Service Aboard the "Wee Vee"-- Part 1

From the December 4, 2012, St. Paul (Minn) Review "Harrowing days aboard the 'Wee Vee'" by Vonny Rohloff.

At Pear Harbor, the USS West Virginia, referred to as the "Wee Vee" by its crew, was struck by two bombs and six torpedoes, sinking to the bottom with the loss of two officers and 103 enlisted. 

That day, 15-year-old Anthony "Tony" Reiter first heard about the attack when he arrived at the Arms Plant in New Brighton where he held a job while attending Mechanic Arts High School.  Even though the US was not at war, the plant was operating at full capacity, seven days a week.

He later served aboard the 1920s ship.

Although badly damaged, the West Virginia was raised May 30, 1942. to the horror that seventy dead sailors were in it who had been trapped below deck.  They had scratched messages on the inside of the ship and the last one had lasted until December 23rd.

It was sent back to the United States and refitted at Puget Sound Navy Yard in Bremerton, Washington.  By July 4, 1944, it had arisen like a phoenix.

The "Phoenix Rising."  --GreGen