We just added a tribute to the Coasties that served in World War II on the Coast Guard Channel. Hope you find it entertaining and informational.

Thank to all of you who serve so the rest of us can enjoy our freedom. World War II Tribute

Tam: Thanks very much for all you do to remember and promote the Coast Guard. Your work is greatly appreciated by those of us who have served. From a humble retired Coastie.

Jory Luchsinger

MM;
I am just gonna be lazy and ask you instead of reading the article: Would that be the first WWII era Purple Heart?

Since JFK authorized retros back to WWI, I am surprised there would be no earlier awardees. Maybe that was the first presented?

Damn - now I am going to have to do research!

Bill - if you are out there - email me the answer!

THE U.S.S. MISSISSINEWA WAS A T3-S2-A3 AUXILIARY
OILER, COMMISSIONED ON MAY 18, 1944 . THE ROLE OF THE U.S.S. MISSISSINEWA WAS TO REFUEL SHIPS, WHILE UNDERWAY, IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC DURING WWII
SHE, ALONG WITH THE OTHER AUXILIARY OILERS, PLAYED A CRUCIAL ROLE IN KEEPING COMBAT VESSELS SUPPLIED WITH FUEL.

ON NOVEMBER 20,1944 , THE U.S.S. MISSISSINEWA WAS STRUCK BY A KAITEN (IMPERIAL JAPANESE NAVY MANNED SUICIDE TORPEDO WITH A 3,418 LB. WARHEAD), BECAME TOTALLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES AND SUBSEQUENTLY SANK WITH THE LOSS OF 63 U.S. SAILORS AND ONE JAPANESE KAITEN PILOT. THE SINKING WAS CAPTURED IN STILL PHOTOGRAPHS BY SID HARRIS, A SAILOR ABOARD FLEET TUG.

That Japanese sake will make you do all kinds of weird stuff, it did me back in the early fifties.

Ocracoke Minefield Patrol

In 1942, my dad was sent to Ocracoke NC and was part of something called the "Ocracoke Minefield Patrol" There isn't a whole lot in his service jacket about it, except a few numbers, which I presume were the hull numbers of the partol crafts. I think there were maybe 4 or 5 craft in the patrol at the time.

Any old timers know anything about it? Dangerous duty? Or was it primarily SAR fetching survivors of torpedoed merchantmen out of the water?
He was only there for a few months before being transferred.

While on the discussion of 1942-43 era I have a question about "Reserve Temporary" of that time. My dad was enlisted as a BMC in Rockaway Beach, NY. They did sub patrol off NY Harbor and did Port Security work around the docks. I have not been able to find anything about his service thru the "usual" channels.
Anyone have any ideas to track down his records?

If you want his service record, you have to go to St. Louis, MO. Go to the Historian of the USCG's web site and it will tell you the procedures. Do not expect fast service from St. Louis.

You can check Malcolm F. Willoughby, The U.S. Coast Guard in World War IIfor info on Temporary Reserves and about anything else on the service during the war.

My uncle Louis was Chief of Boats on the HUNTER LIGGETT. My uncle Ben was armed guard on a ship. I don't remember the name. My cousin Louis was a tail gunner,

Opps
Louis was in the Air Force

My dad Otto V. Peterson, was in the Coast Guard all through WW-II, starting with the Cutter Taney at Pearl Harbor 12-07-41 where he was on the #3 gun which fired the first shot off the Taney (see http://www.uscg.mil/news/wwii/wwii.htm ) and its end as the paymaster (SK-1) on the Coast Guard manned troop ship USN General Muir as it entered New York harbor on JV day 1945. He continued on in the Guard with his favorite duty on the Storis in the late 1940s in AK. He was a 'coastie' at heart to his dieing day.
Dad ‘crossed the bar’ 12-17-01, one day shy of his 81st birthday and ten days after giving his last Pearl Harbor interview on behalf of the Coast Guard. Thus, this time of year we like to remember dad and his love of the Coast Guard and the sea. Thanks, his son Joe (USCG 1965-69)

Good for your Dad, I wished I could have been there and cranked off a few rounds of 50 cal at them meat balls.

quote:

Originally posted by chief74Ret:
Good for your Dad, I wished I could have been there and cranked off a few rounds of 50 cal at them meat balls.

Thanks, Chief. In the very last interview my dad gave on Pearl Harbor's 60th 12-07-01 he was growing very tired. He had already given several interviews, signed books and gave autographs and had his picture taken with people. The interviewer, from a Seattle radio station, ended his interview and then asked my dad about what he thought of the 9/11/01 Twin Towers and Pentagon attack. Dad closed eyes and said "I was shooting at those planes, too."

"MM;
I am just gonna be lazy and ask you instead of reading the article: Would that be the first WWII era Purple Heart? "

While cleaning up files, I found I still had this, if interested.

The next time the award for boat engineer comes due, a little tidbit about Fireman 1st class Paul Clark, the namesake of the award.
The Navy Cross is second to the Medal Of Honor.

Will keep looking for the presentation article and photo I found on the award to CSM Ray Evans, who was with SM1c Munro.

Managed to locate these two notable decorations from WW2


If any of the family drop in here, Have the Chincoteague Tarr's seen this photo before ???

Great stuff!

Food for thought for new trivia for the Channel.

Thanks for sharing.

Tam
The Coast Guard Channel