On the road

On the road

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Profiles #10 trip HFDFW


 

Joe joined the United States Merchant Marine on March 5, 1945 at the age of 18. He said that his friends talked him into joining so hopefully they could serve together. As usually happens, things don’t always go as planned.

After training, Joe was assigned the duty as a Deck Hand, 1st Class, on a T2 type oil tanker.

During World War II, oil tankers traveled the world’s oceans delivering fuel to far-flung bases and outposts on every continent. Some oil tankers were used to fuel ships while in motion. This was very hazardous duty with the lines strung between the two ships sometimes snapping during heavy seas.

Joe’s ship was anchored in the harbor at Okinawa when the surrender documents, ending World War II were signed in Tokyo Bay.

The war was over, but in October 1945, 1000 ships, including Joe’s, were sent out of anchorage to ride out a typhoon that was approaching Okinawa. At the end of the massive storm, almost 100 ships were sunk and many more hundreds damaged. Many of these ship and amphibious landing craft were to have been used in the invasion of Japan (Operation Olympic) if the Japanese had not surrendered earlier.

Joe says that he felt that he was lucky; his ship was never hit by Japanese kamikazes while sailing near Okinawa during the war.

He was discharged in March, 1947.

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