ARM1C Travis R. Ivy- Radio Operator/Gunner - VCS-12 - USS Denver CL-58 1944/45
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A very young Travis Ivy on graduation 1942. Petty Officers rank National Air & Space Museums Kingfisher with the crew compartment and guns clearly visible and the sleeve badge for an aircrew gunner.
During the Second World War there were a small group of aircrew that served longer than many of their better-known contemporaries in larger units and air forces. The reconnaissance floatplane aircrews flew lone missions in aircraft that could not outrun or outgun their adversaries. Their job was to search out the enemy, either on sea or land, at times spotting for shore bombardment or defending against possible submarine attack. The ship could not come to a stop to pick them up, so the piloting skills of both the ships captain, the pilot and the radio operator/gunner of the aircraft were critical as well as the efficient operations of the crane and catapult crews.
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Travis Ivy was born in Jewtt, Texas in 1924 and grew up on farm. His father Rollie Roe
Ivy father worked in the shipyard in Houston for short time and also in several defense plants. F Defense Plant (Crawford and Austin) Waco Texas making tents and M Defense Plant (Clifton Manufacturing.) Waco Texas making uniforms. His mother was
Alta Mae DeBerry Ivy.
Travis attended Jewett High School and Waco High School as a young man and had access to a 31 Ford to drive around. Before joining the Navy the farthest he had been from home was Dallas Texas, about 100 miles away. He was a grocery clerk for Safeway, also worked there during High School in a Diversified
Occupation Program. Had there been no war Travis most likely would have grown up to become Safeway manager or farmer/rancher. Eventually Travis would serve his nation in three of its wars.
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Travis was home with his family when the word about Pearl Harbor came out. People had a vague idea where it was.
Travis: "I tried to join Marines when I turned 17, but my father would not sign. I joined the Navy in October 1942 at the age of seventeen and had basic training at San Diego before being sent the University of Colorado to be trained as a radio operator. Sure was rough duty living in the dorm and eating in the dinning room. My first choice in Boot Camp was to be an Aviation Radioman, my second was radioman in any capacity. I was 17 almost 18
when I was sent
to RM School at the University of Colorado and rated RM3 on graduation. While there I did get married to a Swedish girl
that was 16 and I was 18. My marriage only lasted about 8
months. She did go to Memphis with me, and that's one reason I stayed as
instructor. I was given my choice of duty and
elected ARM School in Memphis Tennessee. I was rated ARM3 on graduation and asked to stay as
instructor, which I did for about six months in 1943. 
I went home for Christmas from University of Colorado and had leave after graduating
from there. I only got the rating badge from both schools and believe the gunnery badge
was worn on lower left arm. There was no special ceremony for any graduation. We learned to take code by typewriter in RM. School. They started us out learning
to type and when we got to 10 words per minute or so we started taking code.
Got up to 25 words fox and 30 plain language. When I heard DE dash my left
little finger went to "A" key and so on. In ARM school had to switch to stick
(pencil) which was very difficult for me. I wasn't retained as instructor in
code, but procedure. We were also trained with blinker lamps and used Aldis 
lamp in planes
off the Denver.
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The instructor I relieved that
took my orders was killed on the USS Liscombe Bay that was sunk shortly afterwards. (USS Liscombe Bay was a light escort carrier built on a merchant ship hull. Over 600 men went down with her after the I-175 torpedoed her during the Tarawa landings including former Waco resident, Dorrie Miller depicted in the recent Pearl Harbor movie. ). My instructors in radio school were Navy. One was an RM1/C with about 3
hash marks. We thought he was next to God. The others instructors were
college professors. Instructors at Memphis ARM School were all Navy. We had no gunnery training, the man that took my orders went to Gunnery
school in my place. After about 6 months of teaching at ARM School I was
transferred to VR2 
out of Alameda California as a radioman flying parts and mail to South
Pacific. Lyons, Tucker and I were in VR2 when we volunteered for Denver. They
had attended gunnery school. I learned to shoot from an airplane at a sleeve. 
Senior Aviator Hazeltine traded me for Lyons. It was customary for senior
radioman to fly with senior aviator. Hazeltine was soon transferred so I was
already assigned to Yesko who became senior aviator. I became a pretty good
gunner by then. About half of my classmates out of ARM School flew
in SBD's and TBM's, most were killed
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The SBD2 Dauntless Dive Bomber and the Grumman TBM Avenger Torpedo and Dive Bomber.
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Aircraft Carriers had all
those different V divisions (VF VB VT VR VS) but cruisers had only one V Div. All V Div people were
assigned to VCS-12 in Cruiser Division 12. We were really detachments but there
was no home keeping of a squadron. However, our names didn't show on ships
roster, except people that transferred to V division from other ships divisions.
If the Denver had been sunk I think we would not have been shown as missing for a while. I was in VC-35 during Korean War and we went to sea in
detachments but the home squadron was maintained at all times. I suspect
that most of us didn't know we were really in VCS-12, just part of the Denver
crew. I learned this later myself. Lyons, Tucker and I knew we were in VCS-
12 in Alameda because we changed hangars when we left VR2.
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The Rites of King Neptune
Crossing equator was pure hell. Don Hartlaub, Tucker and myself, maybe
others were holed up in aviation office. The shellbacks broke the door open
to get us. I thought Don stood at the crack at first and they sprayed pepper in his
eyes. He doesn't remember it so it could have been one of the other pilots.
I remember that a sailor, not an Airedale, was tied on the catapult blind folded
and was told to go like a SOC. He made some humming sound and they splashed
water on his feet, telling him the cat was now trained out over the water. I remember being dug out of the
aviation office and crawling down a target sleeve with garbage on the
bottom. We were hit with shelayees (sp) as we proceeded. Then we had to
kiss the Royal Baby’s Belly. This was a big fat guy with grease smeared on his
belly. Saw it mention by some that the Captain was a Polly wog but it was
the XO and every time they hit him, they said "quarters for muster". That was
because the XO determined which days we would muster on station or in ranks
at quarters. Some shipmates are still bitter about all this. There was
injuries and some went to sickbay. Think it went a little to far and we were
not really battle ready for a few hours, maybe days. Click here for some photos of the USS Bush and an explanation for ceremonies for crossing the line.
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VCS - 12 on CL-58 The Light Cruiser Denver
Travis: "The maintenance of radio and electrical equipment fell to me as ARM2/C and the other ARM's. They were Andrew D Tucker ARM2 Tommy Lyons ARM2 who was replaced by E.V. Jones ARM3. We were radio operators/ gunners in the rear seat. We first had OS2U's Kingfisher but shifted to SOC's Sea Gulls before getting started good on the second cruise. I was later commissioned as Ens USN and retired as LT. The first senior radioman was Rasmussen RM1 later becoming Chief ARM then Duke Ducote ARM1 for first cruise then the above for second cruise. I think the only one that knew much technical was Duke because he had been a ham operator. He left a big pair of shoes for me to fill and I am amazed that we did keep them flying. On deck, I was the senior radioman in charge of all electrical and radio maintenance on the planes. I had been trained as an operator not in maintenance, so I had to rely on instruction manuals, and knowledge I had gained watching my father and Mr. Alva Garinger work on wind charger generators and water pumps on the farm. I had learned about associating with people and somewhat about supervision working for Mr. Ross Adkisson at the filing station and running the Jewett Ice House for my father one summer
I never understood how the Navy could expect an operator to do maintenance on
radio and electrical equipment. I only learned to type, take code, and radio
wave theory, but in Aviation Radio School I at least learned to tune
transmitter and receiver. Learned to peak grid current and dip the plate
current, but I didn't know why. I learned a little bit of theory by reading
books given to me by Chief RT (radio tech) of ship's company on the Denver.
I grew up on a farm and watched my Dad install
wind chargers and once I tore into an old Atwater Kent radio that was in our
attic because I wanted to see what made it play. I was really puzzled at
those condenser plates in the tuning sections. It was about 10 years later
in electronics tech school that I learned what made it play. The Navy had
aviation radio techs (ARTs) by the time I went aboard the Denver but none
were allowed for Denver V div. There was a shortage of those people because it
was a new concept. Prior to that the radio operators did the maintenance but
they were trained for that. Seems it was assumed we were trained in those
days but we were not. About Petty Officers and
various ratings. RM3/C and ARM3/C were third class petty officer ratings. The
class is the grade of petty officer and the letters are specialties. We did
not have APU (Auxiliary Power Unit) on the Denver so the airplane had to be
on catapult and turned up to check out anything, including radio and
electrical equipment. So I got the idea to duplicate the power system in the
radio shack. I told the CRT(chief radio tech) of ship's company what I
intended to do. He gave me a transformer but it had to be rewound for the 500
volts that I needed. I took the laminations out, rewound the transformer,
got the ship to dip and bake it so this was the heart of my power system.
We were then able to check out equipment without turning up the aircraft and
the ones that were not flying could hear what was going on. When we got the
OS2Us replace by SOCs a BI Wing. 
We were at Guadalcanal after it was taken and there was
a plane junk yard on the islands. The senior aviator and I, maybe other v
div personnel went over and I got 2 of ever thing in the way of radio
equipment. Transmitters, receivers, direction finders, generators, reverse
current relays etc.
Guadalcanal maintenance area circa 43/44. That’s how we got thru the war using those spare parts.
However we did have one big problem on one aircraft. The batteries wouldn’t
stay charged. Senior aviator had us checking the specific gravity of the
batteries daily and in the mean time we were trying to figure what the
problem was. The radiomen and I determined it was a bad generator. It was
the job of the aviation mechanist mates to pull and replace the generator.
The plane was in the hangar deck with scaffold in front. Mendez was asked to
pull the prop a little in order to mash the gears of engine to generator
gears. When he did, the fixed 30 cal fixed gun fired. Dick Martigan, AMM1/C
was sitting with his leg in front of the gun in order to place generator in
the hole and the bullet, think it was incendiary, went thru his leg. Blood
went everywhere and though he was knocked from the plane, which was about 10
feet off the deck where he was standing. I learned a few years ago from him
that he jumped because he knew he had to get down. The guns were supposed to
have dummy rounds run thru them after each flight in order to be sure they
were clear. Apparently it wasn't done to this gun. The sad part is that the
generator wasn't the problem at all, it was a broken small wire in reverse
current relay. Had I know what I was doing like I would have 10 years later
Mardigan wouldn't have been shot in the leg. There was an investigation but
nothing ever came of it, because Mardigan testified that he saw the AOM 1/C
run the dummy rounds thru. Think Mardigan just saved someone is about all I
can say. Since I was flying with the senior aviator I had to answer for all
Denver planes in the air for electrical and radio problems. We installed VHF
transceiver in life raft storage of each aircraft. The AMM (aviation
metal smith did the rack build up so it would be level and we did the rest. I
worked on one transmitter in flight with my pocket knife one time and again
this is how we got thru the war
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On board ship I believe we had the head of chow line if we
were to fly early, but we were nothing special otherwise. The pilots lived in
officer's quarters and we lived with the crew. Our living spaces were set
off by divisions so all the Airedales lived together.
I believe we were more formal with our pilots than Air Force seemed to
be. This was the case of flying from land base too. Our pilots were a little
older than we were and none had more than High School, except Yesko was a pre-med
student. Then too, their training was
extensive.
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I don't remember being
nervous before take off. The pilot would rev the engine up for test and the
next rev meant we were going. The time that Andy got shot in the foot was a
time that I became confused. Best I remember is that when they brought the
plane in, EV Jones got in rear seat and they were shot off. Don't know who
the pilot was. Transmitter coil came loose and hit EV in the head and they
brought him back with bloody head. (The position for cat shot in SOC was head
down and holding to some handles, OS2U was head back against head rest,
similar to pilot). I then took the back seat for the next shot. Believe Lt
Yesko was pilot. He revved the engine up for test and red flag was up as
usual, then the second rev we were shot off. I think I thought this was a
second test because I don't remember seeing green flag. I must have been
wrong because the catapult crew saw a green flag or they would not have shot
us off, then too the pilot was ready. At any rate, the bag of sandwiches I
had went on the fantail, the canopy which I had not locked came back on my
knuckles, cracking a ruby set in my High School class ring and knocking the top off. My
neck was injured but I did not know it until 10 years later. We stayed
airborne and finished the mission. It is possible that this flight could have
been separate from Andy and EV's injuries. I seem to remember holes and blood
in the cockpit. Maybe Andy can enlighten us on this. Till this day I don't
know why I didn't see a green flag instead of red. I know I got very tired
of flying and got air sick many times when we flew low. Might have been
subconscious fear. As to conscious fear- I don't remember any, but when I
look back there was plenty to be afraid of.
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Our job during the mission was to keep radio communications as the
pilots did the spotting. They had their hands full of charts and flying too.
The pilots were a cut above us and 2 to 5 years older, however it would have
been better to have us trained as spotters, more like the Air Force. One time
in the P.I. again the ships guns were being spotted on an emplacement which
included a corral of horses. The pilot said up 100 yards, which would have
put the salvo past the corral, but the rounds did not go 100, more like 50.
Horse pieces went in all directions and it sure bothered me because I had
favorite horses on the farm. I usually said some sort of prayer while sitting
on the cat waiting to go. One time I was thinking about my dog back home and
it occurred to me that the Japanese had dogs too, so my prayers after that was
that if anything happened to me or the enemy that either would be able to
accept it. I did not have any superstitions, but we had one pilot for a short time that said
he saw visions in the clouds.
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Japanese AA guns
Did encounter AA fire in Borneo where smoke from bursts rolled in the
cockpit but somehow we did not get hit. Believe we had some guns firing at us
from Corregidore. The North passage into Manila was to shallow for large
ships like ours but a gun in a cave hit a minesweeper. My pilot, Yesko,
was asked to knock out the gun. He turned to me and asked on intercom if I was
willing and I said let’s go. He wasn't ordered, but as I remember he was asked.
We were carrying two 100 lb bombs, one under each wing. He dove the plane
straight toward the cave opening and released the bombs just right. Shrapnel
went higher than the plane, think we got one little piece thru a wing. The
gun was silenced and it appeared that the cave was closed. I visited the
site a few years later and the cave was still closed so I guess the bodies
were not removed. I think this would have deserved at least an Air Medal.
Don't understand why awards were not made like that because the medals for
a certain number of missions was not know of until the war ended. We also spotted our guns in
on a gun emplacement on top of Corregidore and I think Yesko reported them as
knocked out. On viewing later years, at least one was not damaged. Maybe
just the crew was knocked out. Grande Island Philippines was a place that we worked over
real good. There were no Japanese there but chances were not taken at
any place. On shore parties, with beer and steaks, I couldn't see anything
that didn't have holes in it. Remember that a sign was strung out along a
pier when we were bombarding it that said "Welcome to Batangas" guess the
Filipinos did that. I have mentioned in e-mail in the past of shipmates of mine
dropping notes to Philippine children. Can't remember what weights we used,
think maybe we carried small weights for this purpose. Near here, in Elm
Mott Texas, is a Filipino that has married an American. She talked to her mother on phone
later and asked her about the notes since her mother was in school in that
area. Her mother remembered the notes and said the teachers knew enough
English to translate them. She didn't remember exactly what they said and I
don't either, but think it was like" glad to be here etc". Remember flying
low down rivers at tree top level to keep from being detected. We were awful
lucky or the enemy knew that we could pull big guns in on them if they gave
away their position. I remember once torpedo bombers were fired at in the
Philippines, and we were ask to investigate. So we lumbered along the same route but
drew no fire. The Captain was very considerate in not ordering us in like
that, only requested.
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Officers from the Denver and a good shot of the SOC's on the catapults as well.
We and the pilot always test fired guns. The pilot went first and then he would
tell us to test fire. One time the pilot didn't tell me and my thought was we are being
fired on, not realizing that if that be the case I wouldn't be able to hear
the gun. If I was ever afraid it would be our first combat mission, which was
over Iwo Jima about 7 months before we took it. 
I was flying with Lt.jg
Yesko and Lyons was flying with Lt. Hazeltine in OS2U's. Two or three Val
dive bombers 
took off and chased all of us toward our ships. One cruiser
lost a plane but both crewman were recovered. I thought that we got under
our ship's fire but I have heard since then that our air cover came in.
I
fired some rounds but could see my tracers falling short and a good thing
because their armament was much heaver. I was glad that they were not close
enough to reach because if they had been I wouldn't be firing. There is an
account of this in ship's log. There is no mention of any of us rear seat
gunners firing, but then there was rarely any account of things we
encountered. One time in the Philippines while flying with Yesko there was a man on
a motorcycle that I took under fire. We thought that he
might be a messenger. Don't remember if Yesko ordered me to fire but I think
he just gave me the opportunity. I don't think he was Japanese but instead
Filipino. I did fire close enough to run him into the ditch but I did not
try to kill him. I was firing a 30 caliber and I think I was about 75 feet
from him. We tried twin 30s but they were hard to handle on the ring. It
may be that I remember these things because of being associated with Navy
after the war. One other thing, we did a lot of strafing of enemy
installations with the 30s while standing up without seat belt. Mostly tents
and vehicles with associated personnel, and some people with what looked
like rifles. We also detonated some mines with our machine gun, but one had
to hit the prongs so we didn't get many.
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The Ki-115 Saber built for the sole purpose of a one way trip and the Zero
I don't remember what I thought about kamikazes. I do remember being at
hangar deck edge watching them coming in on ships around us, mostly carriers.
All of a sudden #4 turret was nudging me in the back. I had backed about 30
feet without realizing it. I heard that some kamikaze pilots might be women because
long hair was found on ships that were hit. This was never confirmed and I
doubt it knowing the Japanese culture. I had no real contempt for the
Japanese myself.
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My family did not know where the ship was and only knew I was on the Denver. Our letters were chopped up quite a bit by the censors.
A picture sent home of crew next to Catapult had the cat cut out. I do not use any codes to tell my family where I was.
We thought we were going to Australia once for leave but the trip was canceled to
sink ships.
We got letters ok but they were old. I got one from my long time girl friend
that I was engaged to that she was marrying an Air Force Pilot.
Maybe
that’s' why the ship almost shot and AAF plane down that didn't have his IFF on.
We heard some of Tokyo Rose's broadcast because that was one of our forms of
entertainment.
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Port calls, liberty or picnics, were not numerous until near the end of
the war. The first one was Pearl but not significant.
We were given beach visits at an island, don't remember where, but the
natives had a coconut brew that caused temporary blindness. I didn't partake
of that but some did. Guess the next liberty that was a real liberty was
Manila. Two shipmates and I bought a fifth of what was labeled whiskey for
$50. Went to a hole in the wall bar that had nothing but sarsaparilla to drink
and a piano. We drank that bottle in about three hours. The next thing I
knew, I was sitting on the side of a street ditch. Two shipmates came along
and carried me under each arm to the ship. I had vomited and it took the
shoe polish off my shoes and had to throw my whites away. Guess it was
something kin to cleaning fluid-maybe not that bad but guess the sarsaparilla
killed the taste. After that we had the
Grande Island picnics of beer and steaks and lots of crap games. We were only
allowed two beers but some people didn't drink so there was plenty. Remember
wading in about a foot of water with my dungarees already wet. Had green
backs that I had won falling out of my pockets. Next was Okinawa after the
war finally ended. That is after everyone was convinced or quit shooting or
celebrating. Anyway we went to General Quarters the night the war ended.
Can't remember many details about Okinawa, guess it wasn't a really liberty,
but do remember something about eating a sweet potatoes. I have been to Okinawa
many times after that and can't separate the visits.
I got sick of flying before the war ended and kind of hoped we would be
forced to land on an island that was secure. At first it was a real
adventure but it got old. Glad to see the picture of the Pete on web.
When the ship had the hole repaired at Manaus Island, the V div went
ashore with the planes. That was a real treat, beer every night and movies
too. No movies were shown underway on the Denver underway. We were issued
greens like the base people. We tried to wear them back on the ship but
that was a no no. I stuck mine in the back of my locker and traded them one
piece at a time for bananas that natives brought alongside. They were small
but tasted like a banana should. Guess the USS Cole would say don't let
them near, but times do change. Ships did not allow this in Viet Nam areas
particularly going up Saigon River.
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Then came Wakanura
Japan, to cover evacuation of prisoners. After a short time we were granted
liberty 1/2 day at a time. Since I was police div petty officer I granted
myself a full day. That was mistake because I ended up going to Osaka with an
advanced occupation group and couldn't get back before dark. I rode on top
of bedding in one of the jeeps wearing whites. Guess the Japanese thought I
was something other than a sailor the way they waved and I waved back. Went
to rail station in Osaka to catch the fast rail back to Wakanura. There was
another sailor from another unit with me in dungarees, don't remember which
unit or ship. We had trouble being understood so they took us into the office
because about 500 Japanese were surrounding us, not offering harm, but just
staring. When the train was ready we were loaded first and seated on the side
where there was a few seats. I attempted to talk to school girl that had her
books. Learned that Japanese read bottom to top and right to left, best I
remember. There was an ex Japanese marine about as wide as he was tall
staring at me. I thought he might resent me trying to communicate with the
girl but he did not make a move in my direction. All the Japanese were very
friendly and the employees at the rail station were very courteous. They
didn't know where we were from except we were Americans. After arriving at
closest station to the ship, I caught a ride with the SPs or MPs and heard
the broadcast that was missing. I told them that was me so they took me to
the beach where the Ship sent one of our pilots, Ens Weiss, to get me. I got
Captains Mast and the Captain said he couldn't have his 1/C POs doing this
sort of thing so I was restricted to the ship for two weeks and before that
was up the ship sailed for the States. I could have easily been busted but
there was not even and entry in my record of any of this. I see in the ships
log that it was entered but no mention as to punishment at mast. The whole
thing was not very smart of me, but the Captain of the group said he would get
me equivalent rating in signal corps if the Navy would release me. I got the
word down from the Captain that the answer was no. Remember it fell to AD
Tucker to report me missing from the ship. Think it was about 10PM by the time
I actually got aboard. Before or maybe after that a pilot, think Yesko ,and I
flew over Hiroshima at about 200 feet. I was suppose to take pictures but
either the film or operator error. We were in the Inland
Sea at Wakanura Port when we flew over Hiroshima. I couldn't believe my eyes
on the destruction. We were flying at about 200 feet and we were not wearing
film badges so don't know it we got any exposure at that altitude or not. We
didn't know about film badges then anyway. I did wear one at Operation
Hardtack (atomic testing) at Eniwetok Atoll in 1957. You have heard of
brighter than day, that was so when the blasts were detonated. I was Boat
Group Cdr on the APA Renville after one blast and after wash down I went top
side to check on boats. There was residue of water still on the deck and
since I walked thru it used Geiger counter on myself and shoes when I got
back to my room. I was ok but had to throw my shoes overboard because the
Geiger went wild on them.
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The recover of planes was rather unique. There was three systems, believe it was A B and
C. I believe C was for the ship to turn in rough seas to create a slick for
the plane to land in. 
The pilot would taxi upon a cargo net that was fitted
with a fixed metal rudder directed toward ship. This was towed by lines from
a windless. The pontoon had a hook that hooked in the cargo net and then cut
back engine and let ships windless take charge. A real tricky maneuver because
the slick may not last long enough and then there was no cinch of the hook
engaging. Lost a few planes like this. When the plane was under the crane,
the radioman stood astride the pilot’s cockpit to hook the planes hosting hook
into a rope held hook on the crane. Then the hook was pulled up until a
steel cabled hook engaged. Then I remember that the radioman got back in his
seat before the hoist.
These pictures show the hook well enough to see how
the first hook can be pulled up to second hook (the steel equipped one. If
things didn't go well the plane would be drug by the rope equipped hook.
This is the best I can remember and was going by memory about hooks until I
looked at these pictures. The best I remember no more
than two of our planes flew at the same time. One plane, #7 had call of Ace
Caribou, the other, #8 had King Caribou. Sometimes we had 3 planes but
usually got down to 2 pretty fast because of bad recoveries. At Borneo, Mendez, machinist mate was flying in
place as radioman and a Japanese Pete 
chased them back to the ship. Mendez
was not a gunner, not that it would have done any good anyway because the SOC
armament was no match for the Pete. On returning the recover was bad and
Mendez and pilot got a bath and the shot of brandy. Think we lost the plane.
This slick made the rough sea recovery possible but I think the ship slowed
to about 12 knots. Had to keep speed up somewhat to form the slick. The SOC could fly as slow as 65 knots.
On June 22nd 1944 Lt. Yesko and I were going in to Eniwetok flying ahead of the ship. An SBD came up
along our starboard side and I did not see any hand signals but then he
slipped under and came up on port side. Almost immediately he went in wing
down into the water. I did not notice any flaps down and there is no way an
SBD will fly at the speed we were doing without flaps down. Believe we were
doing about 60 knots. The two men in the SBD were killed. Very unusual for them not to make
some sort of signal. We were in an OS2U then and the SOC would stay
airborne at speed lower than that. Yesko and I were interviewed separately
at the base and learned that the SBD was being flown by a Commander and a Lt Commander of the base with. . Both the pilot Yesko and I saw
them when they came along our starboard side but I was the only one to see
them come up on port side a little aft of us. They were only there
momentarily before they slipped in. I threw out flares but did not see
anything or anybody come to the surface. The only reason I knew that one of
them was from San Antonio was because his records were on the desk in front
of me when I was interviewed.
One thing of interest is how each specialty in V div helped the group. If
one needed a bag to carry his gear ashore if he got the chance the parachute
rigger would make it. The tin binder made a coffee and hot chocolate pot out
of a shell case. It was then my job to come up with a hot plate, and I did
make one from scrap resistance wire. I also rigged up a phonograph from junk
parts. We had our stash of food for evening snacks and the guys wanted me to
make a refrigerator and I told them I didn't know how and didn't have the
parts anyway. They said yea you can, you just don't want too. The officers
canned foods were stored under the hangar deck with lock. One time a
storekeeper brought a case of boneless turkey down and went back after
another. While he was gone the case of turkey disappeared and he said I could
swear I brought a case of turkey down here. Well of course none had seen
it, but we had turkey sandwiches every night for a long time. The bread was
comshawed from the officer’s stewards by OW Taylor that could comshaw
anything. In turn he got pictures made by us in the aircraft. So you see
there was chow and snacks from out own efforts until we got in port, then
there was mail call and movies too. Comshaw was a way of life in the Navy.
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My log shows 56 combat missions and catapulted 69 times . There were no crash landings, bail outs, or getting lost in those missions.
Of course we were the fore runners of Hellos. I have heard that the pilots on these ships before WW2 were enlisted men. Haven't been able to get this info verified. I have know a few AP's and I guess it made sense in those days. .
******************************************************
I thought I
received $5 a month for the DFC when I returned to the Navy, maybe it was $2
in 42. Notice that pay for 1/C in 42. We, in flight status drew 80 percent
more for flight pay, sea pay, and flight sea pay. Enlisted men grades and pay scales. Money was no object to us
though as I remember.
...
The Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal
The Distinguished Flying Cross (Est 1926)
Criteria: Heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight.
The Air Medal (Est 1942)
Criteria: Heroic actions or meritorious service while participating in aerial flight.
The Navy adopted the Air Force system of medals for missions in the latter part of
war. That is the Air Medal for five combat missions and DFC for 20. My citation
for DFC says 28 missions over enemy held territory in the vicinity of
hostile operational airfields, there-by contributing to defeat of Japanese
forces in this area. Also says January to July 1, 1945. The Air Medal
citations lists other dates.
I think almost everyone qualified for DFC, however we had many more missions
than are not accounted for in our citations. Don't know where the info for
these citations came from.
******************************************************
....
The float version of the N3N trainer "the yellow peril" on the water & the SO3C Sea Mew
..... 
The OS2U Kingfisher land variant and a O3U3
******************************************************
The radio/gunners were authorized CAC wings. They were rather
small and silver. They could be awarded without stars but by the time ours were
done we already had earned the stars. At first, I understood the stars were
for air, ship, and shore combat. Believe it changed or maybe I didn't have
the straight scoop. Anyway our stars were for major air operations. We could
have qualified for two stars anyway but not the third. I still have mine and
wore them throughout my naval career. Noticed in my flight log that the stars in wings were for Marinias,
Carolinas and Philippine Islands combat awarded 2 Nov 1944, sooner than I
remembered. Log also shows 56 combat missions, catapulted 69 times and some
flights from water in port. Usually the ones in port were for ships
officers, including Captain for joy ride.
The Navy has
progressed considerably in this regard. The rating badges, included crow, specialty, and stripes. The emblem
for RM was lighting and ARM was the same but smaller bolts and wings around
it. Third class PO was one stripe, pay grade E4, same as sergeant at that
time; second class PO was two stripes, pay grade E5, same as staff sergeant
at that time; first class PO was three stripes, pay grade E6, same as tech
sergeant at that time. The rating badge was white crow and specialty ,and
red stripes for rate on blues. It was blue crow , specialty, and blue for
rate on whites.
There are gold AC wings now and I
believe there are NO ( naval aviator officer) wings too. I remember an Air
Force plane landing somewhere and several officers deplaned. We asked who
some were and they said one was the radar operator. At that time the Navy
used only enlisted radar operators. The NAO program came into being about
1960 whereas all were commissioned officers. I knew one of the first NAOs
called RIO (radar intercept officers). He was trained here at Conally Air
Force Base at Waco. Again the Air Force was the front runner on all this.
I was commissioned 1956 USN Unrestricted Line when that designation was not
available in aviation except for pilots. The Navy got wise and established
the same program as Air Force had for many years. I applied for change to
that program in about 1961 but was turned down for age, like 36 or 37. I tried for pilot training after the war but found out I had a
color perception defect. Have never seen a light I could distinguish the
color of except to see slight pink in white light on Farnsworth lantern. I can see
numbers on those charts that normal perception people can't see and can't
see some that they can.
I
really wanted back in aviation but enjoyed surface navy, except for those long
deployments. Never went to sea during my 14 years enlisted aviation service
except wartime. That, of course isn't the rule.
******************************************************
.......
After the War I returned home and married Johnnie Ruth Porter in November 1945. We met while I was on leave in Waco. I was soon discharged from the Navy. We have one son and four daughters and the son
is the youngest. I entered Baylor prelaw school after passing an entrance exam I had to take because my sixteen high school units included Diversified Occupation and Agriculture. I remained in school for two quarters but couldn’t get the Navy out of my blood. Mr. Sherod Winn from Jewett HS never taught me in class, but he did teach me to block and tackle when I weighed about 125 pounds. However this didn’t help me much when I went out for football at Baylor at 180, dropping to 160 after a few weeks of practice. My only experience was at left tackle and 160 was not heavy enough for a college tackle. I could tackle any ball carrier if I didn’t get “ killed” first. I did play second base for “All Navy” one year successfully but could have done better if Don Mather, Bill Walker, Junior Nobles and other players from Jewett High had been there with me.
I rejoined the Navy as a Seaman even though I had been ARM1/C at the end of the War. I was promised one year of Aviation Electronics School, and upon completion of that school I was once again promoted to Petty Officer First Class. I had learned what I really needed doing maintenance one the cruiser planes during the War.
******************************************************
....
....
Task Force 77 of which the USS princeton was a part and the Korean Service Medal (Est 1950)
Dates: 1950-54
Criteria: Participation in military operations within the Korean area during the above period.
During the first part of the Korean War, I was assigned to the Aircraft Carrier Princeton as a technician. I went from Inyokern Naval Ordnance Station to VC-35 in San Diego. We had AD (Skyraider)
aircraft up to AD4N, which were deployed on Carriers as teams. I did
electronics technician work in the shop as AT1. I could have gotten flight
status but I didn't desire it. Guess I had enough on Denver. Don't remember
very much about aircraft. I think the AD4N had one maybe two crewmen other
than pilot. One AD, think AD3 was being flown by the skipper of the squadron
who was deployed on a team. He and Blazeavic AT1 were on mission and they
were shot down. We first thought Blazeavic was killed but near the end of
the war we learned that the Skipper was killed and Blaze was POW. Blaze was
about the sharpest Technician I ever knew and he was made warrant on release.
I was scheduled to go on a team in about 6 months when a deployed team ran
into communication problems. All planes were grounded in Frisco and the
Electronic Div Officer ask me to volunteer to go early. The Chief and AT3
knew radar but not communications it appears. I joined them against my wife's
wishes. Think they had 4 planes and all vhf communications were down. I put
the transceivers on the bench one at a time and found that the squelch had
been turned too low. It took about an hour to get them flying again. I didn't
like carriers because it was like a big city and every time we needed a plane
it seemed to be in the back of the hangar deck. For my efforts and abilities
I was recommended for warrant officer but guess the Bureau didn't see it that
way at the time. I worked on a lot of radar but I was weak on some
fundamentals. During the latter part of the Korean war I served as an instructor in the Aviation Electronics School. My first assignment was to teach math and the use of the slide rule. I really appreciated the knowledge that I got from my Sardis and Jewett teachers in my early years.
I served 4 years as instructor, last year
in flight phase teaching radar operation. During the last year I applied for
LDO (limited duty officer, electronics) and OCS for unrestricted line. There
was no billet for unrestricted line in aviation other than pilots. My
recommendations for LDO were not strong enough and I failed the ancient
architecture section of the 2CX (two year college equivalency test) for OCS. I
was attending Univ of Tn night school at that time and I finished two years
college and passed the equivalency exam. Also, my evaluation report in flight
phase was outstanding so I was selected for OCS and think LDO too, but the
Navy figured OCS. coming out with USN commission was the best. Also chance to
finish college as unrestricted line officer. So next stop OCS
After fourteen years as an enlisted man, four of which was as Chief Petty Officer, I was selected for Officer Candidate School in Newport Rhode Island By this time I had become a fast reader which was beneficial in this school. In 1956 I was commissioned as an Ensign and assigned to the surface Navy on Amphibious Attack Transports as Boat Division Officer and later as Boat Group Commander on the Attack Transport Paul Revere
during the first part of the Viet Nam War. I first went up Saigon River on an APA (Attack Transport Amphibious) as
Boat Grp Cdr. Was a Lt.jg. but that was the billet. There is a long story
about Boat Groups in those days. It revolves around the fact that boats are
the main armament for an APA but one wouldn't know it by observing what went
on. Pretty sure I was on my second APA, Paul Revere on this
first trip up the river. As Boat Group Cdr I was told that I could only have what was on the list for
outfitting and nothing else. The boats came with batteries and there was
batteries on our allowed list but boats did not have magnetic compasses and
none were on the list. So I drew the batteries and traded them for compasses with
other ships for their extras. An APA needs about 5 rolls of 5 inch line (rope
for land lubbers). Four for tying up and one for the heavy salvage boat. We were
able to get the allowance increased for the line and guess we could have on
compasses but this was faster. The APA duty stories are interesting because
I believe I was the only officer ever assigned in peace time to the billet of
Boat Group Cdr on an APA by billet and name. The wartime billet is Lcdr or
Cdr and I was a Ltjg. Since I had the experience and Capt Early desired a
wartime Boat Group and we had it. "Away all boats" could be given at any
time and the boats were all launched. (See Jeff Chandler in "Away All
Boats"). This didn't always happen on APAs. As a flag staff officer about
three years after having been BGC on an APA, I was told by the commodore to
give the squadron "Away All Boats". The APA that I had served on as BGC as
well as others got about half the boats away from the ship. This is like a
battleship not being able to fire all guns at a moments notice. It was very
hard to fill all the BGC war time billets with the allowance we had on that
APA, but it paid off. Capt Early later made RAdm as ComphibPac. I loved the
amphib navy almost as much as naval aviation. Might add that I had a 36 foot
steel hull boat equipped with radar and the works, the first and I think the
only BGC to have that. This APA, Paul Revere 248, I believe was the only APA
commissioned since WWII.
I became acquainted with South Viet Nam CNO, Lcdr
Lee. He helped me in many ways, one was to get his divers to check our hull
for mines that would detonate on movement of ship. That was in the days of
Madam Nu, sister-in-law of President Diem. She decreed "no dancing" in South
Viet Nam. We went to the American Ambassador's place and had drinks and
horderves (sp) with American and Viet Nam officials including Lee and Diem.
Also went to Presidents palace, but no drinks and rather skimpy food, but
that was to be expected. There was no dancing at either gathering. About
three years later I went back up the river as Chief Engineering Officer on
DIG (Guided Missile Frigate). Don't know exactly why we went except goodwill,
but there was one thing that I remember. The Captain ask for volunteers to
have tea and coffee with Foreign Service wives. About 8 of us officers went
and talked to the ladies. They were interested in hearing about home as some
had not been back to the states in several years. Some rough duty. Our
engineering plant was Automatic Combustion and it required a better grade of
oil than most ships used at that time. Since I already knew Cdr Lee I told
him our plight and he procured the proper oil within a few days. About two
months after that he and President Diem were assassinated. Odd thing happened
about this event. About ten years ago my wife and I were having hamburgers
and fries at a place here in Waco that was owned by a Korean. I talked to him
about his being here and when he came etc. Got around to telling him about
the acquaintance of South Viet Nam CNO as he seemed very knowledge of Viet
Nam as well as Korea. I didn't even tell him the CNO's name but he said, "you
mean Cdr Lee". While teaching at Texas
State Technical College I had a student that was an ex Viet Nam Navy Ltjg.
That was after the war ended. He was so young during Diem’s term that he knew
very little of the Viet Nam I had known. There was some uneasiness while
going up the river and the Capt of the Paul Revere wanted machine guns
mounted on the rails. The mounts were installed and it was my last day on
the ship before going to Monterey California. (the ship was back in the USA) The machine guns were ordered, about 12 of
them. I had the Command Duty that last night so other officers could go
ashore. The machine guns didn't arrive as planned and I found out that they
were at a point about 60 miles out of San Diego. So I got one of the officers
that came in early to take the duty, and a driver and I went and got the guns
and loaded them on the ship before they sailed. I think I remember that we
did catch a little small arms fire on our trip up the river on APA Paul
Revere before so knew why the Capt wanted the guns.
By this time I was Lt(jg), and had been selected to attend The Naval Science School in Monterey, Calif. to finish my last two years of college as I had completed the first two years own my own at Baylor, Univ. of Calif., and Univ. of Tenn., mostly at night school. I thought I had studied hard at OCS but I hadn’t seen anything yet. I wished I had taking Mr. Jones’ Chemistry Course because I had a PhD for a teacher and he thought everyone grew up on chemistry. I also wished that I had applied myself more in the earlier years.
...
The Attack Transport Paul Revere and the Guided Missile destroyer Mahan (recently retired)
Upon completion of my college work,, I received a Bachelor of Science Degree, and was assigned to the Recruit Training Command as a Battalion Commander for a couple years. My next duty was as the Chief Engineering Officer aboard the Guided Missile Frigate Mahan . I later retired from the Navy after having a heart attack and serving twenty-four years. I still miss the Navy and wished I could have served forty-eight years except being away from my family when I went to sea.
******************************************************
I worked for Ryan Aeronautical Co. for one year as a program manager before returning to Texas to make my fortune ranching (ha, ha). I almost went to Texas A and M to study to become a high school ag teacher, but I was advised due to my age that it wouldn’t be wise. Also, they told me about the new technical school starting in Waco. So along with part time ranching , I taught electronics for about fourteen years and served one year as Coordinator of all electronics programs at TSTI before retiring. We owned a general store and beer bar in Leroy while I was teaching at Texas
State Technical College. We owned 13 eighteen wheelers for about five years, don't want
anymore of that. Also had a salvage and Antique store in Waco. My wife ran
these other businesses with my part time help. My son and I do part time ranching and I do a lot of genealogy which I thoroughly enjoy because I learn so much history and what our ancestors endured.
One hears so many complaints of not having good examples, but I appreciated the older boys setting good examples for us younger boys. To name a few: Bill Tom Bickers, David Holmes, Valton Burgin, Fenner Hull, Keltus Singleton, Ovis Colbert, Rex Sanders,and others.
******************************************************
Last but not least, I am thankful for my wife. I might add that we knew each other only 13 days. I knew she was
pretty and sexy but I didn't realize the potential she possessed. I could write pages about this woman. She gave me much support and encouragement, and our five children, consequently, fifteen grandchildren, and seven great grandchildren.
In addition to the DFC and Air medals, Travis like his counterparts on the Denver and other veterans is entitled to the Campaign medals for the theaters in which they served.
.. 
..
..
The American Campaign Medal - WWII (Est 1942)
Dates: 1941-46
Criteria: Service outside the U.S. in the American theater for 30 days or within the continental US for one year.
Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal - WWII (Est 1942)
Dates: 1941-46
Criteria: Service in the Asiatic-Pacific theater for 30 days or receipt of any combat decoration.
World War II (WWII) Victory Medal (Est 1945)
Dates: 1941-46
Criteria: Awarded for service in US Armed Forces between 1941 and 1946.
E-Mail Me @
worldwar2mem@yahoo.com
Copyright © Ken Arnold 1999. All rights reserved.
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A Few Links
NAS Wildwood NJ Museum web site.
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Cruiser Scout the only story of life in these units on the web that I have found.
Links to most of the New Jersey sites on the web
Enlisted men grades and pay scales. USS Enterprise web page.
USS DENVER CL-58 Brief history
USS DENVER deck log
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