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USS EDSALL DE 129
Ship Log
19 June to 30 July 1944
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Log and History submitted by Ken Adams
RM2/c, Plankowner
Personal Ship History
Early May 1943, my best buddy,
Bill Breland, and I decided to enlist in the Marines. Our brothers
and cousins already serving. We passed the physical exam (Fed. Bldg
Cincinnati) and took our papers home for our fathers to sign. My
dad, a WW1 vet, said "no way." I eventually won his permission to
join the Navy.
I enlisted at age 17 on May 29, 1943. I attended boot-camp at Great
Lakes Training Center, Chicago, IL. After "boots" I attended the US
Naval Radio School, Indianapolis in August 1943. Graduation day
arrived January 3, 1944. Next, I attended Merchant Marine Radio
School, Noroton Heights, CT. The Navy manned the Radio
function/gunnery function on the Marine vessels. This school was
closed and in early February I was
transferred for sea duty aboard the USS EDSALL DE 129 as a
radioman.
The Edsall was the "flagship" of the Atlantic Fleet Escort Div 59.
We then participated in sub-chaser training at Miami, FL. The
"shakedown training" (kinda like breaking in a new car) took place
in the waters surrounding Bermuda. I have two memories here. I
met/talked with movie actress Linda Darnell and also took part in a
Navy Training Film on Shark Protection.
Following shakedown May 1944, the Edsall made seven Atlantic
crossings of the Atlantic, escorting troop and supply convoys.
Several sub-chasing events took place during this duty. Twice in
1944 the Edsall escorted supply ships that carried supplies for the
Army fighting their way up the Italian peninsula. It was at Bari
Air Force Base that I participated in a B-24 Liberator flight,
seated in a gun turret, over southern Italy.
The Great Atlantic
Hurricane occured as we were returning to New York from Taranto,
Italy.
Also, EDSALL escorted troop ships to Greenock, Scotland and
Plymouth and Portsmouth, England. In addition we delivered tankers
to Argentina, Newfoundland and Galveston and Port Arthur, Texas.
After spending Christmas 1944 in the Irish Sea we again returned to
New York. I was then transferred to Norfolk Naval Base for
additional radio training and await the commissioning of the USS
WALTER B. COBB APD 106, a high speed transport. One of my radio
school instructors was a rescued radioman from the WARRINGTON!
I departed Norfolk for Hingham, MA and boarded the USS WALTER B.
COBB for commissioning 25 April 1945. The shakedown for the COBB
took place in the waters of Guantanamo, Cuba. Following the
shakedown period the COBB carried Army troops through the Panama
Canal to San Diego. While there the COBB took part in vigorous
training in preparation for the invasion of Japan. The COBB, along
with 15 other APD's, took aboard UDT's (Underwater Demolition
Teams).
UDT 27 embarked aboard COBB. They had already been preparing for
the invasion of Japan. While aboard in September 1945, UDT 27
operated inside Tokyo Bay Harbor reconnoitering beaches and landing
areas in preparation for the arrival of other US Occupation Forces.
USS COBB is listed with over 200 ships present in the Tokyo Bay
area. She was anchored Yokohama & Yokosuka, September 4, 1945.
The USS COBB made port at Yokohama and Yokosuka. When going ashore,
only groups of 25 men plus a corpman and officer was the
requirement. This was due to Japanese snipers hidden in caves above
the cities.
COBB returned "home" to the USA as part of "operation magic
carpet", bringing home those troops eligible for discharge from the
US Forces. A "point system" had been pre-determined for such an
occasion.
Following Operation Magic Carpet COBB made one last Pacific
crossing. She then went to Manila by way of Pearl Harbor, Enewetok,
and Guam. After some 5 months in the Islands of the Philippines,
including Christmas and New Years, COBB returned to the states to
San Pedro, CA. COBB entered the Panama Canal March 1, 1946. She
berthed next at the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
Both EDSALL and COBB Decommissioned at Green Cove Springs, Fl., in
1946. EDSALL was sold July 1969 and scrapped. COBB once again
returned to duty in 1951 during the Korean War and decommissioned
in 1957. COBB was sold to Taiwan in 1966, along with USS GANTNER
APD-42. The two ships were under tandem tow when they collided
April 21, 1966. GANTNER was towed back to Treasure Island, CA, but
COBB sank.
EDSALL and COBB were each named for Kentuckians who gave their ALL
for America. It is ironic that my address at enlistment was
Rosedale, Covington Co., Ky.
I was honorably discharged from the USN at the Great Lakes Training
Center in 1946.
Medals earned -
American Campaign Medal
European-African-Middle-Eastern Campaign Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
WW2 Victory Medal
Navy Occupation (Japan 1945) Medal
Returning to civilian life I served in the US Naval Reserve
1946-1951 and the Kentucky National Guard 1958-1959.
Ken Adams RM2/C 1943-1946
St Augustine, FL
*My brother Robert, was awarded the bronze star, serving under
General Patton in France.
Page
1 - Ship Photo |
Page 2 - Medal for Heroism awarded
in 2004 to Arthur Seely, SoM1/c |
Page 3 - Ship Log from 19 June 1944 to 30 July 1944
Read Ken
Adams' Remembrance of The Great Atlantic Hurricane, September 1945
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