Down to the Sea (43 page)

“flashed through…green water…”: Adamson and Kosco,
Halsey's Typhoons,
pp. 123–24.

“There are probably…We'll look for…only 150 to…hunting submarines…start at the…get the most”: Plage and Surdam radio and press conference. 240 “2215”: Log of
Tabberer,
Dec. 18, 1944.

“the loom…must be
Tabberer
…might have found…headed over to…
Dewey
could be…more directly…pitch and pound…had come to…understand the reason…draped over the…turn back to…some risk that…advice and abandoned”: Calhoun,
Typhoon,
pp. 67–68, 99, 111.

“exhaustion from overexposure”: F. W. Cleary, Report of Casualties and Rescue of Survivors from Sunken Vessels, Dec. 22, 1944.

“some 25 square…so many minutes”: Adamson and Kosco,
Halsey's Typhoons,
pp. 125–26.

“about 15 or 16…tremendous suction…banged against it…lost him…pumped out”: Korth interview.

“Dammit, I bet…painful and often”: Adamson and Kosco,
Halsey's Typhoons,
pp. 128–29.

“popping out of…butt first…You don't look…Don't believe…flying off…black with chrome…very bright light…as hard as…There he is”: Drummond interview.

“rode bucking horses…swim like hell…trapped below…dogged themselves…never was broken…none got out…like a big earthquake”: Carl Webb interview.

“bleeding like a…bloodied dungaree…shivers went up…quite a wallop…jerk my head…this was it…the shoelaces wore…any more trouble…No, have you…Never mind…pleaded and begged…these guys hanging…absolutely hopeless…a tough time”: Franchak interview. 245 “0605 Recovered”: Log of
Tabberer,
Dec. 19, 1944.

“tried for mutiny”: Schultz interview.

“Appreciate it…Five after six…SOS. Send help…We are departing…
They're leaving
”: DeRyckere interview.

“eyes as black…salt spray driving…didn't taste very”: Plage and Surdam radio and press conference. 246 “0852 Rescued”: Log of
Tabberer,
Dec. 19, 1944.

“in slow motion…not a good idea…sucked down…bashed against…pretty good…bunch of guys…the hell with…just slide”: Arthur L. Fabrick interview.

“flattening out…visual check point”: Adamson and Kosco,
Halsey's Typhoons,
p. 132.

“proceed to rendezvous…believed other men…as long as…resumed for rendezvous…our tommy guns…Right full…all around…again taken toward…hangdog look…hated to give…to continue…stay in the”: Commanding Officer, USS
Tabberer,
Rescue of Survivors, Dec. 24, 1944.

“they were Japs…this was the…instrumental in saving…scientist by training…”: Watkins interview.

“attacked by the…dove in the…pretty tuckered…” Plage and the Surdam radio and press conference.

“heavy burden…like a bunch…couldn't do the…hang with that…a little shaky”: Adamson and Kosco,
Halsey's Typhoons,
p. 133.

“hunting for these”: Plage and Surdam radio and press conference.

“held underwater”: Schultz interview.

“could hardly walk…hiding Marks”: Phillips interview.

“wasn't much…the opposite”: McClain interview.

Chapter Eighteen

“the most exhaustive…a man in”: Halsey,
Admiral Halsey's Story,
p. 240.

“hallucinated and…crawled out on…nothing but skivvies…turned keel up”: Zasadil interview.

“underwater like a…couple of steep…made a 75…screaming like babies…climbed out over…swung off into…caught in the…reach in
the…in a sea…boilers blew…broke in half…throwing a handful…guys disappeared”: Floyd Balliett interview.

“storm-tossed and”: James Forrestal, secretary of the Navy, Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon awarded to
Tabberer
.

“three days and…looked worse”: Plage and Surdam radio and press conference.

“we didn't really…But we…the good Lord”: Phillips interview.

“the wonderful way…What would have”: Burbage letter, Jan. 13, 1944.

“four-striper Captains”: Henry L. Plage letter, Dec. 29, 1944.

“Well done”: Henry Plage memorandum to all hands, Dec. 20, 1944.

“while ships around…expected to learn…How could any”: Halsey,
Admiral Halsey's Story,
pp. 240–41.

“Captain Plage, officers”: William F. Halsey speech to officers and men of USS
Tabberer,
Dec. 29, 1944.

“blush from hairline…salute or shake”: Adamson and Kosco,
Halsey's Typhoons,
pp. 143–44.

“flabbergasted”: Henry L. Plage letter, Dec. 29, 1944.

“Chief, pack your…in charge of…hated to lose…good for him”: Phillips interview.

“What type…that hurt…our type fighting…Destroyer escort…sedan with a…looking very stern…Plage, did…Yes, sir…put his head…one up…My battleship buddy”: Henry Plage, second reunion, USS
Tabberer,
Aug. 30, 1986.

“outstanding leadership…”: Walden L. Ainsworth biography, Naval Historical Center.

“best ship in…in correct position…the alertness of…a part of”: Henry L. Plage letter, Jan. 13, 1944.

“outstanding when compared…For extremely meritorious”: Navy Unit Commendation, Naval Historical Center.

Chapter Nineteen

“received a direct…lay unexploded”: Log of
New Jersey,
Dec. 24, 1944.

“very concerned”: “The Reminiscences of Vice Admiral Truman J. Hedding,” Naval Historical Center.

“had expected”: Reynolds,
The Fast Carriers,
p. 283;
New York Times,
Dec. 16, 1944.

“typhoon-delayed”: Thomas,
Sea of Thunder,
p. 345.

“the dangerous semicircle…seamanship…practically tore”: “The Reminiscences of Vice Admiral Truman J. Hedding.”

“to know the”: Thomas B. Buell,
Master of Sea Power,
p. 492.

“the greatest loss”: Potter,
Nimitz,
p. 349.

“Genial John…dour personality…capable enforcer…not be browbeaten”: Buell,
Master of Sea Power,
pp. 80–81.

“or as soon…inquiring into all…as a result…full statement…any offenses…specifically recommend”: C. W. Nimitz letter, Dec. 25, 1944.

“more inquisitorial…serious affairs…cripple or wreck”: Melton,
Sea Cobra,
pp. 205.

“reacted to storm…in the thick…casual observers”: Calhoun,
Typhoon,
p. 123.

“sit with closed…fleet witnesses…in view of…defendant…an interest in…”: Record of the Court of Inquiry, 1944–45, p. 1.

“pressing home numerous”:
Washington Post,
Jan. 3, 1990.

Testimony of Robert B. Carney, Record of the Court of Inquiry, 1944–45, pp. 2–6.

“MacArthur was counting”: Taussig,
A Warrior for Freedom,
p. 114.

Testimony of George Kosco, Record of the Court of Inquiry, 1944–45, pp. 11–18.

Testimony of Stuart Ingersoll, Record of the Court of Inquiry, 1944–45, pp. 18–23.

Testimony of George H. DeBaun, Record of the Court of Inquiry, 1944–45, pp. 23–26.

Testimony of Jasper Acuff, Record of the Court of Inquiry, 1944–45, pp. 36–41.

Testimony of William T. Kenny, Record of the Court of Inquiry, 1944–45, pp. 47–51.

Testimony of Michael Kernodle, Record of the Court of Inquiry, 1944–45, pp. 54–57.

Testimony of Preston Mercer, Record of the Court of Inquiry, 1944–45, pp. 57–63.

“most critical”: Calhoun,
Typhoon,
p. 189.

Testimony of Frederick Sherman, Record of the Court of Inquiry, 1944–45, pp. 68–69.

“held the limelight”: Korth diary, Dec. 30, 1944.

Testimony of Gerald Bogan, Record of the Court of Inquiry, 1944–45, pp. 70–72. 277 Testimony of John S. McCain, Record of the Court of Inquiry, 1944–45, pp. 72–73.

“classified as secret”: Record of the Court of Inquiry, 1944–45, p. 6.

Testimony of William F. Halsey, Record of the Court of Inquiry, 1944–45, pp. 74–78.

“
My God
…southern gentleman…Glad you”: Watkins interview.

“narrative statement”: Record of the Court of Inquiry, 1944–45, p. 94.

“the question and”: James Marks letter, Jan. 5, 1944.

“he might have…I lost my…call Arthur”: Virginia Marks interview.

“records, papers”: Narrative Statement of James Marks, p. 5.

Narrative Statement of James Marks, pp. 2–4.

“true statement…It is…Have you…I do not…Have you…about 30 minutes…At all times…cutting in on…we took a…all empty…our fueling…a storm warning”: Record of the Court of Inquiry, 1944–45, pp. 95–96.

“lowly enlisted”: DeRyckere interview.

“get home as…incompetent…not assessed the…at that particular…trying to stay…a little”: Watkins interview.

“I would have”: W. F. Halsey letter, June 25, 1954.

Testimony of James Marks, Record of the Court of Inquiry, 1944–45, pp. 96–101.

Testimony of George H. Sharp, Record of the Court of Inquiry, 1944–45, pp. 101–3. 288 Testimony of Roy Lester, Record of the Court of Inquiry, 1944–45, pp. 103–5.

Testimony of Ray G. Morgan, Record of the Court of Inquiry, 1944–45, p. 105.

Testimony of George Kosco, Record of the Court of Inquiry, 1944–45, pp. 107–8.

Narrative Statement of Joseph McCrane, pp. 1–6.

“never told a”: Drury and Clavin,
Halsey's Typhoon,
p. 288.

“There's only”: Fenn interview.

“lay to the…The only thing”: Record of the Court of Inquiry, 1944–45, pp. 110–11. 291 Testimony of James T. Story, Record of the Court of Inquiry, 1944–45, pp. 117–18.

“an interested party”: Record of the Court of Inquiry, 1944–45, p. 119.

“shivering figures…our hopes dashed…What took”: Krauchunas, “USS
Spence:
The Typhoon and the Senior Survivor.”

“dry bunk and”: Miller interview.

“missing while”: Chief of Naval Personnel telegram, Jan. 3, 1945.

“there is no…lost his life”: Chief of Naval Personnel telegram, Feb. 9, 1945.

“pebbles striking”: Richard Strand interview.

Narrative Statement of Al Krauchunas, p. 103.

“how many men”:
Greenfield
(Mass.)
Recorder,
Oct. 1983.

Testimony of Edward Traceski, Record of the Court of Inquiry, 1944–45, pp. 121–24.

Testimony of Jim Felty, Record of the Court of Inquiry, 1944–45, pp. 127–28.

Testimony of George Johnson, Record of the Court of Inquiry, 1944–45, pp. 125–26.

Testimony of Wilbur Lockhart, Record of the Court of Inquiry, 1944–45, pp. 132–35.

“We don't…six or seven…Are you…Did you…Well, I was”: Bryson interview.

“All those years”: Bryson, “Typhoon Forecasting, 1944, or, The Making of a Cynic,”
Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society,
Oct. 2000.

Facts and Opinions, Record of the Court of Inquiry, 1944–45, pp. 146–68.

“column of ships”: Watkins interview.

“figuring it would…made my peace…a ship…men walking…one of our…another low point…mad at God…
God doesn't torture
…hard right turn…completely worn…You've done all…half a body”: Rust interview.

“Oh, yeah…Guess I won't…You guys want”: Watkins interview.

“a commendable desire…the mistakes made”: Record of the Court of Inquiry, 1944–45, appendix.

“Lessons of Damage…steps must be…a ship's safety”: C. W. Nimitz letter, Feb. 13, 1945.

“stable…no major alterations…again rolled”: Calhoun,
Typhoon,
p. 197–8.

“unfit for other…the poor stability”: Report of Material Inspection and Survey of
Aylwin,
Oct. 17, 1945.

Postscript

“Japanese origin…digested all…would not…best course…maintain the…You are…in shallow…assuming that…safely…less than 100…surpassed in…much too late…with almost…fared well”: Adamson and Kosco,
Halsey's Typhoons,
pp. 172–76, 187, 189.

“deserved a general”: Buell,
Master of Sea Power,
p. 492.

“in the face…spirit and letter…serious consideration…more experienced…disapproved…skill and determination…services of great”: Record of the Court of Inquiry, 1945.

“inept in acting…no stomach for…ruined the”: Buell,
Master of Sea Power,
p. 492.

“on the point…national hero”: Potter,
Nimitz,
p. 377.

Dramatis Personae

“I think I…She always…According to Mom…”: Mahood-Cochran interview.

“Halsey disaster…The colonel…could have…sudden and undetectable…I think Halsey”: Bryson interview.

“a wonderful ship”: Arleigh Burke, “Spirit of the
Spence,
” March 1983.

“kicked out of…Unfortunately, he became”: Consolvo Jr., interview.

“We were just…We felt overwhelmed”: DeRyckere interview.

“tragic experience”: Halsey,
Admiral Halsey's Story,
p. 253.

“only imagine…tossed our enormous…most of our”: Halsey,
Admiral Halsey's Story, p 239.

“big wingding”: Bernadette Kosco interview.

“The greatest…When a mother…finding it hard”: Al Krauchunas letter, March 7, 1945.

“the great love…right up until…only 77 days”: Portia Albee interview.