(music is "sentimental Journey")
CVE-21 Crew Memories
The crew members of the CVE 21 Task Force have memories like all service personnel do about their terms of service. These memories are usually of two classifications, that being the good and the bad.
On the ships of this Task Force the good memories was being their visits to Belfast Ireland, Panama, Cuba and to Casablanca, NA as well as all of the ports they visited in the United States.
The good memories of the military actions were tempered by the fact that German sailors were loosing their lives by these military actions. They also remember that it was the Germans who chose to undertake these actions. They were also aware that war is "kill or be killed or maimed". While they remember that the CVE 21 Task Force was credited with the sinking
as many as 12 German submarines they also remember that the Task Force was able to save many of these sailors by spending many hours searching and rescuing them from the wide open spaces of the Atlantic Ocean.
Even in the sinking of CVE 21 these memories are both good and bad. There is no doubt that they remember the torpedoes hitting the ship, the following explosions and the rumble of the steel decks that followed. They remember having to abandon the ship in the cold, dark and oil and gas covered waters. They remember seeing the USS Barr getting torpedoed and the depth charges exploding in the water as CVE 21 was going down in the water.
Yet they also remember in all that chaos they lost only a few of their shipmates when conditions existed that would normally have taken the lives of hundreds and maybe the entire 1500 sailors including their own life.
All of these memories and actions is what drew the close relationship of all the crewmembers of all 5 ships and the aircrews that served with them. That close relationship has existed for over
60 years and even now the Association has over 200 active members
Serving on CVE 21 was an Aero Engineer by the name of George Hadden who
continued his service well after WWII. In 1992 Doctor George Hadden,
serving as Ships Doctor on a container ship operating in the Pacific, wrote a
book "George at War, Part II. ". Dr. George Hadden died in 1998
and Mrs. Marjorie Hadden, his widow , provided the Association with
Excerpts from his document "Operations on the USS Block Island,
March-Mid-May 1944 " so that they could be shared for preservation.
"THE
LANDING SIGNAL OFFICER 
(LSO) CVE-21
Excerpts
There were only a
couple dozen planes aboard, 12 either -General Motors TBMs or Grumman TBFs,
3-man Torpedo planes rigged with all sorts of aerial radar search gear. They
carried MIV aerial mines, being a short stubby torpedo- in fact, motor driven -
that would home in on the sub's screw noise when within a few hundred yards. 10
or so Fighters were either F4F-3 Grumman Wildcats or General Motors FM-2s, essentially
identical, each being stubby little mid fuselage wing jobs. The fighters could
take off if we had a bit of wind over the deck but the torpedo bombers always
had to be catapulted with only 1850 Wright engines making them one slow clumsy
bird. We were primarily seeking to kill German supply subs other wise known as
"milk-cow" subs. These were big varmints approaching 3000 tons and
would maintain 6-8 attack submarines of 750 tons, thus avoiding the gauntlet
between SE England and the Nazi submarine pens along the NW coast of France. The
poor buggers on the attack subs apparently never got ashore and the looks of a
handful of survivors we saved from the two subs our planes killed on the six
weeks' cruise between Norfolk and Casablanca proved it. Long hippy-like
haircuts but most striking was their skin, sickly like one's skin looks when he
pulls off an adhesive bandage that has been in place for a week.
The sailors saved had to be stowed in the brig, but the one 28 year old skipper was given the run of the ship by our Captain after he pledged his honor. He ate in the wardroom, gave us long discourses on how we were doing and what was right or wrong about our tactics. He spoke perfect British English, being educated there until called into the German Navy just before 1939. It should be noted that he stressed that there were few , if any, real dedicated Nazis in the German Navy and subsequent facts during and after surrender proved this.
All these survivors knew the exact location of POW camps in the USA, something I surely didn't, wondering whether they would be sent to Texas, North Dakota, etc. I understand a good number of them, especially in the Dakotas, got to stay on after the war, married and are very productive citizens at this time
The Landing Signal Officer (LSO) names Tommy Thompson from Colorado Springs, Colorado, was my best friend aboard and a flyer, but never flew off the ship. Actually, he was the most important man aboard, being responsible for getting the planes aboard at any time and in any weather.
( Webmaster comment: Being an aircraft carrier built to be the "floating airport or landing field" for aircraft of all nature, and to provide service all over the world at any time, it is understood by all military personnel why our little LSO welcomes you aboard this Website).
He stood on a wooden platform level with the flight deck, jutting out beyond the catwalk, having a bet extending maybe 3 feet beyond it where it projected beyond the ship that he could dive into to escape being decapitated by a wing or in fact the entire airplane if it came in too low or crashed against the ship. I spent many off duty hours up there just behind his platform just outside his diving range, and believe I could have waved a plane aboard if it had became necessary.
There was an assistant LSO aboard, but the squadron wanted Thompson after very little experience with him and the other chap never waved a flat that I knew of. I don't think that Tommy ever hit his bunks for weeks, dozing in the ready room only, located amidships just below the flight deck with a light lock door to the catwalk and then 4-5 step ladder up to the flight deck. He guided the planes aboard using two orange fluorescent colored paddles, short handled and about the size of a tennis racket. At night, a fluorescent light in front of him shined on the paddles, but this was all the pilot could see. All Tommy had to guide with was the flash of lights from the exhaust ports on the plane's engine. The flight deck had slit-like lights that showed over only about a 20 degree arc that could be seen by the pilot along each side of the flight deck, but if, and only if, he was in the "grove" so to speak on a proper approach.
There were three arresting barriers of heavy cable around mid-ship, making a stout fence so to speak, and if a plane came in to fast or too high, or the deck dropped out from under it due to wave action, sailors manning the barriers could throw a hydraulic switch dropping the first two barriers but never the third. As soon as the prop hit the barrier, the plane would rear up with the tail high and the last few revolutions of the prop would often chew up through the 4-inch fir deck and steel deck below that, throwing a bit of shrapnel down in a shower onto my plane maintenance crew on the hanger deck below. For a while I considered outfitting my crew with steel helmets to avoid possible injury, but they would have none of that. They groaned nonetheless because they knew that with the sudden stoppage of the engine, it meant another total engine change and a new prop for the plane
(An example of action of a Landing Signal Officer, standing on his little platform just off the flight deck, ready to dive into the overhanging net should the pilot come in low or possibly hit the deck)
Navy Squadron VC 55 served aboard CVE 21 after the ship completed the "aircraft ferrying" trips to Belfast, Ireland. The pilots must train continually to maintain their ability to land and take off from the Carrier. While "take offs" (either by fly offs or catapult) are relatively safe, however, it requires some great skills landing an aircraft on the deck of a carrier. The above picture is a celebration cake for the 1000th landing that VC 55 made on CVE 21 in the Atlantic chasing German Submarines.
EPILOGUE: Day of the sinking of CVE 21: By the Author ("I think note should be made of the fate of the six F4F fighters we had in the air at the time of the sinking) They were given the option via radio from the ship: fly to the Azores and be interned for the rest of the war by a neutral country, Portugal; try to ditch near a large fleet of French fishing vessels, known to be off the shores of the Azores; or ditch along side the rest of us (being the remaining three Destroyer escorts). They all had enough gas and after the ship went down, they all made a graceful dive over us, above the water, wiggling their wings as a final salute. Two of them did land at the Azores, four of them ditched and two of those perished, not to be heard from again. Two were picked up by French fishermen and were ashore in Casablanca waiting for us there.
Webmasters Note:
All Navy ships are at their most venerable point, or position from underwater
attack , when they are changing courses. As the ships turn they slide through
the water much like a car making a quick turn. More of the ships sides are
pushing the water and the wake created is much wider. This reaction results in
the slowing of the ship and presents a larger target for any submarine attack.
And aircraft carrier has no choice except to turn into the wind when launching
aircraft to provide greater lift for the airplane. This action also tends to
slow the carrier as well as the side slipping motion. This activity also engages
the escort ships to take stations forward and to the aft of the carrier to
pick up the pilots of any aircraft that are "dunked" into the sea. With the
advent of the Helicopter these "escort ships" can go about their task of
protecting the carrier as the "chopper" is better equipped to handle the rescue
in a hover motion. Note that in the following article this circumstance
existed at approximately 8:00 PM (2000 military) on May 29, 1944 as
launching the six fighters that were lost and the recovery of 4 Torpedo Bombers
was taking place. This not only placed the aircraft carrier in it's most
venerable position it also put the 4 escort DE's scurrying to take their
positions for landings and launching. The action also (other than general
quarters) is the major task the carrier's crew must undertake as they go to
"Flight Quarters". The sea conditions and the timing factors were almost perfect
for the German Submarine to make the attack. What the German Submarine
Skipper was not aware of what was going to take place and that is the Miracle
that took place and as described in the final chapter of Memories.
Chief Petty Officer Walter Burnette 2001 AOM
3/c Walter Burnette 1944
(Retired)
My Story -- Walter “Smiley” Burnette
THE F. B. I. SINKS -- 29 MAY 1944
Lots of things become hazy over the years but these memories are still very much alive, especially when discussed time and time again with fellow shipmates.
On 29 May 1944, at approximately 2000 (8:00 PM) hours, six (6) fighter planes (FM or F4F – Wildcats) were ordered aloft to provide air cover to the Block Island task force while the four (4) TBM Avenger Torpedo / Bombers were recovered. All of these aircraft were part of the Navy Squadron VC – 55.
My duty, as an Aviation Ordnanceman, after the TBM’s had landed, was to help in disarming (making “safe”) the .50 cal. machine guns located in the wings and other ordnance. Making “safe” was the removal of the live rounds in the gun chambers, disconnecting the gun belts and moving forward the bolt mechanism, to relieve the spring tension on the bolts. I was working that particular night, as his partner, with Harold (“Chic”) Swails, from Lebanon, Ind. (See Note # l)
After the aircraft was disarmed, I proceeded to my berthing quarters, located in a small space just below the flight deck and above the hanger deck. Then down one ladder to the hanger deck and one more ladders down to the head / shower on that deck. I was taking a shower when the first torpedo struck the port side of the carrier; one in the bow at about frame 12. Approximately four seconds later the second struck toward the stern, between frames 171 and 182, exploding in the oil tank, through the shaft alley and up through the 5 in. magazines, without causing any further fires or explosions. (See Note # 2)
At this time all personnel on the hanger deck were ordered topside to the flight deck.
Hurriedly dressing, returning to the hanger deck heading for my general quarters battle station; a 20 mm anti-craft cannon, port side of ship, on a sponson adjacent to the hanger deck. Needless to say, this area and other adjacent cannons were destroyed at the time the first torpedo struck forward on port side of ship.
Other stories, personal experiences printed elsewhere in other Block Island documents, relate to the trapping, above this same area, of Coxswain James O’Neil Franks. The catwalk trapped Franks where he was on look out duty. Later it was learned that Chief Warrant Officer (Carpenter) Clarence M. Bailey with help from medical corpsmen was instrumental in moving Franks from the catwalk to the flight deck. This man died while rescuers were rendering first aid and trying to release his legs. His body remained aboard the ship.
Casualties aboard the “21”
After noting my “General Quarters” battle station was destroyed, many of us were inspecting the hanger deck looking for possible fires. No fires were detected. The crew was anxious to retrieve life jackets which were stored overhead on metal shelves. No one appeared to be injured in this area. Believe it or not and why ( ? ) I returned to my berthing quarters, put on clean clothes, inside and out. Put on my red-stripped helmet (which denoted A O’s when on the flight deck), thinking of being spotted later with that red helmet. I removed from my locker, a copy of the New Testament. This was previously handed to me by our Chaplain, Rev. Gordon MacInnes (learned later he was an uncle to our “CHIPS” Editor, Bill MacInnes) when passing by his office on my way answering a call to “General Quarters.”
After changing clothes and returning to the hanger deck, I met with Chief Aviation Ordnanceman, Fred Bruce Johnson (my Ordnance Dept. head). At 2023, a third torpedo from U-549 struck the helpless CVE, wrecking the lower decks, knocking out all power and breaking Block Island’s back. We then explored the hanger deck and realized that a TBF had fallen through a large hole in the hanger deck surface to the mess deck below. This needed further examination. In the plane we found the body of a deceased sailor. Bruce and I identified him as James Byrol Owen, Aviation Machinist Mate First Class, and a member of our Division. After Bruce Johnson and I had made sure of our identification, we moved up to the flight deck.
During this time many crewmembers gathered on the flight deck awaiting further word concerning damage, etc. Meanwhile Petty Officers Don Taylor, Alexander Culberson and Leonard Johnson flooded the aviation gasoline storage tanks. These three men were awarded the Bronze Star Medal for this action, I wish that the letters accompanying these awards were available for inclusion in the Block Island’s web page. These letters would be of great interest to surviving relatives of those recipients. While on the flight deck, we saw an explosion off the port quarter, thinking that one of the D E ‘s had dropped depth charges or fired hedgehogs and had found the sub. Later word was passed along that the explosion we saw was a fourth torpedo, intended for the “21” that hit the stern of the USS Barr DE 576, resulting in a large number of casualties.
At 2040 Captain Hughes ordered all hands to “Abandon Ship”. By 2100 most men went over the starboard side, either jumping or sliding down knotted 40-ft. Rope ladders. As the ship sank the planes spotted on deck slid into the sea like toys, the TBM’s depth changes exploding deep under the surface. Block Island took her final plunge at 2155. We were equipped with various types of life belts / jackets as well as cork supported rope nets. Many times, when describing this incident, friends would ask about “the lifeboats.” Since we had only two small boats aboard, most of time these were used in transporting personnel, mail, etc. whenever the carrier was anchored away from any pier while in port.
The USS Ahrens DE 575 stopped engines and drifted to a stop in the Atlantic swells, recovering the Block Islanders from the sea. With Ahrens’ engines now stilled, her sonar almost immediately detected U-549. Ahrens skipper radioed the USS Elmore DE 686 coaching the sister ship to where the German submarine lay. Three projectiles from Elmore’s hedgehogs slammed into the U-549’s hull at 2127. A great, grinding internal explosion audible to the monitoring ships destroyed the U-boat a moment later.
The USS Ahrens picked up 674 survivors (I was included) and the USS Paine DE 578 picked up 277 personnel. I have no memory as to how long we were in the water. The crew of the Ahrens helped the survivors aboard, by many of its crew hanging over the side to help.
The next morning, 30 May, Elmore with the damaged Barr under tow, and the two DE’s laden with the CVE survivors, cleared the area for Casablanca, arriving 1 June. The personnel of the two DE’s, did a commendable job of making all hands as comfortable as possible, some giving up bunks for others to catch a few winks. The task of feeding this large number, aboard the Ahrens and the Paine, was without parallel. While we were lined up on the main deck, waiting turns to go below to eat our two meals. Sometimes, from the bridge came the order for some men to shift from one side or to the other to maintain an even keel. The odor of diesel fuel oil was everywhere that we touched.
My what a mess! However, we were SAFE. After we arrived in Casablanca, showers and clean khaki uniforms made each of us feel much better. The crew was then mustered together to start obtaining information from them.
Bruce Johnson and I were questioned separately and later together, as to our certain identification of Petty Officer James Owen, found inside the cockpit of the damaged TBM. Ironically during this time of interrogation, neither of us was asked for names of family members to be notified of our survival. My family received telegram “Missing in Action” but quickly followed by “Well and Safe.” My mother lovingly saved these telegrams.
Survivors departed Casablanca aboard three Carriers: USS Mission Bay – CVE 59, USS Kasaan Bay – CVE 69 and USS Tulagi – CVE 72 for the return trip home to Norfolk Va. and to begin the traditional thirty (30) day “Survivors’ Leave.” After leave had expired, most of crew was ordered back to Norfolk, Va. for a cross-country troop train ride to Seattle (Bremerton), WA. and further assignment to the NEW USS BLOCK ISLAND, CVE 106.
Note # 1: For many years I had wondered who had piloted this last plane (TBM) to land on the Block Island just before the sub’s attack began. The same plane that “Chic” Swails and I disarmed the ordnance. The Navy Aviation crew members were transferred from the new CVE 106, at San Diego to a Naval Air Station, Twenty-Nine Palms, CA, CASU # 5 (Carrier Aircraft Service Unit).
While stationed with CASU # 5, I became acquainted with Rudy Esquivel, an Aviation Metalsmith Petty Officer from San Antonio, TX. Rudy and I hitchhiked from Los Angeles, CA for Christmas 1945 leave, to his home. We continued our friendship for many years after WW II. Rudy studied Law and later was appointed to the Texas State Supreme Court as Assistant Chief Justice. During a visit with Rudy in San Antonio, I located LT jg Calvin E. Mansell, Garden Ridge, TX, the pilot from VC – 55 who landed this last plane on the “21”. I was quite elated, after so many years, wondering whom this person might have been and found this pilot. Mr. Mansell was a retired Attorney who practiced many times before my friend, Judge Esquivel. What a small world and persistence sometimes does pay off.
Note # 2: I would like to comment at this time, none of the Association members have been able to locate relatives of the six (6) men killed aboard the “21”, with one exception. Two brothers of James Byrol Owens, Jack and Odell Owen, located the Association and attended their first BI reunion in Lafayette, LA May 1992. These two brothers have continued a very active role with our Association. The six (6) fighter pilots airborne at the time of attack, two (2), LT jgs James G. McDaniel and John F. Carr were rescued later at Las Palmas. These two men were / or former members of the Association.
Many times the Association has acknowledged those lost shipmates at memorial services during annual reunions. At the Reunion, May 2002, Memphis, TN, a special memorial service was conducted to honor those “lost” aboard the “21” and the Navy and Marine personnel “lost’ aboard the “106” during the Pacific operations.
Walter (Smiley) Burnette,
(From Aviation Ordinance
Man, Rudell Bowling, now the Association Chaplain.)
The Webmaster of this site thought that it would be
appropriate for the former Chaplain of the Association (not the
Ships) to offer a few words for the
membership. The story he tells strikes close to the heart of our members...
"At
12:00 noon, Monday, May 29, 1944, a group of women had gathered together in the
little City of Newport to pray for all of the boys in combat. One of the women,
while weeping and praying, saw a vision of a small aircraft carrier sinking in
the dark waters of the North Atlantic with many men swimming in the cold oily
waters. At the same time she heard a voice saying to her “your son is at sea,
in need and many souls are in danger”. That woman, my Mother, immediately
stopped the prayer and told the others what she saw and heard. They believed and
began to pray earnestly until they felt they had a victory. At that very same
moment it was about three or four hours before the USS Block Island CVE-21 was
torpedoed and sunk.. The people of the little City of Newport knew about the
sinking before it happened.
Later, after we were hit and I saw we were going down I
began to call on God.
“Lord, I am afraid, I am a sinner and not ready to die. I have been told since
I was a child that if I asked sincerely, I would receive. I don’t mean to
bargain with you Lord, but if you save me and my friends, I promise I will be
your servant all the days of my life”. A MIRACLE happened that cold night and
the Navy and the news media said so. Only 6 men were lost of the crew of the
carrier, 15 men from the Destroyer Escort USS Barr and 4 pilots who’s planes
were in the air at the time of the sinking of their landing field the aircraft
carrier. Why we don’t know, but we can assume that God in His Sovereign Will
wanted them!"
A Board of Enquiry was set up to review the sinking. The Board reviewed the matter in that, given the circumstances, a C3 tanker hull converted into an aircraft carrier that took three torpedoes, one exploding in the fuel tanks with no massive fire, the cold stormy seas, only 4 small escort ships for assistance, one the those escort ships torpedoed without power, one escort ship having to take the damaged escort ship in tow to keep it from sinking, the other two small escort ships left to pick up the survivors, depth charges from the carrier going off as the ship sunk thereby lifting the small ships up out of the water, one destroyer escort being able to actually attack and sink the submarine, another of the small destroyers suffering damage to it’s hull, and having to shift these survivors around from place to place on the damaged escort ship to keep it from capsizing for 3 long days, and then getting all of these many survivors back to the safety at Casablanca. Their findings : A MIRACLE had taken place.