From the May 17, 2016, Log Cabin (Ark.) Democrat.
Tounz Carroll Stephens, 91, of Conway died May 15, 2016. He was born January 2, 1925 in Naylor, Arkansas.
A veteran of the Pacific Theater, he served as an anti-aircraft gunner on the USS Idaho and USS Maryland. he survived kamikaze attacks on the USS Maryland, receiving a shoulder injury he suffered from for the rest of his life.
He crossed the International Dateline in the South Pacific on his 19th birthday in 1944 and participated in the Island Hopping Campaign.
I have to wonder if he ever crossed paths with the gentleman I talked with earlier today?
--GreGen
The USS North Carolina (BB-55) My all-time favorite warship. As an elementary school student in North Carolina, I donated nickels and dimes to save this ship back in the early sixties.
Showing posts with label USS Idaho. Show all posts
Showing posts with label USS Idaho. Show all posts
Thursday, May 19, 2016
Friday, August 7, 2015
Veteran Recalls Fighting Japanese in the Aleutian Islands-- Part 2
He was pinned down with little cover. He dared not fire his rifle for fear it would enable the Japanese to locate his position.
"We laid there for maybe three hours. That's when I froze my feet and fingers. My hands were like ice, and they're still like ice. I still have ringing in my ears from all of the noise."
"From where we were, we could see our battleships off to the left, out in the ocean-- the Idaho, Pennsylvania and Nevada. When those ships were firing their big guns, there was so much smoke, you couldn't even see the ship.
"Boy, they were letting go, BANG! BANG! Some of the shells came pretty close yo us."
--GreGen
"We laid there for maybe three hours. That's when I froze my feet and fingers. My hands were like ice, and they're still like ice. I still have ringing in my ears from all of the noise."
"From where we were, we could see our battleships off to the left, out in the ocean-- the Idaho, Pennsylvania and Nevada. When those ships were firing their big guns, there was so much smoke, you couldn't even see the ship.
"Boy, they were letting go, BANG! BANG! Some of the shells came pretty close yo us."
--GreGen
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
USS Idaho Sailor's Diary Found in Arizona-- Part 3: Raising the Iwo Jima Flag, Kamikaze Strike
I am of the understanding that diaries were illegal on American ships during the war for fear of their falling into enemy hands, which makes this discovery all the more important.
MARCH 3, 1945: "Received ammunition off Iwo Jima from ammo ship. They finally changed the battle flag on Mount Suribachi for a big one--looked like they wouldn't get her up for awhile but they did." "The famous flag-raising as witnessed from the USS Idaho.
MARCH 25, 1945: "Arrived off Okinawa during the night-- all quiet."
APRIL 12, 1945: "We got it today. Terrific suicide attack by God knows how many Jap planes-- 55 were shot down in our immediate area. We got 5 in 4 minutes & received a suicide plane in our port blister. ...when that guy hit us he really raised hell--I've got port stack, & pieces of the plane covered the entire platform. I pulled 5 pieces of Jap pilot off my clothes--the largest about as big as my hand--the explosion sure scattered him."
JULY 31, 1945: )Last entry) "Out for practice firing-- can you imagine that?"
Mighty Interesting Diary. --GreGen
MARCH 3, 1945: "Received ammunition off Iwo Jima from ammo ship. They finally changed the battle flag on Mount Suribachi for a big one--looked like they wouldn't get her up for awhile but they did." "The famous flag-raising as witnessed from the USS Idaho.
MARCH 25, 1945: "Arrived off Okinawa during the night-- all quiet."
APRIL 12, 1945: "We got it today. Terrific suicide attack by God knows how many Jap planes-- 55 were shot down in our immediate area. We got 5 in 4 minutes & received a suicide plane in our port blister. ...when that guy hit us he really raised hell--I've got port stack, & pieces of the plane covered the entire platform. I pulled 5 pieces of Jap pilot off my clothes--the largest about as big as my hand--the explosion sure scattered him."
JULY 31, 1945: )Last entry) "Out for practice firing-- can you imagine that?"
Mighty Interesting Diary. --GreGen
Monday, February 9, 2015
USS Idaho Sailor's Diary Found in Arizona-- Part 2
February 13, 1945-- "Underway for Iwo Jima!! Where the hell does Rosie get her information? Maybe the Jap fleet will come out this time-- I hope. I'd like to get this business over with & go home."
FEB. 14, 1945-- "Another kid jumped over the side last night. So far all these guys who have cracked up are in their teens. Maybe they haven't lived long enough to know that what they are fighting for is worth all the discomforts we have to put up with."
FEB. 16, 1945-- "Commenced bombardment (of Iwo Jima). Funny looking island with a dead volcano on one end called Suribachi."
You don't hear much about sailors committing suicide during the war.
--GreGen
FEB. 14, 1945-- "Another kid jumped over the side last night. So far all these guys who have cracked up are in their teens. Maybe they haven't lived long enough to know that what they are fighting for is worth all the discomforts we have to put up with."
FEB. 16, 1945-- "Commenced bombardment (of Iwo Jima). Funny looking island with a dead volcano on one end called Suribachi."
You don't hear much about sailors committing suicide during the war.
--GreGen
Monday, September 8, 2014
`The Okinawa D-Day Invasion
From the April 12, 2012, Vindy.com "Easter Sunday to remember."
Michael J. Lacivita was there at the Okinawa D-Day invasion on April 1, 1945, Easter Sunday. It was the second largest invasion of the war, after, of course, the Normandy, France, D-Day. This one had the code name I-Day, or Operation Iceberg.
At dawn, he was on LST-582 along with 450 men from the First Marine Division.
The USS West Virginia was to their port side and the USS Idaho and USS Tennessee on their starboard. To some that might make you feel safe to have three battleships surrounding you, but not so at this battle as battleships were major Japanese bomber and kamikaze targets.
One Japanese plane dropped bombs between the LST and the West Virginia. Another aimed at the Idaho and missed just off its stern. Within less than a half hour, 4 of 4 kamikazes were shot down.
They stayed in Okinawa for two weeks, then left for Guam on April 14th.
--GreGen
Michael J. Lacivita was there at the Okinawa D-Day invasion on April 1, 1945, Easter Sunday. It was the second largest invasion of the war, after, of course, the Normandy, France, D-Day. This one had the code name I-Day, or Operation Iceberg.
At dawn, he was on LST-582 along with 450 men from the First Marine Division.
The USS West Virginia was to their port side and the USS Idaho and USS Tennessee on their starboard. To some that might make you feel safe to have three battleships surrounding you, but not so at this battle as battleships were major Japanese bomber and kamikaze targets.
One Japanese plane dropped bombs between the LST and the West Virginia. Another aimed at the Idaho and missed just off its stern. Within less than a half hour, 4 of 4 kamikazes were shot down.
They stayed in Okinawa for two weeks, then left for Guam on April 14th.
--GreGen
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