WORLD WAR II: A STORY [PART 3]

From the journals of a WWII Navy Vet

My grandfather was in the Navy during the entirety of World War II. Years ago, he documented his experience from before the war to after its conclusion. I have taken his journals, removed personal identifying information, and am publishing them here. Names have been shorted to initials. The name of my grandmother was changed to “My Love.” The name of my grandfather’s child was changed to “My Son.” Original, I know. I hope you enjoy and find them as insightful as I have.

If you missed the first part of this series, you can find it here.

WORLD WAR II: A STORY [PART 1]

WORLD WAR II: A STORY [PART 2]

HOMEWARD BOUND

The President Grant sailed northeast to Suva in the Fiji Islands. There we picked up several "pregnant" army and navy nurses. (That apparently was the only way they could get out of the war.) We were in Suva overnight then headed for San Francisco. We sailed almost due east for several days to avoid Japanese subs. We had no escort and only two World War I vintage deck guns for protection. I was assigned to look-out duty on the ship's bow. One night about midnight we had a real scare. The general alarm was sounded and we stood by our life-rafts for over an hour. Apparently the sub was ours or its crew decided the President Grant wasn't worth a torpedo!

Since we had been forced to leave Nouméa in a hurry, adequate supplies had not been brought onboard. Again, I found myself subsisting on meager rations. In fact, the 23 day trip to San Francisco was pretty bad. We had no fresh water for showers and our skin started peeling from taking salt water showers.

It was cold when we sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge on February 1, 1943. I had to stand my look-out watch on the bow that morning in typical uniform! I had no winter uniforms. When we left for the Solomon Islands invasion, all excess burnable material had been taken off the ship. All my heavy clothing had been shipped home. This presented me with another problem. At the Treasure Island Naval Receiving Station where I was sent, you were required to be in the specified uniform of the day — navy blue uniforms. The only exception was a special unit for survivors from sunk ships. I was sent to this unit and lived like a king for a couple days — special food and special treatment. Of course it was embarrassing for me trying to explain that I was not a "survivor." Everyone wanted to know what ship I'd had sunk from under me.

I was at Treasure Island at San Francisco for a week. I got new uniforms and got to go on liberty. Then I got a surprise. I was placed on a draft to Sub-chaser Trainer Center, Miami, Florida. The Germans were raising havoc in the Atlantic. Their subs were sinking a very large number of our ships with their torpedoes. In order to fight this threat we were increasing our anti-sub force. All available personnel was being sent to Miami to man the small sub-chasers.

I was loaded on a train at Oakland, California with about 300 other sailors. The trip to Miami took nearly five days. During the war years the freight trains had priority over passenger trains so we had to wait on sidings many times for them to pass. the trip was uneventful and when we arrived we were taken to the McAlester Hotel which had been converted into a navy barracks, as had nearly all of the hotels on Biscayne Boulevard.

The first day I was at the training center I went to the personnel office and made out a leave application. In a few minutes I was taken to the Executive Officer's Office. The "Exec.," a Navy Commander, was furious. He said, "Mister, who in the hell do you think you are? We brought you down here to help fight a war. Not to spend all your time on leave." The Assistant Executive Officer, a Navy Lieutenant, interrupted saying, "Sir, this man just came from the South Pacific and hasn't been home in over two years." The Commander said, "I am sorry. Request Disapproved." If I ever felt like going "over the hill" it was at that moment. Now I didn't know if I'd ever see My Love or my mother again.

By this time I had been promoted to Petty Officer, Second Class and all my time aboard ship had been assigned to the Disbursing Office. During roll call, about three days after arriving at the Center, I was told to report to the Disbursing Officer. The Disbursing Officer asked me if I'd like to work there for a month correcting errors reported by the Navy Bureau of Supplies and Accounts. Of course, I said, "Yes." I told the Disbursing Officer about being turned down for leave. He told me that if I did a good job for him he would get my leave for me. I finished the special job in two weeks! When I got through, the Disbursing Officer told me to make out a request for two weeks leave. He also told me that I was being transferred to the "Ship's Company" of the Training Center, assigned to the Disbursing Office on my return from leave.

HOME AT LAST

I arrived in Kansas City on March 1, 1943. My Love was living in Kansas City and met me at the station. Gosh, it was so good to see her. I didn't know how she felt about me but I was in love with her and in a couple of days I asked her to marry me. To my surprise, she said yes. We were married on March 11 in the parsonage of Reverend JW. It was a very simple ceremony. E and EG, friends of My Love, "stood up" with us. My Love's mother, her brother W, his wife P, and a friend of MS were also there. We had a four-day "honeymoon" — dividing our time between My Love's apartment in Kansas City and my mother's house in Trenton. Then on March 15, I had to return to my duty station in Miami, Florida — without My Love. She was working in the office of Midland Milling Co. in North Kansas City. So she gave them notice and came to Miami four weeks later.

We rented an apartment in Miami and I almost became a "civilian" again. The disbursing office was on Biscayne Boulevard downtown. So I had to take a bus for the 30 minute ride to work — just like a regular job. My Love got a job in the office of a large dairy. We were happy and the war seemed for away now. We went to the movies and Miami Beach on Sundays. Then My Love found out she was pregnant. We were both elated. Looking back now, I can see that starting a family then probably wasn't the best of planning. But "all is well that ends well" and My Love went home to her mother in December and My Son was born at the XXX, Missouri hospital March 16, 1944.

I was able to get leave and go home when My Son was four weeks old. My Love and My Son returned to Miami with me. My Son cried all the way to Miami and My Love had a terrible time. She and My Son were traveling in a "sleeper" while I was in a coach. So I couldn't help her much. When we got to Miami we found he had chicken pox. He kept crying and we were told to move from our apartment. We moved to another one that was infested with scorpions. We moved again — this time to an apartment in northwest Miami where we settled down.

The three of us spent a very happy year together. My Son turned into a happy baby — except when we went to the movies. There, one of us usually had to walk him to keep him quiet. We still went to the beach many times on weekends.

In early 1945, I was told I was being transferred back to sea-duty. I had spent two wonderful years in Miami — I had gotten married, became a father, had been promoted to Petty Officer, First Class, and placed in charge of a payroll section in the Disbursing Office. But all good things come to an end, it seems. After taking My Love and My Son back to her mother's home in XXX, Missouri, I was transferred to Charleston Navy Yard in Boston to go aboard a new barracks ship, the USS APL-34 being built there.

USS APL-34

While waiting for my new ship to be commissioned I was able to go home for a week. On my way back to Boston, we heard Germany had surrendered and the war in Europe was over. This was a false report but the war's end in Europe did come a couple of weeks later.

The war was also winding down in the Pacific. Our Navy, Marines, and Army was moving fast towards the Japanese homeland. We had retaken most of their island outposts. So now it seemed that in a few months it would all be over. That would not be too soon to suit me as I knew I was on my way back to the war zone.

I had done a lot of studying while in the service. I had even taken the entrance exam for the US Naval Academy but didn't get in. I was book smart but I had never graduated from high school. In June 1945, I took a competency test on which I scored 98 of possible 100. My test results were sent to my old high school and I received my high school diploma.

In July, 1945, I went aboard my new ship. The USS APL-34 was a floating barracks. It was non self-propelled and had to be towed by a fleet tug. It had a crew of about 75 officers and men and was built to house several hundred men. It was built like a floating cracker-box — not something we "old salts" could be proud to be on. In fact, we nicknamed it the "USS Sad Sack." We left Boston Harbor as part of a tow-train. A sea-going tug followed by a derrick-ship, APL-34, and an Army tug made up the train. We made port at Newport, Rhode Island and Key West, Florida. We were only moving at about 8 knots when underway. After we left Key West, we were hit by one of the worst storms I have ever been in. Our little cracker-box did everything but capsize. We had to tie ourselves to our bunks in order to get any sleep. Most of the crew was very sea sick. I never got sea sick but the storm really wore all of us out before it finally subsided. There were only two men on the little Army tug and somehow they survived.

We arrived in Panama in early August. We had to wait a few days on the Atlantic side, then we went thru. It was very interesting. The fleet tug would take us into a lock, the water would rise, and we would go through the next lock. It took all day to get across the Isthmus of Panama.

When we got to the Pacific, we had supposed we would head out towards Kwajalein Island, our destination in the Western Pacific. However, we were held up for two weeks — no one seemed to know why. Then it was rumored that the United State had dropped a "super bomb" on Japan. We finally sailed from port and it was confirmed that two "atomic" bombs had been dropped in Japan. Then the news came. Japan had surrendered — the war was over. We got the news late in the evening August 13, 1945 (8-14-45 in Japan). We were at sea so the only celebrating we could do was to laugh, slap each other on the back, and shoot a few flares into the air.

Our orders were changed and we "sailed" for San Diego, arriving there in mid-September. The day we arrived we received an All-Navy Bulletin calling all commands that any personnel who had been deprived of reenlistment leave because of the war, should be granted such leave as soon as possible. I had extended my reenlistment during the war and was entitled to 30 days leave! I was sent to Camp Elliot near San Diego to get my leave papers. I was there two days and got to visit with my brother "Cotton" who was stationed there. I got my leave papers, boarded a train, and arrived home three days later.

My Love and My Son were living with her mother in XXX, Missouri. Whenever I was home on leave, I got a taste of what the home folks were going through. Every family had a ration book and were only allowed to buy a certain amount of meat and sugar. The grocer would tear out coupons to cover the amount purchased. There were no new automobiles and tires and gasoline was rationed with farmers and preferred business getting the lions share. Actually most people suffered little but didn't have enough to waste. My leave was very enjoyable and when it was over My Love went as far as Kansas City with me. I had received orders to report to the Navy Recruiting Office in Kansas City for further assignment. I was glad I would not be going back to the USS APL-34. But, there were no orders waiting for me! I was told to go back home and wait until I was called. I caught My Love before she had left for home. We had a very happy ride back to XXX, Missouri and I became a "temporary" civilian.

I did not receive a call until mid-December 1945. Orders had been received to transfer me to the Naval Receiving Station, Shoemaker, California for further assignment. I was at Shoemaker about two weeks when I received orders to report to the Battleship, USS Iowa in Long Beach Harbor. When I went aboard the Iowa, I found out we were sailing for Japan.

The Naval Occupation Forces in Japan were under the command of Admiral Forrest Sherman, aboard the battleship USS New Jersey. The New Jersey needed to go to Bremerton Navy Yard for repairs. So the USS Iowa was to be the command ship during her absence.

My first impression of Japan was not a good one. Many of the larger buildings in the dock areas were bombed out. One large industrial area between Tokyo and Yokohama was completely burned, only brick smoke stacks still standing. The people were completely beaten. Everywhere I went, people were begging for food. When you approached them, they would back out of your way and bow to you. We were the conquerors! It was very humbling to me, a lowly Petty Officer, First Class to have people bowing to me.

The Iowa was anchored near Yokosuka which had been a naval base. now there were only sunken ships near the docks. During my stay in Japan, I spent a lot of time on Shore Patrol in Yokosuka. Every day, there would be hundreds of Japanese children crowded around the fleet landing gate begging for food. We were always issued Army rations for our noon meal. I, and many others, gave our rations to the children who would fight to take a parcel away from the one lucky enough to receive it.

My brother "Chub" was stationed at Central Pier in Yokohama. I got to go see him several times during the six months I was in Japan. To get to Yokohama from Yokosuka, I had to ride a Japanese electric train. It took us through Kamakura, the site of one of the great Japanese Buddha's. The Buddha was a huge statue of a Japanese woman in a sitting position. No wonder those poor people lest the war. They worshiped a pagan idol made of stone!

In early June, 1946, the battleship New Jersey returned to her command post and the USS Iowa began the journey back to the good old USA. I was due to be discharged from the Navy on my 23d birthday, June 26, and had been assured we would be back in time. We arrived at Bremerton Navy Yard on June 16. I was sent to the Separation Center the next day and received my separation papers June 17, 1946. I boarded a train in Seattle and three days later I was home. It was good to be home. I was glad to have been part of the war effort, but as most war veterans say, "I wouldn't want to do it again."

My Love had rented an apartment in XXX, Missouri and for the next few months we lived there. I was learning how to become a civilian, looking for a job, and getting acquainted with My Son, now two years old.