Platte Journals

Once I Was A Navyman

I like the Navy. I like standing on deck during a long voyage with sea spray in my face and ocean winds whipping in from everywhere - The feel of the giant steel ship beneath me, it's engines driving against the sea is almost beyond understanding - It’s immense power makes the Navyman feel so insignificant but yet proud to be a small part of this ship - A small part of Her mission.
 
I like the Navy. I like the sound of taps over the ships announcing system, the ringing of the ships bell, the foghorns and strong laughter of Navy men at work. I like the ships of the Navy; Nervous darting Destroyers, sleek proud Cruisers, majestic Battle Ships, steady solid Carriers, the essential Fleet Auxiliaries and silent hidden Submarines - I like the workhorse tugboats with their proud Indian names: Iroquois, Apache, Kiawah and Sioux - Each stealthy powerful Tug safely guiding the warships to safe deep waters from all harbors.
 
I like the historic names of other proud Navy Ships: Midway, Hornet, Princeton, Saribachi and Saratoga. The Ozark, Hunley, William R. Rush and Turner, the Constitution, Missouri, Wichita, Iowa, Arizona and Manchester, as well as The Sullivans, Enterprise, Tecumseh, Cole, New Jersey and Nautilus too - all majestic ships of the line - Each ship commanding the respect of all Navymen that have known Her - or were privileged to be a part of Her crew.
 
I like the bounce of Navy music and the tempo of a Navy Band, "Liberty Whites", “13 Button Blues”, the rare 72 hour liberty and the spice scent of a foreign port - I like Shipmates I've sailed with, worked with, served with or have known: The Gunners Mate from the Iowa cornfields; a Sonarman from the Colorado mountain country; a pal from Cairo, Alabama; an Italian from near Boston; some boogie boarders of California; and of course, a drawling friendly Oklahoma lad that hailed from Muskogee; and a very congenial Engineman from the Tennessee hills.
 
From all parts of the land they came - Farms of the Midwest, small towns of New England - The red clay area and small towns of the South - The mountain and high prairie towns of the West - The beachfront towns of the Atlantic, the Pacific and the Gulf - All are American; all are comrades in arms - All are men of the sea and all are men of honor.
 
I like the adventure in my heart when the ship puts out to sea, and I like the electric thrill of sailing home again, with the waving hands of welcome from family and friends, waiting on shore - The extended time at sea drags; the going is rough on occasion. But there's the companionship of robust Navy laughter, the devil-may-care philosophy of the sea. This helps the Navyman - The remembrances of past shipmates fill the mind and restore the memory with images of other ships, other ports, and other cruises long past - Some memories are good, some are not so good, but all are etched in the mind of the Navyman - And most will be there forever.
 
I like the sea, and after a day of work, there is the serenity of the sea at dusk. As white caps dance on the ocean waves, the sunset creates flaming clouds that float in folds over the horizon - As if painted there by a master. The darkness follows soon and is mysterious. The ship’s wake in darkness has a hypnotic effect, with foamy white froth and luminescence that forms never ending patterns in the turbulent waters - I like the lights of the ship in the dark of night - The masthead lights, the red and green sidelights and stern lights. They cut through the night and appear as a mirror of stars in darkness - There are rough stormy nights, and calm, quiet, still nights where the quiet of the mid-watch allows the ghosts of all the Sailors of the world to stand watch with you. They are abundant and unreachable, but ever apparent - And there is always the aroma of fresh coffee from the galley.
 
I like the legends of the Navy and the Navymen that created those legends - I like the proud names of Navy Heroes: Halsey, Nimitz, Beach, Farragut, Rickover and John Paul Jones. A man can find much in this Navy - Comrades in arms, pride in his country - A man can find himself and can revel in this experience.
 
In years to come, when the Sailor is home from the sea, he will still recall with fondness the ocean spray on his face when the sea is angry - There will come a faint aroma of fresh paint in his nostrils, the echo of hearty laughter of the seafaring men who once were close companions - Now landlocked, he will grow wistful of his Navy days, when the seas were the largest part of him and a new port of call was always just over the horizon.
 
Recalling those days and times, he will stand taller and say: "ONCE I WAS A NAVYMAN !”

                                                                          
                                                                 E. A. Hughes, FTCM (SS), USN (Retired)
                                                                                                Copyright, 1958, 1978
 

Deck Log USS Platte AO-24   Thursday 31 December 1964
U.S. Naval Station, Long Beach, California

00-04

Moored port side to pier 9, berth 13, U.S. Naval Station, Long Beach, California using standard mooring lines doubled with spring lay fore and aft.  U.S.S. Belle Grove (LSD-2) and U.S.S. Okanagon (APA-220) moored outboard to starboard using standard mooring lines doubled.  No.1 boiler and No. 2 generator are on the line.  Receiving miscellaneous services from the pier.  Material Condition Yoke and condition of readiness V are set throughout the ship.  Cargo consists of NSFO, JP-5, and lube in  drums. Ships present include various units of the Pacific Fleet, yard, and district craft.  SOPA is RADM O.D. Waters, USN, COMMINPAC based ashore on U.S. Naval Station, Long Beach, California

 

G. A. Stewart
Ensign, USNR

Deck Log USS Platte AO-24   Friday 1 January 1965
U.S. Naval Station, Long Beach, California
00-04

Our fighting lady’s’ lines lie still,
Her spring lay does not stir.
At  9 - 13 she’s port side to,
A fleet of ships with her.

Long Beach is her home this morn,
Her sisters make the nest.
Belle Grove makes our starboard side-
Okanogan does the rest.
 
The fires are lit under number one,
The lights from number two.
She sits in waters calm and clear,
A pale shade of blue.
 
Her liquid cargo lies so still
The fuels that go to sea.
She waits for O.D. Waters’ word
To go where she must be.
 
The men are set in status five
The hull bears yoke so well.
Together they must wait the night
In answer to the bell.
 
She’s port side to the setting sun,
A tired girl is she.
But never fear, her job is clear.
Help all men to be free.

 

L. L. Lagerbauer
Ensign, USNR

Memories of Edd L. Miller on the U.S.S. Platte
 

I was on duty on the USS Platte from about Sept. 1943 to Feb. 1945.  I was just 18 years old and was from a very small town in Missouri.  During that time we were stationed in the South Pacific.  I was a Storekeeper 1st. Class and ran the ship's store, did payroll and the ordering of supplies.
 
My watch station was in the forward turret.  During general quarters I was assigned to be the spotter on the Bridge.  This was my first experience with the enemy.  The action started when I was on watch.  General quarters were sounded and I had NO idea how to turn the power on the guns!  By the time the regular crew for the guns got to me, it was over.  Lucky the plane had already dropped their bombs and missed another ship.  Therefore, they were heading back.
 
We had a young doctor just out of medical school on the ship during this time that loved to operate!  He would operate on anyone who came in sick.  He would remove their appendix.  When he lost his first patient, NO one got sick again.  I think he was practicing on us.
 
Our Captain loved ice cream.  I made him some special ice cream out of pineapple juice and sent him up a gallon.  His cook said he really liked it and ate it all, but spent the night in the Head...
 
Our food was OK for the most part.  However, we received some "mutton" from Australia.  When it was cooking it smelled so badly no one wanted to eat it.  I ate up with the cooks when we had this and they would not even eat it.  I think it was OLD GOAT.
 
The English did our refueling and while it was loading they would come aboard and watch a movie.  While this was going on we went over to their ship and took their alcohol.  We were not allowed to have it on our ship.  We never had to worry about locking anything up on board except the ALCOHOL...
 
Many things happened on the USS Platte.  I had a good bunch of guys to serve with.  It is memories I will always remember.
 

             Edd L. Miller

I am proud to become a member of the USS Platte Survivors. I was a deck ape aboard the Platte from about Sept 1961 until Sept 1963. I had a great time aboard the ship as I look back. We were in the Far East for about 11 months and I got to see Hawaii, Japan, Hong Kong, and Subic Bay in the Philippines. We did a lot of refueling but during my tour there was no conflicts. My jobs other than standing watch were that of a span winch operator aft or helmsman during refueling operations.

We went through a typhoon off the Sea of Japan that was quite a ride as I remember. I also remember we were refueling the USS Black a tin can when the refueling hose sprang a leak. Everyone ran except for me because I was on the span winch and could not. The Black dropped the rigging in the ocean and my job was to get it back and not in the screws.

Well I did my job and made spaghetti of the rigging above deck. We were covered with black oil and the Captain would not let us go back to port until we cleaned and painted the ship while moving. That was a lot of fun over the side painting at about 11 knots.

Ron Barnes

Unknown Crew Member 1952

Memories of life aboard the Platte:

Melvin Reingold remembers civilian clothing being a no-no aboard ship. However, on one occasion when the ship's country and western band was performing everyone showed up decked out in full western attire.

David Thomas remembers when Pappy made 3rd Class. He sewed his 3rd Class Crow on over his Seaman Stripes with temporary stitches. He then reported for Captain's Mast. When the Captain said," You are busted back to Seaman." Pappy reached up, grabbed that Crow and yanked it right off.

Ivan Shierk remembers during the typhoon of '54 he was on watch for hours to see if a particular expansion seam would hold. It did.

Charles Fickle remembers being on Liberty with Thane Darby in Sasebo and not having enough money to pay a cab driver. They tossed him out and drove the cab to the Fleet Landing.

John Spedding remembers a certain Engineman named Stewart who circumcised himself with a razor blade.

Lt JG Space remembers the little brother of BM3 Beard went to sleep on watch and a Chief returning from Liberty discovered him asleep and swiped his M-1 rifle. The Chief Master at Arms walked into the wardroom during breakfast and told XO Hutts about them missing rifle. When the guilty Chief awoke and produced the rifle, he explained it was only a joke. Young Beard got transferred to another duty station.

Lt JG Space also recalls during a refueling exercise with a carrier to Port and a tincan to Starboard. The carrier wanted to launch aircraft but the wind wasn't just right so we were given orders to come to Port. The other ships would use us as a guide during the course change. Upon receiving the change order the helmsman came right instead of left. We stretched hoses to the limit and almost rammed the tincan.

Fred Clay remembers Captain Butts threatening to throw the XO over the side and once stopping a movie. He told all the Officers to move up to the O-2 level so he could tell the pigs from the hogs. Captain Butts once told the ship's barber to cut a sailors hair and leave off the clipper head or he would cut both their hair for them.

Arthur Stiner remembers during his time aboard Platte, 44-46, the Platte needed repairs and they tried to float her with 2 LSD's alongside. She would not budge so they had to go into port to drydock.

Warren Lee remembers just getting back to the States when someone painted the XO's door with red lead. Liberty was held up for 8 hours while they tried to find out who the culprit was.

Carl Michael remembers Captain Fargo had a Corvette engine installed in his Captain's Gig. He would then bring girls out to the ship and they would water ski behind the Gig.

Roger Williams remembers Captain Unmacht had a palm tree in a bucket. He refused to let the movie, "Mister Roberts" be shown on the Platte.

Robert Bush recalls 2 airplanes stowed on the cargo deck. One went to Pago Pago and the other went to Australia.

Bob Ramseur was a Cook. Once he forgot to make Jello the night before serving it and it didn't have time to gel. He added Gelatin to the mixture and it turned to rubber.

John McMullen remembers refueling the Kitty Hawk to Port and the Blue to Starboard. Someone lost steering and the carrier's elevator tore the stack off the Platte and punched a hole aft near the laundry. The Blue ripped a ladder off the Starboard side.

Gary Jones remembers one of his men, Jim Ashbach, cadging some ice cream off the Captain's Steward. Ashbach was shining the brass on the porthole that opened into the Steward's space. The guy even put it in a cone for him. As he was shining the porthole and eating an ice cream cone, at sea mind you, Captain Adams came around the corner and saw him. He asked, "Where did you get that out here"? Ashbach , always one to go UH,UH,UH in times of stress, wasn't making much sense so the Captain just turned and walked way.

Lynn Todd recalls: In "54 we made 3 trips up the Korean coast to fuel tincans that were on picket duty patrolling the 38th Parallel. Several times we spotted mines that had broken loose and were floating on the surface. Each time Captain Dodson would tell Lt. Baldridge to position us dead in the water exactly * mile away from the floating mine. He would then send a Gunnersmate to the armory for an M-1 and 2 clips of ammo. The Captain would shoot from the wing bridge and blow up the mine. One of the mines came so close that when the lookout looked over the side he saw the mine was being pushed away from the ship. This proved our degaussing was working.

During the typhoon of '54 the pendulum on the Bridge bulkhead showed we took a 38 degree roll. The Engineers sail if we ever took a 45 we were too top heavy to recover and would roll over. During the storm one of the crew got sick about midnight and it turned out to be an appendicitis attack. We were in the Southern shipping lanes and the nearest ship with a Doctor was in the Northern shipping lanes. We both changed course and met around midnight the following night. The water was to rough to put a boat over so we circled each other several times to calm the waves between the ships. Then we pumped black oil onto the surface to further smooth the water. The other ship sent it's boat and within minutes the guy was in surgery. About a month later he came back top the Platte.

In' 56 we anchored in Sasebo just ahead of a typhoon. We put both anchors out in a Y pattern with all 300 fathoms of chain out. A merchant ship loaded with ammo rushed into port, dropped one anchor on short chain and everyone except the Radioman went ashore. He evidently went immediately to sleep. Soon the merchant, being tied to close to her anchor began drifting toward the Platte and no one aboard her would answer any calls. At last he must have awakened to the screeching radio because he raced up to the bow and released the brake on the other anchor. She was still moving our way and the water was now to rough for a tug to handle her. She continued to drift closer to us and when the seas finally calmed enough for a tug, she was within a few feet of us.

A Jolly Roger was flying from the mainmast in Manila in '54 and another was flown in Sasebo in '55. One was also flown in the States along with the steaming colors upside down and at halfmast. As we passed the flagship, the Admiral came out on the Bridge to return our salute. Being very upset with our Captain, he wanted to know what kind of ship we were running.

When a large number of Hispanic sailors reported aboard someone put up a flag that said El Plattie.

In '56 in Sasebo, we were told we had to go out for a 3 day ORI. If we made a good grade we would head for the States on time. A bad grade would get us extended for 3 months. The inspection team was made up of officers from other ships and they were supposed to come aboard the morning we departed. They all reported the night before so the XO gave up his stateroom to the Captain heading the team. A sailor with a grudge against the XO and not knowing about the change threw a long roll of firecrackers thru his porthole. The Captain called a steward to bring him a cup of coffee and called the Quarterdeck to send a messenger with a dustpan and a foxtail. When the messenger arrived the Captain had a cup of coffee in one hand and a cigarette in the other. He wasn't hitting his mouth with either of them. The deck was covered with paper debris and there were holes burned in the blanket on the bunk. The OD kept waking up the returned liberty party asking questions but no one knew a thing. We went out for the inspection and got the highest marks ever.

A few days later on the way back to the States we had General Drills all day long. We held every drill except man overboard. Just after 1700 someone alerted Stanley Bohn, the fantail watch, to get ready for a man over board drill. A few minutes later someone asked Stanley if he had seen the dummy yet. He said no and a few minutes later a cook threw a box of trash over the side. Stanley heard the splash and reported, "There it is sound man over board." The Bridge thought it was for real as there was no man over board drill planned. We started circling to Port and the ships astern of us started circling to Starboard. They put their life boat in the water and the only thing they found was the life ring Stanley had thrown over. Everyone was at Quarters for a nose count and when everyone was accounted for then we were all counted again. We were counted several times before they realized it was a hoax.

Did you know a former Platte crewman received the nations highest honor?

The following is taken from the United States Archives of Congressional Medal of Honor recipients during World War II. It is the actual record of why the Mr. Ross was honored by his nation in this way.

ROSS, DONALD KIRBY Rank and organization: Machinist, U.S. Navy, U.S.S. Nevada. Place and date: Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, 7 December 1941. Entered service at: Denver, Colo. Born: 8 December 1910, Beverly, Kans. Citation: For distinguished conduct in the line of his profession, extraordinary courage and disregard of his own life during the attack on the Fleet in Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, by Japanese forces on 7 December 1941. When his station in the forward dynamo room of the U.S.S. Nevada became almost untenable due to smoke, steam, and heat, Machinist Ross forced his men to leave that station and performed all the duties himself until blinded and unconscious. Upon being rescued and resuscitated, he returned and secured the forward dynamo room and proceeded to the after dynamo room where he was later again rendered unconscious by exhaustion. Again recovering consciousness he returned to his station where he remained until directed to abandon it.

Below is a copy of an article from a newspaper in Melbourne, Australia sometime after the war. Lieutenant Ross had by then become a member of the crew of the U.S.S. Platte.

Indestructible Hero Saved Battleship

Known to his shipmates as ìthe man they couldnít kill,î Lieutenant D. K. Ross, U.S.N., winner of the Congressional Medal of Honoróthe American equivalent of the Victoria Cross arrived in Melbourne yesterday as Chief-Engineer aboard the tanker U.S.S. Platte.
He was the hero of the Japanese air raid on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

Lieutenant Ross then an acting lieutenant commander was chief engineer aboard the battleship U.S.S. Nevada during the raid.
The Nevada was in Pearl Harbor with U.S.S California and U.S.S. Oklahoma as well as lesser ships of the Pacific fleet. She was the only capital ship to escape. The others were sunk.

Lieutenant Ross was credited with having saved the ship. While he was working in the engine room a bomb struck the Nevada, causing damage down below. He was buried alive and almost suffocated.
After treatment he returned to the engine room and got the machinery in motion. Another bomb struck the vessel, and he was buried again.

This time he was left for dead. But after a delay he was treated on the off-chance that he would recover. He did recover, and was all for returning to duty, but senior officers made him stay in his bunk. By that time the raid was over and the Nevada saved.

Shortly afterwards, while Lieutenant Ross was organizing some of the efforts to raise the U.S.S. California and the U.S.S. Oklahoma, Admiral Chester Nimitz presented him with the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Lieutenant Ross, who has been in the U.S. Navy for 15 years, rose from the ranks. His three rows of ribbons tell of many days spent in action. But in five years he will leave the navy and retire to Colorado.

We are all honored by Mr. Ross's courage and dedication to his ship and shipmates.

Thanks to Lynn Todd for the news article.

FIRST NAVAL WORKS
KAOHSIUNG TAIWAN, CHINA
2 AUG 1955

To: Commanding Officer of (AO-24) USN.
From: First Naval Works CN.

Yesterday afternoon one of EX.-Jap. D.E. 72 was exploded due to unknown causes. Within thirty minutes after explosion, your men have quickly came to the point and soon put the fire under control. Without your action being taken promptly, the conditions of the ship would be worse. Such a close association undoubtedly holds a profound significance in the relation between the two Navies.

Please accept my deepest respect and gratitude for the helping hand which you have given to the ship. And many thanks to the boys who partook in the fire fighting.

/s/ L. L. KING
(Capt. CN.)
Superintendant
First Naval Works

3rd August 1955

From: Commanding Officer, PG 72, Chinese Navy.
To: Captain, Officers and all ship-mates on board (AO-24) USS PLATTE

I am deeply obliged to youi for your helping us both materially and spiritually putting off the fire at about 1500 1st August. It was caused, so far as I have investigated, by the expanding of vapor in the black oil tank.

We, everybody on board this ship appreciated very much your kindness and enthusiasm in the sense of helping the others through which we are safe from a disaster.

Besides, I should have expressed earlier my great gratefulness to you for your permitting the Gunnery Leading P.O. Griff and the men Barker, Gervasi, Samson and Losee etc. to help clearing the troubles found in the 5î/38 guns on board this ship, when my Gunnery Officer Roford H. Lu told me with much appreciation of their eagerness and skillful performance.

Thank you very much let me repeat and with all my best wishes.

Sincerely yours,
/s/ WU CHOU-HANG
Commander, Chinese Navy

20 AUGUST 1955

From: Commanding Officer
To: All Hands

WELL DONE

/s/ R. M. FARRELL, CAPT. USN

Thanks to Lynn Todd for the above Naval Works Letters

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