One for WWII naval historians

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  • ishmael
    Banned
    • Jun 2000
    • 23518

    One for WWII naval historians

    My father was a Lt. on LST 639 during the war, and I've been trying to find where the ship was engaged. I've discovered, from an LST web site, that it was involved at the Palawan Island landings, and the Visayan Island landings, both in 1945, but haven't been able to find out much about these actions. Any information?
  • MR. KNOW IT ALL
    Senior Member
    • Nov 2001
    • 1897

    #2
    Jack.....This site might be helpful---> http://www.history.navy.mil/
    Good Luck
    Kevin in Ohio

    Comment

    • Ross Faneuf
      Senior Member
      • Dec 1999
      • 598

      #3
      Try Samuel Eliot Morison's 'History of Naval Operation in WW2', vol. 13 or 14; available at any US library.

      Or, since I have the whole set and the index, you could just drop in some day when I'm home and not busy; come to think of it, if I make you wait til I'm not busy it would be impossible [img]smile.gif[/img]

      [ 10-24-2002, 12:06 PM: Message edited by: Ross Faneuf ]

      Comment

      • Alan D. Hyde
        Senior Member
        • Jul 2000
        • 7338

        #4
        Ross is right, Jack, and Volume 15 (only volume I don't have) has an excellent index.

        Alan

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        • JimH
          Senior Member
          • Jan 2001
          • 2336

          #5
          Jack, it looks like they were part of the Philippine invasion. Palawan is an Island in the group and Visayan is a group of islands.

          Comment

          • meerkat
            Senior Member #4667
            • Feb 2002
            • 21774

            #6
            <sigh> the Phillipines would be such a fine sailing ground. Too bad it's chock full of pirates and Muslim separtists.
            If you don't think for yourself, someone else will do it for you!

            Comment

            • ishmael
              Banned
              • Jun 2000
              • 23518

              #7
              Thanks guys,

              Pop was no hero; didn't volunteer right off. He worked on the home front, making synthetic rubber, till the movement and draft of war came over him. Volunteered for the navy, because it suited his nature.

              I know these things by presumption; he entered the war in 44.

              But, for whatever reason, he went to war. He almost never talked of it, yet I felt, growing up, that it was central to his experience of life. I just am trying to understand a man who died in 1980.

              He went on to be a "winter of our discontent" executive, but I think the high light of his life was being an officer on that LST.

              And not to denigrate his later work. He traveled all over the world as a businessman. Rumor has it that some of his reports on European and Japanese industry went to the CIA.

              How many of us know our fathers? You who have them, just in front of you, ask them who they are!

              Jack

              Comment

              • Northshore
                Senior Member
                • Jul 2002
                • 110

                #8
                I was lucky enough to have my father record a video of some of his memories for us before he died.
                Hearing him talk about his time in the pre-WW2 Australian navy, and later his life during the Great Depression and then during WW2 and beyond was a real eye-opener.....you never know what your parents got up to before you were around to take an interest.
                Regards, Leigh

                Comment

                • formerlyknownasprince
                  Banned
                  • May 2002
                  • 1726

                  #9
                  I had a couple of hours free this afternoon before a flight out of Canberra, where the Australian War Memorial is. Fascinating to wander through there and see the exhibits. Dad spent over 4 years as an involuntary guest of the Germans after being captured on Crete.

                  The funny bit was when a group fo what appeared to be very senior German Army officers came through (in uniform). Very much in a hurry, no eye contact...... oops, don't mention the war!

                  Ian

                  Comment

                  • martin schulz
                    Museumharbour CEO
                    • Jan 2001
                    • 3758

                    #10
                    Originally posted by igatenby:
                    oops, don't mention the war!

                    Ian
                    Christ - you did it again.

                    Comment

                    • ACB
                      Senior Member
                      • Feb 2000
                      • 368

                      #11
                      Originally posted by Meerkat:
                      <sigh> the Phillipines would be such a fine sailing ground. Too bad it's chock full of pirates and Muslim separtists.
                      It is a fine sailing ground, and it is not chock full of pirates and Muslim separatists. Just keep clear of western Mindanao.

                      But the rumours do a great job of keeping the place from getting overcrowded.....

                      The real danger is typhoons - do not muck about in the Philippines in typhoon season!

                      I espescially recommend Palawan.

                      Comment

                      • formerlyknownasprince
                        Banned
                        • May 2002
                        • 1726

                        #12
                        It has to be one of the most beautiful parts of the world to fly over - all those jungle-clad islands with just the occasional coastal village and a few boats visible from 35,000 feet.

                        Comment

                        • formerlyknownasprince
                          Banned
                          • May 2002
                          • 1726

                          #13
                          Originally posted by Martin Schulz

                          Christ - you did it again.
                          Ahhh, but at least I was smiling! Seriously though, why would they want to tour a facility like that (a war museum) in uniform?

                          At a guess, I'd say the visitors on the day would have been 50% Aussie, 25% American tourists and 25% Japanese tourists - who no doubt would have seen a very different view on the war from what they get presented at home - and perhaps I've just answered my own question.

                          Comment

                          • ACB
                            Senior Member
                            • Feb 2000
                            • 368

                            #14
                            No, I don't think you have, at all.

                            Japanese history books are VERY different to German ones in their analysis of the first half of the last century.

                            May I offer an explanation - that the senior German officers were almost certainly guests of the Australian military, and were visiting out of courtesy?

                            [ 10-29-2002, 04:19 PM: Message edited by: ACB ]

                            Comment

                            • Gary Bergman
                              Senior Scallywag
                              • Apr 2000
                              • 1350

                              #15
                              The Visayan Islands do not suffer the larger parts of typhoons. Cebu and Leyte sometimes allow the supercat ferries to run during typhoons. They usually stay in that region as heavy rain, the outer islands deffinitely get hammered.
                              At Sea Aboard Royaliste

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