EDITORIAL

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The passage of time is relentless; as the old saying goes time waits for no one. It is like a junk-yard dog—when you are not aware it jumps out and takes it toll on you.

Members of a close nit and cohesive group such as family and combat comrades are much more aware of and sensitive to time and its effects as members succumb to its wiles. Hardly a quarter passes in which the Fifties Frogs Magazine does not have a long list of those “Crossing The Bar.’’ This quarter is different and when it is different we notice.

With very few exceptions the magazine has refrained from announcing the health condition of members and spouses. The main reason for this restraint is the issue of privacy; some do not wish such information made public.

THE HISTORY OF TEAM NINE

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[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].

Underwater Demolition Team NINE was organized at Fort Pierce, Florida on 20 May 1944 by the consolidation of fourteen (14) trained Naval Combat Demolition Units, each consisting of one (1) officer and five (5) men with the addition of three (3) officers and eleven (11) men to give an original complement of seventeen (17) officers and eighty-one (81) enlisted men. The officers of the team were Civil Engineer Officers from Camp Peary and Davisville, line officers from Northwestern University, Cornell University, Fort Schuyler Midshipman School, and the Navy Mine Disposal School, and Attack Boat Training School at Fort Peary. Enlisted personnel were, for the most part, Sea Bees from Naval Construction Training Center, Camp Peary, Virginia. Lieutenant Commander JAMES D. EATON was assigned as Commanding Officer, Captain J. W. Mc INTOSH, AUS, was assigned as Liason Officer, and Ensign H.C. HUDSON was assigned as Mine Disposal Officer. Immediately after the Original organization, the team completed the Fort Pierce training schedule by going through the "Standard" and "Payoff" courses before leaving Fort Pierce on 3 June 1944, by troop train through the Advance Base Personnel Depot, San Bruno, California. From San Bruno the team was transferred to the pre-embarkation barracks on Treasure Island, and from there loaded aboard the U.S.S. MONTEREY, aboard which they sailed for the Hawaiian Islands on 13 June. Arriving on Honolulu on the morning of 18 June, the team was given first priority on unloading and immediately transferred to an LCI which carried them to the Naval Combat Demolition Training and Experimental Base at Maui.

The training at Maui consisted principally of coral blasting and the development of new techniques. The problem confronting the team, aside from the learning of demolition practice in the Pacific, was that of knitting the original fourteen (14) crews, among whom competition was highly developed, into a team with four smooth-working operating platoons. Upon the completion of the coral blasting and reconnaissance training, the team did experimental work with explosives and explosive hose in the blasting of channels through coral reefs. Under the direction of Lieutenant W. E. COLLINS, formerly the Commanding Officer of the Naval Combat Demolition School at Fort Pierce, the team perfected a technique of quickly placing large explosive hose charges. The procedure used consisted of placing large charges of hose aboard an LST or a LSM and towing it into place with am Tracks. This project was developed for the assault on the Island of YAP in the Carolines. On 9 September the Team assigned platoon THREE, under the charge of Ensign JAMES H. PIERCE, to the Yap demolition plan. The platoon was loaded aboard LSM-29 with one hundred twenty-five (125) tons of explosive hose. LSM 233 carried the six (6) AM Trachs and marine drivers under the charge of Lieutenant (junior grade) C. A. STOWELL. On 13 September the remainder of the team, now composed of thirteen (13) officers and seventy-five (75) men, embarked on the U.S.S. BROOKS (APD-IO) and proceeded to Pearl Harbor to join a group of transports for the trip to Eniwetok and eventual destination, Yap. The group sailed from Pearl Harbor on 15 September.

Enroute to Eniwetok, a dispatch was received stating that the Yap operation had been cancelled, and the force was ordered to proceed on to Manus in the Admiralty Islands, to stand by for another operation. The BROOKS arrived at Manus on 2 October where the entire Seventh Fleet was being put in readiness for the coming operation at Leyte. It was there that the team was assigned to the North beaches on Leyte and preparations were immediately begun After leaving Manus on 12 October, in Company with the Fire and bombardment group, the group passed through the outside of a typhoon which prevented any further preparation for the landings until the group sailed into Leyte Gulf on 18 October. Because the typhoon had delayed the mine-sweeping unit, the North beach off-shore areas had not been sufficiently swept to allow the passage of fleet units, and the operation was postponed for one day. At 1100 on 19 October, the ships closed the beach and the team began its reconnaissance. As the landing craft left the APD and headed for the assigned areas on the white beaches near Tacloban air strip, they immediately began drawing fire from the beach. Platoon FOUR proceeded on their reconnaissance as scheduled, but the landing craft carrying platoon ONE was hit by mortar fire, LAUDERDAlE being killed and twelve (12) men wounded. Platoons TWO and THREE picked up survivors and returned them to the APD. Returning at 1500, the three (3) remaining landing craft completed their reconnaissance at the beach. During the whole operation cover fire support from the fleet units was impossible because the offshore areas were not yet completely swept clear of mines. The information received on reconnaissance was compiled and given to the Landing Force Commander the day before the landing.

On the afternoon of the 23rd, the BROOKS received orders to Hollandia, New Guinea as Part of an escort screen for a group of empty transports. Arriving at Hollandia four (4) days later, the BROOKS was granted availability for repairs to their sound gear for damage suffered during the typhoon; so on 1 November, the team was transferred to the U.S.S. BELKNAP (APD-34). After a hectic afternoon, during which the BELKNAP was unloaded of approximately thirty-five (35) tons of tetrytol in the troop spaces and the spaces put in order to receive the team, the transfer was finally completed after dark, just as the BELKNAP had orders to leave for TULAGI. Received aboard the BELKNAP with a royal welcome from the ships company, the team settled down to enjoy their stay. After a brief stop at Tulagi to re-fuel, the BELKNAP proceeded to Noumea, New Calodonia where she arrived on 11 November. The team immediately moved ashore to the Naval Receiving Station while the ship received minor alterations and repairs. The two weeks passed all too quickly, and on the afternoon of 25 November, the team re-embarked on the BELKNAP. Lieutenant Commander EATON received orders to fly to Hollandia to assist in writing plans for the next operation, and Lieutenant Herman STEVENSON, the Executive Officer, was left in command of the team. The team left Noumea on 26 November and after a short stop at Finshaffen, New Guinea, arrived in Hollandia on 2 December. Hollandia, although without suitable recreation facilities, presented an interesting liberty spot because of the wrecked Japanese planes near Lake Sentena which yielded many souvenirs to the team personnel. While waiting for the coming Lingayen landings, which had been delayed approximately two (2) weeks, the team spent nearly a month, during which time as much recreation and swimming as possible was sche1uled to keep the team in good physical condition. During the stay at Hollandia, preparations for the Lingayen operation were begun by the Commanding Officer and the platoon leaders; the operation plant photographs, charts and intelligence material being thoroughly studied. A conference was held with the captains of the fire support ships assigned to cover the teams and detailed plans were made. A special detail assigned to the team for this operation was that of making a sweep for cables leading from the shore to control the mines. Intelligence reports indicated that the possibility of the Japs having placed a large controlled mine field. The team furnished one (1) officer and one (1) man to the U.S.S, SANDS (APD-13), to cooperate with the SANDS mine sweeping small boats, to cout, (sic ?) using explosives any control cables found by the sweepers.

Leaving Hollandia on 27 December, the team proceeded to Kossol Passage to join other units of the fire and bombardment group. It was here that the team first heard of the existence of Commander Underwater Demolition Teams when they met Captain H. G. HANLON who was aboard the U.S.S CALIFORNIA. A conference with the Commanding Officer of the other teams was held and plans for the Lingayen western beaches were discussed. Captain E. L. PAYNE, CE, AUS, of the Fortieth Infantry Division and one (1) enlisted man were assigned to Team NINE to act as observers during the beach reconnaissance. On leaving Kossol Passage on morning of 31 December with ships of the bombardment and fire support group, the team headed for Lingayen, passing through Leyte Gulf, Surigao Straits, the Mindanao Sea, the Su1u Sea, and up the East China Sea. The group entered Lingayen Gulf on the Morning of 6 January and, sailing through swept waters, proceeded to shell the shore positions around the Gulf, retiring into the East China Sea that night under heavy air attack. After returning to the Gulf on the following morning a heavy bombardment was made of the landing beaches; then the BELKNAP took station three (3) thousand yards of the Orange beaches near the town of Lingayen, and the team made its reconnaissance. Two (2) LCI (G)'s stood in to 750 yards, and gave excellent covering fire while the heavy units of the fleet farther off shore covered the major installation. The team launched and retrieved its swimmers at approximately 300 yards from the beach. Some enemy fire was encountered, mostly from the gun positions in the stone capitol building approximately 100 yards in-shore, but there were no casualties. No obstacles were encountered and all beaches were found to be suited for all types of landing craft. Information was compiled, charts made, and all intelligence distributed to the major elements of the landing forces on the morning of landings. Ensign MERICLE reported to the Beachmaster for duty assigned to direct the landing craft into the beaches. Shortly after H hour the word was received from the Beachmaster that a reconnaissance party was needed to make a check of soundings on Green beaches. Ensign BASLER immediately left the ship with his platoon and made the reconnaissance as the fifty wave was going ashore. Results checked with information submitted two (2) days previously. During the 9th and 10th, the team, having no duties assigned, stayed aboard the BELKNAP on the screen. Early on the morning of the 11 th while the ship was just outside the transport area, two (2) Jap swimmers clinging to pieces of wreckage were seen in the water. These men were apparently survivors of suicide Boat attachs (sic) made previously, and were attempting to swim back to shore. A party consisting of both team members and ships-company was hurriedly organized to investigate. After an unsecdessful (sic) attempt to get the men to surrender, the party was forced to open fire at close range when one of the swimmers tried to throw a grenade into the boat. After a thorough search for intelligence material, the bodies were disposed of and the search continued for other swimmers. Another LCPR and crew later joined the search, and the day's work resulting of the killing of eleven Jap swimmers. On the morning of 12 January the BELKNAP, while on screening station outside the transport area, was hit amid-ships by an enemy suicide plane. Two (2) forward boats were carried away along with most of the forward stack. Three-inch ammunition in the ready box on the galley deckhouse was set off the resulting shrapnel from the plane and the exploding ammunition caused heavy casualties.

A fire started but was quickly put out. The casualties among the team consisted of one (1) officer and seven (7) men killed, three (3) men missing and thirteen (13) wounded. The U.S.S. NEWMAN (APD-59) came alongside to render first aid, and another APD sent over a doctor, who, with the aid of all hands whenever possible, evacuated the wounded to the U.S.S. ZELLIAN aboard the NEWMAN, And the BELKNAP was taken in tow and anchored in a western beach area where the dead were buried at sea that afternoon. On the following morning, the remainder of the team was transferred to the U S.S SANDS (APD-13) carrying what little gear remaining undamaged, and on that night sailed from I,ingayen for Leyte GULF where they arrived on the sixteenth as the Team was down to twelve (12) officers, forty-seven (47) men, and practically no equipment, plans for their use in another operation were cancelled and the team orders to return to Maui. Aboard the SANDS the team sailed for Ulithi where they arrived on 26 .January, and on 10 February transferred to the U. S. S. ADMIRAL COONTS, (APA-122), which was acting as a receiving ship. On 20 February the team was transferred to the U.S.S. MISSISSIPPI which carried them to Pearl Harbor. At Pearl Harbor the team was sent to a rest camp for five (5) days, then returned to Waipio Point, where, after a weeks delay, they were put on a APC (sic?) and carried to Maui. At Maui the team was assigned to take charge of the training the base staff at Naval Combat Demolition Training and Experimental Base and, after a brief island leave, took over the duties of instruction. After two (2) months on the staff at Maui, the team was relieved by Team EIGHT and on 26 May, aboard the U.S.S. CULLMAN (APA-~78), they were carried to Honolulu, where they were transferred to the U.S. S. COTTLE (APA 47), and on the afternoon of the 28th, sailed for the United States. ON arrival at San Francisco six (6) days later, the team was taken to Treasure Island and given thirty day leave orders, upon the completion of which they were ordered to report to Fort Fierce Florida. At Fort Pierce all hands were given a thorough processing, including a rigid physical examination "'which resulted in large numbers of the group's being dis-qualified for further demolition duty. Those who desired were allowed to drop out of the team. After the processing had been completed, the team ended up with three (3) officers and twenty-one (21) men. The team was given a quota of replacements and given delayed orders to report to Oceanside, California for cold water training. Arriving in Oceanside on 9 August, ready to begin it's cold water training, the team was assigned to the U.S.S. LANING (APD-55) as part of Underwater Demolition Team Squadron TWO. Also aboard the Laning was Captain .J. J. CLELA.ND, Jr., Commander of the squadron with his staff and equipment. After a hurried loading, the ship sailed for Pearl Harbor on 16 August, where additional gear and provisions were loaded before the team continued on to ENIWETOK and Okinawa. At Okinawa, the team was assigned to a reconnaissance of the Blue beaches at Jinsen, Korea, to which on the morning of 8 September they proceeded in company with the ships carrying the 7th Infantry division. The reconnaissance proved to be an interesting one as there was a twenty-eight (28) foot tidal variation, and advanced areas of mud flats were exposed in a few hours time. The job included a special tide measuring detail to go ashore and set up a tital guage (sic) station to check the U.S. Hydrographic Service Tidal Tables. On completion of the reconnaissance, charts were prepared and delivered to the Beachmaster on the following day. Because the beaches were unsuitable for anything larger than LCT's, and those only at high tide, the Blue beaches were not used. After remaining at Jinsen until 27 September, during which time all hands were allowed to go ashore for a look at the town, the LANNING (sic) sailed for Taku, China in company with the group of LSTs and IJCIs (?) carrying equipment for the occupational landing of the First Marine Division in the Tientsin area. Arriving at Taku on the morning of 30 September, the team was assigned the task of making a reconnaissance of the approach channel to the mouth of the Hai-Horiver and of docking facilities along the river itself. Charts were prepared and delivered to the Beachmaster the following day. Two (2) days later the team was called on to buoy the channel across the sand bar, as LSMs were having difficulty following the Chinese buoys. This completed, the team stood by until 7 October, when they were orders (sic) to Tsingtao and assigned to make reconnaissance of the alternate landing beaches on the southeast side of the city for their possible use, in conjunction with the docks and wharves on the west side of the city for landing occupational troops of the Sixth Marine Division. Using three (3) landing craft, the team completed its survey and delivered its charts to the Beachmaster on the following day. Remaining at Tsingtao until 17 October with no further duties, members of the team were allowed to go ashore on liberty. On leaving Tsingtao, the LANING sailed for San Diego by way of Okinawa, Guam, Eniwetok and Pearl Harbor, and on arriving in San Diego on 11 November the team was transferred ashore to the Amphibious Training Base, Coronado, where, after nearly eighteen (18) months, the team was redesignated as post-war team BAKER and the personnel discharged, re-assigned in the Regular Navy.

CROSSING THE BAR

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TOMMY DALE SWEDENSKY, 78, of Crestview, Fla., passed away on Sunday March 4, 2012. Tom served as a Frogman in the Korean conflict and attended the Fifties Frog’s reunions as long as he was able to do so. His wife, Betty, was a faithful supporter of the Fifties Frogs group also. The editor regrets that the announcement of Tom’s passing was overlooked. RIP.

ROY (RUSTY) CAMPBELL, MCPO, (SEAL), ret.
(May 22, 1924-July 6, 2013) - Plankowner SEAL Team ONE - It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of SEAL Team ONE Plankowner Rusty Campbell, 89, of San Diego, California on July 6, 2013, after a history of medical issues.  Rusty enlisted in the Navy from his hometown of Cocolalla, Idaho on July 26, 1941, and saw duty in WWII, Korea, and served in Vietnam with SEAL Team ONE.  Rusty graduated from UDTRA with Class 1 and served with UDT-3 and UDT-12, prior to volunteering for duty with  SEAL Team ONE on January 1, 1962.  Rusty was TAD to SEAL Team TWO in latter part of 1962 for European deployment to France; parachuting into Norway with Norwegian Frogman; and parachuting into Greece to work with Greek military commandos.  Upon return to CONUS, Rusty was involved with joint operation with SEAL Team ONE and SEAL Team TWO for the Cuban Missile Crisis.  Deployed to Vietnam in 1964, Rusty was involved with OP34A, where he was twice wounded, but made a decision to remain with his detachment rather than return to U.S. Rusty was awarded the Purple Heart for his injuries sustained in Vietnam.  Rusty did it all, with service in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam.  Memorial service will be held at Ft. Rosecrans, 1800 Cabrillo Memorial Drive, San Diego (Pt Loma) CA 92101 on August 14, 2013 at 10:30AM, with Final Honor providing Horse Drawn Funeral Carriage for delivery of Rusty's ashes.  Following the ceremony, at Fort Rosecrans (Possibly Miramar Veterans Cemetery), a celebration in Rusty's honor will be held at McP's Irish Pub, 1107 Orange Avenue, Coronado, California, 92118 at 6PM 14 August 2013. 

BULLETIN BOARD

Kurt Jensen is looking for LCDR Michael J. Walsh, author of the book SEAL. If you know his whereabouts please notify Kurt at (kiensen605@gmail.com)

Henry Edward Lowman seeks information on his father a Korean era Frog. His name was Burmadean Henry Lowman – most called him Hank. He was from West Virginia. If you knew Hank Lowman please contact his son at merciusa@earthlink.net

Noted in passing:

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In the Spring 2013 issue of Fire in the Hole the article “Remembering Korea: Underwater Demolition Teams in the Korean War”, p. 14, the guy second from the left is none other than C. J. “Slim” Lueb who is our host for the next reunion of the Fifties FROGS. And on p.15, photo number 3, first person on the left, row 2, is your editor who remembers the fishnet operation well.

Also noted in passing: We recall that the UDT/SEAL Museum tried a few years ago to eliminate UDT from its name. After much protest the name became the UDT-SEAL Museum. Its incorporated name is murky.

Is it:

UDT-SEAL MUSEUM ASSOCIATION, INC. or

NATIONAL NAVY SEAL MUSEUM. The president says he is President of the National Navy SEAL Museum Board of Directors, but he signs off his article as President, UDT-SEAL Museum Association, Inc.

The group has a fine mission statement that begins: “The National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum is the only museum dedicated solely to preserving the history of the Navy SEALS and their predecessors, including Underwater Demolition Teams, Naval Combat Demolition Units,” etc., etc. The statement refers to Ft. Pierce as the birthplace of UDT. Also noted in the Spring issue of 2013 there is an article on UDT operations in Korea.

Beyond the positive things listed above regarding UDT one must look closely to find evidence that inclusion of UDT in the name of the museum means anything. It is as though the agreement to leave UDT in the name of the museum never took place. Here is some of the evidence:

p. 4 President’s message. The President thanks museum membership and fellow directors for entrusting him “to serve as the President of the National Navy SEAL Museum Board of Directors”. This may be the most disturbing item in this abbreviated list. Is the organization incorporated as: Emphasis added.

Web address is: www.NavySEALMuseum.com. Emphasis. added.

p. 6 In About the President, it is stated that David, the new president volunteered for the SEAL Museum.

p. 6 Reference is made to the completion of the Navy UDT-SEAL Memorial but later in the journal, UDT is dropped when referring to the memorial.

p. 7 There is a large poster Visit the SEAL Museum Gift Store.

p. 8 “Executive Director’s Message” In this message he is currently employed as the Executive Director of the US Navy SEAL Museum.

7. Skipping 12 pages – to p. 20 Article entitled New Exhibits in SEAL Museum’s Future.

8. P. 21 New Exec..Director’s email: rick@navysealmuseum.com

9. p. 28 Logo -- National Navy UDT-SEAL MUSEUM BIRTH PLACE OF THE NAVY FROGMEN Address www.NavySEALMuseum.com

p. 32 “She’s a Real Show (traffic) Stopper”. “…on behalf of the Navy SEAL Museum”.

p. 34 Poster National Navy SEAL Museum & Memorial. All in headline size letters.

Etc., Etc.

Comment: When the museum tried to eliminate UDT from its name, many older SEALS and many FROGS stopped supporting the Museum. Why has the Museum leadership jeopardized and continue to jeopardize such a needed organization? Without question the name SEAL is what brings visitors to the museum and that is understandable. Perhaps what is most disturbing is the inconsistencies and confusion caused by the presentation.

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The 2013 reunion will be held at the:

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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.

The Fifties Frogs group welcomes SEALS and FROGS from any era to join us at our annual reunion.

ORDER YOUR DENVER “MUSTER” T-SHIRTS NOW

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This year the color of the T-Shirt featuring the annual muster of 50s Frogs will be in light blue color only. Sizes are small, regular, large and extra large. The price is $16.00 each.

Send your ordering information including: number wanted and size. Send no money now. Pay at the muster when the shirts are delivered.

ORDERS SHOULD BE MADE BY AUGUST 1.

Send order information by Email to: doncmarler@gmail.com, or

by snail mail to:

Clarence J. Lueb

831 17^th Ave. #4

Longmont, Co. 80501

Ph. 303 884 6165

Don C. Marler

doncmarler@gmail.com

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