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FREE shuttle to & from airport to
hotel. near US Air or Delta baggage area |
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OCTOBER 1997 NEWS LETTER October 23 - 26,
1997 PALM BEACH
AIRPORT HILTON 150 AUSTRALIAN
AVENUE WEST PALM BEACH,
FLORIDA Shuttle |
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Look for phone. |
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WM. "BUD" KAUTZ - 34782 Hiawatha Trail - McHenry, IL - 60050 (815)344-6326 |
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Your guess is as
good as mine! ************************************************************************ The following are planning to
attend our reunion in Florida. |
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David &
Modesta Brinkman Roberta Brinkman Jim & Carol
Bussard Sally Cary Howard &
Lois Chappell Jim Chilcote
& M. McGrody E. Max Cole Frank &
Joyce DuBois Stan & Mona
Dunn John & Lebby
Dyer (Host &
Hostess) Mike & Jo
Ellen Dyer Pam Hennessey Dick &
Roseanna Jones |
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Bud & Jean
Kautz Don &
Shirley Lorenzi Don & Joan
Macpherson Clark Martin Connie &
Jerry Michalski Francis &
Frances Miller Jackie Minaghan Eileen Murray Leo &
Margaret O Brien Art &
Marjorie Rauseo Cliff & Mary
Schaffer Dallas &
Lorene Stratton Bill &
Amelia Taylor Walt &
Jackie Umbarger John & Sally
Vernale |
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WARREN PROCTOR - Jarrell, TX - Sure sorry to hear about Fred
Brinkman. We are all getting up in age and each year there will be more
passings. I m doing fine for my age - will be 80 in November. I don't
think- we will try to make the reunion this year, sure would like to,
see all of the gang again. I have a leaky valve in my heart and have to take
medicine every day. Can't go out alone for fear of passing out. Don't have any pain, but
need to take it easy for awhile. The people that lost their homes in the tornado building back up, it
was terrible, so strong it took every thing
in its path. Unbelievable what happened. We were lucky that it missed our house. Say hello to the gang for both of
us. Have a good time so I can read about it in a future News
Letter. (See page 8 in the July '97 News Letter.) |
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After October 1st.
John Dyer can be contacted at: 115 Sea Steppes Ct.
- Jupiter, FL 33477 - (561)575-7191 |
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DAVID LONG - Geneseo, NY - Don't know whether
we will make the reunion or not this year. We are going on a safari in Africa
in September. (Note: Look forward to hearing about this trip
and what trophies he will bring back. Get the hint Dave?) |
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JEWEL BROKENSHIRE - Portland, OR
- Here is another reunion coming up, unfortunately, Stuart and
I will not be able to attend. Stuart became sick on Christmas Day, we
took him to the hospital where they drew some blood for tests. An
hour later they wanted some more blood and Stuart got up
and walked around saying "They have taken enough." It took 5 big
men to hold him down. He has been in a nursing home since January
9th. (We all wish him well.) |
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LOWNDES BOAT CREWS |
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Boat #1 2 R. Lemmons - Cox O.A. Smith - SM W. Thomas - MoMM- ????? - Bow Hook |
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Boat #15 J. Hovey - Cox C. Fesi M. Hart L. O Brien - MoMM |
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Boat #19 G. Kindle - Cox ????? - ????? - ????? - |
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Boat # 20 Boat #21 E. King - Cox W. Proctor - Cox S. Vlasak - MoMM G. Kindle J. Rodriquez -
G. Dudash Can anyone out
there in this broad country of ours add to the above? Or make
corrections? Let's hear from you. Sure there were more than 5 boats on our ship. |
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1 April, 1945 American Forces
launched the invasion of Okinawa. 21 June, 1945 Japanese
forces on Okinawa surrendered to the United States. I am looking to start another
booklet regarding experiences, feelings, etc. This time the topic
is Okinawa. |
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To keep our roster
current in this age of area code changes, please inform me of any additions
or corrections. |
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New 'RUPTURED
DUCKS' Available for WWII Veterans. Apply to National
Personnel Records Center, 9700 Page Blvd. St. Louis, Mo.
63132 (314)538-3071 |
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FRANCIS MILLER -
Kearns, UT - I've been pretty busy with
the VFW convention here. As
a delegate and marching etc. Just a line to let you know we're alive
and kicking (barely). Frances and I will not be able to attend
the reunion this year, health hasn't permitted us to do much
traveling lately. Sure sorry to hear about Fred
Brinkman passing away. It was
an honor to have called him a shipmate. Average about three burials
a week. Being on the honor guard has some odd sides also. Once,
when the flag was presented to the widow she declined it saying,
"I already have three of them at home." Another time a young man was
killed in an accident with another truck. Instead of a hearse they
used a 45 foot low boy trailer to carry the casket to the cemetery with
the pall bearers kneeling alongside. His buddies were in the
procession driving 40 tractors, at the grave site they blew their air
horns in salute. (That must have been quite a sight.) |
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Francis also sent several pages from his "Memory Leaves"
after VJ Day, Here are a few
quotes from his fellow shipmates when leaving the Lowndes: |
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Ed. Benson -
"Well, buddy, we're stateside bound at last." Jim Carson -
"Save your money for beer." Vince Halbauer -
"To a good "ole" Missourian a lot of luck." Bud Kautz - "
See ya at the Arcadia." Russ. Pappenhausen - "Remember the old days at Radar
School & Sad Sack Miller SM3c? Look me up
after the brawl & we'll hang 1 on, roller skates &
all." Harry Ruether - "Remember me as a fellow member of
the Clan Miller bash." |
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JOE & RETA FREITAS - Gustine, CA - Thought we had
better write and let you know a few things about what we have been up to.
First thing, we decided not to sell our place (Growing walnuts) as
long as we are able to take care of it with help we will
stay here. We have put in a mobile home for our working man and his wife. He
will help us and be our caretaker so we can go and do a little
traveling now. We have put a lot into it setting it up, it's a large
mobile with 2 bed rooms and large living room, kitchen with all appliances. We will not be get to the
reunion this year, but plan on going next year. Hope to see everyone again. On November 8th we will
celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. Sorry to hear about Fred
Brinkman's passing. He was a very good and nice gentleman, we wish
his family the best. |
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LYMAN NEDEAU - Baldwin, MI - Returned home from Florida
after one of the worst winters in 15 years, citrus growers lost
about half of their harvest, tomatoes were going for about a dollar
apiece. Came back to Baldwin too early , entire month of
May was cold. One good thing did happen last winter in Florida, Walt
Umbarger called, he only lives about 3 or 4 miles from us
and we were able to get together for coffee, just about drank up all the coffee,
but it was great. I really enjoyed the session. I may get a
chance to attend the reunion for maybe a day or so. Will see how Harriett
is progressing after eye surgery in July. |
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On September 9, 1776 the term United States became
official in a ruling by the Second
Continental Congress. (It had been "United Colonies.") |
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ELLIOTT PILCHARD
- Port Hueneme, CA - Drills got to be
routine... the Bo'sn would "pipe" the drill
and say (for example) "This is a drill.this is a drill...all hands man your
stations... this is a drill,.and the GQ horns would blow. Well,
comes the time that we're entering the
battle zone ...Now, these are NOT drills, but the real thing. The
first "real" General Quarters, the Bo'sn.
pipes GQ but does NOT say
"This is a drill - this is a drill", BUT says " This is NOT a
drill - this is NOT a drill". As soon as stations are manned - they
report. "Station #...manned and ready, sir". But a forward 40 did not
report - the bridge called down and asked why - they said we are
not manned yet sir, there's one man missing. A search party was set
up and searched all compartments... a lot of work as all
compartments are "dogged" down. They got
to the compartment where
the mess boys slept..sure enough the guy was there - asleep in his
sack. His explanation. Sir, the Bo'sn said it wasn't a drill so I didn't
go. He was right - in a way - The Bo'sn. did pipe GQ and say -
"This is NOT a drill - this is NOT a drill - all hands man their
battle stations - this is NOT a drill". |
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JOEL RODRIQUEZ -
Hidalgo, TX - I want to compliment Ed.
King on organizing the book he sent me. The pictures you added to this book brought back a lot
of Iwo Jima memories as we all have great memories of. While reading
this book it brought back memories of boat #20 "the Smoke
Boat" and it reminded me of Okinawa and the dark nights we spent off the Lowndes, waiting to set off the smoke
machine. As I remember, the
four of us took turns at the steering wheel from dusk to dawn. It
was a pretty scary feeling, when we received word that in the
Philippines the Japanese were swimming under a box, from shore, and
were attacking small boats - we were told to keep alert. We had a
radio and a sub-machine gun. I'm not sure who got it, although I
think it may have been Ensign Adams, since he was our boat officer. Anyway this sub-machine
gun was kept very close to the guy at the
wheel. I don't think I can make the reunion this year. I am co-ordinator for Las Vegas tours, and October is one of the busiest months. |
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MRS. FLORENCE
RICHARDS - Nebraska City, NE - Received
word that Fred Brinkman passed
away on May 11th. I had sent a birthday card and a picture of Fred
that Norman had in his book. I have felt so bad not knowing he was
ill. He was good to me. Remembered me every Christmas for 51
years and letters in between. Fred and Roberta flew to Omaha and rented
a car and came to see Virginia and I one day in the summer of '95. He seemed
like a son to me. |
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SALLY CARY -
Dalton, PA - Spent the month in Casa
Grande, Arizona visiting my
daughter, grand daughter
and husband and my first great grand son. He was born on July 2nd so I got to see him when he was only 3 days old. I
have set October 10th. as the cut off date for return of the
raffle tickets. That way I can be sure no moneys will come in after I leave for West Palm
Beach, Florida. |
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In 1 836 a $28
Million surplus in the treasury was divided among the 26 states. WOW! |
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ED. KING - Cool,
CA - Joel Rodriquez mentioned in one of
his letters, of drifting close to
Mt. Suribachi, after thinking about that, we did. Several other boats
did likewise. We were out in that area for 3 or 4 days. One at a
time we took turns at the wheel while we drifted with the engine off.Every once in awhile the
engine would be started & we would move to a
better position, especially when we were under fire. Remember someone
saying that we were lost, we couldn't get lost, the islandof Iwo Jima was so small & all
the shells and bullets were heading to or away from it.
Every 3rd or 4th shell in our machine guns were tracers. I'm glad we
didn't have to fire our 2 machine guns. We didn't goin for fuel but Vlasak kept checking
it & kept me informed. We shut down the engine and
waited for the demolition crews to clear the beach. Thecontrol boat had us wait for orders before
going in, & that took a few days to get
cargo nets in with supplies. I remember the guys that painted the
number on the bow of my boat No. 20 changed the height of the lettering
from the gunwale to the water line. When I asked them what they were doing
I was reminded that we told after Iwo Jima we wouldbe decoys to land on the other side
of Okinawa & draw fire while the real landing
took place on the opposite side of the island. I remember laying
smoke as soon as the ship came to rest in the Okinawa area. We laid smoke
for four days in a row. Also recall seeing many dog fights overhead
- planes everywhere, Zeros (Japanese) suicide planes hitting the ships in
the area, many being shot down - both American and Japanese. I
thought there must have been 1 200 planes in the air, our planes &
suicide planes. There were boats & anything else they could throw at us.
We have to give credit to the pilots of our
aircraft. I don't know how
many planes we lost at Okinawa, but it had to be a high number.
Getting back to the Lowndes, as soon as G. D. Kindle s boat No. 19 and our
boat No. 20 hit the water we started our smoke generators and began
laying smoke cover. After we got the area fogged in
we
returned to the bow of the ship by the anchor chain. Layed alongside each
other, of course we could barely make out the ship and we were only a few
feet off. All of a sudden we heard voices from the topside of the ship.
Someone mentioned that we didn't answer the signal by flashlight (red
lens), we were supposed to answer with 2 flashes and 1 flash, only
trouble was we weren't looking straight up. On the deck the gunners mates, I was told later, were spaced around the
ship & told to fire
on anything that didn't answer the proper signal. It was expected that
the Japs would make an all out effort to get our forces in the water.
We were very lucky that someone topside didn't have an itchy
trigger finger. I think we had Marines aboard. A Marine officerwas standing by me at the wheel &
asked me how old I was, I told him I was 18
years old, didn t want to tell him I was only 17. Hewanted to know if this boat & crew
made the landing on Iwo Jima, told him yes. We
talked of other things. Now that I know Joel & I were both 17 at the
time, I wonder what that Marine officer would have thought. D-Day was
1, April 1 945 for the invasion of Okinawa and we were there for 2
weeks. As I remember, the ship's crew was busy manning guns & a lot of
planes being shot down & hitting ships & the water the water in the
area. On 14, April we departed Okinawa enroute to Saipan, Mariana
Islands. Also remember being in a typhoon and in the eye of the storm -
we had to go out to sea ride it out. One of the quartermasters on
the bridge told me the "Inclinator" on the bridge showed 37 degree
rolls of the ship, looking up at the sky I saw none, we were dropping
into some deep swells. Heard that the winds reached 138 MPH in that
storm. I won't be able to make the Florida reunion this year, but maybe
the Hawaii one. Sending Bud a photo showing the starboard side of
the Lowndes. (Note: This is a much better one than any others on file.) |
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JOE ERLANDSON
- Rush City, MN -At one time I was
in the sail locker, which was by the
after hatch - starboard side - when one of us decided to make some Raisin
Jack or booze in a Coke keg. We got this from the Stores - it was
a wooden keg they received Coke in. We blended a bunch of stuff -
raisins, potatoes, and anything we could find. When it was done, I
don t remember how long it took, we tried it out, after straining
it. MAN, was that stuff stout. We proceeded to get loaded, then
we decided to get some booze off the bum boats. We drew long or
short to see who would go - I lost. My memory is real bad so I don t remember who anyone
was there. It happened in Blacke Guzma s area. We found a way so I could get in one of the bum boats. We went
ashore to another boat that was anchored out further - got out
and bought two quarts of Kesslers for $20 apiece. Went back to the
ship, got aboard. The next thing I remember I was frying eggs in the
Chief s quarters on the hot plate without a frying pan. Chief Swain came
in about then. The next thing I remember I was up in Captain Perdue s
office. He asked me how long it was since I made 2nd class, I
told him, he said how long do you think it would take to lose it? I
just stood there, so he said I wasn't going to lose it, but he did
restrict me. If anyone involved in this remembers, I would sure be
interested in what they remember because as I said, my memory is real bad. Wish we could make the Reunion, but unable to do so this year.
Sorry. |
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(How about it? Can |
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anyone enlighten Joe?) |
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E. MAX COLE - New York, NY - Sorry I have been
out of touch for so long, but there are reasons. Like many of our ages,
things happen - but not all bad. In April, I just finished a three
month cruise around the world on the QE-2, ship just a bit
larger than the U.S.S. Lowndes. Not as
important, of course, and not as much fun. Was sorry we didn't hit any port the Lowndes did, except Hawaii,
though we passed fairly close to Iwo and
Okinawa but we couldn't see them. Since then I developed eye
problems, so when I arrive come up close to me. I was pleased you printed my "Americus in
the April letter. Not having read it for a long time, it was almost like reading fiction. Memories fade, so it's a good thing I wrote all
that down at the time. Making
plans to attend the West Palm Beach Reunion. |
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Just received word from Marjorie P. Moore, 1
Benjamin Rd., Mystic, CT 06355 that Kent Moore passed away July 30,
1985 at age 60 of emphysema and heart problems. For whatever
interest it may be to anyone who remembers Kent, after the war he went to MIT and became a naval architect and marine engineer.
After 2 years in the Cleveland
area at American Ship Building Co., building ore carriers for the Great Lakes, he was hired by Electric Boat Company/General Dynamics in 1953, where he spent the next 28 years designing nuclear powered submarines as
well as the NR-1 research vessel. We spent one year at Oak
Ridge, TN School for
Reactor Technology after which he worked on the reactor systems. Over the years he built some 10 boats
ranging from dinghies and sunfish to a ketch and 3 sloops big
enough to cruise on. We both loved the water and sailing. He
also continued to play the clarinet by ear until his breathing difficulties. We had been married 34 years when he died, had a son and daughter, both a parent's delight, but
unfortunately he didn't live to
see and know his grandchildren. |
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Sam Hardy passed away January 27, 1997 after a brief
illness. He is survived by a daughter, Robin and a son, Brook.
No other information
available. |
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Condolences to Bill Robinson, his wife Virginia
passed away last March due to a massive stroke. Bill will not
be able to make the reunion this year. But hopes
to in 1998. |
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10/97-8 |
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U.S.S. LOWNDES - APA 154 NINTH
REUNION |
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OCTOBER 23 THRU OCTOBER 26, 1997 PALM BEACH AIRPORT
HILTON WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA TOLL FREE 1-888-777-7256 |
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THURSDAY - October 23rd |
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1300-1700 |
Check in &
registration - Hospitality room 902. Dinner on own. |
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1900 |
Passes available to Kennel Club, if interested. Hospitality room 902. FRIDAY - OCTOBER
24th |
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0930 |
Board bus for tour of Palm Beach with step on guide. Tour & lunch
at Florida Culinary School. Dessert in lab. Flagler
Museum tour - a history of Florida. |
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1530 |
Return to hotel. |
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1800 |
Dinner on own. |
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1900 |
Photo session - casual wear. Iga^eSI |
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Business meeting Lowndes Uglies
& Lovelies. |
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2000 0630-1000 1100 1800 1900 1930 0630 |
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Meet in room 901 Hospitality room
902. Buffet breakfast at
hotel. Tickets available for freebie. See
John or Lebby Dyer. Bus leaves hotel for
Viking Princess - buffet |
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lunch. Casino &
live entertainment. Return to port &
board bus for hotel. Cash bar -
Malayan/Coconut room. |
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** Banquet -
Malayan/Coconut room. Raffle following
dinner. Hospitality room
902. |
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Breakfast on own -
Veranda restaurant in hotel. Buffet or order from
menu. Fond farewells until
we meet again in 1998. |
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Hospitality room
will be available Wednesday thru Saturday ** Need special diet? Contact John or Lebby. |
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