Note: This story picks up with Mr. Chesnut's entry into the Navy. We thank him for sharing his story and experiances with us.

It was about the first of July 1943 that I, along with several other boys in my senior class was drafted. There were other boys from Hillsboro and Greenbank who were in the same bunch. One evening we were all loaded onto a bus in Marlinton and transported to Clarksburg, West Virginia. I don't remember whether we were put up in a hotel; however, we must have, since this was a processing center and we spent the next day being processed. That evening we boarded a train and headed for Cincinnati, Ohio, another processing center. Here we all received a physical. About dark we boarded another train and headed for Great Lakes Training Center at Green Bay, Wisconsin. We rode that train all night and arrived at the Great Lakes Training Center early the next morning. We hadn't had any sleep or food, but the navy didn't worry about that. They herded us, like a bunch of cattle, through a line to receive clothing, bedding and other supplies. They gave us a seabag first and as we went by the "small stores" in a line, they pitched different articles of clothing and other items into the bag. They didn't ask what size clothing we wore. The clothes were either too large or too small. Mine did fit fairly well. They were kind enough to ask what size shoes we wore and these also fit. It is a good thing that they fit, for we were to be on our feet a lot as we marched on an asphalt drill field.

Our training then began. We were all lined up and given a lecture on how to make a bed. A bed was a "sack" in the navy. A barrack had already been assigned to us, and after the lecture we practiced making our "sacks." The other boys in our company were from Pennsylvania and Kentucky. Some of the boys from my class in high school that were with me were; "Boots" Nottingham, Bill Moore, Dempsey George, Coe McClure, Dempsey Sharp, Howard Moore and some others that I can't remember. Altogether, there were seventeen of us from Pocahontas in that company. Boys from the Cass and Greenbank area that were with me were: Bob Fox, Delbert Cassell, Jack Kane, Jesse Blankenship, "Shootrump" Mayse and Norman McLaughlin. Norman went on to become a navy pilot and piloted the helicopter that picked up the astronauts when their capsule landed in the water.

Bill Moore and a Ewing boy from Louisville, Kentucky were always bickering with each other. Finally, our company commander put them in a ring with boxing gloves to settle their differences.

While marching, Bob Fox was back of me, and he kept stepping on my heels, purposely. I had to threaten him before he stopped. One of the fellows from Kentucky was always out of step. He earned the nickname of "Plowboy." It seems that he hadn't mastered the hop skip and jump that it took to get back in step.

Lunch, or "chow" as it was called was our first meal on the base. We were a bunch of hungry "Gobs" since we hadn't had any thing to eat for so long and it tasted good. The food wasn't always as good later on when we were in the fighting zones in the Pacific.

There wasn't any slack time for the navy was pushing us through in all kinds of training, such as marching, close order drill, manual of arms, seamanship, swimming, and target practice. Part of the training was learning how to row a boat. We marched, what seemed like miles, when we came to a large body of water. When I say large, it was large for it was Lake Michigan. I hadn't seen any body of water any larger than Lake Seneca. In comparison, Lake Seneca was a mud puddle. They put a crew on different boats and began giving us training. When the order was given to "weigh" oars I had a hard time holding the large heavy oar straight up. I was just a skinny boy of 118 pounds--three years later I was a heavy weight of 125 pounds. It was hot since it was the middle of July, and some of the fellows would pass out when standing at attention in ranks. We learned to talk navy talk and we soon became a bunch of "swabbies." There was a library, soda fountain and other places for us to purchase things that we weren't furnished. I visited the library one Saturday afternoon when they gave us the afternoon off. I loved to read and enjoyed a little relaxation.

I had not been away from home very much overnight, at least not far away. I was very homesick. I'm sure there were others also, who had not been away from home much. We were just a bunch of young eighteen-year-old boys. It would take awhile for us to become old seasoned "salts."

There was a railroad which ran by the camp and it seemed that most of the trains ran at night, more often at bedtime. Of course, I was homesick, and the long mournful sound of the train whistle didn't help to make me feel any better.

One evening I was told to report to a certain building. When I arrived I was asked a lot of questions, such as did I know Ralph Dilley; did I know Mary June Chestnut?? I didn't know what was taking place--maybe they thought that I was a spy or something of the sort. Then they told me that Mary June had died. Since I was in the middle of training I was not allowed to go home. She had died with strep throat.

It wasn't long before training was over and we all had group pictures made, and individual pictures with "Chuck" Glammick, our Company Commander. We were all given a nine day leave to go home before returning to Great Lakes to be sent somewhere else. At the time, we didn't know where we would be going. I rode the train home and Dad met me in White Sulphur Springs. I enjoyed the time at home, but wasn't looking forward to going back. I guess I was very patriotic at the time and wouldn't have thought of going absent without leave.

I caught the train out of White Sulphur Springs and went back to Great Lakes. Our company all assembled in the same barracks and awaited orders. It wasn't long before we were put aboard a train. It was a coach, more like a cattle car with seats. We didn't have Pullmans; sleep had to be acquired by sitting up. We headed west, destination unknown. As we passed through large cities on our way, box lunches were delivered to us. I remember stopping in Omaha, Nebraska. We weren't allowed to get off the train. Years later, in my retirement years, when Ivra and I were traveling near Omaha, my memory was rekindled, and I went back to that time when the train stopped in Omaha.

This was all a new experience for me, seeing so much of the country as we rode through. Never once did I dream that years later that my wife and I would be touring this beautiful country called, "the West." Of course it was in different circumstances and a time when we could truly enjoy it.

I don't remember how many days we rode that train, but I do know that we were a bunch of tired sailors, covered with coal dust, since trains were using coal then to power them. We finally arrived at our destination, Pleasanton, California. It was also called Shoemaker. This was another assignment center where sailors were assigned to different areas. It was on the edge of the desert and at night we had to sleep under blankets in order to stay warm. The next morning we all wore pea coats to chow-it was so cold. Then about nine o'clock it became very hot and we would roast. We were told that it was because we were on the edge of the desert. We didn't have to do anything, just sit around awaiting orders-except me and a handful of others. We soon had something to occupy our time for two or three hours.

I say me, because one morning the PA system announced that the smoking lamp was out. This meant that we weren't allowed to smoke then. Apparently, some others, and I didn't hear the word. I immediately lit a cigarette. No sooner had I taken a puff until I felt a hand on my shoulder. "Sailor, the smoking lamp is out." " Wait here, and I'll have some others to go with you to the "galley." Sure enough, some of us were sent to the "galley" and I spent the morning peeling spuds.

Most of us didn't have any money so we formed a group to go to a Del Monte tomato cannery and work for one night. It was hard work, and we thought we would receive our pay when the night was over. This wasn't to be; our pay was mailed to us much later when we were out in the Pacific.

After just a few days at Pleasanton, things would change. It was on a late Sunday evening that we were ordered to pack our seabags and fall out. We were loaded onto a bus for again, "destination" unknown. The navy never told us where we were going. We didn't know until we arrived there. We must not have been too far from San Francisco for it wasn't long before we ended up at Pier 8 in San Francisco. A ship was tied up at Pier 8. It was the largest ship that I had seen. Of course I hadn't seen any ship of any size. As I looked, awe stricken, at the huge ship many thoughts ran through my mind. Two cables about four feet high was strung along the outside of the forward and aft decks. I had seen pictures of ships in storms at sea and I wondered what kept sailors from being washed overboard. This didn't, in realty, happen very often, but it did happen. Most of the time when heavy seas were encountered, the crew stayed below decks. We were about to enter, what was to be our new home for the next two and one half to three years. It would change the lives of many of us. Some would not live to return to their homes. The future was unknown to us. It would be but a couple of months before we were to receive our "baptism of fire."

CHAPTER XVII

We were ushered down several stairs; we were later told to call them ladders. Most of us were assigned to deck divisions. Here we would be selected to help keep the living quarters clean, be on working parties and stand watch at different stations. The name of the ship, one of the old battleships, was Pennsylvania. She was called the "Pennsy" and sometimes "BB 38." This was her identification number. She was about six hundred feet long and weighed thirty three thousand tons. She was heavily armed. The starboard and port sides each had four twin five inch thirty eight caliber mounts. It wouldn't be long before I learned all about the five-inch mounts, as this was my watch station and battle station. Six fourteen-inch guns were mounted on the focscle and six on the quarterdeck. Twenty MM's and forty MM's were mounted along the "cat walks" on both the port and starboard sides of the ship.

Aboard were facilities to accommodate the crew of twenty four hundred men. There were "small" stores where clothing shoes and other articles could be purchased. If one didn't mind standing in long lines, there was a soda fountain and a barbershop. A small library provided reading material. A soda fountain sold ice cream, candy and cigarettes. Cigarettes cost fifty-five cents per carton. Ice cream was called "gedunks." Candy was "pogey bait."

Fresh water, except for water fountains, was not often available when we were at sea. At times it was turned on and one had to stand in long lines in order to get a half way shower. Someone was always yelling for the person under a small trickle of water to hurry up and let him in. Salt-water showers were always available. They left one with a sticky feeling afterward. It was difficult to get a lather from the soap.

The toilets were the latrine types with water flowing under the seats. I remember one fellow named Haley, who had to use one of the seats in a hurry. There were no vacant seats. He went to the head where the water came out to flow under the seats. He lit a large handful of toilet paper and floated it on the water under each occupant. There were many vacant seats then. Haley was known as a jokester. This was the grand father of all his jokes.

A laundry kept our clothes clean. All of our clothes had to be stenciled with our names. Once every couple of weeks each division would have their clothes washed. However, it was best to keep a new pair of denims, shirt and pants, for inspections. One pair of shoes which were spit shined until one could be seen in them, were kept for inspections. White caps were dyed blue. White uniforms were not allowed in the war zones since they could be seen easily by the enemy.

The fifth and six divisions were deck divisions. We stood watches on the five-inch guns. A few of those that came aboard with me were assigned to other divisions such as fire control, records, radio, radar and signal.

Preston Atkinson, from Marlinton, had been on the ship for two or three years. He may have been aboard when the Japs bombed Pearl Harbor. Preston, after being discharged, finished college and became a Methodist minister. He married Joy Schofield and they have spent most of their life in Texas.

There were several Marines aboard. They were called "Sea Going Bellhops." They acted as guards for the Captain and other officers. They also stood watches, including the brig. There was one division of about one hundred twenty five Negroes. They were used as Mess boys for the officers. They cooked special meals for the officers and carried their food to them as well as waiting on the officers at their mess.

The fifth division was located one deck below the weather deck all the way forward of the ship. Our division had a First Class Petty Officer as our division head and a Second Lieutenant as the Division Officer.

Bunks were four high, held together by chains. Mattresses were laced up in fireproof covers. If someone heavy slept above another, it was almost impossible for the one below to turn over. There was no air conditioning. Blankets were not needed. We would spread a mattress cover over our bunk. Upon arising they were soaking wet from sweating. They were then rung out and hung over a stanchion to dry. Sailors were not allowed to be in their bunks during the day light hours unless given special permission.

We learned to be somewhere else when we were not on watch. If one hung around the living quarters, when a working party was piped, he was grabbed. Being a good sailor and volunteering for anything didn't earn points. Promotions, many times were made based on whom you knew. "Ear Banging" was the way to get ahead aboard ship. I abhorred this way though, and like most of us we didn't get promoted. I remember one sailor in our division who was a great "Ear Banger." He was from Georgia, and couldn't even read or write. He was soon promoted to Third Class Petty Officer. I learned after my discharge, that this practice also got one ahead in civilian life.

When we were at sea the watches were four on and eight off. When in the war zones they were either four on or four off or condition 2A, which was two on and two off. I was assigned to the ammunition handling deck for my battle station and air defense station. I was later made a part of a five-inch gun crew. For my fire station I had to go into a compartment and "dog" down the hatch and lock myself in. Thank goodness I never had to man my fire station.

We had two planes on the quarterdeck. At first they were OS2U's, then later they were replaced with SC1's. They were catapulted off to locate targets on the islands for our gun crews to fire at. They were equipped with pontoons for landing. The ship would make a ninety-degree turn to calm the water so the planes could land. Then they were brought aboard with a crane on the "fan tail."

When not on watch when we were not in the war zones, we would play cards, read, sun bathe or just "shoot the breeze." When in the forward areas there was not time for this, since we were either at battle stations or air defense stations most of the time. There were not many opportunities to rest and sleep. We were "dog-tired" most of the time.

CHAPTER XVIII

Most of my account of life aboard ship from here on is taken from a very brief diary that I kept while aboard. We only stayed in San Francisco four days. On September 30, 1943, we got underway for destination unknown. The Navy way was not to tell you where you were going until you got there. I don't remember whether the ocean was rough or not. Anyhow, I always got seasick when the waters were rough. I never did "up chuck" but always got a sick headache. I never did, while aboard ship, get rid of the headaches when we were in rough water.

Getting adjusted to life aboard the ship was not easy. I was miserable for a few months until I got used to it. I just couldn't get used to the crowds in the showers, so I just went dirty until I couldn't stand my own body odor any longer. Then I braved the hassle of trying to get clean. I got lost a few times until I learned my way around. Of course there was a brig for those who got out of line and had to be punished. They had large initials "PAL" stamped on the back of their shirts. They were identified as "prisoners at large." This perhaps was humiliating to some of them. One of the sailors in my division by the name of Bennett spent some time in the brig, but it didn't seem to bother him.

When I hit the sack the first night, I immediately fell asleep for I was tired, perhaps from the stress as much as anything. Sometime during the night, I was rudely awakened and told that I had a four-hour watch. My watch was in the casemates at the beginning. This was where we ate our meals. Five-inch shell hoists were located in the casemates. If it was necessary to fire the five-inch guns, it was our job to pass ammunition from the hoists into the handling room. The projectiles and the powder cans were then placed in vertical hoists and carried to the mount above where they were loaded and fired. This was also my battle station and air defense station at the beginning.

I soon made friends with a couple of sailors from Oklahoma. They had only been on the ship for a short time, and had been aboard for the Attu and Kiska operation. The ship had an internal explosion while on the operation, and had spent time in the dry- dock at Hunters Point, San Francisco, just before I went aboard. My two buddies showed me around and helped me learn about different things. This made it much easier and I soon became an old "salt."

The destination revealed itself when we arrived at Pearl Harbor on October 6, 1943. Diamond Head, a well-known landmark, looked down on us as we slowly sailed into the harbor. We made our way over to Ford Island and tied up at Fox 8. Ford Island had an airstrip and planes were taking off and landing continually. I imagine they were training for action which was to come at a later time.

There was still some evidence of the December 7, 1941, attack by the Japs. Although it was almost two years since the attack most of the damage had been corrected. The Arizona, our sister ship, still had part of the superstructure visible above water. The Japs dropped a bomb down her stack and it went to the bottom of the ship before exploding. Eleven hundred men were trapped and their bodies were never recovered. It is now a National Monument.

The Oklahoma was being raised as she had been sunk. When she was seaworthy, two or three seagoing tugs towed her out of the harbor on her way to the "States." However, she sank before going very far and efforts to raise her were never begun.

The Pennsylvania was in a drydock when the attack took place and only had minor damage. She took one bomb hit. There were two destroyers in the same drydock with the Pennsylvania. One of them was destroyed and the other received severe damage. The one that was severely damaged survived to fight another day in the forward area of the Pacific. Some of the other battleships, such as the Maryland, West Virginia, California, New Mexico and others, even though they were damaged, were soon repaired and made battle worthy.

We didn't do too much while in port except keep the ship clean and stock up on ammunition and supplies. We did rate liberty a few times and most went into Honolulu.

There were two "cat houses, " the Senator and the Rex. These were two "houses of ill repute," and lines were formed on the street to enter the building to be served. The Navy sanctioned them. The women were examined often to prevent or cure any venereal diseases. The native Hawaiian girls would have nothing to do with sailors. There wasn't much to see in Honolulu, just movies and bars. The bars were so heavily used that a person had to be drinking all time, or the bouncer would escort you out. I didn't enjoy Hawaii very much. I didn't participate in any of this extra curricular activity.

On November 10, 1943 we left Pearl Harbor heading west. We didn't know where our destination was to be. On November 15 we crossed the equator. We were to cross the equator many times during our travels in the Pacific. Our time was spent standing watch and playing pinochle. We still didn't know where we were going, but would soon find out.

Some of the new sailors who had come aboard in San Francisco were made the butt of practical jokes. They were told to stand on the focsle and watch for the equator. Other times they were told to dress in dress blues and stand on the focsle to watch for the "mail boat." They were given a boat hook and told to hook the mailbags as the boat passed. Some of the fellows would stand for hours on the focsle watching for the mail boat before realizing it was all a joke. This watch was called the "mail boy" watch. Other times one would be sent somewhere on the ship for a left handed monkey wrench. Of course there was no such thing as a left-handed monkey wrench.

On November 20, we reached our destination. It was Makin Atoll which was located in the Gilbert chain. We began firing early in the morning at targets which were spotted by our two "quarterdeck dive bombers." This was our first action since I came aboard. I was assigned to one of the casemates to help bring up ammunition from the shell storage. We stayed on station all day and night. The Army landed troops when we had softened the island up with our firepower. On the night of November 20, Jap planes kept flying over trying to spot us, but didn't have much success. To say the least, I was scared stiff. We knew the Japs were flying over us and I expected a bomb to be dropped on us at any time. The Army secured the island on November 22.

While we were busy with Makin, the Marines were busy taking Tarawa. Tarawa was an island in the Gilbert group and was located south of Makin. This apparently, was a more difficult fight and had many casualties.

At daybreak on November 24, a submarine sank the Liscombe Bay. The Liscombe Bay was a "baby flattop" and was part of our group. We weren't on stations yet and I went topside and saw the huge pillar of black smoke coming from the ship. I later learned that she sank in six minutes with a loss of forty percent of her crew, which amounted to 800 men.

We left the Makin Lagoon for the night. We fired at Jap planes at dusk. When it became dark the Japs dropped flares as they tried to locate us. When I say us, I mean that there were several ships in our group. Three or four battleships, cruisers, aircraft carriers, oil tankers destroyers (tin cans), ammunition ships and cargo ships made up the task force. The Jap planes were back again on November 25, but were not close enough for us to fire upon them. At night we fired star shells over the island in order to light up the area so the soldiers could prevent infiltration by Japanese stragglers. On November 30, we left the Makin area. We were on our way doing 18 knots in rough seas. This was fast for an old battlewagon. The baby flattops were taking water over their flight decks. They wanted the rest of the task force to slow down. Admiral Richard Kelley Turner, the task force commander, told them to drop out and take one "tin can" as an escort. They did not drop out.

Friday, December 3, reveille was sounded at 0600 hours. No general quarters, the first time since firing on Makin had ceased. On Sunday, December 5, we entered the harbor at Pearl Harbor. Diamond Head watched over us as we slowly made our way in. The water was crystal bluish green which made a beautiful picture. The water was this color because of the white coral beneath.

We spent our time washing "white works" or the painted living quarters, bringing on stores, refueling and getting ready for another operation. We didn't know where the next operation would take place. This was all top secret, and I can now understand why this was necessary. Of course the crew rated liberty which didn't amount to much, except an opportunity to get off the ship.

We spent Thanksgiving and Christmas in Pearl Harbor. These days were not much different from other days, except for the noonday meals. "Pooley" Curry was in the Marines and was temporarily stationed on the island. He had learned that there were several Pocahontas County boys aboard. He came aboard and ate turkey and all the trimmings with us. These meals were to be our last big meals for sometime to come.

Fresh fruit was brought aboard and stored in the fruit locker. Most of the time it was consumed by the officers and a lot of it went to waste. They could have made it available to the crew. When bringing stores aboard some of us would, on purpose, let a bag of oranges or apples fall off our shoulder and break open. Then our buddies would open their shirts and stuff fruit in and head for their lockers. The nights were long when we were on watch and we got hungry. Some of us in our division selected one another to scrounge different items of food.

Of course taking the food was a serious offense. We were bringing on stores once when a crate of Spam broke open. I grabbed a bucket from our living quarters and put two or three cans of Spam into the bucket. I then covered it with a towel like I was going to the "head" to wash clothes. On my way back to my locker with my prize I met an officer. He reached down and removed the towel. "Sailor, where are you taking this Spam?" Thinking quickly, I said, "I am taking it to the Commissary Issuing Room." "What is your name, rank and serial number?" I told him my name, rank and my serial number, which was 829-13-27. He told me to take it on to the Commissary Issuing Room. I surely did, for I knew that he might check to see if I took it there as he told me. Therefore, I lost some good meat for sandwiches for my buddies and myself. I'm sure he must have known that I was stealing food; otherwise, I wouldn't be carrying it in a bucket covered with a towel.

One night, one of my buddies named Brawner, from Arkansas, swiped a loaf of hot bread from the bakery. One of the bakers saw him and chased him all over the ship. Brawner escaped and hid and we really enjoyed eating that loaf of hot bread. Brawner would enter the galley, nonchalantly, as if he knew what he was doing and come out with food. It seemed this approach worked for him instead of sneaking about to steal a morsel of food. The Navy Rules and Regulations required coffee to be available at all times. When we were on stations for long periods of time the Mess Cooks would bring coffeecakes and coffee (joe) to us. Other times we would have K or C rations. They weren't very appetizing, but I guess it was better than nothing.

The flour usually had weevils in it. We would hold up a slice of bread and punch out the weevils with our finger. Sometimes there was not much left except the crust. Powdered milk and dehydrated food made up the menu. Every Friday was Field Day when not in the fighting area. This was the day we cleaned the ship for a "white glove" inspection. For breakfast on that day we always had beans and "bear s--t." This consisted of corned beef with diced potatoes in it. Sometimes it was placed on toast. It was then called "s--t on a shingle." None of this tasted very good, but I guess we got used to it. Every Sunday evening for the evening meal we had hot tea and cold cuts.

There were times when it was enjoyable at night sitting on the focscle "shooting the breeze," watching the florescence in the waves or just dreaming. On clear nights some of the sailors would take a blanket and sleep topside. It was much cooler and most of the time the sky was clear and a storm was not imminent. Since there was no pollution to obscure the heavens, the skies canopy of stars presented a beautiful peaceful setting.

CHAPTER XIX

I kept a brief diary while aboard ship and most of this account from here on is taken from it.

On Saturday, January 22, 1944, we got underway again. On January 31, we bombarded Kwajalein Atoll all day long. One of our "quarterdeck dive bombers" (OS2U'S) was shot down, but the crew was saved.

On February 1, we took part in a pre-invasion bombardment. This entailed firing rapid fire over the heads of the troops as they hit the beach. The troops landed at 09:30 hours.

On February 3, we dropped anchor in the lagoon. The planes were still bombing the island. What was once a beautiful tree covered tropical island was now nothing but palm trees with no branches or leaves. Many of them had been blown off and the island was no longer a beautiful sight to look upon.

We left Kwajalein on February 5, and dropped anchor at Roi. Roi was another of the atolls which made up the Marshall Islands. We didn't stay at Roi long and got underway the next morning. We proceeded to Majuro where we dropped anchor in the lagoon. Majuro, another of the Marshall Islands had apparently been secured earlier. There may not have been any Japs on this island, I don't know. The island was now used as a supply base for ships.

On Wednesday, February 9, while taking on ammunition a fourteen-inch can of powder blew up on the focscle. Two men were hurt, but fortunately none were killed. During the next night at 0100 hours a fourteen-inch can of powder blew up in the powder magazine. Three men were killed. Since I had a four to eight watch the next morning I was in my sack sleeping when the powder can blew up. A hatch about five feet from my sack had flames coming out of it. Someone shook me so I would wake up and get out of harms way. The powder storage room was flooded to put out the fire. Fortunately, none of the other powder cans exploded. This lot of powder had to be taken off the ship and dumped outside the harbor. This lot of powder had been sabotaged. The ammo was dumped and another lot brought aboard in time for us to get underway. On Sunday February 13, we anchored in the lagoon at Kwajalein. During the previous two or three days we had been busy refueling, taking on stores and ammo. It seems like we were now just killing time for the beginning of the next operation.

On Tuesday, February 14 we left Kwajalein and entered Eniewetok Lagoon with port and starboard 20's and 40's firing. We lost one of our 0S2U'S.

Still firing on Sunday, February 20, with plenty of return fire. On Tuesday February 22, an LCI came alongside the" Pennsy" to unload their wounded. It had been hit and men were lying all over the deck wounded and dying. One sailor, that I remember seeing, was pushing his insides back into a hole that had been blown in his stomach. These sights were not easily forgotten.

On Wednesday, February 23, we left Eniewetok and anchored in the harbor again at Majuro on February 25.

On March 1, 1944, we left Majuro where we, as well as I recall, took on fuel, stores and ammunition. We crossed the equator again on March 2. We had crossed the equator so many times that it was no longer a novelty.

On March 7, we dropped anchor in Havanna harbor at the island of Efate. This island was in the New Hebrides group of islands. It was in the backward area and was owned by the French and English. We spent several days here from March 7 until April 24. During this time we cleaned and painted the ship. We also went ashore on this island. It was mostly jungle. There were several coconut bearing palm trees and the natives who appeared would "shinny" up the trees and shake the coconuts down. They could speak broken English enough to sell grass skirts, bananas, and oranges. My buddy and I carried on a conversation with one and understood enough to determine that he was buying his wife. He said that if he paid the Chief so much the Chief would select his wife to be. If he paid more he could select her. $5 was a "fin" and this was the price the natives would ask for their grass skirts.

We spent a lot of time, when we went ashore, swimming, and digging in the sandy beaches for "cat eyes." This was a small stone about the size of a quarter which had a center resembling a cat's eye. It could be shined and made beautiful settings for rings and other man made things. Some of the sailors made some beautiful things with them. It was on April 24, 1944, that we left Efate and sailed south for Australia. Five days later on April 29, we entered the harbor at Sydney. It was a beautiful entrance. We were the first battlewagon that had visited there during the war. The people were wonderful hosts and they took over a recreation center and gave a dance. We were there to rest and get our minds off the war for a few days. We only stayed there until May 6, when we headed back to Efate.

On May 16, we left Efate and arrived at Guadalcanal. We dropped anchor in Purvis Bay, next to Florida Island. This was also called "Iron Bottom Bay" because there were so many Japanese and American ships on the bottom. I have read and seen actual movies about the sea battle that was fought there. It was here that the five Sullivan Brothers lost their lives when their ship was sunk in a battle. After this only one person from a family could serve on the same ship. This was a nighttime battle in which the Japs surprised us and sank several of our ships. It almost wiped out our fleet in the South Pacific. I do a lot of research in the library concerning the war in the Pacific. It is interesting to read historians accounts of the war, especially of the places and actions that we participated in.

It must have been a terrible blow for the parents of the Sullivan boys when they were notified that all five had gone down with their ship. The youngest one had just been married and had one child. His wife was hit hard with the news that her husband had been killed. They were from a small town in Iowa. Before the war ended a destroyer was named for them. Their mother christened it. A movie was made of the boys and their family. I have seen it at least three times.

While at Guadalcanal we practiced landing troops in a training mission. This was still early in the war and the U. S. had not had time yet to replace the ships that had been sunk earlier. The Japs were defeating us in several sea battles. We lost some of our large carriers and cruisers in addition to smaller craft. There would come a time though when the Japs were no match for us and were finally put out of business. In the meantime we did the best we could until more help came to bolster our efforts. Since we did not have newspapers or radios, we never knew what was going on in other areas of the Pacific. Now, I read history books which detail the action which took place in the Pacific. It is interesting because I can pin point where we were at the time and what part we played in our efforts to beat the Japs. The strategies detailed in the books of both the Japanese and the American Navy is most interesting. I am now reading a book on the war in the Pacific. Details from records from both Japanese and American archives give the total picture.

On May 25, we left Guadalcanal and sailed back to Efate. Our escorts got a submarine on the way down.

On June 3, we left Efate, and on June 6, crossed the equator again. On June 8, we dropped anchor at Roi in the Marshall Islands.

We left Roi on Saturday, June 10, headed for destination, unknown. On June 11, at night, we were sailing along as part of a task force of ships when an APD vessel rammed us. It was loaded with TNT, dynamite and other explosives. The Officer of The Deck saw it headed for us and gave a quick order for our ship to make a sharp turn to starboard. The APD hit us a glancing blow and only knocked a dent on the port side of the "Pennsy." It seems that our Captain had given an order for the ship to make a certain degree turn. The quick thinking of the Officer of The Deck kept us from being blown to bits.

We soon knew the destination as we arrived at Siapan on June 14. We began bombarding the island from our General Quarter stations at 0430. We continued firing all day at targets on Siapan and Tinian. Tinian was a Jap held island near Siapan. The Marines were then landed on the beach.

On Thursday June 22, we sailed back to Siapan and dropped the anchor. We were one of seven of the old battleships that had been sunk or damaged at Pearl Harbor, that were now anchored in a row. This was called "battleship row." It was about dusk that evening when a Japanese plane flew over our focscle and dropped a torpedo off our starboard bow. Some of the sailors that were on the focscle said they could almost reach up and touch the plane. Anyhow the torpedo hit the Maryland. The plane flew on out of the area without a shot being fired at it. It didn't take very long for all the ships to weigh anchor and get underway out to sea where we spent the night.

On June 28, we arrived at Eniewetok, took on ammunition and refueled. Then on July 4, we headed for Guam where we bombarded the island for three days. Our firepower destroyed 23 planes on the ground. On July 17, we returned to Siapan to replenish our ammunition. We had just about depleted it when we were firing on Guam. The Guam operation had been planned for the previous January but had been called off. It had been reported that the Jap fleet was heading our way, therefore, the Guam operation had been called off for the time being.

On July 18 we left Siapan and returned to Guam where we bombarded the island for eight days. Troops landed as we fired rapid fire over them. We fired from the Port five-inch battery for awhile, then the ship would maneuver so the Starboard battery could fire. By then I had been moved into Mount 5 as a fuse setter and sight setter. This was my General Quarters and Air Defense station. We fired so fast and so often that the gun barrels were black from the heat burning the paint. Later some of the Marines who landed told us that they looked back and said the "Pennsy" was on fire. The smoke which was generated from firing obscured it.

Agana Peninsula jutted out into the ocean. The airstrip was located on the peninsula. Landings were made on each side of the peninsula. When the troops from each side met they cut off the Japs and they could not escape. They all, several hundred, committed "hari kari" by jumping off the high cliff onto rocks and water below.

Our firepower had been so accurate that a fourteen-inch shell had penetrated a church building and the next salvo went through the hole that the first one had made. The Japs were running into the church building, thinking that we would not fire on a church building. The gunnery officer secured permission from the Chaplain to fire on the church building. The 14-inch guns could fire a fifteen hundred pound projectile twenty miles. The shell could be seen as it traveled in a trajectory through the air to the target.

We stayed in the harbor for the next several days firing star shells at night so we didn't get much rest. On July 31 we did not fire, the first time in several days. On August 1 and 2, we fired star shells both nights.

On August 3, we left Guam and dropped anchor at Eniewetok on August 6. On August 7, the Colorado, which had been operating with us, left for the "States." Everyone was wondering when we would be so lucky.

On August 19, we left Eniewetok and crossed the equator again. Then on August 24, we entered the harbor at Espirito Santos. Espirito Santos was located in the New Hebrides group of islands. Our forces had retaken this island previously. The island belonged to the French.

We left Espirito Santos on August 27, and arrived at Tulagi near Florida Island on August 29. We dropped anchor in Purvis Bay near the Island. Tulagi and Florida Island were part of the Solomon Islands.

We left Tulagi on September 6 and crossed the equator again on September 7.

On September 12. we began bombarding Pelelieu. Pelelieu was located in the Palau group of islands. We continued firing on September 13 and 14. I was to learn later that a lot of the Japs were holed up in caves and other rocky places. I guess this was the reason that we fired so much on this island.

On Friday, September 15 the Marines landed on Pelelieu at 0830 hours. There was heavy fighting here as so many of the enemy was holed up in caves. Dynamite was pitched into the caves. The Japs who were not killed came out and surrendered. Some who came out would not surrender so they had to be killed.

We then bombarded Anguar on the 16th. Anguar was a sister island near by. The Army landed on September 17 at 0830 hours with no opposition.

On September 21 we dropped anchor off the Japanese held island of Babelthaup and took on ammunition from an ammunition ship. We had expended our ammunition at Pelelieu and Anguar. We never wanted to be lacking in ammunition since we never knew what was to come, whether it might be Jap planes and enemy ships.

On September 25 we left Babelthaup (Palaeu) for the Admiralty Islands. We entered Manus Bay at Manus Island in the Admiralty Islands on September 28.

On October 3, we entered a floating drydock at Manus for repairs to the struts. The struts were the housings which turned the screws or propellers.

We left Manus on October 12 headed for the Philippines. On October 17 a minesweeper cut one hundred mines in Leyte Gulf or San Pedro Harbor in the Philippines. Mines were always a potential problem. We had to tow paravanes to clip the cable on mines. They would then surface and our crew would detonate them with small arm fire.

CHAPTER XX

The Leyte operation was a most difficult and costly operation. This was the operation when Douglas McArthur returned to the Philippines. The largest sea battle ever known was fought toward the end when the island had been secured. Although I didn't see McArthur wade ashore, we were not too far distant from this historical event when restoring freedom to the Philippine people took place. There was one more operation to take place before their freedom was complete.

On October 18, we began bombarding Leyte Island. The destroyer Ross, hit a mine. We took their wounded aboard. We continued firing and on October 19 the air attacks were heavy. We shot down one Jap plane on the 19th.

On Friday, October 20, troops landed on Leyte. There was no opposition. Apparently, the Japs had moved inland. Air attacks were becoming heavier and more numerous. The cruiser, Honolulu was hit and would have sunk if it hadn't moved into shallow water. No other ships were hit on October 20.

Saturday, October 21, our five-inch battery on the starboard side shot down two planes, a Betty and a Val. On Sunday the 22nd, there were no air attacks all day. We fired in condition 2A all night. This consisted of star shell illumination for the troops on land so they could spot any enemy infiltration.

At dusk on October 23, we were still in condition 2A. It was almost dark when we fired on a Jap plane. We missed because we fired at a lighted sleeve he was towing.

On October 24, at dawn, the battleships, Tennessee, California and Maryland fired at Jap planes but missed. At dusk we fired at Jap planes but missed also. An LCI was sunk; two tankers were torpedoed. It seemed that the attacks were now being more numerous and more frequent. We later learned why because intelligence informed us that the Jap fleet was headed our way with six battleships and eight cruisers. They were to make their last stand where the Japanese fleet would be wiped out. During the late afternoon we began to prepare the ship for surface action. All loose articles on the weather decks were tied down. Anything that would reflect light was covered. We then formed a battle line and steamed slowly to the entrance to Leyte Gulf. Admiral Jesse B. Oldendorf and his flag were aboard the "Pennsy." He was in command of the task force in this Leyte operation.

We made contact with the Japanese task force at 0300 hours. It was dark at night when the firing began. Thirty PT boats made torpedo runs, then our tin cans made their torpedo runs. Cruisers opened fire. The battleships firing over our ships at the Japanese ships followed this. The sky was all lit up with tracers and light from shells being fired and exploding. Two Jap wagons, two cruisers and four cans were all sunk. Apparently the Japs were caught by surprise. At 0900 hours four Jap wagons, eight cruisers and (no count) "tin cans" attacked 3 "CVE'S at 41,000 yards. This was the Jap force that came in from the north and was supposed to rendezvous with the southern force and entrap all our ships in the Gulf of Leyte. We received orders to proceed north to help the "baby flattops." Before we had sailed very far north we received word that they were whipping the Japs and they would not need us, so we turned and returned to Leyte Gulf. The "CVE'S, or baby flat tops, launched 100 torpedo planes, and one hundred fighters and attacked the enemy. Results- Japanese ships sunk or damaged--one cruiser sunk, one battleship, two cruisers and one "can" were dead in the water and were sunk at will. At 0915 hours six VALs attacked us. Our ship shot down four of them, one to port and three to starboard. Our losses were one PT boat, one can bad hit and dead in the water, and the CVE, Princeton was lost.

Later information made known after the battle of Leyte Gulf or Surigao Strait indicated that the Japanese fleet was supposed to be coming in from the south and another group from the north. The group from the north was delayed for some reason or other and didn't arrive at their destination which was to be the entrance to Surigao Strait. The southern group of several ships including battleships, cruisers and other fighting ships were the ones that we engaged in the nighttime battle. Our firing was so intense and accurate that it sank several Jap ships and damaged others, and the Japs turned and tried to escape. When they turned this exposed all the Jap ships broadside to our firepower which enabled all guns to fire on them. Admiral Oldendorf had executed the dream of all naval tacticians. He had crossed the "T" and this made history. This sea battle was the largest surface battle that has ever been fought. The old battleships had risen from the mud at Pearl Harbor after the Japanese attack on December 7, 1941 and were part of this great battle. They had lived to fight another day. If President Roosevelt had only lived to see this, I'm sure he would have been proud of the U. S. Navy.

On October 26, we were on Air Defense stations six different times. We were weary and tired because of the loss of sleep. Sometimes when we were not on stations we would no sooner get in our sacks for a few minutes of sleep, when air defense would sound again. The Japs used all kind of tricks to keep us awake. They would fly high out of range and drop tin foil. Our radar would pick it up. Air Defense would then be sounded, because it was difficult to tell whether it was an air attack or a Japanese trick. Last night the Japs hit an ammunition dump on the island. One hundred casualties were suffered. Two of our ships were damaged during the night. The Jap ships that were dead in the water got underway, no explanation. I'm sure we later sank them for they couldn't go far and certainly not very fast. On reading an account of the battle now, I learned that our planes sank the remaining Jap ships the next day.

We went alongside a Merchant Marine ammunition ship today. We had to supply our own men to operate the booms (cranes) because their men refused to work on their day off. I don't think they realized there was a war going on and they probably wouldn't be afloat if we hadn't fought Jap planes off. Oh! well, so much for such patriotic fellows.

October 27... we took off all empty powder cans and loaded them aboard an LST alongside. The first suicide dive by a Val, with the California as its target, was shot down by their 20's and 40's as it passed over their focscle.

October 29...We went alongside a Navy ammunition ship to finish taking on ammunition. While we were taking on ammunition, Air Defense was sounded. It was a Jap "Betty. The California was firing at it, but a P38 plane shot it down.

A bugler would blow different sounds for different things which we all recognized. There were tunes, if I may call them that, for taps, reveille, Air Defense, General Quarters and many others. When General Quarters and Air Defense sounded everyone would get out of the way until the guns were all manned. We learned, through drills, to man all guns and report "manned and ready to fire" in a matter of two or three minutes.

October 30...What a relief, only one air attack today. The Port 2A watch shot down a "Betty."

October 31...three air attacks today. It seemed that the action would never end.

CHAPTER XXI

Although things had quieted down on the island it began to pick up and became even more hectic for the Navy. This was to be the beginning of Japanese kamikaze attacks in force. There were many of these attacks and several ships were damaged or sunk with a number of casualties, both wounded and killed. We were told that young boys were trained to take a plane off the ground or a carrier and to follow a lead plane. The leader would take them to the American ships and tell each one to pick a target and crash into it.

On Wednesday, November l, Air Defense was sounded at 0930 hours. Suicide bombers attacked our "tin cans." This was what our destroyers were called. One was torpedoed and another received a bomb hit. One plane dived into a "tin can" and hit their stacks. In the afternoon another plane hit a "can." Another "can" alongside taking on wounded was attacked, but the Jap crashed about one hundred feet astern of it. We fired at a Jap plane but missed. We were up all night at General Quarters and Air Defense stations. We thought, what was left of the Japanese fleet, was coming in, but it didn't show up.

Thursday November 2....Australian destroyer fired at a Jap plane off our stern but missed. A "can" in the straits shot down a Betty.

Friday November 3, on 2A watch....same routine until November 24, when two "Judy's" attacked the port side. All ships fired at them but they got away somehow. Japanese planes were named for identification purposes. Some were fighters (zero's), torpedo bombers (Val's), bombers (Betty's) etc. Aircraft identification training enabled us to identify the planes on sight. An unidentified plane was called a "bogey."

On November 25 the battleship, West Virginia came over the horizon and moved into formation to relieve us. This was a happy time for the crew of the" Pennsy" She was a sight for sore eyes for we were all tired and weary from fighting and being without sleep. We didn't tarry long and soon got underway for Manus Island in the Admiralty group. Unknown to us at the time, we were not going to the "States" just yet. That happy news was to be made known to us at a much later date.

During our forty days here we had one hundred ten air attacks and shot down ten Japanese planes. There was plenty of "Stateside" "scuttlebutt" while we were in the Gulf, but we were later to learn that we would not be going to the "States" yet, at least for awhile.

November 26....had our first all night in since the operation. Condition 2 watch was set and I had the 4 to 6 watch. On November 29, we arrived at Manus in the Admiralties. While here, we cleaned and painted the ship, had liberty on the island, and took on ammunition and stores.

On December 15, we left Manus and arrived at Kossal Passage near Palaeu Island. We spent Xmas here. Japanese occupied the island, but they were no danger to us. Many of the islands had Japanese on them, but the U. S. bypassed them and they had no way to receive supplies and other necessities. This was my second Xmas. away from home. It was here that we took on more ammunition from an ammunition supply ship. I even had two birthday's one year when we crossed the International Date Line. I must have lost one though when we crossed it again going the other way. I guess it all balanced out. We crossed both the International Date Line and the Equator many times.

CHAPTER XXII

On Monday, January 1, 1945 we got under way for Luzon in the Philippines. We were on our way to finish that which we began in the Leyte Gulf earlier. This time it was to take the Island of Luzon and completely free the Philippine people. Manila was on this island and was heavily populated. Although MacArthur had landed on Leyte earlier, the operation was not complete until resistance on Luzon was quelled. This was to be one of the toughest and costliest operations for the Navy as we covered the landings and softened up targets on the island before the troops landed.

On January 3, the crew was on condition 2A watch as we sailed through the Leyte Gulf into Surigao Strait. Two battleships two cruisers and more CVE's joined us. As we sailed through the strait with a total of eight hundred ships in the force, we began to receive opposition from the Japs. They just wouldn't give up. There were ships as far as the eye could see in all directions.

We were still in condition 2A on January 4 and went to Air Defense six times. The kamikazes were back and two of them attacked the carriers. One of the carriers was hit and another was missed. The "Ominey Bay" was so badly damaged that it had to be sunk.

The Japs were determined to stop us. Today was costly for us. The cruiser Louisville was hit. The Australian cruiser and destroyer were both hit. We lost one destroyer.

On Saturday, January 6, our planes began attacking Luzon. We entered Lingayen Gulf firing on Santiago Island as we entered. We tried to bombard the island of Luzon however the air attack were so heavy that we had to stop and protect the other ships by firing at the planes which were determined to sink us.

The suicide planes crash dived on the Louisville, California, New Mexico and the Australian cruiser. An APD vessel was sunk. We got credit for another plane shot down. We witnessed a Navy F4F shoot down a Jap VAL. Our ship left the Gulf at dusk.

Sunday January 7, Task Force 58 carrier and Army planes plastered airfields on Luzon. Very few air attacks today. Carried out scheduled bombardment...Took on APD survivors. Jap pilot who tried to crash APD was rescued and was sixteen years old. He had twenty hours in the air. This was enough experience and training for him to fly a plane and to attack ships.

Monday January 8, on 2A watch today. This meant that all stations were manned for two hours before being relieved and another crew would take over for two hours. It seems that our crew would no sooner get off watch than it was time to go back on again. We were in condition 2A most of the time when we were in battle areas. This made it impossible to get much rest. Even then, I guess it was better than it was with our soldiers as they landed on the island. At dawn, a suicide plane tried to hit the Australian cruiser again, but missed. Whether it was a coincidence or otherwise, the Japs did not like the Australians, for the Australian cruiser and destroyer received several hits. Some twenty-five ships have been hit so far. A suicide bomber crashed into the bridge of the New Mexico. There were heavy casualties. So many ships are being hit that it is difficult to keep track of them. We carried out scheduled bombardment all day. When either a bomb or torpedo hit a ship there were usually heavy loss of life...sometimes from 200 to 400 at a time. Many times several sailors were trapped below decks and could not escape before their ship sank.

Tuesday, January 9, we were still on 2A. At dawn a Jap plane flew over us through an intense barrage of AA fire. Plenty 20's and 40's hit it but it must have been heavily armored. Another made a run on us but our firepower must have been too much for him for he crashed the cruiser, Columbia instead.

We had highly trained gun crews and were either able to shoot the planes down when they attacked us or else the firepower was too much for them and they would attack another ship. God surely must have been protecting the "Pennsy" and her crew. The Columbia had now been hit for the third time. The Australian cruiser was hit again today for the fourth time. The troop transports came in and landed troops on schedule at 0800 hours. Suicide divers hit the Mississippi and Colorado. The enemy would come out at night in small boats, or swim in with a box floating over their heads, and dive down alongside a ship and blow themselves up, hoping to damage the ship.

January 10... this morning at 0400 hours the Japs in landing craft loaded with TNT and depth charges, went alongside transports and "tin cans" attempting to sink them. Some would come alongside and drop depth charges. When they exploded it would blow the Jap up also. They were desperate. Some of the "tin cans" tried to rescue Japanese in the water but the Japanese refused to be rescued. Instead, they threw grenades on the decks of the ships. There was no choice but to shoot them. They would continue to hide under boxes so our rifle marksmen would fire into the boxes and kill them. There was shrapnel all over the deck this morning from last night's shoot. One sailor on our ship was hit and wounded. A kamikazie hit one of our transports today. We fired at it but missed. Damage done last night was as follows: one LST had a hole in it, an APD also had a hole blown into it, one "tin can" badly shaken, an AKA, (supply ship), had a hole blown in it. The "Aussie" cruiser was hit again; this makes five hits on it. They were tough and were always in the fight without giving up. An LST came alongside to take on the empty powder cans. We left the Gulf at the end of the day in order to patrol in the China Sea.

January 11...no air attacks all day. Maybe we are getting the best of the enemy and he is being discouraged from continuing his tactics.

January 12, no air attacks all day. We broke up into two groups when it was thought that the remaining ships in the Jap fleet would appear. Apparently, they did not show up. If they had, it would have been futile for them to enter the Gulf and try to sink ships. We would never have let them enter the Gulf.

A suicide diver hit the "Subic Bay," a (CVE); damage unknown. A tanker came alongside today so that we could be refueled. In an operation this large, as in all operations, there are ships of all kind. There has to be in order to furnish ammunition, fuel, supplies and other things for the fighting ships. They didn't have much firepower and were often like "sitting ducks."

January 15, we were supposed to leave the area but for some unknown reason we did not leave.

We dropped anchor in the Gulf on January 17, and stayed there for several days. I imagine it was for the purpose of protecting the troops on the beach in case the Japs came in with planes and what was left of their fleet.

Here it was February 8 and my birthday. This makes two birthdays for me when I was away from home. I could think of happier birthdays. I was now twenty years old. I may not have been any wiser, but no doubt, I was much maturer. We were no longer the "happy go lucky" kids that we once were, but now were more serious minded. I guess frightening experiences does this to one. It wasn't always the shells that hit or the torpedoes that missed; it was the stress that was involved, knowing that a bomb or torpedo may hit at any time. Several times our surface lookout crews would spot torpedoes headed for us, and the ship would make a sharp turn, and the torpedo would pass by. It would either go on into empty waters or hit another ship. We were not always so lucky though. This unfortunate experience later almost put an end to the "Pennsy."

Mail time was always a very happy time. This was no exception today, February 10, as we received mail. This was the first mail that we had received since the operation began several weeks ago. There would be letters from loved ones, outdated newspapers, candy, cookies etc.

CHAPTER XXIII

Soon there would be a brighter day that would bring good news to the "Pennsy" and her crew. As we left Linguayan Gulf on February 2, we began to sense that the war in the Pacific was winding down and the complete end could not be too far away. We were still wondering when we would return to "Stateside." If the higher ups knew, they weren't telling the crew. Maybe they were waiting to surprise us.

It was on this date, through the Pocahontas Times, that I learned that Basil Sharp had been killed during the war in Europe. This always brought sadness to anyone when learning that someone whom they knew was killed. Although some of our sailors were killed in action I only knew two of them personally. There were twenty-five killed and as many wounded.

February 13, we dropped the anchor in Leyte Gulf but left at 16:00 hours.

February 18, we dropped anchor in Manus again. We visited some of the islands several times. They were now in our hands and there was no danger from the enemy. "Stateside" "scuttlebutt" was now very heavy. Maybe there had been a leak from the top brass.

Sure enough the "scuttlebutt" floating around the ship was true. On February 21, at 15:30 hours the ship's band began playing, "California Here I Come." It didn't take long for the crew to understand what this meant. A loud cheer went up; I'm sure it must have been heard in San Francisco. This was the best news that we had heard for several months, and something that we dreamed about and looked forward to with hope.

February 27, we arrived at Majuro again. It seemed that we moved in circles in the western Pacific. I can understand why. It was necessary to visit some of these islands from time to time to refuel, take on ammunition and to take on supplies. This must have been the reason why we stopped at Majuro. Anyhow, we didn't stay long, for the next day we were under way again.

There were three Task Forces, three, five and seven. To confuse the Japs we were in Task Force three and the next operation we might be in five or seven. We were with the same ships that always operated with us. The names were only changed.

On March 5, we arrived at Pearl Harbor. We hadn't been here for several months, but things didn't look much different. Barthel Townsend, serving on a patrol craft which was in the harbor, came aboard to visit me. We had a long conversation and exchanged bits of news. I was not to see him again until we were both discharged and had returned to our homes.

On March 13, we sailed into San Francisco Bay. This was a beautiful site as we sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge with Alcatraz and Treasure Island in sight. We proceeded to Hunter's Point, which was a ship repair facility. It was necessary to enter a drydock for the ship to be repaired, and the barrels on the five inch guns to be replaced. We had been having trouble with the screws and the struts which drove them, so these had to be overhauled. Plenty of fresh food, fruit and gallons of fresh milk were immediately brought aboard. Although I am not a lover of the fruit of the old cow, I enjoyed the milk, at least this time, and I drank my fill. It was good to eat different food again, even if it was Navy chow. We had been living on dehydrated food for so long and it may have been nourishing; but it certainly was not tasty. For the next several days we did nothing much except clean and paint the ship, take on ammunition and other supplies. The crew received liberty, perhaps more often than their money lasted. San Francisco was a beautiful city with much to see. I, with my buddies from Oklahoma, went on liberty together. We would check into a hotel as soon as we got ashore. We visited Golden Gate Park and the Golden Gate Theater. They usually had big name people appear on the stage for a performance. While there we saw Lena Horne, Jackie Teagarten, Russ Morgan, Peter Lorre and others. We always went to a good restaurant for a good meal. Riding the cable cars was another unique experience.

Then on April 10, our division exercised its turn for shore leave. Another buddy and I caught the train and began our tiring ride across country to our homes. It was while we were riding through Ohio, that we received word that Franklin D. Roosevelt had died in Warm Springs, Georgia. He had lived to see the war almost come to an end, and now the reins had to be turned over to someone else. It was Harry Truman, the Vice President. My friend, W. R. Shumate lived in Mullens, West Virginia so he got off the train in Charleston, and I proceeded on by train to Marlinton. On the train I met Fred C. Allen, who was a legislator, and was on his way home to Marlinton also, after a session in the Legislature. We spent some time discussing different subjects and this helped to kill time.

On arriving in Marlinton, my first objective was to get cleaned up and go on home to Frost. I hadn't had a bath in several days. The train was a coach and was not much different than the "cattle car" that took us from Great Lakes to California. Aunt Lou lived in Marlinton so I went to her house. Naturally, she was glad to see me. She filled the bathtub with water and I proceeded to take a bath. It was so relaxing that I almost fell asleep in the tub and, Aunt Lou had to bang on the door to arouse me. She called my home and either Dad or Carlon met me, I don't remember which. I was so glad to see my loved ones again. Mom and Dad looked older, I imagine it was the worry and uncertainly whether Eleanor and I were safe. Dad's hair had now turned from coal black to grey.

I had been so accustomed to being around a lot of people for so long and I was "jumpy." I had a difficult time sitting down and relaxing. I enjoyed being in my bed again and spent the first few days just relaxing and resting. Of course most of the younger kids that I had grown up with were no longer around. Dad had made arrangements with Uncle Jim for his car while I was home. People would come up to me and offer gasoline stamps and I had more than I could use. There were still a few girls around Marlinton that I knew and I spent several nights dating them. One in particular that I spent most of my time with was Nyta Parsons. She had been a classmate in high school.

I believe Eleanor and the Buchannon girls were home on leave then, and it was good to see them.

The time passed too quickly, and it was soon time for me to return to my ship in San Francisco. Dad took me to White Sulphur Springs to catch the train. I met Shumate in Charleston and we were soon on our way to Chicago where we would transfer to another train to take us to San Francisco. Nowadays, service personnel fly, but we did not have such luxury. When we arrived in Chicago, we checked into a hotel since we were not to board the train until the next day. Shumate went out to look around and I immediately went to bed and fell asleep since I was tired. The next day we caught the train for that long tiresome trip across country. I now can remember happier days when Ivra and I drove through some of the same country that we were now seeing.

CHAPTER XXIV

On May 7, we were back aboard ship in San Francisco, and spent most of our time relaxing and going on liberty. Of course there were always work details to bring on stores etc. I seemed to be selected for a lot of the work details until I learned to make myself scarce and not hang around my living quarters. The call over the ship's speaker system was always for so many men from each division to lay aft to the quarterdeck for a work party. Since we were the fifth division, a deck division, we were on the list most of the time.

Some of us were selected to attend an aircraft identification school on Treasure Island. We had already had some training in aircraft identification. Treasure Island was located in San Francisco Bay. We had to identify aircraft as they were flashed on the screen. If an eye was winked when the image of the plane was flashed on the screen it was missed. We also had to identify Japanese ships. The Navy believed in having it's crew well trained. After I was put in the Shipfitter division I attended a shipfitter school. I was only in this division for three or four months before I was discharged.

One of my shipmates told me that while they were in Attu in the Aleutians, an announcement was piped for anyone who wanted to go ashore to hunt polar bears, to lay aft to the quarterdeck. There were plenty of takers. However, when they got ashore all they ever did was load stores and supplies on a boat to be taken to the "Pennsy." I'm sure the sailors who went on this detail didn't appreciate the deception very much.

On June 20, we floated out of the drydock and got underway for Long Beach. This was a "shakedown" cruise to see if the repairs that had been made while in drydock would hold up. The Navy didn't want its crew to get rusty, so many practice drills were held.

While on our way to Long Beach we practiced on our marksmanship with the five-inch guns and other smaller caliber guns such as the 20's and 40's. Planes would tow a long white sleeve through the air and we would fire at it. Other times a radio controlled drone plane was used as a target. I remember once when an error was made by Sky Starboard and we fired at the plane controlling the drone. Fortunately, we missed, but it didn't take long for the pilot to let the ship know that he was not the target. We soon arrived in Long Beach where most of the crew rated liberty. When we were in port in the U. S. A., a skeleton crew was left on board while the rest of the ship's crew went ashore on liberty.

June 21 through June 29 we were at sea again on a "shakedown" cruise. While on this cruise we engaged in many hours of training and firing at targets both on the surface and in the air. Our Skipper, Captain Moses, was well pleased with our shooting. On June 30, we took an Admiral and four Captains aboard at San Diego. They made up an inspection team. At 16:30 hours they left, and we immediately got underway for San Francisco.

On July l, the crew was allowed to rest. We had been on stations training most of the time during our "shakedown" cruise. I got plenty of sleep and felt rested again. We will arrive in San Francisco tonight.

From July 2 until July 11, it was the regular routine. Then on July 12 we got underway again for Pearl Harbor. We didn't know what the future held for us since the war was not yet over and the Japs kept hanging on. This was not a very happy time for us. Leaving our country and not knowing when we would get back again, (if we survived), was not a joyous thought.

On July 13, I was discharged from Sick Bay. I had been in there with "Cat Fever." "Cat Fever" was short for Catarrah Fever, which was really a bad cold. Colds always almost knocked me out. They still do today. Thank goodness, I usually get a cold only once each year. Most times it takes me about ten or eleven days to completely recover. On July 18, we fired at sleeves all day. The Gunnery Officer believed in keeping his gun crews well trained and busy. I was part of the gun crew for Mount 5, one of the four five inch starboard gun mounts. My job was to set sights and fuses. Of course I had to be able to train and point the guns, also in case the sailors operating them were killed or wounded. About 18:30 we arrived in Pearl Harbor. The U.S.S. New York was in the harbor. She had been in the European war zone and was now sent to the Pacific to help out. I believe she had been severely damaged on December 7, 1941 when the Japs attacked Pearl Harbor. She may have been sunk and later was raised from the mud; I don't recall.

The Starboard watch rated liberty and the Port watch kept the home fires burning with the same old routine when in port.

July 20, we pulled out of Pearl Harbor for a four-day mock invasion on one of the other Hawaiian islands. We were part of a contingent of ships that covered the landings by the Marines. This was also pay day. While at sea on our way to the site of the mock invasion we drilled by firing at sleeves. Our Starboard battery got three out of four and the Port battery got four out of five. This was very good shooting.

On the 21st. we were on drill call all morning and all afternoon, firing at sleeves. More of the same on the 22nd. and 23rd. During this time we also did some firing on the island where the mock invasion was taking place.

We entered Pearl Harbor at 08:30 hours on the 23rd of July. I rated liberty and went into Honolulu. That night I participated in loading ammunition and stores. We would stand in line and pass five-inch projectiles and powder cans from one sailor to another until it reached the hatch where it was lowered down to be stored in the ammunition storage compartment. This was on the third deck. Sometimes we had to carry a projectile on our shoulder to another hatch. I remember once when a sailor was carrying one on the "boat deck" and he let it slip off his shoulder. It fell to the quarterdeck and bounced around a bit before it came to a stop. There was not much danger of the shell being detonated since it took an electronic driven firing pin to hit on the base of the shell. This was a hot tiring job and at times we were wringing wet from perspiration, even our shoes. It was even hotter in the ammunition handling room. I was working in the handling room once helping store projectiles in steel holding bins. An officer was supervising the operation. We would pitch the projectiles into the bin and the sparks would fly. There wasn't any danger of them detonating, but the officer didn't stay around long.

I was standing watch once in the ammunition storage room with a 45 pistol strapped to my side. It was so hot, and if a person was dead from lack of sleep, it was hard to stay awake. I fell asleep one night while on this watch. An officer came by and took my pistol. He awakened me and said, "where is your 45?" He then gave it back to me and told me to try and stay awake. I appreciated his forbearance; apparently, he understood.

CHAPTER XXV

July 24, we brought on 500 passengers, soldiers. This was an indication that we were headed back out to the war zone. We got underway about 13:30. Drill call was piped again at 15:30 hours.

July 25-31--regular routine, underway at sea.

August l--We began bombarding Wake Island about 06:30. There was plenty of return fire, a lot of it aimed at us. There were several near misses. We received one hit in director # 3. It was a four-inch shell; fortunately, it was a dud and did not explode. One of our SC1's cracked up on landing. The plane was lost, but the pilot was saved.

About 15:15 we got underway for Saipan. Things were not as secretive now as to our destination. I guess it was because we had the Japs on the run and they couldn't cause much trouble now--that is, as long as we remained in waters that we controlled. This was a very exciting day and we were glad when it was over. It seems that every ship that was headed for the forward areas of the war zone passed by Wake Island. Wake had been bypassed and cut off from supplies and other help. The island and its Jap occupants were used for target practice as ships passed nearby.

August 5, 16:00 hours, we arrived at Saipan. This place looks entirely different than it did the last time we were here.

August 6, took off empty powder canisters. My section rated liberty and we went ashore on Saipan. We saw Jap pill boxes that we had fired at about a year earlier. I can now see why it was so difficult to knock them out--they were constructed of very thick concrete. We saw Jap prisoners of war working--also Japanese women. We worked all night loading ammunition. On August 7, we were still loading ammunition.

August 9, the ship got underway for Okinawa. It seems now that the Navy was more relaxed and things were not so secretive. We now knew that we were going to Okinawa--for what purpose we did not know. We were to find out what our next assignment was as soon as we arrived at Okinawa. It seems that we were to be the flagship to lead several ships into Tokyo Bay. This was not to be for us as other events prevented it shortly after we arrived at Okinawa.

Still underway for Okinawa--should arrive Sunday, August 12. This will be a Sunday that will long live in the memory of the crew.

We arrived at Okinawa about 07:30 hours. We pulled alongside the battleship Tennessee and took on Admiral Jesse Oldendorph and his flag. We were to be the flagship again for the next operation. It didn't take much guessing to know where we were headed. There were no islands between the Japanese homeland and us. At 20:30 hours, at dusk, a lone Japanese plane came in low on the water and dropped an aerial torpedo. It hit us on the starboard side just aft of the gangway. We were at Air Defence stations all night. The damage to the" Pennsy" was heavy--no word on casualties yet. Two repair ships came alongside--pumping water. It seems that the crew could not get our pump motors started. We were now dead in the water. The two repair ships kept us from sinking. I was in my living compartment and about ready to hit the sack since I had the 12 to 4 watch that night. When we were hit it felt like the forward part of the ship leaped out of the water. The first thought was that something terrible had happened. Some of us ran topside to see what had happened. We were told that a Jap plane had launched a torpedo and it had hit us. The Japs could not be trusted--I can still visualize a Jap standing in front of a person smiling as another Jap stuck a knife in the back of the person. As soon as we were hit all units in the Pacific war zone launched their planes, searching for the enemy. During this time the atom bomb had been dropped on Hiroshima. Apparently the enemy was not ready to accept unconditional surrender. We were so busy with our own problems since we had been hit that the impact of the atom bomb didn't really hit us until later. August 13, Admiral Oldendorph and his flag were transferred off the ship. Pumps from the repair ships were still pumping water. It was a bad hit, I later learned that it knocked a hole in the ship forty by sixty feet. This hole was large enough to put a house through it. The torpedo had hit next to the fourteen-inch powder storage compartment. I guess we were lucky that it didn't cause the powder to explode. Tugs moved us closer to land where the water was shallower. Japanese planes hit a transport the next day in the same spot that we had been anchored in. We fired at Jap planes but missed. The enemy will not give up-- General Quarters stations all night-- Air Defense sounded about 010:00 hours on the 14th. We were at General Quarters all night. Memorial services were held today--sad time.

August 15--THE WAR IS OVER...the second atom bomb which was dropped on Nagasaki must have made the Japs see that they didn't have a chance. We now knew why we were in Okinawa and where we would have been going from there. However, the hostilities ended and more assuredly for us, since we were knocked out of action. If the Japs had not surrendered, the "Pennsy" was to lead our group into Tokyo Bay for an all out attack on Japan. We could not have carried out this assignment since we had been knocked out of action.

Today, some of the younger generation, which have never experienced the horrors of war, insist that the atom bombs should not have been dropped on Japan. I'm sure that if the Japs had had the bomb they would have dropped it on us. I've never heard of any soldier, sailor or marine suffering any remorse because we dropped the bomb on Japan. This action caused the death and wounding of many of the enemy, but it would have cost more American lives than the Japs if they hadn't surrendered when they did.

We were tired and weary since we had been on Air Defense and General Quarters stations for long hours. I guess I celebrated the war's end by taking a fresh water shower and hitting the sack. We were still dead in the water; pumps were still being used to pump water out of the ship. We were at General Quarters stations again all night. Even though surrender had taken place we still did not trust the enemy. I guess we were still a little edgy. Sitting still in the water offered a prime target for Jap planes. Divers and welders were busy placing a temporary patch over the hole. This would enable us to be towed to a drydock in Guam.

August 16, We were on General Quarters stations until 24:00.

Then on August 24, we were on Air Defense stations until 01:00 hours.

August 28--08:00 left Okinawa with tugs towing us. We hit rough water on August 31, and were almost dead in the water. We traveled about forty miles today.

September 6, 08:00 we pulled into the harbor at Guam. We had taken part in liberating this island several months previously. We got mail today and learned that we would be entering the drydock tomorrow, so that the patch on the hole could be made secure.

September 7, we entered the drydock and we could now see the hole that had been knocked in our ship. The torpedo left a hole forty by sixty feet in the " Pennsy." This was big enough to stick a house through the hole. It's a wonder we didn't sink. What a way to end an illustrious career. However, she was still afloat, and that was more than many of the ships that had met their death, and now rest in Davey Jones Locker. Her death was to come later when she was loaded with animals in Bremerton, Washington and towed out in the Pacific Ocean to Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands, to take part in an Atom bomb test. When the test was over, she was so hot with radiation that she had to be scuttled. I recently read in a book that the explosion of the atom bomb tore the patch off where the torpedo had hit.

As I gazed at the hole in her side my thoughts traveled back over many months and hair-raising experiences. Also, her final end and death are stamped in my memory. The details came to my attention after I was discharged. I have just finished reading a one thousand page account of the war in the Pacific. It went into detail describing the strategy which was planned and used in defeating the Japs. It told of the fate of the Pennsylvania.

For the ship and her crew, a Navy Unit Citation was awarded. It read that each time that we had been called upon to take part in another operation we were ready on time. Even though we had participated in operation after operation and were worn out we never hesitated. We participated in thirteen major amphibious operations helping to retake several Jap island strongholds. In addition, we participated in the greatest sea battle that had ever taken place. That was the battle of Leyte Gulf. We had been a part of the force that helped to hop from island to island until we got close enough to Japan to drop bombs on her. These were carried by B 29's as they took to the air from Saipan, Tinian and Guam. I remember seeing them taking off and landing as they returned from dropping their load on Japan.

While in drydock at Guam, as my section was about to leave for an afternoon on the island an accident took place which claimed the life of a sailor. A gangplank with lines along each side of it had been placed from the ship to one side of the drydock. This enabled the crew to leave the ship and go ashore on Guam. There was only room for one way traffic on the gangway. I was in line about ready to step up on the gangplank when I saw an officer on the drydock side entering the gangplank. There were already enlisted men on the plank leaving the ship. As the officer met the men, one of them leaned over too far to let the officer pass and he fell to his death, 55 feet below to the bottom of the drydock. There was a lot of animosity toward the officers by the crew. The officer should not have tried to come aboard while others were on the gangway. I don't know whether he was reprimanded or not.

Guam looked about the same except that there were Americans instead of Japs in control. In the harbor was the bow off of a cruiser that had been towed into the harbor. I have forgotten the name of the ship. She had taken a torpedo and it blew the bow off.

October 4, 1945, we pulled out of drydock and brought on 1000 passengers to transport back to the "States." The crew didn't like this very much, since we felt that we were no longer a fighting ship, but a transport. This made for crowded conditions everywhere--in chow lines, showers, soda fountains etc. Of course the passengers (soldiers and marines) couldn't be blamed, for they were also glad to be going back to the "States."

CHAPTER XXVI

On October 5, we got underway for Bremerton, Washington. I hope if we ever see this place again that it will be under different circumstances. Carlon, who was in the Army Air Force, was to spend part of his time on the island later. We were slowly sailing along toward the U. S. with two screws which had not been blown off when the torpedo hit. The two on the starboard fantail had been knocked off when we were hit. It was on October 18, that a screw on the port fantail slipped back and jammed the rudder. Divers descended down and cut the screw off. This left us one screw (propeller) when we previously had four, two on each side of the ship. Sailors with rifles were stationed along the catwalk where they fired at sharks in order to keep them from attacking the divers. It was reported that they had one kill. Afterward, we were limping along at about nine knots. We were moving about as slow as a hurt turtle.

On October 19, we had a Captains inspection for the presentation of awards. We always tried to wear a new shirt and new dungarees for Captain's inspections. This time I didn't have a new pair. One of my buddies had an extra pair, and even if it was too large, it was new. I put it on and put a new denim jacket on instead of a shirt. I then hiked the dungarees up to my chest and tightened my belt. Since the jacket covered the belt around my chest it was never noticed.

Captain Jackson had a nickname. The crew called him "Sweepdown" Jackson. It seemed that he would have a sweepdown of all decks very often. It got to be a familiar sound to hear as the Coxwain piped the sweepdown, "now hear this, clean sweepdown on all decks, fore and aft."

Other shipmates told me that when they were in the Aleutians the captain of the ship held an inspection of all divisions. It was cold and as the captain passed down the ranks, he patted one sailor on the shoulder and said, "I'm glad to see my little chickens wrapped up good, I don't want to see them cold."

My watch station was changed during our return to the States. The station was in the highest point of the ship. It was located in what was called Spot One or for those not familiar with such terminology, the Crows Nest. The nights at times were so dark that the hand could not be seen before ones face. To reach Spot One I had to climb up one of the tripod masts on which steel rungs had been welded similar to a ladder. It didn't give me a pleasant feeling going up the ladder. There were four of us on watch each time for four hours. Each had binoculars and our instructions were to act as surface lookouts. When we arrived in the "States" this watch was no longer needed so I was relieved of this assignment.

On October 24, we arrived in Bremerton. There was quite a contrast between the warm weather that we had been in for so long, and now, the cold weather chilled us to the bone. Most of us did not have blankets or "pea coats" since storage facilities were very minimal at the best. One of my buddies did manage to have two blankets-I think he had two lockers. He loaned me one, but one night when I was in my bunk sleeping, someone stole it off me. Bremerton, Washington, was a small place with facilities for repairing ships. We pulled into a drydock for repairs. While we were in the drydock an earthquake shook the ship. I thought she was going to topple over. It didn't last long and did no damage.

CHAPTER XXVII

Even while in port all stations had to be manned. Therefore, each of us had to take our turn standing watch and manning the guns and other facilities. I believe it amounted to a watch of four hours in twenty-four. It has been so long that I don't remember how many hours each condition involved. There were work parties, bringing on stores, cleaning living quarter's etc.

We were told that the Pennsylvania would be repaired, and animals were to be brought aboard for an atom bomb test in the harbor of Bikini Atoll. Bikini was in the Marshall Islands. As I didn't have quite enough points to be discharged it was necessary for me to hang around for four more months. A large number of the crew was being reassigned. I was given the choice of staying aboard and maybe going back to sea or being put in another division. I knew that if I went back to sea and my time was up it might be several months before I would get back to the "States." I was told that if I was put in the Shipfitters Division I would not have to go back to sea. I decided to be put in the Shipfitters Division. Another sailor and I were given the responsibility of going around each morning and checking all plumbing fixtures. If any were leaking we had to fix them. This was a snap and didn't take over an hour to make the rounds. We would then make ourselves scarce so as to not to be drafted into a work detail. When chow was piped we would eat and then get ready to go on liberty. Seattle was some distance across Puget Sound and a ferry carried us to Seattle the largest city where most sailors spent their liberties. It was just a matter of waiting out the time when I had enough points to be discharged.

I did get caught on one work detail. About a half dozen of us had to go back in the compartments where the sailors were killed when the torpedo hit. We had to do some cutting with torches and some other work. The stench was difficult to stand. Some of the ones killed were blown to pieces and parts of flesh were on the bulkheads. While cutting steel with cutting torches we encountered zinc on some of the area bulkheads. We got zinc poisoning and had to drink a lot of milk as a neutralizing agent.

Sailors were always practical jokers, especially when they had imbibed of the spirits. I remember once on one of the islands a couple of sailors had found a milk cow somewhere on the island. They put a rope around her neck and brought her to the boat landing. They attempted to put her in the boat to take her back to their ship. Of course this was out of the question and they had to turn her loose.

Someone was always catching one of their buddies lying in his bunk with his shoes on and sleeping. They would pour lighter fluid around the soles of his shoe and set it afire. The sailor would come out of the bunk fighting to get his shoe off. This could have had harmful results and injured a foot.

The Master of Arms (policeman) was always giving someone a hard time. He would hunt for card games and break the games up. He would confiscate the money on the table if they were gambling. The money was supposed to go into the Navy Relief Fund. I don't know whether it ever did or not.

One night when the Master of Arms was passing through the casemates someone turned the lights off and others pounced on him and beat him up. There was always a lot of hatred for those who were in authority and flaunted their authority.

I heard of one sailor traveling to another's hometown when both were on leave. He beat up on the other sailor. I imagine some sailors were pushed overboard at sea and were never heard of again.

The time passed quickly and it soon was time for me to leave the ship and catch a train in Seattle to carry me to Bainbridge, Maryland where I would be discharged. Shumate, my buddy from Mullens, West Virginia, was leaving the ship also, so we traveled together.

I had mixed feeling about leaving the ship and sailors who had been very close to me. The Pennsylvania had become almost like a person to us. She had carried us through thick and thin and was able to be maneuvered in such a way that we escaped harm until the very end. There were memories that would never go away. Even now, fifty years plus, some of the names of my shipmates can be recalled. I wonder what happened to them and if they have fared as well as I have.

The Navy Unit commendation that was awarded to the "Pennsy" read in part-the ship was the only battleship to take part in every amphibious operation from Attu in the north to Lingayen in the Phillipines. She also fired more ammunition than any ship in history. Twenty-five of her crew were killed in action and a like number were wounded.

Bainbridge was a Navy discharge center and the people in charge hustled the sailors out of the Navy in short order. The physical examination consisted mostly of them asking us if we were ok. We were in a hurry to get out, and if anything was wrong with us I'm sure we were reluctant to say so. Having been exposed to loud noises since I was a member of a gun crew, my hearing wasn't what it should have been. A sailor in the back of the room pecked a pencil on the desk and then asked if every one had heard it. I didn't hear it but wanted to get out and on my way home, so I kept quiet. If I had it to do over I would have made sure it was entered into my records for future reference. I'm sure it had a lot to do with my hearing loss, along with infections later.

Another shipmate and I caught a train out of Baltimore and headed home. He lived in Martinsburg so we parted company there.

I caught a bus as far as Kingwood, West Virginia, and spent the night there. The next day I caught a bus again and traveled as far as Grafton. Kitty Young, one of my favorite schoolteachers lived here and I stopped to see her. That afternoon I caught another bus and went to Elkins where Carlon met me to drive me home. Home to Frost, where many people said was a bad place to live. To me it was next to Heaven and was I glad to arrive there. It was wonderful to see my family again. When I left to go into service Dad's hair was coal black; now it was almost gray all over. Mom didn't look like she had aged much. I guess the strain of worrying over Eleanor and me being in the war zones, and never knowing what would happen, took its toll on them. Perhaps it was more difficult for them than it was for us. Carlon had already been discharged and Rosalie had grown up a little more, still as pretty as ever.

Unlike the Vietnam veterans, everyone was happy to see me and made me feel good. We were welcomed home with open arms. Most of us who were discharged would take time to become adjusted again before pushing on to our life's work.

As I now think back on three years of my life which was spent fighting the Japs, I wonder if it was worth anything. On second thought it had to be worthwhile. If I, along with millions of other boys and girls had not been a part of the action to defeat Japan, this country and it's people would have lost most of their freedoms. Yes, Japan turned out to be a different country as we helped them to recover their economy and become a free country. This would not have been the case if they had won the war.

I regret that we on the Pennsylvania did not get to sail into Tokyo Bay to witness the signing of the peace accord. Before the Atom bomb was dropped and before we were hit with a torpedo, we had been designated to lead the ships into Tokyo Bay. Admiral Jesse B. Oldendorf was the flag commander and we were the flagship.


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