The Seaweed

USS Champlin DD-601  

Summer 2000 - Page 4

(continued from page 3)

Saturday, September 1: Buckner Bay, Okinawa - underway 0830 to refuel from tanker. Continued with a convoy of Oilers to Hagushi. At 1500 we were called back to Buckner Bay for a special mission. Anchored at 1600. About 2100 two whaleboats came alongside with a bunch of officers and nurses, one of their whaleboats broke it's rudder. Our boat took some of them back. There was a great deal of commotion over the nurses coming aboard. They were very friendly and a little drunk, so were the officers.

Sunday, September 2: Buckner Bay, Okinawa - today was proclaimed VJ Day by President Truman. We heard the ceremony over the radio. Our mission delayed due to a hurricane in this area. The bay is very choppy with heavy swells. Holiday routine this afternoon.

Monday, September 3 Buckner Bay, Okinawa - still here waiting for the storm to subside. Expect to get underway tomorrow. Secured the port gun watch and darken ship in port.

From the Flag Bag

Miss your Navy days? Long for the way things used to be? Well here are some more suggestions to simulate your former shipboard life, and bring back the good old days:

-- Run all of the piping and wires inside your house on the outside of the walls.

-- Buy a dumpster, paint it gray and live in it for six months straight.

-- Pump ten inches of nasty, crappy water into your basement, then pump it out, clean up, and paint the basement "deck gray".

-- Have a 5-year-old neighbor's kid give you a haircut with sheep shears.

Medals Your Entitled to

Thanks to Irwin J. Kappes, here is information explaining how to get your Combat Action Ribbon and the China War Memorial Medal to which you may be entitled.

First, the Combat Action Ribbon. By action of Congress, Navy veterans who served in combat after December 6, 1941, but before March 1, 1961 are now eligible for this award. You should apply directly to the Navy Awards Branch, Chief of Naval Operations (N09B33), 200 Navy Pentagon, Washington DC 20350-2000 and provide the following information: (1) On Form 180 or cover letter, your full name, social security number, service number, period of eligibility, unit assigned at the time and your mailing address. (2) Copy of Naval Personnel Form 553 or Defense Department (DD) Form 214: DD-215 (if applicable) (3) Additional substantiating documentation (optional): copies of combat awards; copies of evaluations; muster sheets or orders showing assignment to the unit for the period requested.

Now then, the China War Memorial Medal. This medal was authorized by the Chinese government at the time (now Republic of China in Taiwan) and by circular 166, US Forces dated 29 Sept. 1945. This medal is known as "the lost medal" because it was generally overlooked in the confusion of Japan's surrender and the priority put on getting US troops home. This medal is available to anyone who served in the armed forces in the Pacific between December 7, 1941 and September 1945 in Allied operations against the common enemy, Japan. To get your medal, contact Liang, Ping-Sheng, Director, Major General, Coordination Council for North American Affairs, 4201 Wisconsin Ave. N.W., suite 416, Washington, DC 20016. One recipient sent a copy of his discharge certificate, front and back, as proof of service. He mailed his request in August, 1999 and received the medal three months later.

If these medals mean little to you at this time, they may mean a great deal to your children or grandchildren in the future. The fact that you have these medals may encourage our children/grandchildren to learn more about World War II and our participation in that war.