USS Hornet Vet

[STALAGLUFT1]

First person account.

 

I joined the Navy in 1938 before WW2 and stayed for 20yrs. That period included neutrality patrol on the East Coast starting in 1940 and periodically having it out with Hitler’s U-boats. I was on an old four piper destroyer at that time. From there I was assigned to pre-commissioning detail for the USS Hornet CV-8. We put her in commission on Oct 20, 1941 and swam off her Oct 26, 1942. During that one year and six days we went through a whirlwind of activities starting with the launching of Jimmy Doolittle’s B-25's against Japan, then Midway followed by Guadalcanal and finally the Battle of Santa Cruz where I witnessed the most successful dive bombing and torpedo attack that was possible. After going home on survivors leave, I reported to the west coast state of Washington where I put a small seaplane tender in commission the USS Rockaway AVP 29. We then went to the East coast thru Panama and up to Norfolk NOB (Naval Operating Base). From there after taking on supplies for seaplanes we headed for a place named Pembroke, Lengthier was quite a few Sunderland Flying Boats (as the Brits referred to them) in this small bay that was the purpose of our visit and also for the next seven crossings of the North Atlantic. Then we were ordered to Southampton on 6/5/44 and took aboard several top brass including Gen. O'Dair and Capt. Day who were sent to the beach on D-Day +3 and were killed riding in a jeep that hit a mine. I went ashore at Normandy in the second wave as part of a shore fire control party spotting for two ships--HMS Ladybird a British Monitor housing two 15 inch guns in a single turret and the USS St Louis a light cruiser with15-six inch guns in five turrets. We provided fire support for the Army at there request. After eight days I finally made it back to my ship. On the next trip back to the states I had orders for Fire Control School in Wash, DC. That's where I married my childhood sweetie on 9/2/44.