US Naval Warships - Maricopa Historical Society

21 MAY-15 SEPTEMBER 2011
ARMED FORCES
VETERAN EXHIBIT
MARICOPA POST 133
At
MARICOPA PUBLIC LIBRARY
41600 W. Smith-Enke Rd.
Maricopa, AZ 85138
TRACY P. MacPHERSON
EXHIBIT X
MODEL NAVY WAR SHIPS
PRESENTED BY
THE MARICOPA AMERICAN LEGION POST 133
AND
MARICOPA VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS POST 12043
SPONSORED BY THE MARICOPA HISTORICAL SOCIETY
CONTACT: Robert Weinheimer:
AL Post 133 & VFW Post 12043 Historian
602-363-6281
HARRY DIEFFENBACH MODEL NAVAL SHIP BUILDER SEAMAN 2/CLASS HARRY N. DIEFFENBACH WITH HIS SISTER DORIS
U.S. NAVY SERVICE RECORD -- JANUARY 23, 1943 - APRIL 22, 1946
JANUARY 23, 1943 SEAMAN 2/C: BOOT CAMP NTS SAMPSON, N.Y.
NTS SAMPSON WAS A SPRAWLING RECRUIT TRAINING CENTER LOCATED ON THE EASTERN SHORE
OF LAKE SENECA IN NEW YORK STATE’S FINGER LAKES REGION. CONSTRUCTION HAD BEGUN IN
LATE MAY 1942 AND COMPLETED ONLY 270 DAYS LATER.
DATES: 3/43 – 8/43 AERM3/C: AEROGRAPHER PRIMARY TRAINING, LAKEHURST, N.J.
DATES: 9/43 – 10/44 AERM 2/C: NAVAL AIR STATION, SQUANTUM, MASS, UNIT: HEDRON 14-1 FAW 14.
DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR NAS SQUANTUM SERVED AS A MARITIME PATROL AND TRAINING
BASE. REGULAR NAVY SQUADRONS VJ-4 AND VS-1D1/VS-31 FLEW ANTI-SUBMARINE PATROLS OVER
MASSACHUSETTS BAY AND THE GULF OF MAINE USING GRUMMAN DUCKS, CONSOLIDATED PBY
CATALINAS, VOUGHT-SIKORSKI KINGFISHERS, DOUGLAS DAUNTLESS', AND CURTISS HELLDIVERS.
IN ADDITION, THE BASE PROVIDED ELIMINATION AND PRIMARY FLIGHT INSTRUCTION FOR NAVAL
AVIATION CADETS AS WELL AS ADVANCED TRAINING TO ROYAL NAVY TORPEDO AND DIVE-BOMBER
SQUADRONS AND U.S. NAVY FIGHTER, TORPEDO, AND DIVE-BOMBER SQUADRONS.
AFTER THE WAR ENDED, NAS SQUANTUM BECAME AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF THE NEW NAVAL
AIR RESERVE TRAINING COMMAND. THE BASE SERVED AS THE FOCUS OF NAVY AND MARINE
CORPS RESERVE AVIATION TRAINING ACTIVITY IN NEW ENGLAND UNTIL DECEMBER 1953 WHEN THE
RESERVE PROGRAM WAS MOVED TO NEARBY NAS SOUTH WEYMOUTH AND SQUANTUM WAS
CLOSED.
DATES: 11/44 – 3/45 AERM 2/C:
UNIT: ACORN 57, PORT HUENEME, CA.
DURING WWII, PORT
HUENEME WAS A SMALL, BUT BUSY, NAVAL BASE. IT WAS ALSO HOME TO THE NAVY’S PACIFIC
CONSTRUCTION BATTALIONS (SEABEES) AND ACORN UNITS. THE ACORN WAS AN ADVANCED BASE
UNIT CONSISTING OF A COMBAT AIRCRAFT SERVICE UNIT AND AN ATTACHMENT OF SEABEES.
THEIR RESPONSIBILITY WAS THE ADMINISTRATION, OPERATIONS, AND MAINTENANCE OF U.S.
EXISTING AIRFIELDS OR RECAPTURED JAPANESE AIRFIELDS SUCH AS CLARK FIELD IN THE
PHILIPPINES.
DATES: 4/45 – 3/46 AERM 2/C: NAVAL AIR BASE, WAKE ISLAND, BASE PERSONNEL
DATES: 4/22/46 AERM 2/C: PSC LIDO BEACH, L.I. N.Y.
APRIL 22, 1946: HONORABLE DISCHARGE.
U.S.S. WASP (CV-7)
THE WASP (CV-7) WAS LAID DOWN ON 1 APRIL 1936 AT QUINCY, MASS BY THE BETHLEHEM
SHIPBUILDING CO.; LAUNCHED ON 4 APRIL 1939 AND COMMISSIONED ON 25 APRIL 1940 IN SOUTH
BOSTON, MASS. SHE WAS THE EIGHTH NAVAL VESSEL TO BEAR THAT NAME. DURING THE SUMMER
OF 1941 SHE WAS ASSIGNED TO FERRYING 30 CURTISS P-40 FIGHTERS FROM THE AAF 33D PURSUIT
SQUADRON TO ICELAND. AT THAT TIME WITH AMERICAN PARTICIPATION IN THE BATTLE OF THE
ATLANTIC ONLY A MATTER OF TIME THE UNITED STATES MADE PLANS TO OCCUPY ICELAND TO
PROTECT AMERICAN SECURITY AND FREE BRITISH FORCES NEEDED ELSEWHERE. THE P-40'S WERE
TO PROVIDE DEFENSIVE FIGHTER COVER FOR THE AMERICAN LANDINGS.
A MULTIPLICITY OF
MINOR ENCOUNTERS WITH NAZIS FORCES IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC WERE MOVING CLOSE TO THE
REAL THING. IN APRIL OF 1942 WASP WAS ASSIGNED THE TASK OF FERRYING 47 "SPITFIRE" MK. V
FIGHTERS TO THE ISLAND OF MALTA IN THE MEDITERRANEAN. THE SPITFIRES WERE LOADED IN
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND ON APRIL 13 AND LAUNCHED FOR THE SHORT FLIGHT TO MALTA ON APRIL
20. IN EARLY MAY OF THAT YEAR A SECOND CONTINGENT OF SPITFIRE V'S WERE ENROUTE ON THE
WASP TO HELP IN THE DEFENSE OF MALTA.
THE WASP RETURNED TO THE U.S. IN EARLY MAY FOR ALTERATIONS AND REPAIRS AND ALSO TO
FILL OUT HER COMPLIMENT OF AIRCRAFT.
SHE DEPARTED NORFOLK, VA ON 6 JUNE AND
TRANSITED THE PANAMA CANAL ON 10 JUNE AT WHICH TIME SHE AND HER CONSORTS BECAME TF
18. THE WASP - TOGETHER WITH THE CARRIERS SARATOGA AND ENTERPRISE WAS ASSIGNED TO
THE SUPPORT FORCE UNDER VICE ADMIRAL FLETCHER. THE CARRIERS WERE TO PROVIDE AIR
SUPPORT FOR THE INVASION OF GUADALCANAL - D-DAY 7 AUGUST. LATE ON 8 AUGUST THE 3
CARRIERS RETIRED AND SPENT THE NEXT MONTH ON PATROL AND COVERING OPERATIONS FOR
CONVOYS AND SUPPLY UNITS HEADED FOR GUADALCANAL. ON TUESDAY, 15 SEPTEMBER WHILE
PREPARING TO LAUNCH F4F FIGHTERS, AT 1444, A LOOKOUT CALLED OUT THREE TORPEDOES
......THREE POINTS FORWARD OF THE STARBOARD BOW.
FOUR TORPEDOES FIRED FROM THE
JAPANESE SUBMARINE I-19 CHURNED CLOSER. TWO SMASHED HOME IN THE VICINITY OF GASOLINE
TANKS AND MAGAZINES. "ABANDON SHIP" WAS ORDERED AT 1520 AND TOOK NEARLY 40 MINUTES.
THE DESTROYER LANSDOWNE DREW THE DUTY OF DESTRUCTION AND FIRED 5 TORPEDOES. THE
WASP SUNK AT 2100 BY THE BOW. SHE RECEIVED TWO BATTLE STARS FOR HER WORLD WAR II
SERVICE.
THE MODEL WAS SCRATCH BUILT UTILIZING PLANS AND PHOTOS FROM THE NAVAL HISTORICAL
CENTER. THE MODEL IS BUILT TO A SCALE OF 1/144 OR .083" = 1 FOOT. HULL CONSTRUCTION IS
TYPICAL PLANK ON FRAME AND THEN COVERED WITH FIBERGLASS AND EPOXY RESIN. THE MODEL
IS FULLY OPERATIONAL WITH A 2 CHANNEL RADIO CONTROL SYSTEM PROVIDING FORWARD AND
REVERSE PLUS RIGHT AND LEFT RUDDER. SHE IS DRIVEN BY TWIN SCREWS COUPLED TO SMALL
DC MOTORS AND POWERED BY 6 VOLT SEALED LEAD ACID BATTERIES.
THE MODEL AIRCRAFT ON THE DECK WERE TYPICAL OF THOSE EMPLOYED DURING THE PERIOD
NOTED. THE MODELS ARE PLASTIC KITS OF 1/144 SCALE.
SHIPS COMPLIMENT OF AIRCRAFT:
FIGHTERS:
GRUMMAN F4F "WILDCATS
DIVE BOMBERS:
DOUGLAS SBD "DAUNTLESS"
CURTIS SB2C "HELLDIVERS"
TORPEDO BOMBERS:
GRUMMAN OR GENERAL MOTORS TBF/TBM "AVENGER"
OTHER AIRCRAFT DISPLAYED ON THE DECK THAT WERE NOT PART OF THE CARRIER'S COMPLIMENT
BUT WERE IN ACTION DURING THE TIME PERIOD:
FIGHTERS
VOUGHT F4U "CORSAIR"
SUPERMARINE "SPITFIRE"
LOCKHEED P38 "LIGHTNING"
NORTH AMERICAN B25 "MITCHELL" BOMBER - SEE WWW.DOOLITTLERAIDER.COM
(AIRCRAFT IN FIRST STRIKE AGAINST JAPAN OFF THE CARRIER "HORNET" CV- 8)
THE U.S.S. WATER WITCH
THE USS WATER WITCH, A WOODEN-HULLED SIDE-WHEEL GUNBOAT, WAS USED BY THE UNION
NAVY DURING THE CIVIL WAR TO BLOCKADE THE GEORGIA COAST. IN JUNE 1864 THE SHIP WAS
CAPTURED BY CONFEDERATE RAIDERS, WHO BURNED IT SIX MONTHS LATER TO PREVENT ITS
RECAPTURE BY UNION GENERAL WILLIAM T. SHERMAN'S TROOPS.
THE "WATER WITCH" - A WOODEN HULLED, SIDEWHEELED GUNBOAT, WAS LAUNCHED BY THE
WASHINGTON NAVY YARD IN 1851 AND WAS COMMISSIONED DURING THE WINTER OF 1852/1853, LT.
THOMAS JEFFERSON PAGE IN COMMAND. IN FEBRUARY 1853 SHE SET SAIL FROM NORFOLK, VA
FOR AN EXTENDED EXPLORATION AND SURVEY VOYAGE ALONG THE ATLANTIC COAST OF THE
SOUTHERN PORTION OF SOUTH AMERICA AND OF THE RIVERS WHICH DRAIN THAT PORTION OF THE
CONTINENT. SHE WAS ACTIVE DOING SURVEY MISSIONS IN THAT PART OF THE WORLD ON AND OFF
UNTIL NOVEMBER OF 1860 WHEN SHE WAS DECOMMISSIONED.
SHE RETURNED TO ACTIVE DUTY ON 10 APRIL 1861, TWO DAYS BEFORE THE BOMBARDMENT OF
FORT SUMTER OPENING THE HOSTILITIES OF THE CIVIL WAR. SHE WAS AN ELEMENT OF GULF
BLOCKADING SQUADRON OFF PENSACOLA, FL, PROVIDING DISPATCH SERVICE AND SHUTTLING
MAIL BETWEEN THE BLOCKADERS, HAVANA, CUBA AND THE BASE AT KEY WEST, FL.
ON MARCH 5, 1862 SHE PURSUED AND CAPTURED THE CONFEDERATE SCHOONER, "WILLIAM
MALLORY", A BLOCKADE RUNNER.
SHE WAS EVENTUALLY TRANSFERRED TO THE SOUTH
ATLANTIC BLOCKADING SQUADRON WELL INTO 1864 WHEN ON JUNE 3 SHE WAS ATTACKED BY A
CONFEDERATE BOAT FORCE COMMANDED BY FIRST LT. THOMAS PELOT, CSN, WHICH SUCCEEDED
IN BOARDING AND CAPTURING "WATER WITCH" IN OSSABAW SOUND, GA.
UNDER THE COMMAND OF LT. W.W. GAMES, CSN, SHE SAW SERVICE FOR THE SOUTH AS "WATER
WITCH", UNTIL DEC. 19, 1864 WHEN SHE WAS BURNED TO PREVENT CAPTURE.
THE MODEL IS BUILT TO A SCALE OF 1/4" = 1 FOOT AND IS A LITTLE OVER 46" LONG INCLUDING THE
BOWSPRIT.
THE HULL IS TYPICAL PLANK ON FRAME AND THE MATERIALS USED WERE ANYTHING
THAT WORKED. THE MODEL IS SCRATCH BUILT FROM MUSEUM PLANS AND IS RADIO CONTROLLED
USING A TWO CHANNEL SYSTEM FOR SPEED AND RUDDER CONTROL. SHE IS TOP HEAVY AND CAN
ONLY BE SAILED IN A DEAD CALM DUE TO TOP HEAVINESS.
SUBMARINE CHASER
Submarine chaser
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
USS PC-815, a US subchaser that served in World War II
A SUBMARINE CHASER IS A SMALL AND FAST NAVAL VESSEL SPECIALLY INTENDED FOR ANTISUBMARINE WARFARE. ALTHOUGH SIMILAR VESSELS WERE DESIGNED AND USED BY MANY
NATIONS, THIS DESIGNATION WAS MOST FAMOUSLY USED BY SHIPS BUILT BY THE UNITED STATES
OF AMERICA (US). MANY OF THE US WORLD WAR I SUB-CHASERS FOUND THEIR WAY TO FRIENDLY
POWERS BY WAY OF LEND-LEASE IN WORLD WAR II.
U.S. SUBMARINE CHASERS
UNITED STATES SUBMARINE CHASERS WERE DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY TO DESTROY GERMAN
SUBMARINES IN WORLD WAR I, AND JAPANESE AND GERMAN SUBMARINES IN WORLD WAR II. THE
SMALL 110-FOOT (34 M) PATROL CRAFT OF THE DESIGN FIRST USED IN WORLD WAR I CARRIED THE
HULL DESIGNATOR SC (FOR SUBMARINE, CHASER). THEIR MAIN WEAPON WAS THE DEPTH CHARGE.
THEY ALSO CARRIED MACHINE GUNS AND ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUNS. LARGER 173-FOOT (53 M) SUB
CHASERS USED THE PC HULL CLASSIFICATION SYMBOL (FOR PATROL, COASTAL).
IN EARLY 1915 THE BRITISH ADMIRALTY SELECTED THE US ELCO COMPANY FOR THE PRODUCTION
OF 50 MOTOR LAUNCHES FOR ANTI-SUBMARINE WORK, BRITISH INDUSTRY BEING AT MAXIMUM
CAPACITY. THIS ORDER WAS THEN INCREASED BY A FURTHER 500. THE WHOLE ORDER WAS
COMPLETED BY NOVEMBER 1916 AND ENTERED ROYAL NAVY SERVICE. THE VESSELS WERE
80 FEET (24 M) IN LENGTH AND CAPABLE OF 20 KNOTS (37 KM/H). THEY WERE ARMED IN USE WITH A
3-POUNDER GUN, TOWED PARAVANES AND LATER DEPTH CHARGES.
WAR SERVICE
THE BRITISH SUB CHASERS WERE OPERATED AROUND THE COAST IN DEFENCE. HOWEVER THEY
WERE UNCOMFORTABLE, WET, AND NOT SUITED TO BRITISH SEA CONDITIONS. ALTHOUGH USED
DURING THE FIRST WORLD WAR THEY WERE SOLD OFF WHEN THE WAR ENDED.
SUBMARINE CHASERS WERE USED MOSTLY BY THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD IN WORLD WAR
II FOR DESTROYING GERMAN U-BOATS THAT WERE STATIONED OFF THE COAST OF THE UNITED
STATES, TRYING TO SINK MERCHANT CONVOYS AS THE CONVOYS DEPARTED AMERICAN PORTS. BY
THE END OF WORLD WAR II, SUBMARINE CHASERS HAD SUNK AROUND 67 GERMAN U-BOATS. IN THE
PACIFIC THEATRE, SUBMARINE CHASERS WERE USED FOR AMPHIBIOUS LANDINGS, COURIER AND
ESCORT DUTY.
A SMALL NUMBER OF BRITISH FAIRMILE B MOTOR LAUNCHES WERE TRANSFERRED FROM CANADA
AND INCLUDED AS THE SC-1466 CLASS OF SUB-CHASERS.
USS PANEY
USS PANAY
ON DECEMBER 12, 1937, THE USS PANAY WAS SUNK IN THE
YANGTZE RIVER APPROXIMATELY 25 MILES DOWNRIVER FROM
NANKING, CHINA. SHE,WHILE ATTEMPTING TO EVACUATE CIVILIANS
AND ESCORT MERCHANT VESSELS FROM NANKING, WAS BOMBED
BY JAPANESE BOMBERS AND FIGHTERS IN A SURPRISE ATTACK
THAT ALMOST PRECIPITATED WW II. THE YANGTZE PATROL WAS
MADE UP OF EIGHT SHALLOW DRAFT VESSELS OF VARIOUS
DESIGNS.
SIX HAD BEEN BUILT IN ASIAN SHJIPYARDS
SPECIFICALLY FOR THE YANGTZE PATROL.
THE PANAY WAS DESIGNED AND BUILT IN SHANGHAI, CHINA IN
1927 WITH AN APPROX. LENGTH OF 192 FEET, MAXIMUM BEAM OF 28
& 1/2 FEET AND A 5 & 1/2 FOOT DRAFT STEM TO STERN. THE
ABSOLUTELY FLAT BOTTOMED HULL WAS MANDATORY FOR
NEGOTIATING THE SHALLOWS AND FOR EASE IN ESCAPING
SANDBARS OR MUD FLATS. ARMAMENT CONSISTED OF TWO 3 INCH
GUNS, ONE MOUNTED FORWARD AND THE OTHER MOUNTED AFT.
EIGHT .30 CALIBER MACHINE GUNS MOUNTED ON THE BOAT DECK
COMPLETED THE WEAPONS PICTURE EXCEPT FOR SMALL ARMS.
THE PANAY INCIDENT, AUTHORED BY HAMILTON DARBY PERRY
AND PUBLISHED BY THE MACMILLAN COMPANY IN 1969, DETAILS
THE PANAY STORY FROM BEGINNING TO END AND IS FASCINATING
READING. IF GUNBOATS INTRIGUE YOU THIS BOOK IS A MUST.
THE MODEL IS BUILT TO A SCALE OF 1/4"=1 FOOT WITH AN
OVERALL LENGTH OF 48". HULL CONSTRUCTION IS CATEGORIZED
AS BREAD AND BUTTER WHICH IN TURN IS DEMONSTRATED BY
BUILDING THE HULL IN LAYERS RATHER THAN PLANKING ON
FRAMES. SUPERSTRUCTURE IS A SERIES OF BOXES CONSTRUCTED
OF A VARIETY OF MATERIALS. SHE IS POWERED BY 2 DC MOTORS
IN TURN EMPOWERED BY A 6 VOLT WET CELL. CONTROL IS BY
RADIO AND PROVIDES STEERING AND FORWAARD AND REVERSE
SPEED CONTROL.
USCG CUTTER SEBAGO
U.S. COAST GUARD CUTTER "SEBAGO"
TEN 250' LAKE-CLASS CRUISING CUTTERS WERE BUILT FOR THE U.S.
COAST GUARD BETWEEN 1928 AND 1932. IN 1941 ALL TEN CUTTERS
WERE TRANSFERRED TO BRITAIN BY PRESIDENT ROOSVELT AND
CLASSIFIED AS ESCORT SLOOPS.
TWO OF THE CLASS: THE
HARTLAND AND WALNEY (EX PONCHARTRAIN AND SEBAGO) WERE
SUNK IN AN ATTACK ON THE HEAVILY FORTIFIED VICHY FRENCH
HARBOR OF ORAN IN NORTH AFRICA.
THE TWO LIGHTLYARMED/ARMORED SHIPS CARRIED 400 AMERICAN ASSAULT TROOPS;
BLUEJACKETS, MARINES AND A BRITISH COMMANDO UNIT WHO
WERE ALL MASSACRED IN THE ATTEMPTED ASSAULT.
AS MANY MEN WERE KILLED IN THIS OPERATION AS ON MANY
OTHER FRONTS DURING THE TAKING OF NORTH AFRICA. THE
WORLD WAR II EXPLOITS OF THESE VESSELS OPERATED BY THE
BRITISH IS WELL DOCUMENTED IN A BOOK TITLED "THE HAND-MEDOWN-SHIPS" BY KEN REED.
THE MODEL WAS SCRATCH BUILT FROM PLANS AND
PHOTOGRAPHS PURCHASED FROM THE COAST GUARD MUSEUM IN
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON AND THE HISTORIANS OFFICE IN
WASHINGTON, D.C. THE PLANS PURCHASED WERE 1/4"=1 FT. (1/48
SCALE) WHICH I CONVERTED TO 3/16"=1 FT. (1/64 SCALE) TO FIT IN
WITH MY OTHER COAST GUARD MODELS. THE COAST GUARD
MUSEUM ALSO PROVIDED GREAT PLANS AND PHOTOS FOR THE 5",
3" AND 6 POUNDER WEAPONS.THE MODEL IS JUST LESS THAN 47" IN
LENGTH WITH A BEAM OF ABOUT 8". THE MODEL IS POWERED BY A
6 VOLT SEALED LEAD ACID CELL. A DC MOTOR COUPLED TO A 4
BLADED BRASS PROPELLOR, THRU A SPEED CONTROLLER,
PROVIDES FORWARD AND REVERSE FUNCTIONS. DIRECTION
CONTROL IS THRU A SMALL SERVO COUPLED TO THE RUDDER VIA A
LINKAGE. THE 2 CHANNEL RADIO CONTROL SYSTEM IS THE FINAL
ELEMENT.