Our Navy magazine articles

[asnrobert]

I'm starting this thread to post articles from my 1940s issues of Our Navy magazine that might be of interest to forum members. Here is one about the demise of the Exeter in the Java Sea:

http://flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/sets/72157605819311707/

In the meantime, I'll be looking for Guadalcanal/Kula Gulf articles that Ed and Vincent asked for.

[Ed Rotondaro]

I'm starting this thread to post articles from my 1940s issues of Our Navy magazine that might be of interest to forum members. Here is one about the demise of the Exeter in the Java Sea:

http://flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/sets/72157605819311707/

In the meantime, I'll be looking for Guadalcanal/Kula Gulf articles that Ed and Vincent asked for.


Robert:

I re-visited the Leyte Gulf link that you sent me and was able to access the other article as well as the rest of your pics. I liked the one of you on the sub. One question: Were you old enough to be in the Navy? You looked like a 16yr kid LOL!:D

[asnrobert]

Robert:

I re-visited the Leyte Gulf link that you sent me and was able to access the other article as well as the rest of your pics. I liked the one of you on the sub. One question: Were you old enough to be in the Navy? You looked like a 16yr kid LOL!:D

I was 22-23 when those navy pics were taken. Which pic were you looking at- there are two- a polaroid of me and a master chief on the Stonewall Jackson, and another of me with a bunch of the crew wearing the 'rig-for red' glasses.

Even today people think I'm in my twenties- although I rarely get carded anymore.

[asnrobert]

Here is another two page Leyte Gulf article I overlooked:

http://flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/2613747205/
http://flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/2614581634/

I also found a two part article on the loss of the Houston, another article on the HMAS Perth, and one about Empress Augusta Bay. I will upload them as soon as I can.

[asnrobert]

Hey, check out this cool color pic of the USS Midway (one of these days, if I'm really ambitious I'll photoshop that stain in the right hand corner.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3124/2613791817_6fe7ed2113_b.jpg

[Ed Rotondaro]

Here is another two page Leyte Gulf article I overlooked:

http://flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/2613747205/
http://flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/2614581634/

I also found a two part article on the loss of the Houston, another article on the HMAS Perth, and one about Empress Augusta Bay. I will upload them as soon as I can.

Robert:

I checked out some of your other photos including the one of you on the submarine. You didn't look old enough to be in the navy LOL! What were you 16 yrs old?

[asnrobert]

Robert:

I checked out some of your other photos including the one of you on the submarine. You didn't look old enough to be in the navy LOL! What were you 16 yrs old?

Like I said, I was in my early twenties when those photos were taken. I still look pretty young for my age, but it's not as bad as it was then. I'd be wearing my uniform and someone would ask me what military school I was in! :mad: I usually took it in stride, but not always. Once when I was returning home on leave (I had just turned 22), my Dad took me to the airport and was helping me with my luggage. The lady checking me in asked if the two of us were flying, and I said no, just me. The lady then asked (I was in civvies) "Unaccompanied minor?" I snapped and told her, "lady, I'm 22 years old and in the United States Navy." She just said "oh." My Dad chuckled (although I didn't find it amusing) and commented, "You certainly told her."

[asnrobert]

Here's yet another Leyte Gulf article I overlooked, apparently regarding the end of Ozawa's carriers:

http://flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/2618294010/

And here's a two page article on the loss of the Aaron Ward off Guadalcanal, mainly a first-person account:

http://flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/2618294712/in/photostream/
http://flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/2618295478/in/photostream/

[Vince O'Hara]

Thank you Robert for posting these.

Vince

[asnrobert]

Thank you Robert for posting these.

Vince

You're welcome. I found one article about Empress Augusta Bay, but nothing else regarding the Solomon campaign (although there was one article by a Filipino steward who survived the sinking of the Hornet and Northampton).

[Ed Rotondaro]

I was 22-23 when those navy pics were taken. Which pic were you looking at- there are two- a polaroid of me and a master chief on the Stonewall Jackson, and another of me with a bunch of the crew wearing the 'rig-for red' glasses.

Even today people think I'm in my twenties- although I rarely get carded anymore.

Robert:

The one on the Jackson. Was that a boomer or an attack boat? Were you a pharmacists mate or did you get into nursing later on?

[Ed Rotondaro]

Like I said, I was in my early twenties when those photos were taken. I still look pretty young for my age, but it's not as bad as it was then. I'd be wearing my uniform and someone would ask me what military school I was in! :mad: I usually took it in stride, but not always. Once when I was returning home on leave (I had just turned 22), my Dad took me to the airport and was helping me with my luggage. The lady checking me in asked if the two of us were flying, and I said no, just me. The lady then asked (I was in civvies) "Unaccompanied minor?" I snapped and told her, "lady, I'm 22 years old and in the United States Navy." She just said "oh." My Dad chuckled (although I didn't find it amusing) and commented, "You certainly told her."

Robert:

Better to look young for your age than old I'd say.

[Ed Rotondaro]

Thank you Robert for posting these.

Vince

Vince:

I finished your book on the German Navy in WWII a few months back. Interesting details on the small unit actions, especially against the Russians. How is your book on the Italian navy progressing?

[Vince O'Hara]

Ed,

I'm glad you found the German book interesting. I would also like to see more about the Soviet navy. Warship 2008 has an interesting article on the Soviet 7 and 7U destroyers that includes a mini operational bio of each one.

My Mediterranean book went off to the publisher today, as a matter of fact. The ms weighed six pounds. I hope to see it around April or May of next year. In the same issue of Warship there is a long article about the Action off Calabria that was more or less extracted from the book.

Vince

[asnrobert]

Robert:

The one on the Jackson. Was that a boomer or an attack boat? Were you a pharmacists mate or did you get into nursing later on?

The Jackson was a boomer- all the boats I served on was a boomer (my kid brother served on attack subs).
In the Navy I was a quartermaster, which deals with navigation, upkeep of charts, stuff like that (I was always fascinated by maps and stuff). I didn't get into nursing until MUCH later- I've only been a nurse for 5 years, although I was a Certified Nursing Assistant for four years while taking my pre-requisites and nursing classes.
BTW, when I was in they had done away with the Pharmacists Mate rating- it was changed to Hospitalman.

[asnrobert]

Robert:

Better to look young for your age than old I'd say.

I suppose so, but it's a real PITA when you're trying to buy a drink (OTOH, on numerous occasions I got into the movies at the kids price :D )

[Ed Rotondaro]

Ed,

I'm glad you found the German book interesting. I would also like to see more about the Soviet navy. Warship 2008 has an interesting article on the Soviet 7 and 7U destroyers that includes a mini operational bio of each one.

My Mediterranean book went off to the publisher today, as a matter of fact. The ms weighed six pounds. I hope to see it around April or May of next year. In the same issue of Warship there is a long article about the Action off Calabria that was more or less extracted from the book.

Vince


Vince:

Thanks, that is great news! One more book to look forward to.

[Ed Rotondaro]

The Jackson was a boomer- all the boats I served on was a boomer (my kid brother served on attack subs).
In the Navy I was a quartermaster, which deals with navigation, upkeep of charts, stuff like that (I was always fascinated by maps and stuff). I didn't get into nursing until MUCH later- I've only been a nurse for 5 years, although I was a Certified Nursing Assistant for four years while taking my pre-requisites and nursing classes.
BTW, when I was in they had done away with the Pharmacists Mate rating- it was changed to Hospitalman.

Robert:

Amazing how the navy terms things. Now I would have thought that a quartermaster was involved with logistics, even though I had heard they did navigation. Of course back in WWII, the bureau of Navigation handled personnel until it was changed to BuPers. Go figure?

[Ed Rotondaro]

I suppose so, but it's a real PITA when you're trying to buy a drink (OTOH, on numerous occasions I got into the movies at the kids price :D )

Robert:

Must have been all that clean Navy living that keeps you young.:rolleyes:

[asnrobert]

Robert:

Must have been all that clean Navy living that keeps you young.:rolleyes:

Nah, I always looked young for my age. I look about 12 in my high school graduation picture (in high school, a lot of upper-classmen thought I was some genius who skipped a bunch of grades). I remember when I was about 12 or so, my grandparents took me to see the USS Ling (a WW2 sub) in Hackensack NJ. There was a sign at the entrance stating children under a certain age (I think 8 or 10) were admitted free. I was over the limit, but the attendant simply said, "he's under age, he can go in for free." I whispered to my grandparents that I was supposed to pay; they just told me to shhh. :D

[asnrobert]

Robert:

Amazing how the navy terms things. Now I would have thought that a quartermaster was involved with logistics, even though I had heard they did navigation. Of course back in WWII, the bureau of Navigation handled personnel until it was changed to BuPers. Go figure?

The quartermasters in the other services handle logistics; in the Navy that's the storekeeper's job. My brother (who left the Navy in 2003) told me they've phased out the QMs since it is all electronic navigation (LORAN, SatNav, etc .) the job is handled by the NavETs now.

[Ed Rotondaro]

The quartermasters in the other services handle logistics; in the Navy that's the storekeeper's job. My brother (who left the Navy in 2003) told me they've phased out the QMs since it is all electronic navigation (LORAN, SatNav, etc .) the job is handled by the NavETs now.

Robert:

I'm sure some desk bound officer saw the logic behind these definitions. I love the military; it proves that like all branches of government, there is a degree of inspired lunacy in day to day operations. Good thing the Russkies were even more bureaucratic than we were.:rolleyes:

[asnrobert]

Here is an article about the Battle of the Atlantic, but this was from another magazine entitled All Hands. This was the June 1945 issue (which also came from my uncle):

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/sets/72157606327159924/

[Ed Rotondaro]

Here is an article about the Battle of the Atlantic, but this was from another magazine entitled All Hands. This was the June 1945 issue (which also came from my uncle):

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/sets/72157606327159924/

Robert:

Thanks for the article.

[djcyclone]

The quartermasters in the other services handle logistics; in the Navy that's the storekeeper's job. My brother (who left the Navy in 2003) told me they've phased out the QMs since it is all electronic navigation (LORAN, SatNav, etc .) the job is handled by the NavETs now.



Partially true. I left in 2004 and I was a quartermaster. Subs do not have quartermasters on them anymore. That job is handled by ET's, but surface ships still have quartermasters. Signalmen are the ones being phased out, or actually merged with quartermasters. The Navy will never go completley to electronic navigation. The Governement is concerned that one day some nation will have the balls to launch a missle at one of our navigation satalites. If that happens then the Coast Guard would be SOL, since they are completley electronic. The Navy however would be able to continue to operate since quartermasters are still capable of navigating with the starts.

[asnrobert]

Here is a two part story about the USS Houston in the early part of the war, as well as the ordeal of her crew in POW camps during the war:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/sets/72157606344320392/

[asnrobert]

Here's an article about HMAS Perth, sunk with USS Houston at Sunda Strait in 1942:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/sets/72157606372948293/

[asnrobert]

On another thread awhile back, there was a discussion about the loss of the USS Princeton, and there was some mention about a cruiser that was damaged while attempting to put out the fires aboard the carrier. That cruiser was the Birmingham, and I have found two articles about that ship which mention the incident as well as some interesting pictures. One is from Our Navy magazine, the other is from All Hands magazine, both from 1945.

http://flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/sets/72157606398327727/

[asnrobert]

Here's a neat article from All Hands magazine about the USS Franklin:

http://flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/sets/72157606398932147/

[Ed Rotondaro]

Here's a neat article from All Hands magazine about the USS Franklin:

http://flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/sets/72157606398932147/

Robert:

Dang it, you're a real good guy partner! Thanks.

[asnrobert]

Robert:

Dang it, you're a real good guy partner! Thanks.

Glad you like them. I have more coming.

[asnrobert]

Here is one that shows abandoned IJN warships at the end of the war in Kure harbor:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3103/2765337040_e2c10e3736_b.jpg

The carrier in the lower right pic is identified as Soryu, which can't be correct since she was sunk at Midway in '42.

[Ed Rotondaro]

Here is one that shows abandoned IJN warships at the end of the war in Kure harbor:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3103/2765337040_e2c10e3736_b.jpg

The carrier in the lower right pic is identified as Soryu, which can't be correct since she was sunk at Midway in '42.

Robert:

Thanks for the interesting pics. Really makes you understand how badly beaten Japan was by mid-1945 when her fleet was being sunk at anchor.

[asnrobert]

Robert:

Thanks for the interesting pics. Really makes you understand how badly beaten Japan was by mid-1945 when her fleet was being sunk at anchor.

The cruiser IWATE in the lower left corner was an old RJW-WW1 vintage cruiser that had been relegated to training or target practice, yet the USAAF didn't overlook her!

[asnrobert]

Here's an article from the First of October 1945 about the US submarine service:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/sets/72157606750584586/

[Mike Malanaphy]

Here is one that shows abandoned IJN warships at the end of the war in Kure harbor:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3103/2765337040_e2c10e3736_b.jpg

The carrier in the lower right pic is identified as Soryu, which can't be correct since she was sunk at Midway in '42.

Hi,

That same picture appears in "Japanese Naval Vessels at the End of World War II" by Shizuo Fukui on page 134 and the carrier is identified as Ryuho. The higher flight deck proflie at the bow courtesy to her conversion from the submarine depot ship Taigei. Shoho and Zuhio were her sisters. The converted Mogami class cruisre to carrier, Ibuki, was evidently moored in a nearby bay and was not attacked.

[Ed Rotondaro]

Hi,

That same picture appears in "Japanese Naval Vessels at the End of World War II" by Shizuo Fukui on page 134 and the carrier is identified as Ryuho. The higher flight deck proflie at the bow courtesy to her conversion from the submarine depot ship Taigei. Shoho and Zuhio were her sisters. The converted Mogami class cruisre to carrier, Ibuki, was evidently moored in a nearby bay and was not attacked.


Mike:

Good piece of naval detective work sir!

[asnrobert]

Hi,

That same picture appears in "Japanese Naval Vessels at the End of World War II" by Shizuo Fukui on page 134 and the carrier is identified as Ryuho. The higher flight deck proflie at the bow courtesy to her conversion from the submarine depot ship Taigei. Shoho and Zuhio were her sisters. The converted Mogami class cruisre to carrier, Ibuki, was evidently moored in a nearby bay and was not attacked.

Thanks for the info. I did some searching on the web yesterday (unfortunately the combinedfleet.com website is currently out of commission) and from what I could find, the Ryujo seemed to be the most likely candidate, and your post confirms it.

[asnrobert]

Here are some more articles, all from the First of October 1945 issue of Our Navy magazine:

Pacific Powerhouse- article about Admiral Nimitz and other navy leaders of the Pacific War:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/sets/72157606764598899/
Our Carrier Supremacy- I like the pic of the CL Oyodo on the last page:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/sets/72157606760944848/
What Happened to Japan's Navy- the destruction of the IJN by the numbers:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/sets/72157606760944904/
The Surface Navy in the War- by famed author Fletcher Pratt. Don't know if I agree with his conclusions, however:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/sets/72157606764598857/

Also is a pic of the Missouri:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3291/2768322252_c8cc50df8d_b.jpg

[Vince O'Hara]

Thanks Robert. I thought Well of the Unicorn by Pratt was an excellent fantasy novel. I guess a lot of people might think his "Surface Navy in the War" article is fantasy as well, but while it may be stating things too strongly to say that "[the Japanese] had, after all, been right in thinking that the big ship with the big guns were the greatest danger they had to face in a war against the United States," I think he makes a lot of valid points.

Vince

[asnrobert]

Vince,

I though the same thing about that passage- I believe the Japanese were gunning for the flattops as well, and were disappointed when they weren't at Pearl. My first encounter with Pratt's writing was his Civil War: Ordeal by Fire which I enjoyed immensely.

[asnrobert]

Here are some more articles:

Big E editorial- was a plea to save the carrier Enterprise. I'd posted the cartoon a couple years ago, but recently decided to upload the accompanying editorial as well:
http://flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/sets/72157606780627296/
Admiral of the Air- Article about carrier Admiral Aubrey Fitch:
http://flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/sets/72157606784546155/
No Man's World- a navy steward tells of his surviving the sinking of the Hornet and the Northampton ( I like how at the end of the article he says he's had three ships sunk from under him and never learned how to swim!):
http://flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/sets/72157606781060768/
Atomic Visions- editorial written at the time the a-bombs were used:
http://flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/2770398875/
Pernicious Hornet- article about the USS Hornet, sunk in the Solomons:
http://flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/sets/72157606781698168/

[asnrobert]

Here are some more articles:
Bitchin Witch- about the actions of a PT boat- a the time the aticle was published, the PT boat and her skipper had been lost:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/sets/72157606784125986/
Men Below Decks- about the men who man the enginerooms of the Navy's ships:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/sets/72157606783977352/
What's in a Name? -USS Intrepid article:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/sets/72157606783976586/
What's in a Name?- USS Laffey article (although in the article they misspell the ship's name as 'Laffy':
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/sets/72157606783976562/
What's in a Name?- USS Maryland article:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/sets/72157606783976508/
What's in a Name?- USS Tang article:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/sets/72157606783976488/
USS Stayafloat- Dry land ship mockeup used to train sailors in damage control:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/sets/72157606787611469/

I've also collected a number of pictures I've scanned from the magazines (some are full page photos, others were smaller ones I've cropped) and put them in a separate set:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/sets/72157606785658115/

[Ed Rotondaro]

Here are some more articles:
Bitchin Witch- about the actions of a PT boat- a the time the aticle was published, the PT boat and her skipper had been lost:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/sets/72157606784125986/
Men Below Decks- about the men who man the enginerooms of the Navy's ships:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/sets/72157606783977352/
What's in a Name? -USS Intrepid article:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/sets/72157606783976586/
What's in a Name?- USS Laffey article (although in the article they misspell the ship's name as 'Laffy':
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/sets/72157606783976562/
What's in a Name?- USS Maryland article:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/sets/72157606783976508/
What's in a Name?- USS Tang article:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/sets/72157606783976488/
USS Stayafloat- Dry land ship mockeup used to train sailors in damage control:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/sets/72157606787611469/

I've also collected a number of pictures I've scanned from the magazines (some are full page photos, others were smaller ones I've cropped) and put them in a separate set:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/sets/72157606785658115/


Robert:

As always, Thanks for the articles, I enjoy reading them. What are those other pics of books that show up when I select an article to print?

[asnrobert]

Robert:

As always, Thanks for the articles, I enjoy reading them. What are those other pics of books that show up when I select an article to print?

I'm not sure I understand. Where do the other books appear?

[Ed Rotondaro]

I'm not sure I understand. Where do the other books appear?


Robert:

When I get ready to print a page, I see the page plus a whole load of other pics which I'm sure are yours or not.

[asnrobert]

Robert:

When I get ready to print a page, I see the page plus a whole load of other pics which I'm sure are yours or not.

The pics belong to different sets that I've organized them into, so you may see the thumbnails of the other pics in the different sets.

[Ed Rotondaro]

The pics belong to different sets that I've organized them into, so you may see the thumbnails of the other pics in the different sets.

Robert:

OK that makes sense. Does it cost a lot to use Flickr?

[asnrobert]

Robert:

OK that makes sense. Does it cost a lot to use Flickr?

I pay about $45 for a two year membership. You can sign up for free, but then you are limited to how much you can upload and you don't get all the other features.

[asnrobert]

Here are some more articles:

It's Rugged- PC subchasers, written by a sailor who served on one:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/sets/72157606846777596/
Submarines have homes- about the navy's submarine tenders:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/sets/72157606861573823/
Kamikaze- about Japan's "divine wind":
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnrobert/sets/72157606858213658/

[asnrobert]

One of the articles I posted concerning Leyte Gulf was about a destroyer at Surgiao. The article was titled 'Fire One,' and the destroyer in the article was named only as the "Mighty N." I was curious as to the name of the ship, and in reading the article mentioned it was the flagship for Commodore Roland Smoot. I searched the web, and found that Smoot was Commodore of DesRon 56 (check out the artwork in the Desron 56 page and the one in the article:
http://www.destroyerhistory.org/desron56/index.html
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3279/2599816803_3b9b095932_b.jpg

Therefore, I was able to positively identify the ship in the article as USS Newcomb DD586. I located its homepage (http://www.thenewcomb.org/) and send an email explaining how I came across the article in my uncle's old magazines. I also attached the scanned images of the article for any of the crew if they were interested. Haven't heard back from them, however.