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| SKYHOOK'S PC 1132 NEWSLETTER APRIL 14, 2004 USS PC 1132-----The Gray Ghost Greetings to all shipmates, families, and friends: Sixty years ago, during the week of April 14, 1944, PC 1132 was underway between Saidor, British New Guinea,; Talosea, New Britain (4/10) and Manus Island, Admiralties (4/16) escorting other vessels and supporting grounds troups. If the lengthy list of addresses (sometimes designated as undisclosed) is also exasperating, please remember that is has a purpose. It is a means of updated e-mail address changes which occur almost every issue. For example, Barbara/Julie Hopkins has changed to [email protected]. Also, erroneous changed addresses are dropped. (If you change your e-mail address, let us know.) The "Addendum" to the "History of the USS PC 1132" has begun. In addition to the regular continuing newsletters, it will contain as many photographs from the ship and later photos from individuals, as we can scan. We would remind again that this history is not only about the ship but of the individual lives of those that sailed on her. There are many such stories not yet told. What are needed are vignettes of the shipmates lives that they feel comfortable in telling. In earlier disclosures, we told about mishaps such as the time the steam generator burned up and the time that the Badger Kleinschmidt Evaporator permanently malfunctioned. Joe Mathis told of the time the ship dragged anchor and we narrowly averted disaster. I recently ran across an entry in the records about the time we damaged our sound dome on a coral reef Janurary 6, 1944 at Cape Crelin area of New Guinea. It was inspected under water on February 15 and we were ordered to Cairns, Australia for dry-docking and repair on February 29 (Leap Year). I had forgotten why we went back to Cairns for the second time in three months. That trip back to Cairns was also the time of the big "smokescreen" when our diesel injectors eroded because of water in fuel. Later, we hung our yardarms on another ship's yardarm and that was probably the reason the radar needed fixing when we went back to Brisbane, as related in Bill Gillie's "Squall Aboard". These all seemed mundane operating procedures at the time, but I am sure they gave Captain Quint a few gray hairs. I am also sure that most other PCs had their moments. I hadn't heard from the Grigsbys in some time and the last word weeks ago was that Frances Grigsby had suffered a stroke, although recovering. I decided to call and check on her. She is still recovering but is limited in her activities. Son Mac, who lives nearby, is staying with her and looking after things as well as playing farmer and rancher. Also, called Grady and Myrtice Weathers who at last report were not doing so well. With spring coming on, they are feeling better and are planting a garden, as are we. The last time Stuard Tidwell checked in, his wife, Jane, was ailing, so I called him last week. He reported that she was very ill and under the care of a hospice. She passed away on Easter afternoon. We send our sympathies to the family. I also rang up Joel Laws. Last year in July, Joel had a heart operation which went okay but he apparently had adverse reaction to physical therapy, which is better now. In addition, he has diabetes which has damaged his eyesight. He can't drive, but luckily has a daughter who gets him around and otherwise helps. Joel was happy that old shipmate Charles Moore had turned up in their native Missouri. After nearly a year, Sterling Shipley and wife Dorothy have reappeared at their new condo. They have a new e-mail address: [email protected]. Sterling has joined the 80's club. He signed off with "Up on the starboard, down on the port". Please forward to all interested parties. Anchors Aweigh Ed Sidebottom. |
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