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Old Sea Tales from long ago

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  • Old Sea Tales from long ago

    Here's an old sea tale I found stashed on a floppy disk -

    Vaughn’s connection with USS Anderson
    “While perusing the web site for Tin Can Sailors, I found the USS Anderson (DD- 411) and spotted the name of Malcolm Hoefle, TMM 1/c that was aboard during the time we rammed her after being pulled off the reef during the Kwajalein invasion many years ago. I emailed him a note asking if he recalled us ramming his ship when another ship was attempting to tow us both back to Pearl Harbor after we both grounded on a coral reef. His reply follows.
    “Hello Vaughn, at the time you mentioned of your ship hitting us, I was in my bunk getting my first good sleep in a week when the 450 crashed into us, you crashed into my bunk area by putting a sizable dent in the hull and right over my bunk. You bet I remember it. It must have taken me at least 30 minutes to go back to sleep. I didn't hear of any threats to blow the 450 out of the water if you continued hitting us, it doesn't sound like Mr. Alexander but I guess having to assume command after the death of Commander Tenant a few days previously and then almost immediately running over an uncharted coral pinnacle and disabling his new command must have irritated him a little. We have a reunion coming up in St. Louis in September and I will remind our Anderson Vets group of the incident. By the way since you asked, a TMM is a torpedo man Rate. I recently got a USS Ronald Reagan cap with all the scrambled eggs on it so when someone sees that and asks what I was in the Navy; I just tell them I was an Admiral! I was quite pleased but really surprised to get your E- mail about something that happened so many years ago.
    Malcolm Hoefle,
    Brazoria Texas -
    TMM 1/c USS Anderson 00-411.

    I did some more looking and found this info about the Anderson. On 30 January 1944, during the close inshore bombardment of Wotie Atoll Marshall Islands, an enemy shell hit the bridge killing six men (including her captain, Commander J. G. Tennent and wounding 14. The following day she screened the heavy bombardment vessels at Kwajalein. Badly damaged by grounding on a reef 1 February 1944, Anderson underwent repairs at Pearl Harbor until 15 June. While Anderson was on patrol off Leyte 1 November 1944, a Japanese kamikaze crashed on her port side aft killing 18 men and wounding 20. I found it interesting to happen across an old sailor that was part of our history 58 years ago that day when we were drifting and bobbing in the South Pacific Ocean.

    Vaughn.”
    Hamp
    USS LCI (L) & (G) 450
    WW ll Gator Navy

  • #2
    Please keep posting this wonderful stuff!

    You are a vet of that theatre am I correct in the assumtion?

    My grandfather was in all three services in Canada but the navy was his favorite and was buried at sea years back.

    Army first too young and his mother had his a$$ dragged home, immediately turned around and joined the airforce and was a tailgunner and was thrown out when again it was discovered he was too young and finally the right age he joined the Navy and stayed there for his entire career.
    Originally posted by GVChamp
    College students are very, very, very dumb. But that's what you get when the government subsidizes children to sit in the middle of a corn field to drink alcohol and fuck.

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    • #3
      Sea Tales

      Hello Canuck,
      Yep, I went into the navy July 1943 and went through my Boots in San Diego for 8 weeks and then Amphib School where they taught us how to operate and beach LCVP's and LCM's. After all my training I was assigned to the USS LCI (L) 450 and we sailed in convoy for Pearl harbor 6 January 1944. Later on I was able to Cox'n an LCVP for awhile.
      I found the war time navy was boring the majority of the time and then too damned much excitment when something happened. Our ship steamed at about 10 knots so it took us 10 days from San Diego to Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.
      Hamp
      USS LCI (L) & (G) 450
      WW ll Gator Navy

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      • #4
        Thanks for assisting in keeping my right to be an opinionated bastard.

        Forever grateful.
        Originally posted by GVChamp
        College students are very, very, very dumb. But that's what you get when the government subsidizes children to sit in the middle of a corn field to drink alcohol and fuck.

        Comment


        • #5
          erm ..

          But you're Canuk. Aren't you ment to be painfully nice, not to mention utterly accomodating

          This thread is clearly a classic in the making. I shall attempt to contact my uncle Charles. Not only did the poor bugger end up floating in the Med, then the Atlantic, he managed a transfer (gods only know how) to the Merchant Marine only to be stuck on a Liberty ship on the Baltic route. Sunk again.

          I play this for comedy value but -esp. the latter two- are traumatic to hear.

          Should I request the light versions he can tell with a stiff upper lip, somewhere between the 4th and 5th brandy?:)

          These stories deserve to be told.:)
          Where's the bloody gin? An army marches on its liver, not its ruddy stomach.

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