A Log of the Vincennes

By Lt. Donald Hugh Dorris

AN INTERESTING AND INSTRUCTIVE CONTRIBUTION TO THE HISTORY OF WORLD WAR II

The LOG begins with U.S. Sloop Vincennes, which, with the Columbus, was the first American ship to enter Tokyo Harbor (1846).

A contemporaneous account of the shakedown cruise of the U.S. Cruiser Vincennes in 1937 and experiences of the ship before escorting the Hornet on the Doolittle-Tokyo expedition are given.

The contents also include likenesses and biographical sketches of many men lost with the Vincennes; the Chaplain’s Log; experiences at Midway; and a statement concerning the third U.S. Vincennes, launched in 1944.

Richly illustrated throughout with photographs and maps.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Eschenburg Press
• Release date: Feb 27, 2018
• ISBN: 9781789120370

Lt. Donald Hugh Dorris

DONALD HUGH DORRIS (December 19, 1914 - August 9, 1942) was a Lieutenant in the U.S. Naval Reserve during World War II. On the early morning of August 9, 1942, the U.S. Cruiser Vincennes that he was serving aboard was attacked by the Japanese near Savo Island, in the Solomon Archipelago. Lt. Dorris perished that day, but had taken his log and other items pertaining to the Vincennes on a visit to his parents’ home in February 1942, while the ship was in Boston Harbor, and left the manuscripts when he returned to sea. This material provided the basis for the book, A Log of the Vincennes, published in 1947, compiled, supplemented and edited by his father, Prof. Jonathan Truman Dorris.

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Text originally published in 1947 under the same title.

© Eschenburg Press 2017, all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted by any means, electrical, mechanical or otherwise without the written permission of the copyright holder.

Publisher’s Note

Although in most cases we have retained the Author’s original spelling and grammar to authentically reproduce the work of the Author and the original intent of such material, some additional notes and clarifications have been added for the modern reader’s benefit.

We have also made every effort to include all maps and illustrations of the original edition the limitations of formatting do not allow of including larger maps, we will upload as many of these maps as possible.

A LOG OF THE VINCENNES

BY

LIEUTENANT DONALD HUGH DORRIS

Lieutenant (jg) U.S.N.R.

* * * * *

Contributions by

ROBERT M. SCHWYHART

Commander and Chaplain, USN

and

EDMUND PHILLIP DI GIANNANTONIO

Lieutenant Commander, USNR

AND OTHERS

* * * * *

Compiled, Supplemented, and Edited

By

JONATHAN TRUMAN DORRIS, Ph.D.

Professor of History and Government

State Teachers College

Richmond, Kentucky

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS 4

DEDICATION 7

FOREWORD 8

MAPS 10

I—THE VINCENNES AND HER CAPTAIN 13

U.S.S. VINCENNES, BY THE NAVY DEPARTMENT 13

VINCENNES SHAKEDOWN CRUISE-APRIL, 1937, BY LIEUTENANT FRANCIS MCINTYRE 18

$490,000,000 IN FRENCH GOLD ON UNITED STATES WAR VESSEL, BY GUY RICHARDS 23

CAPTAIN FREDERICK LOUIS RIEFKOHL, U.S.N. 24

TWO LETTERS WRITTEN BY CAPTAIN RIEFKOHL 26

II—VINCENNES LOSSES: OFFICERS AND CREW 30

THE OFFICERS: BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES 31

THE CREW: NAMES AND ADDRESSES 55

FOUR UNITED STATES MARINE OFFICERS 69

III—A LOG OF THE VINCENNES 75

1—THREE BERMUDA PATROLS AND A CONVOY TO ICELAND 80

2—ICELAND AGAIN AND THE ARCTIC CIRCLE 89

3—FROM ICELAND TO PORTLAND, MAINE, AND TRINIDAD 94

4—TRINIDAD TO CAPE TOWN: FROM POLLIWOG TO SHELLBACK 105

5—CAPE TOWN’S MAGNIFICENCE AND HOSPITALITY 125

6—HOMEWARD BOUND: CAPE TOWN TO TRINIDAD 133

7—TO NORFOLK, NEW YORK, KEY WEST, NEW YORK AGAIN, AND BOSTON 140

IV—VINCENNES BULLETINS 152

ROSTER AND ASSIGNMENT OF OFFICERS, SEPTEMBER 1, 1941 152

THE LAWS OF THE NAVY: A POEM 155

NOTES ON ARGENTIA 159

ORDERS FOR THE DAY, SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1941 162

IMPERIUM NEPTUNI REX: SUBPOENA SUMMONS 165

ORDERS FOR NEPTUNE’S DAY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1941 168

THE MORNING PRESS, DECEMBER 8, 1941 171

ORDERS FOR THE DAY, DECEMBER 25, 1941 178

CAPTAIN RIEFKOHL’S CHRISTMAS MESSAGE, 1941 180

ENGINEER NOBLE W. ABRAHAMS’ CHRISTMAS MESSAGE, 1941 181

CHRISTMAS DINNER MENU, 1941 181

CAPTAIN RIEFKOHL’S NEW YEAR’S MESSAGE, 1942 182

POTATOES: POEM BY THE PILOT OF USS WISCONSIN 183

THE SKIPPER’S FAREWELL DINNER: A POEM 184

THE OLD VINCENNES: A POEM 186

V—THE DOOLITTLE-TOKYO EXPEDITION AND CORAL SEA 187

VI—THE BATTLE OF MIDWAY 195

WILLIAM F. TYREE 196

BATTLE OF MIDWAY (June 4-6, 1942), BY WILLIAM F. TYREE 197

THE VINCENNES AT MIDWAY 207

U.S.S. VINCENNES—JOURNAL OF EVENTS OF 4 JUNE 1942—BATTLE OF MIDWAY 209

DIVE BOMBING DURING THE BATTLE OF MIDWAY 212

VII—A CHAPLAIN’S EXPERIENCES 216

CHAPLAIN ROBERT M. SCHWYHART, U.S.N. 216

LOG, OR JOURNAL, OF LIEUTENANT COMMANDER ROBERT M. SCHWYHART 217

D’AVALOS’ PRAYER: A POEM 234

VIII—THE FIRST BATTLE OF SAVO ISLAND—AUGUST 7-9, 1942 235

NAVY DEPARTMENT REPORTS: 235

OCTOBER 12, 1942 235

OCTOBER 26, 1944 239

APRIL 17, 1946 (THE VINCENNES AT MIDWAY AND SAVO ISLAND) 243

THE VINCENNES’ LAST CAMPAIGN 248

THE SACRIFICIAL SERVICE OF UNITED STATES CRUISERS NEAR SAVO ISLAND 260

IX—AN ENGINEER’S EXPERIENCES 271

LIEUTENANT COMMANDER EDMUND PHILLIP DiGIANNANTONIO 271

BELOW THE WATER LINE, BY LIEUTENANT COMMANDER DIGIANNANTONIO 273

RADIO TALK BY LIEUTENANT COMMANDER E. P. DiGIANNANTONIO (June 4, 1943) 284

X—NARRATIVES BY VINCENNES SURVIVORS 291

A PHARMACIST’S STORY: A RADIO INTERVIEW, BY WARRANT OFFICER (NOW LIEUTENANT) FREDERICK MOODY AND JOAN HARDING 292

EXPERIENCES OF AN ELECTRICIAN: THE PLOTTING ROOM, BY MILTON A. SCHNELLER 297

MY ESCAPE FROM THE VINCENNES, BY LIEUTENANT COMMANDER SAMUEL A. ISQUITH, M.D. 300

THE PASSING OF WARRANT OFFICER EDWARD WILLIAM FORSTER, BY CHIEF MACHINIST RAY HALIWELL 304

AMERICAN FUNDAMENTALS, BY EDWARD BYKOWSKI 305

THE VINCENNES’ MOMS FORSTER 312

XI—LIEUTENANT DORRIS’S LETTERS 314

XII—TRIBUTES TO LIEUTENANT DORRIS 341

REQUEST FROM THE PUBLISHER 355

DEDICATION

Dedicated to the Sacred Memory of the Officers and Men of the U.S.S. VINCENNES

who, in the language of their great Commander-in-Chief, "Dared to die that freedom might live, and grow, and increase its blessings.

FOREWORD

The United States Cruiser Vincennes was sunk in a surprise attack by the Japanese near Savo Island, in the Solomon Archipelago, on the early morning of August 9, 1942. My only son, Lieutenant (jg) Donald Hugh Dorris, U.S.N.R, was lost with the ship. Fortunately he had taken his Log and other items pertaining to the Vincennes to his parents’ home, in February, 1942, while the ship was in Boston Harbor. He left the manuscripts when he returned to sea, and providentially they were preserved. Without this material I probably would have never prepared such a book.

My first resolution was to publish the Log in memory of Donald and dedicate the work to his mother and sisters. I would likely have done this during the War if the authorities at Washington had per mitted. Nevertheless, after receiving Chaplain Schwyhart’s account of the Vincennes, I prepared and had bound six typewritten, illustrated copies of the two Logs with other material pertaining to the ship and some letters by Donald during the War and about him following his death. The Navy Department had one of these volumes until September, 1945, when the proper authority authorized its publication, on condition that I state that the printed work did not contain the official Log of the Vincennes.

While preparing the volume I soon realized that it might contain much more than I had first contemplated. The idea of making the book reveal, as far as possible, the experiences, worthy qualities, and services of Donald’s valiant shipmates came to motivate my efforts. I also decided to dedicate the Log to the memory of the officers and men of the Vincennes who lost their lives as a result of the First Battle of Savo Island. The second part of the work, therefore, is properly devoted to the three hundred and thirty-five or forty heroes who were compelled to remain at rest with or near their good ship in the waters of the Solomon Islands,

In performing this task of love I have received much encouragement. In many instances the nearest of kin have expressed gratitude for my interest in their dear ones. Nearly all with whom I communicated readily complied with requests for information and photographs. The Naval authorities co-operated, and Chaplain Robert M. Schwyhart, Lieutenant Commander Edmund Phillip DiGiannantonio, and other survivors made valuable contributions, for which they are duly credited. Captain Frederick Louis Riefkohl assisted with the maps, submitted information relating to the Battle of Savo Island, and gave other aid. Congressman George J. Bates, of Salem, Massachusetts, member of the House Committee on Naval Affairs, and Rear-Admiral Oscar Spears (retired) rendered assistance. The Library of Congress and the United Press Associations also co-operated. Mrs. Grace S. Forster, widow of Warrant Officer Edward William Forster, was most helpful in obtaining material for the volume and deserves the special consideration given her elsewhere.

Donald’s dear mother was a wise counselor all along in the preparation of the book. She readily acceded to the final decision to prepare and dedicate the volume as a tribute to others besides our son.

I regret that it was impracticable, if not impossible, to include more about the enlisted men who were lost. Many of them doubt less were as deserving of more than mere mention in the volume as any of the officers. Without their faithfulness and efficiency the Vincennes could have done nothing. I hope, therefore, that I have not omitted anyone who made the supreme sacrifice. In fact, I found and included five or six not in the Navy Departments report. Unfortunately the photographs were not always of sufficient quality for the best reproduction.

There may be some unintentional mistakes, and the editing was not done as carefully as a historical work deserves. Nevertheless, I have striven, sometimes in tears, to make the Log a worthy account of the brave men whose names and deeds are recorded therein. May the spirit which animated them in their service to mankind inspire the reader to nobler efforts to bring about lasting peace and good will among all peoples of this world.

JONATHAN TRUMAN DORRIS

May 1, 1947

MAPS

The Itinerary of the Vincennes, a two-page map of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans

Seaplane Moorings in Placentia Harbor, Newfoundland

Oahu Island, Showing Pearl Harbor

Solomon Islands and New Guinea

Opening Phase, Solomon Invasion, August 7, 1942

Battle’s End, August 9, 1942 (First Battle of Savo Island)

A Japanese drawing of the scene of the First Battle of Savo Island

Oceania, a two-page map of the Pacific Ocean

I—THE VINCENNES AND HER CAPTAIN

Information about the three United States warships named Vincennes was obtained from the Navy Department, Soon after the loss of the second the authorities resolved to give a third this intriguing and historic name. The cost of the ship was $20,000,000, which Lieutenant Frederick Moody, Pharmacist on the second Vincennes (see his radio talk in Part X), was authorized to raise through the sale of bonds in Vincennes, Indiana. The Lieutenant and his wife exceeded the sum desired by $2,000,000. On January 21, 1944, therefore, the third United States naval ship Vincennes, a 10,000-ton light cruiser, was commissioned at South Boston, Massachusetts. It had a glorious career during the remainder of the war.

The shakedown cruise of the second Vincennes reveals the peaceful nature of a visit to Europe during the late thirties before the war. This voyage was in marked contrast to the trips across the Atlantic in 1940 and 1941. Yet, in 1937, there was something in the atmosphere of the places visited that suggested warfare in the near future. There were indications everywhere, even in the Scandinavian countries, that Europe was arming.

Captain Frederick Louis Riefkohl’s experience indicates the variability of a naval officer’s long career, a condition about which the average layman knows very little. The Captain was the first Puerto Rican to graduate from the United States Naval Academy. It appears that his last service has been rendered in the island of his birth. He has been a brave and efficient officer. One of his admirers and shipmates on the Vincennes, Chief Signalman George J. Moore, now (1946) at the Great Lakes Separation Center and mentioned in Part VIII, stated that the men on the Vincennes called him Fearless Freddie. The Captain’s many communications to this editor have indicated a reserve, composure, and honesty on his part that might well be emulated by any young United States naval officer who aspires to efficiency and excellence in the service. One surviving reserve officer, Lieutenant L. P. Mooney (now retired), who is also quoted in Part VIII, wrote that Captain Riefkohl used every re source to equalize an unbalanced situation and in the face of tremendous odds...did everything possible to win the Battle of Savo Island. It was also Mooney’s earnest opinion that, since the fighting of the Vincennes and her companion ships turned the Japanese from their determined mission to destroy the transports and stop the landing of men and supplies on Guadalcanal and Tulagi Islands, the battle was won.

U.S.S. VINCENNES, BY THE NAVY DEPARTMENT

The U.S.S. Vincennes, heavy cruiser, was named after the City of Vincennes, Indiana, made famous by the battle against the British fought there by Continental Army forces under the command of Colonel George Rogers Clark in 1779.

The name Vincennes is found far back in American history, coming originally from France to an early trading post on the banks of the Wabash established by the French about the year 1732. This trading post quickly became an important frontier town, and during the French and Indian War and the Revolutionary War and the period immediately following figured in many events of historical importance.

The cruiser U.S.S. Vincennes was the second American warship to bear that name. The earlier ship, completed shortly after the War of 1812 when Indiana was hardly more than the western frontier, was a wooden three-masted ship of about 700 tons. This illustrious vessel carried the name of Vincennes far and wide. She was for several years the flagship of the famous explorer, Captain Charles Wilkes, who took her on a long voyage for surveying and scientific purposes through the Pacific, discovering the Antarctic Continent in 1840. In company with the Columbus, under the command of Commodore James Biddle, the Vincennes entered Yedo Bay in 1846, the first American vessels to enter a Japanese port. On her last cruise in the Pacific the Vincennes was 586 days at sea and sailed 62,500 miles. She also served during the Civil War with the Gulf Squadron. She was placed out of commission in 1865 at the United States Navy Yard, Boston, Massachusetts, and was sold October 5, 1867.

Construction of the heavy cruiser Vincennes was authorized by Act of Congress dated June 16, 1933, and the contract was awarded the Bethlehem Steel Corporation Shipbuilding Division, Quincy, Massachusetts, on August 3, 1933. The contract price of the hull and machinery was $11,720,000.

The keel of the second Vincennes was laid January 2, 1934. The ship was launched May 21, 1936, and was sponsored by Miss Harriet Virginia Kimmell, daughter of the Honorable Joseph W. Kimmell, then Mayor of the City of Vincennes. The U.S.S. Vincennes was commissioned February 24, 1937.

The characteristics of the U.S.S. Vincennes follow:

Standard displacement—9,400 tons

Overall length—588 ft. 0 in.

Extreme beam—61 ft. 10 in.

Mean draft—18 ft. 8 in.

Designed speed—32.0 knots

Main armament—9 8-in. guns

Normal complement—45 officers, 907 enlisted men

At the time of her commissioning, February 24, 1937, the cruiser U.S.S. Vincennes was under the command of Captain Burton H. Green, United States Navy (now retired). She made a shakedown cruise to Northern European ports in the spring and early summer of 1937. In the spring of 1940 the U.S.S. Vincennes accompanied by the U.S.S. Truxton and U.S.S. Simpson went to Lisbon, Portugal, to protect American interests. On her return trip she transported to this country a sum of gold which had been purchased by the United States from the French Government some time previously.

Other officers who have commanded the U.S.S. Vincennes are:

Captain Lemuel M. Stevens, U.S.N. (now retired), January 1938 to July 1939.

Captain John D. Beardall, U.S.N. (now Rear-Admiral, Superintendent, United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland), July 1939 to April 1941.

Captain F. L. Riefkohl, U.S.N., assumed command of the U.S.S. Vincennes in April, 1941.

VINCENNES SHAKEDOWN CRUISE-APRIL, 1937, BY LIEUTENANT FRANCIS MCINTYRE

Early on the morning of April 19, 1937, the crew of the heavy cruiser Vincennes were mustered and all preparations made for a course of 10,000 miles that would take in Sweden, Finland, France, and England.

A beautiful morning with the sun shining brightly and a gentle breeze blowing greeted us when we left the docks at Boston Navy Yard.

A crowd was gathered on the dock, including wives and sweet hearts waving farewell while the band was playing and flags flying, as the ship slowly turned and gathered headway, then slipped out of the harbor on what promised to be a very happy cruise.

Our destination for the first leg of the trip was Stockholm, Sweden, a distance of about 4,000 miles.

The first night out from Boston after clearing land, stormy weather set in and it was decided to head south by east to the steam ship lanes. Accordingly our course was set and followed for two days with the sea getting heavier all the time.

Six days out we had difficulty with the steering engine and rudder post, causing considerable water to ship through rudder post connections. On the seventh day it was decided to lay in at the Azores to make repairs. We still rolled and pitched with the greatest roll at 40 degrees. The crew however were able to make repairs, so instead of stopping at the Azores we headed north.

The weather became cooler day by day and we were soon off the coast of England, and that evening we sighted Land’s England. Late the following night we were in the English Channel and could see the lights from the shore on both sides. Then to make life miserable, a heavy fog shut down on us and you could not see your hand before your face. This condition continued all the way to the location of the Battles of Dogger Bank and the area of the Battle of Jutland, in the North Sea.

The fog then lifted and swinging east we again came to land—Denmark, through Skagerrack and Kattegat, then south and east into the Baltic Sea. The trip across the Baltic was uneventful and we dropped anchor about forty miles at sea from Stockholm for the purpose of cleaning up the ship. Sunday was spent in cleaning up the ship in preparation for entering port.

Early on Monday we got underway up the channels among the islands of rock, covered with green timber growth or with neat little farms perched on the sides of the hills, and noted neatly painted little houses of red, white, and yellow.

The pilot came aboard and we began our course up the river, passing timberland, then homes and villas and many plain farms; and everything looked neat and clean. We passed the Yacht Club, the riding stables and grounds, Greta Garbo’s villa, and also the Krueger factories—the Swedish match king. We then went into the beautiful harbor at Stockholm. It is no wonder that tourists rave about the beauty of the city. We anchored in the center of the harbor, just fourteen days almost to the hour from the time we left Boston. Liberty started and visitors came aboard. For one week we had a steady stream of people coming aboard the ship. Sailors and officers were entertained with dances and parties. There was plenty of fun for all. The city outdid itself in furnishing entertainment and all kinds of invitations for the sailors.

Stockholm is a city of about 500,000 people and is built on islands connected by bridges. The streets are very nice and have buses, streetcars, and automobiles for transportation. There are all types of boats in the harbor. They all seem to be on the move and nicely kept up. Directly ahead of the ship and facing the water was the King’s Winter Palace. Across the river to the right is the new city. This is distinguished from the old city because of newer houses and more modern buildings. Here the National Museum and Naval Training Station are located and a big amusement park called Tivoli. This park contains all sorts of amusements, holds band concerts, ferris wheels, and even aeroplane rides are available.

On the left bank of the river the railroad depot and steamship docks are located in Old City. Here there are many quaint old churches and buildings hundreds of years old.

The city has many famous statues and parks very prettily laid out with flowers in many different designs. There are many large hotels and open air cafes. Flags are flown from all the buildings, giving the city a holiday appearance. Most of the statues are in the nude of men and women and leave nothing to one’s imagination, as they do not use the fig leaf.

There are several thousand more women than men in the city, so no man need feel lonely for feminine attention and companionship. Some of the women are very lovely. I have never seen any lovelier.

Hotels and restaurants are very reasonable for the tourist but expensive for the native due to the very low wage scale. The Krone is the standard dollar of Sweden and is worth about 25 cents of our money. If a man earns 300 or 400 kronen a month, he is considered very high on the wage scale.

American dishes are hard to get, but in more recent years the many tourists have succeeded in getting the restaurants to serve our dishes. Good food and drink are available to anyone with cash.

The days are very long in the spring and summer and mighty beautiful. After one week of delightful weather, gracious people and a beautiful city to enjoy, we hoisted anchor and started for Finland.

As we swung around into the stream the banks were lined with Swedish and American flags being waved by people cheering us on. As we passed the Navy School the sailors were lined up on the bank of the river at attention. This scene will always stand out in my memory of beautiful and delightful things. The entire crew of our ship stood at attention while the band played the Swedish National Anthem; then as we swung by the base the entire body of Swedish sailors and Marines came to salute and their band played the Star-Spangled Banner. They kept playing it when we sailed down the river and out of sight of the city.

We then traveled forty miles down the river, left off our pilot, and headed in the direction of Finland; and so ended one of the nicest visits to any port in my Navy career. I am hoping some day to go back again with my family.

After leaving the pilot off the ship and taking leave of Stockholm we were again on our way, and this time we were headed for Helsingfors or Helsinki or the native name of Souami.

We arrived at our anchorage at 0930, on Tuesday morning just four weeks and one day from Boston, Massachusetts.

On entering the approaches to the city, the scenery seems very much like Sweden. The ship passed through a narrow approach barely wide enough for its passage. On either side, blasted from solid rock and covered with earthworks, are the forts commanding the harbor. The guns commanding the harbor and behind the fortifications are 12" diameter and are able to control all passages to the city.

The first impression is that everyone must be a soldier or sailor in the city, because soldiers are everywhere. You see all kinds of uniforms of all sizes and all shapes, brown, blue, and gray. Some have high boots, others shoes. Some carry sabers, others bayonets, dirks, or rifles.

The city is clean and the streets are wide. There are plenty of gardens and very nice apartment buildings and hotels. But along the way you can see women working side by side, digging ditches and paving streets and old women carrying bricks and mortar to build the new buildings.

Sunday and Monday were holidays while we were there, the 16th and 17th of May. The holiday was the equivalent of our July 4th. The holiday represents the release of the Finnish people from the yoke of Russian tyranny. The revolution was brought about by World War I and the help of other nations including the United States. It was a real celebration with flags flying, bands playing, and troops marching hours on end and everyone in a gay and festive mood.

Thousands of people visited the ship and were extremely courteous and pleasant with all the sailors. A bit of difficulty was experienced with the language, but in a few days connections were found whereby we could make ourselves understood.

The writer went ashore to attend a dance given in honor of the Americans (sailors on the ship) by the wives and mothers of the Finnish sailors. Everyone attending had a mighty happy time of it and at the conclusion of the dance, the Finnish girls took the sailors back to their boats at the landing.

One day the writer visited a young man whose parents lived in Canada and who had spent ten years there himself. Through him much information about the country was gained. We visited the wife’s mother’s home. It was an old Russian home with the old stove built into the wall and a small garden in the rear with gay flowers blooming. Easy chairs were set out where we sat and talked while coffee was prepared. Later we were called into the house and the mother and grandmother tried to make us welcome. They succeeded mighty well. They could not speak English and I could not speak their language, so the young wife was our interpreter.

A delightful two hours were spent drinking coffee, eating Nature Black, or Sour Bread and fish, and discussing tales of old Russia and the Cossacks, The grandmother was 79 years old. I mentioned the large army in Finland and the old ladies shuddered and you could see the fear in their eyes. Then the grandmother said: We never know, son, when they may come back. The women have need to fear them as murder, rape, and destruction awaits those towns if the Russians come back. There is real hate there. As we left the old grandmother placed her arm around me and asked me to come back, back to Finland someday to see them and make their home mine. The generous hospitality of these folks touched me deeply.

Later we went to the young folks’ home, which was a modern apartment, with elevator, gas and electricity, and in all respects much like a fine American apartment except the rent was $12.50 per month. The average skilled worker earns about $5.00 or $6.00 per week here. The national currency is reckoned in marks. One mark being worth about two cents of our money. The exchange was 45 marks to a dollar.

We then went down to the New Parliament building, costing many million marks. The site for the Olympic Games was next but this project has been abandoned until some future date. We also visited the new and extensive T.B. hospital. Finland has a very high rate of T.B. cases, and also many cases of venereal diseases to contend with.

There are many beautiful churches and fine convents in the city. The people are taxed by the government and also by the church. The government collects seven marks, twenty pennies on every 100 marks earned by the laborer.

The soldiers of the common class receive 2 marks, 20 pennies a day, and service is compulsory for one year after reaching the age of 17 for every able-bodied man. Strict military discipline prevails in all places where soldiers meet. Truck loads and boat loads of soldiers are on the move at all times. It is truly a city of the Military. The soldiers apparently of the lowest class of peasants are seen on the streets in ill-fitting uniforms and have dull brutish faces. They are probably feeling as bad as they look, for they must stand at attention and salute every officer and petty officer that passes by. Our arms were tired from just returning salutes, the days we spent there.

We made a trip to a restaurant for an evening and mingled with army, navy, officers, and many people in evening dress. Three of us drank beer, had coffee and nature cigarettes all for the sum of 39 marks, 30 pennies, which was about eighty cents in our money. We drank freely from 8:00 until 11:30 that evening.

After saying our good-byes, we left the following morning, May 18th, slipped anchor and left Helsinki with a feeling of regret for the loss of some real nice friends we had made. In a few hours we were outside the fortifications and back in the Baltic Sea en route to LeHavre, France, and all hands decided they were well pleased with their visit to Souami.{1}

$490,000,000 IN FRENCH GOLD ON UNITED STATES WAR VESSEL, BY GUY RICHARDS

Behind a routine announcement from the Treasury and Navy Departments yesterday developed a story of one of the strangest and most secretive missions ever undertaken by the United States Navy. The statement issued in Washington, said only: "Some time ago the United States purchased a sum of gold from the French Government. It was transported to the United States aboard the U.S.S. Vincennes, which was returning from abroad." Estimates of the amount ran as high as $490,000,000—if correct, the largest golden hoard ever to be shipped on a single vessel.

Up to the time the announcement was made, utmost secrecy had surrounded the whole matter. Although the Vincennes, a heavy cruiser, had docked at the New York Navy Yard, Brooklyn, on Thursday, the Navy insisted she was still in Portugal. With two destroyers, the Truxton and the Simpson, she had been sent to European waters on May 28, 1940.

All day Monday a steady stream of trucks transferred 3,500 green canvas bags from the Navy Yard to the United States Assay Office at Old Slip and South Street. Officers and men of the Vincennes as well as the civilian truck drivers had been sworn to secrecy and silence. Nevertheless it was learned that gold came from Casablanca, French Morocco, by three heavily camouflaged freighters to a secret rendezvous, where it was transferred to the Vincennes.

Her mission completed and the fabulously valuable cargo safe in the vaults of the Assay Office, the cruiser Vincennes sailed for an unannounced destination at 2:45 p.m.

CAPTAIN FREDERICK LOUIS RIEFKOHL, U.S.N.

Captain Riefkohl was born February 27, 1889, at Maunabo, Puerto Rico. His parents, Louis Riefkohl and Julia Jamieson Riefkohl, were born in Maunabo, Puerto Rico, and Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, respectively. After attending school in Concord, Massachusetts, and Andover Academy, he entered the Naval Academy, at Annapolis, as the first Midshipman to be appointed from Puerto Rico. He graduated as Past Midshipman in 1911, and began service on the U.S.S. Maine where he remained until September, 1911, when he reported for duty on board the U.S.S. Florida. He was commissioned Ensign in March, 1912, and promoted to Lieutenant, Junior Grade, in 1915, and Lieutenant in 1918. In the meantime he served on board the U.S.S. Terry, in Destroyers, on the survey ship U.S.S. Hannibal, again in Destroyers until November, 1915, when he was ordered to the Wyoming. He was detached from the Wyoming in May, 1917, to serve as Commander of the Armed Guard in the Passenger Liner Philadelphia of the American Steamship Line.

About March 1, 1918, Captain Riefkohl was detached from the Philadelphia and ordered as District Communication Officer, 15th Naval District, Balboa, Canal Zone, and Cable Censor, Panama Area. He was promoted to Lieutenant Commander (T) in 1918 and permanent in 1921. In May, 1920, he was assigned to the Staff of the Commander of the Destroyer Force Atlantic in the U.S.S. Rochester, as Force Radio Officer, serving in this duty until May, 1922, when he was ordered to the U.S.S. Preble as Executive Officer. On arrival of the Preble in Chefoo, China, in August, 1922, he was detached and ordered to the Staff of Admiral E. A. Anderson, U.S.N., Commander-in-Chief U.S. Asiatic Fleet, as Flag Secretary and Fleet Radio and Communication Officer.

In November, 1923, on detachment of Admiral Anderson, he was ordered to serve as Commanding Officer, U.S.S. Smith Thompson, and served as such until May, 1924, when he returned to the United States. He then served about six weeks as Recruiting Officer, Des Moines, Iowa, after which he was ordered to New York Navy Yard for duty as Radio Material Officer. In July, 1926, Captain Riefkohl took command of the U.S.S. Corry, a destroyer of the Pacific Fleet. In September, 1928, he requested and was assigned as Executive Officer U.S.S. Kittery, remaining on this duty until June, 1929, when he was ordered to duty as Chief of Staff to the Naval Governor of the Virgin Islands. He remained there until the Governor was relieved by a Civil Governor. Then he was assigned as Commandant of the Naval Station, St. Thomas Island. He closed this station on June 30, 1931, and went to duty as Gunnery Officer of the U.S.S. New Mexico. He was promoted to Commander in 1931.

As the New Mexico was being modernized at Philadelphia Navy Yard, on being offered more active duty at sea, Captain Riefkohl left for a winter cruise as Navigator of the U.S.S. Omaha, and on return from the cruise he went to the U.S.S. Lexington as Navigator. In June, 1933, he was detached from the Lexington and ordered to the Senior Course, Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island. On completion of the War College course, in June, 1934, he went as officer-in-charge of the Navy Motion Picture Exchange, Navy Yard, New York, remaining there until December 31, 1934, when he was detached and ordered to duty with the Argentine Navy in Buenos Aires, as advisor. On December 31, 1936, he was detached from duty in Buenos Aires and assigned to duty as Executive Officer of the U.S.S. Nevada, serving as such until June, 1939. He was promoted to Captain July 1, 1939.

In July, 1939, Captain Riefkohl reported for duty as War Plans Officer on the Staff of the Commandant, 15th Naval District, Balboa, Canal Zone, Panama. On April 4, 1941, he was detached from duty in Panama, and on April 23, 1941, reported for duty as Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. Vincennes, serving in this capacity until that ship was sunk on August 9, 1942. In September, 1942, he returned to the United States and was on special duty in the Bureau of Personnel, Navy Department, for a short period of time. On October 15, 1942, he was assigned duty at Veracruz, Mexico, as Liaison Officer of Commander Gulf Sea Frontier, to the Mexican General Commanding the Region of the Gulf of Mexico. On December 1, 1943, he was detached from duty in Mexico and ordered to duty in Miami, Florida, as Assistant Commander Gulf Sea Frontier. In January, 1945, he was ordered to Special duty in England and later in France, in connection with Liaison matters. He returned to the United States in December, 1945, and was ordered to duty as Assistant Chief of Staff to the Commander Caribbean Sea Frontier and Commandant Tenth Naval District. He reported for this duty at San Juan, Puerto Rico, February 12, 1946.

On January 1, 1947, Captain Riefkohl was retired with the rank of Rear-Admiral, U.S.N.. He was slated for promotion in May, 1942, and (in the opinion of the editor) should have been thus honored after the first battle of Savo Island.

TWO LETTERS WRITTEN BY CAPTAIN RIEFKOHL

MILITARY REGION OF THE GULF

Office of the U.S. Naval Liaison Office

Veracruz, Ver. Mexico

June 24, 1943

Mr. Guy Patrick,

Elizabethtown, Kentucky, USA.

Dear Mr. Patrick:

For sometime I have wanted to write you about your fine son, Corporal James Leslie Patrick, U.S. Marine Corps, who was with me in the U.S.S. Vincennes....

Pat was my special Orderly when we were at Battle Stations, and was with me continuously during the Savo Island night action, after which he was reported missing.

Pat always kept my pistol, gas mask, and life belt in case I should need them. As we were going down the ladders from the bridge Pat gave me my life belt, which hit something and became inflated. When we got to the deck I sent Pat and my chief yeoman, Stucker, to tell anyone left on deck that he must get off the ship quickly. When they returned the water had reached the deck where we were standing, so we just started swimming away from the ship.

I was not wearing my life belt but towing it with one hand, when someone asked if he could hang on to it. I got him on it and, with Pat pushing him while I pulled, we got him clear of the ship and to a raft. Pat and I told this boy to hang on with one hand and paddle with the other. Pat seemed to be in perfectly fine shape all of the time.

After I got to this raft I was very busy taking care of wounded men. I had no idea but that Pat was quite all right. As it was very dark it was impossible to recognize any one unless he was right close....I left this raft after awhile and swam to others nearby to see how they were.

In the morning we were picked up by three different destroyers and went to different ships. It was therefore several days before I learned that Pat was among those reported missing.

The report that Pat was missing was a shock to me, for he had seemed to be in fine shape. Afterwards some men who were with him on the bridge informed me that he had been wounded. Pat had been my staunch friend and standby through many arduous months of cruising, and in several engagements with the enemy. He was always right on the job, a perfect gentleman and a real man. I thought the world of Pat and I am proud to say that I think he was rather fond of his Captain also....

I assure you you have my sincere sympathy and respect. If Pat were my own son I could not feel any more deeply than I do about him.

I have been on duty here for a few months now, but am hoping soon to get back out there on Sea duty and settle our account with Tojo’s Tarzans.

Very sincerely yours,

FRED L. RIEFKOHL,

Captain, U.S. Navy.

(Ex-Comdr. U.S.S. Vincennes)

HEADQUARTERS

Tenth Naval District San Juan, Puerto Rico

19 March 1946

My dear Professor Dorris:

The Log of Vincennes, which you very kindly sent me to read, is very well done and most interesting. I hope that you will be able to get the information you desire from the Navy Department to complete the war record of our fine ship.

I desire to take this opportunity to express my appreciation and great admiration for