World War II Database

1. rhonda marie keast says:
22 Jan 2010 01:08:36 AM

My father was seaman 1st class abourd the uss houston when it was sunk on february 28,
1942. I can remember many stories told to me
by my father. Without even knowing his past, as he was a great war hero, he was a great and generious man, he was with out a doubt the best daddy anyone could have.
Anyway, he told me of the direct hit to there engine room, the day before it sank. Though he told the story with a comedic tone.
He told me that he volunteered to go in and put bodies, along with there dog tags into large bags. He said he would look in and see only say ! leg then look around for another to scrap off the wall and put into the bag, to be a complete body. I would say " dad that is grooss" and he would just laugh and say that was nothing compared to what was yet to be. He and a friend sat down on the edge of the ship just before it went under and he said " I think we can probabbly get a cigarrete smoked before we go in" well he said they did, barley. Then he proceeded telling his storey to me and others and still told it laughing about it like it really wasnt what iti really was. I can not even imagine anything close to what he went through then and in the next 4 1/2 years.
Back to the houston...
When he went in the water he said thier navy issue life jackets lasted for about an hour, they were saturated with water. So then he had to find something to float on, he did and he then had to fight off otherers because they wanted his floating object. So what maybe was a friend the day before now he had to fight agianst just to live. Sometimes though he shared a floating item with2 other men, bbut he saaid when he turned around his friend was 1/2 gone.I was young the first time he told me so he didnt explain what that ment. It meant the sharks ate his friends. He was in the ocean for more than 23 hours, but did make it to shore exhausted and famished.
So I could go on and on but for the most part that was what he told me about the Houston. Oh exept that before the battle begain, one night he snuk into the captains quarters and cut off one side of his handlbar moustache, and in the morning the whole ship heard the captain screaming when he relized his loss. My father thought that to also be funny.
My dad, god bless his soul.