California (BB 44) - Naval Cruise Book

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Rank. lfneinan lust Class. X liixiooix ll.trix xxas in.nried Sept ftx, 1030, ,mtl has txxo xlauglttcts as xx ell as sexen hxtng grtmtlcltildren .ind ll great gratittclnldreit llis datigliters xx ere I .mtl S xt-.tis txltl xx hen he xx ent in the seix ice llc retired in .lnlx 1974. and has been legally blind tor sex cial xcars GFORGIQ J. Klfl.l.EY. BIT. ISN. tRet,l, born x1in.x1ta.NF..lttne 10. 1912. Fnlistedfxug. 27. 19-10.Scatt1e. NN X. ISN. Coinpany 40-65. San Diego. Serx ed aboard the 1 SS fltIfl'ill'.'litE HH-14. l'SS t'li1t't1,eot'.4f9. Cub 13. Boat Pool tfll. Sl Cl' ttlo. ISS .-XROt41o. l'SS ABSD 145, t'Bltl5.t'BD151'.N1CB ith. Amphib Base l..C.. YA. CHU 101. Antarctica Palmer Station. Participated in battles at Rcnnel ls. Green ls. Philippines tSaipanl. Marshall-Gilbert ls . Xexx Guinea. Guadalcanal. Bollganxille. Memorable experiences: back to active duty, assigned to CBL20. Antarctic Support. when main unit deployed to Xlclxlurdo. in November he was designated CPO in charge of construction platoon Alfa. they deployed at the end of December. flew to Punta Areas. Chili. There loaded Coast Guard Ice Breaker llfksr Wind 66-67. South Wind 67-68 to .-Xnx ers Island. He had been on plenty islands but none can compare. ice. snow. rock. even the penguins and seals left before them. Their heavy equipment and materials came later. they had their camp set up and a good pan of blasting done. they used up about two tons of explosive, a good underwater for the pier. The facility supported about 20 people wintering over. He was awarded the flag. by du C.O. of 201 . that flew over Palmer Station. Their two times there their motto was Construction for Peace. Back to Fleet Reserve April 1968. AwardsfMedals: American Defense Service Medal xx ith star. Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with seven stars, American Area Campaign Medal. WWII Victory Medal, Philippine Liberation Ribbon with two stars, Good Conduct Medal with six star. Antarctic Medal, two Commendation Letters. Transferred to Fleet Reserve June 1, 1960, rank, BUC. He married Thelma in February 1945, has son George J., daughters. Linda. Cheryl, Kathleen and Theresa. Also 12 grandkids and two great-grandchildren. .JOHN DAVID KELLY, SllC, Greer County, OK, Aug. 1. 1921. Enlisted Dec. 9, 1941, U.S. Navy 6th Division South Pacihc. USS Calnforniu. Wlwffq- Basic training at San Diego, CA. Dec. I6. 1941 to Dec 28. 1941 . On Dec, 28. 1941 . he had an appendectomy at the US. Naval Hospital in San Diego. CA. On Jan. 20. .942 he was transported to Pearl Harbor and assigned to 'I ,ty aboard the IQSS California for the salvage operation. Vx her, the IISS Californm was made sea worthy he sailed fx Iirernertori, Navy Yard. in Washington State where it f. as modernized and updated Participated in battles at' Saipan. Tinian. Guam. Levitt: l,off,y, Okinawa The fulijornm was htl by a suicide ciartc alter laridiriff troops on Lufon. ffhusing. loss ol lite ri damage to the ship Sea battle in SurigaoStrai1 rtistllltlfl ft r, 15 Japanese ship- being sunk The I ulifornm continued with 'he Pllllifafzlltfi Liberation and preparing lor the tnx.tsiono1 lokx o When thc .Japanese surrentleretl he then xx cnt to tlkiitnxxzt. Vxztkax anna Wan. and then to Tokyo Huy amd dnl some sight seeing in 'liokyo The C'olilornio remained in .Japanese xxaters for another 90 days. then set sinl tot the USA. via Singapore, Colombo. Ceylon. Ciipetoxx n. SoutliA1rica. and then to Philadelphia. PA. Awards! Medals: American Medal. Asiatic-Pacific xxith three Bronze Stars. the Philippines Liberation 131 Bronze Stars. and World War ll Victory Medal. He was discharged Dec. 13. 1945. in Norman, OK. at the rank of SIXC. He was married March 19. 1945, to lone G. Boneek. he has three daughters. one son and seven living grandchildren. John Kelly and wife lone reside at Midxx est City. OK. He worked in law enforcement retiring after 35 years. and then with the department of safety for 1-1 years retiring the second time on Nov. 30, 1988, with the rank of Sgt. He also worked the Oklahoma State Fair every year since the early 1950s. His hobbies include: woodworking, gardening and yard work. LOUIS ERWIN KELLEY, USS Caliornia BB44, born in Bellows Falls, VT, March 10, l9l7.After graduating from Williams College in 1938, worked, at various jobs, thenjoined the Navy August 1940. Commissioned ensign 1 June 1941. Ordered to the ' I f California in October, he was aboard on December 1 I 7th. His duty station was I ' boilers division, but his ff battle station was plotting fl f f, room for main battery. Up y early to record fuel and t' water and on way to cf breakfast when the attack started. Went to plotting 2 room where they felt bombs and torpedoes hitting ship. They went up an escape tower. helped with the wounded until second abandon ship was ordered. December 9, he was assigned with five others to help find the 12,000 missing men. Many went to undamaged ships, and wounded were found in private homes and hospitals. After a month with nearly all of them accounted for, he was ordered to the Ralph Talbot DD390 as engineering officer. Saw action in the Gilbert, Marshall. Wake and Marcus Islands, Midway and Guadalcanal . Ship badly damaged at Savo lsland August 9, 1942. After repairs at Pearl Harbor and San Francisco, they returned to the South Pacific. June 1944, reported to the Zellars DD777 as engineering officer. Hospitalized January 1945 until April 1946 and retired. He has the Fleet Commendation. American Defense with one star and Asiatic-Pacific with seven stars. Married Elizabeth McMicken May 1942. have one daughter, two sons and two grandchildren. He worked as a research chemist for Rohm and Haas in Philadelphia, retired 1976. . , ,M 'Wm . sr .1 .ff J. VERNON W. KENNEDY, bom Feb. 19, 1915. Banner, VA. Joined Navy, July 7, 1937, trained at NOB, Norfolk. VA. Assigned to USS California December 1937. After four years, three months, 14 days. he was discharged at Long Beach, CA. on Oct. 18, 1941. He saw no wartime action on the California all his wartime action was on a DD559 front June 2, 1943. to May 18. 1945, after his re- enlistment in the Navy. His most memorable experience was while securing the Honey Box on the pOI'l side, galley deck the port crane two-blocked, snapped the cable, came down. knocked him over the side, between a garbage scoxv. breaking some ribs and a couple toes. Was seaman llc 5th Division, while aboard the Calmirnia. x V' Married with three children and eight grandchildren. Retired from his job as a railroad conductor in 1975. Today he engages in hunting. fishing, gardening, traveling and loaling. ROBERT S. KERTCHER, Radar Technician 2lc, born Detroit, Ml. Jan. 7. 1925. Enlisted Jan. 6. 1943, USNR, NTS. Great Lakes. USS California BB44. Participated in battles at Saipan. Guam, Tinian. Leyte Gulf, Surigao Strait, Lingayen Gulf. Okinawa. xt... , . fp 1 f 3 ky. f 1, . xx . I x 5 Nt s., AwardslMeda1s: Philippine Presidential Unit Citation, Good Conduct Medal. American Campaign Medal, Asiatic- Pacific Campaign Medal with four stars, WWII Victory Medal, Philippine Liberation Ribbon with two stars. Discharged Jan. 19, 1946. with radar technician 2lc. Married Norma Jean Van Arsdale 1948: daughters. Sally Ann and Jean Leslie. Retired in Las Vegas. travel. Memorable Experiences: He was assigned as radar technician in charge of the number four Mark IV Fire Control Radar. The Antenna Assembly was mounted on top ofthe 5 inch 38 gun director located near Sky Aft. When the kamikaze attacked the California at Lingayen Gulf, Jan. 6, 1945. it was the Antenna Assembly of the Mark IV Radar that became the first point of contact by the Japanese Zero. After sweeping the antenna off the top of the director. the Zero exploded against the ship about one deck above Sky Aft and the adjacent Aft Radar Control shack. But,just minutes before this occurred he had received a phone call at the radar shack and he was summoned below to assist in maintenance on one of the forward radars. He assumed it was an urgent call because they were at battle stations. He quickly gathered up the tools and the special meter needed for tests and proceeded to excuse himself as he headed for the ladder and stepped over some of the Sky Aft personnel who were resting on the deck. No sooner had he descended four decks to the starboard side of the main deck he caught sight of a low flying aircraft off the starboard aft quaner. He pointed it out to Radar Tech Johnny Johnson who planned to meet him there. They then observed the aircraft make a shallow tum and head straight toward them. The Japanese were very close and they heard the quad 40s and 20s commence firing. They were exposed on the quarter deck so they dashed through the cross- passage and dove into the light-lock hatch on the pon side just moments before the Zero exploded about 50 feet above them. The explosion and shrapnel was devastating as evidenced by their casualties. damage. and by photos taken by other ships. lt was a very close call for him and it is still very vivid in his memory. He believes that within those few short minutes he was the last person to leave Sky Aft alive and unharmed. He has one person to thank for that seemingly urgent phone call which resulted in his leaving Sky Aft immediately with precious few minutes to spare. That person was Johnny Frank Johnson. Radar Technician Zlc. his closest friend. Later when he asked Johnny about the tests he needed to make he said it was not urgent. only routine. and he hadn't really planned to use the special meter that day. He was dismayed! But, why with seeming urgency did he call him away from Sky Aft? He never found an explanation for his misunderstanding the message. But. nonetheless. to this day he continues to thank Almighty God that he reacted as if Johnny's message was indeed urgent, lt was to him!! ALBERT E. KING. born Aug. 16. 1923. Augusta. KS. Moved to Wichita 1928. Worked Western Union at 17. Was in CCC Camp. Rosell. KS. on Dec. 7, 1941. lnducted into USNR April 5. 1943. Boot Camp Farragut, ID, Company 261. Assigned USS California. Bremerton dry-dock R Division SF3lc. After overhaul. steamed over 100,000 miles. Crossed equator in Pacific. Indian. Atlantic Oceans.

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Retired. While traveling on the high way of life, 27 knots. wife mn aground, tore off right leg tpoor circulationl. He is De Boss. De Fastest Man with De Bed Pan in all Pensacola. Stay well he happy. ROBERT P. JOHNSON, LT, USNR, born June 1920. Enrolled in Navy V7 Program March 1941. Graduated Occidental College. 1943. Commissioned August 1943. Reported aboard USS California September 1943, 3rd Division. Bombardments involved Saipan, Tinian, Guam, Leyte, Lingayen Gulf and Okinawa. Involved in the battle ofSurigao Strait. Returned to Philadelphia, USA, stopping at Singapore, Colombo Ceylon and Capetown, South Africa. Reported to UCLA as an NROTC instructor, December 1945. Discharged May 1946. Married with three children and five grandchildren. Retired from Pacific Telephone Company, June 1982, 37 years, living in Anaheim, CA. Playing golf, tennis, racquetball plus traveling keeps him out of the house, active and healthy. BILL O. JOLLY, USMC, bom May 13, 1923, Clied year about agej. Joined Marine Corp. May 14, 1940, and assigned to USS Calgfornia in Bremerton, WA, in August W 1940. First trip to sea he was assigned on life buoy sentry on after part of quarter deck. Navy decided to announce man overboard and as he didn't know what floated by, he pulled the handle that let a large tube type raft slide off its ramp. Sgt. ofthe guard relieved him from post and put him in the brig for a couple hours. He is probably the only private to cause a battleship to stop maneuvers to retrieve a life-raft. Fired 5 5l caliber broadside gun in August 1941, during short range practice and made lst class pointer. Was on gun station in casemate 8 during attack on Dec. 7, 1941. Promoted to corporal, worked on salvage crew chipping paint and returned with ship to Bremerton, was transferred from ship and wound up in the lst, 2nd, 3rd Marine Amphibious Corps, involved in three beach head landings, the last being Guam, where he was wounded Aug. 9, 1944, spending the next ll months in the hospital. Then spent last nine months on limited duty in Port Chicago, CA and was discharged on May 17, 1946. ELWOOD H. JONES, USNR, LT., born Oct. 13, 1915. Enlisted in the service 1942, served in Convoy work to 1944, when transferred to the Prune Barge, USS Calyfornia. Served as lst Division officer and officer of the deck underway. Landed MacArthur at Leyte. Met the Japanese fleet at Surigao Strait and won a ship-to-ship gun duel. Then on to Lingayen, Okinawa and Japan. From excessive firing, shot the liners out of their big guns and had to go to Bremerton, WA, to reline. The USS California with side blisters was too fat to go through the canal and had to go around the Hom to get to Philadelphia Navy Yard. Discharged, returned to Pennsylvania, where he practiced law, ran a newspaper, insurance business, savings and loan, and was president of a bank for 35 years. Married a school teacher, have seven children. Put all through college. Have 19 grandehildrenand four great- grandchildren. Retired, winter in Sun City, AZ, and summer in Mountaintop, PA. EDWARD W. .JONES SR, enlisted U.S. Navy. Sept. 30, 1940, New Orleans, LA. Recruit training, San Diego, CA, Co. 40-71 . Assigned to USS California in 5th Division Had the O.D. messenger watch Dec. 7, 194111800-1200. When he saw the lirst wave of Japanese planes bomb Ford lsland, he went to his battle station 5 inch 51 cal casemate gun. Then up to the 5 inch 25 cal AA guns to relieve a gun crew until abandon ship, then swam to Ford Island. Went to Hickam Field with the 5 inch AA guns of the USS California to defend Hickam. He went back to help relloat the USS Calyornia then to Bremerton, WA, to get rebuilt. Then back to the Pacific for the rest of the war on the USS Calwunia. When ship rejoined the fleet, he was in the 12th Division, 20MM AA guns on the port quarter deck. Served as gunner's mate until discharge on July 6, 1945, at New Orleans, LA. Member of the USS Calyornia Reunion Association and life member of PHSA. Wife Edna, eight children. Presently living in Metairie, LA. 'Qu' KENNETH W. JONES, Sllc, born Lawrence, KS, April 7, 1926. Enlisted April 12, 1943, U.S. Navy, 2nd Division, Deck and Gunnery. Service includes Farragut, ID, Whid Bay ls., WA, Pacific Beach.g USS Cctlnfbrniag Bremerton, WA. Participated in battles at Saipan, Guam Tinian, Leyte, Battle of Surigao Strait, Lingayen Gulf, Philippines, Okinawa. Memorable experiences: Asleep at his battle station in Turret 2, after being there all day during invasion of Leyte. Early morning of Oct. 25, 1944, he was awaken by the sound of GQ and was told the Japanese Task Force was spotted and was coming their way. The sea battle of Surigao Strait was under way. In 1945, while on shore on Okinawa, on a working party a typhoon approached and the Calnbrnia pulled anchor and went to sea. They were a lost working party on the island for several days until their ship returned. AwardslMedals: Presidential Unit Citation, seven Battle Stars, American Theater, Asia Pacific Bar, WWII Victory Medal, Philippine Liberation Ribbon, Occupation of Japan. Discharged Dec. 12, 1945, with the rank of S llc. Married, one son, one daughter, four grandchildren, and one great-grandson. Retired from L.A. County, CA, Sheriff 's Department, after 32 years. s RONALD ODELL JONES, BM 3lc, bom Oklahoma. Served USN, Divisions 3 and F, 1943-46: Saipan, Guam, Tinian, Leyte, Surigao Strait Luzon, Okinawa, China Sea and Tokyo. Recipient of seven battle stars, include six island invasions and one sea battle. He retired from the U.S. Navy and was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the USS Calnfornia Association and the AARP. He was a Lutheran. He was chairman of Biloxi Reunion 1983. Married Vilia Jones, Biloxi, MS. Died Oct. 18. 1988, in Biloxi, where lived for 17 years. Survived by his daughter, Mrs. Helen Davis. Railto, CA, and three step-daughters: Mrs. Shannon lllich of Long Beach, Mrs. Sylvia Diaz of D'Iberville. and Mrs. Diane King of Gulfport, and a step-son, Ray Fountain of Long Beach. Also 19 grandchildren and eight great- grandchildren. JOHNNIE T. JUDIE SR., CK2lc, born Hearne, TX, July 31, 1921. Enlisted April 22, 1942, U.S. Navy. Service included TAD CEN, Shoemaker, CA, Catnp PetTy.VA1 PSC Lido Beach, Ll, NYQ Houston, TX: NTS Norfolk. VA: USS Califizrniu PSNY Bremerton, WA. Participated in battles at Tinian, Saipan, Guam, Battle of Leyte Gulf, Battle Lingayen Gttlf, other actions in Philippines. Mernorahle experiences include being eye witness ofthe kamikaze Japanese plane before crashing into BB4-l, also Gen. MacArthur's return to Philippines. AwardslMedals: American Catnpaign, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with four Bronze Stars, WWll Victory Medal. Philippine Liberation Ribbon with one llronfc Star. Philippine Presidential l1nitCitation. Discharged Oct. 16, 19-15. with the rank ol' Clillc. ' 4 .ff r -ur , 1' O Q f if Married Johnedna Wilson Judie on 'sew Year'-. Da, 1944, Bremerton, WA. Has four sons. one a pre-t .I Archdiocese of Louisville. KY. Retired postal work f Orleans, LA, main post office. HENRY JURACIC, Seaman First Class, born Chicago, Dec. 18. 1924. Enlisted August 1943, 6th Division, Gunnery. Participated in invading the Philippines, sea battle. Discharged in 1946. He and his wife Eugenia have no children. Today works in food business, meats. REV. JOSEPH ALAN JIQSTAD. Plot te. born Minneapolis, MN. July 20. 1922. Enlisted May 20. 19-12. USN Hospital Corps. Stations: Great Lakes: San Diego. Bremertong Spokane, USS Calnfornia. Battles participated in: Saipan, Tinian, Guam. Philippines. Surigao Strait. Lingayen Gulf. MedalslAwards: Purple Heart. Discharged December 19-15. He is a widower with four sons and four grandchildren. He is retired. but conducts 125 weddings a year. HARRY O. KASA. was born July 2-1. 1909. Dennison. MN. was drafted into the Naxy in December 1943. and left in January 19-1-1. for boot camp at Farragut. ID. After the training left for San Francisco and boarded the battleship, Cnllforriin which had been bombed in Pearl Harbor and repaired. He went to Saipan. which they int aded the beach for the Army. A watchman was killed here from a Saigon shell. They next invaded Guam and Tinian. w hen Ray Tweed came out of the jungles where he had been hiding. Suicide planes were around them and a number of inert aboard ship were killed. Other places w ere Okinaw .t. Iwo Jimo and sea battle in the Philippines. The treaty yy .ts signed on the Misrottri at Tokyo Bay. Our ship xx as there .1 few days later. On way home took trip to Earl Coast so stopped at Ceylon Colombo. lndia for tw o days: onto Capetown. Africa, and then on Atlantic and headed for Philadelphia. Was discharged in December 19-15 ,tt Great Lakes. lL. Q Q -I

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Circum-navigated the Globe. Accepted tnember Ancient Order ol' the Deep, Sacred Order of the Golden Dragon. Eamed six battle stars and Presidential Unit Citation. Participated in last sea battle between surface ships in which the Caliornia sank Japanese battle ship in direct exchange of fire at Surigao Strait in Philippines. California covered landings of first troops landing on Japan at WWII end. Was mile off shore Leyte Gulf day MacArthur landed. Was asleep last bunk forward main deck when Tennessee rammed Calnfornia, killing several men 5th Division directly below. Was at battle station 01 deck when hit by Japanese plane, also hit by shell fire at Saipan. Discharged Dec. 13, 1945, Norman, OK. Married Elizabeth J. Orange Feb. 19, 1945, three children and seven grandchildren. Retired Wichita, KS, Fire Department, Captain, living in Andover, KS. ALONZO W. KIRBY, USNR, born Jan. 29, 1923, joined the Navy February of 1943. Trained at Great Lakes Naval Training Station. They sent him to Poinloma, CA, for five weeks of radar operator. That was after being assigned to the Calnfornia. They saw action in Marianas, Saipan, Tinian, and Guam. They headed for Okinawa when the Tennessee rammed them one night during a storm. There was a floating dry-dock there that could handle them so they Went to the New Hebrides for a patch job. Espiritu Santo from there they went to Okinawa and the Philippines. A suicide plane hit them in super structure, after that sent them back to Bremerton, WA, for a 25 day leave. In the Great Sea Battle in Leyte Gulf the old Prune Barge Sent one Japanese battleship to the bottom solo and helped sink other ships of the Japanese Fleet. He was BM2!c when he left the Navy. He had three brothers in, Alan - Army, Paul - Navy, and Noble - Army. He has eight Bronze Stars and the Purple Heart. He is now a retired builder. He left the Navy January 1946. ROBERT C. KLAG, ENC, USN, born April 11, 1918, New York. Enlisted Jan. 28, 1941, U.S. Navy. Was a Merchant Marine prior to his Naval History. Went to sea in 1934. Worked as a fireman and oiler on various ships. Burnt coal on some of them. He enlisted in the Navy in Bellingham, WA, right after Christmas 1940. Went through training in San Diego. To the it California June 1941. Served in the forward - engines room in the W Division. He loved that L , ship, she was his home, He never had a home, she was his life. He saw the Japanese planes over Ford Island he 'just came of the 4 to 8 watch, was at his bunk on the 2nd deck starboard side. He pulled on his pants and shoes and dove for the engine room after the bugle sounded, lle remembers the bombing and torpedoes. lt was awful when .Af you are down below under attack. Went on board .'m1'rllr1,:gff as soon as she arrived from the States. .lun Winters and Jolm De Long went there too. Lett the .Srtrrzlrigrf a year later and put USS Ulf' AT76 in Frisco. Went on her to the invasion of Attu in the Aleutian Islands. Did various salvage work and on and off served as a radar beacon lor planes. After the Aleutian Campaign was finished they went to the invasion of Philippine Islands, Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Got transferred to the States and arrived there V.J. Day, did various duty on the East Coast, USS to Maui in Panama then duty in Greenland. Re-enlisted in 1947, and served on USS Kyne as shipkeeper. Went to St. Albans Hospital found he had ulcer and nervous stomach. Retired as engineman lst class. Went and worked in various power plants and as a fireman and later learned stationary engineering. Married and has two daughters. Today he is retired stationary engineer, logging contractor. STANLEY P. KLEIN, USN, joined the Navy Jan. 7, 1941, and was sent to Great Lakes, IL, for eight weeks of training. After finishing Boot Camp. He was shipped to Bremerton, WA, and boarded the California on Sunday, March 30th on his 18th Birthday. Assigned to the 2nd Division. They got to Pearl about the end of April. So the whole summer of 1941, they would go out to sea, maneuvers and gun practice, on the Friday before December 7, coming into Pearl, they reported enemy submarines. He never did know what happened to their report. On Sunday, December 7, he had the 8 to 12 messenger watch on the starboard quarter deck, GQ was sounded. All hands went to their battle station and about 11:30 a.m. the word was passed to abandon ship. When they left the lower handling room of turret 2, they were ankle deep in oil. He stayed attached to the ship, after the refit, they went back out on the Pacific to fight the Japanese, until the war was over. They made a world tour to Capetown, South Africa, and back to the states, and got into Philadelphia on December 1945. Then they mothballed the ship and on July 3, 1946, he was transferred to Key West, FL, on LCI 656, as care taking crew and stand watches, on Sept. 28, he was sent to Jacksonville, FL, for discharge, he stayed at Jacksonville till November 9, for discharge. LYLE A.E. KLEMP, SIC, born July 10, 1925, Richfield, WI. Enlisted June 1943, in Milwaukee, WI, trained at Great Lakes, 28 days, sent to Bremerton, WA, assigned to USS Wichita, later transferred to USS Calnfornia. f One thing that really stands out is the Okinawa Typhoon. Five from 2nd Division went to get supplies at Okinawa. Next thing waves are getting higher, all ships leaving. Lost their barge, water all over island. Lost his shoes, got foot infection run a nail under his big toe. Five days the ship came back to pick them up. They all looked like foreign tramps. AwardsfMedals: Third Fleet China Sea and Japan, Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation. Nine Stars: Asiatic-Pacific, Saipan, Guam, Tinian, Leyte Operation, Leyte Landings, Battle of Surigao Strait, Lingayen Gulf, Okinawa. Discharged March 30, 1946. Married Estelle. three adopted children, Mary. Robert, Zona, two grandchildren, Tracy, 19, and Johnathan, 2, one more on the way. Retired from Merrill Fire Department 3.1 lfl years. EDDIE A. KLUSMICIER,lISN,G1y1,3rt1t'tass, USS f.'ulifbrr1iri. 5111 Division, born Louisville, KY, Nos. 2-1, 1920. lxnlisted March 12, 1940. l'articipated in battles at Pearl llarhor, Philippines and Asiatic 'l'lteater, hleinorahle 1 fi W . ' Wt' 71. I f . ' A experiences include tropical storms and typrtooris His experience aboard Battleship LBS Crni,rf,rr 1 Bremerton, WA. Puget Sound P-'anal Shtpy ard. He was assigned to 5th Diuision. just in time air supply chipping hammers over the side. They at two men to a scaffold with block and tackle and a ig? line tied around their waists. They had to tie tackle ltrr properly or hang in mid air. and it was a long may down to the bottom of dry-dock. 1941 Pearl Harbor He had last ammunition magazine security w atch 0400 to 0800 Sunday morning, Dec. 19-11. The w atch was secured at breakfast. He went below to w ash up. Oy er the loud speaker he heard that the Japanese were bombing them. Set conditions: Yoke, X-Ray. Zebra. He raced to Casemate 441. his gun station. Looking out to Ford Island Air Force Base. he could see smoke and fire. A plane banked its wings and he saw a big orange circle. They watched bombs hit and explode. When torpedoes hit them they shook and rocked. Explosions were taking place below. Outside their gun station Atl and Turret 22 a hole the width of a water bucket was 10-15ft from them. It had to explode below or he wouldnt be here to w rite this With the ship listing portside they heard Abandon Ship Call. Hejumped over side and swam to Ford Island. Orders came to return to ship and try to save her from capsizing. They kept doubling up lines from ship to key 5 so she would settle on bottom upright. and she did. Transfer to EWA Marine Base to install 5 inch .35 caliber anti-aircraft guns while living in woods and tents. They manned the anti-aircraft guns and trained Marines to take over. He returned to San Francisco on L'SS Henderson. He was assigned mine sweeping duty on YNIS 313 arid 314, with the 7th Fleet. Duty in New Guinea. New Britain. Celebes. Admiralty Islands. and Philippines as escort. patrol, mine sweep. and tow barges. Returned to Ads anced Gunnery School. Washington. D.C. Received hospital discharge on Aug. 9. 1945. Discharged Aug. 9. 19-15. with the rank of gunners mate, lfc. Married. two children. daughter and son. three grandchildren. Today retired. staying around home. JACK R. KNOX. USN. born Jan. 31. 1923. Fulda. MN. Joined the Navy March 26. 1943. and served .is machinist in the engine room. His daughter wrote this biography for her Dad. as he passed away Jan. lo. 1905. He was always proud of having served his country and of being on the USS Ciilirbriizu. ,,,,,as . I v0lhlNlhmmQ He had a journal telling about botnhardtng S.np.iti. Tinian, the mines at ley te Gul1',hattles l1lSLll'lg.l0 Strait. the China Sea and lingay en Gulf. The enemy attacks they surx iyed causing tninry .intl death to friends and shipmates made her ery She ts grateful to her Dad and all of youg xt tthour your lwraxerx and sacrifices life xxouldn't he .ts good .ts it ts Dad belonged to the Ancietit Order ot' the Deep .ind the Sacred Order ot' the Golden Dragon, and steamed 100. 150 ntiles.