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Compliments of Brian Connelly

Howard Murray Connelly, s2c, CA-69

Born: 11-22-24

Enlisted in Boston, MA. Assigned to USS Boston on Commissioning Day and was a plank owner

Died: 04-22-2009

Howard (seated left) and some of his pals

11-19-10

I know some people whose lives are smooth and orderly –   much like water gently bubbling along in a small stream.   I say I know some people like this, because I am not one of them.   Okay, so here’s where I stop using the water analogy to describe my life, because we all know that water can end up in some funny places . . .   Let it suffice to say I’ve been busy; involved in a big project with my brother Bill. It has pulled us from putting full energy into this website.

So here I am, a few days before Thanksgiving, thinking about some random things.   First, let me say Happy Thanksgiving to new friends and readers of this website and my book.   Thanks to everyone who has engaged in ongoing emails with me.   Thanks to everyone who has sent me pictures of their beloved Boston crewmembers.

Some folks have asked me questions that I can’t answer.   Here are a few of them:

Radiation Exposure: Mike Leuders wants to know more about radiation exposure that his father in-law (as well as the rest of the crew) experienced in post-Surrender Japan — especially at Hiroshima and Nagasaki and its cancer implications.

Prisoners of War: Lois DeKay (widow of crewmember Jean DeKay) wants to know about a ship’s detail to visit Allied Prisoners of War   during the Philippines Campaign.   He was bothered by the memory of seeing hungry American prisoners.   Does anyone know anything about this?

Oh yeah, thanks to Bill for all his enthusiastic help.   Happy Thanksgiving.

Steve

11/8/2010

As I’m working through the personnel records for the USS Boston in World War II; a unique history appears.  Stepping back from the individual transactions of promotion, transfer onto the boat, or transfer off the boat, disciplinary actions, hospital visits, etc.  A pattern begins to emerge.  The US Navy had a hell of a problem in 1943: how to bring 1500 sailors up to speed on the Boston and every other Ship that was being forged every few weeks.

How the heck do you take a bunch of 18 year old kids, and get them to run something as complex as a cruiser in war?  And do it with experienced man power at an extreme premium?

What emerges from the records as we’ve discussed before is at commissioning on June 30th 1943 there were lots of raw recruits coming from the northeast;  however, many seasoned sailors were sprinkled at each level to create a learning environment, from the start.

In August 1943, around 200 sailors were added to the Boston to swell the number of sailors to 1800.  This would be around 300 more sailors than would be on board March 30th, 1944 at Espiritu Santo.  From august to November sailors came and went but the number stayed at about 1800.  When the Boston departed massachusetts (notice I avoided saying when the Boston left boston :-)) in November 1943, transited at San Francisco in December 1943, and moved on to Pearl harbor, the bulk of training came to an end.

Two distinct processes happened in Hawaii and then in March in Espiritu Santo (the largest island in Vanautu), first in Hawaii as the Boston arrived in Pearl Harbor about 90 sailors were transferred to other cruisers.  This included the USS WICHITA (2 sailors), the USS SANTA FE (1 sailor), the USS SAN FRANCISCO (15 Sailors), the USS PORTLAND (36 sailors), the USS NEW ORLEANS (20 sailors), the USS MOBILE (20 sailors), and the USS MINNEAPOLIS (1 sailor).  These sailors were a mix of BOSTON sailors, many were from commisioning, and some were part of the new august arrivals.

The second process that happened later in hawaii and then on arrival in Espiritu Santos, was a group of mostly experienced sailors were selected and sent back to the US to assist in new boats under construction.  this was a key ingredient in how the Navy was able to use experience as a method of populating new ships.  43 Sailors were sent home to assist new construction, 23 from Hawaii and 20 from Espiritu Santo.

Other ways the Boston ended up with 1384 sailors on March 30th, about 15 sailors were requistioned (stolen?, nabbed?) by the admiral for his entourage; about 16 sailors went AWOL in San Francisco, and we had about 5 Bad Conduct discharges from Norfolk VA to Pearl harbor as discipline entering a war zone increased in severity.  Lots of sailors entered hospitals from Chelsea Ma, to Aeia Heights Hawaii, to the USS RELIEF Hospital and many did not return to the BOSTON, presumably they were assigned to other ships.

Database update: We have 1795 Sailor records, with an additional 604 names only (as I process father into the war these names will be converted to records).  I have processed 274 disciplinary cases, 820 promotions, and about 80 personnel file notes.  So far 38% of the sailors who have records have been promoted (from June 43 to March 44) some several times, and 12% of the sailors have disciplinary actions.  60% of the records have been indexed by Google.

I keep adding to the database when I get the chance. 🙂

Email me with any questions, using the contact link above.

Bill

10-31-10

A year ago, my brother Bill and I launched this website dedicated to the men who served aboard the heavy cruiser USS Boston during the height of the Pacific War.   We knew that the ship’s story encompasses four decades — that she was retrofitted into a guided missile cruiser and found herself once again three and a half decades later in the South China Sea and CamRahn Bay, this time lobbing shells against enemy positions during the Vietnam War.   We knew about the terrific organization USS Boston Shipmates (of which our only affiliation is that we are members) that is dedicated to preserving the legacy of all ships named Boston.   But our dad served aboard CA-69 as she participated in the systematic reduction of enemy defenses that lead directly to the Surrender of Japan.   That’s the Boston that we’re interested in, and that is what this website is all about.

Bill decided to tackle the task of systematically identifying and listing all the men who served aboard her from Commissioning Day until the crew disbanded in February of 1946.   That is a work in progress, and Bill blogs when he can, reporting on his progress. We are planning to add photos to the crew records as we get them from folks out there in cyberspace.

When we launched the site, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do or write about.   I decided to post a monthly summary of the ship’s activities for 1943-45.   The last installment for October finishes the 12 month cycle.   I’m not big on redundancy — so future blogs will take a different path.   For one thing, I’ll try to start posting the photos readers have been sending me.

I reviewed all the postings the other day.   While I take it for granted that most people are used to electronic postings in “from newest to oldest” order, I admit that I found the October postings chronologically challenging.   A new reader would have to scroll to the “last page” to read the “first post” of a year ago.   Starting today, I am adding the “created date” to the title of each blog posting (assuming I remember to do that . . . .)

Thanks for reading, and thanks to everyone who has sent us pictures, documents, memories, observations, questions   . . .     etc.

Steve

Six days after the Canberra was slammed by a “fish” dropped by a Japanese dive-bomber, the Boston and the Crippled Cruisers were met by more fleet tugboats. Two of them each joined in a tandem tow of the cruisers.   Next morning, (Oct 20), Boston received orders to rejoin her task group (38.1), which was steaming towards the central Philippine island of Leyte.   The invasion was unfolding according to schedule.   Task groups 38.1 and 38.4 were ordered to provide support and cover for the invasion.

What unfolded over the next several days was a complex series of naval battles between the Japanese and Americans that stretched over three days and thousands of square miles of ocean in and around Central and Northern Philippines. Between Oct 23 and Oct 26, four separate and very distinct battles developed, with “victory” and “defeat” swinging like a gate for both sides   –   with substantial casualties and losses of ships for both.

Again, this battle is way too complex to adequately discuss here, complete with much drama, blunders and heroics on both sides.   However, when the smoke settled by October 24, the Imperial Japanese Fleet had suffered devastating losses of capital ships — especially aircraft carriers (in the Battle of Cape Engano).   The once mighty IJF, which started the War against America by attacking our fleet at Pearl Harbor less than three years earlier, was decimated and limped back to safe ports in the Dutch Indies and Singapore.   While this was not the last time Task Force 58/38 would encounter the IJF, what was left of her after the Second Battle of the Philippine Sea was almost a non-issue.

Oh, by the way, after a few days of mop-up following the Battle, the Boston and the rest of her task group was ordered back to Ulithi for replenishment on the morning of October 27.   As she steamed east, the crew got news that afternoon that the Cripples had arrived at Ulithi, fourteen days after the first torpedo struck the Canberra.