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USS Champlin Title Banner




"I Remember When..."

From time to time former crew members or their families will contact us with some memories they have regarding time aboard the USS Champlin. On this page you'll find snippets of those memories by the actual crew members or their families.

Do you have some memories to share? If so please sign the ship's log in the left hand navigation column, or drop us a note by e-mail at: photos@usschamplin.com



"Announcement forever inscribed in memory: "Stand by to ram!" "
Gerald L. Estes


"What about the typhoon off Okinawa? I seem to remember that those swabbies still aboard from those terrible rough days in the N.Atlantic were all tied in their racks while some of us calm Pacific cruising types were eating their C-rations"
Harry W. Cuthbert, Jr.


"Hi, my fathers name was Thomas Francis Fagan Navy man Class 3 when dad was alive we heard allot about this great ship and the people who served on it."
Peter Paul Fagan


"Was on USS CHAMPLIN in 44&45 as RDM/3c nice to see website that tells of what she did in WW 2"
Edward (BRICK) Noyes
Maine now retired in Clearwater.,FL


"I'm writing for my father who was a SAC on the USS Champlin. He is still living, however he had a stroke 5 years ago and is totally disabled and cannot speak. We do read him any information regarding reunions or the ship and he does respond. He keeps a photo of the ship on the wall in front of him in his room. I have read and printed all the information from this wonderful site. It has given him much pleasure. Thank you!"
Francis (Frank) James Evans
New Jersey


" Hello to all my shipmates. See you at the next reunion."
Richard James Valentine
New Jersey


"I have two important recollections. Sailing back to Buckner Bay, Okinawa after the typhoon and finding the Quonset huts floating in the bay and the landing crafts beached. The second one was escorting the Big Mo into Tokyo Bay for the final victory."
Frank Koster


"That typhoon off Okinawa-----unbelievable!!!!!! The greatest crew in the Tin Can Navy."
Nat Lerner

"The Japs had a nerve firing back at us at Wake Island."
Gerald M. Cruthers
Groton Long Point, Conn.


"The SS Wyoming received two torpedoes on March 15, 1943 late in the afternoon. The ship was off the Azores. The Wyoming was built by Germany as reparations for the first WW and was under the French flag. The USS Champlin rescued the entire 30 Army Air Force officers aboard along with the entire crew of 97 men. The passengers were headed for Casablanca where you landed on March 20th. We passengers were fillers (replacements) for The Air Transport Command. There were 24 pilots and 6 ground officers."
Dick Roseman
Survivior


"Its good to have all the information so I can reflect from the past. Hope all you gentlemen are well. If anyone would like to contact me they can do so at. bridlepath road in smithtown, new york "
Caesar Di Santo
Smithtown,New York


"My father served on the USS Champlin and he would sometimes show me pictures of his years on the ship. He was proud of the ship and the men he served with. Unfortunately, he passed away on 3/15/74 from cancer or he would have gladly attended the reunions. I just thought I would update you on my dad and thank you for your time "
Theodore Farrell Jr
Philadelphia, PA


" hi I served on the USS NIELDS DD 616 from 1943 to 1946 I believe that we were in the same squadron. reading the web site brought back a lot of old memories. I REMEMBER almost tying up at the Brooklyn navy yard and we were called out on a contact in new york bay,rushed out made sonar contact dropped depth charges brought sub up in the exchange captain on your ship was killed we picked up 18 German survivors including the German captain. then we buried your captain at sea. "
Charles Antosik
originally Conn. retired to Florida


"I will always remember the submarine action If you liked ice cream on the 601 you bought it from me! Always vanilla!"
Jack Brawdy