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John was one of our nicest Volunteers at Patriots Point, and a terrific, and funny guy. 
We miss him:(  

John D Wilcox Cdr USN(Ret)

September 1945

U.S.S. Manila Bay CVE 61

 

On 7 Sept. 1945, aboard the CVE USS Manila Bay, we were sailing in the Sea of Japan,

preparing for what was to be the escort landings of the Russian Marines on Northern

Hokkaido. The morning was about as usual, the sea was calm, and the sky was clear.

            We had been briefed on our flight which as a ZCAP, a special combat air patrol

over Tsugaru Strait.

     As a Lt.(jg) I would be leader of the flight, with a call sign of Legion 51.

After being given the order to "start engines", I taxied my FM2 Wildcat fighter

forward following the direction of the deck plane handler(yellow shirt), and then

to the catapult handler( green shirt) for positioning on the catapult.

So far everything was normal. After all, we had done this over a hundred times before.

After the plane is in position over the track and the "shuttle" , a wire sling is hooked to

the hook under the aircraft , and the holdback is in place, the pilot is given the signal to

release the brakes. This will allow tension to be applied to the forward sling to be

drawn tight to keep any slack that would allow the sling to drop off when the catapult

officer (shooter) gives the signal to shoot.

     Now the half power signal is given to the pilot who checks his instruments &

magnetos, nods to the shooter for the full power signal. Prior to the shoot the instruments

are checked for full power, throttle rachet tightened with the left hand in position

for its pilot behind the throttle, the right arm holding the stick with the right elbow

secured in the strap of your parachute, a quick prayer and a salute to the shooter, and

head back on the back head rest. Now comes the fun, a quick acceleration, and you

are in the air. This time however, I got the nudge on the sling, but it was a "cold shot". I

went off the flight deck without the necessary flying speed. I had no time to get the wheels

up on this FM-2(It too 29 manual hand cranks to put wheels up). So I hit the water with full

power and wheels down. The plane immediately flipped over on it's back and started

to sink. Thankfully I had the canopy open but the chamois skin gloves that we wore were

slippery when wet. All this time the plane was sinking I was trapped under it. I finally

was able to pull the toggles on my life jacket(Mae West) but, I was disoriented and almost

out of breath. I just let the life jacket do it's job. By this time I was almost frantic, I could

vision the carrier running over me and the plane, or being sucked down the prop wash.

     I was able to release all of my smoke bombs, shark repellent and, dye marker.

After all, I was the Aviation Safety Officer. The U.S.S. Chauncey (Plane guard destroyer)

Picked me up using a piece of line with a mop handle tied to it, and transferred me back

to the carrier via breeches buoy. I waved to the Chauncey and thanked them for the lift and

hoped they would enjoy the 20 gallons of ice cream that the carrier had to send over in

exchange for it's pilot.


Jim Verdolini, RM2/c
 U.S. Navy 1943-51
Ulithi Atoll, Western Carolines
March 11, 1945
 

 USS Randolph, CV-15. At anchor at Ulithi Atoll. Task Force 58 was getting ready for the Okinawa campaign.
 I had just gotten off watch in Radio One, up in the Island structure. It was 2000 hours, (8 PM.) I went down onto the flight deck . I would normally walk aft to Radio 3, my battle station, where I slept, because it was cooler. Radio 3 was just under the flight deck, on the starboard side above the fantail.
Before I started aft, I heard music from the movie playing on the hangar deck. They were playing the Polonaise, and I liked that song, so I went down the ladder to the hangar deck, stood at the rear, until 2007.
 
When the movie ended I started to walk aft on the hangar deck toward Radio3. Suddenly, a tremendous explosion from the rear of the hangar deck, and a brilliant white flash, threw me backwards and knocked me down. I was unhurt, and picked myself up, to see men lying all around, wounded, and bleeding. They called Battle Stations, and I spoke to a Marine Lt., telling him my battle station was in flames. Should I go up to Radio One? He said no, help push the planes out of the fire and help with the wounded.
We still did not know what happened. I helped for a while pushing planes forward, and then a Pharmacist Mate (corpsman) told two of us to help him with some wounded guys. We then found out that a twin engine Japanese suicide plane had hit us right between Radio 3 and Radio 5. The white flash we saw was a 2000 lb. bomb exploding. Everyone back there was dead. If I had not stopped to listen to the music, I would have been back there too. All I got was a bruised backside, and flash burn.
I will never forget that night, when I stopped to listen to music. That stop delayed me from getting back to Radio 3, probably listening to Tokyo Rose or writing letters, when the plane crashed into us. When we got into Radio 3 after the fires were out, the place was completely burned out. We could not even identify the guys in there.

 

NavyPhotos/Lookingdownatkamikazehit.jpg
NavyPhotos/6_hangardeck.jpg


Richard C. Rhodes, Jr., ETM2/c
U.S. Navy 1943-46



Richard Rhodes holding a signal flag onboard
 USS James E. Craig, DE-201.
 
1945...The USS James E. Craig, DE-201, along with two other DE's was escorting ten LST's filled with marines & their equipment to Okinawa.

As we entered the outer fringes of a Typhoon, one of the marines fell & broke his leg. It was so rough we couldn't transfer our Chief Corpsman over to the LST, so the Captain bid me to rig up a small radio so the Chief Corpsman could talk to them.


I did and sat with him while he read "How to set a leg" from his medical book. Joe often wondered how that marines' leg turned out?

Oct. 2, 1945...The war was over and the six DE's that made up Escort Division 37 were going home. With whistles blowing and Homeward Bound Pennants (Red & white bunting about 6" in width & long enough to have one yard for every officer and one foot
for every enlisted man) flying, we steamed out of   Subic Bay (Manila, Phillipines). What a beautiful sight. It was also my birthday and it was the best present I have ever received.

November 1945...As the Tugs eased the Craig into the dock at San Diego, crowds of
people were cheering, the Navy Band was playing Anchors Aweigh and high above the
dock was a big sign saying: "Welcome Home, Well Done." Pretty heady stuff for a 21 year old guy.


NavyPhotos/P1Y1.jpg

The Saga of  THE Restriction!
My battle station, Radio 3, was destroyed by a kamikaze at Ulithi . I was on Randolph CV15 then.  We were repaired in 2 weeks and back in combat at Okinawa. They sent me to new battle station, Radio 2, up forward under flight deck.
One night, battle stations!    Seven of us, Radiomen and Signalmen were running through Officers Country( it was ok going to our battle stations), and bam, we did not make the 4 minute call to go to Condition Zebra, so were locked down, in Officers Country.
200 guns were going off, PA system blaring:  Bogies Diving on Task Group, Splash One Bogie. And we would jump up and down. Well, this officer came in, and said:
What is the commotion in here?  Your all on report?  What are your names..Kilroy, Shakespeare,  it didn't work though, he took our names off our shorts:)
Couple days later, we hit a storm, no general quarters that morning, so had to go to Execs Mast. He had us for Holding a conversation and , Gambling? In Officers Country? 
I told the Exec: Sir, we had NO cards, NO dice! 
Exec says:  Sorry that is what the Officer said, and of course we had no recourse back then, so we got SEVEN liberty days restriction.
Our Grog Grog parties( liberties) were maybe, if no action, every 3 months:((
Well this  Officer was a pilot to boot, and we found out he was a Mustang, showing us enlisted coolies, he was an Officer..
This guys plane was shot down at Okinawa, he was unhurt, and destroyer picked him up, and brought him back. They semaphored  to our Flag bag, who they had. Well, just so happened, two of the duty Signalmen were of the 7 restricted. They semaphored back what he did to us.
We got some signalmen,radiomen,quartermasters, and marines, we all palled around together, and went down to quarterdeck where they were bring the pilot over in Jacobs Chair, and started whistling:  Bear Went Over the Mountain.. (Abandon ship song).
They dipped that poor slob all the way over. Guys said: Look behind you?
It was the Exec,  trying not to let us see him laughing his butt off :) He knew what we did.
Any how was till on restriction:((
Okinawa got over, and we were all glad to be alive. Went into Leyte Gulf to get ready for what we thought was the Invasion coming up. We had a big Red  BAKER flag flying, loading bombs, with bomb barges all alongside, bombs all over the hangar deck!
Along came 2 U.S.Army P 38 fighter planes. I know what those yoyo's were thinking!
Oh , there's a carrier, lets go practice!
 
The flight deck had a bunch of guys getting a suntan, now that we were safely out of kamikaze alley. Several radiomen were laying on flight deck too.
The first P38 dove down, did a barrel roll, and did not pull out:((  He hit us forward on the flight deck, in a big ball of fire, went across taking our planes and 15 of my buddies with him!
Captain said: Shoot the other one down, but he saw our guns come around, and poof, he was gone over the Jungle.
We  lost 2 radiomen killed, 2 so badly burned, we never saw them again when they were sent to hospital ship, and one good buddy Marine. Of the rest of the 15, they floated up in three days.
We were repaired in 1 week, buried our dead. They gave us a USO Show with Dennis Day and Jackie Cooper, good one. Then the Skipper says:  This is Twice we were hit in Port, and not our fault. First at Ulithi, when the Battleship that had the radar duty for the anchorage, decided three blips they got at 8pm were friendly's  on  the wrong frequency.
And that Frances(kamikaze) got us.  Now here at Leyte,  the U.S.Airforce hit us.
So, he announces that Every Division that has 100% War bond coverage, the 18.50 bond, would get a REAL , not Grog Grog  beer party on Tacloban, and we would even get to see Philippino  girls. Hadn't seen any girl in a long long time. Crew went ape. Except:)
Signalmen and Radiomen on restriction says no way. We are not going to spend that kind of money for YOUR liberty ashore. Doesn't sound like much, but our pay days were every two weeks, and they only allowed us $10 bucks, cause they knew we would gamble it away.
Anyhow, the Com Officer, said : I will be right back". 
He was back in 15 minutes:  ALL records have been purged:)O The Exec was just waiting for an excuse to let us off the hook.
So we got even with the Slob, went on liberty, but.......:(  no Pillipino girl was within 50 miles. But, we got ashore:)
End story:  Jim Verdolini
The Saga of THE Restriction!

My battle station, Radio 3, was destroyed by a kamikaze at Ulithi . I was on Randolph CV15 then. We were repaired in 2 weeks and back in combat at Okinawa. They sent me to new battle station, Radio 2, up forward under flight deck.

One night, battle stations! Seven of us, Radiomen and Signalmen were running through Officers Country( it was ok going to our battle stations), and bam, we did not make the 4 minute call to go to Condition Zebra, so were locked down, in Officers Country.

200 guns were going off, PA system blaring: Bogies Diving on Task Group, Splash One Bogie. And we would jump up and down. Well, this officer came in, and said:
What is the commotion in here? Your all on report? What are your names..Kilroy, Shakespeare, it didn't work though, he took our names off our shorts:)

Couple days later, we hit a storm, no general quarters that morning, so had to go to Execs Mast. He had us for Holding a conversation and , Gambling? In Officers Country?
I told the Exec: Sir, we had NO cards, NO dice!
Exec says: Sorry that is what the Officer said, and of course we had no recourse back then, so we got SEVEN liberty days restriction.
Our Grog Grog parties( liberties) were maybe, if no action, every 3 months:((

Well this Officer was a pilot to boot, and we found out he was a Mustang, showing us enlisted coolies, he was an Officer..

This guys plane was shot down at Okinawa, he was unhurt, and destroyer picked him up, and brought him back. They semaphored to our Flag bag, who they had. Well, just so happened, two of the duty Signalmen were of the 7 restricted. They semaphored back what he did to us.

We got some signalmen,radiomen,quartermasters, and marines, we all palled around together, and went down to quarterdeck where they were bring the pilot over in Jacobs Chair, and started whistling: Bear Went Over the Mountain.. (Abandon ship song).
They dipped that poor slob all the way over. Guys said: Look behind you?
It was the Exec, trying not to let us see him laughing his butt off :) He knew what we did.

Any how was till on restriction:((

Okinawa got over, and we were all glad to be alive. Went into Leyte Gulf to get ready for what we thought was the Invasion coming up. We had a big Red BAKER flag flying, loading bombs, with bomb barges all alongside, bombs all over the hangar deck!
Along came 2 U.S.Army P 38 fighter planes. I know what those yoyo's were thinking!
Oh , there's a carrier, lets go practice!

The flight deck had a bunch of guys getting a suntan, now that we were safely out of kamikaze alley. Several radiomen were laying on flight deck too.

The first P38 dove down, did a barrel roll, and did not pull out:(( He hit us forward on the flight deck, in a big ball of fire, went across taking our planes and 15 of my buddies with him!

Captain said: Shoot the other one down, but he saw our guns come around, and poof, he was gone over the Jungle.

We lost 2 radiomen killed, 2 so badly burned, we never saw them again when they were sent to hospital ship, and one good buddy Marine. Of the rest of the 15, they floated up in three days.
We were repaired in 1 week, buried our dead. They gave us a USO Show with Dennis Day and Jackie Cooper, good one. Then the Skipper says: This is Twice we were hit in Port, and not our fault. First at Ulithi, when the Battleship that had the radar duty for the anchorage, decided three blips they got at 8pm were friendly's on the wrong frequency.
And that Frances(kamikaze) got us. Now here at Leyte, the U.S.Airforce hit us.
So, he announces that Every Division that has 100% War bond coverage, the 18.50 bond, would get a REAL , not Grog Grog beer party on Tacloban, and we would even get to see Philippino girls. Hadn't seen any girl in a long long time. Crew went ape. Except:)
Signalmen and Radiomen on restriction says no way. We are not going to spend that kind of money for YOUR liberty ashore. Doesn't sound like much, but our pay days were every two weeks, and they only allowed us $10 bucks, cause they knew we would gamble it away.

Anyhow, the Com Officer, said : I will be right back".
He was back in 15 minutes: ALL records have been purged:)O The Exec was just waiting for an excuse to let us off the hook.

So we got even with the Slob, went on liberty, but.......:( no Pillipino girl was within 50 miles. But, we got ashore:)

End story: Jim Verdolini

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