Guestbook 2018

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Al Melcher

Dec 25, 2018 13:24

Here’s a wish to all for a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from this 99 year old sole survivor of the original crew of the SC506.

Geoffrey McNew

Dec 22, 2018 04:33

....so, they got him back for Korea and made him the Navigator of the AH-12 HAVEN

GeoffreyMcNew

Dec 22, 2018 04:28

My Father, LT William McNew USNR (Ret) was the XO on the SC1020. He brought it back from Shanghai to San Diego...and, he vowed to never go on blue water again in anything under 600'.

Bruce H. LaVigne Plankhoder SC749 deceased 12/2/2017

Nov 10, 2018 21:49

Have found treasure photos od SC749 from Quincy MA til 1943 Also have ineresting letter Bruce wrote leaving Atlantic, thru Panama and joining Sumner (Irving Johnson) surveying Coral Sea Original native photos used 1n Nqtional Geographic 1947 article Will be so pleased to get info to any other families Bruce was born in 1921 so am not too optimistic for other members. Lots of crew photos that I hope will find hoes. Joan LaVigne

Al Melcher

Nov 04, 2018 21:39

Today is my 99th birthday. I am the last survivor of the original crew of the SC 506 that was built in early 1942 by Luders Marine Construction Co..Stamford,CT.

For the past seven months I’ve been living in a small senior care facility in Clovis, CA. I have a large private room with an attached bath and excellent care by the staff 24/7 to make sure I have everything that I want or need. I’m very fortunate to be spending my senior years here and am grateful that my youngest son Don was able to arrange it.

Arthur Jacobs

Aug 23, 2018 06:42

ALSO WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM FAMILY OF CHARLES THE RADIOMAN ON THE SC 691 FROM OHIO ?
AND OTHERS FROM NEW ENGLAND , CONNECTICUT FAMILY ALSO SC 691!
MAYBE A REUNION OF FAMILY MEMBERS IS IN ORDER

ARTHUR J. JACOBS

Aug 23, 2018 06:32

SON OF CBM MELVIN J. JACOBS !
CORRECTION REQUIRED TO PAST ENTRY !
NAME CORRECTION ID IS MELVIN J. JACOBS NOT AS PRINTED IN SC 691 NEWS BOUY E. MIDDLE NAME IS JOHN ,,,J. NOT E. !
SERVED UNDER CRENSHAW AND ARTHUR A. BALLENTINE ! SERVED UP TO THE TRANSFER OF SC 691 TO THE FRENCH NAVY ! MANY STORIES TO HAVE BEEN TOLD ! THE NIGHT OF PHOSPHORESCENT WAKE AND THE NAZI BOMBERS OVERHEAD HAVING A PERFECT TARGET OF THE SC 691 THRU WAKE ID WITH BOMBS LANDING STRADDLING THE PORT AND STBD SIDES ALTERNATELY , CLOSE CALLS SO TERRIFYING
AND SWIFTLY LEADING TO UNDERSTANDING OF THOSE ON THE BRIDGE AT THE TIME ALONG WITH THE CAPTAIN AND MY FATHER AND OTHERS THE IMMEDIATE SITUATION AND THE CORRECTION TO RUN FROM FULL SPEED AND NUMEROUS COURSE CHANGES TO SLOWING DOWN TO A CRAWL TO REDUCE THE WAKE TO ENABLE THE REVEALING LUMINATING WAKE SEEN OVERHEAD BY THE BOMBERS AS A LARGE SHIP TARGET OR THAT SUBCHASER CRUISING AT FLANK SPEED TO BE NOT VISIBLE AND SAVING THE ENTIRE CREW FTOM ANNIHILATION ! ALSO THE INCIDENT WHERE THE SC 691 GOT ITS PROPS CAUGHT IN A MINE’S CABLE AND MY FATHER AND ANOTHER CREW MEMBER HAD TO GO OVER THE SIDE TO ATTEMPT AND SUCCEED NUMEROUS TIMES AND AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO REMOVE THE CABLE FROM THE PROP ! ANOTHER OPERATION THEY RETURNED TO THEIR HOME PORT TO FIND THAT OTGER WARSHIPS AND CRAFTS AND SC’S WERE BOMBED , DESTROYED ALONG WITH THE DEAD BODIES AS EVIDENCE TO THE HORRORS OF WAR SO CLOSE AS THEY HAD BEEN GIVEN AN ASSIGNMENT ACCEPTED BY SC 691 TO GO OUT OF THE HARBOR ONLY TO BE SAVED BY THIS DECISION , SPARED DEATH OF ALL HANDS !
ANOTHER STORY RELATED BY MY FATHER IN NORTH AFRICA, THE EYES OF THOSE GERMAN SOLDIERS ,POWS BEING HELD BEHIND BARBED WIRE BEING SO SINISTER AND THECREAL.ENEMY UP CLOSE ! THE ARABS SO SLY AND NO TELLING WHETHER SPYS , AND THE UNCERTAINY OF WHICH SIDE THEY REALLY WERE ON ! A COMMANDO RAID ON A COAST OF FRANCE OR ITALY I CAN’T REMEMBER CLEARLY WHICH BUT KNOW IT WAS COMLPETED WITH
DOUGLAS FAIRBANKS JR. AS CAPTAIN OF HIS PT BOAT AND OTHERS ALONG WITH THE SC’S AS WRITTEN IN HIS MEMOIRS OF ,
“ IT WAS A HELL OF A WAR ” ! ALSO NIGHT ACTION OFF VENOTENE AND THE REVEALING SEARCHLIGHTS AT RISK OF MAKING THEIR SECRET NIGHT ACTION VISIBLE TO THE GERMAN GUNS ! THERE WERE MANY DAYS AND NIGHTS OF THINKING OF HOME AND THE WIFE AND PLANS FOR THE FUTURE AND THE NECESSARY WAR TIME CENSORSHIP OF ALL CORRESPONDENCE TO AND FROM HOME !

Carol Wallace Jones

Jul 22, 2018 02:20

Hello, I appreciate all of the work you and your father have put in on making this site available. It’s so valuable to those of us who long to know more about our loved ones who have passed. My Dad was on Subchaser 744 which was highlighted in Chapter 18 of Splinter Fleet. He was a radioman, Cliff Elton Wallace from Minerva, Texas. I have a letter he wrote to my Mother telling her of the episode in the Leyte Gulf.

Jim Hawver

May 14, 2018 01:24

Hi Al,
God Bless you!
Before my time, my dad bought a subchaser after the war and used it to haul freight back and forth from Cuba and South America.I love reading about them and the men that served on them.

Al Melcher

Apr 20, 2018 12:12

On this day in 1942, the PC 506 departed Luders shipyard in Stamford, CT for the Brooklyn Navy yard for outfitting and commissioning. It was a beautiful spring day with calm seas crossing Long Island Sound. Aboard were 22 enlisted men and 2 officers. I was a 22 year old yeoman third class and am the sole survivor of the original crew. I recently moved from my home in Rancho Murieta CA to a senior care home in Clovis, CA at the age of 98.

Marshall

Feb 17, 2018 15:40

I purchased SC 1372 (Cairdeas) May 2017. She is currently being reoutfited for luxury charter. All the systems have been overhauled and now exterior is being restored and a completely new interior added.

Scott Harris

Feb 15, 2018 21:07

My father served on a subchaser in WWII as a signalman. I’m fascinated by the history of these ships - wish someone would make a movie about them someday. I tried to find a record of exactly which ship my dad served on but, so far, have had no luck. Does anybody have a great source for finding that out?

Tom Sankowski

Feb 11, 2018 19:02

I recevied an e-mail today from someone wanting info about SC-1029,to my horror I somehow erased the mail. If you tried to make contact with me PLEASE write again. I am so sorry.

Richard Borham

Jan 20, 2018 06:12

God Bless all the brave sailors who served aboard Subchasers.....and God Bless all the brave men and women who served the war effort.

Jeff O’Malley

Jan 06, 2018 13:54

Hi!
My father, G.F. O’Malley, was on 520, then 723. I have many crew photos, and no way to connect. Are there others who would like to join a FB group to post photos and stories?

Jeff