EDITORIAL
The thankless task of
keeping track of those who receive notice when the Fifties Frog Magazine is published each quarter is performed by Lee
“Punchy” Hughs. The only means used for such
notification is email. Please notify him when your email
address changes or when you wish to have an address added to the list.
The list is open to any person or institution regardless of formal affiliation
with the Frog/SEAL community. Lee’s address is: lee@wyoming.com.
If you have a story,
article, notice or announcement that would be of interest to the Frog/SEAL
community please forward it to the editor. Announcements of members of the
Frog/SEAL community or their spouses should also be reported for inclusion in
the Fifties Frog Magazine. In the
interest of privacy we do not usually report on the health issues being
experienced by members of the community.
See the Bulletin Board for
information regarding the next 50s Frog meeting in Denver.
Don C. Marler,
Editor
doncmarler@gmail.com
*****
SEALS: THE U.S. NAVY’S NEW FROGMEN
Phil Carrico
PREFACE;
I was flying out to San Diego in 2003
wearing a black cap with a big UDT patch on it. This young tough-looking guy with
a bur haircut kept glancing at me. Finally he moved over beside me and said,
“Hey Pop, you must have been in the Teams? – I’m a SEAL”. Smiling at the young
man I replied, “You called me right son – I and those guys who served with me are your Daddy”. And we then had quite a conversation.
Both
NCDU (Naval Combat Demolition Units) and Scouts and Raiders preceded Naval
Underwater Demolition Teams (UDT) and they operated primarily in the European
landings during WW 2. NCDU’s and Scouts and Raiders were the first units of NSW
(Naval Special Warfare).
Naval
Underwater Demolition Teams (UDT) are the men they
began calling “Frogmen”. They were formed during 1943 for the invasion of Sicily but were involved primarily in the island hopping
campaigns in the South Pacific. They, along with the NCDU’s
were formed with the intent of having units trained to go in before an invasion
and blast underwater obstacles out of the water. This permitted U.S. landing barges to reach the beach without having
their bottom torn out and having many servicemen drown in the surf. These early
Frogmen were also trained in blasting coral reefs – which were so prevalent in
the Pacific Theater. UDT units were trained primarily as swimmers in contrast
to the NCDU’s and Scouts and Raiders who operated,
primarily, from rubber boats. The UDT’s acquired the
Frogman label from folks who watched them practically live with their fins on.
The UDT’S consisted of
approximately 100 men each and were originally recruited from the old Naval
Seabees or Construction Battalions. At the conclusion of WW 2 there were 32
UDT’S in commission. By 1948 there were only 4 teams in commission – Teams 1
and 3 at Coronado, California and Teams 2 and 4 at Little Creek, Virginia. All NCDU’s and Scouts and Raiders were decommissioned at the
close of WW 2.
The Teams saw action in all
theaters during WW2 and suffered high causalities in several actions. In the
early days the “lung” training was accomplished by using the old “Lambertsen” submarine escape lung. After seeing the
state-of-the-art SCUBA (Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus) gear
that exists today – it’s clear that SCUBA technology has advanced beyond the
dreams of those early Frogmen.
In June of 1950, with the
outbreak of the Korean War, things changed quite suddenly for Frogmen units.
Since all units had been trained for clearing the surf lines up to the high
water mark, it was quite a shock for the units to find themselves going inland
to blow bridges and tunnels. It was also a shock to have hand weapons (other
than sheath knives) issued when most of the men had no training with them.
The first Frogmen units to
operate in Korea went inland and started a whole new method of
operation. The original units had no commando training what so ever but learned
by doing. Their uniform of the day was such a mixture of Army and Marine
fatigues that most did not recognize them as United States Sailors.
UDT units disrupted
communist supply lines to the point where their actions were a decided assist
in the U.N. Force’s retaining a foothold on the Korean peninsula until Mac
Arthur’s invasion at Inchon in September of 1950.
Operations other than
disrupting communist supply lines by the Teams included: buoying invasion
channels, having swimmers stand by at invasion beaches to assist troops out of
the water. They also destroyed Communist fishing industry (Nets), inserted
Korean saboteurs into the north and did regular beach recon. They gathered
water depth and beach condition info and cleared harbors of horn “scully” mines for invasion forces and even on occasion
deployed inland to rescue downed UN flyers. UDT training began to add new
features toward the end of the Korean Conflict such as departing from and
entering submerged submarines.
The West Coast teams; Team 1
and 3 were ably assisted toward the end of hostilities in Korea when Team 5 was put into commission. The East Coast
Teams, 2 and 4 did not participate.
Most old Frogmen concur in
the belief that the exploits of Frogmen in the Korean War were the first steps
in the evolution of today’s SEALS.
After Korea the Navy Department saw the light and began training
the units accordingly. The new training included not only the regular SCUBA and
demolition work, but parachute or “jump training” and all modern hand-weaponry.
Plus, I’m sure, new technologies and methods undreamed of by early Frogmen.
UDT’S were active along with
the SEALS in Vietnam. The first SEAL Team was commissioned in 1962 from
UDT veterans. However, the final UDT’S were decommissioned in 1983 and all the
men were merged into the SEALS.
SEAL units have become the
cutting edge of a commando force that is the best trained of any elite unit in
the world today, evidenced by the fact they were
picked to spearhead the stab into Panama in December of ’89. The unit’s objective was to
prevent Noriega’s escape by crippling his private jet
and disabling his high-speed patrol boats. These stealth missions were
accomplished – at a bloody cost.
When no “hot” war is pending,
the units will fall back on dealing with terrorism, insurgencies, narco-terrorism and instability in third world countries.
However, both the MO and parameter of expectation for these units is increasing
as we speak. They are becoming one of our nation’s most valuable
quick-responding assets.
SEALS were active in Vietnam, Granada, Panama, Operation Desert Storm and other hot spots about the
world. When we eventually find out what parts they are playing in the current
“Live-Wars” – I’m sure it will be major.
However they tag these
cocky, devil-may-care units - UDT, SEALS or whatever – to old Team veterans of
WW 2 and Korea they will always be U.S. Navy Frogmen.
POSTSCRIPT:
I’m quite aware that this
report is unofficial and far from perfect - but after much research and
conversing with Team Vet’s from three wars, it’s fairly close to how it all
came down.
Since finishing this report,
our SEALS have operated in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Persian
Gulf and Somali with
spectacular success; they have “Proven-Up” on all our expectations.
*****
HISTORY OF
UNDERWATER DEMOLITION TEAM EIGHT
[Editor’s note: this article is a
continuation of the series provided by Mack Boynton, who preserved an old history of UDTs of
which there is one typewritten copy extant. There is more to come. Just a reminder to the reader that the grammar and misspellings are
largely left as they appear without question or comment. For those who
may not be familiar with it, the term (sic) is an editorial way of saying the
preceding spelling, etc. is the error of the author not the editor.
The history of Underwater
Demolition Team EIGHT covers a period of eighteen months, commencing 2 June 1944 with the departure from Ft. Pierce. Florida to the return of the team to Coronado, California, 12
November 1945 where the original- group was broken up with the
decommissioning of the team.
Seventeen months of this time were spent in the pacific, where the team took
part in four amphibious operations during the war, and three occupational
landings after the Japanese surrender, traveling more than 70,000 miles not
counting zig-zags, on ships ranging in size from an
LCI to an APA and visiting in the course of their travels the
HIWAIIANS, MARSHALLS, ADMIRAL* VOLCANOES, RYUKYUS , KOREA and the SHANGTUNG Peninsula of CHINA.
The Team was organized at
the Amphibious Training Base at Ft. Pierce, Florida; being among the first three teams to be organized
there. The enlisted personnel came almost entirely from the Naval Construction
Training center, Camp
Peary,
Virginia. and the officers from
Construction Battalions, Mine Disposal Work. Army Engineers, Small Boat: Units
and from Officer Training Schools. This group was assembled at Ft. Pierce; Florida.
on the first of April 1944 to undergo a rigorous two months training in Naval
Combat Demolition. The team was offically organized 15 May 1944 by Commander E. L. BREWSTER, who had come from Naval
Combat Demolition Training and Experimental Base, Maui,
T.H., to supervise their organization, and to correlate their final training
with new developments at the forward training base. At this time, LT. Commander
Donald E. YOUNG become the commanding officer and selected the crews which were
to make up Team Eight. Also assigned to the Team at this time were Captain George
T. KROHL, U.S. Army, as Army Liaison Officer and Ensign Edward J. STEFFEN as
Mine Disposal Officer Underwater Demolition Team EIGHT, as it Left FT. Pierce,
consisted of seventeen officers and seventy-nine enlisted men.
Upon the completion of the
training at Ft. Pierce, on the night of 2 June 1944, the team left by train en
route to San Francisco to be embarked by ship for the Demolition Base at MAUI,
T. H. Early on the morning 14 June 1944 the team was loaded aboard a ferry and transported across the bay,
going aboard the U. S. S. M0NTEREY for the trip to HONOLULU. The team arrived at MAUl
on the morning on 18 ,June, and amid much flashing of
signal lights, small boats were sent out and the team was put ashore, Their
stay at the Naval Combat Demolition Training and Experimental Base at MAUl, T.H. had commenced.
Before leaving MAUl the team made a few personnel adjustments, and changed
from a group of independent crews to a reasonably well coordinated outfit ready
for a combat assignment. So on 8 August 1944, the team and its multitude of gear was loaded aboard
the U.S.S. GEORGE E. BADGER (APD-33), which
was to be their floating home for the next nine months.
Upon leaving KAMEOLE aboard the U.S.S. GEORGE E.
BADGER. the
team made a three day stop in PEARL
HARBOR to lead powder and
pick up a little additional gear to add to the already extensive supply.
12 August 1944 marked the
advent of Team EIGHT into the boundless Pacific west of PEARL and their
farewell to civilization for many months to come as the U.S.S. GEORGE E.
BADGER, overburdened with men and gear, slipped past the PEARL HARBOR nets en
route to the SOLOMONS. Arriving at the SOLOMONS on the morning of 24 August,
the BADGER dropped her hook in the quiet water of PURVIS BAY, between TULAGI and FLORIDA ISLANDS, where she remained for nearly two weeks. While there
the team participated in a practice operation of CAPE ESPERANCE on GUADALCANAL, which was complete with fire support from the
bombardment group and air strikes by navy planes. The team's part in this
operation was to fire two packs of tetrytol on the
beach before daylight, and after the bombardment, to lead landing craft in to
their designated beaches. On 6 September the team left the SOL0MONS in company with the bombardment group for its first combat
assignment, which was to be in support on the landings on ANGUAR ISLAND in the PALAU Groups. Arriving in the PALAUS on the
morning of 12 September the team made its first pre-assault daylight
reconnaissance of Green Beach on the Southeastern shore of AUGUAR on the
morning of 14 September under the close fire support of a battleship, two
cruisers and three destroyers, following a thirty minute preliminary
bombardment. On this reconnaissance fifteen hundred yards of beach were covered
in thirty minutes by the use of all four platoons of the team, and no mines or
serious obstacles to a landing were discovered. Only sporadic enemy fire or
opposition was encountered (sic) and no casualties were received. This
preliminary reconnaissance was mainly a fenit (sic)
to deceive the Japanese, and on the morning of 15 September a reconnais6ance
was made of Red Beach on the Northern shore of AUGUAR, which was to be one of the beaches used in the
landing of the Eighty-first Army Division. After thirty minutes of preliminary
bombardment, platoons one and three made a swimming reconnaissance of Red Beach, under close fire support of the bombardment group,
covering four hundred yards of beach and encountering none but passive Japanese
resistance and suffering no casualties. No mines were found, but jetted rails
were located along the high water mark in a double row at approximately ten
foot intervals on the left hand side of the beach, the removal of which was
deemed neces3ary before the landing of troops. On the afternoon of 19 August,
members of the headquarters platoon landed on Red Beach, at three o'clock in the afternoon, after a thirty minute bombardment,
and conducted Team EIGHT's only combat demolition job
of the war, firing 120 pounds of tetrytol, and either
blowing up or manually uprooting the obstacles on the beach.
Fox day on AUGUAR was 17
September, and for the next week the team worked for the Beachmaster
clearing mines and destroying floating hazards to navigation while the BADGER
was on screening duty between AUGUAR and PELELIEU. On the afternoon of 26
September Team EIIGHT was called upon the make a reconnaissance of the channel
between PELELIEU and NGESBUS ISLANDS in conjuction (sic) with
Team SIX. No fire support was possible other than air strafing attachs (sic) on the beaches of NGESGUS ISLAND, due to the shallowness, length, and construction of
the channel. This was a rather grueling reconnaissance, entailing a 3000 yard
swim in water no deeper than four feet to a Japanese held causeway, and necessarily
returning the same distance. Heavy machine gun, mortar, and small arms fire, as
well as the approach of darkness, prevented the swimmers from reaching the
causeway, but a suitable route for tanks to cross to NGESGUS was plotted and
the swimmers returned to the ship exhausted from three hours in the water. This
reconnaissance ended Team EIGHT’s operation in the
PALUA Group, this place being to the best knowledge the only reconnaissance if its type in the annals of Underwater Demolition Team work.
Leaving the PALAUS on 27 September, the team retired to the ADMIRALTY ISLANDS, anchoring in spacious SEADLER BAY at MANUS the afternoon of 1 October; Manus was to
become the staging area for the LEYTE Operation. Team EIGHT left SEADLER BAY on the morning of 12 October in company with the
bombardment group enroute to LEYTE ISLAND in the PHILIPIINES, having the misfortune to encouter (sic) their first tropical typhoon, on the way,
which lasted until. they reached LEYTE GULF and the fifty degree rolls caused a great deal of misery to those
aboard. Arriving in the sheltered waters of LEYTE GULF on the morning on 18 October, the team arrived off the assigned
beaches at mid-day and promptly at 14'30 all four platoons were embarked in
landing craft and at 1500 shoved off for the beach. Due to the typhoon, mine
sweeping operations close inshore had been held up, so that major units of the
bombardment group could not move into the beach and give close fire support to
the operation. There was no preliminary bombardment, and while conducting the
reconnaissance the team had only the three inch fire of the four APD's which moved to within 1800 yards of the beach or
closer. All boats received heavy mortar fire as well as machine gun and sniper
fire, many swimmers spotting Jap movements along the shore. The water was very
muddy due to the typhoon, and visibility was nil, but no obstacles or beach
mines were located on the beaches, which were Blue Beaches ONE and TWO, comprising 1200 yards in all. During this reconnaissance the
team sustained six casualties, one (1) in the water, and five (5) in the boats
as they picked up the swimmers. One man, Edward TILTON, subsequently died of
his wounds. All these men received the Purple Heart Award. For its part ta this operation Team EIGHT received this dispatch from
Admiral Kinkaid: "FOR ENBARKED UNDERWATER
DEM0LITION TEAMS X YOU HAVE REASON TO BE PROUD OF THE PART YOU PLAYED IN THE
LEYTE OPERATION X WELL DONE AND GOOD LUCK
X"
This reconnaissance
completed the team's work at LEYTE. The BADGER was on screening duty on 19 October, and
on 20 October the army went ashore after one of the most devastating shore
bombardments ever to be witnessed in the Pacific. While at LEYET (sic) Team
EIGHT saw its first Jap planes, one of which torpedoed the light cruiser U.S.8.
HONOLULU and another which crash-dived the
HMAS AUSTRALIA. On the night of 21
September the BADCER left the area as escort for these two crippled ships, just
missing the battle of LEYTE
GULF, stopping at KOSSAL
passage on 23 October, and arriving at MANUS on 29 October.
Remaining at MANUS for six
(6) days before going to Naval Combat Demolition Training and Experimental Base
for rehabilitition, (sic) the team lost eight
officers and men who returned to MAUI. Due to the bottleneck at MAUl,
many of these men were to meet the team on their return there and some to
rejoin the team.
On 4 November the team left
on its way to NOUMEA, NEW CAI,ElDONIA
for rest and rehabilitation, and the BADGER and much needed repairs. After
making a short stop at PURVIS BAY in the SOLOMANS on 7 and 8 November, the team arrived
at the beautiful harbor of NUOMEA
on the morning of 11 November. By late that afternoon all hands were off the
ship and quartered in the Receiving Station. After sixteen restful days the
team re-embarked upon the BADGER and left for HOLLANDIA on 26 November.
After an uneventful trip
featured by full-scale maneuvers off the port and coming in at quarters, the
BADGER made FHMCHHAFFEN, NEW GUINEA on 30 November. Refueling that eveining, (sp) and spending a sweltering night in the
narrow harbor, the BADGER left for HUMHOLDT day (?) AT
HOLLANDIA the morning of 1 December, arriving there on 3 December.
The stay at HOLIANDIA prior
to the LINGATEN operation was one of the most monotonous in the team's history.
While there the team made probably its greatest contribution in the prosecution
of the war by the clearing of a channel to a Sea Bee lumber camp at BOUGAINVILLE BAY, twenty miles down the cast from HOLLANDIA. This trip
was made necessarily by small boat, carrying twenty five tons of rubber hose
for the job. Two shots were laid and fired, one of five and one of twenty tons,
resulting in an efficient clearing of the channel, as well as the complete
subjugation of all the self-appointed native superintendents who had gathered
while the work was underway. By ten o'clock that night all members of the team were back aboard the BADGER after
the first honest days work in many months. Christmas of 19144 was of necessity
spent at HOLLANDIA, the day being brightened as much as possible by the
fortuitous arrival of much of the back mail and packages which were very
welcome in spite of the ravages caused by long exposure to the elements.
Leaving NEW GUINEA on 27 December, en route to LINGAYEN GULF in company with the bombardment group and a dozen
jeep carriers, the BADGER stopped at KOSSOL PASS GE to refuel. Leaving 1 January 1945 and passing through LEYTE GULF early on the morning of 3 January, the team began what was to be an
odyssey never to be forgotten by all persons. The evening of 3 January found
the force off MINDORO, where at 1800 the CVE U.S. S. OMANEY BAY was struck without warning by a Kamikaze suicide
plane she burned fiercely and out of control for three hours before being sunk
by our destroyers. It was a spectacular and disheartening sight. During the
next eight days, the ship went to general quarters fifty-five times, some of
which were for eighteen hours duration, and went through one of the war’s first
full scale Kamilaze (sic) attacks. The evening of 5
January the group was off LINGAYEN GULF and was attacked by a group of suicide
planes, as many as three at a time being seen diving at our ship. The
bombardment group steamed into the gulf in a double column, flanked by escort
vessels and the APDs, to be met by vicious suicide
plane attacks, and passing the broken hulks of several mine sweeps which been
hit previously while sweeping the gulf. At least thirty-five planes either
crashed in or were shot down within a one-half hour period that day. On 7
January the team made a reconnaissance of White Beaches, I and II, comprising
approximately 2000 yards. For the first time in the team's operations it was
given close fire support by two LCI(G)s which moved to
within 500 yards of the beach and covered the dune line with their forty
millimeter fire. The operation was carried out successfully with no enemy
opposition, and no beach mines or obstacles were found.
After the reconnaissance the
BADGER anchored in the gulf. On 9 January the Army troops landed and on 12
January the BADGER was ordered to return to LEYTE
as escort for a group of I,STs.
On 19 January the team was
bound for ULITHI atoll, arriving 23 January where it was to stay for over a
month in the waters of this beautiful but barren lagoon. After spending twenty
days aboard ship, broken by daily trips to the fleet recreation island of MOG-MOG, the team took matters into its own hands and moved
ashore to the island of ASOR through the courtesy of Commodore KESSING, and
spent two very pleasant weeks of swimming, exercise and recreation.
Upon being notified at 2200
the previous night of the BADGER's departure for IWO JIMA, team EIGHT got aboard ship with its gear in a mad scramble at five o'clock the morning of 1 March, and
by 0800 had left ULITHI and was underway for IWO at twenty knots over a rough sea. When five hours at
sea, a dispatch was received to disembark the team at ULITHI, but, as it was
too late to turn back, it was forced to stay aboard and pay for the stay ashore
by three insufferable days of rough weather. Arriving at IWO on 3 March, 8 remained long enough to undergo an air
raid, pick up a battle star, and head for GUAM
on 6 March as escort for a group of attack transports. Arriving in GUAM
on 8 March, the team was detached from the U.S.S. BADGER after seven trying
months aboard and quartered temporarily in the receiving station there with
orders to build its own camp.
We now come to a subject
dear to the hearts of all members of Team EIGHT present at the time, the building
of its own camp at GUAM. Permission to build was received from Captain
GRAYSON of AdComPhibsPac, later to be revoked by the
Marine Island Commander, but during the confusion, and by many devious means
and the help of CBs on the island, the camp was built.
Probably the outstanding
event of the stay on GUAM was the inspection of the camp and personnel by
Admiral of the Fleet, Chester W. NIMITZ, Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet. Only the night
before had a coral surface been laid to the rear of the camp to serve as a
road, and the camp the camp scrubbed to nearly dazzling cleanliness. At
1000 the Admiral and Captain GRAYSON drove up, walked to where Team EIGHT and TEN were formed, gave a short informal talk, shook the hands of all
officers during inspection and talked to many of the
men. He then made a tour of the camp and on his return commended UD on the camp
and on “One of the first groups of men it has been my pleasure to
inspect". After spending over an hour in camp he left, leaving all personnel
elated over this compliment from such a fine gentleman and outstanding officer.
Later we received a letter from Captain GRAYSON, which follows:
ADMlNISTRATIVE COMMAND
AMPHIBIOUS FORCES, U.S. PACIFIC FLEET
SUBORDINATE COMMAND A/AHG/Dr
FLEET POST OFFICE
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
P4
Serial: 67 4 April 1945
RESTRICED (sic)
From: Officer in Charge,
Administrative Command, Amphibious Forces,
U.S. Pacific Fleet, SUBORDINATE COMMAND
To: Commanding Officer, Underwater Demolition Team No. 8.
Subject: Underwater
Demolition Team No.8: - inspection of.
1. On the occasion of his
inspection this date, the Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet, expressed
himself as being highly pleased with the appearance and morale of subject team
and with the immaculate condition of their camp and surroundings.
2. The Officer in Charge
wishes to congratulate the Commanding Officer, officers and men to Team 8 in
the splendid (sic) showing they made and to express his pleasure in having been
associated with a very fine unit.
/s/ R. W.
GRAYSON.
The camp was nearly
completed and all hands prepared to reap the fruits of labor in a pleasant warm
Guam when orders came to move out. Consequently, on the morning
of 5 April, all the team personal gear was loaded in trucks, taken to the
landing, and put aboard the U.S.S. ARENAC (APA-128). All demolition gear was left at the camp by orders of Captain
GRAYSON. Leaving APRA HARBOR the team traveled to PEARL, arriving on 14 April, there being transferred to the
U.S.S. TATUM (APD-81) and leaving for MAUI
the evening of 15 April. Getting ashore at MAUI on 16 April, it felt
practically on the way to the States, but after a ten day island leave and two
weeks of semi-organized athletics, Team EIGHT found it was not to be among
those chosen, taking over the training program at the Naval Combat Demolition
Training and Experimental Base while teams FOUR, NINE, TEN, FOUTEEN, and FIFTEEN went home. The Team took over the training in
short order. While there, Lieutenant Commander YOUNG was awarded the Bronze
Star Medal for his outstanding leadership of Team EIGHT in the operation in the
PALAU GROUP. Finally, with the advent of cold water training at Oceanside, California, the Team's turn came, and a happy bunch of men and
officers turned loose the reins of the training program and loaded aboard the
U. S. S. JEFFERY (APD.44) for the trip to San Pedro, California.
Leaving MAUI on 16 July the
Team arrived in San Pedro, California on 22 July to be met on the dock by
Lieutenant BROHL who had flown ahead to arrange out (sic) air transportation.
In spite of the inevitable confusion connected with coming ashore and getting
underway for leave, within 36 hours the majority of the team was on its way
home for a long anticipated leave. Returning to Oceanside on or about 11
August, the Team reassembled and with some deletions and additions prepared for
six weeks training in the States, but with the end of the war, was immediately
sent overseas to assist in the occupational landings in KOREA and CHINA.
Getting aboard the U .S.S.
DONALD W. WOLF (APD-2l9) on 14 August and leaving for PEARL HARBOR on 16 August, the Team had little chance or
inclination to celebrate V-J Day. Making a mad dash across the Pacific as part
of Com UDRon TWO, under the command of Captain
CLELAND or Chunking THO, the team made only short stops for fueling at PEARL HARBOR qnd ENIWETOK, reaching BUCKNER BAY, OKINAWA on 4 September. Leaving OKINAWA on 5 September the WOLF felt her way through the YELLOW SEA mine fields, arriving at JINSEN,
KOREA, 1 SEPTEMBER but having no duties assigned in the
landing of occupational troops. Remaining in the river off odiferous JINSEN
until September 15, the WOLF shoved off for OKINAWA through the outer edge of a typhoon which made for a very
uncomfortable trip, reaching there on 18 September.
Leaving OKINAWA on 25 September, the team was taken to TAKU,
CHINA for the landing of occupational troops, but again
were spectators from several miles out to sea. After the landing the team was
assigned a minor demolition job of smoothing a flight of steps on the
waterfront into a ramp for landing marine vehicles. Upon
reaching the beach with explosives. It was found a shot would be
hazardous to personnel and material in the area so it was cancelled.
Leaving TAKU on 8 October
the team was transported to CHEFOO, CHINA, arriving on 9 October, where it vas to have a job
all its own in the inspection of the harbor area there. A great opportunity for
sight-seeing in a most interesting region was lost when the plan to land
marines at CHENFOO was abandoned.
On 10 October the team left
CHEFOO, disgruntled at not getting ashore, and was transported to TSINGTAO, CHINA, arriving on 12 October. The Team took no part in the
operation other than in the morale building factor of presence, but was able to
take part in the liberty here which was very interesting from the point of view
of novelty.
Leaving TSINGTAO on 17 October, the team was on its way back to the States, stopping at
OKINAWA, GUAM, and ENWETOK to fuel before reaching PEARL HARBOR on 3 November.
Leaving PEARL HARBOR on 5 November, the team arrived in San Diego on 11 November, leaving the U.S.S. DONALD A. WOLF,
where the team had received more consideration and lived in a nearer semblance
of harmony than on any other ship in its varied travels, and went ashore to the
Coronado Amphibious Training Base. Here the eligible few with enough points
were released for discharge, the majority were made
available to the Bureau for reassignment and the remainder made application to
remain in demolition and join the regular navy.
This terminated the career
and travels of one of the finest groups of Sea Bees ever gathered together in
an Underwater Demolition Team. Though perhaps not as acclaimed as some, members
of Team EIGHT may be proud of a fine outfit, which retained its original
personnel and identity to a greater degree than any other of the early
Underwater Demolition Teams, and finished the war, if with no awards, at least
with a clear conscience and its ideal un-prostituted.
*****
Crossing the Bar
Bill Trimm passed away on July 24, 2012 at his home in Watertown, NY. He served in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Charles S. Sperry (DD 697), and in UDT
(Team 2).
Barry W. Enoch
passed away at age 76 on 25 December, 2012 in Lafayette, TN. He graduated from UDT training class 24 in 1960, then served in UDT 12 and SEAL Team One during the Vietnam
war. He received the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism on April 9, 1970.
Duane Lee McDonald passed away on December 23, 2012 at his home in Twin Falls, Idaho. He was 77 years old. He completed UDT training at Coronado in Class 16. Duane also served as a member of SEAL
Team One.
Chris Kyle,
39 was murdered on February 1, 2013 on a firing range in north Texas, while assisting an ex Marine and others suffering
from PTSD. Another assistant was murdered at the same time. Kyle was author of
the bestselling book, American Sniper,
and he helped form an organization (FITCO CARES) to help treat veterans
suffering from PTSD. He was the most lethal sniper in US history with over 150 kills. Kyle was wounded twice
in four tours of duty in Iraq. How ironic it is that he should die this manner.
James Michael “Mike” Cigarella passed away March 25, 2013. He graduated in Class 32 on the west coast in 1964.
He lived in San
Diego with his
wife Claudette who can be reached at 858 278 0236. Thanks to Franklin Anderson
and Joe De Floria for sending the notice.
Joyce Eyler, wife of our member, Tom Eyler,
passed away in Indianapolis, Indiana, on December 27, 2012 at age 80. We will miss her at the 50s Frogs annual
meetings.
*****
BULLETIN BOARD
·
Chet Bright,
Fifties Frog member has a book out; get a copy of Bluejacket: A Sailor’s Life. It is a good
read. Don’t miss it.
· Rusty
Barkley, is seeking info on his
father, William Barkley, UDT 45 – 48 Little River ,
Va. He can be reached at parttimeblues@aol.com
·
The 2013 reunion will be held
at the:
Renaissance Denver Hotel
3801 Quebec Street
Denver, Colorado 80207
Tele: 303-399-7500
FAX: 303-321-1966
September 4 -
8, 2013(Wednesday through Sunday)
Reservations can be made
anytime by calling 888-238-6762
Room rates are locked in at $69
per night for both single and double occupancy rooms.
Dinner is scheduled for Saturday night, 9/07/2013 at 6:00 p.m.
Clarence "C. J." Lueb is hosting this event and can be reached on his cell
phone at 303-884-6165.
Register Early
Invite other Frogs who may not know about the annual muster.
We look forward to seeing you all there.
Don C. Marler
doncmarler@gmail.com
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