Our Navy Magazine - 15 October 1942

Front Cover, 15 October 1942 Issue of Our Navy Magazine. GGA Image ID # 134cdd3d1d

Vol. XXXVII No. 10

THE STANDARD MAGAZINE OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY

ON THE COVER

Barbara Ashbourne is a model to delight any photographer's heart. She's shown chatting with Bill Webber, S1c, of the Photo Lab. Receiving Ship, San Diego. Photo by R. C Fay

Table of Contents : * THE LOG *

• USS Lansdale and USS Mervine
• Traditions of the Navy
  By C. W. Windas
• Our Naval Views and Comments
  By The Editor
• Scouting Mission
  By Gene Busse
• Navy cameramen Learn to Shoot the Fireworks
  By P. I. Thomas
• How to Speak Japanese
  By Hallack McCord
• Salty Rhymes
• Honor Roll
• Scuttlebutt Scandals
  By Bozo
• Where is My Wandering Boy Tonight?
  By R. C. Fay
• Schnellboote
  By Jack Blumenfield
• What's in a Name?
  By Richard A. Shafter
• Box Score of World's Naval Losses
  By Jay Launer
• Forgotten Sweethearts of the Sea
  By Will Talsey
• Insurance for Living
  By Sandy Egaux
• Girls Will be Girls
  By A. T. Williams
• The Best Word
  By Caroline Grace Conklin
• Last Hours of the Yorktown
• Roundup on the War
  By Fletcher Pratt
• Flash
  By Lillian Thomas
• Salt Shakers
  By Walt Munson
• Bulletin Board of Naval Interest
• Awards, Commendations and Promotions
• Between the Spokes on the Sports Wheel
  By Harry Dwyer
• Book Reviews
• Personnel Information
• Notes of Interest
• Lay Aft on the Fantail
• The Skipper and the Boot
  By Jack Watson

Written By and For All Navymen.

EDITOR : Cliff Alderman

ASSOCIATE EDITORS:

• Myron Eddy
• C. M. Hatcher
• R. C. Fay

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

• C. J. Lund

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

• A. R. Bosworth
• J. E. Jones
• Walt Munson
• Lillian Thomas
• Harry Dwyer

Member Audit Bureau of Circulations

Published the 1st and 15th of each month by OUR NAVY, INC., Owen Watson, president and publisher; Paul R. Watson, treasurer. Office of publication, 210 Orchard Street, East Rutherford, N. J. Editorial and Executive offices, 1 Hanson Place, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Entered as second class matter at the post office, Rutherford, New Jersey, under the act of March 3, 1879. Single copies 25 cents. One year subscription (24 issues) $5.00. Subscribers should notify promptly of change of address; both old and new addresses should be given. Contributions to OUR NAVY'S editorial columns should be addressed to 1 Hanson Place, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Material intended for the 1st of the month issue should he in the hands of the Editor by the 1st of the month preceding date of issue: material for the 15th of the month issue by the 15th of the month preceding.

Assertions or opinions of contributors are those of the individual and do not reflect the official views of the Navy Department or the Government.

Entire contents copyrighted 1942 by OUR NAVY, INC.

More Net Paid Circulation in the Navy than Any Other Publication

Joseph DeBoer, Sailor, Father of Five Sailors. Official Navy Photo. GGA Image ID # 134d187d45

SAILOR FATHER OF FIVE SAILORS

Joseph DeBoer, 44, (seated, center) is not only an enlisted man himself but has five sons in the Navy. With him are two of them—Henry (left), 24 and Gerald (standing), 17. Two others, Morrill, 21 and Donald, 20, are on duty with the fleet. The fifth son, Benjamin, 23, enlisted recently and is now at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station, where this picture was taken.

WAVES Sworn In As Apprentice Seamen, 1942. GGA Image ID # 134d28ab68

THESE ARE APPRENTICE SEAMEN

Here’s the first batch of “boots” sworn into the WAVES, the Women’s Reserve of the Navy, in the Third Naval District. Captain Kenneth G. Castleman, USN (retired) is shown swearing in the first group of V-9 applicants as apprentice seamen.

Lt. John A. Lord, USN (Retired) Rebuilt the Famous US Frigate "Constitution." Official Navy Photo. GGA Image ID # 134d28f7a5

HE REBUILT THE CONSTITUTION

Lt. John A. Lord (CC) USN, retired, rebuilt Old Ironsides, the famous U. S. frigate Constitution. Non; the Nary has loaned him to the Maritime Commission, where he'll be supervising the building of the wooden ships being constructed to carry cargo to help win the battle of shipping against the Axis.

Platoon I, Company E, Third Battalion -- The First Group of All Former Enlisted Men to Graduate from the Navy Pre-Flight School. Official Navy Photo. GGA Image ID # 134d332964

ENLISTED MEN AT PRE-FLIGHT SCHOOL

This is Platoon 1, Company E, Third Battalion, the first group of all-former enlisted men to be graduated from the Navy Pre-Flight School at the University of Georgia. Their platoon officer is Lieut. (j.g.) S. J. Farmer and the complete roster of the platoon is: E. Anthony, AM2c; Rollin Ayers, AMM2c; P. Bates, AMMlc; R. E. Beatty, AMMlc; I. A. Bober, RM1c; H. T. Crain, AMMlc; C. W. Crotts, Stf. Sgt., USMC; T. D. Crouch, lr., AMMlc; H. A. Debell, Sgt., USMC; S. W. Dobay, AMM1c; D. E. Eckhardt. AMM1c; H. M. Fischer, AMM2c; I. L. P. Fritz, Corp., USMC; F. T. Hanks, AMM1c; T. E. Hicks, AMM3c; N. E. Hinson, AMM2c; G. A. Kerrigan, Jr., ARM1c; O. H. Kirsch, Corp., USMC; J. N. Leech, Sgt., USMC; J. T. Lemkowitz, AMM2c; Merrel Lemons, AMM3c; T. J. Meehan, Jr., AMM3c; Dave Nicholson, AM2c; C. B. Prather, Sgt., USMC; M. D. Price, AM2c; G. H. Ryan, AMM2c; R. V. Schroeder, Pfc, USMC: J. M. Shontz, AMM1c; T. C. Sproed, AMM1c; B. E. Sumner, Stf. Sgt., USMC; S. A. Thompson, AMM3c; P. P. Tunno, Sgt., USMC; J. M. Vanderscoff, Tech. Sgt., USMC; L. J. Weiss, AOM1c; R. J. Wesolek, Aerog2c.

Historic Drum Dates from the Late 1700s. Official Navy Photo. GGA Image ID # 134d34a78e

HISTORIC DRUM

When Charlie Bessette enlisted in the Seabees9 the Navy’s Construction Battalions. he brought along a historic drum which has been carried in five wars for the United States and was ordered by George Washington for the use of the Continental Army. Nine of them were built by a Flushing, L. I., bootmaker and this one was issued to the 5th Regiment, Vermont Infantry. The Bessettes were Green Mountain Boys from the State of Vermont and the drum has been in the family for 88 years. One of the family carried it through the Mexican War in 1848; Charlie’s grandfather carried it throughout the Civil War; his father took it to Cuba in 1898, and Charlie himself carried it on the fields of France in World War I. Between wars Charlie earned a good living with his drum. He has been in show business for over thirty years.

The USS Wakefield, formerly the passenger liner Manhattan, afire at sea as seen from another vessel in the convoy. The small ship to the left is a destroyer. Official Navy Photo. GGA Image ID # 134d672552

The Wakefield Burns at Sea

HEROIC work on the part of her officers and crew and escorting warships enabled the rescue of 1600 aboard the U.S. Navy transport Wakefield, formerly the United States liner Manhattan and the eventual salvage of the ship.

The Wakefield caught fire September 3 as she headed westward in the Atlantic in a convoy. A destroyer and a cruiser raced to her side and took off 950 passengers, mostly construction workers, and 650 officers and crew members.

Two hours of work failed to halt the flames, which had spread quickly and leaped higher than the forward stack but when the fire began to die down Commander Harold G. Bradbury, USCG led a picked squad of engineers back aboard the ship.

They managed to bring the fire under control and then seagoing tugs and salvage vessels took the vessel in tow and brought her safely to an East Coast United States port.

Ready to abandon ship, the passengers and crew of the burning transport Wakefield cluster in the big ship's stern, awaiting transfer to another ship. Official Navy Photo. GGA Image ID # 134d98cad4

Table of Contents, 15 October 1942 Issue of Our Navy Magazine. GGA Image ID # 134da81b32