Robert M. Damisch was born July 22, 1923, in Hamp-
shire, Illinois. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy October 30,
1942, and attended boot camp and class "A" service
school at Camp Green Bay, Great Lakes, Illinois. He then
was sent to communications pool school in Noroton
Heights, Connecticut, in 1943, and posted to the Armed
Guard Center at Brooklyn New York, in 1943-45 and the
Armed Guard Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, 1945.
Ships he served on during the war included the SS
ARTEMIS WARD, a Liberty, 1943; the SS CHRISTIAN
HUYGENS, a liner, 1944; the SS BERGENSFJORD, a
liner, 1944; the SS ROBERT G. INGERSOLL, a Liberty
1944; the SS PEREGRINE WHITE, a Liberty, 1944-45;
the SS SANTA RITA, a C2, 1945; and the SS CHARLES
S. HAIGHT, a Liberty, 1945.
Robert's most memorable experience of the war came
while he was sailing with the SS PEREGRINE WHITE on
a trip to Italy. In December 1944, they arrived in the
Naples, Italy, harbor. The ship anchored in the bay for
about a week waiting for a berth. Christmas Day was spent
aboard ship. On December 31, the ship was at the dock
being unloaded. For a few packs of cigarettes the steve-
dores would lower the cargo net onto the deck for a few
minutes before swinging it over the side. Pretty soon, the
right cargo, wooden crates of booze, came along and every-
one scrambled. By New Year's Eve no one was feeling any
pain.
By midnight, the Naples dock area was the greatest
spectacle imaginable. The ships were so close together that
crew members signaling Happy New Year with the
1,000-watt bridge wing signal lamps literally blinded
everyone. There were more than a few 20 mm tracers going
up as well. Robert fired a parachute flare from the bridge
into the sky and the bright light with its parachute came
floating down, illuminating all of Naples Harbor. The flare
landed on the canvas cab of an Army truck that had been
unloaded from his ship.
On New Year's Day, Robert went up Mount Vesuvius
by cog railway, but only part-way as the March 1944 erup-
tion had covered the upper track with lava. He took a short
walk to the top to view the crater and then visited Hercula-
neum, an ancient city buried by lava in 79 A.D. at the foot
of the mountain.
During the first week in January, he went to Rome. The
gun crew drew straws to see who could get the chance to go,
and the round-trip was made riding in the back of an open
Army truck. He stayed at the 4th Army rest camp on the
outskirts of Rome for two nights. Hitching a ride around
Rome was easy as U.S. Army trucks were everywhere. He
visited the Vatican and got to see Pope Pius XII in an audi-
ence for servicemen. He also visited many other historic
sites in Rome.
Robert was awarded the Victory ribbon, and medals for
good conduct and participation in the American Theater,
Asiatic-Pacific-European Theater and for the Philippine
Liberation.
He now lives at 16N032 Big Timber Road, Hamp-
shire, Illinois 60140.
DELBERT A. DAUENBAUGH
At the age of 19, Delbert A. Dauenbaugh left his par-
ents' small farm and his work in the logging industry to
enter the military service. He enlisted in Grand Rapids,
Minnesota, and was inducted into the U.S. Navy at St.
Paul, Minnesota.
He spent some "very miserable moments" in boot camp
during an unpredictable winter, and then attended signal
school, completing his courses at Farragut, Idaho, and Los
Angeles, California, where he was promoted to Signalman
3/c.
He boarded his first ship, the MIRABEAU B.
LAMAR, at Baltimore, Maryland, and traveled to Arzew,
Oran, and Bizerte, Africa, Catania, Sicily, and on to
Naples, Italy, where he saw action from an attacking Ger-
man aircraft and a fiery display by erupting Mount Vesuvi-
us as well.
His second ship, the HAWKINS FUDSKE, made two
round trips to Murmansk, Russia and Archangel, Russia,
via England, Scotland, and Belgium. The trips were partic-
ularly memorable, because the convoy operated within the
Arctic Circle in the land of the Midnight Sun. Normally
there was no more than 30 minutes of daylight in any 24
hours and it was during these crucial 30-minute periods
that torpedo plane attacks by German aircraft were immi-
nent. Because of the convoy's well-concentrated firing
power, many German planes never returned to their bases.
On one occasion, a full speed, zig-zag course was
ordered by the escort to avoid a confrontation with the sup-
posedly unsinkable German battleship VON TERPITZ,
which did approach the convoy. Fortunately, it was sunk
by the Royal Air Force shortly after.
Delbert was then transferred to the West Coast and
briefly joined the signal crew aboard the USS BOLSTER
and the ATR 24, both sea-going tugs. Duty followed
aboard the SS PLATANO, a refrigerator ship, and the SS
SYOSSETT, a tanker. His Pacific duty took him to the
beautiful islands of New Zealand, Guam, and ended in
Leyte and Manila in the Philippine Islands.
Delbert considers the Navy Armed Guard as a very spe-
cial, valuable important, and memorable part of his life
and he salutes all the good friends who helped him make
this part of his life so very complete.
Delbert now lives at 2325 Melrose Street, Apartment 2,
Rockford, Illinois 61103.
LEX B. DAVIS
Before the Armed Guard Center in Brooklyn, New
York, opened Lex B. Davis was on anti-submarine patrol
aboard the USS TARBELL in the North Atlantic. The
Armed Guard needed volunteers so Lex reported to Brook-
lyn.
His gun crew consisted of six men and came together in
early November 1941. They trained on guns aboard the
USS EAGLE. They were the first to fire the 4-inch gun
since World War I. The gun crew was the first to leave the
Armed Guard Center in Brooklyn, New York, to board
the SS STELLA LYKES, out of New Orleans, Louisiana.
The crew reported aboard the LYKES December 7,
1941. Their first cruise took them to Capetown and Dur-
ban, South Africa. The ship then headed for Bombay,
India, to the Persian Gulf and returned to Capetown.
After being in the hospital with malaria, Lex returned
home on leave. He later reported to the Armed Guard
Center in Brooklyn and served on two more ships. He
remained in the Navy until October 1949 and was then
discharged, attaining the rank of GM 3/C. He then trans-
ferred to the U.S. Army in 1950. He retired from the
Army in February 1972 in El Paso, Texas, attaining the
rank of command sergeant major.
Lex is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Lex B. Davis, Sr., of 14th
Street, Chicora.
RICHARD S. DAVIS
Richard S. Davis was born November 29, 1925, and is
originally from Keyes, Oklahoma. He enlisted in the U.S.
Navy December 26, 1942, and again on February 13,
1948. He served at Camp Greenbay in Chicago, Illinois;
the Armed Guard Center in Brooklyn, New York; and the
Armed Guard Center (Pac).
Davis sailed on the SS HENRY WARD BEACHER,
the SS THOMAS STONE, the SS BUTTON GWEN-
NETT, the SS IDA M. TARBELL, the SS S.P. ADLER
and the USS BOXER CV21. Ports of call included Gibral-
tar, Oran, Casablanca, Algiers, Bizert, Sicily, Naples,
Anzio, Tourlon, St. Tropez and Marseilles. In the Pacific,
he traveled to the Hawaiian Islands, Guam, Saipan, Tini-
an, Eniwetok, Philippines, Manila, Subic Bay, Okinawa,
Tokyo, Osaka and Nagasaki. Davis says during his second
enlistment the USS BOXER was the first Naval ship to
operate with jet planes and to make a colored man, Sam
McKissic, a Boatswain mate, possibly in the whole Navy.
Major battles and landings Davis was present at includ-
ed the South of France, St. Tropez, Toulon and Okinawa.
He received the World War II Victory Medal, the Europe-
an-African-Middle Eastern Medal, with one Bronze Star,
the Asiatic Pacific Area Medal, with one Bronze Star, and
the China Service Medal. He was discharged from the
Navy January 28, 1946, and again on June 26, 1950,
attaining the rank of Seaman 1/C. His most memorable
experiences were the pleasure cruises, which he says were
lots of fun.
Davis was a miner for 12 years and a manager for 20
years. He mined copper, lead, zinc and uranium in Arizo-
na, Missouri and New Mexico. His current address is
Route 4 Box 43V, Ozark, Missouri 65721.
WILLIAM LEWIS DAY
William Lewis Day was born February 19, 1917, in
New Albany, Indiana, to William and Lois Day. He mar-
ried Lucille Burke June 17, 1939, and worked for the Lou-
isville and Nashville Railroad.
He was inducted into the U.S. Navy September 15,
1943. His basic training was in Great Lakes, Illinois. He
took gunnery school in Little Creek, Virginia. Then from
the Armed Guard Center in Brooklyn, he was assigned to
the SS SOCONY VACUUM, a tanker, and the SS CAS-
PER-S-YOST, a Liberty. He served in all three theaters of
operations, crossing the ocean eight times.
In May 1945, William detached from the SS CASPER-
S-YOST and was shipped to ATB, Coronado, California,
and later to Slou 63 Roosevelt Base in San Pedro, Califor-
nia. He was discharged in November 1945.
He moved from Great Lakes, Illinois, to return to his
old job at the Louisville and Nashville Railroad. He retired
in 1978, and he and his wife now live at 4413 Cloverleaf
Drive, Louisville, Kentucky 40216.
IGNAZIO DELBUONO
Ignazio DelBuono was born in Waterbury, Connecti-
cut, February 13, 1922. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy
November 9, 1942, and took recruit training at NTS Sig-
nals, Butler University, Indianapolis, Indiana, and at
Noroton Heights, Connecticut. He was promoted to Sig-
nalman 3/C in April 1943 and Signalman 2/C in May
1944.
He was assigned in May 1943 to the Nethefiand's regis-
tered MS MAPIA, and sailed from Brooklyn to Panama,
Australia, India, East Africa, Brazil, Trinidad and back to
Baltimore.
In December 1943, he was assigned to the SS EUGENE
O'DONNELL at South Portland, Maine. The ship made
three round-trips to England. The O'DONNELL was
vice-commodore of a convoy arriving in Utah Beach June
8, 1944. The night of June 7, a British escort vessel on the
O'DONNELL's starboard beam was sunk. Early morning
June 8, the commodore ship, SS CHARLES MORGAN,
to port of the O'DONNELL was sunk. The
O'DONNELL was straddled by enemy shells from shore
without damage, and made eight trips ferrying soldiers to
Utah and Omaha beaches.
On January 1, 1945, Ignazio was detached from the
O'DONNELL, and in February 1945, went to rest camp
at DeLand, Florida. In March 1945, he was assigned to the
SS JOHN MCKINLEY, which sailed to Oran, through
the Suez Canal to India, Ceylon, Australia, Manila, Ulithi
and San Francisco. In Manila Bay, the night of July 22,
1945, Ignazio sighted five crewmen of the SS ESSO CAM-
DEN clinging to an overturned boat, sounded the alarm
and illuminated the boat to help effect the rescue.
Ignazio was honorably discharged at Boston December
29, 1945. He joined the Waterbury Fire Department Feb-
ruary 1946, rising through the ranks to become fire chief
in 1970. He retired in 1987.
He and his wife, Geraline McLean, were married in
1946. They have two children and one grandchild. They
live at 15 Longmeadow Drive, Waterbury, Connecticut
06706.
PASQUALE DELLISANTI
Pasquale Dellisanti was born March 4, 1926, and is
originally from Corning, New York. He enlisted in the
U.S. Navy June 26, 1944, and trained at NTS in Samp-
son, New York, in Unit F, and the Armed Guard Center
in Brooklyn, New York.
He boarded the JOHN MOOREHEAD in October
1944, in the New York harbor and picked up a convoy
headed to Oran. One ship in the convoy was torpedoed at
the entrance to Gibraltar and the MOOREHEAD picked
up another convoy to Augasta, Sicily, and moved on to
Bari, Italy. Aboard the JOHN WOODWORTH out of
Baltimore, Pasquale sailed with a convoy to Marseilles,
France.
Pasquale attended gunnery school at Camp Sheldon in
March 1945, and one month of troop training at Treasure
Island. He then boarded the LYOLA VICTORY in June
1945, and sailed to the Marshall Islands. The war with
Japan ended 15 days later while he was still at sea. The
crew dumped their ammunition at sea and returned to
Price Rupport, Canada, to unload the ship's cargo.
After spending one month in Price Rupport and one
month in Adack, Kodack Kiska, he returned to Seattle and
re-enlisted in the service for two more years. He spent one
and a half years in Hawaii at the NAS at Ford Island and
received his discharge from the Navy at NAS in Alamada
October 17, 1947.
Pasquale and his wife, Carol, have three children,
Charles, Danielle and Dorian. He worked 30 years in the
electrical business and is currently in the electrical whole-
sale business in Anaheim, California. His current address
is 5801 Via Santana, Yorba Linda, California 92686.
WILLIAM EUSTACE DENAPOLI
William was born on January 11, 1924, in Cincinnati,
Ohio. He enlisted on January 12, 1942, and entered the
service in Jacksonville, Florida, as an Apprentice Seaman
in the United States Navy.
Following is a list of his sea service, along with dates
aboard each vessel, and the ratings held: SS WINKLER,
March 23, 1942-May 11, 1942 as an Apprentice Seaman,
May 12, 1942-September 30, 1942 as a Seaman second
class; SS WILLIAM JOHNSON, October l, 1942-
November 12, 1942 as a Seaman second class, November
13, 1942-February 22, 1943 as a Seaman first class; SS
ROBERT F. STOCKTON, March 15, 1943-January 20,
1944, S 1/c; SS CITIES SERVICE KOOLMOTOR, Feb-
ruary 11, 1944-August 26, 1944, SI/c; SS OKLAHO-
MA, August 22, 1944-March 28, 1945, S1/c; SS ESSO
RALEIGH, April 21, 1945-April 27, 1945, S1/c; SS
HENRY VILLARD, June 6, 1945-June 12, 1945, S1/c;
SS EDMUND B. ALEXANDER, June 18, 1945-
September 18, 1945, SI/c; USS LCI(L) 638, December
17, 1945-April 10, 1946, SI/c; USS HOOPER ISLAND
(ARG- 17), April 10, 1946-October 21, 1946, S I/c; USS
AUCILLA (AO-56), October 21, 1946-December 24,
1946, SI/c; USS CHIPOLA (AO-63), December 24,
1946-December 31, 1946, S1/c; January 1, 1947-
September 5, 1947, Coxswain; USS RANDALL (APA-
224) March 10, 1948-April 1, 1948, Coxswain; April 2,
1948-June 26, 1948, Boatswain's Mate third class; USS
CONSOLATION (AH-15), June 26, 1948-July 8,
1948, BM3/c; USS RANDALL (APA-224), July 9,
1948-July 10, 1948, BM3/c; USS LST 983, December
1950-April 15, 1951, BM3/c; April 16, 1951-August
10, 1953, BM2/c; USS SHADWELL (LSD- 15), August
15, 1955-August 16, 1955, BM2/c; USS ONACHITA
COUNTY (LST-1071), December 1, 1955-March 2,
1956, BM I/c; and the USS VERNON COUNTY (LST-
1161) April 6, 1956-November 7, 1957, BM1/c.
In 1943, William was awarded the American Area Rib-
bon, the European-African Middle Eastern Area Ribbon,
and the Asiatic-Pacific Area Ribbon. He also received
commendation for his service aboard the SS WILLIAM
JOHNSON, North Atlantic and North Africa and as a
survivor of the SS OKLAHOMA torpedoed in the South
Atlantic.
He was honorably discharged on November 3, 1947,
but as is apparent with his sea service record, he shortly
reenlisted.
WILLIAM DIBELLA
William DiBella, originally from Brooklyn, New York,
served aboard the SS MARION MCK. BOVARD, from
February 15, 1944, to December 8, 1944, and the SS
SAMUEL MCINTYRE, from January 5, 1945, to
November 18, 1945.
On the BOVARD he sailed to Philadelphia to load car-
go and troops. The ship then traveled to Hampton Roads
to join a convoy heading to the Mediterranean. They
arrived in Naples, Italy, and unloaded the troops and car-
go. The ship was then used as a shuttle carrier between
North Africa and Naples. On one occasion, they transport-
ed German prisoners of war from Naples to Bizerte. On
another trip, they brought Italian troops from Sardinia to
Naples.
In early June 1944, approximately six Liberty Ships
brought U.S. troops and equipment to Civitavecchia,
north of Rome. William was one of the first U.S. Armed
Guard to visit Rome after it was liberated.
The BOVARD participated in the invasion of Southern
France August 15, 1944, and then shuttled between
North Africa and Marseilles and Toulon. They transported
French regulars and French colonial troops and their live-
stock.
Around mid November 1944, they went to Algiers and
had the bottom of the boat scraped. The build-up of bar-
nacles affected the ship's speed considerably.
On December 3, 1944, at the mouth of Chesapeake
Bay, the SS MICKEY MAGUIRE rammed the
BOVARD's starboard side just forward of midships. The
ship sailed into Baltimore under its own power and was put
in dry dock. William was given delayed orders and went
home to Brooklyn, New York, to see his wife and baby
daughter.
He reported to the Armed Guard Center January 3,
1945, and was assigned with his best friend to sea duty
aboard the MCINTIRE. The ship made a couple of trips
to the United Kingdom and one to Antwerp. After the Bel-
gium trip, the ship returned to Brooklyn and began load-
ing railroad locomotives and trucks. A rumor spread
quickly that the cargo was consigned to Murmansk, Rus-
sia. The rumor proved true.
The ship finally left the States and headed for Gourick,
Scotland. After many days, a convoy was formed with sev-
eral escorts including a Jeep carrier. VE day was not far
away so the risk was minimal.
They left Murmansk at the beginning of June 1945 and
headed for Philadelphia. All the Naval personnel were
reassigned except for William, a gunner's mate and a Sea-
man 1/C. They were sent to New Orleans where they load-
ed cargo and got a new complement of naval personnel.
After mid July 1945, William sailed through the Pana-
ma Canal towards Ulithi Atoll. Upon arrival at Ulithi, he
was amazed at the amount of ships gathered in one spot.
This was to have been one of the invasion forces if the war
with Japan hadn't ended.
The MCINTIRE became part of the Naval Task Force.
They sailed to Wahayama, Japan, and off-loaded cargo
into LCTs in the harbor. They were interrupted twice by
typhoons and had to leave the harbor during the second
one.
William and some of his mates had accumulated
enough points for discharge by November 1945. Howev-
er, there wasn't any transportation to the States. They
stayed on the MCINTIRE and took on a VIP passenger,
Captain King, who was related to Admiral King of the
Navy. Prior to sailing, the MCINTIRE got orders to pro-
ceed to Siam. Captain King asked "Does this mean I have
to get off this vessel?" The orders were changed and the
ship sailed to Hawaii.
William left the MCINTIRE and sailed on the USS
MINNEAPOLIS, arriving in San Francisco December 2,
1945, his birthday. He and his wife, Marie, live at Pick-
wick Village, 78 Regency Drive, Port Orange, Florida
RAYMOND DIDUR, SR.
Raymond "Ray" Didur Sr., was born in Homer City,
Pennsylvania, May 30, 1924, and at the age of two moved
to Michigan. He left-junior high school in the last half of
the ninth grade and transferred to Munger Trade School,
where he attended wood working school. After two
nonths at the school, he joined the CCC, earning $1 a day.
While he was working for the CCC, Japan attacked the
United States, and in December 1941, Ray enlisted in the
U.S. Navy along with his friend, Robert Greives of
Detroit, Michigan. He attended boot camp at Great Lakes,
Illinois, Co. 63, Camp Perry, where he stayed in a brand
new barracks. After boot camp, he was sent to New Orle-
ans, Louisiana, and assigned to a gun crew of 10 men. After
three days of gunnery on the USS WILLITT, the crew was
loaded onto troop cars and sent by rail to New Orleans for
assignment to the SS EDWARD L. SHEA, a tanker.
After several months, the SHEA's gun crew reported to
the USAT SS JOHN ERICKSON, gun crew 410-A, to
ready for the invasion of Casablanca, North Africa, in
November 1942.
In 1943, Ray was assigned to the MS AMERICAN
SUN, a tanker, and sailed the Caribbean Sea and South
Atlantic. His next ship was the MS PUEBLO from 1943
to 1944. The PUEBLO ran fuel and super deck cargo
including fighter-bombers across the Pacific up to Finch-
haven and Milni Bay. The ship ran aground while follow-
ing an Australian Navy patrol craft. The patrol craft was to
lead the PUEBLO safely through a channel to the bay, but
instead led the ship into a "V" right in the middle of the
channel on Christmas Eve. It took all hands, Merchant and
Navy gun crew on the mooring line, pumping fuel by hose
to free the ship with no hull damage below the water line.
After returning to the States, Ray was transferred to the
SS HOWARD A. KELLY, which handled troops and car-
go.
He was discharged at Camp Shoemaker, California, in
September 1945 with the rank of BM 2/C. He stayed out
of the service two months, then re-enlisted as a Navy regu-
lar. He retired from the Navy at NAS Dallas, Grand Prai-
rie, Texas, in 1961. He settled in Des Plaines, Illinois, until
1979 and then returned to Michigan to settle in Cement
City, where he is SR, Michigan Navy Armed Guard
Chairman. Membership is now 275.
On May 29, 1988, Ray placed a TriState Plaque on
Granite Base, Fort Custer, National Cemetery at Augusta,
Michigan.
After the war, Ray worked as a manager for two gas fill-
ing stations, finally owning his own station. He also did
dock work and worked for a time as a maintenance man.
He now lives at 122 Potter Street, P.O. Box 282,
Cement City, Michigan 49233-0282.
LEJEUNE R. DOBLE
LeJeune "Lee" R. Doble was born November 16, 1922,
in St. Cloud, Minnesota. He moved to Duluth, Minnesota,
in 1929. He later worked at the shipyards in Baltimore,
Maryland, before enlisting in the U.S. Navy in Baltimore
June 14, 1943.
After boot camp at NTS Bainbridge, Matyland, he
attended Armed Guard school at Little Creek, Virginia.
He was then sent to the Armed Guard Center in South
Brooklyn, New York, where he was assigned to the gun
crew of the SS AQUARIS. The AQUARIS sailed to
LaHavre, France, South Wales, Puerto Rico, Santo
Domingo and Rio de Janiero.
For a short time, he served on the SS CLAYMONT
VICTORY. After the war in Europe was over, he was sent
to USN Armed Guard Center in Shelton, Virginia, and
reported to Armed Guard Center Pacific and assigned to
the SS HORACE GREELY out of Seattle, Washington,
en route to the Pacific. The GREELY was rammed by an
English ship while anchored in the bay near Sama on the
Philippine Islands in 1945.
He married Betty Jane Gow July 6, 1946, in Duluth,
Minnesota, and moved to Portland, Oregon, in 1947. Bet-
ty was a Navy WAVE stationed in California and Hilo,
Hawaii, during World War II October 1943 through
February 1946. They have a son, Dennis, and a grand-
daughter, Jennifer.
Lee retired from the Pacific Motor Trucking Company
in Portland, Oregon, in September 1984. Now Lee and his
wife spend their winters in Yuma, Arizona, and summers
in Oregon.
Lee's address is 12804 Joleane Avenue, Yuma, Arizona
85365.
MERVIN A. DOLSON
Mervin Alva Dolson was born December 22, 1922, in
Mt. Vernon, New York. He enlisted in the Navy March
19, 1943, from his hometown of Amityville, Long Island,
New York.
At Great Lakes, Illinois, Merv set a strength record for
sit-ups and was awarded Security Watch. His company
was the 386-14th Regiment. He attended Armed Guard
gunnery school and took gun captain training in Gulfport,
Mississippi, in Sec. 1, Crew 828 Barr C-2-Bldg. 64.
Seaman First Class Dolson then was shipped to Treasure
Island, California, then on to San Pedro. He sailed in
August 1943 on the USS MOBILEFUEL, covering the
southwest Pacific, Indian Ocean, and the Caribbean for ten
months, spending Christmas at sea.
He picked up his second ship, the SS PHILIP DOD-
DRIGE, from Treasure Island in July 1944 with approxi-
mately 50 percent of his original gun crew. They went
around the world and returned to New York six months
later. He next shipped out January 1945 on the SS PALO
DURO with approximately 10 percent of his original gun
crew for another six months covering convoys in the North
Atlantic, disembarking at New Orleans, Louisiana. He
then was assigned shore duty at the Armed Guard Center
in Brooklyn, New York, in July 1945 until his discharge
February 3, 1946.
Merv's ribbons covered the American, Asiatic-Pacific
and European theaters of war. After spending 22 months
at sea, experiencing only minor combat, Merv considers
himself lucky to have survived with his eight tattoos, no
court martials, and one buddy whom he is still in contact
with, Walt Elder of Louisville, Kentucky. They shipped
out together on all three ships and they and their wives,
who originally met in 1945, are now attending Armed
Guard reunions.
After leaving the service, Merv married Patricia Glen-
non, his childhood sweetheart. They have a daughter, two
sons, three granddaughters, and a sailboat for the Long
Island Great South Bay. A builder and now designer and
craftsman of fine furniture, he has semi-retired to devote
more time to his oil painting begun in high school, contin-
ued at sea and now reaching realization.
Merv would enjoy any contact with past shipmates. His
home address for the last 43 years has been 420 Swenson
Place, Bellmore, Long Island, New York 11710.
EDWARD THOMAS DOYLE
Edward Thomas Doyle or "E.T." as he was called by his
shipmates, enlisted in service on September 4, 1942, in Los
Angeles, California. He started his world exploits on April
20, 1943, aboard the Liberty Ship THOMAS CRESAP.
His first trip found him in romantic Casablanca where he
slept through the first air raid of his career. What a way to
begin a heroic and memorable war record. The French
cruiser BON ARM RICHARD was tied to the sea wall
showing the results of being well-battered but not sunk.
Returning to the states on June 28, the CRESAP went
into dry dock and it was not until July 28 that she again
sailed overseas, this time for Algiers, North Africa, where
she arrived on August 15. E.T. got his feet wet for good
with air raids on this trip. Bob Hope had just returned
from the Tunis area and jokingly asked the base com-
mander if the area was secured against air raids. It seems
that before the commander could reply, the jerrys paid Bob
a complimentary visit, dropping a few bombs and scooting
off just to let Bob know they hadn't forgotten him. E.T.
would like to think Bob has received all the credit he
deserves for the terrific job he has done for the GIs over the
years.
The CRESAP crew unloaded all the general cargo and
was off to the munitions dock where 10,000 tons of explo-
sives were loaded, the ship then sailed offinto the Mediter-
ranean, headed for the Island of Malta, the most bombed
spot of the war. Staying overnight, she was off and sailing
past Messina at the toe of Italy and on up to Naples, arriv-
ing October 16. In addition to the submarine menace.
there were "E" boats and of course the very effective Luft-
waffe. E.T. recalls the feeling of sitting on 10,000 tons ot
munitions while the onemy tried to light the fuse with
few bombs. He said the sky would be filled with parachute
flares and he just knew the pilots could see the crew scurry-
ing about, trying to keep busy so their mates couldn't tell
they were shaking from the top of their heads to the tips
of their toes. Scared? You bet they were, but not to the
point that they couldn't get the job done once the action
began. In the morning they began to shake all over again
as they would survey the deck and see all the shrapnel,
sharp as a razor, and wonder how a person could come out
of the affair without a scratch.
E.T. recounts the closest he can remember the fuse ever
came to being lit. While directing the small gun fire on the
CRESAP, (orders at the time were to hold fire), a Norwe-
gian ship tied up at the end of the dock began firing.
Almost immediately a salvo of bombs was directed toward
the gun flashes. As the string started hitting the water off
the stern of the CRESAP, E.T. hollered over the phones for
the crew to hit the deck. What happened next has to be
considered a miracle. As the string progressed towards the
ammo ships and dock, either the spacing goofed up, the
bombs hung-up in the rack before release, or for whatever
reason, the next to last one hit just abeam of the Norwegian
vessel and the last one passed over the ships and the ammo
dock, the waterway between the docks and hit a general
storage dock and building on the port side of the CRESAP.
The next morning there were shoes, pants, and food float-
ing on the water, covering the ship, dock and on the sur-
rounding vessels. The CRESAP was directed to tie up to
the sea wall while the remaining half of her cargo was dis-
charged. The last night in Naples, the largest air raid of
E.T.'s career occurred. As Mount Vesuvius was continuing
her efforts to erupt and glowed brightly in the night sky,
jerry came back for one last attempt. From the sea wall, it
was like watching a clyclorama presentation with a 360
degree view. The action was hot and heavy. Back at the
ammo dock the CRESAP had just departed, a bomb found
its target and the greatest display of fireworks E.T. had ever
seen, or would see in the future, unfolded before him. Fire
boats worked out in the stream, trying to put out fires on
board ships hit. The fire boats came scurrying around the
opening in the sea wall, past the CRESAP and on to the
dock which was ablaze along with the ships tied up there.
The CRESAP sailed the next morning for the states.
E.T.'s next and last trip while in the Armed Guard took
him to England. One night when he was called by the third
mate to come up to the bridge to read a message being sent
by blinker lamp, he struck up a conversation with the mate
who told him that he had served on one of two troop ships
that were scheduled to arrive at Naples the night of the
"big one." The skippers were directed to return to the
Mediterranean until the next day because of the severity of
the attack. The mates' observation, from his vantage point
away from the action, was that it seemed the whole port
area was going up in flames. When E.T. returned from
England, he volunteered to serve with the SACO, SINO
American Cooperative Organization and spent the rest of
the war training and leading Chinese guerrillas behind
Japanese lines in occupied China. Edward was discharged
December 31, 1945, at San Pedro, California.
Edward is married to Jean and they have four children:
James Scott, Katherine A., Deborah L. and Thomas E.
Edward's current address is 32623 13th Avenue S.W.,
Federal Way, Washington 98023.
WILLIS D'ARCY DREW
Lieutenant Willis D'Arcy Drew, USNR, was born May
28, 1911, in Sacramento, California. He received his per-
manent commission in July 1944.
He was honorably discharged from active duty April
13, 1946, and was honorably discharged from the U.S.
Navy August 23, 1951.
He received boot training in Tuscon, Arizona, in
August 1944, and then went to Armed Guard school in
San Diego, California, for two months.
From the Armed Guard Center Pacific, Treasure Island,
he was assigned to the SS Ambrose Bierce, a Liberty.
He earned the American Theater Ribbon, Phillipine Lib-
eration Ribbon, Asiatic-Pacific Ribbon and Victory Rib-
bon for participation in World War II.
His ship was at Okinawa in 1945 when the war ended.
He graduated from Stanford University in 1933 and is
an amateur radio buff, call No. WB6AOL. He has been
married 55 years to his wife, Alice, call No. WB6AOJ.
They have a son, Dennis, call No. WA6RVR, who is a
retired Lieutenant with the Sacto Sheriff's Executive Staff.
They also have a daughter, Nancy.
Willis is retired after 50 years as a self-employed real
estate broker. He now lives at 43 l 5 Mulford Avenue, Sac-
ramento, California 9582 l.
He and his wife have three grandchildren and one great-
grandchild. Their interests include folk dancing, square
dancing, and ballroom dancing. Alice plays the Hammond
organ.
ROBERT J. DUERKES
"Join the Navy and See the World" was a slogan that
became reality for Robert J. Duerkes November 3, 1942.
After boot camp in the Great Lakes Naval Training Sta-
tion, signal school at the University of Illinois and finally
training in Noroton Heights, Connecticut, Robert or "Ole
Flags" was stationed at the Brooklyn Armed Guard Center
as Signalman 3/C.
Over the next three years, he was assigned to such fine
Liberty Ships as the SS THEODORE SEDGWICK and
the SS PARK HOLLAND. His final assignment was on
a tanker named the SS GULFPORT.
Robert waived his semaphore flags and blinked his sig-
nal lights in convoys big and small to Scotland, England,
Egypt, Italy, Russia, southeast Africa and South America.
His ships were fired upon, run aground, split in half, but
they all survived the wages of war and natural disaster.
After discharge from the service December 23, 1945,
Robert married a lovely gal. They had two children and
now have eight grandchildren and four great-
grandchildren -- all of them the apple of his eye.
Ole Flags and his lovely spouse have enjoyed 42 years of
married bliss and are looking forward to their golden wed-
ding anniversary.
After discharge, Robert served 29 years with the United
States Post Office and currently is living in Fort Myers,
Florida, the beautiful city of palms. His mailing address is
2140 Cottage Street, Apartment 501. Fort Myers. Florida
33901.
JOSEPH J. DYLINA
Joseph J. Dylina was born in Roundup, Montana,June
13, 1921, and was raised on a small dry-land farm outside
Roundup.
Joe enlisted in the U.S. Navy July 3 l, 1942, and was
sent to San Diego for boot training. He was then trans-
ferred to the Armed Guard Center at Treasure Island
where he attended visual signal school.
He boarded his first ship, the JOHN P. HOLLAND,
in Portland, Oregon, November 7, 1942. The ship pro-
ceeded alone to Pearl Harbor, and Neumea, New Cala-
donia. They lay on the "hook" for 78 days because of low
priority cargo, then sailed through the Canal to Cuba, New
York, Cardiff, Wales and back to New York.
Joe's next ship, the JOHN L. SULLIVAN, sailed to
Sidney, Australia, Buenaventura, Colombia and through
the Canal, to New York and to Glasgow, Scotland, with
cargo destined for Murmansk. The ship anchored in the
Clyde River, and when the tide went out, the ship lay on
the bottom. Fearing possible damage, the cargo was
reloaded on another ship.
Leaving light into a heavy North Atlantic storm, the
USS SULLIVAN was beaten until it broke from the water
water line on the starboard side up and across the main
deck to the port rail. The second deck broke into the #3
hatch opening. The SULLIVAN was escorted to the
Azores Islands by the Canadian Corvette MAPLE LEAF,
patched together, then sent on its way to New York.
Joseph's next ship was the YUGOSLAVIA VICTORY
from Portland, Oregon. A full load of ammo was taken for
the invasion of Pelilou. Joseph's fourth and last ship was
the SEA STAR, a converted troop transport. They went
through the Canal and to Naples, haly -- a full load o{
troops were picked up and the ship sailed back through the
Canal to Manila. About halfway to Okinawa, word was
received that Japan had given up, but another trip was
made to Korea. Joseph was discharged in Kirkland,
Washington, December 22, 1945, as Signalman 2/c.
Joseph married Thehna M. Sturgeon June 21, 1947.
They have two sons: Timothy, a dentist in Merced, Califor-
nia; and Steve, an attorney in Burlingame, Calitbrnia.
Joseph spent 25 years with the Federal Prison Service and
six and a half years with the Josephine County Sheriff's
Department. His current address is 3028 Bristow Road,
Grants Pass, Oregon.