Author: steve

3-17-2013

Jerome Robert Peebles was a Plankowner, joining the ship on Commissioning Day.   He enlisted in Hartford, CT on 3-1-43.   He was a gunner on the ship.   He departed the Boston on 12/26/45.   This picture, showing Jerome with his two sisters, Helen (l) and Maude (r), was sent in by his nephew, Frank Alexander.

3-10-13

Weston Lyle Harner enlisted in Denver Colorado and reported to the Boston as a metalsmith.   He was a Plankowner, reporting aboard the ship on Commissioning Day (6-30-43).   He left the ship on Sept 26, 1946.

Photo was sent to us by Weston’s grandson, Rick Gonzalez.

02-02-13

Donald enlisted in Helena, MT in February 1944.   He joined the Boston on May 9, 1944, while the ship was anchored in Majuro prior to the start of the Marianas Campaign.   He left the ship on Oct 10, 1946, half a year after the ship was retired to Bremerton, WA.

This great picture was sent in by Donald’s daughter, Erin Geng.

2-23-13

Folks have been sending in pictures of their loved ones (dads, mostly) who served aboard the Boston during the war.   The folder (which I named – cleverly enough – “submitted pics”) has been sitting on my desktop gathering cyber dust for a while now, so it’s time to share them.

Armand enlisted in Portland, ME and was a   CA-69 Plankowner   –   received aboard the ship on Commissioning Day (6-30-43).   He left the ship on December 26, 1945, heading back to the States after serving “Occupation Duty” off the coast of Honshu.

Armand’s daughter, Claudia Errington, sent in this terrific pic of her mom and dad.

 

 

2-16-13

A couple of posts back (mid December), I shared some of the memories of Typhoon Cobra that were recounted to me by the four sailors who participated in Volume 2 of Baked Beans: George Pitts, Bob Knight, Pat Fedele and Julian Goldstein.   A few weeks back, I heard from Diane Balsam, daughter of CA-69 Plankowner Joseph Pulaski.

Here’s the email she sent:

I talked to my dad last week about his recollections of Halsey’s Typhoon while he was on the USS Boston.   Dad is now 88 and lives in assisted living.   Joseph S. Pulaski (DOB 11/20/24)

“I was alone on watch at night on Quad #7 standing on the back part of the after stack as protection from the 100 foot high waves and wind.   I was above the water line at least 100 feet when I saw a destroyer off the port side in the distance.     We made a maneuver and did a 40 plus degree roll.   I fell face down and was holding onto the cat walk steel mesh and was actually able to see the water as we rolled.  I started to pray that we would be safe.  The ship rolled back to the starboard side and I called Fire Control and asked where the destroyer was.   I was told “Joe, it sank.”

I thought we were done and our ship would be next as I continued to pray.     The ship was water tight in integrity so all the hatches were closed.   I was one of the few guys above deck.   I continued my watch (four hours total).   I remember some survivors were picked up by our ship.”

Thanks, Diane, for sharing that with our friends, the readers of this website.

Here’s a link that I hope you find interesting.   Let me know what you think. http://www.dailynewstranscript.com/news/x65625533/Author-explores-Life-Aboard-the-U-S-S-Boston-CA-69#axzz2L0f8psNB Steve Kelly

Steve