War Can Be Fun If You Don't Get Killed
or
Nil Carborundum Illegitimi
Went to NAS Glenview where I made 8 carrier landings on USS Wolverine June 15 & 16, 1944. The Wolverine was a converted Lake Michigan side-wheeler. My first carrier landing was sort of a non-event. I had practiced so much at Ft. Lauderdale on simulated landings on an airfield, that it went without incident. I must have found the groove. Total air time in a TBF was three hours.
USS Wolverine
Sources: United States Naval Aviation, 1910-1970 [NAVAIR 00-80P-1]
There was no room on deck to hold aircraft and no hanger deck so you landed, then were pulled back to the stern and took off. Then the next plane repeated the process. It was slow but it worked. The planes were stationed at Glenview. You took off and the flight assembled over point obo, which was the Bahai Temple, then flew out to the ship for the landing exercise, and later returned to Glenview.
Bahai Temple, Wilmette, Illinois
At this point I spent one day on the Wolverine because I was going to LSO school and then had a leave that I spent in Glencoe with my parents. I bought a black 1938 Ford 60 on June 26,1944 for $484.50 which had a small engine and went far with rationed gas. My sister, Arminda used it at Northwestern when I was away.
At Glenview I was issued ration coupons for 5 gallons of gas, 20 pounds of meat, 40 pounds of some kind of food, and 2 pounds of sugar.
1938 Ford in front of house in Glencoe
On July 8, 1944 I arrived by train at NAS Jacksonville, Florida for Landing Signal Officer training. This is the chap that stands on the stern port side of the ship and waves at the pilots trying to land on the bounding deck. We flew Douglas SBD dive bombers. Likely the best dive bomber every made. Half the group flying simulated landing and the other half taking turns waving paddles at them. The outlying field we used I believe was called "White Horse" One of the planes we had for transportion to Whitehorse was a Piper cub (NE-1). I flew it a few times as transportation to Whitehorse. It was hot in Jacksonville so we flew the cub with the door opened. One time when landing at Jacksonville I was drawing out the landing by flying a foot or so above the runway so I wouldn't have to taxi a long way. When I heard a clatter behind me. Ensign Smith who was riding with me was dragging a stick on the runway that he had picked up at Whitehorse. I usually flew the SBDs with Bill Troyan. Total time at Jacksonville was 51 hours all low and slow.
There is a net below the LSO's platform for him to leap into should one of his charges come in with a mean and menacing disposition. I understand that the executive officer on one carrier who was not Mr. Congeniality spent a night here once, because he thought he was going to be thrown overboard.
The SBD had a wingspan of 41'-6", length was 32'-6" and it was driven by a 1,000 hp Wright Cyclone engine. Maximum speed was 245 mph. It had 2-50 caliber wing guns, 1-30 caliber in the rear cockpit and could carry 2,000 lbs of bombs externally.
An LSO
One sunny day at White Horse while half the group were flying the SBD's circling the field simulating carrier landings with the other half, of which I was one, on the ground taking turns with the paddles, a pilot walked out of the trees and shrubs at the down wind end of the runway. He was carrying his parachute. He had crashed a short distance from the field and no one had noticed. Scratch one SBD. Parachute and pilot were recycled.
An SBD and me today
I left Jacksonville on August 23 1944 by train arriving at NAS Glenview August 25, 1944, where I checked out in carrier landings again, but this time on USS Sable, a stern wheeler. The weather was bad and I made only about 6 carrier landings putting in about 4 flying hours. This time I got a 12 gallon gas ration.
USS Sable
After a few days I departed from Midway airport in Chicago on a DC-3 bound for San Diego. The plane stopped in Kansas City, Denver, Reno, Los Angeles. I stayed for a day in Los Angles spending the night at Bill Troyan's sister's house in North Hollywood. We went through the Fox studio where Troyan had worked. The flight from Chicago to San Diego cost $100 even.
On Sept 12, 1944, I arrive NAS San Diego and immediately went by plane (a Navy R4D) to NAAS Holtville, where I joined composite squadron rest on Sept 13, 1944. Composite meant that we had both fighter aircraft (FM's) and bombers. The Squadron moved from Holtville to NAAS San Diego October 2 to October 22; NAAS Los Alamos October 23 to November 20; NAAS Salton Sea November 21 to November 24. The food was good at Los Alamos. I believe that the FM drivers did not go to San Diego
Skipper
VC-93 Skipper, Lt. Commander Chester Smith, looking commanding.
Like my page? Let me know! All feedback is welcome.
Next Page