"Doc" Colombo AMM2/c VF-46
The Mighty Moo - CVL-25 USS Cowpens
The Bridge of the Cowpens showing her scoreboard by November 1944
In WWII the attack on Pearl Harbor demonstrated to the world the end of the big gun battleship navies. Nine CVL (light) carriers were built on converted light cruiser hulls and filled a critical gap while the larger fleet carriers were on the construction ways. They were cramped, lightly armored and gunned for defense, but they were fast and their 45 planes carried the war to the Japanese in 1943. Their sole purpose was to project airpower into the expanse of the Pacific ocean and her Air Groups were only as valuable as the servicability of her planes. Doc was one of the many unknown men who kept them flying.
Doc was born in Hoboken NJ, 1924. Only child to Rose & Anthony Colombo. Originally
they came from Como, Italy, not knowing each other, there met in Union City,
NJ. Doc: "Dad was a furniture wood carver for WJ Sloane in Queens Long Isl. NY.
Folks moved to be near where dad worked to Corona Queens. Mom tried to work
as a seamstress, became sick & became a housewife, & to take care of me. My
schooling was at PS 16,then to Newtown HS in
the Industrial Arts course. At my age, there was no car, not much money from Dad's
job. I finished school, worked
at odd jobs. Mrs. FDR's wife opened a school, an
Industrial one to teach girls about home Economics & boys in woodworking,
sheetmetal, machine shop, &
auto repair classes. Boys work nights, girls days.
It was then we were told of Pearl Harbor's attack.
I was not old enough to enlist, as I lost two of my
high school buddies at Pearl & the itch was in me I tried to enlist by changing
my birth date. IT DID NOT WORK!! Boot
camp in Bainbridge, Maryland, then finished , sent home
on leave! Was ordered to NAS Jacksonville, Fl. Put into the
spud locker for 3 mos., then started Aviation Mech.
school. Sent to Melbourne, Florida. to do
groundcrewman work on tarmac, then to night eng
ineerig on F4F's & F6F's.
Met Wayne Morris & worked on his plane before they
shipped me to NAS
Atlantic City on the night engineering. crew. A few months
of that duty with a good crew I had, our Engineering
officer woke us up to report to the station at 7:00 AM
We were living in an OLD hotel on the beach at that time!
We were to be
assigned to VF46 that day!! We were shipped to NAS Groton Connectticut. for the
squadron
to adjust to our new duties & meet the other half of
the group, VT46.
CAG 46 boarded
Cowpens at Ulithi after our stint down under in the Admiralty Isles. Ponam
to be exact. On our trip down to Ponam, crossing the line we were
shellacked, fore, aft & places never hit before!! I have my Shellback paper hung up in my garage in a large frame!! It's a
work of art! The
indoctrination was on the USS Breton, CVE23 on our way to Manus, Admiralty
Isles. Then by LCT to
Ponam, a sandbar, dog leg shaped, one strip.120
degrees was a low temp. I had to repair engines in the shade of the
parachute tower they had!! We
had to move the plane to where the shade traveled around the tower.
Then headed North to back up the hit on Iwo Jima
that did not last too long for our group. Our first strike was to be at 0645
16 Feb, D3 day, on Tokyo
to hit military targets, air fields etc. Feb 19 we gave air support the
landings on Iwo Jima. Then back to the eastern coast of Honshu & gave them
another full day's treatment of Tokyo area. Gone south to work over Okie,Ie
Shema,Yontan,Katena,
& Naha, then to Minami Daito Shima. Feb.25, CV3
USS Saratoga was hit by Kamakazes. CTF58 returned to Ulithi,March 4th. Were
dumped onto
Falalop Isle.CASU 51 r&r till new orders.
Work In progress..
Only Existing book is
Fighting Squadron 46, Men Of War
with the sketch of the "MAN O WAR", Frigate bird
red color on black background. It was copyright by Hibben Ziesing, & it was
cleared for publication by
the Office of Public Information, Navy Department.
It was copyright 1946, & 300 copies were printed Oct.1946 by The
Plantin Press, New York
.....
The Cowpens at Mare Island San Francisco 1945 just prior to the embarkation of CAG 46 and the Cowpens after fitting out and shakedown Phialdelphia Navy Yard 1943
A Few Links
Navy ArchivesPhotos of USS COWPENS
CVL-25 USS Cowpens web site USS COWPENS by Mr White (e-mail does not work)
CVE WEB SITE (JEEP CARRIERS)
Ships of the Navy USS COWPENS
Dictionary of Navy Ships USS COWPENS
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