At ly. We loaded ammunition and aerial bombs. On 1930 we proceded to Kukum Bay where all the cargo November 16, we took departure with a cargo of 5371 was discharged at the dock . On December 20 we left short tons of ammunition, bombs, and trucks and Kukum Dock and proceeded to Purvis Bay to await proceded to Lautoka, Fiji where we arrived the same orders . On the way there was an air alert due to a day. There, we loaded an additional cargo of bombs, number of Japanese planes approaching Tulagi from trucks and boats making a total cargo of 6272 short the North .The planes turned back before reaching tons. On November 22, 8 officers and 126 enlisted Tulagi. men, Army of the 13th airdrome squadron and one Pharmacist Mate came aboard for passage to On December 22 we left Purvis Bay, Florida Island Guadalcanal via Espiritu Santo. and joined a convoy consisting of USS Pawnee ( Ocean Going Tug No.74), USS Octans (Navy November 23, we departed Lautoka escorted by the Transport), S.S. Rose (Cargo Ship) S.S. Thunderer, USS Radiant (YMS99) and by the PBY-5 which S.S. Curtis, escorted by USS Sheldrake (MS-62), scouted around the ship until after darkness came. USS Swallow (MS65) and one other mine sweeper At 1830 on November 24, our stern lookout reported .We arrived at Espiritu Santo on December 25 .and sighting an object out of the corner of his eye at rel- sailed from there for San Francisco on December 26 ative bearing 170 degrees and 200 yards range. He in company with S.S. Skinner and S.S. Thunderer wasn't sure whether it was a fish or a periscope .The escorted by the EC669. We passed through the gate area was watched and at 1840 the escort look out in the submarine nets guarding San Francisco Bay at reported sighting some thing suspicious in the same 1015 January 17 1944. The mileage on this voyage direction. The escort dropped astern to investigate . was 17,200. Average speed was 10.2 knots. It is pecu- At 1915 the escort made a definite under water con- liar to note that my next sea duty was on the USS tact 200 yards a stern of us and dropped a number of Eider (YNG20). The vessel that was anchored to the depth charges in two different runs. After the second bottom of the San Francisco Bay, between The run, the escorts Captain stated a large oil patch came Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz that had the winch to the surface.This attack took place in the Latitude that opened and closed the sub marine nets that 16 degrees 14'south, Longitude 170 degrees 33'East. guarded San Francisco Bay
Page 46 S.S. MARCUS DALY THE SAGA OF THE operating them. There was a general plies, the gunners stood by their guns S.S. MARCUS DALY feeling at this time that something big fighting off dive-bombers trying to As told by Bill Kirby, was pending. We surmised the sink the ship at dock. One bomb struck MM A/B Seaman Philippines would be our next objec- the concrete pier and injured three gun- tive. We made several short trips ners on the forward 3”50 and the ships The S.S. Marcus Daly, a Liberty Ship, between various bases in New Guinea bow was punctured in several places. departed Long Beach CA on August 1, hauling loads of war material for its The gunners were successful in bring- 1944, destination New Guinea, with a final assembly. We were afraid we ing down three of the dive-bombers. crew of 40 Merchant Marines and 18 would miss taking part in the pending For this action, General McArthur per- Navy Armed Guard. Due to the short- invasion of the Philippines. sonally commended the Marcus Daly age of Navy gun crew aboard, some for being the principal fire power of the members of the MM were trained to be Our time finally came to load for D day. American forces that saved the loaders and to assist the gun crew. Bill The field kitchen was set up on number Tacloban docks. It was during this time Kirby, and two others from his fo’c’s’le, two hatch with a canopy over it. The the Navy Armed Guard gunner of No. Matthieson and Crawford, volunteered latrine for the troops was constructed 9-MM, Bill Roberts, suffered severe to be loaders for the gunners. Bill by the ship’s carpenter, using planks to shock and the gunnery Officer put Bill Kirby was assigned a 20 MM at station form a trough near the stern with salt Kirby on as gunner of the 20-MM. #9 and Matthieson and Crawford load- water hose placed at one end of the Kirby further states that at this point ers on the forward 3”50. trough effected sanitary requirements. they went a 104 hours without sleep or Then about 1200 troops were marched a change of clothes. On the 24th night out of Long Beach, on board. Their quarters were below Bill Kirby had the 12 to 4 watch in the the main deck. Brig. Gen. E.K. The S.S. Marcus Daly then returned to bow. At approximately 3 AM he notice Wallender also came aboard to sail New Guinea and was loaded with sup- a small red light off the bow and with us. There were forty-two cargo plies and 1120 troops. The deck load reported it to the bridge thinking it was and troop ships in the convoy headed to consisted of Jeeps and trucks that were a survivor drifting in a life jacket. The the Gulf of Leyte, Philippines. We fitted with 50-caliber rapid fire guns to officer on watch called GQ and Bill was arrived at the Gulf at dawn and the supplement the ships armament. Bill replaced at his watch and ran to his gun enemy planes greeted us like a swarm Kirby states that all guns mounted on station #9 aft. At this time a submarine of hornets. the ship had stops to prevent hitting surfaced and turned it’s light on our anything on the ship but the 50-calibers ship. The gunnery officer challenged The gunnery Officer, J.S. Feathers, did not. He said they were almost more the submarine with Morse code blink- Ensign U.S.N.R., ordered his Navy gun afraid of these guns than the enemy ers. They answered with the wrong crew to hold their fire until the planes guns. After being loaded, with these code and started to submerge. We were within range. A high-flying troops etc. the Marcus Daly then joined opened fire with our 3”50 and fired 14 bomber dropped a string of bombs on a large convoy back to Leyte. rounds some being tracers that bounced us but missed. The plane made a turn Approximately 200 miles from Leyte off the water. There was no further and made another run at us at a lower the Marcus Daly was attacked by dive incident with this submarine. altitude when our gun crews let loose. bombers and torpedo bombers. The On August 26, 1944 we arrived at The plane caught on fire and crashed ship was subject to a very near miss on Finchaven, New Guinea where they into the bay. A few minutes later a dive the port bow and of a torpedo on the unloaded the fighter planes stowed in bomber came at us and the 20 millime- bow and stern during the course of the crates on our decks. Kirby quoted that ter tracers were hitting the plane the attacks. on a weekend pass 4 from his ship and 6 bomb was dropped. It missed us by no soldiers hiked back to a village. They more than ten feet. A “Val” bomber and a “Kate” torpedo were told to never do that again because bomber were shot down by the forward some of the natives there were head While attempting to dock at Tacloban 3”50 and 20-MM guns with a direct hunters. the channel was not marked and the hit. A dive bomber approached from ship went aground, not once but twice. the stern and dove directly at the ship. After unloading the deck cargo, we The dive bombers came at us again but The aft 3”50 and 20-MM blew the proceeded to Oro Bay, twelve hours the gunners drove them off and their entire tail section off the plane. The south of Finchaven to discharge the rest bombs all missed us. We finally were plane then crashed through the deck of our cargo. We then were loaded with docked and for six days and nights, under No 1 gun tub. It dropped as far as 60 Sherman Tanks and equipment for while unloading the troops and sup- the t’ween deck of hold No. 1 and the Page 47 S.S. MARCUS DALY bomb exploded shooting flames and exploded in the landing craft loaded dive bombers. Our Navy gun crew debris hundreds of feet in the air. The with supplies tied next to our number 4 shot one down trying to skip bomb us. bow was laid open on both sides as far hold. Bomb fragments penetrated the That incident alone would have as the t’ween deck and the 3”50 gun and hull in several places. Several fires stopped the Marcus Daly for good if it tub were destroyed killing a Navy GM broke out but were brought under con- hadn’t been for our gunners aboard. 3/C and two MM loaders, Crawford trol and no one was killed however, the While trying to dock, we became stuck instantly and Mattieson died later that gunnery Officer and several of his in the mud and we have had 3 direct night. It also wounded eight others. Of Navy crew and merchant marines were attacks on our ship today. BOY the 1120 U.S. Army troops aboard some injured. WHAT A DAY!!!!! Oct. 25, 44: We 200 or more were killed, wounded, or were attacked all night long and it missing and many were horribly Bill Kirby quote: Cleaning out No. one started again at dawn today, it is now burned. Matthiesen, a MM distin- hold was heartbreaking. We had to 4:30 PM. Those little yellow bastards guished himself by saving two others remove body parts that had been in the are good flyers. Five men on board of the No. 1 gun crew from the flames. water for a few days. were wounded today, 3 of our crew and The sprinkler system for the forward 2 soldiers. It’s too dam hot here and I’m magazine was damaged therefore, the Some repairs were made and our bat- not speaking of the weather I wish we second Mate, Fred McKamy and Bill tered ship returned to a hero’s welcome had some air protection. The Navy Kirby, armed with a sledge hammer and in San Francisco on January 29, 1945. Fleet is not far from here in battle with a crow bar opened the forward ammu- The S.S. Marcus Daly was credited the Jap Task Forces trying to bottle us nition magazine and flooded it with fire with seven aircraft shot down. Four in. As yet there are no Army planes any hoses. Bill Kirby said the deck was so “Val” dive bombers, one “Kate torpedo where near here but are due in tomor- hot it scorched the soles of their shoes. bomber, and two heavy “Zekes”. row. Another bomber let loose with The Captain said that if the magazine bombs that landed on our starboard had exploded the entire bow would DIARY BY DELMAR GOULD, and two aft. One other of the planes cut have blown off and the ship would have GALLEYMAN across our beam and cut off one of our sunk. guy line on one of our beams with his Aug. 26, 1944: Arrived Finchaven, New strafing. All this happened while we The two dead MM, Matthiesen and Guinea. Aug. 28, 44: Discharged deck were stuck on the sand bar. Oct. 26, 44: Crawford shared the same fo’c’s’le with load and now headed for Oro Bay. Some of our aircraft carriers were sunk Bill Kirby. He and other crew mem- Sept. 15, 44: Loaded troops and equip- in the battle not far from here and that bers gave up their quarters for the ment. 44th Tank Battalion . Headed explains why we saw quite a few of our wounded and slept on the deck till the for Los Negros in the Admiralty Navy planes flying around trying to wounded were removed. Island. Plenty of activity there. Big land on a vacant lot they called a land- staging area. Sept. 23, 44: Arrived Los ing strip. They were out of fuel and The next morning they were able to Negros, counted 6 aircraft carriers of ammunition and had nowhere to land enter the Leyte Gulf to unload the small class, and the ENTERPRISE. after their carriers were sunk. Before troops and cargo. Bill Kirby quote: Must be 200 merchant and Naval craft we left the Tacloban dock, the General ‘The Captain sent the purser, Roy in the harbor. Something about to come that rode with us came back aboard and Arsdel and myself ashore with the bod- off. Oct. 1, 44: Arrived at Finchaven told the Captain and Gunnery Officer ies of Matthiesen and Crawford to see and loaded our second load of troops that Gen. Douglas McArthur had com- about their burial. Their bodies were and equip. 98th chemical outfit and mended our ship for courage and fight- wrapped in blankets, dropped in a engineers. Headed for Humboldt Bay. ing ability in doing a major part in sav- muddy hole and covered up. Very Sad.” Oct. 14, 44: Have been loading cargo ing the dock and for knocking 3 nips End quote. and troops for the Philippines or out of the sky. Nov. 18, 44: We are at Saipan. A one star General, three Oro Bay and are loading part of the While we were tied to a landing graft Colonels + 25 other officers. We are 38th Div. 1200 troops and equipment. unloading supplies, a twin enemy air- headed for an island between Luzon Nov. 29, 44: Leaving Humboldt Bay in craft dropped bombs on us but missed. and Mindinos in the Philippines. We 38 ship convoy with our troops and A suicide plane followed and crash- are to arrive on D+4 days. We are sail- 18,000 troops on other Liberty and dived into the gun tub located on the ing in a convoy of 87 ships. WOW. Transport ships. Dec. 5, 44: At 9:15 port wing of the bridge. The bomb Oct. 24, 44: Arrived Leyte this morn- AM, only 24 hours from our destina- attached to the plane slid out of it’s car- ing. No excitement on the way but tion, we were attached by a dive bomber riage, knocked off two life boats and plenty here. We were attacked by 3 Jap who’s bombs barely missed us. Dec. 8, Page 48 S.S. MARCUS DALY 44: He describes the attack of the plane 2. Bill Kirby was a highly essential mem- Some of these medals were overlap- that dived into No. 1 hold referred to ber of the gun crew during all of this ping. earlier. Dec. 10, 44: At 5:00 PM 4 action. He is a member of the Merchant planes came in and we shot down 2 of Marine crew. Not too much praise can be MERCHANT MARINE AWARDS them. The second of these two hit the given him for his courage, heroism, and On April 30, 1946, Captain Opheim 20-MM gun tub on the port wing of unflinching bravery during many trying received the Marcus Daly’s Gallant the bridge destroying it and exploded hours day after day, night after night. Ship Award, the fourth ship to receive in a LCT tied along side of us. this prestige’s award, and all Merchant Fourteen on our ship were wounded 3. I should like to recommend Bill Kirby Seaman aboard were awarded the but none killed. I spotted a P-38 take for any position he may seek at any time. Gallant Ship Unit Citation Bar and the after one bomber and shot it down. He is a dependable, capable, courageous Merchant Marine Combat Bar. Tears came to my eyes as I thought of person who may be valued with the best. our boys who had been killed and said Bill Kirby MM to myself “There’s one dirty bastard for Signed J. S. Feathers, Ensign U.S.N.R. you boys”. All this happened at a place U. S. NAVY ARMED GUARD J. S. Excerpt for this story were taken called Tarragona Beach, 40 miles south Feathers, Gunnery Officer, and 17 Navy from a book Bill Kirby had of Tacloban. Dec. 22, 44: We were Armed Guard received the Purple 220 West 28th Street published & repaired enough today to be seaworthy Heart. was submitted by and we pulled away from Leyte with no Bill Patterson regrets. Dec. 25, 44: Christmas day. I Fourteen Armed Guard received the GM 3C U.S.N. have more to be merry about today, than Medal of Honor or Navy Cross, and Merced, CA 95340 any Christmas I have ever seen, because ten received the Silver Star Award. AG. [email protected] I still have a whole skin, and still very much alive. It’s only by the grace of God that those of us on the S.S. Marcus Daly are still alive. Dec. 30, 44: Whoopee!!! We left Humboldt Bay this afternoon for good old San Francisco, USA.
RECOMMENDATIONS AND AWARDS
17 November 1944: From: Commanding Officer, U.S. Navy Armed Guard. To whom it may concern. Subject: Heroism and Bravery of Bill Kirby, recommenda- tion for.
1. During the invasion days of October 24,25,26,27 and parts of 28 and 29 at Leyte in the Philippines, our ship was under constant air attack. Our ship repelled countless attacks and shot down three Jap bombers. About 30 bombs fell near the ship and there were considerable amount of strafing, also sniping from the shore. All attacks were repelled without being effective. We were the main fire power defending the vital invasion docks at Leyte. For our work in the invasion period we were personally commended by Gen. Douglas MacArthur Page 49 23rd ANNUAL AMMV REUNION
DOUBLETREE HOTEL TAMPA WESTSHORE MAY 14-18, 2009
**Expected arrival date______23rd ANNUAL AMMV REUNION/CONVENTION DOUBLETREE HOTEL: Make reservations directly with Doubletree Hotel 4500 W. Cypress Street; Tampa, Florida 33607 Phone: 813-879-4800 or 800-222-8733 or on-line at personal group page Name: ______Spouse/Other: ______Affiliation/Chapter: ______City/State/Zip:______Address: ______Phone: ______E-mail: ______See belowsheet for Hotel and Victory Cruise reservation information. CONVENTION FEE: (AMMV only - no charge for spouse/companion) TOTALS EARLY BIRD to February 15th: $60.00 x ___ = $______February 16 to March 31: $75.00 x ____ = $______April 1 to May 14: $95.00 x ____ = $______SE REGION PRE-CONVENTION: Each $28.00 x ____ = $______(Thursday May 14th at 1200 with lunch; program for SE Region but is open session) Buffet: Soup, choice of Salads, Rolls, Dessert, tea & coffee LADIES LUNCHEON: (Friday Noon May 15) Each $28.00 x ____ = $______Choose (# of each): 1) Salad – Caesar (chicken) ___; 2) Cobb (Turkey, Ham, cheese) ___ 3) Hot Dish: Pasta W/Chicken____; All come with Rolls, Beverages & Dessert: NY Cheesecake WELCOME DINNER: (Friday Evening May 15) Each $48.00 x____ = $______Choose (# of each): Medallions of Beef ___; Chicken Marsala ___; Pan Seared Salmon ___ BANQUET: (Sunday Evening May 17) Each $48.00 x ____ = $______Choose (# of each): Roast Prime Rib ___; Boursin Chicken ___; Grouper W/crab stuffing ____ BUS for AMERICAN VICTORY CRUISE: Each $18.00 x ____ = $______(Bus Transportation only – round trip- All day Saturday May 16th) Call 813-228-8766 to make Cruise reservation TOTAL DUE: $ ______SPECIAL MEDICAL OR PHYSICAL CONCERNS—please detail needs request on separate sheet. CANCELLATION NOTICE: NO REFUNDS AFTER MAY 1, 2009 SEND COMPLETED FORM WITH CHECK TO: AMMV; c/o John Reher; Box 151205; Cape Coral, FL 33915-1205 FOR GENERAL INFORMATION CALL: Morris Harvey, 352-564-0267 or e-mail [email protected] Register early - Room availability is limited - Cancelation policy: full refund if cancelled at least 24 hours before arrival. SPECIAL ROOM RATE: $99.00 plus 12% tax per night Single/Double/Triple/Quad ($5.00 rebate included for the Convention Committee— used to offset expenses) FOR MORE FUN IN THE SUN - $99 RATE EXTENDS FROM May 9th thru May 22nd Be sure to specify AMMV block reservations - register EARLY-EARLY-EARLY Your convention committee has guaranteed a minimum number of rooms Individuals: supply valid credit card or $50.00 deposit to cover incidental expense AMERICAN VICTORY HISTORIC CRUISE MAY 16, 2009 The fare will be discounted for all convention attendees. The current retail rate is $125.00— a discounted charge for our special cruise will be $89.00
Cruise reservations will be made directly to the ship by each individual Please notify us when you move. http://www.americanvictory.org • 705 Channelside Drive, Tampa, FL 33602 • 813-228-8766 (PLEASE NOTE: The $18.00 charge for transportation to and from the ship must be made as part of your convention registration—reference the Registration Form) ______Special Tours are being offered before, during and after the convention FOR MORE INFO CONTACT: Morris Harvey, 352-564-0267 or e-mail [email protected] Page 50 1. Dinner and a show! Chrm. Art Fazzone & Co-Chrm. Peter Falasco get teased by the “80 year old Stripper” Laura Roth. 2. Rose & Walter Catlow, Gales Ferry, CT and John & Jean Ehlenberger, Norwhich, CT, aboard the Lac du Saint Sacrement. 3. The Lac du Saint Sacrement Cruise Boat for Luncheon and Ceremony. 4. Hospitality Room - Seated L-R: Marion Covey, Art Fazzone & Leland Page(all our Chapter), Richard Peters, Rooseveltown, NY, Peter Falasco, Diana Spenard(our Chapter), Gerry Greaves, E. Providence, RI. - Standing L-R: George Spenard, George Krehel & Frank Kane(our Chapter), Bartender. 5. Banquet Night - Authur & Marion Fazzone, Renion Hosts, Schenectady, NY & Lou & Helentew, NE Regional Chrm. (Ret.) Gales Ferry, CT. 6. Wreath Ceremony, Lake George, NY - Lou Tew tossing wreath. 7. Banquet - No names. –Sent in by Mr. and Mrs. Arthur A. Fazzone • 3936 Albany St. • Schenectady, NY 12304-4371
Page 51 T r e ia a n su or re lif Island, Ca
This POINTER is dedicated to the 144,970 USN Armed Guard who served in WW II; to the 1810 AG KIAs and the Approx. 350,000 Merchant Marine who served, and the over 8765 KIAs and to the many injured from both Units. It is also dedicated to all the AG/MM POWs who spent many days and nights not knowing whether they would be killed or live to be freed. It is also ded- icated to all branches of service and to those Allies who served and those taken prisoner for the duration. For those who read this in years to come, may you tell others of the treatment at the hands of the enemy. God Bless the USA.
USN Armed Guard WW II Veterans 115 Wall Creek Drive Rolesville, N.C. 27571 1 (919) 570-0909 [email protected] www.armed-guard.com
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