U.S.S. SKILL
CREW / FAMILY / FRIENDS
COMMENTS / EMAIL
Email Published Here Is By Request Of The Sender
Updated 05/30/2007
From: skill115@comcast.net
Sent: Friday, July 21, 2000 15:37
To: jimraija@earthlink.net
Subject: Navy Record
Is there some way to add to or correct the glaringly inaccurate Navy
Record
included here?
- The skill did not sweep mines along the African coast and we were still in the states during the African Campaign.
- There is no mention of the longest and most memorable portion of the Skill's War history, the Invasion and capture of Sicily. This included the picture perfect Invasion which was so well planned and executed that I doubt we had any casualties. Then our forces went on to capture the entire Island in about a month. During that time the Skill swept the minefields during the days and endured heavy Nazi bombing raids every night.
Some memorable moments were:
- During sweep operations the U.S.S. Staff, leading our Echelon of Sweeps with us right behind them, somehow wandered out of the swept zone and sat on a mine. I watched from my position at our 3 inch gun as the ship rose from the water with a roar then settled down with it's back broken. We were now aware that we were in the middle of an unswept Minefield and had to get the Staff out of there before we got the same fate. We succeeded to tow her to port.
- After receiving a bulls eye bomb barrage from Nazi Dive bombers that was so accurate that we, in the middle of the barrage were surrounded by exploding bombs but none of them hit us, had only seconds to relax before a nearby destroyer whose Executive Officer was Franklin D. Roosevelt, Jr., received a delayed action bomb right down one of it's stacks. The bomb exploded on contact with the ship's hull and blew a huge hole in its bottom. In spite of all pumps going full blast and sailors throwing everything overboard that wasn't nailed down, they were losing the battle to keep the ship afloat. The Skill immediately, with no regard for the Dive Bombers that were still around us, attached a towline and towed the USS Mayrant safely to Palermo Harbor. Once there we tied the Destroyer to one side of us, while they secured their other side to the dock. We maintained that position while emergency repairs were made.
- While sweeping the Sweepers were sitting ducks for Nazi shore guns .Our first encounter came as a 88mm shell crossed our bow and was followed by one that was a few feet short. The Captain immediately ordered retaliation from our 3-inch guns, which have the most abrasive sound of any gun, big or small in our arsenal. The loud crack, with the Captain only a few feet away, nearly cost the Captain his hearing.
- During an exceptionally drawn out Nazi Air Raid a bomb landed between us and the dock and exploded at the waterline leaving a huge hole that was repaired by Everett reed and his crew with a wood and concrete patch 18 by 12 feet, that helped us to safely cross the Mediterranean to dry-dock in Algiers. When we emerged from dry-dock we joined the invasion force on it's way to Salerno.
I'd like the record to show at least some of these actions.
I would like to refresh our memories of the
night off
Cape Hatteras in a vicious storm when we dropped depth charges on a
suspected submarine.
I was the sonar man on regular watch when I picked up a metal target
completely
compatible with a sub in size. However, the target was stationary,
leading me
to suspect that it could be a sunken vessel. The Captain assured me
that there
was no known sunken vessel in the area. We proceeded to drop a full
pattern of
depth charges even though the ship was fighting a full Noreaster storm
that
churned the Atlantic all night long. Under those conditions, we found
no oil
slicks or floating debris and though the target was still stationary
the Navy
could only award us a "probable" sinking. The storm was so strong
that one shipmate reported a 300 pound depth charge launched from one
of our
K-guns nearly hit our bow, due to the pitching and rolling of the ship.
How many were aware of James Crunk's amazing
history
preceding his death on that fateful day when the Skill was sunk?
Jim was at Pearl Harbor on the Arizona (I
believe) and
came to, below decks, with the ship on the bottom. He somehow managed
to get to
the surface and began his saga of being in every major battle in the
pacific.
He came home for a 30-day survivor leave and
was put on a
Liberty Ship to North Africa. While anchored in port the ship issued a
call for
those who needed to see a dentist. He left for the visit and found,
when he
returned, that a 400-pound blockbuster had hit the ship while he was
gone. This
gave Jim another 30-day survivor leave.
Jim was in the "Coconut Grove" nightclub the
night it was totally destroyed (in minutes) by a fire that trapped
hundreds
inside due to a revolving front door, barred exit doors and all
furnishings
that were highly flammable. Jim was one of the few survivors. He
confided to me
once that he seriously considered leaving his dog tags there and
disappearing
for the duration but he quickly dismissed the thought.
The Skill pulled in to Boston Harbor just two
days after
the fire, which forced OSHA to revolutionize all public safety
regulations. Jim
was assigned to our ship. Jim was in the after engine room on watch
when we
were hit by a bomb at the forward engine room in Palermo Harbor,
requiring
Everett Reed and his crew to make a concrete and wood patch 18 by 12
feet to
keep us afloat.
I talked to Jim only hours after the bombing
and
mentioned that he was going to have a lot of stories to tell his
grandchildren.
Jim calmly told me that he would never get that chance because he knew
he would
not come back alive.
I couldn't believe he could go on being such a
dedicated
worker and never complaining when he was so sure he wasn't going to
make it.
As we all know now, he was right.
I will never forget him.
Thanks for your interest in the Skill.
Frank M. Lombardo
From: skill115@comcast.net
Sent: Sunday, July 23, 2000 08:23
To: jimraija@earthlink.net
Subject: Harry Bataille, GM1c
As we all know, no officers or chiefs survived when our ship was
sunk on
September 25, 1943,Harry’s 27th birthday.
During my 8-month stay in various hospitals (7th sta. Army Burn
Hospital in
Oran, St. Albans Hospital .in Brooklyn, and Phila. Naval Hosp.) It
became
apparent that the story of the Skill and the bravery of some very
special
individuals would never be told unless we told it.
The Navy had a policy that no Medals were awarded unless recommended
by an
officer. This was never going to happen in our case. Accordingly,
I wrote
to “Our Navy” magazine, the official magazine of the Navy at that time,
and
informed them of some of the deeds performed by three of the men that
we survivors
believed were responsible for many of us making it. I suggested that
perhaps
they could help in getting them the recognition they deserved. (I
apologize for
not being aware of Everett Reed’s deeds at the time I wrote the letter).
“Our Navy” called me as soon as they received my letter and told me
that
they had been unsuccessfully trying for months to get some information
about
the Skill. They asked if they could come to the hospital and interview
me. They
arrived the next day.
The article, included in your Web Page, includes my remarks about
the three
men I referred to. They were Henry Beausoleil, John Garnier, and Harry
Bataille. More than 50 years later when I first heard from Harry
again He
informed me that he never got the Silver Star. I was shocked and
dismayed since
I knew that Beausoleil had it and that Garnier’s family had his
(Posthumously). For the record, I personally was thrown a
lifejacket (a
Mae West) and saw Harry busy releasing Life Rafts along the port side
just
before the oil fire on the port side made me swim for my life towards
the stern
where I was able to just make it to safety.
Harry stayed on the ship as long as possible because his injuries
were so
severe that he dreaded jumping from that height. Finally, when it
became
obvious that the ship was about to explode, Harry wrapped a rope around
his
thighs and slid down to the water, leaving two large grooves of cooked
flesh
behind.
At 7th Sta. Army Burn Hospital I was in a bed next to him for 30
days until
they removed my bandages and another 30 days before I was transferred
to
St. Albans Hospital in Brooklyn.
Harry had 2nd and 3rd degree burns on 87% of his body and was burned
all the
way down his throat. When I left that Hospital, He was still unable to
speak
above a hoarse whisper and had lost about 35 of his usually robust 170
lbs. As a sonar man I got to know Harry because of discussions on
depth
charges, etc. so I left Oran wondering if he was going to make it. It
was only
a few years ago thru the internet that I learned that he was still
alive.
I found out for the first time that we had a lot in common:
.
- The ship went down on our Birthday. My 19th, his 27th.
- I was blown out the portside Mess Hall hatch and Harry was blown out the aft Mess Hall hatch. Note: Jim Shannon, who was standing behind me, is the only other survivor who was in the Mess Hall at that time.
- I was due to relieve the Sonar watch on the bridge in 5 minutes; Harry was due to relieve the Helmsman on the bridge at the same time. We are all aware of what happened to those who were on the bridge. We were only 5 minutes away from obliteration.
Note; Harry not only survived but he was on billboards in New York
City as a
Poster Boy for War Bonds and served until the end of the war. He was
kept
stateside and served as head of large Navy Brigs, including Great
Lakes. He was
also called upon to teach gunnery courses from time to time.
Harry will
be 84 on the anniversary of the Skill’s demise. Wouldn't it be a great
birthday
present if we could present him the Silver Star to show him the
Nation’s and
his shipmates appreciation for his dedication and bravery at a time
when the
world held it’s breath, not really knowing if we would be speaking
German in
the future?
I’d appreciate comments and suggestions on how we can achieve this goal.
My E-Mail address is, skill115@comcast.net
Frank M, Lombardo
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From: jmkaszer@home.com on behalf of Jon/Missy Kaszer
[jmkaszer@home.com]
Sent: Monday, August 14, 2000 16:31
To: jimraija@earthlink.net
Subject: USS Skill
Dear Mr. Reed,
I am e-mailing to you in response to your web page on the USS
Skill. I am
a nephew of one of the sailors aboard the ship when it went down. My
Uncle
Frank Kaszer was aboard.
My father (who is 75 and still alive) was at home with my
grandfather when
they got the news.
We have a collection of letters, photo's and postcards that he had
sent home
to the family. I have recently sent for all of his medals. Three years
ago for
Christmas for my father, I had all the letters, postcards, photo's,
medals and
newspaper clippings about the event, put into a shadowbox picture frame
as a
gift to my father. It actually brought tears to the old timers eyes.
Like a kid
at Christmas.
My brother, who lives in Kansas City, found your web page. He knew
we were
looking for a picture of the ship, and happened upon your web page.
What a
great addition to all the other memorabilia we have saved.
My family appreciates the time you spent on research and for your
web page.
Please feel free to release my e-mail address to anyone who my have
more
stories or photo's dealing with tragedy.
Again, we thank you and others for the information.
Thank You
Jon Kaszer
E-mail jmkaszer@home.com
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From: mitio1@aol.com
Sent: Tuesday, August 15, 2000 07:09
To: jimraija@earthlink.net
Subject: USS Skill MSO 471
Jim, I served on the USS Skill MSO
471 as Ops
Officer from 1967-1969. I read your web site about Skill AM 115
and MSO
471.
I can give you an update on the fate
of the
ship. The USS Skill MSO 471 was scrapped at the Kearny, NJ shipyards in
the
early 1980's. I was aboard her the day they began cutting her up
and
collected the Quartermaster logs from early 1967-1970; they were never
sent to
Washington. I still have the logs, the Captain's mast log and a
great
broadside photo of her sitting in the yard on her very last day.
The
number 471 is still visible on the bow. Let me know if you want
me to get
a copy of the photo to you. I also have a great photo of MSO 471
underway
in the Med -1968. Let me know if you're interested in getting
them.
You can contact me also on e-mail address mitoi@aol.com
Regards,
Dave Vennard
From: skill115@comcast.net
Sent: Wednesday 10/25/2000
To: jimraija@earthlink.net
Subject: Reunion
Hi Jim,
Just a note to let you know that four of us attended the Skills
reunion
at Charleston, SC on 10-20 thru 10-22.
We were: Bert Ellis, MM2c; James Honce, RM2c; Nicholas Vitanis
(with
wife, Kay) GM3c; and my wife, Claire and me (SoM3c). There were
approximately 40 (including wives) from the MSO 471.
We were welcomed and treated very well.
Naturally, we got together in our own little group for hours and
shared
memories of our time on the Skill, especially the time we were sunk and
what we
remembered of the events immediately surrounding us at that time.
Luckily
for me, Vitanis brought his wife along and my wife had someone to
relate to.
They spent a lot of time together, leaving us time to reminisce about
things of
no interest to them.
One thing I learned was that Nick Vitanis was also in the mess
hall when
we got hit.
He was battered around and can’t quite recall how he got out
since he was
in the center of the mess hall and rendered unconscious immediately. I
had
originally thought that Harry Bataille, Jim Shannon, and I were the
only ones
in the mess hall that made it, since we were blown out hatches.
Dave
Venable of the other Skill will probably be showing some photos on
their web
site.
You can put this info on your Comments page for the others to
see.
Next year’s reunion has been assigned to another shipmate from the
471,and he
will be researching new sites and reporting to his mates from time to
time on
his progress.
We will be able to follow progress on their web site.
We missed your dad and all the others who couldn’t make it this
time.
Hope to see them next time.
I will be calling your dad, anyway as I thoroughly enjoy talking
with
him. Bert Ellis gave me some material on other ships that were in
our
campaigns, including the Staff and the Mayrant. Both were towed to
safety after
they were disabled but neither ship’s account mentions that it was our
ship
that towed them to safety.
These are two significant things that we did, in addition to the
Sicily
Invasion, itself During the Sicily campaign, and we weren’t even
awarded a
battle star for the campaign.
We should be able to contact those ships or their records for
verification that it was us who towed them to safety.
Then we should be able to get our Navy record corrected.
Honce,
Vitanis, Ellis and I agree that our service along the coast of Africa
also
rates a battle star.
Can you pursue this?
I am currently trying to get some
letters from
shipmates to back me up in getting the Silver Star for Harry Bataille.
Once I
get some together, I will be going to a NJ representative and a
two-time
American Legion Commander from Nutley, NJ, to proceed.
Frank M. Lombardo
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Lombardo
My name is Ladd B. Fuqua II. My uncle was Electricians Mate 2nd
Class
Ladd B. Fuqua. If anyone remembers my uncle I would love to hear from
them. He
died when the Skill was sunk 9/24/43.
CLICK HERE TO SEND Email
to
Ladd Fuqua II
HARRY BATAILLE AWARDED BRONE STAR AFTER 62 YEARS
After 62 years and a few years of efforts by our few remaining
shipmates,
Harry Bataille, GM1c, was finally honored at an awards ceremony on
Veteran’s
Day, November 11,2005. The ceremony was held at the Brigadier General
William
C. Doyle Memorial Cemetery in North Hanover Twp., located just north of
Fort
Dix & McGuire A.F.B. New Jersey.
Despite our efforts to get him the Silver Star, the Naval Board
of review
awarded him the Bronze Star, explaining that to get the Silver, you
have to be
in a battle with the enemy. The rules were probably different or not
even known
when Everett Reed & Henry Beausoleil were awarded their Silver
Stars.
In any case, Harry turned 88 on Sept, 25,2005 and I turned 81
that same
day. That’s right, none of us will ever forget our birthday. Only 4 men
in that
mess hall survived. Nick Vitanis was the only one not blown out an open
door.
He came to and crawled out, touching scalding hot metal until he got
out. By
the way, Nick’s 19th birthday was Sept.24. I was sitting at the end of
a shelf
table, adjacent to an open hatch (on my left) On the port side. Jim
Shannon was
standing partially behind me, but directly in line with the same hatch.
We were
blown out that hatch and suffered mostly Flash Burns (plus broken bones
&
numerous wounds). On the other hand, Harry was blown out the rear
hatch,
leading to the corridor that lead to the shower room. He was rendered
unconscious and inhaled flames and was burned deeply before he came to.
Yet
Harry's only concern was that he was one of the few who knew where the
life
jackets were stored. He opened the storage area and also released life
rafts.
Harry threw a lifejacket to me after I had made it back to the ship
from about
150 feet away, where I woke up about 20 feet down with my feet still
above me.
He stayed aboard till the very last minute and was further injured by
the final
explosion that sunk the rest of the ship.
I spent the first 2 months (of my 8 months of hospitalization) in
the
same burn ward of the 7th Station Army Hospital with Harry. Because of
the
severe burns down his throat, he was unable to utter a word. For the
next 50
years I wondered if he had survived. He served to the end of WWII.
I boarded the USS Brock, APD 93 where I spent the rest of the war
in the
Pacific (notably off Okinawa where we shot down the Kamikaze with our
name on
it During an eclipse of the moon.)
Frank M. Lombardo
Note: Pictures of Harry at the
award ceremony are posted on the Crew's Picture
Page.
Westminister, MD 21157-5026
|
From 1953 to 1994, sixty-five U.S. Navy ocean minesweepers (MSOs) swept mines; searched the seafloor for downed aircraft, sunken ships, and lost munitions; “showed the flag” throughout the world, even sailing up the Congo and Mekong Rivers, calling at dozens of the world's seaports; and carried out patrols and special tasks off strife-torn or hostile countries. Some participated in the 1962 nuclear test program in the Pacific and in the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo space programs. Others, as part of a U.S. armada of military and civilian research ships at Palomares, located a nuclear bomb lost on the seafloor off Spain as a result of a midair collision between two U.S. Air Force aircraft. Iron men in wooden ships were with the Fleet in hotspots around the world, including Lebanon and the Quemoy-Matsu islands of Taiwan in 1958; the Dominican Republic in 1961 and 1965; and the Cuban Missile Crisis and Haiti in 1962. During the Vietnam War, minesweepers participated in Operation MARKET TIME to prevent the infiltration of North Vietnamese soldiers and munitions into South Vietnam. Leader received the Presidential Unit Citation for extraordinary heroism in Operation SEA LORDS; Endurance engaged in close gun action with and helped destroy an enemy armed trawler in a sea battle; and MSOs cleared mines in Haiphong Harbor, |
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|
which aided
in the negotiations in progress for the return of U.S. prisoners of
war. During the twilight of their service in the late 1980s and early
1990s, aging sweeps cleared Iranian- and Iraqi-laid mines in the
Persian Gulf. |
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Wooden Ships
and Iron Men is a fitting tribute to the ocean minesweepers and
Sailors who crewed them during a critical time in the U.S. Navy’s
modern history. While enduring all the hardships common to life at sea
in small vessels, these men contributed significantly to the Navy’s
successful operations, from 1953 to 1994, in the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans, off the coast of Vietnam, and in the volatile Persian Gulf.
This work is a must read. |
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| Cdr.
Bruhn’s history of the Ocean Minesweeper will delight all those who
served in and worked with these fine wooden ships. It will also provide
much interesting detail on their employment to anyone concerned with
the U.S. Navy’s mine countermeasures efforts between the Korean War and
DESERT STORM. Bruhn reviews
many of the ongoing issues and competing priorities that have crippled
this important warfare area. Wooden Ships and Iron Men is a
real walk down memory lane for a former MSO Commanding Officer and Mine
Group Commander. Worth the read! Captain David J. Grieve, USN (Ret.) Commander U.S. Mine Countermeasures Force 1990–1991 Operation DESERT SHIELD/STORM (“Persian Gulf War”) |
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| Reading
Dave Bruhn’s important book on mine warfare, I was delighted to return
to sea on an MSO without the usual seasickness caused by its endless
corkscrewing and the nausea induced by stack gas blowing into the
bridge on a following wind. I could actually walk a deck without
leaving heel prints three feet up a bulkhead! Thank you, David, for
returning me to the days of my youth and callow innocence. Mike Goss, Former Lt., USN |
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