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: e P COPY FROM ORIGINAL
5% 2 se Fa
January 19, 'ie
Dear Skipper,
it was a great relief, to put it mildly, tb hear
from Mother last week that you were 0.x. Naturally, I
am completely in the dark as to where you are but I had
an idea things must be pretty hot,
I was on board for the fireworks, the 7th, and I
wouldn't have missed it for the world.
G.. Sounded at about 0755 just as I wes contemplating
getting out of my bunk. It didn't take but a Tew seconds
to realize that this was the real thing for we took fish #1
on board to port as I was scrambling down the ladder to
central station which of course, was my battle station as
Asst. Navigator. Almost instantly water started pouring
through the coaming I had just passed throush and was enterinc
central in avout &@ two inch stream throuch the Only open
waterti-ht door to that campertment, Nevertheless the door
couldn't be closed since personnel were manning thetr stations
in central and hed no other access. I must have really
made tmacks on the way down for I was the first one in the
place. In the absence of the Bos'n mate T managed to pass
the word over the speaker System to "close all water tisht
decors" (which, unfortunately had been opened just a few
minutes before in accordance with port routine), followed
this after some hesitation with "set condition Zed". Much
to my relief the D.C.0O. entered and took over s?veral
moments later. Along about this time, fish number 2 hit
us to port and in the proximity of central, for the water
really started pouting over the coaming. This made it
necesaary to close the door in the face of several wen who
were evacuata?ng radio c?enteal which had apparently been
bilged along with God only knows how Weany other compartments
to port. Suffice it to say that we wee rapidly taking
& heavy list to port. At this point fish #3 hit us amidships
aud almost &umediately, ali lights dimmed aud went out and
all battle cirekits went out with the exception of our One ee
sound-powered job to the repair parties. By the grace of God
this circuit enabled us to counterflood, at first conservatively,
then as the ship heeled over violently putting the inclinometer
two inches off the scale, we counterfloodedtall avalilable'., -
With great :elief we noticed that tiles action had taken effect
and the needle was moving slowing back on the seale. At this
point there was a lull in the attack which must have lasted _
about fifteen minutes. At any rate we had tine to look around
in the dark with our one flashlight and take stock on how
central was doing. Central was filled with men who had escaped
from damaged compartments, Many of them were covered from
head to foot with fuel oil and were continually slipping
on the deck down to the low side of the conpartment which
by this time was well flooded with water and fuel oil. The
water waw bad enough in hampering operations, but the fuel
Oil made it impossible to' stand on the tilted deck. Water was
flooding thru ventilators, buckled seams, and the bottom of
one of the weter tight doors. It wis extremely difficult to
Jadder,
ented ET Sie vi ~
dog tiis one down as the two bottom dogs were inverted before
the door was closed, also three men trapped on tl other side
were exerting alsost sup: Prhuman strength in trying to get
in. Believe me it wasn't pleasant to have to keep tiis door
closed under theme circumstances. Fortunately, the trunk on
the opposite side filled rapidly. 3
Since there were at least forty men by this time in
central, we decided to start sending trem up the escape tube
leading to the conning tower. This operation was like pulling
teath, for it took several minutes per man to clinb the ladder
and many were in a weakened condition from the effects of tre
oil and fumes from the exploded charges. Also water was rising
$n central with increasing rapidity. By the time the D.C.0Q. ,
and I left, the compartment was flooded to shoulder level ana ps ea
filling rapidly. When we were avout half way up the oll soaked...
adder, Vie Delano holisred down from the top of the tube and
old tre ist looey that he was in commend of the strip. This-
was the first time we knew haw things were fairing topsides.
The first thing IT saw upoh leaving the connins tower was the
skipper lying on the starboard side of the bridge. He was
still alive at this time and had already given the order
abandon Ship. fhe ship was burning at tre base of the forem..st
and on the quarterdeck. Also oil in the water astern of th?.
ship was blazing twenty or thirty feet high and blowing
down on our 'dee starboard quarter from the Arizona which
was burning fiercely. The 0.CO. went me aft to fight the
fire aft and sent Vie forward. This was 110 mean pizs?@on since
there was absolutely no pressu 6 on the fire main and hoses
had to be rigged to the ship aloaside. All of t is was done
between intermittent strafing attacks, light bombs and heavy
1000 1b. bombs. We would run under the overhang of Tur. IV
during strafings and then run out an? fight the fire. With
dead and wougded lying all around the few of us who had not
yet abandoned ship f.1t mighty lucky, espedially those of
ng on the quarterdeck who witnessed a 1000 lb. bomb penetrate -
Turret Ill without exploding. Immediately after tris occurence
we pulled the only three men in the turret out. All three were
_.-badly burned from-fiening avietion-geseline. from the catapult -----.
above, one was visivly dead and one had lost his arm. By t: is
time sights like these were commonplace and I was surprised
at how little it affected me.
In the face of the likelyhood that the forward magazines
wohd zo off at any minute, the D.CO ordered all remaining
personnel to abandon ship. J.T, Hine and I were picked up
in the water close to tre gearterdeck by a Solace moterlaunch.
This must have been about 1400, thot we had no conception of
time. Jack and I spent the rest of the afternoon oruising up
and down the line of ships pickings, up survivors and teking
them to the Officer's Olub landing. We were both barefooted
and covered Brom head to foot with oil and salt water in our
white service, but otherwise we were absolutely O.K.
Aside from the fact that I might heave had some leave ad
have been able to see you and Mother this winter I am dvlizhted
to be here. I have a very good job now and aside from the
fact that I'd rather be at sea I am very much satisfaed with
the way things are guing. I ama little shy of uniforms and
equipment present but the governuent is going to reinburse
us fr ost of ovr ceawe. Lf sklvage* my class ping and the
re remains of my sword, which will be quite a keepsake.
I hope Mother won't be too worried about us. I am goige
to try to write to her several times a week. That may help.
Patty has writted me several letters since tle war, and it
never ceases to surprise me the way she is growing up.
I visited the Boynton's about a week ago and was treated to
my first drink of Oke. You can't get the real Oke out here
anymore, you know. In fact, you can't get anything now, except
"white zombies" (plain milk).
Six more years out here end I'll be a kamaaina, but I
certainly hope I can atk the mainland now and then,
Love and Good Luck,
Archie
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