Belleau Wood (CVL 24) - Naval Cruise Book

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I r A ' f - ,li .Eiga 4 ff ' ' The crew members of a ship at her time of commissioning are known as planlQowners. We had several who were with the ship from commissioning day. to the surrender of Japan. Pictured above are our plankowners who were aboard Mfr-om start to finish. TOP ROW: T. Kurilla, J. R. Harper, M. R. Bell, F. Sypniewski, J. Sinchak, F. A. Drietlein, J. E. Seaman, C. B. Laub, J. A. Ruf, H. L. Schneider, P..G. McKenna, A. R. Spencer, N. B. Rosato, K. E. Ball, W. F. Kuss, A. J. Martinkus, J. A. Williams, G. V. Humm, P. C. Brennan, P. A. Lo- maglio. THIRD ROW: J. E. Zajac, S. R. Johnson, D. E. Reinhart, C. B. Harris, F. J. Bomkamp, A. E. Kirchdoefer, J. C. League, C. W. Parks, A. L. Lynch, P. Boycan, E. Wilson, G. E. Sheard, C. T. Conroy, J. W. Conroy, M. M. Gomba, A. E. Blanchette, J. F. Karg. SECOND ROW: J. F. Sharp, J. G. VVeigel, J. J. Klaus, M. L. Wantuck, L. M. Kral, S. A. Mazor, W. C. Brady, Lt. T. W. Richardson, Lt.-Cmdr. R. E. gaggezglsoni Cmdr. F. E. Wexel, Lt. K. M. Frazier, A. T. Trujillo, M. F. Correia, E. B. Davis, M. F. Archambault, J. J. Chasse, R. D. Guyer, . . ay or. BOTTOM ROW: F. J. Lackey, C. Christaldi, P. Golino, P. J. Aulwes, A. Pastorello, J. J. J oworowsky, F. G. Kutch, J. J. Milmore, L. L. Lewis, L. T. Jenkins, R. W. Vest, W. E. Van Payne, L. Mitnick, G. W. Sisson, W. J. Foran. The following shipmates were detached several months before the division pictures were taken. Records do not indicate the divisions to which they were attached. BAILEY, Edgar BEAM, George E. BELENSKI, Michael BRADY, Joseph J. BRYANT, Harold L. BRYZINSKI, Thaddeus CHACE, Malcot COERS, Everett F. COLE, Augustus L. COOK, George E. COX, William P. CRONO, Jerry A. CROSS, Dumas V. CURRIER, Albert J. DAVIDSON, George C. DEQUASIE, Daren P. DIMMETT, William W. DONLON, Carl J. DUNBAR, John P. DURKEE, Miles E. EDINGER, George M. FARR, Donald C. FLOYD, Daniel R. GREEN, Manuel E. HADDON, James W. HAGEMANN, Morse E. HANSON, Robert L. HAYDON, George B. HOBBS, Cecil R. HYSELL, Elmer C. JACKSON, Alfred H. JAMIESON, Robert J. JARRETT, Gomer F. JEWELL, Walter J IAVA, Fred JORDON, Robert L. KEELY, Thomas A. KENNEDY, Roy G. KING, James J. KMON, Felix KUNSTER, Matthew LEO, Joseph L. LEON, Francis J. LOOTS, Leo E. LOWE, John L. LOWEN, Carl W. MacNEIL, Russell F. MAY, David MARTIN, Norman J. MQCRACKEN, Ezra M. MCGUFFIN, William D MEGARD, Raymond M. MILLER, Philip A. NELSON, Albert R. NORMAN, Joseph H. ODELL, Robert J. OVERGARD, Harold PALMER, Edward J. PARKER, William O. PEARSON, Lucelius PETRILLA, John QUANTE, Clyde W. V SCHOEWE, Julius A. SHIELDS, Vincent W. SIMPSON, Roger C. SMITH, Robert C. SOLOMON, George D. STEWART, Emmett D. STULL, Roy E. SUGGS, John K. TRAVER, Frank J. 188

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Torpedo Squadron 31 TOP ROW: G. E. Bates, T. R. Legett, VV. M. Seager. THIRD ROW: N. W. Scharf, H. C. Sjoberg, R. VV. Olcott, J. J. Ditullio, W. H. Vlfingard, J. H. NV -'g:ht, M. V. T- '- , C. L, H 1- F, B, M C J. D. Rauiff, W. H. Vogt, M. R. Vander-Meer, E. o. Tefwilligei-, N. R. Reames, H. E. iillen, H. W. Bffrifiiii K. C. Bea?t?5iiUF. W. Going. amy' SECOND ROW: J. Urbanski, W. H. O'Dell, A. H. Casey, R. M. Carroll, H. O. Fox, J. T. Owens, D. G. Karr, C. W. Wilson, J. R. Bowen, R. P. McChes- ney, R. A. Farrell, J. S. Johnson, C. W. Cates, R. B. Turner, J. C. Launius, D. F. Davis, A. P. Rubino, E. R. Schuller. BOTTOM ROW: C. A. Peterson, B. E. Emery, C. L. Arwood, R. C. Pettit, WV. H. Zimmerman, L. A. Dallas, NV. H. Peterson. H. C. Turner, A. E. Still- well, A. LaR0cca, H. L. Lashbaugh, J. J. Hylant, C. J. Kirgan, J. M. Allan, VV. F. Martin, C. E. NVhetzvl, D. A. Vineyard. NO PICTURES OF THE FOLLOVVING OFFICERS: P. H. Henderson, V. J. Morton. MEN: W. K. Hall, J. C. Holland. The NAGATO strike was a warmfup for the mission on July 24 against the Japanese Fleet units in Kure Harbor. Air Group 31's specific targets were the ISE and the AOBA. The torpedo pilots inflicted serious damage on the AOBA and on AA positions. The fighters scored five direct hits on the ISE fBBfXCVJ. One week later a fighter sweep on airfields and factories in the Nagoya area was jumped by 15 Jap fighters. Our group knocked down eight Japs. A return visit to the ISE and AOBA at Kure on July 28 produced 12 more hits on the ISE and three on the AOBA. The five day period after announcement of Jap peace' feelers on August 10 was one of strain and tension be' cause of the possibility of the war's ending at any mo' ment. Sweeps and strikes were sent out during these days: in fact strikes were launched against a very heavily defended target, the electronics industry at Kawasaki, 12 miles below Tokyo. On the morning of August 15 a division of fighters was launched at 0400 and upon reaching the coast enf countered and shot down six Jap fighters. Thirtyffive minutes later all planes were recalled as World War II came to the official end. That same day shortly after lunch our CAP shot down a visiting Jap plane in ace cordance with Admiral I'Ialsey's instructions. 187 After the cessation of hostilities, flights were flown over prisonerfoffwar camps which the Japs had been ordered to mark clearly. Reading material, medical supf plies, andfood were parachuted. On one such mission of mercy Ens. Paul Henderson was killed. In his effort to hit the camp and still not injure the prisoners, he flew low and too slow-his plane lost flying speed and crashed.

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E! .af any Stmgglevs o TOP ROW: F. L. Costanzo, C. W. VV0bber, E. Johnson, R. D. Morris, J. H. VVolfc, A. G. McInnes, B. Medley, B. E. Wilkins, K. E. Ball, F. W. Ingrham, VV. W. VValter. SECOND ROVV: J. A. Alonzo, J. E. Etchison, G. M. Crammond, J. C. Crisel, H. G. Russell, M. T. Ragsdale, S. Pichurcho, F. B. Walker, E. C. Fick, G. W. Elger, W. B. Rhodes, R. C. Doles. BOTTOM ROW: H. R. Lambert, J. H. Baldwin, A.J.Thompson, J.E.M2fDU..' , J. G.C' s.J.A t o.H . P s h H N B '1 J.L.Nei1, F. H. Dunkin, S.E.Tipton, R. Thompson, J. W. Robertsiin Iuse' ugusus' won' ' CWS' ' ' amy' TR GGLER There was once an oooold lion, King of the jungle. In fact, he was so old that he decided to abdicate in favor of his son, a young and energetic lion. Now the new King of the Jungle was not only young and enerf getic, he was progressive. And as soon as he became King of the jungle he instituted many reforms. Chief among these was the abolition of the old jungle Law. No longer were the jungle folk to battle and eat each other . . . no more survival of the fittest. Instead the birds and beasts were to live and play together like kittens on the kitchen hearth. And indeed, it was a fine new Jungle Law the new King had instituted. It was with happiness and pride that he stalked about in the fields and forests watching all the little birds play- ing with the great big snakes and all the gazelles caper' ing about the great big tigers. All the jungle folk greeted the new King with loud 'hosannahs' wherever he went. Even the hyenas laughed less loudly. But one day as the young King stepped into a jungle 189 clearing, a little mouse squeaked and scampered for his nest . . . just as in the fearful days before the old jungle Law was repealed. The young King was greatly dis' pleased, and when the little mouse cautiously poked his head from his nest, the lion growled, 'What do you mean by running from me? Have you not heard that the old jungle Law has been repealed?', And the mouse answered, 'Well, yes, your majesty, I had heard of the new law. But I served two hitches in the U. S. Navy . . . and there is always some sonofa gun who doesn't get the W'ord '. The smiling faces you see before you on this page are the representatives of that ancient and honored Society of Tail-End-Chai-lies of the U.S. Navy. Some of them, no doubt, had good reasons for not attending when their division pictures were taken. Some might have even gone so far as to have been WORKING at the time. But nevertheless, here they are: . . . they just didn't get the word.