Sept 2009-1

U.S.S. LOWNDES - APA 154

September 2009 NEWSLETTER

Editor: Wm. “Bud” Kautz-CCBW, 34782 Hiawatha Trail, McHenry, IL 60051-(815)344-6326

redlabelbuddha@comcast.net

To Codi, Ray Casey, and all at Military Reunion Planners:

I am sorry to have to inform you that we need to cancel the U.S.S. Lowndes Reunion

scheduled for September 2009 due to lack of interest, illness, aging population of our group and

the economy. We appreciate all the hard work you have done to set up the hotel, put together a

tour package, etc. I will contact you after the first of the year (2010) should our group decide to

plan another reunion. I fear that this will probably never happen — our youngest veteran is 74 and

our oldest is 90, making each year more difficult to attend. We also want to thank all the staff at

Military Reunion Planners for all their hard work over the years making each of our reunions a

success.

Sincerely,

Jan Robertson-Trober

USS Lowndes

Reunion Coordinator

It is with great sadness that we are forced to cancel the 2009 Milwaukee Reunion. However,

I desire to remain editor of the Lowndes newsletters in an effort to keep all Reunion Group

Members informed of activities of above mentioned. My only request is that information and items

of interest be forwarded to me. Continuation of publishing the newsletter in hopes that there will be

a renewed interest once more in having future reunions. It has been a pleasure serving the former

shipmates, spouses and friends, etc. Thank you for your trust in me since our first reunion in 1989

in St. Louis, MO.

Wm. “Bud” Kautz - CCBW

Your Lowndes newsletter editor.

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This issue of the USS Lowndes newsletter is very late due to many reasons. Distractions on

the home front and also lack of responses from the reunion group with items of interest. Have dug

into the files for information. In doing so I have come across several items contributed by David

Brinkman and Stuart Hyde that will be used in this newsletter. Some of these will bring back

memories of experiences on board the Lowndes. There is also one particular item to be decided

on by the group. In the case that there may not be any reunions in the future I have contacted

David regarding the possibility of setting up an endowment fund for a web site

(www, usslowndes.net) .The cost of this web site is about $95 a year and $15 a year to maintain

the name. As David has mentioned at $4% interest, a fund of $2500 might earn enough money to

cover the web costs. He also has suggested he would like to submit the data from the web site to

the National Archives to ensure that it is not lost and available to future generations. I, for one am

totally in favor of this course of action. At the present we are short of the above amount. Please let

us have your comments regarding this action.

David has offered to follow up on this. PLEASE, PLEASE respond to this proposal as

quickly as possible with any suggestions and if approval by the reunion group is forthcoming David

can start on it as soon as possible.

Sept 2009-2

Hyde

I guess we all knew that one day there

would be no more reunions. For the past

several years, I have been able to shake off

the feeling of important loss. I learned about

the Lowndes web site and the reunions

shortly after my fellow officers had died - Al

Resetar, George (Shen) Adams, E. Max Cole,

Chuck Munson, and others. That did not spoil

the three reunions I did attend. During my

time on the Lowndes I wasn’t close to the

enlisted men who were at these reunions, but

it took no time at all for me to become

comfortable around them and soon became

very much a part of them. An era has ended.

Someone once said, “it ended, not with a

bang, but with a whimper.” I don’t buy the

idea that any Lowndesmen ever whimpered.

Only focus on the adventures we shared, the

feelings of accomplishment that we felt at Iwo

Jima and Okinawa. We were quite uncertain

of our ability to pull it off, But, damn it, we Did

pull it off!!!! I relived the reminiscences we

shared at the reunions. It was there that I

learned how Lowndes enlisted men had

taken, from the git-go, the measure of those

who had been commissioned as “officers and

gentlemen.” I believe that those boat officers

I mentioned above - as well as I - knew that

we could only succeed if we came clean with

cox’ns, signalmen, mechanics, radiomen,

yeomen, etc., about our “greatness,” and

asked for their help. I also knew of a few

whose names I won’t include here, who really

believed they were superior and acted as

such. I’m sure ways were found to frustrate

and convey contempt to them, as they well

deserved!

A few questions from Stuart looking for

answers:

1. /After Okinawa, why did we sit at

Saipan for FORTY-SEVEN DAYS (From April

18 until June 4^th, 1945) without undergoing

further training exercises? (We had some

shipboard drills, and on May 7^th, a group of

officers and 98 enlisted men took a one-day

anti-aircraft class.) If the U.S. was planning to

invade Japan, why weren’t we being prepared

for our part in the invasion?

2. Why, on June 6, were we suddenly

sent to Espiritu Santos, remaining there until

June 26, a trip of 5,689 miles? We were told that

we were sent as part of a flotilla to bring back to

Guam essential war materials that had been left

behind. What did we bring back? Was it of any

value? Was it needed for our invasion of Japan?

Were we sent on this trip just to give us

something to do?

3. Why, on July 11, were we sent from

Guam to San Francisco? The war was not over,

and the Japanese would not announce their

surrender until August 14^th.

4. Why did they dry-dock our ship in

Oakland? Did that mean they were readying us

for the next invasion? Preparing our ship for the

invasion of the Japanese home islands?

I’ve thought about these things for 64

years. Does anyone have any answers?

G. S. Adams B

David Brinkman, your web-site is a tribute

to the men of the USS Lowndes. I found your

web-site extremely interesting and informative.

I am the son of G. S. Adams Jr. jg. The

memories I have of my father’s accounts of

WWH were brought alive once again as I

viewed the web-site.

J/m Vaughan

Bud, received your e-mail and the Iwo

Jima attachments. Thanks so much for taking

the time with me. Your “Iwo” project is a work

of art, you did a great job in researching and

setting it all down. Did you ever consider doing

the same for Okinawa? Or do you know of any

of your shipmates on the Lowndes that may

have done the same? I have yet to contact Mr.

Hyde about his similar work on “Iwo" but will be

doing so soon.

7 can’t take all the credit for the Iwo Jima

booklet, I just related my shipmates feelings and

experiences. Several years ago I attempted to

gamer information regarding the crew’s

experiences they had on Okinawa, but just didn’t

get very many responses. However, Stuart has

composed a booklet regarding Okinawa."

Sept. 2009-3

Robin Hardy Korr

Randall and I enjoyed the San

Francisco reunion and looking forward to

another one in 2010! I am sorry that the

2009 reunion will not happen but,

sometimes, life gets in the way of what we

want to do. Not a day goes by that I don’t

think of my father (and by extension, all of

you). Fondly.

David Brinkman

I always think (during the month of

June) about the Navy commendation that

my Dad got (as noted in the deck log). I was

hoping that I would find an entry about a

time when he got into a little trouble but I

guess the officers let it slide. This was a

story my Dad had written down around

1995. I think he planned on giving it to Bud

for the newsletter but never got around to it.

The story was about an incident that

occurred during the Lowndes boat landing

training at Mauri. By coincidence, the event

involved just the three corpsmen that would

later be the only unscathed beach-party

corpsmen at Iwo (all three received this

citation.) My Dad convinced Jerome Frieder

and Wes Follett to walk down the beach and

over a hill to get a hamburger at Mauri while

they were awaiting boats to return to the

beach. Wes and Jerry did not want to do

this but they gave in. By the time the three

returned, all the boats had returned and left

again and they were stranded. I did find an

entry in the deck log that mentioned a boat

being “late” but no disciplinary action was

noted. From what I know about my Dad and

what other sailors have said, he was a

hardworking and likeable guy so the officers

probably gave him and his buddies a break.

John Vernale

Attending reunions has become a

problem with my left knee, I had a tom

meniscus. Had surgery 4 months ago and

it’s not going well, I may have to get a

replacement, also I have a balance problem,

along with light headness and blurred vision,

some of my problems is due to the medications I

need to take. Plane rides makes the condition

worse.

“Hang in there John, we all wish you a speedy

recovery.”

Keith & Lorraine Richards

Thanks for informing us of the cancellation of

the 2009 reunion. We have been to several of

your reunions and enjoyed them very much. You

are a wonderful group. We have given

considerable thought to attending once again,

but family matters always seemed to come up.

We have never met David Brinkman and would

like to meet him. His Dad was so good to my

Mother and often communicated with her.

Hopefully if there is a reunion in the future we

would certainly try to attend. We are in good

health, except for the normal aging process. We

enjoy the newsletters.

Jim Vawghan

Please excuse this prolonged delay in

responding to our phone conversation we had

some time back. I guess I’ve finally reached that

phase in my life where “senior Moments” occur

more often than I would like them to. I enjoy

the Lowndes newsletters you send out, so “Yes,”

I would very much look forward to receiving

them, as long as it will remain a “Labor of Love”

with you. And not something that you feel is not

worth the effort on your part. In going through my

files I found a 43 page 8-1/2 x 11 “Iwo Jima-Lest

we Forget” and wondered if this is the item we

discussed. I also located my roster of the

Reunion group Shipmates and Honorary

Members, including David Brinkman’s South

Carolina address, but have yet to make contact

with him concerning the “Ship’s Log” and other

information from the web site. Enclosed check

for dues.

“Jim was related to Chief Botti. and had been

mentioned in an earlier newsletter. He is

interested in many facets of the Lowndes history.

Have passed Stuart Hydes’ address to him re

the book Stuart authored.”

Sept. 2009-4

Leo O’Brien

Margaret and I attended Arthur

Rauseo’s funeral. It was a first class

funeral with about 15 volunteer firemen as

honor guards and his casket was

transported on a smaller truck to the

church and to the cemetery. From in front

of the firehouse six of these men walked

the last quarter mile beside the “hearse”

truck. I felt proud to have been a friend of

Arthur’s. The family was most appreciative

of the flowers from his former shipmates.

Some of the money was donated to the

Altzheimer Association.

Lobby

Sorry to hear that the Milwaukee

reunion had to be cancelled. Just a

suggestion maybe next year in

Washington, DC to see the WWII

memorial, or a cruise as there would not be

ant tours to plan. Just a suggestion. We

just came back from our granddaughter’s

wedding, over 300 at the wedding and 250

at the reception. She just graduated from

Indiana University and will be teaching just

west of Indianapolis as a special education

teacher. John is doing as well as he can,

he is losing his eye sight. Makes it hard for

him to travel. We probably wouldn’t have

made the reunion this year anyway.

“ In answer to your suggestions, first

we have been to Washington previously.

Second, a cruise was brought up at one of

our business meetings, but did not receive

much enthusiasm from the group. Does not

leave us much of a choice for any future

reunions and only hope that outlook will

change.”

Donald Morton

This picture of Seaman Ellis

Robert R. Morton was taken in 1944.

Born December 14, 1926 in Denver, CO.

The oldest boy of a family of 8 boys and

6 girls. He joined the Navy in April 6,

1944 and received boot training at

Farragut Naval Station in Idaho, and was

assigned to port in Seattle, WA and then

overseas. Assigned to the USS Lowndes

September 14, 1944 (Plank Owner.),Not

a member of the Beach Party. He went

ashore to participate in the Iwo Jima

invasion operations. During the course of

operations he lost his life while under

enemy fire. Joe Freitas said that he and

Ellis volunteered to help deliver supplies

to the beach. When they hit the beach

Ellis picked up a gun and told Joe that he

was, “Going to get a Jap.” He jumped out

and ran up the beach. When he reached

the top of the hill, he was mowed down

by enemy gun-fire. The officers (and the

Navy) never figured out what happened

to him. His family just got a telegram

saying that he was MIA and that was

updated after the war to KIA but with no

more additional information.

“Don said his family assumed that

Ellis had been killed in a kamikaze attack

on the ship. Don and his 5 brothers all

honored their older brother by serving in

the Korean and Viet Nam wars.

Sept 2009-5

ARTHUR JOHN RAUSEO

June 10, 1926 - July 27, 2009

Arthur enlisted in the Navy at the

age of 16 (He lied about his age) at Malden,

MA. Boarded the Lowndes - APA 154 Sept.

14, 1944 in Portland, OR becoming a “Plank

Owner” and served on the Lowndes until April

17, 1946. His watch and general quarters

stations were in the engine room. The

Lowndes was decommissioned in 1946 and he

received an honorable discharge as an EM2/c.

He traveled to the South Pacific on the USS

Lowndes and USS Deede - DE 263. After he

got out of the Navy he married Margie -

Marjorie Palmer and persuaded her to leave

the city and move to the small town of

Georgetown, MA where he operated the

Georgetown Shoe and Clothing store on East

Main Street. The doors to “the Store” and

home were always open. Family and friends

would stop by either place for advice or a chat.

It was Arthur’s style to greet you with a few

wise cracks and...if you dared to disagree with

him, you were told to “get the hell out of here.”

Not really meaning it. Arthur took great pride in

being a Georgetown Fireman and served as a

volunteer for over 50 years. He was preceeded

in death by his wife Marjorie M. Rauseo.

Survived by his son; James A. Rauseo & wife,

Gina; Daughter; Sharon Rauseo Widman &

husband, Martin; and four granddaughters;

Alex & Megan Rauseo & Catherine & Sarah

Widman; by his goddaughter, Marion Donovan.

A f/flf/ng se^doff tor

Georgetown's Rauseo

It was quite a sight when two 100-foot

fire engine ladders towered over a street in

front of a fire station, with a huge American flag

hanging from them. It is an honor for a

firefighters funeral, and in this case for former

acting Fire Chief Arthur Rauseo. His influence

can be seen throughout this town in many

buildings, and many of it’s people. In addition

to full firefighters honors he received full

military honors as well. At the cemetery, sailors

in dress white folded the flag from his coffin,

and presented it to the family. A Navy veteran

played Taps. Navy veteran Gerry Muise gave

him a very special send off. As if Arthur was

disembarking from his ship, Muise piped him

on his way and announced, Arthur Rauseo,

U.S. Navy departing.

“Arthur and Leo O’Brien we co-hosts of

the 1993 reunion in Boston. Personally I will

miss his helping hand at the reunions, he was

always there to assist me to climb stairs, board

tour busses and when he, Leo & John Vemale

went to a large shopping mall he noticed my

difficulty in walking and arranged for a wheel

chair for me. I’m proud to have been a

personal friend of his. He will be missed very

much by all who came in contact with him."

Sept 2009-6

David Brinkman

I have decided to go back and convert all the old reunion videos (that I have) to digital

and upload them to the web site. I'm doing these at a higher quality then what I have

done in the past. You will need at least a Cable or hi-speed DSL Internet connections to

view these.

I have a 6 hour VHS tape that I believe Max Cole sent to me many years back which

seems to cover the first reunions (1989-?). I also have the Texas, Myrtle Beach, and

West Palm Beach videos on VHS tapes.

I just uploaded a few segments from the West Palm Beach reunion (1997). These will

only work on a PC (not a Mac or WebTV). I also put them on DVD so I can send that to

those that do not have a PC and broadband Internet connection. Here are links to the

first clips from the West Palm Beach reunion in 1997:

1997 West Palm Beach: Registration and Hospitality Room and Dog races (18.5

minutes):

http://www.dobrinkman.net/lowndes/video/lowndes1997_checkin.wmv

1997 West Palm Beach: Men and Women group photo shoot and Lovelies meetings (11

minutes):

http://www.dobrinkman.net/iowndes/video/lowndes1997__groupphoto_Lovelies.wmv

1997 West Palm Beach: Mens buisness meeting (43 minutres):

http://www.dobrinkman.net/lpwndes/video/lowndes1997_mens_meeting.wmv

“I recently received an e-mail from Stuart Hyde citing a suggestion by David Brinkman re future

reunions. He suggests we forget all the reunion planning, and just decide to meet for a few days for

informal fraternization. Looking back, it seems to me (Stuart) that most rewarding moments at the

three reunions I attended were during our times together in hospitality rooms. That’s where I really felt

closest to my shipmates, and where I learned of all the tricks the men played on the officers!”

“Once again, I ask for responses and suggestions as to what the possibilities are open to us in

the future.”.

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B///

As I look back on my time aboard the USS Lowndes - APA 154 I think of the many events that

are stuck in my memory - taking a salt water shower and a one minute (or was it 15 seconds?) rinse

off with fresh water - chipping rust - wearing my duty belt to gain access to the refrigerator - doing

guard duty on the bow at night and experiencing the up and down on a rough sea - responding to a

“Red Alert” and subsequently being cast upon the shore of Okinawa by two black soldiers on a Dukk -

spending the night in a cave - seeing General Geiger in his underwear next morning being happily

returned to the Lowndes. All this was more than 65 years ago but just as vivid in my mind as it was at

the time it occurred. Please do not go to further expense to mail a newsletter. I enjoyed all the

togetherness which I observed in the Lowndes group. It was a good cruise. At age 83+ I’ll gather up

my shelter half (tent) and wander into a certain future. The best to you all.

“’’Bill thanks for the check”

I was at the VA awhile back and heard a disturbing rumor The Us Navy has discontinued the

initiation crossing the Equator. Someone has said it was hazing. Too bad, it has been a Navy Tradition

for so many years. ”