Combat Loaded: Across the Pacific on the USS Tate

Appendix B. Josephine Goes to Sea on the USS Tate

APPENDIX B Josephine Goes to Sea on the USS Tate My story is really not important; in fact, I’m not at all important myself, but I’m well acquainted with lots of people who are, and I’d like to tell you about these people, all men with whom I have been associated, sometimes intimately. I was born in the Philippine Islands. I won’t tell you when. I’m sure some would think me very young, while some would think me ancient. After all, being female, I reserve the right to conceal my age. The Japanese killed many of my friends. They cared for none of them— neither male nor female. My memories of the Japanese are not pleasant, but for some reason Providence spared me, and I managed to escape them. Then one day it happened; for months there was great speculation about the return of the Americans, our liberators. They came, they fought, and they conquered our arrogant tormentors. We were free again. That is when my life really began. I was rescued by the brave men of the 77th Division of the U.S. Tenth Army. All of my memories of these men are wonderful ones, for they protected me from all kinds of evil. They showered their affection upon me. I was their inspiration , so to speak. I adored them, and they named me Josephine. When the Tenth Army was scheduled for a new task, farther up on the road to Tokyo, I begged them to take me along. I pleaded with them and even rolled my big brown eyes demurely, so how could they refuse? Then came the day to board the ship that was to take us to Okinawa, Ie Shima, and Kerama Retto. In March 1945 we boarded the USS Tate (AKA-70), commanded by Lt. Cdr. R. E. Lyon, a veteran of the sea. The Tate was and still is a beautiful ship. This was my first voyage, so I was very excited, and the sailors—God bless them—were all clamoring for my attention and affection. I became their offduty entertainer. The trip from the Philippines to the Ryukyus was a long one, and during that time I became very attached to Chief Electrician C. E. De Baun from Texas. He pampered me as though I were his one and only. So, when the 77th Division debarked at Ie Shima, I was allowed to decide whether JOSEPHINE GOES TO SEA 183 to stay on board Tate or go with the army. This was a delicate decision; I hardly knew which way to turn. Finally, the soldier to whom I owe my life when he rescued me near Leyte told Chief De Baun that it would be pretty tough on a girl of my type to go along on an initial invasion of enemy territory. He gave Chief De Baun full permission, with my consent, to care for me and take me home with him to the United States of America. So I remained on board Tate. Things happened in the Ryukyus. Our sister ships were maimed by the Japanese suicide planes, the kamikaze. We had some close calls ourselves. Some of our landing craft division were in on the beach several hours prior to “H” hour. Things that can’t be helped, or things that weren’t planned, always happened during the most efficiently designed operations; this was no exception. Night after night we were at general quarters (the navy’s term for “man your battle stations”). One of our electrician’s mates 2nd class, A. F. Herndon from Indiana, rigged up a speaker in the engine room so the watch-weary engineers could have music to break the terrible monotony of the fatiguing watches during these operations. I was probably the most frightened one of all until I got used to the excitement, which then actually became routine until we left that area. Many of the brave men who left Tate on those operations fell during battle. They spilled their blood on enemy ground to save their loved ones at home and the millions of freedom-loving people throughout the world. Ernie Pyle gave his life there with the men he loved and about whom he wrote. General Buckner, the gallant, intelligent leader of the Tenth Army also lost his life there; he was loved by the navy and the marines, as well as by his own men. We left that area in the latter part of...