NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE

THE NIMITZ MUSEUM

PRESENTS

AN ORAL HISTORY BY

JAMES JOHN

TAPE NO. 391

PEARL HARBOR

U.S.S CASE

TODAY IS DECEMBER 6, 2001. MY NAME IS FLOYD COX. I AM A VOLUNTEER AT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PACIFIC WAR. WE ARE HERE TODAY IN FREDERICKSBURG, TEXAS TO INTERVIEW MR. JIM JOHNS CONCERNING HIS EXPERIENCES DURING WORLD WAR II. TO START OFF WITH JIM, I’D LIKE TO TELL YOU, THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO RELATE YOUR EXPERIENCES FOR THE ARCHIVES OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PACIFIC WAR. MAY I ASK YOU WHEN YOU WERE BORN, WHERE YOU WERE BORN AND WHERE YOU WENT TO SCHOOL AND WE’LL TAKE IT FROM THERE.

JIM I WAS BORN IN A TOWN NAMED SUBLETT, WYOMING. IT WAS A COAL MINING TOWN, MARCH 21, 1923. I WENT TO KEMMERER HIGH SCHOOL IN KEMMERER, WY, GRADUATED IN JUNE 1941, THEN ENLISTED IN THE NAVY ON THE 6TH OF JUNE IN 1941. FROM THERE I WENT INTO BOOT CAMP.

F.C. WHERE DID YOU GO TO BOOT CAMP? JIM IN . AFTER BOOT CAMP I WENT OVER TO AND GOT PLACED ON A , THE USS CASE.

F.C. WHAT WERE YOUR DUTIES THERE? JIM AT THE TIME I WAS WHAT WAS REFERRED TO AS A “DECKIE”, CHIPPING PAINT BUT I DID EVENTUALLY GO INTO FIRE ROOMS.

F.C. YOU WERE AT PEARL HARBOR ON DECEMBER 7, 1941? JIM RIGHT. F.C. CAN YOU TELL US EXACTLY WHAT YOU WERE DOING AND WHAT YOU REMEMBER AT THAT POINT IN TIME?

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JIM YES. I WAS ON KP AND I WAS PEELING SPUDS ON THE AFTER DECK IN THE WIDE OPEN, SO YOU COULD SEE EVERYTHING. A DESTROYER IS VERY SMALL ANYWAY, SO I SAW THE WHOLE SHOW FROM RIGHT THERE. I WATCHED THE PLANES COME IN, WATCHED THE BOMBING AND THAT GOING ON.

F.C. WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION WHEN YOU SAW THAT YOUR FLEET WAS BEING BOMBED BY AN ENEMY? DID YOUR KNOW WHO THEY WERE AND WHAT WAS HAPPENING?

JIM I REALLY THOUGHT THEY WERE SOME OF OUR PLANES THAT MADE A MISTAKE. ONE THE SHIPS, THEY SOUNDED FIRE AND RESCUE. THEN EVENTUALLY THEY GOT AROUND TO SOUNDING BATTLE STATIONS, THEN WE KNEW IT WAS JAPS.

F.C. WHAT WAS YOUR BATTLE STATION ON YOUR SHIP? JIM ON THE 5-INCH GUN. F.C. DID YOU GET INTO ACTION? DID YOU START FIRING? JIM WELL, THEY DID WITH THE MACHINE GUNS. ONE OF OUR GUNNERS SHOT DOWN TWO JAP PLANES THAT CAME ROUND. OURS WERE THE ONLY GUNS WORKING ON THE FIVE THAT WERE TIED UP THERE.

F.C. DID YOU GET YOUR 5-INCH IN ACTION? JIM NO. ALL THEY HAD WAS TARGET AMMUNITION ANYWAY. SO, NEVER DID. THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN ----- I DON’T KNOW HOW TO EXPRESS IT. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A CATASTROPHE TO ADD THOSE 5-INCHERS SHOOTING AROUND THERE.

F.C. WHAT WAS YOUR INITIAL REACTION? DESCRIBE IF YOU WILL, WHAT YOU SAW HAPPENING, JUST AS YOU CAN RECALL IT RIGHT NOW. WHAT WAS HAPPENING?

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JIM WE WERE RIGHT ACROSS FROM THE BATTLESHIP ROW. WE SAW THE TORPEDO PLANES AND THE DIVE BOMBERS COMING IN AND JUST BANGING HECK OUT OF EVERY THING. THEN 3 DESTROYERS IN OUR SQUADRON WERE IN THE DRY DOCK. OUR DESTROYER WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THERE BUT THE USS SHAW HAD A COLLISION WITH AN OIL TANKER AND THEY PUT HER IN THE DRY DOCK INSTEAD OF US OTHERWISE WE WOULD HAVE BEEN BLOWN UP.

F.C DID YOUR SHIP TAKE ANY HITS? JIM NONE. ALL THROUGH THE WAR NEVER GOT HIT. F.C THAT’S SOMETHING. AS THE ACTION COMMENCED, DID YOUR SHIP START PICKING UP SURVIVORS OR WHAT DID YOUR SHIP DO?

JIM YOU SEE, OUR SHIP WAS ALL TORN DOWN. WE WERE ALONGSIDE THE TENDERS. IT TOOK ABOUT 4 HOURS TO GET EVERYTHING PUT BACK TOGETHER, THEN WE GOT UNDER WAY AND HEADED OUT. THERE WAS A JAP TWO-MAN SUB THAT WAS STUCK IN THE MUD AND THEY KNEW WHERE IT WAS SO THEY SENT US IN TO DROP DEPTH CHARGES ON IT. IT WAS ONLY IN 40 FEET OF WATER SO WE DROPPED A DEPTH CHARGE. IT DID MORE DAMAGE TO US I THINK THAN IT DID TO THEM. IT DID MANGLE THAT JAP SUB QUITE BAD.

F.C. DID THE SUBMARINE SURFACE? JIM THEY FINALLY HAULED IT UP LATER ON. THEY SALVAGED IT. IT WAS WELL BLASTED. F.C. DO YOU KNOW WHEN THEY SALVAGED IT? JIM NO, I SURE DON’T. F.C. YOU GUYS HAD ALREADY LEFT. JIM OH YEAH AND WE HADN’T BEEN BACK FOR A LONG TIME. F.C.

4 AFTER THE DECEMBER 7TH ATTACK, THE FIRST WAVE CAME IN, NOW CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE SECOND WAVE? DID THE SECOND WAVE HIT WHERE YOU WERE?

JIM YEAH, YEAH. THEY CAME IN AND TRIED TO PICK ON THE----- THEY DIDN’T GET ALL THE BATTLESHIPS TO START WITH SO I GUESS THAT WAS THE MAIN REASON, BUT THAT’S ALL WE SAW WAS THE TWO WAVES.

F.C. YOU DID NOT GET ANY DAMAGE TO YOU’RE SHIP? JIM NO. THERE WERE FIVE OF US TIED UP ALONGSIDE OF EACH OTHER ALONG THE BIG TENDER.

F.C. AFTER THE ATTACKS WERE OVER, AND YOU GOT YOUR SHIP UNDERWAY, WERE YOU ASSIGNED TO PICK UP SURVIVORS OR WHAT WAS YOUR COURSE OF ACTION?

JIM THEY PUT US OUT OF THE HARBOR ON PATROL. F.C. SUBMARINE PATROL? JIM YEAH. F.C. OF COURSE YOU DIDN’T HAVE ANY CONTACTS AFTER DECEMBER 7TH, DID YOU? OR IS THIS WHEN YOU HAD CONTACT WITH THAT SUBMARINE THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT?

JIM THAT WAS IT. F.C. THAT WAS IT AND THAT WAS PART OF THE INITIAL ATTACK. JIM RIGHT. WE NEVER DID SEE ANYTHING AGAIN AFTER THAT. F.C. HOW LONG WERE YOU OUT ON PATROL BEFORE YOU WENT BACK IN TO DOCK?

5 JIM ABOUT TEN DAYS. THEN WHEN WE WENT BACK IN, THERE WERE THREE OF THE BATTLESHIPS THAT WERE JUST CRIPPLED, SO THEY HAD US ESCORT THEM BACK TO SEATTLE. A BUNCH OF DESTROYERS ESCORTED THEM BACK. THEN WE CAME BACK. F.C. YOU TURNED RIGHT AROUND AND CAME BACK TO PEARL. THEN, DID THEY SEND YOU OUT WITH THE FLEET? WHAT TOOK PLACE THEN?

JIM WE WENT TO MIDWAY AND GOT THERE JUST BEFORE THE BATTLE AND THEN THEY SENT US UP INTO THE ALEUTIANS AND RAIDED THAT AND ATTU ISLANDS UP THERE. WE DID SINK A FREIGHTER UP THERE. THAT WORKED OUT PRETTY GOOD UP THERE BUT WE MISSED THE BIG BATTLE AT MIDWAY. THEN WE WENT BACK AND JOINED THE FLEET AGAIN AND STAYED WITH IT FROM THEN ON THROUGH.

F.C. AFTER YOU JOINED THE FLEET AGAIN, WERE YOU IN ANY MAJOR BATTLES THAT YOU RECALL?

JIM YES. WE WENT DOWN TO GUADALCANAL AND THERE WERE CONTINUAL RAIDS THERE. THEN WE WENT OVER ON THE AND RAIDED THAT.

F.C. NOW, YOU SAY RAID. EXPLAIN TO ME AS A NOVICE WHAT A RAID A DESTROYER DOES DURING A RAID ON AN ISLAND.

JIM WE JUST WENT IN AND BOMBARDED. F.C. IS IT USUALLY SEVERAL DESTROYERS, ? AFTER YOU BOMBARD, WHAT DO YOU DO? DO YOU DO IT FOR A DAY?

JIM FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS AND THAT WAS IT. F.C.

6 CAN YOU NAME THE ISLANDS THAT YOU REMEMBER THAT YOU WERE IN ON THE BOMBARDMENT OF?

JIM ONE OF THEM WAS TRUK ISLAND. ACTUALLY WE BOMBARDED EVERY ONE THAT WE INVADED LIKE THE MARSHALL ISLANDS. THAT WAS AN INVASION, THEN IWO JIMA AND THE .

F.C. AND ALL THIS TIME, YOU WERE INVOLVED IN THE 5-INCH GUN CREW? JIM. NO. THEN I HAD MY BATTLE STATION WAS DOWN IN THE FIRE ROOM BY THEN. F.C. IN THE FIRE ROOM, YOU CAN’T SEE WHAT IS GOING ON UP ON THE SURFACE? JIM NO. F.C. WHAT IS YOUR JOB IN THE FIRE ROOM WHEN YOU ARE IN BATTLE STATIONS? JIM WE KEEP THE BOILERS FIRED UP SO YOU RUN THE ENGINES. WE OPERATED UNDER 400 POUNDS PRESSURE AND 500 DEGREES HEAT ON THE STEAM.

F.C. SO, WHEN THE CALLS FOR FULL STEAM, YOU GUYS ------. JIM WE CUT IN MORE BURNERS AND GIVE HIM MORE SPEED. F.C. HOW DOES IT FEEL TO KNOW THAT THERE IS MAJOR BATTLE STATIONS GOING ON UP ABOVE THE SURFACE AND YOU ARE DOWN IN THE ENGINE ROOM? DO YOU HAVE ANY FEELINGS?

JIM YOU WONDER----- YOU HOPE THEY MISS. F.C.

7 DURING THE COURSE OF BATTLE DOES ANYBODY KEEP YOU ADVISED OF WHAT’S GOING ON? SO YOU GUYS ARE JUST DOWN THERE KEEPING YOUR FINGERS CROSSED DOING YOUR JOB.

JIM YOU HEAR ALL THE GUNS SHOOTING AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT. THERE WERE ONLY ONE OR TWO SURFACE BATTLES DURING THE WHOLE TIME. ONE WAS AT THE PHILIPPINES. THAT WAS THE ONLY MAJOR ONE. THE REST OF THE TIME WAS ALL AIRCRAFT COMING IN. SUBMARINES AND AIRCRAFT.

F.C. WHEN YOU ARE ISLAND HOPPING IN THE DIFFERENT BOMBARDMENTS, WAS YOUR SHIP EVER HIT THEN?

JIM NEVER WAS. F.C. WENT THROUGH THE WHOLE WAR? JIM WE GOT STRADDLED A FEW TIMES AND BARELY MISSED GETTING TORPEDOED BUT NEVER DID.

F.C. AND THAT WAS THE SHIP GIVE ME THE NAME OF THAT SHIP AGAIN. JIM THE USS CASE. DD 370 F.C. AND YOU STILL HAVE YOUR HEART STILL WITH THAT SHIP I THINK. JIM OH YES. IT WAS A LUCKY ONE. F.C. IT CERTAINLY WAS. ARE YOU IN CONTACT WITH ANY OF YOUR FELLOW SHIPMATES? JIM I WAS BUT I HAVEN’T BEEN FOR A WHILE NOW BECAUSE THE ONE THAT WAS CLOSEST TO ME DIED SO I HAVEN’T TALKED TO ANYONE SINCE.

F.C.

8 TO GET BACK TO WHILE THE WAR WAS GOING ON. WHEN YOU ARE ISLAND HOPPING, AND YOU ARE DOING THE BOMBARDING, HOW DO YOU RELOAD AMMUNITION ON A DESTROYER? ONCE YOU EXPEND ALL YOUR SHELLS, WHERE DO YOU GET MORE/

JIM OFF THE HEAVY CRUISERS. WE TAKE FUEL OFF OF THEM AND FOOD.

F.C. YOU GUYS DON’T GO BACK TO THE MAINLAND BASE SO TO SPEAK. JIM THEN WE HAVE DESTROYER TENDERS THAT HAVE ALL THE OTHER SUPPLIES. WHEN WE NEED MORE AMMUNITION WE GET IT OFF MUNITION SHIPS OR OFF THE CRUISERS.

F.C. WHEN YOU ARE DOING THAT, WERE YOU EVER PART OF THE CREW THAT TOOK THE AMMUNITION OFF OR DID YOU STAY DOWN IN THE ENGINE ROOM MOST OF THE TIME?

JIM I WOULD BE DOWN THERE. EVEN WHEN WE WERE OFF DUTY WE DIDN’T HAVE TO DO ANY OF THAT.

F.C. WAS THAT GOOD OR BAD? JIM THAT WAS GOOD. F.C. WHEN DID YOU COME BACK TO ONE OF THE MAIN ISLANDS? NOT BEING DAMAGED, YOU NEVER HAD TO GO IN FOR REPAIR, MORE OR LESS, SO DID YOU EVER GET TO GO INTO ONE OF THE ISLANDS AND SET-TO FOR A WHILE?

JIM WE CAME BACK AND WENT INTO MARE ISLAND THERE OUT OF SAN FRANCISCO AND GOT SET UP WITH A 20mm AND 40mm’s, AND A COMPLETE OVERHAUL.

F.C. DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT YEAR THAT WAS? JIM

9 I THINK THAT WAS IN 1943, ’44. F.C. DID YOU GET ANY LEAVE AT THAT TIME? JIM WE GOT TEN DAYS LEAVE.

F.C. OUT ON MARE ISLAND SO YOU ARE OUT IN . SO, YOU GOT TO GO HOME. WHERE WAS OUR HOME AT THAT TIME?

JIM AT KEMMERER, WYO. F.C. SO YOU WENT BACK TO WYOMING? JIM OH YEAH. F.C. AFTER TEN DAYS YOU WENT BACK TO CALIFORNIA AND SHIPPED OUT AGAIN? JIM YEAH F.C. WHERE DID YOU GO THIS TIME AROUND? JIM THAT’S WHEN WE WENT BACK DOWN AND THEN STARTED IN ON TRUK. THAT WAS WHEN WE RAIDED TRUK AND THEN OKINAWA. THE PHILIPPINES CAME FIRST AND THEN OKINAWA. THEN THAT’S WHEN I GOT TRANSFERRED BACK TO THE UNITED STATES AND PUT A NEW SHIP IN COMMISSION.

F.C WHAT WAS YOUR NEW SHIP? JIM THE USS KNIGHT (SP ???). IT WAS A DESTROYER, JUST A NEWER ONE. ONE OF THE NEWER TYPES.

F.C WHAT WAS YOUR DUTY STATION ON THE KNIGHT?

10 JIM STILL THE SAME IN THE ENGINE ROOMS. F.C. WERE YOU WHAT THEY CALLED THE “BLACK GANG”? JIM RIGHT. F.C. THE TITLE CAME FROM THE OLD COAL BURNING DESTROYERS DID IT NOT? JIM RIGHT. F.C. THE OIL BURNERS. YOU WERE BURNING OIL IN YOUR DESTROYERS, CORRECT? JIM RIGHT. F.C. I GUESS BEING IN THE ENGINE ROOM HAD A LOT OF GOOD POINTS AS WELL AS BAD POINTS. NUMBER ONE, YOU DIDN’T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON BUT THAT WAS A BAD POINT TOO WASN’T IT?

JIM IF YOU GOT HIT, IT WAS ON THAT LEVEL. YOU HAD TO HIT THE OTHER FIRE ROOM. F.C. HOW MANY FIRE ROOMS ON A DESTROYER DID YOU HAVE? JIM TWO. F.C. WHAT WERE THE POSITIONS, FORWARD AND AFT? JIM FORWARD AND AFT, RIGHT. F.C THAT’S WHAT I THOUGHT. WHICH ENGINE ROOM WERE YOU IN? JIM I WAS IN THE FORWARD ONE. F.C. MAYBE YOU DON’T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION BUT IT POPPED INTO MY MIND. WHAT ENGINE ROOM USUALLY GOT HIT BY SAY, A TORPEDO STRIKE? DO YOU KNOW?

11 JIM I SURE DON’T KNOW. MOST OF THE TIME WHEN THEY GOT HIT, THEY GOT SUNK. F.C. BROADSIDE, YES. IN THE DESTROYER, WERE YOU IN ANY OF THE TYPHOONS? JIM YES. I CERTAINLY WAS. F.C. WHICH TYPHOON WERE YOU IN JIM? JIM THE ONE OFF THE PHILIPPINES AND OFF GUADALCANAL WE GOT INTO ONE. WE WERE IN ABOUT THREE ALL TOGETHER. ONE OF THEM WE GOT INTO, WE MADE A 57 DEGREE ROLL.

F.C. SHOW ME BY HAND WHAT A 57 DEGREE ROLL WILL BE. JIM 45 WOULD BE THAT MUCH. WE WERE JUST READY TO CAPSIZE WHEN WE GOT HIT AND KNOCKED BACK OVER THE OTHER WAY.

F.C. SO, YOU WERE ALMOST CAPSIZED? JIM I WAS DOWN IN THE FIRE ROOM WHEN THAT HAPPENED. HANGING ON IS JUST ALL YOU COULD DO.

F.C THE TYPHOON YOU WERE IN WAS THE ?????? JIM YEAH. THAT WAS ONE OF THEM. F.C. WHEN YOU ALMOST CAPSIZED? JIM YEAH. IN THE OTHER ONES WE TOOK SOME REAL ROLLS. F.C. A DESTROYER WILL BECAUSE IT IS SUCH A SMALL SHIP. JIM THE WORST PART WAS THE FIRST TIME WE ROLLED OVER AND TOOK WATER DOWN IN THE VENTS AND INTO THE ENGINE ROOM AND KNOCKED THE POWER PANELS SO IT KNOCKED

12 OUT ALL THE POWER. WE DIDN’T HAVE ANY STEERING POWER OR NOTHING. WE WERE JUST ROLLING OUT THERE.

F.C. HOW DO YOU REGAIN POWER? JIM THEY FINALLY GOT A STAND-BY ONE AND GOT IT GOING. IT FINALLY GOT ENOUGH TO WHERE IT COULD STEER. THAT’S ALL THEY USED IT FOR WAS STEERING. THERE WERE NO LIGHTS OR NOTHING.

F.C. DOES IT PUT YOUR BOILERS OUT TOO? JIM NO. IT DIDN’T PUT THE FIRE OUT BUT IT SHORTED ALL THE CONTROL PANELS. F.C. I IMAGINE THAT’S QUIET SCARY WHEN YOU ARE DOWN BELOW, ESPECIALLY ON A DESTROYER.

JIM THAT’S PROBABLY THE SCARIEST EXPERIENCE IN ALL THAT TIME WAS IN THAT STORM THERE.

F.C. AND YOU CAME THROUGH THREE OF THOSE/ JIM OH YEAH. AND WHEN YOU HAD ONE, YOU HAD TO RIDE IT OUT BECAUSE THERE WEREN’T TOO MANY PLACES YOU COULD GO. EVERYBODY JUST RODE THEM OUT.

F.C. YOU JUST HUNG ON DOWN IN THE ENGINE ROOM AND HOPED THE THING WOULD BLOW OVER. I IMAGINE IT SEEMED LIKE THOSE TYPHOONS LASTED FOR HOURS DID THEY NOT?

JIM ABOUT TWO DAYS. F.C. SOLID DAYS OF BEING TOSSED AROUND LIKE A CORK? JIM

13 WHEN YOU GET INTO THE EYE OF ONE YOU KNOW IT IS REAL CALM. THEN YOU KNOW THAT YOU HAVE TO GET BACK OUT OF IT AND THAT IS THE SAME AS GOING INTO IT.

F.C. ALTHOUGH YOU WERE OUT THERE, YOU DIDN’T TAKE ANY CONCENTRATED FIRE FROM THE JAPANESE? YOU TOOK PLENTY OF PUNISHMENT FROM THE TYPHOON. JIM IT GAVE YOU ALL THE PUNISHMENT YOU NEEDED. F.C. IT CERTAINLY DID. DO YOU REMEMBER THE DAY THE ARMISTICE WAS SIGNED? DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN IT WAS SIGNED AND HOW YOU FELT?

JIM I WAS ON THIS NEW SHIP AND WE HAD JUST GONE THROUGH THE PANAMA CANAL HEADED BACK OVER WHEN THEY SIGNED THE ARMISTICE. I WAS HAPPY.

F.C. HOW OLD WERE YOU AT THIS TIME? JIM I WAS 18 WHEN I WENT IN AND IN 4-1/2 YEARS SO I WAS 22-1/2 WHEN I GOT OUT. F.C. DID YOUR SHIP GO ON TO THE PACIFIC EVEN THOUGH THE ARMISTICE WAS SIGNED? JIM YES, IT WENT TO JAPAN AND SWEPT MINES IN NAGASAKI HARBOR. THE WASN’T VERY NICE EITHER. THAT’S NOT VERY NICE AT ALL.

F.C. I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU ABOUT THAT. WAS THAT PRETTY HAZARDOUS DUTY SWEEPING THOSE MINES?

JIM IT IS REAL HAZARDOUS. F.C. WERE DESTROYERS DOING THIS OR MINE SWEEPERS? JIM THEY PUT THOSE BIG VANES AND HOOKED THEM UP ON DESTROYERS. THAT IS WHAT THEY SWEPT WITH.

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F.C. DID THEY EXPLODE THE MINES? JIM YEAH. WHEN THEY SURFACE UP, THEN YOU WOULD SHOOT THEM WITH A 20mm AND EXPLODE THEM. F.C. WHAT THEY DID, DID THEY CUT THE MINES LOOSE? JIM THAT VANE THAT THEY RAN OUT HOOKS ON TO THEM CUTS THE CHAIN LOOSE. F.C. I’VE NEVER HEARD THIS. YOU ARE TELLING ME SOMETHING BRAND NEW THAT I NEVER HEARD OF. DESCRIBE FOR ME IF YOU WILL, WHAT THE VANE WOULD LOOK LIKE.

JIM IT CAME OUT LIKE THIS (AND GIVES A DESCRIPTION OF THE VANE). THEY ARE PULLED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE SHIP.

F.C. AND THEY WOULD PULL UNTIL IT CUT THROUGH THE CHAIN? DID YOUR DESTROYER ALSO FIRE AT THE MINES THAT WERE CUT LOOSE?

JIM YEAH. F.C. ONCE AGAIN, YOU ARE STILL DOWN IN THE ENGINE ROOM ALL THAT TIME. JIM IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A BAD BLAST DOWN THERE IF WE HIT IT. F.C. HOW LONG DID YOU DO THIS? JIM WE MUST HAVE DONE THIS FOR CLOSE TO A WEEK. F.C. WERE THERE OTHER SHIPS OUT THERE CUTTING MINES LOOSE? JIM YES. THERE WERE SIX DESTROYERS ALL TOGETHER. F.C.

15 IT MUST HAVE BEEN PRETTY WELL MINED. JIM OH, IT WAS. F.C. WERE THESE JAPANESE MINES OR AMERICAN?

JIM JAPANESE. F.C. THEY HAD BEEN LAID BY THE JAPANESE PROBABLY IN ANTICIPATION OF THE LANDING FROM THE SEA.

JIM MORE OR LESS FOR SUBMARINES COMING IN TO THE HARBOR. THAT IS MORE OR LESS WHAT I THINK IT WAS PUT IN FOR. PROTECTION AGAINST SUBMARINES.

F.C. ONCE YOU COMPLETED YOUR MINE CLEANING OPERATIONS, THEN WHERE DID YOUR SHIP GO?

JIM THEN I GOT ON THE USS LOUISVILLE, WHICH IS A HEAVY AND CAME BACK HOME AND GOT DISCHARGED.

F.C. NO MORE FIREMAN. JIM ALL THE TIME AT NAGASAKI WE COULDN’T GET ANY LIBERTY BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN ATOM BOMBED AND THE WHOLE AREA WAS RESTRICTED. WE NEVER HAD ANY LIBERTY WHATSOEVER.

F.C. YOU DIDN’T GET OFF THE SHIP? JIM NO F.C. YOU DIDN’T GET TO GO IN AND SEE WHAT IT WAS LIKE.

16 JIM OH NO, DANGEROUS. DEADLY I GUESS. F.C. EVERY MILITARY MAN THAT I KNOW OF HAS A FUNNY STORY TO TELL OF SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED THAT HE WAS INVOLVED IN OR SAW HAPPEN. YOU HAVE ANY MEMORIES THAT YOU REMEMBER AT THE TIME KIND OF RELIEVED THE TENSION THAT SOME OF THE SAILORS MIGHT HAVE PULLED ON EACH OTHER OR HAPPENED?

JIM I THINK THE ONLY THING KIND OF DIFFERENT; A BUNCH OF US WENT ON LIBERTY AND WENT TO THIS ONE BOOTLEG JOINT.

F.C. WHERE WAS THIS JIM? JIM THIS WAS IN . IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE GOOD STUFF HE SAID, BOTTLED IN BOND BUT I ALWAYS REMEMBER IT HAD A SWEETWATER CAP ON IT. WHERE HE GOT THEM I DON’T KNOW. IT WAS PINEAPPLE BRANDY. WE DANG NEAR DIED, I’LL TELL YOU. IT WAS TERRIBLE.

F.C. A YOUNG MAN CAN TAKE THAT KIND OF STUFF. JIM IF WE HAD BEEN ANY OLDER, WE WOULD HAVE DIED RIGHT THEN. IT WAS JUST POISON IS ALL IT WAS.

F/C RELATE TO ME ALSO IF YOU CAN, ANY REALLY BAD MOMENTS OF YOUR TIME IN THE MILITARY. AS NONE OF YOUR SHIPS WERE HIT, YOU DIDN’T LOSE ANY CLOSE COMRADES DID YOU?

JIM NO. I THINK THE WORST WAS DUTY DOWN IN THE GUADALCANAL AREA BECAUSE IT WAS SO HOT AND WE WERE ALWAYS PATROLLING AT LOW SPEEDS. YOU WOULD COME DOWN WITH THAT PRICKLY HEAT RASH. IT SEEMED LIKE IT WOULD NEVER END.

F.C.

17 AND YOU ARE DOWN THERE WHERE IT IS HOT ALL THE TIME IN THE ENGINE ROOM. JIM YOU GO INTO THE FIRE ROOM AND YOU JUST CRINGE BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT HEAT DOWN THERE. THEN WHEN YOU CAME OUT, THE HEAT WOULD HIT YOU. DAY AFTER DAY.

F.C. THAT LEADS TO A GOOD QUESTION IN MY MIND. HOW LONG DID YOU SPEND ON DUTY PER SHIFT DOWN IN THE ENGINE ROOM? HOW LONG COULD YOU TAKE THAT HEAT?

JIM FOUR HOURS ON AND 8 HOURS OFF. F.C. FOUR HOURS IS ALL YOU COULD TAKE OF IT. JIM WHEN YOU ENTERED A COMBAT AREA, IT WAS 4 ON AND 4 OFF. YOU FIRED UP BOTH ENGINE ROOMS. EVERYTHING WAS FIRED UP. 4 HOURS ON AND 4 HOURS OFF.

F.C. YOU HAVE ALL THESE FELLOWS WORKING THE ENGINE ROOM, WHEN YOU WENT TO BATTLE STATIONS, DID YOU ALL GO IN THE ENGINE ROOM? I/M SURE THAT ON BATTLE STATIONS YOU HAD TO GO SOMEWHERE.

JIM SOME OF THE YOUNGER ONES WERE ON THE GUN CREWS AND DOWN IN THE MAGAZINE ROOMS.

F.C. WHEN THE ARMISTICE WAS CALLED, YOU SWEPT THE MINES AND YOU CAME HOME ON THE BIGGER SHIP, THE CRUISER, DID YOU WORK ON THE WAY BACK OR DID YOU JUST HAVE A JOY RIDE?

JIM I MADE IT A JOY RIDE. THE BOS’N MATE WANTED ME TO CHIP PAINT AND I SAID, “NO WAY” BECAUSE I WAS IN THE BLACK GANG AND I DIDN’T CHIP PAINT. SO, I DIDN’T.

F.C. WERE YOU DISCHARGED AFTER YOU GOT BACK TO CALIFORNIA?

18 JIM I GOT BACK TO ???? AND WAS DISCHARGED THERE.

F.C. I KNOW JIM, THAT WE HAVE SOME TIME CONSTRAINTS, THAT YOU HAD ANOTHER MEETING AND I HATE TO CUT THIS INTERVIEW SHORT. I DO WANT TO THANK YOU AS AN AMERICAN CITIZEN FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR US AS A YOUNG MAN DURING WORLD WAR II.

JIM I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU ARE DOING FOR US HERE. IT IS GREAT. F.C. WELL, THANK YOU AGAIN.

END OF TAPE

TRANSCRIBED BY FOREST J. REES FREDERICKSBURG, TX AUGUST 2003 PROOFED BY MARJORIE REES EDITED NOV. 6, 2003

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1 MR. JAMES JOHN EXPIRED SEPT. 15, 2003

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