Down to the Sea

Home > Nonfiction > Down to the Sea > Page 35
Down to the Sea Page 35

by Bruce Henderson


  “detached as”: Hull deck log, Oct. 2, 1944.

  “the most junior”: Preston Mercer testimony, Court of Inquiry, Dec. 27, 1944.

  “short and slight…very serious”: Calhoun, Typhoon, p. 22.

  “Valedictorian of”: The Lucky Bag 1938, p. 311.

  “pierced…never forgot”: James A. Marks Jr. interview. 115–

  “stellar captain…hard act…remote…his problems…asocial…did not eat…in a hurry…afraid the…closing up”: Watkins interview.

  “improper uniform”: Hull deck log, Oct. 13, 1944.

  “use of foul”: ibid., Nov. 2, 1944.

  “20 days…full ration”: ibid., Oct. 29, 1944.

  “hard-fisted”: Carl Webb interview.

  “just couldn’t…all for his…but our new…every unlegal”: William Zentner, “The Last Cruise.”

  “three or…available at…could sleep…stay afloat…totally unrealistic”: Watkins interview.

  “on various courses”: Hull deck log, Oct. 10, 1944.

  “giving him…never been whipped…rolled over…sat back”: Archie DeRyckere interview.

  “relatively calm…thrown hard…quite evident…very poor…within satisfactory”: James A. Marks testimony, Court of Inquiry, Dec. 29, 1944.

  “more alterations…add slightly”: Mercer testimony, Court of Inquiry.

  “hang out…having the…going to…heads off…it stuck”: Zentner, “The Last Cruise.”

  “a sure sign”: Dawes, The Dragon’s Breath, p. 27.

  “tried to talk…lose the ship”: Douhan interview.

  “simulated depth”: Hull deck log, Oct. 17, 1944.

  “would not…a dangerous”: Watkins interview.

  “hunting cabin…not too sure”: Portia Kreidler Albee interview.

  “participated in operations”: J. S. Monroe, Commanding, PC-476, June 17, 1944.

  “attacking with…resupply mission”: William C. Meyer, Commanding, PC-476, Jan. 4, 1943, and Dec. 12, 1942.

  “not be back”: Douhan interview.

  “really embarrassing…no dock…take the…I don’t”: Schultz interview.

  “getting into…get rid…Consolvo’s crew…spoiled…everyone else…tough…destroyed by”: Douhan interview.

  “good ship…gentlemanly…never saying…a lot of…very big…main ambition…joked about…an awful”: Watkins interview.

  “after my…not amused…go back”: DeRyckere interview.

  “capable of…incapable…so bad in…bad driver”: Rust interview.

  “southern gentleman…calling Marks”: Edwin Brooks Jr. interview.

  “My only hope”: Kenneth Drummond letter, Dec. 2, 1944.

  Chapter Ten

  “a Pacific base”: George Spangler, “Ulithi,” Mar. 1998.

  “first female…skunky drunk…short, slight”: F. Bruce Garrett III interview.

  “to study for”: Floyd Bruce Garrett Jr. U.S. Navy discharge, Feb. 17, 1934.

  “smallest and…quiet dignity”: Calhoun, Typhoon, p. 24.

  “small in size”: The Lucky Bay 1938, p. 63.

  “Ensign Garrett”: Floyd B. Garrett Jr. fitness report, Apr. 1939.

  “I now request”: Floyd B. Garrett Jr. letter, Nov. 12, 1940.

  “impractical to approve”: Chief of Bureau of Navigation letter, Nov. 16, 1940.

  “because I would”: Floyd B. Garrett Jr. letter, Jan. 26, 1943.

  “an outstanding piece”: Henry E. Eccles letter, Mar. 4, 1942.

  “Experience possessed”: William J. Giles Jr. letter, Jan. 26, 1943.

  “sudden and…I am going”: F. Bruce Garrett III letter, Nov. 14, 2006.

  “be retained…experience and…answered by”: Cowell telegram, Nov. 27, 1944.

  “intelligent, demanding…more like…thoroughly seasoned…destroyers in”: Calhoun, Typhoon, p. 9.

  “watertight integrity…up to…very much”: Mercer testimony, Court of Inquiry.

  “the confidence…kind and…our duties”: Joseph C. McCrane letter, Apr. 18, 1945.

  “southern charm”: F. Bruce Garrett III letter, Nov. 14, 2006.

  “a man’s man”: The Lucky Bag 1938, p. 152.

  “life in general”: ibid., p. 230.

  “good-natured”: ibid., p. 319.

  “Long Island’s”: The Lucky Bay 1937, p. 222.

  “loyal, energetic”: ibid., p. 146.

  “great pride”: Calhoun, Typhoon, p. 24.

  “crimson, yellow…caps of”: Adamson and Kosco, Halsey’s Typhoons, p. 1.

  “The greatest fleet…fresh from”: Baldwin, Sea Fights and Shipwrecks, p. 19.

  “neat as…shone like…As was…head up”: Adamson and Kosco, Halsey’s Typhoons, pp. 3, 4.

  “Japan’s capacity…terminated”: Potter, Bull Halsey, p. 306.

  “aware of…Pearl Harbor…no discernible…morale rose”: ibid., p. 52.

  “essentially pinpricks”: Thomas, Sea of Thunder, p. 50.

  “first American”: Potter, Bull Halsey, p. 155.

  “completely reversed…on the defensive”: ibid., p. xiii.

  “successful turning”: ibid., p. 181.

  “a legendary figure”: Thomas, Sea of Thunder, p. 118.

  “sixty-five”: Morison, Leyte, p. 196.

  “the last…glimpsed the…recklessly”: McCain and Salter, Faith of My Fathers, p. 42.

  “childish…to guard”: Thomas, Sea of Thunder, p. 316.

  “We will go”: Harold Stassen letter, Jan. 13, 1959.

  “Kill Japs”: Dawes, The Dragon’s Breath, p. 11.

  “one hell…heading right”: Thomas, Sea of Thunder, p. 233.

  “rather impatient…Yes, yes…alert mind…mass of…a decoy”: Morison, Leyte, p. 195.

  “formidable aggregation”: ibid., p. 162.

  “nothing but empty”: ibid., p. 196.

  “Where is”: Potter, Nimitz, p. 340.

  “not bomb…bait…draw it…nothing worse…to bother…He’s busy”: Potter, Bull Halsey, p. 297.

  “padding to”: McCain and Salter, Faith of My Fathers, p. 40.

  “taunting him…broke into sobs…Stop it…not until…Where is Task”: ibid., p. 303.

  “stunned as if…mad he”: Potter, Nimitz, p. 340.

  “pale with anger”: Adamson and Kosco, Halsey’s Typhoons, p. 26.

  “What right does”: Solberg, Decision and Dissent, p. 154; Thomas, Sea of Thunder, p. 301.

  “furious…gratuitous insult”: Halsey letter, Feb. 5, 1959.

  “strongly opposed…nowhere near…as a nudge…wisest use”: Potter, Halsey, p. 403.

  “interfering with”: Potter, Nimitz, p. 339.

  “like a tiger…up and down…[Halsey] has left…golden opportunity”: Clark and Reynolds, Carrier Admiral, p. 201.

  “persistent grumbling…careless ways”: Thomas, Sea of Thunder, p. 103.

  “not sufficiently”: Potter, Bull Halsey, p. xii.

  “prone to…guilty of…often vague…complex offensive…inefficiency was”: Reynolds, The Fast Carriers, pp. 281–82.

  “shorten the…guarantee Japan’s”: ibid., p. 253.

  “within forty”: McCain and Salter, Faith of My Fathers, p. 41.

  “Battle of Bull’s”: Potter, Bull Halsey, p. 304.

  “the bugaboo”: ibid., p. 216.

  “failure to…gushing…Everyone here…verbal castigation…charged…threatening the…repeatedly stated”: Thomas, Sea of Thunder, p. 325.

  “He’s still a”: ibid., p. 307.

  “under the…hated…an adequate…tired in…MacArthur’s obliging…rested and”: Halsey, Admiral Halsey’s Story, pp. 234–36.

  “thousands of superb”: Reynolds, The Fast Carriers, p. 253.

  “break off…longed to…bitter disappointment…no wings”: Morison, Leyte, pp. 354–55.

  “unexpected opportunity”: Report on Operations of the Third Fleet, Jan. 10, 1945.

  “too long”: Potter, Bull Halsey, p. 316.

  “sitting in…Wel
l, just…a bad…But lucky…Wish everyone”: Robert Strand letter, Dec. 10, 1944.

  “neutralization…through restricted…admittedly hazardous…knocked out…by conference…support the…high speed…tactical surprise…with its…Very few…paralyzing”: Report on the Operations of the Third Fleet, Jan. 10, 1945. 137–

  “intercepting our…not a…the congestion”: Halsey, Admiral Halsey’s Story, p. 236.

  “masterminded…early warning”: Adamson and Kosco, Halsey’s Typhoons, pp. 21–22.

  “nearest spot…dangerously low”: Morison, Liberation of the Philippines, p. 60.

  “a huge…impossible to”: ibid., p. 24.

  “get back…imperative”: Calhoun, Typhoon, p. 29.

  “driven…his fullest”: Adamson and Kosco, Halsey’s Typhoons, p. 26.

  “became standard…shortest in”: Clark, Carrier Admiral, p. 153.

  Chapter Eleven

  “potential typhoon”: All quotations attributed to Reid Bryson and others: Reid A. Bryson interview; Reid A. Bryson, “Typhoon Forecasting, 1944, or, The Making of a Cynic,” Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, Oct. 2000.

  “storm indications…very weak…move off…didn’t expect…very small”: George F. Kosco testimony, Court of Inquiry, Dec. 26, 1944.

  “found a way”: Bernadette Kosco interview.

  “Well, if I”: The Lucky Bag 1930.

  “one of the…broken steel…giving all”: Associated Press, Nov. 6, 1931.

  “prison ship”: Potter, Bull Halsey, p. 123.

  “not hurt”: William G. Kosco interview. 148–

  “a little bad…quite delayed…sort of…wind with…all normal”: Kosco testimony, Court of Inquiry, Dec. 26, 1944.

  “exceptional cases”: Morison, Liberation of the Philippines, p. 60.

  “reassuring 29.84…even existing…not given”: Adamson and Kosco, Halsey’s Typhoons, pp. 31–32.

  “unsteady barometer…rules for establishing…50 to 80…surrounding the”: Bowditch, American Practical Navigator, p. 286.

  “disturbance…lay in the”: Morison, Liberation of the Philippines, pp. 60–61.

  “chased out…the same thing”: Halsey letter, Oct. 3, 1944.

  “steaming in close…congested area”: Calhoun, Typhoon, p. 32.

  “collisions were”: Adamson and Kosco, Halsey’s Typhoon, p. 31.

  “noticeable change…latent power…rhythmically lifted…let to settle”: Erwin S. Jackson, “Trapped in a Typhoon,” Naval History, Dec. 2004.

  “for dear…swaying, swirling…fighting air”: Adamson and Kosco, Halsey’s Typhoons, p. 31.

  “too rough”: Morison, Liberation of the Philippines, p. 61.

  “maintaining station…lashed and…shocked…allowed to…incredible…never known…deemed inconsistent…unhappy impression…remiss in…I wouldn’t…provide a”: Calhoun, Typhoon, pp. 32–33.

  “nice guy”: Wohlleb interview.

  “operated at”: Halsey, Admiral Halsey’s Story, p. 238.

  “high-speed…paint on”: Krauchunas, “USS Spence: The Typhoon and the Senior Survivor.”

  “on hand”: New Jersey deck log, Dec. 17, 1944.

  “almost landed…almost even…Get that…Mother Nature…too young”: Wohlleb interview.

  “6,000 gallons…22,265 gallons”: New Jersey deck log, Dec. 17, 1944.

  “upon the…upper works…so fast…violence of…isolated instance…weather evaluation…his great…data had been…a weak…frontal zone…storm center…about 400…all indications…only a tropical…move off…at right angles…safe distance…cutting things…storm or no”: Adamson and Kosco, Halsey’s Typhoons, pp. 34–37.

  “knock off…right away…getting a…didn’t think”: Kosco testimony, Court of Inquiry.

  “falling steadily…12 to 15…mixing diesel”: Action Report, Third Fleet, Dec. 25, 1944.

  “hindsight…10 knots…clear of…at least”: Wilbur M. Lockhart testimony, Court of Inquiry.

  “not be expected”: Gerald Bogan testimony, Court of Inquiry.

  “valiant but…no typhoon…one of those…troublesome enough…capable of…pros and cons…every report…round-table…vainly for…predict its…kill time…seek better…reversing”: Adamson and Kosco, Halsey’s Typhoons, pp. 38–39. 157–

  “lack of…inflated canvas…word was received”: Krauchunas, “USS Spence: The Typhoon and the Senior Survivor.”

  “high on the…sail”: Adamson and Kosco, Halsey’s Typhoons, p. 99.

  “relatively simple”: Torres interview.

  “six hours”: Potter, Bull Halsey, p. 321.

  “severe cyclonic”: Bogan testimony.

  “less than 200”: Halsey, Admiral Halsey’s Story, p. 237.

  “400 miles”: Howard S. Smith, Memorandum to Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet.

  “might be…at the time…to make a…something was…hit us…increasing in…hand-to…long range…out of the”: Kosco testimony, Court of Inquiry.

  “historical data”: William G. Kosco interview.

  “bit of shut-eye…safest…southerly course…What do…danger…nearer the…Severe…in a weather”: Adamson and Kosco, Halsey’s Typhoons, pp. 41–42.

  “not to be”: Adamson and Kosco, Halsey’s Typhoons, p. 38.

  “counting on…live up…deserted…bypassed…stay until…disposed to”: Taussig, A Warrior for Freedom, pp. 114–15. 160–

  “hand-to-hand…long range…out of”: Adamson and Kosco, Halsey’s Typhoons, p. 42.

  “short and…turbulent”: ibid., p. 47.

  “things…due to…almost due…What do…We turn”: Kosco testimony, Court of Inquiry.

  “cyclonic storm…under existing”: Bogan testimony.

  “field of…snap judgment…mere hunch…reluctantly decided”: Adamson and Kosco, Halsey’s Typhoons, p. 48.

  “in about…not to”: Bryson interview; Lt. Daniel F. Rex, “An Aerological Report of the Typhoon of 15–21 December 1944.”

  “Loath to…commence fueling…collision course”: Morison, Liberation of the Philippines, pp. 66–67.

  “clearly demonstrated…not feasible”: Calhoun, Typhoon, p. 45.

  “blacker than pitch”: Adamson and Kosco, Halsey’s Typhoons, p. 49.

  “mountains of…a hell’s chorus…just stay…riding as though”: Charles R. Calhoun, “Typhoon!” Reader’s Digest, Jan. 1959.

  “sea and”: Wouk, Caine Mutiny, p. 326.

  “voiced an…probably take”: Kosco testimony.

  “rather than…stay in…carry out”: Taussig, A Warrior for Freedom, p. 114.

  “very rough”: New Jersey deck log, Dec. 18, 1944.

  “oilers [should] not”: Jasper T. Acuff testimony, Court of Inquiry.

  “didn’t like”: Bogan testimony.

  “present conditions…Yarnall 20 percent;”: Action Report, Third Fleet, Dec. 25, 1944.

  “regretfully notified…could not…pounding heavily”: Halsey, Admiral Halsey’s Story, p. 238.

  “rather apparent…ordinary tropical…typhoon conditions…falling very”: Kosco testimony.

  “typhoon”: Frederick C. Sherman testimony, Court of Inquiry.

  “ceiling rested”: Adamson and Kosco, Halsey’s Typhoons, p. 51.

  “typical barometric…sure sign”: Morison, Liberation of the Philippines, p. 68.

  “wind went…all ships…improperly…much difference…making a race”: Kosco testimony.

  “last, vain”: Morison, Liberation of the Philippines, p. 66.

  Chapter Twelve

  “recording all…maintain station…no possible”: Edward D. Traceski testimony, Court of Inquiry.

  “Everyplace we”: Greenfield (Mass.) Recorder, Oct. 1983.

  “rough ride”: James Traceski interview.

  “not sure…done the”: Louise Traceski interview.

  “slammed into…simply out”: Parkin, Blood on the Sea, pp. 267–68.

  “dry bunk…loved the…were like…blowing the”: Edward A. M
iller interview.

  “conversed with…problems they…present themselves…24 hours…in danger…normal routine”: A. S. Krauchunas narrative, Dec. 29, 1944.

  “9,000 gallons”: James Felty testimony, Court of Inquiry.

  “300 to”: Traceski testimony, Court of Inquiry.

  “about 40 percent”: Calhoun, Typhoon, p. 158.

  “normal wartime”: ibid., p. 79.

  “took off…good ship…all four…right then…routine staff…go up…In complete…it was my…scared sailors”: James Felty interview. 169 “30,000 gallons”: George W. Johnson testimony, Court of Inquiry.

  “pitched…hazardous…narrowly missing…slowly and…blinding mist…completely drenched…seek relief…hitting the…You better…concern with…concerned look…not at…struggling to…spouting a…words of…sudden roll…agonizing moments…almost completely…a hopeless…Is this…gurgling and”: Krauchunas, “USS Spence: The Typhoon and the Senior Survivor.”

  “all the reports”: Traceski testimony, Court of Inquiry.

  “the safety”: Krauchunas, “USS Spence: The Typhoon and the Senior Survivor.”

  “all personnel…should wear”: Krauchunas testimony.

  “43 degrees…a little left…supposed to…hard right…didn’t have…gradually capsized…11:23”: Traceski testimony, Court of Inquiry.

  “My last”: Melton, Sea Cobra, p. 174.

  “well over…huge…Caught in a”: Parking, Blood on the Sea, pp. 268–69.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “really tough…because it…trying to…a great…good ole…not become…no one…all thought…nothing anyone…really started”: Drummond interview.

  “those confused”: Morison, Liberation of the Philippines, p. 68.

  “two of the…this typhoon…small boys…Typhoon!…chance to…fooled by…maneuvering right”: DeRyckere interview.

  “so thick and”: Morison, Liberation of the Philippines, p. 69.

  “fixing the…approximately 10”: Bowditch, American Practical Navigator, p. 288.

  “Jack Ass…ready the…too top…button the…stow below…Stow the…dipping in…Permission denied…Get off”: Schultz interview.

  “report to…got his”: John Valverde interview.

  “expected to…about 124,000…above the”: Marks testimony.

  “steady 70…washed right…about twelve…frozen in…Sir…What are…All hands…Sure, sir…Why don’t…dirty look”: Schultz interview.

  “fairly well…leaks in…troubles in”: Action Report, Hull, Jan. 1, 1945.

 

‹ Prev