Victim of a Kamikaze Attack: Sailor Says Decision to Write a Letter Probably Saved His Life-- Part 5

Edward Rasmussen was aboard the destroyer USS William D. Porter when a kamikaze sank it June 10, 1945.  Continuing with the interview of him.

WHAT WERE YOU DOING WHEN THE BOMB HIT THE SHIP?

"I had finished eating breakfast.  I was down below where we'd sleep.  I though 'Should I write a letter?'  I'd be sitting on the floor if I wrote a letter.  I decided not to so I was standing up when the ship got hit.  If I was sitting on the deck, I'd probably have my spine broke. 

I was standing on one foot putting my shoes on and so when it hit the only thing that wrecked me is my foot.  My big toe is the only thing that got broken.  Fortunately, we had no casualties."


WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THE SHIP SANK?

"It took us almost thirty days to get back to San Francisco [on rescue ships] and then we had thirty days leave.  I had to go to an armory in Chicago and they sent me to Navy Pier.  Then I was transferred back to Great Lakes.


WHAT ARE SOME OF THE GOOD MEMORIES YOU HAVE FROM BEING AT SEA?

"We were one of the only ships that had an ice cream machine.  We installed it and it worked just fine.  We had movies too.  We always had three meals a day, a nice warm place to sleep, showers every day and movies only when it was safe."

A Great Job, Unless Your Ship Gets Sunk.  --GreGen