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Reformed
Squadron VC-10 Continued
Narrative History of Composite Squadron Ten
A
special thanks to Norm Van Dine for preparing this narrative
originally written by Harry T. West, Lieutenant, USNR
Click here for printable version
Pandemonium!
Such packing and scurrying, purchasing of forgotten items, reports, telephone calls, letter writing, last dates, parties, was never before seen in such a short length of time. Big Sweeney (LT.Cmdr. E.J.Sweeney,USNR) had reported on May 9th, just in time to be given a slug of work. A new yeoman, Howard Strum, reported in and found himself truly " at sea". Supplies, equipment, survival reports, inventory of planes, embarking reports, it all went on Big Sweeney's desk and he did a man-sized job. All credit to him. The fighter pilots were still at Twenty-Nine Palms. The torpedo pilots tried to crowd a ten day course in torpedoes, mine-laying, and smoke laying into five days. They did, too. A Purple Heart came to Zarzynski, hardworking assistant to Doc Anderson.
Little Sweeney(Lt.jg. Dan Sweeney) took charge of a farewell party for the officers. "It won't cost more than one dollar per person", so said Sweeney. The ante was five dollars and did he get razzed? The party though was a huge success. A dinner dance, held at the beautiful Camp Fidd Officers' Club in Balboa Park, found all officers in attendance with their wives and dates and everybody in a receptive mood for the champagne cocktails which opened the gala affair. No one remembers what closed it.
Thursday, 31 May 1945, all men aboard the USS BARNES ( CVE-20) at 0900. All were aboard, but the Barnes was not loaded, so everybody secured until 1500. Back aboard again then after lingering farewells to the fair ones left ashore. More than one member of the squadron had to swallow heroically as he walked up the gangplank. Fifty feet up a gangplank puts you a long , long ways from home.
The Barnes weighed anchor at 1700 and the squadron was at sea. Any who might have looked for excitement or danger were to be disappointed. Only a few were seasick and none of these seriously. Eating, sleeping, reading, poker, and bridge consumed the time until Diamond Head loomed on the horizon on 6 June 1945.
The ship docked at Pearl Harbor the afternoon of the 6th with the squadron staying aboard that night, but entrucking to NAS Kaneohe the next morning.
There was to be no rest for the squadron, nor time to enjoy the beauties of the islands. Flight schedules were full to capacity. Live bombing, Field carrier practice, carrier qualifications again, this time on the USS CORREGIDOR(CVE_55), air support training, rockets, night bounce, night carrier qualifications, fighter director training, all followed one another in a seemingly endless cycle.
June 26th, Gunner A. A. Andrews, who had been Leading Chief for the Squadron all through the reforming period until his promotion in April, was detached and sent home-to Minneapolis Naval Air Station for training in Liberator ordinance. Lucky guy!. The squadron had already been out of the States long enough to want to go home . Chief W.E,Ballou took over Andy's duties and affairs continued to run smoothly " just like Andy was here". Both were good capable men and well equipped to do the job properly.
The long awaited medals and awards earned by the original squadron in the Battle for Leyte Gulf finally arrived and were presented during a formal inspection on July5, 1945. Captain Edward L.B.Weimer,USN, Chief of Staff of Fleet Air Wing Two, made the presentations. The introductory remarks of Lt.(jg) H.A.Patrick,USNR, Flag Lieutenant, are worth quoting:
"We honor today twenty-seven officers and men of Composite Squadron Ten. Composite Squadron Ten was commissioned September 23, 1942, and spent its first tour of duty on the ill-fated but courageous USS GAMBIER BAY (CVE 73). It participated in and supported the Occupation of the Mariannas in June and July 1944, the Occupation of Palau in September 1944, and the liberation of the Philippines on October 20 to 25, 1944".
"It was in that campaign, known as the Battle of Leyte Gulf, and more particularly the third of those famous sea battles known as the Battle off Samar, in which the squadron lost its carrier to enemy shell fire and earned the awards presented today."
"Forty-eight members of that squadron were recommended for awards as a result of that five day campaign. Twenty-seven of those men are still with the squadron, now back out again for its second inning against the Japanese enemy".
Awards were made to the following members of the squadron: Silver Star to Lt.Cmdr.E.J.Huxtable, Ens.P.A.Bennett: Distinguished Flying Cross to Lieut. H.B.Bassett, Lieut. J.R.Stewart,Lt.(jg) C.J.Dugan,Lt.(jg) J.F.Lischer, Lt.(jg) E.A.Osterkorn, Lt.(jg) W.C.Shroyer,Lt.(jg) R.E.Weatherholt, Lt.(jg) R.J.Wallace; Air Medals Medals to Lieut. G.E.Bisbee, Lieut.C.A.Wickersham,Lt.(jg) W.W.Abercrombie,Lt.(jg) L.C.Giger, Lt.(jg)H.A.Pyzdrowski, Lt.(jg)O.E.Wheeler, J.D.Britt, ACM, R.S.Martin, ACOM,D.A.Blanford, AMM1c. A.F. Jennings,AMM1c, J.Lock,ARM1c,F.F.GrabosAMM2c, J.W. Houlihan,ARM2c, L.M.Austin, ARM3c, W.R.Phillips,ARM3c,J.W.Shrader, ARM3c, L.Vilmer, ARM3c.
Another squadron beer party was the anticipated success on July 10th. Hot sand and cool surf made the beer (and coke) particularly tempting. Juan Sweeney proved to be an excellent fry cook, but he tired after the first hamburger( which he consumed himself) and others less experienced but more enthusiastic, took over the hot task of feeding the group. Did a good job too and the party went down in memory as a huge success.
Sweat and sunburn! All because Burt Bassett learned to play tennis, and darned good tennis, although he would never admit it (nor would Doc Anderson). Anyhow Burt wanted a squadron tennis tournament and that we had. Tuffy Barrows drew up the schedule and carefully put Doc and Bob MacGill in separate brackets, which proved wise because each swept through all his opposition (not without trouble) and Doc finally won the championship from MacGill on Sunday afternoon, July 22nd. The "Captain's Cup" was a used beer can manufactured and decorated by Tuffy in one of his "lighter moments".
On July 20th orders were received to move to the Forward Area and after a hectic period of packing and re-packing, the squadron embarked aboard the USS SAGINAW BAY ) CVE 82) on July 24,1945. The ship sailed at noon the next day and the following nine days were as pleasant as any ever experienced by the members of the squadron .The SAGINAW BAY was a clean and trim ship, manned by capable officers who went out of their way to be pleasant to their passengers. A word of thanks to a fine ship and officers and men. During the trip Bill Budd organized a bridge tournament and enrolled 17 teams, 34 of the 54 officers. It was an excellent pastime and E.J.Sweeney and George Bisbee nosed out the team of Bassett and West by thirty points to win the championship.
The ship anchored in Arpa Harbor, Guam, on Saturday ,August 4th, and the ComAirPac representative who met us, brought orders to transfer to the USS FANSHAW BAY (CVE 70) , our permanent ship. The transfer was made that same night and by 0030 on the 5th, the squadron was at home.
The ship weighed anchor for Eniwetok early the morning of he 6th, and the next Day the first flights were made off the squadron's own carrier. Local CAP's local ASP's And Fighter Director training hops were scheduled. The weather was bad and none of the Training hops were made, but a submarine contact was made eighteen miles astern ship put Weatherholt and Frank in the air as hunter-killer teams to investigate the sub. No trace was found and the flight landed without incident.
The " Fanny Bee" anchored in Eniwetok Harbor on 9 August and while the ship worked hard to get supplies aboard and get cleaned up and painted up, the squadron worked equally hard investigating the islands in the atoll and particularly the Officer's Club on Eniwetok Each was successful in its own way.
The longest week of the war was spent in Eniwetok Harbor. For that week rumors of peace proposals and counter- proposals floated constantly over the airwaves and around the scuttle-butts. Finally on 15 August 1945 ( East longitude) the fateful announcement was made that the terrible war was ended. It was received with one wild uncontrollable cheer and then silence and meditation as each of the hundreds of men aboard the ship pondered his own future and what peace would mean after these years of war.
But schedules must go on and at 0715 on Aug.16,1945, the FANSHAW BAY, in company with the USS KITKIN BAY, set sail for ADAK in the Aleutians in accordance with previous orders. Flights went on as scheduled except that the two squadrons on the two ships took turns flying every second day. The trip was uneventful, except for the welcome relief of cooler weather, and the two carriers anchored in ADAK HARBOR on Friday, August 24th, to find the other four carriers of the Task Force already there awaiting our arrival. Then followed a week of intense reconnaissance work, investigating the Officer's Clubs, the Ships Service Stores, the Army PX's and a little fishing and mountain climbing for relaxation. New winterized planes were brought aboard. " The Navy has not heard that the war is over!"
But ten officers and two of the crew knew the war was over and wanted to go home. Didn't AlNav 196, plus its amendment, say that all pilots and crewmen having forty-four points or the Silver Star or the DFC could be discharged and sent home? The answer was "yes", but-only three officers and the two crewmen were released. Didn't a dispatch from the Task Force Commander and another from CNO direct their discharge? Yes, but only Looney and Lindquist, Bennett, Shroyer and Wallace left with our congratulations and envy.
So seven disgruntled pilots stayed on with the Squadron and sailed West from ADAK on 31 August 1945, part of Task Force 44, their unhappiness only slightly lessened by our destination-JAPAN! The HOGGATT BAY,NEHANTA BAY,MANILA BAY, SAVO ISLAND,KITKIN BAY, plus nine destroyers, escorted the FANSHAW BAY (now in slightly better condition due to the covering capacity of Navy paint) and COMNORPAC and his staff. Destination-Ominato in Mutsu Bay in Northern Honshu.
Flights were scheduled every day, but typical North Pacific weather kept the pilots in a steady status in the Ready Room constantly, but never in the air, until Thursday, September 6th, on which day two flights, on each of torpedos and fighters, were airborne.
Sept. 7th the ship and squadron were detached from Task Force 44 and became part of Task Force 42 charged with the responsibility of taking Mutsu Bay and Ominato. On Sept.8th the Task Force steamed blithely into Japanese waters under the guidance of a Japanese pilot and the FANSHAW BAY became the first carrier to anchor in Northern Honshu.
September 10th, Monday Capt. Huxtable and Lieut, Wheeler took two planes to Yokosuka Airfield near Tokyo, carrying photographs and officer-messenger mail from COMNORPAC to the Third Fleet. They stayed overnight and returned the next day with glowing tales of the destruction of Tokyo and Yokahama.
September 11th was a happy day for Stewart, Lischer, Wickersham, Dugan, Weatherholt, Osterkorn, Bisbee and Subers, for on the day they finally received discharge orders and transferred over to the destroyer, USS JARVIS, for transportation back to Adak and then home.
Some of the boys decided they would like to transfer to the "Regular Navy" and remain in this pleasant life several more years. So in order to give them a taste of the more unpleasant side of the Navy ife, a series of student watches was set up for their education and enlightenment. One mystery of the Navy was cleared up for them the very first day. With typical Navy inconsistency the call "Away, motor whaleboat, awayeeee" was found to mean,"come closer little boat,come here". It was learned that a whale boat has nothing to do with whale fishing. What a wonderful instution is the United States Navy!
September 15th.Happy Day! We leave for Pearl Harbor. No one knows the disposition of the Squadron, but the direction is correct, and it was with thoughts of home that the squadron watched the mountains of Honshu and Hokkaido fade in the distance.
Thus endth the second cruise of Squadron VC-10.
Harry
T. West, Lieutenant, USNR
September 20,1945
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