A historical transit time example

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All Forums >> [Current Games From Matrix.] >> [World War II] >> War In The Pacific - Struggle Against Japan 1941 - 1945 >> The War Room >> A historical transit time example

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A historical transit time example - 7/20/2004 8:52:01 PM

Buck Beach

Posts: 1973
Joined: 6/25/2000
From: Upland,CA,USA
Status: offline

My dad served most of the war with the 8th Photo Squadron in the So Pacific. I had orignially started this post under the New Kind Operating Losses thread as a reply to a post regarding condoms, when I thought that some information from his diary may be of interest of those looking for a real live prospective of some things.

He had joined the army Oct 11, 1940 out anger with his dad because he was only 20 and needed his dad's signature to join the Navy. His dad said 6 years (the then enlistment) was to long and refused to sign. Pop recants his angry response was the biggest mistake of his life but who knows it might have been the best one of his live because he survived the war and may not have with the Navy. He originally became part of the 37th Infantry Division which was reformed on Oct 16, 1940 (the division's history goes back to the War of 1812 but was disbanded sometime after WWI).

He left for San Francisco May 6, 1942 while still a part of the 37th but while there he had to have a leg operation that kept him from being a foot soldier. Again color him very lucky because the 37th was to be a part of the grand Guadacanal experience. An uncle on my mom's side served in the same division at the canal was there and not only was he in heavy duty emotionally scaring action ge got maleria as well.

After Pop got out of the hospital he was picked up by the Army Air Corp for the 8th Photo Squadron. Here are some points out of his diary you may be interested in: June 22, 1942 from San Francisco on the USS Mastsonia and arrived in Melbourne 23 days later (later told me they ran out of water near Tasmaina. Six days later sent to Townsville by train; Jul 27, 1942 2:AM arrived in Townsville and the first two nights there were Jap bombing raids: Sept 5, 1942 left Townsville for Port Morseby. He states air raids there are common. He says the worst thing about the raids is that they are right overhead be for you know it. He states on Sept 23, 1942 things were beginning to change they still had Port Morseby and it looked like they were going to keep it; Oct 9, 1942 gave the Japs their first big air raid (sent 37 B-17s). Says "giving them everything we got which isn't much"; Dec 8, 1942 left on 30 day R&R leave for Sidney the B-17 (the Squardon had until some general found out and took it away) almost crashed upon landing and taking off at Coffs harbor (??) due to short runway.

This brings me too what I was going to post on the other thread. Last year in July when me and my brother I went to see him in Seattle for what I knew was the last time. I just wanted to hear him talk. We started talking about some of his war time experience and we got to this R & R leave. I ask him if everything that I had heard about the fella's exploits during the leaves were true. At this point I want to say I was 60 and Pop was 83 and we felt comfortable talking about any thing, I hope I don't offend anybody. He said "son, let me put it this way, before I left Port Morseby the doc asked me how many condoms I thought I needed. I said I'm going to be there 30 days so 30 should be enough" and then he said "you know I used them all". As a side note, when he got back from Australia Jan 11, 1943 he had a letter saying I had been born.

We lost Pop March 4th. I miss you Pop!

< Message edited by Buck Beach -- 7/20/2004 10:54:19 PM >

Post #: 1

RE: A historical transit time example - 7/20/2004 9:07:50 PM

rogueusmc

Posts: 4583
Joined: 2/8/2004
From: Texas...what country are YOU from?
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I love hearing the old guys talk....they lived in a different world.

Will Rogers said once, "war talk by men who have seen war is likely to be interesting...moon talk by a poet is likely to be dull."....something to that effect.

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There are only two kinds of people that understand Marines: Marines and the enemy. Everyone else has a second-hand opinion.

Gen. William Thornson, U.S. Army

(in reply to Buck Beach)

Post #: 2

RE: A historical transit time example - 7/20/2004 10:30:30 PM

Bradley7735

Posts: 2073
Joined: 7/12/2004
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I had a great uncle who was a cook on 3 different destroyers in the South pacific that had all been sunk in the slot (I'm guessing they were all in the slot). He died when I was about 8 or so. I'd give anything to be able to talk with him. I'm sure he fought in some of the major Guadalcanal battles. The only real information that I know is that he served on DD's in the south pacific and that 3 of them were sunk (with him on them).

By the way, does anyone know if you can look up what ships a person served on? I know my great uncle's name, but not his SSN. If I knew the ships names, then I could probably figure out what battles he fought in.

bc

(in reply to Buck Beach)

Post #: 3

RE: A historical transit time example - 7/20/2004 10:37:10 PM

tsimmonds

Posts: 5498
Joined: 2/6/2004
From: astride Mason and Dixon's Line
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quote:

By the way, does anyone know if you can look up what ships a person served on? I know my great uncle's name, but not his SSN. If I knew the ships names, then I could probably figure out what battles he fought in.

Here's the place to start looking:
NARA-NPRC

Sounds like you will need his SSN or service number eventually though.....

< Message edited by irrelevant -- 7/20/2004 3:40:30 PM >

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Post #: 4

RE: A historical transit time example - 7/20/2004 10:56:54 PM

AmiralLaurent

Posts: 3351
Joined: 3/11/2003
From: Near Paris, France
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Bradley7735

I had a great uncle who was a cook on 3 different destroyers in the South pacific that had all been sunk in the slot (I'm guessing they were all in the slot). He died when I was about 8 or so. I'd give anything to be able to talk with him. I'm sure he fought in some of the major Guadalcanal battles. The only real information that I know is that he served on DD's in the south pacific and that 3 of them were sunk (with him on them).

By the way, does anyone know if you can look up what ships a person served on? I know my great uncle's name, but not his SSN. If I knew the ships names, then I could probably figure out what battles he fought in.

bc

Another method would be to check the survivors lists of the US DD lost during the war that are available. If you manage to find his name, you will maybe have his SSN.

I advice you to post your request to the following forums:
http://www.f16.parsimony.net/forum27947/index.htm
http://two.guestbook.de/gb.cgi?gid=395918&prot=ivenmt

Real serious Pacific Naval War are in these forums and may provide you some useful advices.

(in reply to Bradley7735)

Post #: 5

RE: A historical transit time example - 7/20/2004 11:49:52 PM

rogueusmc

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From: Texas...what country are YOU from?
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The SSN wasn't used as a service ID number until after Vietnam.

_____________________________

There are only two kinds of people that understand Marines: Marines and the enemy. Everyone else has a second-hand opinion.

Gen. William Thornson, U.S. Army

(in reply to AmiralLaurent)

Post #: 6

RE: A historical transit time example - 7/21/2004 1:13:59 AM

grraven2004

Posts: 273
Joined: 3/4/2004
From: Cuyahoga Falls OH
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In a cruel twist of fate I had an uncle who was on the California on Dec 7th.
After that he was on a CA that got sunk at Guadalcanal.
Survived the war only to drown in a river saving one of his son's.

(in reply to rogueusmc)

Post #: 7

RE: A historical transit time example - 7/21/2004 1:22:48 AM

andytimtim

Posts: 150
Joined: 7/15/2004
From: Livingston, Scotland
Status: offline

my grandad was a scottish chindit who served in the pacific and burma!, his storys were so exciting! he's been in some world war two programs so watch out for him!

i just find it sad that i wasn't old enough to understand what world war two was fully about, when he was alive

< Message edited by andytimtim -- 7/20/2004 11:24:16 PM >

(in reply to grraven2004)

Post #: 8

RE: A historical transit time example - 7/21/2004 1:31:48 AM

UncleBuck

Posts: 633
Joined: 10/31/2003
From: San Diego, CA, USA
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I had two Great Uncles that died on Omaha beach, I had one Great Uncle on each side, USA and Wermacht. My two grandfathers were both in essential services during the war. One Grandfather was a Fire chief in NYC, he was first on the scene when the B-25 crashed into the Empire State Building. The Other Grandfather was a Bridge Engineer for the Railroad.

UB

(in reply to andytimtim)

Post #: 9

some of my Family WWII history - 7/21/2004 10:25:52 PM

Sinjen

Posts: 113
Joined: 3/22/2002
From: Florida
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My Uncle Marion served on USS Quick DD 490 which served as anti-submarine convoy duty in the atlantic convoys. He made 18 round trips to Europe and participated in two invasions in the Sicilian and Italian campaign. DD Quick provided fire support to our invasion troops with its guns. Quick was then converted to a minesweeper DMS 32. He served on the Quick until 1946 where he left her in the pacific theatre.

My uncle stayed active navy and in 1951(Korean War) was assigned to USS Hanson DDR 832. It had special radar capabilities and was assigned mainly to duty with aircraft carriers off the Korean coast. However, it toured extensively in the China Sea and along the Chinese and Vietnamese coast evaluating enemy radar installations. He served 2 tours and was discharged to reserve status in 1954. He retired with pension from the navy.

My Uncle Ben was assigned to the 90th chemical Mortar Battalion which was assigned to the 1st Division (the "Big Red One") of General Bradley's First Army and saw its first combat on the Rohr River. By early March 45 the Battalion was at Remagen and crossed to the east bank of the Rhine in the early days of that break-through. The Battalion was reassigned to Patton's Third Army and moved deeper into Germany before V.E. Day---May 9, 1945.

Following V.E. Day the battalion was training for the assault on Japan. However, V.J. day came first. He then served as a recruiter in Pittsburg and remained there until he was discharged from active duty on December 10, 1946.

I have other family members that served in WWII. These are two that were in combat units and saw action with the enemy.

(in reply to Buck Beach)

Post #: 10

RE: some of my Family WWII history - 7/21/2004 10:31:51 PM

andytimtim

Posts: 150
Joined: 7/15/2004
From: Livingston, Scotland
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have any of you have family in iraq? my sisters serviving with the RAF and im terrified that something happens to her!

(in reply to Sinjen)

Post #: 11

RE: A historical transit time example - 7/21/2004 11:04:16 PM

myros

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Joined: 7/1/2004
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Great story Buck, commiserations on your Pop. Lost mine earlier this year too. He was in the Brittish Army in Europe ..lots of great stories there too :)

23 days travel time huh? Looks like we got a bit of a bonus in-game on the travel times ..or was he on a really slow ship?

Myros

< Message edited by myros -- 7/21/2004 9:05:29 PM >

(in reply to Buck Beach)

Post #: 12

RE: some of my Family WWII history - 7/21/2004 11:07:07 PM

UncleBuck

Posts: 633
Joined: 10/31/2003
From: San Diego, CA, USA
Status: offline

No family there but lots of friends.

UB

(in reply to andytimtim)

Post #: 13

RE: A historical transit time example - 7/21/2004 11:16:26 PM

rogueusmc

Posts: 4583
Joined: 2/8/2004
From: Texas...what country are YOU from?
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The ships that did this for real in the Pacific stopped all over the place to load or unload gear and/or personnel. We make ours make a straight shot.

_____________________________

There are only two kinds of people that understand Marines: Marines and the enemy. Everyone else has a second-hand opinion.

Gen. William Thornson, U.S. Army

(in reply to myros)

Post #: 14

RE: A historical transit time example - 7/22/2004 12:35:50 AM

Nomad

Posts: 5905
Joined: 9/5/2001
From: West Yellowstone, Montana
Status: offline

My father died last October. He served in the USN from 1942 to 1945 in the South Pacific. He did not talk much about his actual war time experiences. He simply said "It is over and by the grace of God I am still alive." I know he was wounded twice and returned to active status both times. Once he was on an LST off Okinawa that took a Kamikazi hit. He lost a number of shipmates and friends there and I think that was why he did not want to talk about it.

(in reply to rogueusmc)

Post #: 15

RE: A historical transit time example - 7/22/2004 2:06:07 AM

Buck Beach

Posts: 1973
Joined: 6/25/2000
From: Upland,CA,USA
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: myros

Great story Buck, commiserations on your Pop. Lost mine earlier this year too. He was in the Brittish Army in Europe ..lots of great stories there too :)

23 days travel time huh? Looks like we got a bit of a bonus in-game on the travel times ..or was he on a really slow ship?

Myros

quote:

23 days travel time huh? Looks like we got a bit of a bonus in-game on the travel times ..or was he on a really slow ship?

It was the USS Mastonia (how he spelled it ). I don't know if it is in the game. He later told me they picked up an escort also near Tasmania. Didn't think to ask him if there were other ships making the crossing at the same time. Now I'll never know.

AndyTimTim. My precious little 3 1/2 year old granddaughter's daddy is there in Irag with the California Nat'l Guard. She loves and misses him and is always asking for him. We also are worried sick.

(in reply to myros)

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RE: A historical transit time example - 7/22/2004 4:31:57 PM

mccavage

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Joined: 7/5/2004
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My Dad was a waist gunner on a PB4Y2 flying out of Bermuda. He readily admits his WW2 experience was flat lucky.

His brother was a logistics Light Colonel in North Africa that ended up running a POW camp for Italians. He has a great Patton story dealing with unloading ships.

Given the massive scale of the war it is probably an interesting statistic as to how many servicemen, as a percentage, ended up on the sharp end. Anyone know off hand the general teeth to tail ratio for the various WW2 combatants and services?

(in reply to Buck Beach)

Post #: 17

RE: A historical transit time example - 7/22/2004 4:55:45 PM

AmiralLaurent

Posts: 3351
Joined: 3/11/2003
From: Near Paris, France
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quote:

ORIGINAL: mccavage

My Dad was a waist gunner on a PB4Y2 flying out of Bermuda. He readily admits his WW2 experience was flat lucky.

His brother was a logistics Light Colonel in North Africa that ended up running a POW camp for Italians. He has a great Patton story dealing with unloading ships.

Given the massive scale of the war it is probably an interesting statistic as to how many servicemen, as a percentage, ended up on the sharp end. Anyone know off hand the general teeth to tail ratio for the various WW2 combatants and services?

I have read that 90% of WWII veterans never fired a shot on the enemy (or in the enemy general direction) as they were service troops or based away from the frontline. A part of them were on the other hand fired on... or even spend 3 years in Japanese POW camps.

Remember that a infantryman entering battle has more chance to go back on a stretcher or a in a coffin that on his two feet. Even in victorious battles... a division losing 4000 of his 16000 troops is in fact losing probably more than 3500 of the 6000 men fighting on the line.

(in reply to mccavage)

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RE: A historical transit time example - 7/23/2004 6:17:31 PM

Ron Saueracker

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From: Ottawa, Canada OR Zakynthos Island, Greece
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On my father's side, my great uncle Kristoph was a Mk IV commander and was severely wounded and captured in Rostov in 42. Was released in 1968! 25 years in a Russian gulag.

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