The Navy Department Library has published a free online copy of Skill in the Surf – A Landing Boat Manual. This manual was originally published by the US Navy in February, 1945.
Many more publications and topics available online at the The Navy Department Library’s Online Reading Room
Captain James W. Whitfield was a tough Commanding Officer. “If he liked you, he liked you. If not …” (watch the video below)
Captain Whitfield “Bulldog” (USS Harry Lee, USS Calvert)
Here is information on Captain Whitfield’s time while at the Naval Academy – class of 1918:
Admiral JW Whitfield’s sword was up for sale on EBay in early 2013. Here are pictures from the auction:
Following several invasions the Calvert was tasked with transporting both German and Japanese prisoners. As the prisoners boarded the Calvert they were stripped of all personal belongings. Many times the Calvert’s crew members (particularly deck division and medical division personnel) were on receiving end of these personal belongings as the prisoners surrendered their belongings.
Many thanks to Robert McClellan for sending the following pictures from his father’s collection while aboard the Calvert.
Here is Robert McClellan’s background on these photographs:
“My father collected souvenirs. Among his papers I found these captured pictures. I don’t know where he got them but there are also some letters from home to some Japanese sailor dated early in 1942. Note how the picture of the young woman has had a male companion snipped out of the picture. Some things are universal. I think the girl with the tea was some sort of celebrity, it’s too slick look to be a picture of just a girl back home. Notice her western hairdo. I thought y’all might like to see these pictures even if they are sort of sad to think about.
Also like Boatswain Funck, Daddy picked up a Japanese carbine and managed to get it home. It’s the odd 6.5mm one with the folding bayonet. He told me he also had a German P-38 that he got in Sicily but had to throw it overboard when the captain came looking for contraband. He had other stuff but he said it was stolen out of his locker.”
Here is Sterling Funck’s description of prisoners’ treatment and conditions aboard the Calvert:
Many thanks to Robert McClellan for providing this photograph of his father, H.W. “Mack” McClellan, Phm2c.
Mack was a hospital corpsman aboard the Calvert beginning with the invasion of Sicily, July 1943, through to the end of the war in the fall of 1945. He participated in the Calvert’s landings as a permanent member of the Calvert’s shore and beach party crew.
Mack can be seen with the Calvert’s medical corpsmen crew here.
Mack was also part of the Calvert’s shore party who were sent ashore in Hiroshima in October,1945, two months after the bomb (The Calvert was part of the occupation forces following the surrender of Japan).
Note: