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My Great Uncle Survivor of USS Wasp Sinking Dies on Same Day as Ship was Sunk


Leatherneck72
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My Great Uncle, Tom Lopez, passed away a few days ago on September 15th. He was 93 years old. He was a US Navy veteran of WW2, and was a survivor of the sinking of CV-7 USS Wasp which occurred 71 years to the day he passed (Sept 15th, 1942). Wasp was covering the landing of the 7th Marine Regiment on Guadalcanal when hit by a spread of torpedoes from the IJN submarine I-19. He left a journal log that details how he felt all three torpedoes hit in rapid succession. He was standing near ready ammo lockers for the 5in. guns. He ingested fuel oil while in the water after abandoning ship and it greatly affected his skin as well. He was rescued by a PBY Catalina flying boat. He spent months recovering in New Guinea and at Oak Knoll Naval Hospital in Oakland, California. My grandma traveled by train from Los Angeles to go see him there. He seldom talked of his wartime experiences, but was proud of his service.

 

Here is some great footage of the USS Wasp on her final day:

 

 

Fair Winds and Following Seas....RIP Tom

 

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RIP, brave Sailor!

 

My dad's stepdad was also on WASP when she went down and also spent a year at the hospital in Oakland. Small world!

 

Dave

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doinworkinvans

May he rest in peace - my uncle Oliver Peele went MIA from the WASP - he took off and never came back. He was a machinist mate 3c. I always wondered if he would have survived the torpedo attack as well....

Daniel

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Very Interesting, my grandfather was a machinst mate 1st class on the Wasp when it was hit. He had to be pulled out from under a lathe that had trapped him when the torpedos hit. He loved that ship.

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Hey Leatherneck72...condolences on your loss mate...

 

He sounds like a brave man indeed...

 

Do you have his log book?...

 

It would be a fascinating insight into a real navy battle...

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