In Their Own Words

William L. Wilmoth, USN (Ret), My Navy Career 1944 - 1965

            Born the 2^nd of February 1927, in the town of Bradford, Pennsylvania (McKean Co.), I lived at 27 School St., until I was six.  We moved to Eddyville, NY in 1936, and resided there until the late 30s.  Then after both grandparents passed away in 1941, we moved to the little town of Cattaraugus, NY where I attended school until 1943, when I quit school and left for an NYA (National Youth Association) school in Newburg, NY.  After that I worked for several months at the Jamestown Municipal Airport for a Mr. Skelton (Skelly).  I believe his first name was “Warren”.

USS Pasadena

            Soon thereafter, in fact on my 17^th birthday, my mother and I went up to Buffalo, NY to the post office where I enlisted in the United States Navy for a four year enlistment (Kiddy Cruise).  By three in the afternoon, I was dragging my bag of navy-gear through the snowdrifts of the Naval Training Station at Sampson, NY (located on one of the Finger Lakes, Seneca by name).  There I became a number, not a name, at least for about a period of about five weeks.  Home on “boot-leave” for a period of another five days, then back to NTS Sampson, to the OGU (Out-Going Unit) for further transfer.  Well, my new set of orders took me to Providence, RI on pre-commissioning detail for a new Cleveland-class light cruiser, the USS Pasadena (CL-65).  But before we put the ship in commission, we went to Norfolk, VA where we spent another three weeks aboard an old World War I battleship, the USS Wyoming, now a training ship for anti-aircraft.  All the big guns had been removed and 5 inch, 38 caliber anti-aircraft guns put in their place.  I must add that while aboard this particular ship I slept in a hammock.  Surprisingly enough it was quite comfortable.

USS Wyoming

            From Norfolk and the USS Wyoming, we proceeded to Price’s Neck, RI for further training on the 40mm and 20mm anti-aircraft weapons.  Very good training, this came in handy for a later engagement with the enemy in the Pacific war.  

 USS Pasadena                                      USS Wyoming

            Next, what we’d all been waiting for, the commissioning at Boston Navy Yard of our own new ship, the light cruiser (last of the Cleveland-class) USS Pasadena (CL-65).  Our first commanding officer was Captain Tuggle. (Towards the end of the war, Captain Tuggle was promoted to Commodore)  We were assigned to Task Force 58.1 and were in seven major battles including the 2^nd Battle of Leyte Gulf, Tacloban, Manila, Iwo Jima, Okinawa and more.  Also went through the 1945 typhoon in the China Sea.  Talk about scared.  We were present at the signing of the Peace Treaty with Japan in Tokyo Bay on September 2^nd, 1945.

            Shortly thereafter, I volunteered to help set up Port Director Services in Yokosuka, Japan.  Upon returning to the Pasadena, I found a new set of orders to LCS-122, Flotilla #4, running liberty party’s from Yokosuka to Yokohama and Tokyo.  After a couple months of that, I found myself with enough “points” to return to “Uncle Sugar” (stateside).  So, saying goodbye to my wartime buddies, I entrained to Tachakawa Air Force Base when I caught a Super-Connie (Constellation) back stateside and 30 days leave.  Returning then to Camp Shoemaker, near Pleasanton, California, after a three week stay, I was awakened early one morning, 0330, and told to grab my sea bag and get on the bus waiting outside the building.  After heading north, we arrived at the oldest Naval Base on the west coast, Mare Island, Naval Ship Yard.  At the piers, I saw my old ship the Pasadena to the right and some of my old friends in the V division.  They hollered at me, “Hey, Bill, where are you going?” 

To which I replied, “Damned if I know!”

 

W. Wilmoth

To my left was the amphibious command ship USS Mt McKinley (AGC-7).  After reporting aboard and checking in, we saw quite a number of the old ships we’d been with in World War II, such as the cruisers Pensacola and Salt Lake.  We all became part of a non-war convoy.  Three days out at sea, Admiral W. H. P. Blandy informed us that we had just volunteered to be part of “Operation Crossroads” (in short, to be guinea pigs in the atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll in the South Pacific). 

(To be continued!) 

Doolittle Raid April 18, 1942

“Departing Eglin on March 25, the raiders flew their specialized aircraft to McClellan Field, CA for final modifications. Four days later the 15 aircraft selected for the mission and one reserve aircraft were flown to Alameda, CA where they were loaded aboard USS Hornet. Sailing on April 2, Hornet rendezvoused with Vice Admiral William F. Halsey's Task Force 18 north of Hawaii. Centered on the carrier USS Enterprise, TF18 was to provide cover for Hornet during the mission. Combined, the American force consisted of two carriers, three heavy cruisers, one light cruiser, eight destroyers, and two oilers.” (http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/aerialcampaigns/p/doolittleraid.htm)

NAS Alameda was the departure point for the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo 73 years ago today.

In retaliation for the bombing of Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt issued a directive to attack Tokyo as soon as possible. This attack would serve two purposes: to show the Japanese the Americans were not cowed and to build American morale. While difficult to plan and execute, and while minimal damages were inflicted on the Japanese cities, the mission was a success.

More details and further reading can be found at the link above and at http://www.uss-hornet.org/history/wwii/doolittle.shtml

 

The USS Hornet (CV-8), from which the Doolittle Raiders launched, survived the Battle of Midway: however, was damaged beyond repair  and sunk in October 1942. The current incarnation of the USS Hornet (CV-12) is a museum In Alameda, CA. It is open for tours daily from 10am until 5pm. For further information: http://www.uss-hornet.org/