Shea (DM 30) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 6 text:

if tv if if I l Mrs. I, I. Shea of Arlington, Massachusetts, was sponsor of theidenstroyer I'1CII'l'led in 1'1O1'lOf of her husband, the late Commander Iohn Ioseph Shea, USN, who also served in World 'War I. On March 22, 1941, Commander Shea reported aboard the U.S.S.- WASP for flight duty and was officially reported missing in action on September l5, l942, while serving aboard that vessel, when she was torpedoed and sunk in the South Pacific Ocean. He was awarded the following: American Defense Service Medal with Bronze A Asiatic-Pacific Area Campaign Medal - Solomon Islands American Theater Area Campaign Medal , Q, NAVY CROSS with the following citation: For extraordinary heroismlwhile serving aboard th USS WASP f ll I e . . . o owing attack on that vessel by enemy1 Iapanese forces. Leaving the 'comparative security of his own station, Lt, Commander-Shea, disregarding the danger from flying debris, smoke, flame and frequent heavy explosions of ammunition, personally directed the fight against fiercely raging fires on the flight deck. After the water pressure failed, he expended the remaining CO2 in a further desperate effort to extinguish the fire in a ready ammunition locker and was leading out another hose when a terrific -explosion occurred. His courageous devotion to duty in a valiant attempt to save the'WASP was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. Few Americans will ever forget Commander Sh-ea's letter to his 5 year old son, Iackie, which said in part: I miss you more than anyone will ever know. It is too bad this war could not have beentdelayed a few years so I could grow up again with you and do all the things I 1 d p anne to do when you were old enough to go to school. Fighting for the defense of our country ideals homes cmd h , , onor is an hono cl d t h' h D ddy has had to do before he can come home and settle down with you and mother r an u Y W lc Your G If I don't get back . , . Remember, don't ever be a quitterf' -f2l-

Page 5 text:

U.S.S. SHEA CDM 301 QfkK9 , TABLE OF CONTENTS u History of Commander Shea ......,...... ....,........ P age In Memoriam ...................,.,...........,........ ,..A....,.... P age Lt, Commander Baldridge ,..,........ ............, P age Commander Kirkpatrick .......,..,,...............,,, ,..r......... P age Officers and Men of the USS Shea .......r.r........... Pages Officer Pictur-es .......................,....,............. Pages 8, 16, 17, 19, Executive Officers ......,.....,......r......,..,.................,,,................... Page Biography ofthe Uss shes ,...,. P-ages 10, '11, 13, 14, Candid Camera Shots ..,...........,...,.................... Pages 12, 3'8, Damage Photographs ....,.......,,,......,....... ..,. ......,,........ P a ges 15, Poems-Shootin' Shea and Youth ...........,........,...... Page Messages from Officers ..................,...,,............,....,..........,,... Page Action Photographs ..........,..,............. ,.,...,...., P ages 21, 41, War Diary of the USS Shea ........,.,. ,..,..,,..,.. P ages 22 Itinerary CMapl ,........................,..,... ............. P ages 24 BOX Score ,............ ............. P age 2 3 4 5 6-7 27 'Q 16 45 46 18 20 47 -23 -25 26 Congratulatory Messages ,....,.................,....... .,....,..,., P age Radio Gang and Medical Department .,.......,........ Page Chie-f's Story .....',...,..,....................,,,...................,.,,..........,............,. Page Mess 'Cook's Story and the Barber Gang ......... Page The Radio Technicians and Sound Gang ......... Page Storekeeper Gangs and Yeoman ...,........,...,.........,... Page Carpenters and Ship Pitters ...... ,........... P age Quartermasters ...........,............. ..........,, P age Radar Gang ..,.,....,..,..,..,,,,.,..........,...,........................................,.... Page Second Division and the Gunnery Gang ..,...... Page Fire Control Men and Minemen .......,.,......,................ Page Engineers Story ....................................i............... ............ P CIQG Electrical and Commissary Groups .........,..........i... Page First Division and the Signalmen ............. i........... P age The Staff .......,...........,........,.................................... ............ P C196 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 36 39 40 42 43 44 48

Page 7 text:

THESE - WE SHALL NOT FORGET The war against Iapan ended on May 4, l945, for -some of our shipmates., for on that day they gave their lives in order that the remainder of us might live to see the day of final victory over the enemy. No written nor spoken word can begin to describe the magnitude of their sacrifice, for they contributed the m-ost precious gift of all-their lives. We have missed them, for they were our friends and shipmates, but we have the small consolation in knowing that they died as heroes die-fighting for their country's honor at their 'battle stations. I We shall never forget the faraway isle of Okinawa-not because of the hardships and dangers we faced there--but because each of us left comrades there. To them we owe a debt which we can never pay, so in recognition of our debt, we humbly dedicate to them this story of the SHEA. ,. HOOD, Henry M., Ir., Lt, ligl, Borger, Texas BARKER, George Lyman, S1fcCRMJ, South Weymouth, Mass. HANSON, Robert August, GM2fc, Iamestown, N. Y. BEHNKE, George Henry, Slfc, Fargo, N, D, HUTTINGER, Ioseph Anthony, Solvf3fc, Cleveland, Ohio BELL, Ralph Tovane, F2fc, Stantonsburg,lN. C. IANSOONE, Frank Arend, MM2fc, Milwaukee, Wis. BEMENT, Robert Edfwin, SM3fdCTD, Torrington, Conn. BOISIOLY, Harvey Anthony, GMSXCCTJ, Methuen, Mass. BOLSTAD, Saunder Martin, FC2fc, Stady, N. D. BOYER, lack Tinker, SKlfc, Marlow, Oklahoma BREWER, Harold Henry, Flfc, Falls City, Neb. BROWN, Iohn Victor, SCZXC, Bridgeport, Conn. COUNTRYMAN, R D , S2!c, Lindale, Ga. CRAIG, Richard Lewis, BM2fc, Valley Springs, S. D. DOSS, Paul Iames, S'2fc, Charlestown, Ind. ESPOSITO, Arthur Cnj, Slfc, Schenectady, N. Y. FLAHERTY, Thomas Henry, RTZXCKTJ, Los Angeles, Calif. FREY, Ralph Iacob, SoM3fc, Allentown, Pa. GOODALL, lack Lee, Slfc, Omaha, Neb. GREENE, Claude Burwell, Ir., SZXC, Valdosia, Ga. KERLEY, Charn-old Allen, Bkr2fc, Lupton, Tenn, KUNZE, George Robert William, MMZX c, La Coate, Texas LEWIS, Willie Collins, Sr., St.M2fc, Birmingham, Alai LITTLE, Earl Edward, GM3fc, Hayward, Calif. LOWRY, George Francis, Flfc, Portland, Ore. MANN, George Washington, Ir., S'2fc, Starke, Fla. MILLER, Alfred Francis, S2fc, Baltimore, Md. MORGAN, Iames Pafford, S2fc, Alamente, Calif. NUTTING, Standford Lee, BM2fc, Oakland, Calif. PHILLIPS, William Henry, Slfc, Dallas, Pa. ROWLAND, Iohn Allen, RdM3fc, Louisville, Ky. VITELLI, Rocco Louis, S2fc, Holmes, Pa. WAARA, Cyril Alexander William, RM2fc, Hancock, Mich WALLENBECK, Herbert Lee, Ir., Slfc, Buffalo, N. Y. -ISI-