[PeterC]

I would like to share on behalf of my Dad ...

My Dad served as an officer in the United State Navy during World War II from 1942 to 1945. He was first assigned the Destroyer USS Barker (DD213) and then transferred to the newly built Destroyer Escort USS Cecil J. Doyle (DE368) in charge of Supply. The Barker spent time in the North Atlantic hunting submarines and providing escort for merchant ships and picking up survivors. The bulk of his service was on the USS Cecil J. Doyle in the Pacific, where his ship, DE 368 hopped scotched form California to Pearl Harbor to all the hot spots on the way to Japan hunting Submarines, picket duty as the outer line of defense for the carriers and battle groups, participated in shore bombardments and rescued survivors including those of the USS Indianapolis. Also rescued POWs from Okinawa and downed pilots along the way. He finished his service as part of the early occupation force in Japan and was at the signing of the surrender in Tokyo Bay from afar. During battle he volunteered to a twin 40mm pom pom gun crew because of his tall stature and stamina - even though as an officer he was not required to do so. His battle station was just under a 5" gun emplacement - in one particular battle he raced to the guns in just his pants and shirt with no protective outer wear - the concussions from the big gun blew his shirt off. He had a very philosophical attitude about the dangers - he was only 22 and a bit of immortality played into his calmness about dying. He was the only man on the ship that volunteered to bunk in the bow section because he valued the solitude - everyone else stayed out for fear of mines blowing the bow off. The only time he experienced true fear was walking the streets of Tokyo just days after surrender alone with only his 45 - fearing he would be killed by snipers.After the war he re-joined civilian life and never talked about it again.... until I drilled him about it in the winter of his life. It was then that he gave me a treasure trove of pictures and mementoes form his three years at sea,