Lifeguard Duties

[Red Devil]

After all this time of taking boats out, I was in USS Stingray out of Brisbane and got a lifeguard duty, first ever. I was told to patrol in the bays north of Guadacanal. Only thing is I was a week early!! So I cruised and found a few junks etc, couple of ships. Then aircraft, at midnight, began zooming all around me.

I had to wait for first light to do any saving pilots, could not see pilot even when alongside the orange smoke. I managed to pick up 8 pilots, got shelled when I went too near a harbour, and jap planes were all around, not one attacked me?

Then got a message to proceed north west to Solomons and to be there by December 7th - this was on August 7th!!!! Very funny, I went home .........

[magic452]

Good decision. :know: :yeah:

Magic

[Aktungbby]

After all this time of taking boats out, I was in USS Stingray out of Brisbane and got a lifeguard duty, first ever. I was told to patrol in the bays north of Guadacanal. Only thing is I was a week early!! So I cruised and found a few junks etc, couple of ships. Then aircraft, at midnight, began zooming all around me.

I had to wait for first light to do any saving pilots, could not see pilot even when alongside the orange smoke. I managed to pick up 8 pilots, got shelled when I went too near a harbour, and jap planes were all around, not one attacked me?

Then got a message to proceed north west to Solomons and to be there by December 7th - this was on August 7th!!!! Very funny, I went home .........
If one of 'em was George Bush Sr. I hope you threw him back!( Just Kidding) A different version of events: the Rescue aboard USS Finback: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_ovbnRg4RE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_ovbnRg4RE) : And some insightful commentary from a fellow pilot...http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x994545 (http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x994545) In defense, it was Bush's second shoot down and he'd already ditched once. Perhaps his critic is a Democrat! Bush senior has always expressed regret and wondered if he'd done all possible to get his gunner and radioman out of the aircraft from which he alone escaped. The other crewmen, with whom he ditched, spoke very highly of him and his carrier squadron mates likewise. His continuation to the bomb drop after initially being hit on the second mission where he bailed out speaks to his intrepidness-and medal- in combat at the tender age of 20 something with one 'Sully' under his belt! :up: Bush spent a month aboard the Finback assisting in the rescue of other pilots after his own rescue!. "I thought being rescued by the submarine was the end of my problem,"Bush said. "I didn't realize that I would have to spend the duration of the sub's 30 remaining days on board.''
The following day, Finback retrieved Lieutenant Junior Grade James Beckman, a fighter pilot on USS Enterprise who was shot down over HaHa Jima.
"We put Bush and the other four men to work as lookouts," Spratlin said. "Four hours on, eight hours off.''
As lookouts, they helped make sure that enemy planes and submarines didn't sneak up on Finback during daylight or at night. The submarine did much of its patrolling on the surface in the daytime and always at night because that was when Finback recharged its batteries.
"Bush and the other aviators really got into the submarine experience," Spratlin remarked. "Every time an enemy plane would force us down, they'd curse it just like we did."
Bush said that the most beautiful time for standing watch was between 2400 and 0400. "I'll never forget the beauty of the Pacific -- the flying fish, the stark wonder of the sea, the waves breaking across the bow," he remarked.
The 30 days aboard Finback weren't all beautiful, however. Some of the more dramatic moments included being depth charged and bombed by enemy ships and planes.
"I thought I was scared at times flying into combat, but in a submarine you couldn't do anything, except sit there," he said. ''The submariners were saying that it must be scary to be shot at by antiaircraft fire and I was saying to myself, 'Listen brother, it is not really as bad as what you go through. The tension, adrenaline and the fear factor were about the same (getting shot at by antiaircraft fire as opposed to being depthcharged). When we were getting depth charged, the submariners did not seem overly concerned, but the other pilots and I didn't like it a bit. There was a certain helpless feeling when the depth charges went off that I didn't experience when flying my plane against AA.''
Besides being bombed and depth-charged, Bush was aboard when Finback sank two enemy freighters which were trying to get supplies into Iwo Jima a few months before U.S. forces invaded it. By war's end, Finback had received 13 battle stars and had sunk 59,383 tons of enemy shipping...and changed the course of history??!!
A month after picking up Bush, Finback discharged her five passengers at Midway. Afterwards, the aviators were taken to Hawaii." IMHO--Obviously some rescue duty does not overly impede sinking tonnage and gaining battle stars!:yeah: And there should be a mod for putting rescued aviators to work!

[Red Devil]

Strange how times change. Bush is reviled politically by the less older. BUT was a genuine WW2 ace who fought and was nearly killed for his country.

But today, drug baron, users, murderers, footballers and terrorists and so called 'celebs' are called heroes!!! People today don't know the meaning of the word.

I see you have Nelson on your signature. Can you tell me exactly what Nelson said to Lt Hardy, as he lay dying?

[Jimbuna]

I see you have Nelson on your signature. Can you tell me exactly what Nelson said to Lt Hardy, as he lay dying?

You may yet be responsible for post of the year :)

[Aktungbby]

Strange how times change. Bush is reviled politically by the less older. BUT was a genuine WW2 ace who fought and was nearly killed for his country.

But today, drug baron, users, murderers, footballers and terrorists and so called 'celebs' are called heroes!!! People today don't know the meaning of the word.

I see you have Nelson on your signature. Can you tell me exactly what Nelson said to Lt Hardy, as he lay dying?

Several versions of the death of Lord Nelson are extant, including that of the Doctor, William Beattie, who attended him in the cockpit along with the other 40+ wounded. Captain Hardy, himself wounded lightly in the foot, returned twice in the course of two hours as the battle raged, to convey reports of the battle and to hear Nelson's concerns regarding his final affairs. Ever cool and twice wounded losing an eye and arm in the service of England, Nelson was a pragmatic man: "... strikingly characteristic of the great man, and strongly marking that energy and reflection which in his heroic mind rose superior even to the immediate consideration of his present awful condition.
While the men were carrying him down the ladder from the middle deck, His Lordship observed that the tiller-ropes (the helm had been shot away) were not yet replaced; and desired one of the midshipmen stationed there to go upon the quarter-deck and remind Captain Hardy of that circumstance, and request that new ones should be immediately rove. Having delivered this order, he took his handkerchief from his pocket and covered his face with it, that he might be conveyed to the cockpit at this crisis unnoticed by the crew." http://www.aboutnelson.co.uk/death.htm (http://www.aboutnelson.co.uk/death.htm) Lord Nelson and Captain Hardy shook hands again: and while the Captain retained his Lordship's hand, he congratulated him even in the arms of Death on his brilliant victory; "which," he said, "was complete; though he did not know how many of the Enemy were captured, as it was impossible to perceive every ship distinctly. He was certain however of fourteen or fifteen having surrendered." His Lordship answered, "That is well, but I bargained for twenty:" and then emphatically exclaimed, "Anchor, Hardy, anchor!" To this the captain rep[lied: "I suppose, my Lord, Admiral Collingwood will now take upon himself the direction of affairs." - "Not while I live, I hope, Hardy!" cried the dying Chief; and at that moment endeavoured ineffectually to raise himself from the bed. "No," added he; "do you anchor, Hardy."

Captain Hardy then said: "Shall we make the signal, Sir?" - "Yes," answered his Lordship; for if I live, I'll anchor." The energetic manner in which he uttered these his last orders to Captain Hardy, accopanied with his efforts to raise himself, evinced his determination never to resign the command while he retained the exercise of his transcendant faculties, and that he expected Captain Hardy still to carry into effect the suggestions of his exalted mind; a sense of his duty overcoming the pains of death. he then told Captain Hardy, "he felt that in a few minutes he should be no more;" adding in a low tone, "Don't throw me overboard, Hardy." (As they had done with his personal secretary-cut in two by a cannon shot) The Captain answered: "Oh! no, certainly not." - "Then," replied his Lordship, "you know what to do: and," continued he, "take care of my dear lady Hamilton, Hardy; take care of poor Lady Hamilton. Kiss me, Hardy."

The Captain now knelt down, and kissed his cheek; when his Lordship said, "Now I am satisfied. Thank God, I have done my duty." Captain Hardy stood for a minute or two in silent contemplation: he then knelt down again, and kissed his Lordship's forehead. His Lordship said: "Who is that?" The Captain answered: "It is Hardy;" to which his Lordship replied, "God bless you, Hardy!" After this affecting scene Captain Hardy withdrew, and returned to the quarter-deck, having spent about eight minutes in this his last interview with his dying friend." By some accounts then, Lord Nelson had two visits from Captain Hardy who had arduous duty that day! The first: 1 hour and 10 minutes after the Admiral's wounding and the second: some 50 minutes later for a short duration of 8-10 minutes...as in the above scenario. Lord Nelson was shot from the Mizzen mast of the French ship engaged by HMS Victory. On a tour of Windsor and St Paul's Cathedral where he is buried, I noted the "ball that killed Nelson" on display.:hmmm:

[Red Devil]

Its Kismet, Hardy

[Jimbuna]

Its Kismet, Hardy

Much better than the "Kiss me" version that is often touted around :)

[Red Devil]

Kismet - Nelson was a veteran of the Med, its arabic for 'Fate' and obviously makes sense.

[Red Devil]

...................... anyway, there I was in Brisbane, and got my orders, go back to the Solomons on Lifeguard duty again!!!! So far picked up 3 pilots. But, I following one at flank speed, he must have been in a riptide, he 'beached' on an island and vanished. :ping:

boarding now sir, turns, salutes flag, and goes aboard, here we go again ....................................

[Jimbuna]

Kismet - Nelson was a veteran of the Med, its arabic for 'Fate' and obviously makes sense.

Well in all seriousness the above is or should be common knowledge to those interested in the history of the sea/royal navy....especially in the UK :salute:

A couple of posts ago I thought you were going down another path...I was wrong and as such I apologise :salute:

[Aktungbby]

Its Kismet, Hardy

Much better than the "Kiss me" version that is often touted around :)

Agreed: I never liked the 'kiss me, Hardy" thing either and prefer the "God bless you Hardy" inasmuch as Lord Nelson, cool to the end :"fan, fan... drink, drink" must have realized the dangers to which the intrepid Captain was still exposed to himself when returning up on deck in command of the severely damaged flagship. I doubt there was a reliable stenographer on hand in the cockpit. :salute: