Pope was stationed off Swatow and Pehtaiho during 14 June 19 August, observing the Japanese Navy en route to Swatow and the subsequent bombing and occupation of the city. William D. Porter. On 9 January 1942 Pope was one of five destroyers in an escort composed of the cruisers USSBoise(CL-47) and USSMarblehead(CL-12), with the other destroyers USSStewart(DD-224), USSBulmer(DD-222), USSParrott(DD-218), and USSBarker(DD-213) departing from Darwin to Surabaya escorting the transport Bloemfontein. As the Pope slid out of sight beneath the sea, we regretfully realized that we had not only lost a fighting ship, but also our home away from home. USS Pope (DD-225) was a Clemson -class destroyer in the United States Navy that served during World War II. . The word was passed to "standby to abandon ship". Around 2230 hours HrMs De Ruyter and HrMs Java opened fire on the Japanese which were taken by surprise. Almost torpedoing the battleship carrying President Franklin Roosevelt to the Tehran Conference was not the first misadventure of the ill-fated 'Willie Dee'. P. van Rees, RNN), HrMs TM-8 (Lt. J.G. She first served with the Yangtze River Patrol 9 September 9 October 1923 and continued to make her presence known through repeated patrols until 1931. Notable exceptions were duty off Japan in connection with the United States Army "Round the World Flight" in 1924, a visit to French Indochina in 1926, and a visit to Japan in 1929. In May 2011, the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) completed construction of its new facility in St. Louis, Mo. The newest USS Canberra is a 421-foot- (128-meter-) long, 3,200-metric-ton ship that can accommodate a crew of up to 75 sailors. The enemy fire now became very effective on the almost stationary Exeter which was repeatidly straddled and hit. All of these were either heavy or light cruisers. We had one 3.25" AA. After the crew started to hit the water, Mr. Antrim, the executive officer, appeared on the fantail, and asked "who's going to volunteer to help me blow up the ship?" USS General John Pope (AP-110) was a troop transport that served with the United States Navy in World War II.After the war she was transferred to the Army and redesignated USAT General John Pope.She later served in the Korean and Vietnam Wars as a civilian-manned Military Sea Transportation Service vessel, as USNS General John Pope (T-AP-110). Though my wound was of a superficial nature, several others received more serious wounds. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! USS General John Pope (AP-110) Near the Norfolk Navy Yard on 6 October 1943, just after her Welin boat davits had been mistakenly removed and replaced with life rafts. The Shark was attacked and destroyed at the same time, adding 87 more Americans to the missing. Departing Okinawa the following day she arrived at Qui Nhon, South Vietnam on 21 November 1967 and disembarked the 61st Assault Helicopter Company. The Museum's PT-305, nicknamed USS Sudden Jerk, was acquired in a state of disrepair. Muster Rolls, 1860-1939. Unfortunately they are spotted by Japanese warships and the Exeter and Encounter are sunk during the following engagement. On December 23rd, Rear Admiral Abe Koki's two fleet destroyers ( Hiryu and Soryu) supported by heavy cruisers and destroyers (on the way back from Pearl Harbor) attacked. The other two ships were also in need of repairs and were not 100% fit for battle. This was not the case, one Japanese destroyer was heavily damaged and one seriously. USS Pope (DD-225) underway off Surabaya in company with the British heavy cruiser HMS Exeter, shortly before her loss, circa February 1942. After a refit, Pope departed 12 May for duty in the Pacific. The Dutch MTBs had seen the second wave attacking but when they entered Badoeng Strait the Japanese were not sighted and they left without being able to fire torpedoes. But its armament was still impressive: sixteen five-inch anti-aircraft guns, 145 25 mm anti-aircraft machine guns, and twelve multiple rocket launchers with 4 . The Americans thought they faced a very powerful enemy, even heavy cruisers were thought to be present. Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas Fleet Adm. C. W. Nimitz (3) Deputy Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas Vice Admiral J. H. Towers (15) Chief of Joint Staff Vice Admiral C. H. McMorris (107) BB 38 PENNSYLVANIA (Flagship) Captain C. F. Martin (427) [1] That transport had been part of the Pensacola Convoy and had left Brisbane 30 December 1941 with Army reinforcements composed of the 26th Field Artillery Brigade and Headquarters Battery, the 1st Battalion, 131st Field Artillery and supplies from that convoy destined for Java.[2]. That, remember, was in the battle of Balikpapan, Borneo, in the straits of Makassar. Squier Class Troop Transport C4-S-A1, ap130.pdf (2.8 MB PDF) For 48 tense hours Marblehead fish-tailed across the Flores Sea, kept afloat with pumps and bucket brigades and steered by continuous revolution changes communicated over a jury-rigged phone line. Suddenly the area exploded into a cloud of debris. Besides the ships themselves their crews were also suffering from fatigue due the immense strain they had been under the past weeks. We then saw a single plane, it was reported as a friendly one. They closed gradually until the range was about 18000 yards. September 2 1945 Location Europe Pacific Atlantic After the Jap cruisers and the Exeter had been exchanging gunfire for awhile, a salvo hit the Exeter in her one remaining boiler room. Japanese surface and air forces launched an attack the next morning, midway between the islands of Java and Borneo. She was the first ship named for John Pope. HMS Encounter could not make a torpedo attack, she had none on board having fired all her torpedoes during the Battle of the Java Sea. If you have a small window it would look really nice hung in it! Industrial Parts Cabinet. The ships are ordered to try to escape through the Sunda Strait to Tjilatjap. The repairs having been completed, the Pope and Encounter were assigned to escort her to Ceylon for extensive repairs in the navy yard. Pope joined Squadron 15, Division 43 of the Asiatic Fleet at Chefoo, China 26 August and participated in fleet exercises off Chefoo until her departure 28 October for her winter base at Cavite, Philippines. Hughes, USN), USS Pillsbury (Lt.Cdr. By now most of us realized we were going to lose the ship: "we were finished". Framed stained glass panel. They had their hands full like those of us below decks, and were sweating to keep up the pace. and a 2007 TV programme.[14][15]. For some period of time they waged their aerial attack and our gunners returned fire. by HistoryNet Staff 6/12/2006. Fate: Sunk following attacks by naval aircraft from carrier USS Guadalcanal and depth charges and gunfire from destroyer escorts USS Pillsbury, USS Pope, and USS Chatelain southeast of the Azores . She must have been hit in the ammunition magazine, as she blew up and sunk immediately. [3] In the evening of 28 February 1942, Exeter and the two destroyers left Soerabaja and proceeded north. HNLMSWitte de With was unable to recall her crew from shore leave in time to join their retreat to Ceylon. Shipping will be calculated after order is placed; if you want to know before ordering, email me your zip code. It was 50% thicker than the armored belts found on German and Japanese competitors. Japanese bombers were spotted approaching the patched-together force off the port beam. W.C. Blinn, USN) departed Surabaya at 1900/28 with orders to proceed to the east for 20 nautical miles, then to proceed northwards to pass to the east of Bawean Island and then to proceed to the north-west an finally to the west to try to escape to Colombo via the Sunda Strait. The Allied ships immediately altered course to the east. The battle occurred in the Makassar Straits. In the evening of 28 February 1942, Exeter and the two destroyers left Soerabaja and proceeded north. I heartily encourage all who have read this to visit all the EXCELLENT sites that are linked to in this document. The Dutch cruisers claimed heavy damage on the enemy but according to Japanese reports on the battle damage was only minor and after being initially taken by surprise the Japanese soon counter attacked. In fact, a voyage whose destination would never be reached. J.W. After steaming north into the Java sea, then veering west and steaming the balance of the night, we were greeted by a bright sunny day. Pope joined Squadron 15, Division 43 of the Asiatic Fleet at Chefoo, China 26 August and participated in fleet exercises off Chefoo until her departure 28 October for her winter base at Cavite, Philippines. A short time later, we were listing heavily to port and the afterdeck was awash, in fact under water. With a top speed of . Following the lost battle of the Java Sea Surabaya was evacuated. CDR William B. Goggins, the light cruiser's XO, scurried below decks to the wardroom, his General Quarters station, lest he and the CO both be caught on the bridge. Stewart ; and DesDiv-59 with USS Pope (DD-225), Peary (DD-226), Pillsbury (DD-227) and John D. Ford (DD-228).4 USS Paul Jones (DD-230) was the nominal flagship of DesRon-29, but Capt. Range to these ships was about 10 nautical miles. In April 1967, she transported the 589th Engineer Battalion to Qui Nhon from Oakland. Very shortly afterwards an enemy destroyer was seen ahead steering towards. In the early fall, another voyage out of San Francisco 14 August brought General John Pope on a troop rotation run to New Guinean ports; and subsequently, after embarking 5,000 Army troops at San Pedro, California, she sailed via Melbourne for Bombay. T. Chihagi) and Wakaba (Lt.Cdr. Later another Japanese ship came and pulled my grandfather and the rest of the . Navy muster rolls from 1860 to 1939 are found in two different series in Record Group 24, Records of the Bureau of Naval Personnel: Muster Rolls of Ships, 1860-1900 (Entry PI-123 132; National Archives Identifier 563603 ) This series is arranged in three chronological segments (1860-1879, 1880-1891, and 1892 . Industrial Glass Top Table. Shortly before noon 1 March 1942 the two British ships were destroyed by gunfire, and an hour later, Pope was attacked and sunk by 12 dive-bombers - after sustaining many bomb hits. For the full action report see this website (offsite link). 6.832. At about 1100 hours, HMS Exeter fire her port tubes at he enemy cruisers on her port quarter. I felt assured that our well trained crew would give their all, even though the task was hot and demanding. The U-boat War in World War Two (Kriegsmarine, 1939-1945) and World War One (Kaiserliche Marine, 1914-1918) and the Allied efforts to counter the threat. As told By Mr. William Penninger, Ft. Worth, Tx captured from The USS Pope. Returning via Nouma to embark casualties, the ship reached San Francisco 18 May 1944. General quarters sounded once again and in practically less time than it takes to relate, we were once again at our battle stations, determined to do our best to fend off or destroy our enemies and protect our ship. This effort seemed futile, we were taking water on faster that we could pump it out. They thought to have sunk a Japanese cruiser and have damaged two more cruisers and two destroyers. These Motor Torpedo Boats proceeded through Strait Bali and anchored in three bay's on the Java side to refuel which took the whole day. An enemy report was therefore made. [5] With her location/identification now being finally confirmed, all ships lost during the Battle of the Java Sea and subsequent engagements have now been discovered/located and positively identified. The cruiser planes then formed up to continue their dive-bombing tactics. Up to 900 men initially survived the sinking, but many succumbed to shark attacks, dehydration, and salt poisoning as they awaited . By bleeding the hydraulic lines and yoking the rudder gears with chains Goggins and the damage control parties were able to lock the rudder amidships. Squier - Booklet of General Plans, 1942, General G.O. By now the enemy had resumed firing at the Pope. She received two battle stars and the Presidential Unit Citation for her World War II service. General John Pope received numerous awards for service in the Second World War, Korean War and Vietnam War: American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, Both sides launched torpedoes but all missed their intended targets and then a gunfight was started. During the summer of 1944, the far-ranging transport made two round-trip voyages from San Francisco: on the first she got underway 27 May for New Guinean ports, Guadalcanal, and the Russell Islands, debarking 3,800 men of the famous 1st Marine Division at San Diego, California before returning to San Francisco; and on the second she departed 26 July for Honolulu and returned 8 August. Newsletter Archive. Sweat ran off our bodies in rivulets. I was unlucky enough to have been hit by a machine gun bullet that cut the flesh off my right knee. The action was later the subject of several books and articles [13][11][12] On 5 May 2010, after resting nearly forty years at anchor in Suisun Bay, the General John Pope was towed to Pier 70 dry dock for hull cleaning at BAE Shipyards, in San Francisco Bay. If it had, of course, I would never have lived to tell about it. On deck, the deck crews were readying the motor whaleboat, the wherry, and three cork rafts for launching. Smith, USN), USS Parrott (Lt.Cdr. She engaged in maneuvers with the battleship divisions off Guantanamo Bay from 12 January until her return to Philadelphia 27 April. H. Kuboki) and Michishio (Lt.Cdr. We had to get away from her fast to keep from being sucked under as she sunk. The first part of the night of 28 February / 1 MArch was uneventful. The Dutch destroyer HrMs Witte de With (Lt.Cdr. ADDITIONAL NOTES: Doorman received criticism after calling-off this attack. In the Orient, Pope protected American lives and interests during the civil strife in China. US Corporations' September 30th fiscal payment deadline Sep 30, 2023 USA Each year around that time, as the payment deadline approaches, we see all sorts of maneuvers. However the ememy soon resumed their original course and were out of sight shortly afterwards. Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, D Company, 2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion (Mechanized), 50th Infantry, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, "Deck Plans: USS General John Pope (AP-110)", General John Pope, Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet, Benicia, Solano County, CA, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=USS_General_John_Pope&oldid=1149452080, This page was last edited on 12 April 2023, at 09:54. Original map by Donald Hoegsburg. The mission actually hopeless, HMS Exeter, in her damaged condition could make no more then 16 knots when she sailed from Surabaya. This second assault on Wake was successful. About ten minutes later the word came to abandon ship, an order we had hoped we would never hear on our ship. From 6 October to 19 November she made a troop-carrying voyage to Brisbane, Australia; and, after touching Townsville and Milne Bay, put in at San Francisco on the latter date. 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