USS Boston CA-69 in WWII

I will create a later post explaining the actual statistics for 1943 discipline, but in the first TWO months, there were over 91 disciplinary actions taken against invidivual sailors; In the same period there were about 30 promotions.  One unlucky fellow was promoted while he was absent.  So we have 3 times more disciplinary actions than promotions.

The predominate infraction was Absent over Leave or AOL.  The next most frequent issue was Absent With Out Leave or (AWOL).  At least in this period, it looked like the penalties were VERY strict, but consistent.  If you were AOL for less than 24 hours and if you were lucky you’d get a judgement by Captains Mast.  Captain’s mast judgements were recorded in the ship’s log but only personnel related judgements show up the personnel record; for example if you were reduced rank this would also show up in personnel file.  For the most part Captain’s Mast penalties are 5 days on bread and water.

If you were AOL for 12 hours to 2-3 days, you’d get a Deck Court summary judgement.  Usually 10-15 days confinement on bread and water.  If you were over 4 days to 29 days AOL, you’d receive a Summary Court Martial; penalties for Summary Court Martials were generally 30 days solitary confinement with only bread and water (every 3rd day you’d get full rations) and you’d lose 1 to 3 months pay.  If the jail on the Boston was full, you might be transferred to the local Navy Brig to serve out you sentence.

If you were AOL for more than 30 days, you might receive a Bad Conduct Discharge.  This apparently was the worst penalty; since in the 1940’s employers didn’t like to hire ex-servicemen with Bad Conduct Discharges.  Often times, BCD’s were remitted (temporarily forgiven) while the serviceman was placed on probation.  In August there were 2-3 BCD’s which were remitted.  In San Francisco, as the Boston proceeded to the Pacific, 2-3 BCD’s were issued and they weren’t remitted, the sailors were sent home.

One last comment on AOL’s.  This was 1943 and their were no daily flights from Boston to Pittsburgh, every hour.  The mode of transportation was trains and War material had priority over passengers.  If you had a 10 day leave and you lived in Carbondale Pennsylvania like my dad, getting home was a 2-3 day adventure, So the chance of being AOL due to some snowstorm, Rail priority issue, etc. was great and the Navy was unforgiving.

Database update: We have 2,388 sailors in the database and I’ve entered everyone through December 31st 1943.

-Bill

Of the 1,475 enlisted shipmates who were commissioned with the ship  (USS Boston CA-69) on June 30, 1943, I noticed an interesting split between experienced sailors and new raw recruits.  When I split the sailors into two groups, the Seamen 2nd Class and everyone else, an interesting picture emerges: The older sailors are well distributed across the US from where they enlisted, and the new sailors (the Seamen 2nd class) came primarily from the northeast region (New England, NY, and PA).

As the war progressed the older sailors were rotated off to other ships, and the Seamen 2nd class were promoted quickly and took over the running of the Boston.

On commissioning day, 783 sailors had advanced beyond the rank of Seaman 2nd class; and 692 of the sailors were Seaman 2nd class rank.

Of the more advanced sailors, 11% came from california, 9% came from New York, 9% came from Massachusetts, 6% came from Texas, 6% came from Ohio, 5% came from Missouri, 5% came from Pennsylvania, 3% came from each of Illinois, Virginia, Iowa, Louisiana, Hawaii (probably re-enlistments), Michigan and North Carolina.  Thirty other states gave 1 to 18 sailors to provide leadership and stability.

Of the Seaman 2nd class sailors, 23% came from New York State, 20% from Massachusetts, 15% from Pennsylvania,  10% from Rhode Island, and 9% from Maine, 7% from New Hampshire, 6% from Connecticut, and 5% from New Jersey.  Twelve other states gave between 1 and 6 sailors as raw recruits.

As I entered Data, most of the Seamen 2nd class sailors were on Frank Studenski’s crew list which was compiled late in the war, however, many of the more advanced in rank sailors I added which meant they were not still on the boat at the end of the war.

Current number of sailors in the USS boston Database 2,353.

Click crew list to find a sailor, then click on his name to see his record.

Bill

On liberty in late 1944, Pasco “Pat” (de) Fedele.   (Right) Pat at home Aug. 2010

Photos courtesy of Mr and Mrs Pat Fedele

Pat Fedele (second from right) with shipmate pals enjoying rare liberty break

1943: The “Mighty B” is preparing for final departure to the Pacific. The ship steams south along the Eastern Seaboard to the Caribbean in extensive combat-readiness exercises; along with other new warships (the battleship New Jersey, most notably). Boston reaches Trinidad off the north coast of South America. The men have their first taste of “liberty in an exotic place.” The ship returns to Boston by month’s end.

1944: After a month in anchorage, the ships depart Eniwetok and organize into Task Groups for the commencement of Operation King — a complex plan to liberate the large and heavily fortified Philippine Archipelago from the Japanese invaders. The defensive importance of the Philippines to the Empire of Japan cannot be overstated.

In the final hours of August, Task Force 58 was reorganized and renamed TF38. There were personnel shifts up and down the line; most notably the change of Top Commanders. The Navy’s answer to General George Patton, Admiral William Halsey, relieved Admiral Raymond Spruance as overall fleet commander. Eventually, Slew McCain, grandfather of the Senator from Arizona, became his right hand man, commanding the Task Force groups.

September begins for the men aboard the Boston en-route to raid the enemy defensive fortress (Caroline islands) Palau. This was the opening act of nearly six months of endless, relentless combat duty that did not abate until after the assault on Iwo Jima and Boston’s return to the US for radar and mechanical upgrades prior to the scheduled Invasion of Japan.

1945: The War is over! Unfortunately for the crew of the Boston, it was not time to go home. A Task Force of American ships, with Boston in command, was organized to patrol the waters off the eastern Home Islands and demilitarize and de-weaponize the vanquished enemy.

Great news!  I entered the last enlisted sailor who was onboard on commissioning day (June 30th, 1943) and I am making my way through the rest of the Personnel file for the USS Boston (CA-69).  The Personnel file has the Good (promotions), the Bad (disciplinary actions) and the Ugly (injuries via transfers to the hospital).  Please look up your relative in the crew list and click on the name, this should begin to display the sailors war record as I enter data from the Personnel file.

Of note in July 2943, the chiefs of the sections, Chief Warrent Officer, Chief Machinist, etc. etc. who had “acting assignments” were upgraded to permanent assignments.  Also in July a sailor died of a heart attack.  The beginning of many discipline actions started the day after commissioning.  There were at least three types of ‘courts’ that a sailor could be given a punishment for an infraction: Court Martial, Summary Court Martial, and Deck Court.  Deck Court handled the lowest level infractions, disobeying an order, and some of the Absent without leave (AOL), Summary Court Martial handled more serious offences including longer AOL’s and intoxication while on duty.  Court Martials were the most serious and could result in a sailor being transferred from the ship to a Naval Prison.  During this period we had 1 court martial and about 40 summary court martial and deck court findings.

Wow! are the summary court martial and deck court finding strict!!!! a day late from leave could get a sailor 15 days in solitary confinement with just bread and water!

Other interesting happenings for this period in the personnel file is a person was transferred off ship on July 1st, 1943 giving him exactly 1 day of service on the Boston!

I thought about not including the discipline files in order to not offend anyone, but after long consideration I feel it’s part of the history of the people and the ship.  Please view any entries in the disciplinary record as the navy’s attempt to keep order; Imagine if we were locked up in solitary confinement for a month every time we failed to show up at our job!

Early August was a promotion time!  Many of the Sailor Second Class were upgraded to either Sailor First Class or Fireman third class.  One Sailor was even promoted while we was AOL!

I’ll try to follow up in the next week with some thoughts on the roughly 1500 sailors who were on board for commissioning.

Partially through august 6th personnel files, I have 2,434 sailors who were on the Boston, 140 promotions, 39 summary court martials and deck court findings, and 40 notes in individual sailor files.

Happy reading the individual sailor records!

Bill