After Baker Island, the Princeton joined TF 15 and participated in air strikes against Makin and Tarawa. Then it was to pearl harbor and back to Baker Island. Then it was on to Empress Augusta Bay and covering fighting there.
Other Actions of the Princeton:
1943
Rabaul
Nauru
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1944
Wotje
Taroa
Kwajalein
Majuro
Eniwetok
Engebi
This Was One Busy Light Aircraft Carrier. --GreGen
From Wikipedia.
Earlier this week, I wrote about 101-year-old Al Oesterle recounting his memories of the sinking of this ship. Here is some more information on the ship.
For part of this background information, click on the USS Princeton label below and go back to my Feb. 23, 2013, blog entry.
The Princeton was laid down as the Cleveland class light cruiser Tallahassee (CL-61) by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation in 1941 and was reclassified as the Independence class light aircraft carrier CV-23 on 16 February 1942. and renamed the Princeton a month later.
It was launched 18 October 1942, sponsored by Margaret Dodds (wife of Princeton President Harold Dodds) and commissioned at Philadelphia 25 February 1943, with Captain George R. Henderson in command.
After a shakedown cruise in the Caribbean Sea and reclassification to CVL-23, the ship, with Air Group 23 got underway for the Pacific and arrived at Pearl Harbor on 9 August. She sortied with TF 11 on August 25 and headed for Baker Island. There she served as flagship of TG 11.2 and provided air cover during the occupation of the island and construction of the airfield there 1-14 September.
During that time, planes from the Princeton downed the new Japanese Emily reconnaissance planes and more importantly provided the U.S. Navy with photographs of them.
--GreGen
From the September 16, 2020, MidWeek "Looking Back."
1945, 75 Years Ago.
"Ex-sergeant Bernard W. Schnorr was issued two tires by the rationing board, borrowing others from family, and gone to work. Schnorr left Shabbona in 1942 as a farm hand, came back a few days ago as a mechanic.
"Finding the tires on the car he left in the garage three and a half years ago, he had been informed by the rationing board that no tires were available. To work as his new trade he had to have tires. It develops that the board found it possible to give him a certificate for two tires, and that he was able to borrow two from his family.
"So, he has gone to work at his new army-given occupation of engine mechanic."
So, then as now, you can receive occupation training in the military.
Tires? Who Needs Tires? --GreGen
From the September 9, 2020, MidWeek (DeKalb County, Illinois) "Looking Back."
1945, 75 Years Ago.
"With every effort being made to can the tremendous amount of corn and beans growing in this vicinity, extra help is urgently needed at the DeKalb plant of the California Packing Corporation.
"Forty women are required at the present time to assist in the canning of beans and corn, which will last another four weeks. The work is similar to that in a home kitchen, but is essential as the more food that is canned at the DeKalb plant during the present pack, the more will be available during the winter months on the shelves of the grocery stores."
--GreGen
The Princeton's crew were ordered to abandon ship. When it was Oesterle's turn to leave, he climbed down a cargo net only to find there was no boat at the bottom. He climbed back up and discovered that he was alone on his burning, stricken ship.
"I came back onboard to help... nobody was there but me," he said.
Eventually, a boat did come back for him and took him to the Birmingham. In all, 1,361 members of the Princeton's crew were rescued.
Two days later, he wrote his mother to let her know he was alright. "All in all it was quite a day. None the worse for wear & tear," he wrote.
He finished the war stationed on other ships. Among his service medals are a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star, which he received for valor.
On September1, 1945, he and Joan were married at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. During the rest of his naval career as a dentist, Oesterle was stationed at bases in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Illinois and California as well as a stint at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Joan died in 1998.
Quite the Story. --GreGen
The explosion from the Japanese dive bomber's bomb started a fire that spread quickly across the ship. Oeseterle and the other crew members scrambled to fight the fires as other American ships came to assist. The USS Birmingham (CL-62) a light cruiser, pulled alongside the stricken Princeton.
The Birmingham's crew used high pressure hoses to pour water on the burning ship, but the fire reached stored munitions and a massive explosion rocked the Princeton.
The explosion shot out a storm of fire and debris. On the Princeton, 108 men were killed. On the Birmingham, where many of the crew were on deck or superstructure fighting the fire and assisting in rescuing, 233 men were killed and another 426 wounded (out of 1255 crew).
Oesterle, who was standing on the deck of the Princeton next to Captain John Hopkins at the time of the explosion, suffered light burns on his neck, but otherwise was not harmed. Captain Hoskins lost the lower part of a leg.
--GreGen
From the September 2, 2020, MidWeek (DeKalb County, Illinois) "Looking Back."
1945, 75 Years Ago.
"The women employed at the hemp mill did not work Saturday as the day was used by the men for some needed repairing and cleaning of the boilers."
***************************
"For wounds suffered last May when his ship was hit by a Jap suicide plane off Okinawa after 39 days in combat, Robert C. Helson, pharmacist's mate first class, of 206 Maplewood Avenue in DeKalb was awarded the Purple Heart medal."
Hemp, A Growing Industry in DeKalb County in 1945. --GreGen
From the August 26, 2020, MidWeek "Looking Back."
1945, 75 Years Ago.
"Japan's surrender produced the largest volume of telegraphing in the nation's history as American business began work immediately to resume peacetime production and distribution, it was announced by R.S. Slack, Jr. of the DeKalb office.
"Here and throughout the nation, the volume of telegrams last week sent the 1945 volume line skyrocketing off the charts and and exceeded even the busiest weeks of the war."
Western Union Telegrams. --GreGen
From the August 26, 2020, MidWeek (DeKalb County, Illinois) "Looking Back."
1945, 75 Years Ago.
"From somewhere in the Pacific comes word that Marine Pfc Lawrence Braser and his brother, Marine Pfc Roy Braser, have seen a lot more of enemy action than they have of each other during the past two years.
"Recently the tide turned and for several days the brothers had an opportunity to swap yarns and catch up on home town news during Lawrence's visit to an undisclosed Pacific spot while enroute to another Pacific base."
Roy Braser died November 25, 2007 was born July 22, 1922, the son of Ida and Valey Braser. He was discharged from the Marines in 1945 and went on to become owner and cofounder of Downtown Shoes in Sycamore, Illinois.
He was preceded in death by his brother Lawrence. Mr. Braser was buried at Lutheran Cemetery in Hinckley. Lawrence Braser ( 23 September 1925-26 May 1995) is also buried there.
Quite the Way To Meet Your Brother. --GreGen
From the August 2, 2020, MidWeek "Looking Back."
1945, 75 Years Ago.
"Illinois automobile license plates in 1946 will have white figures on a maroon background, Secretary of State Edward J. Barrett announced today.
"As for the past three years, the plates will be made of plastic to conserve war-needed metal."
--GreGen
From the November 14, 2020, The Garden Island, Hawaii.
On December 7, the National Park Service and U.S. Navy will host the 79th National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day to honor the 2,390 American lives lost that day when it was attacked in 1941.
The ceremony will begin at 7:50 when a very small number of veterans and speakers will be at the Pearl Harbor National Memorial's Contemplation Circle with the keynote speech given by Admiral John Aquilino, commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet.
Most of the ceremony will take place virtually.
A moment of silence will be observed at 7:55, the exact moment of the Japanese attack.
--GreGen
On Veterans Day I wrote about these WW II veterans in other blogs. Every veterans Day I write about something to do with our Armed Forces in all of my blogs.
If you want to read the entry in the other blogs, just go ton the right of this entry to where it says My Blogs List and click on the blog. Then go to the November 11 entry.
CIVIL WAR II BLOG
1st Lt. Walter Pettit, 97, U.S. Army Air Corps and Ruth Snively, 95, a Rosie the Riveter.
COOTER'S HISTORY THING BLOG
Howard Miller, USMC His remains recovered on Betio, Tarawa, and returned home. See Nov. 11 and 13 entries.
--GreGen
This past Wednesday was November 11th, the day where we always honor all of out veterans, those still here and those who are gone.
Every Veterans Day, I write about some aspect of the commemoration or about newly identified remains or veterans still living, in all eight of my blogs. It is that important to me.
Here are the WW II veterans I wrote about in my other blogs on Wednesday. You can go to these sites by clicking on the My Blog List column to the right of this entry. Then go to the November 11 entry:
SAW THE ELEPHANT: CIVIL WAR BLOG
Petty Officer 2nd Class James M. Flanagan, one of the newly identified USS Oklahoma Unknowns.
RUNNING THE BLOCKADE: CIVIL WAR NAVY BLOG
Al Oesterle who was on the USS Princeton in the Pacific when it was hit by a kamikaze
--GreGen
From Oklahoma 6, Tulsa by Sawyer Buccy.
Navy Fireman 1st Class Rex E Wise, of South Haven, Kansas, was 21 when he met his death on December 7, 1941, on board the USS Oklahoma. He was reburied on what would have been his 100th birthday.
Rex's 83-year-old niece Marilyn Weller, said her mother had sent DNA to the Department of Defense in 2015 and she died in 2017. Two years later, the Defense department confirmed a match with her uncle among the USS Oklahoma Unknowns who had been buried in Hawaii.
--GreGen
From the November 10, 2020, Pennsylvania Real-Time News "101-year-old World War II veteran embarks on Veterans Day motorcade tour" by Dan Gleiter.
On Tuesday, Harrisburg, Pa., provided a warm send-off for Sidney Walton where he received the Key to the City from the mayor. Harrisburg police then escorted him in the first stage of his tour to Washington, D.C..
Mr. Walton is one of the last remaining World War II veterans and says he has always been sorry he did not get a chance to meet any pf the last surviving Civil War veterans before they too passed into history. So, he launched his tour in 2018 with intentions to visit all fifty states and meet with all fifty governors in his "No Regrets Tour."
He has already been to 35 states.
In 1941, he quit college in New York City at age 21 to join the U.S. Army and "fight Hitler." That was nine months before Pearl Harbor. During the war, he was with the 34th Infantry, 8th Division and fought in China, Burma, India Theater.
Out of 16 million WW II veterans, most recent estimates have only 325,000 still alive with around 300 dying every day. It is expected that all will be gone in the next 15 years.
Pennsylvania has around 18,000 still alive.
--GreGen
From the August 19, 2020, MidWeek "Looking Back."
1945, 75 Years Ago.
"Condition of Martha Suknaich, 1114 Oak Street, who was injured when she fell from a car during the Victory celebration, was reported as being better this morning and she is resting much easier.
"Martha was riding on the running board of a car and fell to the pavement near the intersection of Lincoln Highway and First Street. She suffered a head injury in the fall and may have a slight skull fracture."
I looked her up and found that she recovered and died January 29, 2007, according to her obituary. She was a 1945 graduate of DeKalb High School. Her name at the time of her death was Martha N. Suknaich-Fulton.
It's Always Fun Until .... --GreGen
From the August 19, 2020, MidWeek "Looking Back."
1945, 75 Years Ago.
"Quiet settled over the city today and all that remained of last evening's Victory Celebration was debris along main street. From shortly after six o'clock, when the fire whistle signaled the Japs had accepted the peace terms, the business area was a beehive of activity.
"With horns blaring, cow bells ringing, noise makers of all types sounding, and the occupants of the cars cheering lustily, the crowd grew by the minute nd within an hour after the announcement was received, the impromptu celebration was in full swing. There was joy and thanksgiving in the hearts of all."
--GreGen
From the August 19, 2020, MidWeek (DeKalb County, Illinois) "Looking Back."
1945, 75 Years Ago.
"Appeals are being made for DeKalb community women to assist in the pack of corn at the DeKalb plant." Still having labor problems on the home front.
"Delivery of mail was resumed this morning after a two-day holiday for postal employees." (Celebration of V-J Day)"
--GreGen
From the August 12, 2020, MidWeek "Looking Back."
1945, 75 Years Ago.
"Activities at the Red Cross production centers in DeKalb will be resumed tomorrow after a vacation period the past few weeks.
"There is a rush order for knitted items including V-neck sleeveless sweaters. Women are asked to call for the yarn, 50 pounds having been received at the sewing center."
Still Knitting for the Troops. --GreGen
From the August 12, 2020, MidWeek (DeKalb County, Illinois) "Looking Back."
1945, 75 Years Ago.
"A DeKalb retailers schedule has been prepared which will be followed by the stores in this city when V-J Day is officially announced.
"This schedule will be followed unless President Truman, by his proclamation, sets aside a specific period celebration, in which case the retailer schedule will be disregarded and the president's proclamation will be followed.
--GreGen
From the August 5, 2020, MidWeek "Looking Back."
1945, 75 Years Ago
"In conformance with the government order that all guns which were sent or brought into this country by service men as souvenirs, these guns are being registered at the DeKalb police station."
Even Souvenir Guns. --GreGen
From the August 5, 2020, MidWeek "Looking Back."
1945, 75 Years Ago.
"In Friday evening's paper the dry groceries price list for Group One and Two stores will be published. Use of this list will permit the housewives to know the correct ceiling prices in the stores doing less than $250,000 business per year.
"Housewives are urged to clip the list and post it on their pantry doors or some other common place where they may refer to it when making out their shopping lists."
So, not only were items rationed, but also price controls were a part of the home front war effort even as the war was drawing to a close.
--GreGen
From the August 5, 2020, MidWeek (DeKalb County, Illinois) "Looking Back."
1945, 75 Years Ago.
"A group of workers employed by the California Packing firm south of DeKalb yesterday noted a strange appearing plane flying over and none seemed able to identify it.
"Pictures in a Chicago paper showed an American crew posing beside a captured Junkers plane and those in the group feel certain that this is the ship that passed over south DeKalb yesterday."
--GreGen
