NL20710

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
JULY 2010
The Charleston reunion is just around the corner. Be sure to get your hotel reservations in before the deadline. Also registration in to Military Reunion Planners to be sure we have enough signed up for the various events. Reading the AAA Travel Guide shows that there is a lot to do and see in the Charleston area. If you arrive early or leave late you could see a lot of different things on your own. We are looking forward to a good turnout this year and our second reunion in Charleston. Do you remember the last one in the two motels and the banquet on the hanger deck of the USS Yorktown? Those were the days! There are still vacancies on the Board of Directors and would like for you interested shipmates to step forward to fill the holes.
Our Treasurer Angelo Masi has reported that 76 Life Members have responded to the urgent appeal by Founding President Clarkson Farnsworth for a special donation to give the Association a “shot in the arm “to assist our sagging treasury. So far this means $2,280.00 for which we are very thankful to those shipmates. Smooth Sailing and Fresh Warm Breezes till we meet in Charleston, Charles Hill

CHAPLAINS CORNER
By Frank Koeller, Jr.
Shipmates watch your language as shown in the following example. A Panda bear entered a café and ordered a sandwich, ate it, and pulls out a gun and starts shooting. When a waiter asks him to explain his behavior, the Panda hands him a poorly punctuated wildlife guide and asks him to look up the description of a Panda. It reads: “Panda. Large black and white bear, native to China. Eats, shoots and leaves.” Having a comma after the word ‘eats’ is an error that changes the whole meaning of the last sentence. The word ‘shoots’ and ‘leaves’ become actions, instead of plants to eat. So be careful with your language, it’s very important.

AIR GROUP CORNER
By Carl Jeckel
I was discharged in September of ’52 so did not make the next Med Cruise. I was also unaware that VF-34 (a Banshee Squadron) had replaced VF-32 on that cruise. I was updated when LT William Harrison e-mailed me the following story:
In January 1953 the Leyte was about to be relieved by the Franklin D. Roosevelt. While the two ships were together their skippers decided to perform a joint night flying exercise (you know – limited lighting and all that stuff). A fellow pilot Skip Whitnot was flying #405 and while the planes were landing, Skip got into the FDR’s landing pattern. He landed on the FDR. The Leyte thought they had lost #405, but Skip advised them he was safe on the FDR. The weather was not suitable for flight the next day, so Skip spent some time aboard the FDR. Arrangements were made to launch him off for return to Leyte on the next food day. He was catapulted off and landed on the Leyte with a crowd of enthusiastic crew members cheering him. His achievement was recognized when the Air Group commander presented him with the “Order of Lost Pigeon” Award. For you computer folks, you can enter http://wwwnavsource.org/archives/02/cv32/32c.htm and scroll down to the “Return of the Prodigal”. Bill has heard that Skip and another pilot were killed in OCT 1953 in a catapult explosion on the Leyte. This remains unconfirmed.
Another story is second hand and told to me by a photo bug shipmate who spent most of his time in the ship’s Photo Lab. The members of the lab were a close knot group and were dedicated to their craft. However, on one cruise their exclusive domain was interrupted by a young aspiring officer who was bent on pursuing his photographic talents. He was 4eager to learn and made quite a pest of himself asking too many question and requesting all kinds of assistance with his photo projects. We did not know what his official position was, but all would agree that he was just a ‘wannabe’. How do you tell an officer that he was unwelcome in the lab? A plan was conceived. The next time he appeared, he interrupted a game of eye & muscle coordination. A lab member was standing with his head tilted back. He had a penny on his forehead. The object was to drop the penny into the funnel. The office watched as the lab member failed twice. The office exclaimed, “Let me try, I can do that”. (The trap was sprung) They gave him the funnel and he stuck it in his belt, took the penny, tilted his head back, and placed the penny on his forehead. You can imagine his shock and surprise when a member of the lab emptied a picture of warm water into the funnel. He left in a hurry and not return ___ever again. I guess he got the message.
I enjoyed the e-mails and phone responses and was especially pleased to receive a call from Rita Conner wife of a prior great Air Group editor. I need another VF-33 shipmate to attend so we can entertain you with our Squadron Song.

Jim Huber VA-35, sent the Leyte Newsletter Editor the following after reading “Career of a Leyte Air Group Sailor” that appeared in the July 2009 Newsletter. Harry talked about the hydraulic problems on the ‘AD-10’, but was probably referring tone of the ‘Queen’ versions of the AD assigned to the CAG. Our VA-35 aircraft were either AD-3’s or AD-4’s with no compartment for an ECM or radar operator. I was not aware of any major hydraulic problems with our a/c and we always could count on a reserve of hydraulic fluid to lower the gear and flaps if the main system went out. I had a chance to use that system successfully when I lost all hydraulics on my first mission over Korea! A check of the a/c after landing revealed a single round from small arms had penetrated the fuselage, severed the hydraulic line, and exited below and aft of the cockpit. I remembered that our flight had climbed out from a valley to get up and over a ridge. People could be seen walking along the ridge road. Since we were climbing out at a relatively slow speed and at the same level as the people (soldiers?) on the roadway, we presented a rather attractive target. It just wasn’t my turn on that day! We quickly changed tactics to avoid such maneuvering in and out of the valleys!

OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN ON 2010 AND 2011 BOARD OF DIRECTORS


• President: Charles H. Hill • Pres-Elect: John E. Mitchell • 1st Vice-Pres: Leon Neimeyer • 2nd Vice-Pres Vacant • Secretary: William D. Carr • Treasurer: Angelo R. Masi • Fin. Secty: William McQueary • Asst. Secty: Vacant • Chaplain: Frank Koeller, Jr. • CMAA: Le Grande Van Wagenen • Founding President: C. Farnsworth • First Past Pres: Leon Neimeyer • Air Group: W. Carl Jeckel • Audit: Frank Koeller, Jr. • Historian: Vacant • Hospitality: Vacant • Newsletter: Kenneth McLaurin • Nominating: John E. Mitchell • Publicity: Floyd Hale • Registration: John Woods • Ship's Store: William A. Crawford • Webmaster Donald Roberts

MAIL BAG
From Carl Hensley: I have recently been thinking about my short tenure in Leyte and thought it might be appropriate to have some of my history on record. I was on the commissioning crew and trained at Quonset Point, RI. In early 1946 we were assigned to the Randolph CV-15 which had just returned from Okinawa for a training cruise that lasted a couple of weeks and took us to Bermuda waters. The Randolph had taken a Kamikaze on the fantail and had damage to the catwalks along the flight deck suffered from the typhoon. The catwalks were at a 90 degree vertical position about 100 feet high. Off Bermuda we spent a fair amount of time firing five inch bursts during target practice. There were two British destroyers paralleling our course some 8 miles off to port. I was first loader on the port side aft 5 inch 38. At one time the starboard side was active and we were just waiting. Our pointer and trainer became bored and aimed at the closest destroyer. When the burst was set up on the port side it was exactly between us and the destroyer. Our barrel went up, we fired, a hole appeared through the burst and a few seconds later our shell hit about 1,000 yards off the starboard side of the destroyer. We never saw those boys again and we got a well done from the skipper. I figure they must have been wondering what our navy was doing with those tall structures off our bow. When we got back we were sent to Newport News where Leyte was in dry dock having her hull painted getting ready for commissioning. I was sent to the Naval Gunnery School at Virginia Beach while other crewmen were sent to other schools in the area including small boat school at Little Creek. I was a Side Boy at the commissioning and saluted Admiral Mark Mitschner who gave our ship good hunting. Except for petty officers and some officers we were a very green group of seamen seconds. We were anchored as far out of Hampton Rhoads as we could get with swells of 4 to 6 feet normal. Our liberty boats were LCMs. All of the crew were seamen seconds including the coxswain. When I left in July the gangway looked like spaghetti from our hits. I remember that the Lieutenant in charge of the second division was universally disliked by what appeared to be the entire ship. He was a mustang. One day he was Officer of the Deck at the head of the gangway. One of the eater curtains on the hanger deck was directly over his station and suddenly went on. What a mess. He was killed on a flight to New York along with a pilot friend. My final navy experience occurred in Charlottesville while attending the University of Virginia. I was walking up one of the streets near the school when I noticed a stocky older gentleman walking toward me. As he neared I recognized Admiral William F. Halsey and even though we were in mufti, as a former mere seaman second, my hand automatically saluted and greeted with a half a salute from the Admiral. Thus ended my short naval career.
From Dave Hennessy – Sent in an article from Navy Institute Proceedings titled ‘What the Navy Gave me Was Immeasurable’ by Leonard Lauder. You may want to read a copy in your local library for the full story. Mr. Lauder is Chairman emeritus of Estee Lauder Companies one of the worlds leading companies and skin-care firms. Like many top executives he got his start as a navy supply Corps officer. He spent eight years in the Navy and the Naval Reserve but more important he served in USS Leyte. In the article he mentions six lessons. One is “The world is full of people who are better and smarter than you.” Lesson number two: “In great organizations, every role is essential to mission success and every individual can be great by shining in his or her role.” I owe the USS Leyte’s Supply officer, Commander Winfield ‘Bud’ Knopf for Lesson Number three: Great leaders have the courage of their convictions. In the business world, as in the military, the best leaders have the courage to make tough calls. An extraordinary mentor. Bud taught me the importance of deliberating carefully before acting, and then being willing to stand by decisions, however controversial or hard. Petty Officer Second Class jack J. Duran taught me Lesson Number Four: Leaders can only be as successful as those who work for them want them to be. Jack unfailingly ensured that I always had the support to succeed.” Following his tour in Leyte he became the SO in USS Charles R. Ware (DD-865) where he was also responsible for the mess. Lesson Number five: “With a dash of creativity, the most basic ingredients can be made desirable and exciting.” The Navy taught me Lesson number six: “Standing for something far bigger than yourself becomes its own reward. I am still guided by the lessons I learned during that formative time. I gave the Navy eight years of service: what the Navy gave me is immeasurable.”
From Daye Wilkins and Jim Farris requests for copies of the roster.
From Robert Thomson former ships store, an e-mail: Said he is back to normal after 4 months fighting bacterial infections and other problems. Said he will take better care of himself from now on.
From Marie Koslaskey notification of Charles passing. And, from Rowena Hebert a copy of Carroll’s obituary.
From Ed Holden who served two tours in Leyte a request for reunion information.
From Ron Sheaffer verification of address mixup.
John Ryan sent in photos of Capt. Erdman, Adm. Ballentine, and X division for our memorabilia - he was on duty listening to the Truman viz Wilkie election while waiting the arrival of Harry Berling at FAU Quonset.
From USS Lake Champlain Association – their next reunion will be San Diego in October and next year in Branson. 516-627-9138 www.usslca.org
The USS Philippine Sea Association – have plans for a mini reunion this year in Florida and reunion in St Louis in 2011. 941-743-5460 www.philsea.org


TAPS Dr Pierce Browning 1/10 Charles J Detwiler Kenneth D Jordan 4/10 Charles Kosloskey 6/09 Robert L Lecount, Sr. 3/10 Frank Markienicz 7/10 Christopher Nolan 11/09 Vernon Pahl 10/09 Ronald K Schackett 2/10 Giles Showalter 2/09 David Webster 11/09 Raymond Weiner 3/07

FROM NEWSLETTER EDITOR
Again I am emphasizing the need to please get your changes of address in as soon as possible because if you move the newsletter is returned to me. This especially applies to Life Members. If you go on vacation or temporarily go to a summer/winter address and don’t provide forwarding information then the newsletter comes back to me with ‘Temporary Away’. I have returned some with changes of address and TA but still have a few. For example for the April Newsletter I have them for Clarence Premo, Francis Stanley, George Tallaksen, Paul Rosenblum, Donald Van Koten, Mady Garner, Maurice Howe, and Frank Hanna. A number of others I resent. So if you don’t get your newsletter and your dues are up to date contact me. I can also be contacted by phone or at kmclaurin3@cox.net. There are still copies of the Association Roster with updates available and will be at the ships store in Charleston. If you are not attending the reunion and want a copy it is asked that you send $2.00 with your request for mailing to the editor.
Input is needed for the newsletter. Look at the fine examples in this newsletter. Send along an interesting article that would be of interest to all the shipmates and to your family as you reflect back on the great times in the U.S. Navy and especially in LEYTE. All items are considered for use and especially filler items of interest. Please note the change in dues for those on an annual basis to $15.00 effective this year. And to those long time Life Members that helped by making a special contribution to the Treasury it will help support the printing and mailing costs of the newsletter and maintaining the website.

WEBMASTER
Don Roberts has advised me that the Grandson of Huyler C. Perry, VF-33 (and not a member of the Association) has stepped forward to say
he is willing to put forth a small bit of my time and money to keep the website going.
He is an engineer with some techno-geek credentials. Don will be working with him. Bravo Zulu Perry Steven.

To get a copy of this newsletter in MS Word click here.>> [****]<<

                                                        * * * * * USS LEYTE (CV-32) ASSOCIATION RENEWAL/APPLICATION * * * * *
                                                        I Mbr#____apply to renew (__) or for membership (__) in the USS LEYTE (CV-32) Association and forward
                                                        in consideration a gift of $ 15.00. or Life membership (__) 59 years or less = $150; 60-69= $100; 70 up = $50.

                                                        Name: ______________________________(          ) Wife's Name: ____________     ** 2010 DUES**
                                                        Info Change(__)   first/mi/last nickname
                                                        Address:____________________________ City:_________________ State:____ Zip:_______ + ____
                                                        Phone: Home (____)____-______ e-mail Address ___________________________________
                                                        Crewmember: From ___-___ to ___-___ Division(s):__________ Rank/Rate:______
                                                                                            mo yr        mo yr
                                                        Mil. Retired? No___ Yes___ If yes, Rank/Rate _______ USN/US__     [Mbr# _______ Paid $ _______ ]
                                                        Return Form to: William I. McQueary, 14519 WCR 16, Ft. Lupton, CO 80621
                                                        Please make checks payable to USS LEYTE CV-32 ASSOCIATION
                                                        * * * * A Non-Profit Organization of former crew members * * * *

DIARY OF A VF-31 PLANE CAPTAIN

By John (Wilfred) Duby
The diary was written in Leyte during the Korean Cruise and operations off Korea between Sep 1950 and Feb 1951 and previously circulated to about 40 VF-31 personnel. (Since the diary is hand written some minor editing was done –ED)
9/5/50 – Reported aboard Leyte in Norfolk after 5 days leave. Ship left pier and anchored out. Took on fuel. 1400-back to CPO Mess. (we’ve been on such a long tour we’re getting a repeat of mess duty) Movie: ‘Take One False Step’ – mail call.
9/6/50 – Wind 23 knots, 72?.Rash back, (jock itch). Took on more fuel. 1500 headed out to sea. Heavy seas in evening.
9/7/50 – Field day. Heavy seas in AM. Coffee watch in CPO mess. Secured at 2200. 0815 man overboard. Safely recovered by DD. Flight Quarters 1300. All but jets flying. Fueled 2 DD. Cuba off STBD 1345.
9/8/50 – Slept in till 0700. Weather getting much warmer. 7 DD’s with us.
9/9/50 - 83? rain at noon. Afternoon work party brake out 100 cases of cokes. Abandon ship drill. Flight operations during day. New pilot getting qualified.
9/10/50 – 1000 docked pier #9 Christobal, Canal Zone. 1400 liberty. Walked around and met Wreinski, Twarek & Borski in a bar. Went to YMCA and mailed post cards. Movie ‘Champagne for Caesar’. Returned to ship for Red Skelton movie. Very uninteresting liberty. Hard rain in PM.
9/11/50 – S2 div reveille at 0230. My shoes were stolen. None my size at small stores. 0630 left pier at Christobal – 0715 entered Gatun lock. 1330 entered second lock. 1630 through the locks. 1745 docked at Balboa, Canal Zone. 1915 liberty until 0030.
9/12/50 – Rainy, not so hot. 1200 left Balboa enroute to San Diego. Squadron started to mount bomb & rocket racks on F9F’s. CPO watch in PM.
9/13/50 – Crew member died in sick bay and put in ice box. Sunny and warm. Ship going pretty fast all day. 0930 Seabag inspection. 1900 clocks set back 1 hour.
9/14/50 – 0930 got typhus booster and cowpox vaccinations
9/15/50 – Sea like glass. Payday 1600 got $16. 4 hour speed run in afternoon averaged 32 ½ knots. 1900 all clocks set back 1hour. Ott won $830 gambling.
9/16/50 – Captains inspection in AM. Flight operations in PM. Very cool. Using blanket again. Korea invaded.
9/17/50 – Normal working day. 1300 memorial service for C.W. Morris who died aboard ship. 1500 docked at North Island, San Diego. 1630 went on liberty. Had chance for a date but turned it down (damn fool) . Called home 2115 pacific time. Saw movies ‘Fancy Pants’ & ‘Tea for Two’. Gunnery department painting ship in afternoon.
9/18/50 – Gunnery department painting outside of ship. Work parties taking on stores all day. Had CPO mess watch.
9/19/50 – Picked up blues from dry cleaners and went to work. Big breakout in AM. 37 F4U’s & 5 flivers TN-OY-2 taken aboard. 1330 left San Diego. Letters from home. 1900 set clocks back 1 hour.
9/20/50 – Cool slept with blanket. 1300 General Quarters. 1900 clocks set back 1 hour. 65?
9/21/50 – 0830 GQ. Slight swells. 1900 clocks set back 1 hour.
9/22/50 – 0800 shot for cholera. 79? sea smooth. Zone inspection.
9/23/50 – Mail call. 2 letters brought by DD. Operating off Hawaiian Islands all day. 83? uniform changed to whites. F4U crashed into barriers. Didn’t drop soon enough and flew until he hit barriers. Got a picture of it. 4 – 6 plane jet hops. Night operations.
9/24/50 – Sunday normal work day. Planes flying all day. #106 flew with rockets. Nose came off . #104 when it landed. Night operations. AD’s fired at tow sled.
9/25/50 – 0345 reveille. Flight Ops in AM. 1345 Quarters for entering Pearl harbor, Oahu. 1445 docked at NAS Pearl harbor. Didn’t have liberty but got my & Harris’s liberty cards and we left with Grogan at 1830. Went to Honolulu & Waikiki Beach. Got back at 2400.
9/26/50 - 73? 2 letters at mail call. Planes loaded aboard ship in AM. 1345 quarters for getting underway enroute to Japan. CPO mess coffee watch secured at 2430. Was told I made 3rd class petty Officer.
9/27/50 – Heavy seas all day. Getting cooler. Secured in PM. Finished book ‘My Gun is Quick’. 1900 clocks set back 1 hour.
9/28/50 – Field day in AM and got a shot. 1200 north of Midway Island. Warm. Zone inspection. 1345 started reading ‘The Flying Saucers are Real’. 1640 passed international date line.
9/29/50 – Very heavy seas. Took down laundry after evening chow.
9/30/50 – 0500 reveille. 0515 GQ. Occasional heavy seas. Chow started at 1600 so deck could be painted. 1900 clocks set back 1 hour.
10/1/50 – Sunday 0515 reveille. 1000 went to church. Secured at 1330. Mail can now be sent free.
10/2/50 – 0525 reveille & GQ. Made hamburgers in CPO mess in PM. Payday got $22 and collected $15 owed me.
10/3/10 – Heavy seas and raining. Uniform is blues. Dropped anchor at 1500, Yokosuka Bay, Japan. Liberty granted for 3 hours, 2000 – 2300.
10/4/50 - 65? rained all day. Liberty at 1430 – 2200. Waited in line to change money until 1645 & only got Military Script. Went on base and got something to eat & saw movie ‘Singing Guns’ with Vaughn Monroe. Came back to ship & saw movie ‘The Men’.
10/5/50 - 61? liberty at 1430. Overcast & dreary. Had CPO watch & then went on liberty with Bartlett at 2030. Went to see his Japanese girlfriend. Returned at 2230.
10/6/50 – Bought 2 boxes of cigars $10 (why I don’t smoke). 0830 pulled out from Yokosuka. Boxer CV-21 anchored in bay. Weather cleared up and warmer.
10/7/50 - 73? flight operations all day & at night. Heading south. Got membership card for domain of Golden Dragon.
10/8/50 – Sunday work day in AM with flight operations. Anchored at Sasebo, Japan 1215. 7th fleet anchored here about 50 ships anchored about 4 minutes out. Liberty at 1500, got back at 1900 as nothing of interest there.
10/9/50 – 0915 departed Sasebo with task force composed of 12 DD’s, 1 cruiser, Leyte, Valley Forge heading for Korea. 1700 Korea off port bow.
10/10/50 – 0430 flight quarters. 0530 GQ. Big breakout in AM. Planes on combat strikes all day first combat. Getting colder. Planes flying at night.
10/11/50 – Cold 0530 GQ. Cloudy. Planes flying combat. VF-32 skipper made emergency landing at Wonsan but reported safe. AD ammo box hit by bomb blast & exploded tearing hole in wing. F9’s knocked out some trains. Night flying.
10/12/50 – Cold 0530 GQ. Air strikes in AM. Refueling in PM & took on ammo. Mail left ship but none came on. Saw gun camera movies in ready room (Weber ?)
10/13/50 - 66? warmer, sunny. 0530 GQ. Air strikes all day. Tail buckled on # 112 & #117. F4U crash – waved off but tail hook caught. Had to stand watch for Harris.
10/14/50 – 0530 GQ secured in AM. Watched landings PM. F4U crashed into sea on take off. Helicopter picked up pilot. Cool and Sunny. Philippine Sea with us since yesterday. Valley Forge left.
10/15/50 – Operating with Valley Forge, Philippine Sea and Boxer. Supporting landing party at Wonson. Air strikes all day. Planes did the most damage that they’ve done so far. Sunday routine for all except Air Group. Movie ‘White Heat’ in mess compartment.
10/16/50 – 1100 payday got $129, some back pay. Started growing a beard. Had Squadron party in ready room. Skipper had made 1000th jet landing on carrier and also for men who got rated. Had our picture taken together. Saw combat film of targets the planes hit. Relieved from CPO mess by Delmarco after noon meal. Mail call, 5 letters. Taking on fuel and ammo all day. Rainy. Passed out cigars. (Guess they were because I made 3rd class P.O.) Man fell from flight deck to forecastle this AM. Officially notified I made AD3. Movie ‘Fighting Man of the Plains’.
10/17/50 – Cloudy AM, sunny PM Worked on line pulling fury struts, tip tank plugs and checking tires. 4 jet hops. A couple of jets used rockets on last hop. Secured at 2030
10/18/50 – 0530 GQ. Replenished ship. Got flight deck gear. Met Westwood from Boot Camp. He is in VA-35 (He was killed Oct 1 1951 when the AD he was in was practicing dive bombing at night and never returned).
10/19/50 – 0215 Reveille. 3 hops in AM, 1 in PM. #102 crashed in to sea on take off. Davis flying. Got out OK. Starboard catapult blew up barely moving F9F across deck. Plane did a somersault & landed right side up but all submerged except tail when opposite island on flight deck. Secured at 1845. On first strike they got 4 locomotives, Guzski got 2.
10/20/50 – Bad weather, all flights cancelled at 1400. Fueled DD’s in AM. Movie in afternoon and 2 in evening. Man fell from flight deck to forecastle with bomb cart in AM.
10/21/50 – 0530 GQ. Flying all day.
10/22/50 – Sunny. G’ski made 27,000 Leyte landing in #117. Operated with 3 carriers in AM, 2 left in PM. Starboard Cat used only for AD’s. Sot supposed to be and flights today but flying all day & night. Secured at 2200.
10/23/50 – Took on ammo and fuel in AM. Also mail, got 4 letters. Antiaircraft firing in PM. Secured at 1800.
10/24/50 – Cold. All jet hops cancelled. Other planes flew all day. Jim got crabs. Checked out mittens.
10/25/50 – Checked out rain gear. Jet from Valley Forge made emergency landing. Had broken turbine blade. F9F-3 with J-33 engine. Rain, sun, snow, cold. Planes night flying.
10/26/50 – Warm 7 sunny all day. Cloudy & stormy late afternoon. Replenished and repovisioned ship. Took on fuel & ammo and fresh provisions in AM had line duty. Planes moved before and after movie. Engine change on Valley Forge Jet by their AD’s. Engine brought over by one of the replenishment ships. Secured at 2200.
10/27/50 – High winds & light to heavy seas in AM. Only 1 jet hop & a couple of combat strikes. Valley Forge left last night, returned about 1600. Their jet launched. Cold at sunset, land off in west, probably Korea. 18 days at sea.
10/28/50 – 0430 reveille. Partly cloudy, sunny & warm. 13 jets flying at on time this AM 5 jet hops. Ens. Dodd made 100th sortie landing .
10/29/50 – partly cloudy 7 sunny. Took on fuel and supplies in AM Refueled DD’s & launched 2 anti-sub planes in PM. 0000-0400 watch. 5 letters at mail call. 21 days at sea.
10/30/50 – 0530 GQ. 0820 anchored at Sasebo. Slept in line shack after mid watch. 1300 liberty – went ashore with Ploy. Saw ‘Bright Leaf’ move at PX. Returned 2230.
10/31/50 - 61? Sunny, rain. Not working, just loafing. Got European Occupation medal & 3rd class P.O. Certificate. Movie ‘Johnny Holiday”.
11/1/50 – Liberty with Ploy and Green. Spent $27. 3 letters.
11/2/50 – Squadron beer party. No cokes. About everyone loaded except me. Liberty 1230 & returned 1730. Pretty dull. Movie on ship ‘One Way Street”
11/3/50 – Took 0830 boat to Sasebo to go to Nagasaki tour with Bova, Crosby & Morin. Train left at 1148 and got to Nagasaki at 1500. Train left at 1844 & back to Sasebo at 2125. 533.2 miles. Very few ruins except memorial place where atom bomb dropped.
11/4/50 – 0900 Captains inspection. Liberty at 1100. holiday routine in afternoon. Sent 4 letters. Sunny & Warm.
11/5/50 – Sunday. 0745 pulled out of Sasebo with Valley Forge, Missouri, a cruiser and 12 cans. Going back to Korea. Respotted planes. 50 MPH winds. Holiday routine in afternoon.
11/6/50 – Steaming north all day. 1 Jet hop. Secured at 2200.
11/7/50 – Partly cloudy. 5 jet hops. #118 landed without tail hook. Kelly flying. Went thru 2 barriers and stopped on 3rd. Night flying.
11/8/50 – 0545 GQ. Night flying. Had line duty. Hops all day. Secured at 2300.
11/9/50 – Read ‘Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye’ pretty good. Replenished ship. Set record of 117 tons of ammo in 1 hour. Slept in AM read in afternoon. Cool. No letters.
11/10/50 – Planes Using 2000# bombs. AD went over starboard flight deck forward of 5” guns into water on take off. Pilot picked up by helicopter. Jets flying 4 & 8 CAP hops. Night flying. Sunny
11/11/50 – 0400 watch cancelled because of 0310 flight quarters. AD shot down over Korea. Arrangements being made to get pilot out by helicopter. Air Force F-80’s fired at our F9F’s. Crangle flying. Sunny. Holiday routine for ships company in afternoon. 3 – 4 plane CAP & 2 – 8 plane TAR CAPS. Record jet launch. 8 planes average 24./1 seconds each. Cruiser taking place of Missouri.
11/12/50 – Missouri returned with another carrier. Pilot shot down yesterday still alive. Air-Sea rescue at Hungnam making plans to get him out by helicopter as soon as weather clears. Weather bad in afternoon so no flying. Report for replenishing. AD’s used ‘tiny Tim’ 11.75 rockets. Secured at 1700. 2 movies and cartoon.
11/13/50 – 0530 reveille, 0600 GQ. Refueling in morning but rough seas snapped 2 of 3 fuel lines. Finished refueling in afternoon.
11/14/50 – Jet jumped barriers on Phil Sea. Caught fire & knocked 2 F9F’s over the side, damaged 4 others and 2 AD’s. Very cold a little snow. Drew foul weather pants, hat & mask. 2 jet hops. Cloudy. Had duty secured 2230.
11/15/50 – 0530 reveille 0630 GQ. Sunny, not so cold. 4 jet hops. Operating only with Valley Forge. DD brought us mail. Got letter, candy & funnies. Payday drew $40.
11/16/50 – Replenished ship. Got 2 letters. Finished 4th color film and sent in. Had to reset fuel pumps for cold weather to prevent flame outs. Had duty all day. Sunny. Secured 1945.
11/17/50 – 3 – 4 plane jet hop & 1 – 8 TAR CAP. Cool 7 hazy. Movie ‘The Lawless”.
11/18/50 – Rain in morning. 1 -8 plane TAR CAP. Weber shot down MIG 15. Two others downed by other sources. Sent home Christmas presents. Cost $4.65 first class. Heavy seas at night. Valley Forge left for States.
11/19/50 – Sunday. 2 jet hops. Replenishment cancelled. Windy, cold, sunny.
11/20/50 – Replenished ship. Field day. AA firing in afternoon. Received correspondence course and 5 letters. Secured at 1900. sunny, warm. Movie ‘The Reformer and the Redhead’.
11/21/50 – 16 days at sea. Sunny, cool. Air operations all day. AD’s used Tiny Tims. F4U from Phil Sea came in on fire for emergency landing but didn’t make the ship. Made belly landing in water and helicopter picked up the pilot. #116 Ensign Rose had a lot of trouble getting hook down but finally made perfect landing. SECNAV came aboard by helicopter at 1500, left at 1545. Gave us a big line of bullshit. He shook hands & talked with officers and crew from his state. AD from Phil Sea made emergency landing with engine trouble.
11/22/50 – Sunny, cloudless. F4U from VF-32 flew into high tension wire but returned OK. Damage to rudder only thing visible. Had 1600-2000 watch. Phil Sea has lost 19 of 38 F9Fs to date.
11/23/50 – Thanksgiving. Replenished ship. 2 letters. Didn’t work all day. Cloudy & cold.
11/24/50 – Cloudy, cold & rainy. 3 jet hops. Heavy seas.
11/25/50 – No entry.
11/26/50 – 49? Sunday routine. Reprovisioned ship all day to 1900 then flight quarters. Secured at 2030. 6 letters.
11/27/50 – 22 day at sea. 2 jet hops, last hop landed at Wonsan, Korea. Ship in heavy snow storm with visibility zero. F4U emergency landing from Phil Sea. Pilot hit under arm pit by shrapnel. F4U flew into cable in Korea. Phil Sea lost another jet.
11/28/50 – Overcast, cold, a little snow. F4U photo shot down. Jodzio & I had movies of us taken changing a tire. Possibility of news reel. Got funnies from Oct 8.
11/29/50 – Replenished unexpectedly. Much mail & packages from home & 2 sets color slides. Didn’t work all day.
11/30/50 - 38? sunny. Sent in 7th color film. #106 lost in drink. Ensign Rose flying, Rodemoyer Plane Captain. Took wave off to starboard of ship. Made sharp bank to avoid island & lost altitude. Pilot fault but OK. 2 guns on F4U fired accidentally. 1 gun fired through side of engine in front of it & fragments showered tail of plane in front of this. 3 – 4 plane & 8 plane hops. Have 0000-0400 watch tonight Wresinski relieved of #108 and is 5th P.O. in charge of line.
12/1/50 – 1 – 2 plane hop in morning. All noon and afternoon hops cancelled. Blizzard and heavy seas in afternoon. Viewed my color slides with Manley’s projector.
12/2/50 - 35? Jets turned up and taxied around flight deck to melt ice and snow. Partly cloudy. Payday $15. 1 letter.
12/3/50 - 44? Sunday, 1 more letter. #107 went into barrier. Memal flying. New tail hook broke off. Cloudy. Hops all day. A plane broke through 2 barriers & stopped by cable barrier. Last night hanger deck sprinklers turned on to put out fire from F4U tracers. Cockpit of #104 flooded. Possibility of complete rewiring. Movie ‘Tap Root’.
12/4/50 - 19? 3 – 4 plane jet hops. Ensign Brown of VF-32 shot down. Has broken back, fellow F4U pilot crash landed beside him. (according to information 50 years later Browns body was not recovered) AD made emergency landing in Korea. Some planes got lost and didn’t get back to ship until late. Secured at 2145.
12/5/50 – Cold, windy, rough seas. Replenished ship all day. Slept in AM. Lecture by Davis in afternoon in ready room on how war is going officially. 1515 VD movie and lecture by Chaplain. 30 days at sea.
12/6/50 - 32? Princeton operating with us.
12/7/50 – Cold, slight snow. 1 – 10 plane hop and 1 – 4 plane hop.
12/8/50 – Flying cancelled as heavy overcast, ceiling ‘0’. Refueled in afternoon and took on ammo in evening. 3 letters funnies & VT, Life magazine. Cold.
12/9/50 – Clear, sunny & not all cold. Only a couple of miles off coast of Korea. Finished 6th color film. #112 made bad landing. Slid in sideways & broke starboard main gear and wing beam so plane is down permanently. Seim flying it. Jameson Plane Captain. Only couple of miles off Korea.
12/10/50 – 32? Sunday morning. Weber & Caldwell back from Itizubi, Japan with 2 F9F-2B’s from VMF-311. Four 3rd class P.O. on line cut cards for Plane Captain on one of these. I cut ace of spades and won so I am P/C now instead of wheel. Dodd made 29,000th landing in #118. Cloudy. Respot for replenishing. Secured at 2200.
12/11/50 – Replenished and took on stores. Slept most of day. 8 letters, set of slides & funnies in mail Acceptance check on #106 in night.
12/12/50 – Man had arm cut off by AD turning up on hangar deck at 0330. Sunny & not too cold. 1 letter. LCDR Bagwell, skipper of VA-35 shot down and captured.
12/13/50 – Mostly cloudy & cool. Plane hop 1515 went to movie ‘Jigsaw’. 2000 movie ‘Caged’. 0400-0800 watch. Secured at 1800.
12/14/50 – Didn’t work. Movie in afternoon. Respot for replenishing. Secured 1800.
12/15/50 – Cold. Replenished and reprovisioned. 3 letters & a package sent Nov 10th. 4 new men in squadron. Payday $15. Respot. Secured 2000.
12/16/50 – Fruit cake from mother, sent Nov 9th plus 1 letter. Small carrier, CVE or L operating with us. Movie in afternoon ‘Woman on Pier 13’. Early AM hop. Others cancelled till 1510.
12/17/50 – End of 6th week at sea. Very heavy seas and high winds. Swells breaking over small carrier like it was a destroyer. #117 made hard landing and broke port landing gear. Hops cancelled in afternoon. Respot at 1700 for replenishment. 5” rocket thrown over the side & exploded, rocking the ship.
12/18/50 – 0445 respot. Replenishment cancelled. Hops cancelled. Only 3 jets up. Sunny & cold.
12/19/50 – Cold. Replenished. Got a package, 5 letters & 3 Christmas cards. Partly cloudy. Kneisley relieved me as Plane Captain of #106. #117 down for the cruise.
12/20/50 - #106 in drink on take off. Catapult failure. Pilot tried to stop plane with brakes but it went over the port corner of the deck, turned a summersault & landed right side up. Pilot Owens. P/C Kneisley. #106 was a replacement from marines and this was its first take off. Not too cold, cloudy. Night flying planes using flares to illuminate target. Helicopter brought cable reels from Phil sea to secure jets.
12/21/50 - 37? windy, sunny. 3 -8 plane hops. Duty at night. Respot for replenishing.
12/22/50 – Replenished ship. Package and 3 letters. Valley Forge joined, Phil Sea, Princeton & us. 1st sub spotted by gunnery.
12/23/50 – Heavy overcast, not too cold. Started 7th color film. Missouri bombarding outskirts of Hungnam. Night flying secured at 2030. a LTJG homo caught by marines at night.
12/24/50 – 1 – 6 & 2 -4 plane hops. #114 right landing gear collapsed on hangar deck.
12/25/50 – Holiday routine. No jet hops, only ASP & CAP. Phil Sea headed for Sasebo in afternoon. 0140-0530 hops. Hungnam evacuated so night flyers bombed it. 3 other CV’s & 1 CVE operating with us. Destroyer brought mail. 4 letters & 3 cards.
12/26/50 – 79? partly cloudy and rain. Moored at Sasebo 1000. 51 days 2 hours at sea. 1st section liberty. Mail letters, slides, package. Had duty on line. Cruiser, Phil Sea &Missouri in port with us.
12/27/50 – Cold and cloudy. Ship had beer party in morning. Everybody screwed up. Had liberty in Sasebo. Bought gifts for relatives. #112 & #117 transferred from ship. Got back from liberty at 1800.
12/28/50 – Frosty morning and spring day. 3 letters & several cards plus 5th and 6th sets of slides.
12/29/50 – Work party 0030-0130. Ate chow and went to bed 0200. didn’t get to sleep in. field day. 2 newspapers, 1 card in mail.
12/30/50 – Captains inspection 0915. 1300 holiday routine. Maple sugar candy and 1 letter in mail.
12/31/50 – Went on liberty at 1200. Movie at PX ‘right Cross’. Bought more gifts for home. More mail. Went to 2300 church which lasted until 0015.
1/1/51 – Sunny not too cold. Holiday routine. 2 letters.
1/2/51 – Overcast. Payday $40. mail. 0000-0400 hangar deck control watch.
1/3/51 – Sunny duty on line.
1/4/51 – Liberty. Bought china tea set for mother (still have it). Not too cold.
1/5/51 – 4 letters, 1 card. Sunny. Started checking nose wheel rims.
1/6/51 – British carrier moored alongside us 0800 and left at 1300. Captain’s inspection. 3 letters, 2 cards. Liberty at 1030. Holiday routine. Slept all afternoon.
1/7/51 – Sunday. 0820 quarters for leaving port. Left Sasebo at 0845. Met Princeton CV-37 on way in. AA firing in afternoon. 5” gun back fired injuring a man. Started 8th color film.
1/8/51 – Hops weathered in. Raining. Movie ‘Secret Fury’.
1/9/51 – Hops weathered in . 0400 reveille for men taking 3rd class P.O. exams. Movie ‘Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye’. Long johns issued.
1/10/51 - 42? rainy. Hops weathered in.
1/11/51 – 1 weather hop in morning. 1 – F9F CAP & ASP about 1500. Report for replenishing.
1/12/51 - 38? Replenishing. Packages 7 newspapers for mail. Snowy in afternoon. Went afternoon movie ‘Black magic’.
1/13/51 – Sunny. Admiral came aboard. Movie ‘Mr. 880’.
1/14/51 - Sunny. 6 – 6 plane jet hops. Man ran into jet blast and was blown against #1 5” gun mount. Taken to Sick Bay in stretcher. 0400-0800 HDC watch w/ Ens. Rau (Hanger Deck Control)
1/15/51 - 38? sunny. Night flying – Respot for replenishing. Secured 2200
1/16/51 – Replenished. No mail.
1/17/51 – Sunny. Pay day $26. No more tax taken out. AD shot up & made belly landing. Collection for March of Dimes.
1/18/51 – Admiral on board. Made good speech 7 told us we would be detached from TF-77 tomorrow for Yokosuka and USA. No GQ. FF brought mail – 2 letters. #114 tail hook broke off on take off & dropped out. Plane landed & went through 2 barriers & stopped on third. Kelly flying. Kanapsky Plane Captain.
1/19/51 – VADM Struble COM7th Fleet aboard. Gave speech and awarded Legion of Merit to Capt. Sisson. 4 jets received from Princeton for transfer. Left operating area 1400. Mail call 4 letters. One hop in morning.
1/20/51 – Quarters for entering Sasebo. Took on mail, boats, skids, passengers & planes for transfer. 1300 left Sasebo. Slept in afternoon. 3 letters. All 17 jets spotted on flight deck for fly away. Light rain in afternoon.
1/21/51 – Sunday. 0830 church. Heavy seas 7 rain. Jets respoted for flyaway.
1/22/51 – 0715 flyaway. 17 jets and 42 other planes. 0930 docked at Yokosuka. Unloaded all surplus parts all day. Took on 9 F9F’s from VF-51 7 52. no nose wheels all preserved. Had liberty but stood by for Eberhard. Got base liberty with Wresinski. Went to snack bar and bought light meter at ships service. Went to PO Club at 1800 & drank with Ploy and Bryant. Had 7 drinks & food. Got back at 2230. 2 letters.
1/23/51 – Feel lousy. Slept part of day. Sent 8th color film for processing. 13 F9F’s brought aboard.
1/24/51 – Sunny. Went to Tokyo with Rodemoyer. Nothing there of interest so came back. Bought gifts in Yokosuka. Movie on base ’Harvey’.. Someone broke into line shack and stole.
1/25/51 – Sunny. Quarters as usual. Slept in afternoon. Mail closed 1800.
1/26/51 – 0515 reveille. 0745 quarters for leaving Yokosuka: Passed Russian freighter on way out. AA firing before noon. 2 letters.
1/27/51 – Field Day in morning. Slept in afternoon. 0000 clocks set ahead 1 hour.
1/28/51 – Sunday routine. 0830 church. 0000 clocks set ahead 1 hour.
1/29/51 – 0000 clocks set ahead 1 hour. Crossed international date line at 1600. Finished packing line gear. Blood tests. Turned in foul weather gear. 0400 0800 watch. Shaved beard.
1/30/51 – Chipped lockers in line shack 7 painted with zinc chromate.
1/31/51 – 000Clocks et ahead 1 hour. Painted line shack.
2/1/51 – 59? Payday $45. Got W-2 forms. Field Day in compartments.
2/2/51 - 73? Last diary entry.

Addendum to “Diary of a Plane Captain” by jack Cogdell VF31 Pilot.

Your Diary is great! I spent quite some time reading and remembering. I know I’ll go through it several times and enjoy it each time. I want to compare your entries with my flight log book and old photos. I will definitely get back to you on anything interesting I come up with. Some things I can mention right now.
Your entry for Nov. 27 –‘last hop landed at Wonsan.’ That was Vince Kelly’s division, I was tail end Charlie. There is more to the story than I’ll mention here, but when we landed there was a big battle going on. The marines said the Chi-Coms would probably over-run the field that night. Vince decided to try to save the planes by returning to the carrier even though when we tried to get aboard earlier we couldn’t see the ship because of the blizzard and the Marines couldn’t spare any fuel for us because they were short and needed it for their F4U’s to bomb the Chinese who were only a mile or so away. It was dusk, we didn’t know how far away the ship was and, we were very low on fuel. Tail end Charlie always uses more fuel than anyone else in the division and when I started the engine my low fuel state light was on. I had only 900 pounds of fuel! We took off (the plane was so light it practically leapt into the air) and headed east into the dark gray storm clouds. We were very lucky. The ship had been heading west, was in a clear spot under the overcast and amazingly had a ready deck. We were certainly off schedule. Vince got a fuel stare check from us and since I was so low on fuel he told me to ‘break’ over the top of the division and land first. I got out of the gear and across the barriers but ran out of fuel before I got fully parked.
I’ll write the rest of the story when I have more time. (Hope you can share it with the newsletter –ED)

Posted 08/12/2010

00:05Po