The Seaweed

USS Champlin DD-601  

Summer 2001

THANKS AND NEXT:

As always, thanks to Jack Brawdy, our Assistant Historian for all of his work behind the scenes, contacting shipmates and encouraging them to provide material for The Seaweed.

Thanks to Steve Anastasion, Frederick Dunsmoor, Gerald Cruthers, Gerald Estes, Norm Prewitt, George Styles and Richard Valentine for providing their memories and recollections of their Navy experiences past and present Sooo. . . what's next? Well that it up to you. Keep sending me your recollections and memories of life aboard the USS Champlin. Those of you who have already provided material - keep it up. Those of you who have yet to report aboard, start now.

In addition, I would like to have you help me put togther an essay similar to "I Liked the Navy" included in this issue. Ours will be entitled "I Liked the Champlin". Use any of the sentences and rework them to fit your experiences aboard the Champlin. Or, using the sentences as a guide, write your own thoughts.

Also, Gerald Estes mentioned "the huge guns hidden at Wakayama". What do you remember about this? Further, several commentators have stated that, in their view, the atomic bombs detonated over Hiroshima and Nagasaki were unnecessary because the Japanese were already beaten. Having seen Japan, it's coastline, it's people, and it's capability to continue the fight first hand, what do you think? What are your views regarding the use of A-bombs?

Keep those letters coming. This is your newsletter, so give me something to use that you feel would be of interest to others. Remember, these newsletters appear on the USS Champlin's web site and are read by many who don't have a clue about WWII or life on a destroyer. They need to know how it really was way back then.

Questions in Search of Answers

Joe Black, SoM3/c poses the following questions for you to answer regarding the USS Champlin:

1. Who or what is Charlie Noble?

2. Where and what is the guinea pullman?

3. What is a "Jack of the Dust"?

4. Where was the secondary conn? Who manned this position and when?

5. Where was the auxiliary radio shack?

6. Where was the carpenter shop?

   . . .and to hit the really big money. .

7. During WWII what were the two largest Naval Training Stations in terms of personnel trained?