Lunga Point (CVE 94) - Naval Cruise Book

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PART VIII A Little o ' this and a Little o ' that 143

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Kiikp.ilriik, Kon.ikl V., AKM.sc li.SNR, Box r j4, W.ishmiRal, Wi.sh. Kojlfk, Allied r., AOM- ' c, I ' SN, -:55 ■Swflland St., niiryoa, I ' a. Koslcr, r.dward J., AMMic. I ' SN, mil N. I ' raiuisco St., (Uiicai;o, III. I.aismi, Harold (;., Vic, L ' SNR, I 713 Goth St., Kenosha, Wis. Lay, Kenneth M., ARMic, USN, Box 41 6, Lkiah, Calif. Lisnian, Joseph, AOMic, USN, 1034 S. 21st St., Manitowoc, Wis. Martell, Fred J., AOMjc, L ' SNR, Box 204, L ' Anse, Mich. McGraw, Eldrcd W., . MMjc, L ' SNR, 3635 Botanical A -.. St. Louis 10, Mo. Melton, Rual W., ARMic, LSNR, 1 1 28 Coplin Ave., Detroit 15, Mich. Moirdich. C:ailG., ARMic, LSNR. 471 1 John.son Ave., Hammond, Ind. Ore lit I, Kenneth C, AONtac, L ' SNR, 9 W. Klizaheth St., Water- loo, N. Y. (. Iis.sinn in action) Paddock, C:harles J., ARMjc, LSNR, 24-, .Maman St., ()l,eilin, Ohio Powell, Cecil P., Jr., ARM.jc, LSNR, 40H W. Morton St., Denison, Te.xas Rathbun, Philip I)., PRic, USNR, 105 South Willow, Kansas City, Mo. Sandsiiom. Rohert A.. AMM. ' c, rs. , I il, .Nebra.ska Ave., (iilhert, .Minn. Smith, Lowell I ' ., AMM ;c. ISXR, Pierre, S. Dak. .Stambaus h, Elmer D., . RMjc, USNR, Chamberlain, S. Dak. Steele, Paul E., ARM;5c, USNR, 121 N. Howland A e., Elkhart, Ind. Sullivan, James E., AOM.jc, USNR, 5349 Broad St., Pittsburgh, Pa. Thomas. Richard P., AO.Mjc, USNR, 4 ' -,lG Burlint;l(.n Roa-I, Hyatt.sville, .Md. Tozer, Aiden V., Jr., AR.Mjc, LJSN, io73f, S. Prospect Ave., Chicayo, III. Tulley, John R., ARNLjc, USNR, Route I, Box 22K, .Melrose Park, III. Ward, Chris, Jr., Pho.Mic, LSNR, 507 Earl St., Santa Rosa, Calif. Weyant, Stephen C, AM.Mic, USN, 128 Overlook .Ave., Beacon, . . Y. Wilbur, Billy ' ., ARM3C, USNR, 4108 .Airport Way, Seattle, Wash. Willcmscn, Francis, ARM2C, L ' S.NR, 19 Sullivan Ave., Farminndalc, N. Y. Williams, Travis B., ARM2C, USNR, Route 3, Deport, Texas Wiser, Jack R., AOM3C, USNR, 403 N. Aiken Ave., Pittsburgh, Pa. Wittich, Harold M.. AR.NLjc, USN, 2446 Beverly Road, .St. Paul 4, Minn. Wuich. Louis R., ARM2C, U.SNR, 426 N. Harding Ave, Chicago, III. 142

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A BR I I.I ' SIOK ' OF ' C; «-, (By l.t. Willi.im II. K..irns. L ' S.NR. Sqiiaclron Air Coinbat Intclliuicncc Ollitcr.) Clold and gray, tiic dawn of 12 January i )44 fuiind a light rain shroudini; the buildings and runways of the Naval Air Station, Sj-attlc. NfitlitT iho chill nor the falling rain were un- usual; yet on that morning, a group of men arose who were to Ix- joined by a common cause into a common body and they alone, perhaps, felt the presence of the hour. Clad in blues, with gray glo es. they drifted to Hangar No. 32 in groups, talking of the future and of the sea. The commi.ssioning ceremony was brief. . bundled up Lieutenant Commander read the .Sciuadron orders. Xobody heard him, any- way; his voice was lost in the roar of a TBF turning up on the apron. It didn ' t matter. They were formed, united; they were now members of Composite .Squadron 85, instead of nameless souls lost in a flight pool. From that day on the work In-gan. .Seattle, with its luxurious C|uarters and easy life, served only to furnish the planes and ef|ui[)ment. Then, on f) January, it was left Ix-hind as the ' I ' BF ' s and F ' 4l ' s roared away in formation; destination Pasco. Washington. Barren, wind- swept Fasco could well h- regarded as the base that did the most for the .S(|uadron. As the days rumbled past. c(jordinati(jn matured with every Might; unity and precision came to be the rule instead of the exception. ' Fhe old F4F ' s took off day by day to practice gunnery. .At first, the slcc es came back with scarcely a bullet hole to indicate that they had been under tire. but. as the weeks lengthened into months, accuracy jumped and sleeves became riddled and torn to the delight of the fighter pilots. Meanwhile, the torpedo planes had not been idle. Methodically, they were loaded with water-tilled bombs and set out to practice glide bombing. The pilots made simulated i - r plane noses over in barrier crash; below: Landinsr circle stands by waiting for fouled deck to be cleared; taken from escort astern of us. a wave-off; bflou.: . iation mechs pull routin check on . venger on flight deck.