The Last Days Before Peace

By Johann Fuchs

The story follows a young college who is about to graduate when World War II breaks out, and he joins the Navy. He is assigned to the USS Cassin as she is being rebuilt after Pearl Harbor. The story follows Lieutenant Pembrooke and the USS Cassin as they journey through the war. The story is how the small warships (destroyers) affected the war but didn't get all the glory. Lieutenant Pembrooke is wounded near the end of the war but is able to return home to his wife and daughter.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Oct 4, 2022
• ISBN: 9781662483295

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The Last Days Before Peace

Johann Fuchs

Copyright © 2022 Johann Fuchs

All rights reserved

First Edition

PAGE PUBLISHING

Conneaut Lake, PA

First originally published by Page Publishing 2022

ISBN 978-1-6624-8328-8 (pbk)

ISBN 978-1-6624-8329-5 (digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

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About the Author

To Janeen, you have always been my inspiration to write. You were, are, and always will be my friend.

To the members of the class of 1978, you all were and still are my friends.

In memory of Barbara Ann Jones, 1993–2021.

You will never be forgotten.

1

How Lucky I Was

As the clouds of war were gathering in the fall of 1941, I was in my last year at Michigan State University, and in the spring, I would graduate with my teaching degree. I had a job lined up to teach high school in the small town of Durand in the coming fall. This fall Saturday saw me at the stadium for the first home football game of the year between the Spartans and the U of M Wolverines. As I was sitting there in the bleachers, fate smiled on me when a young woman fell into my life. Literally, she stumbled on the steps, and I caught her before she landed on the hard concrete. She was beautiful, shoulder-length brown hair, and a smile that would melt the heart of any man.

Helping her back to her feet, I asked, Are you all right, miss?

I think so, she replied. Thank you for helping me.

Are you looking for your boyfriend in this mass of people? I asked, trying to find out if I had a chance.

Not a boyfriend, she replied. I was looking for my sorority sisters.

So no boyfriend. I had a chance, so I introduced myself. I'm William Pembrooke. They call me Will. Would you like to sit with me, and later I will help you find your friends.

With the game starting, she replied, Okay, my name is Elizabeth Rivers. They call me Betsy.

We spent the entire game together talking, and I found out that she also was studying education and would be graduating a year after me.

We didn't care if we lost to U of M; we enjoyed ourselves. When the game was over, we sat and talked as those in a hurry left. Once they were gone, we set out to look for Betsy's sorority sisters. We never found them, but we were not looking very hard. We spent most of the evening together, mostly just talking and holding hands. Like any scared schoolboy, I wasn't sure if I should kiss her, but I managed the courage to give her a gentle kiss on the cheek. So began our love affair that would last more than forty years. The next day, I waited until afternoon to go and see her, not wanting to look too anxious to see her. I couldn't believe that this beautiful girl didn't have a boyfriend, and I was more than willing to fill that role for her.

We were so natural together, trying to see each other after class and on the weekends. It didn't seem like any time at all before we went to see each other's parents. The surprise part of meeting her parents was that they lived only a few miles from my parents. Everyone who saw us knew we were in love. The nice thing about going to college at MSU was that we were close to home and could go home all the time. I guess I passed the test when meeting her parents because they seemed to like me and allowed me to stay the night and sleep on the couch when I visited. As for my parents, they were happy that I found someone special. Thanksgiving was such a weird day, dinner with her parents and then dessert with mine. Things couldn't be going better for us, and we had even mentioned the M-word. I thought Betsy was trying to see how serious I was before committing to a more serious relationship (wink wink). Little did she know that I had that conversation with her father at Thanksgiving. Once he knew I was serious and I had a job offer after I graduated in the spring, he told me yes. I was going to ask her at Christmas. Now my plans were made, but it didn't take long for them to get screwed up.

Just a week later, we were visiting her parents when the news came on the radio that the Japanese had attacked Pearl Harbor; we were at war. All we could do was listen to the reports on the radio to see what had happened. There was no discussion about what would happen in the future, but being twenty-two years old, I was in the range to be drafted. You could see in Betsy's and her mother's eyes as they kept crying as we listened to the news, knowing what would come next.

Since I was in college, I had gotten a deferment during the earlier draft calls, even though my number was never called. It wouldn't matter. That night, we sat there and held each other, and Betsy cried. I kept asking her what was wrong, but she wouldn't say what. She didn't have to say it; I knew. She knew I was going to leave her and go to war, even though I wouldn't say so. There was only a week left in the semester, then we would have four weeks together before the next semester would begin. We hurried back in the morning for classes, only to find most classes were canceled, as events unfolded. Betsy wanted to be alone for a while, so I dropped her off at her sorority house. I thought she wanted to see what I would do. I did exactly what she was afraid I would do. I went to the Navy recruiting office. I didn't go to college for four years to be an ordinary seaman and go where they wanted. There was quite the line of men waiting to sign up to get those evil Japs. So I waited in line for an hour, but I wasn't like all the others. They came in to sign up and was given a date to report, most in just a few days. I wanted to make a deal. I didn't enlist, but I volunteered, and with my education, I was able to get deferred until I graduated. Then it was off to Great Lakes, Illinois, to officer training. I wasn't sure it was the way to go, but I wanted to make more money, and I was going to be getting married. It was all set. June 15, I would report to Great Lakes. Now to tell Betsy.

We met for dinner and took a long walk, not saying anything. We walked, but neither of us wanted to bring up what was happening. I knew she knew I went to sign up. She would get stiffly and start to cry, then we would stop and hug, and I told her it would be all right. The rest of the week went by better, less crying, but it would begin again on Sunday. Sunday we had dinner with her parents instead of with mine, which was who we were supposed to be visiting this weekend.

Everything seemed fine, right up to the time her dad talked, and they started crying.

So, Will, he asked, did you sign up yet?

Now Betsy broke down and started to cry.

Yes, Mr. Rivers, I replied, I signed up with the Navy.

Now Betsy and her mother broke down crying; it was now or never.

I got up and kneeled in front of Betsy, taking her hand. Betsy, I love you. Will you marry me?

That made her cry even harder as she whispered, Yes.

As we hugged, whispering, she asked, Why did you sign up to leave me?

Honey, I said in a whisper, I was going to get called up anyway. This way, we have six months together before I leave and I can finish college.

We talked about it during lunch, and even though Betsy and her mom didn't like it, they accepted it. Later in the afternoon, we went to my folks' house and told my parents of the engagement and enlistment, and the women cried. The proposal was only a week or so before I had planned. Now came a long six months for Betsy. For me, it seemed like it just started, when it was over. The toughest part of graduating was knowing I was going to be leaving soon. Neither of us talked about a wedding date before I had to leave. I did get the Durand School to hold my job offer for Betsy when she finished school and she would have a job. It was a teary Sunday when I boarded the train for Chicago and the beginning of my military career. The trip to Chicago went quickly, and to my surprise, there were soldiers, sailors, and Marines at the train station to collect us up and take us to where were needed to go. There was a little poaching going on, the occasional man who wasn't sure where he was supposed to go and when to the wrong place. That wasn't the case with me. I knew exactly where I was supposed to be.

2

Hello, Navy

On the other side of the world, the smell of burned oil and death still hung in the air over the naval base at Pearl Harbor. A lot had happened by July 1942. The fires were out, most of the shipwrecks had been salvaged, and the dead had been recovered and buried. Among those to be salvaged was the USS Cassin DD-372 and USS Downes DD-375, or at least parts of them were salvaged. During the attack, the Downes and Cassin sat forward of the flagship, USS Pennsylvania in the large sea dry dock, across from battleship row. During the attack, both ships were severely damaged when a bomb ruptured the Downes 's fuel tanks and set them both on fire. Without water to fight the fires, they were left abandoned, with the Cassin sliding off her blocks. After the attack ended and the fires were out, it was decided that their machinery and equipment would be salvaged, and they would be rebuilt. In the spring of 1942, the damaged hulk of the USS Oklahoma went into tow, with other ships carrying the equipment for rebuilding the Cassin to San Francisco. The mighty USS Oklahoma sank in route, but the Cassin 's hull and parts would arrive at the Oakland naval yards for rebuilding. It would take over a year to rebuild that plucky little destroyer as work was slowed and even stopped, when others ships came in for repairs.

Now basic officer training at Great Lakes was like being in college again, except we did physical training every morning, which included swimming. This was the hardest part for me because I swim like a rock. I hit the water and then sink to the bottom. Somehow, I managed to pass basic swimming, but if my ship gets sunk, I will go down with her. Here we learned the basics about being an officer, but as it turned out, not much that would help us on a ship. The classwork was easy for me since I was fresh from college. The part that was bad for me was being away from Betsy. We could talk every day or so, but it wouldn't replace a long walk and talks or a stolen kiss. Once I knew what was going on, we were able to set a wedding date, February 14, 1943, just as soon as advanced training was to end. This was going to be the first time we would be able to see each other in six months. Recruits were not allowed leave, and I went from basic training to advanced training without a break. Advanced training was supposed to get us ready for ships, and it didn't. Even when going through advanced training, we didn't get a chance for leave; the need for officers on the new ships was too great. Every day, we were told of the new carriers, powerful battleships, and long-range subs being built, and any number of cruisers and destroyers, who had lost men, all would need officers. Our wedding was planned, and then the plans were changed. I was planning on going home on February 12 to get married, but my rich uncle changed my plans. I was told to report to Oakland Naval Yards on February 14. I had planned on a late February reporting date so Betsy and I could spend our honeymoon together. Instead, I had to get train tickets for her to come to Chicago for a quick ceremony in Chicago before I left. So much for our church wedding with family and friends. So on the twelfth, Betsy and our parents came to Chicago to watch me graduate from advanced training and get my water wings. Right after the graduation ceremony, Betsy came up onstage, and in front of all these officers and our parents, the navy chaplain, Father Thomas Burns, conducted our wedding ceremony. Not what we had planned, but it didn't matter. We had about five hours together before her train headed east and mine headed west. Not quite how you think of spending your wedding night. Other than our wedding kiss, nothing else happened. That would have to wait until I got settled in California, and Betsy could get some time off.

3

Oakland Naval Yard

Hello, USS Cassin

It was a long and lonely trip to Oakland, and this lonely newlywed sailor cried alone in his stateroom. How I wished I had smuggled Betsy on the train with me. When I arrived at the train station in Oakland, there was a large sign saying Oakland Naval Base, as well as other places, each with men manning the booths. They gathered up the enlisted men for a bus ride, and the officers were sent by car. So when I arrived, I was taken to the Oakland naval base to meet Commander James Forrest, the base personnel officer. I had high hopes of getting assigned to a cool ship since there were several carriers, battleships, and cruisers in the docks.

I came in and reported, Lieutenant William Pembrooke, reporting for duty.

Take a seat, Lieutenant, he said as he began to look through a pile of papers.

Then he stopped, pulled a couple of pages out, and asked, Pembrooke, William E., 28848429?

I had to check my dog tags and replied, Yes, sir.

Well, Lieutenant, he reported, "you are to report to Commander Kennedy on USS Cassin, DD-372. You are being assigned as the gunnery officer."

Sir, I said, wanting to ask.

What is it, Lieutenant? he snapped.

Well, sir, I said, I was hoping to get on a carrier or battleship.

Taking off his glasses, he replied, Lieutenant, you're better off on a destroyer. They're the backbone of the fleet.

Yes, sir, I said, taking my orders and then asking, where is she docked?

When you get to the dock area, ask the guards, he replied.

So I saluted and left, but I didn't go far before saying, Chief?

What is it, Lieutenant? he replied.

"Can you tell me where the USS Cassin is?" I asked.

Have a seat, Lieutenant, he replied and then picked up the phone and talked to someone.

Lieutenant Rump will be here in a few minutes to get you, the chief replied, and he went back to his work.

Thank you, Chief, I replied.

So began my time on the USS Cassin, sitting in an office waiting for someone to come and get me. I wondered if it would be in bad taste to ask about a transfer to another ship, even before I got to my first ship. I sat there for a half an hour, but it seemed like forever before a lieutenant came in.

Looking around, he asked, Lieutenant William Pembrooke?

Yes, sir, I said as I got up.

Let's go, he replied. I'm Lt Nick Rump. Before you say anything, I've heard all the jokes and puns.

Okay, I replied like I was really going to make fun of someone I just met, "Lieutenant, what is the Cassin like?"

Looking at me and laughing, he said, "Mr. Pembrooke, Cassin was sunk at Pearl Harbor. We're here waiting for her to be put back together."

"What's your position on the Cassin?" I asked.

None, he replied, I have a medical condition that keeps me in port.

Really? I asked in amazement. So what do we do?

Right now, not much, he replied. We do as we are told, mostly odd jobs, while we wait.

Like what? I asked.

Well, this is the first real thing I have done in three weeks, he said. I come in and read, play solitaire, and then go home.

You don't watch them work on the ship? I asked.

"I'm not assigned to the Cassin, Nick said. I'm assigned to Commander Kennedy's transfer group. I work in the office. We crew ships needing crews to Pearl Harbor, and once there, we turn them over to Pacific Fleet command and fly back to San Francisco and start all over again."

Where is Commander Kennedy? I asked.

He's at sea on an attack transport heading for Pearl Harbor, Nick replied.

So when will I meet Commander Kennedy? I asked.

Probably right before you sail for Pearl Harbor, if then, Nick said. Bill, if you want to go down and watch them work, feel free to do so. Just check in every morning.

I prefer Will, I replied.

So we went to the naval docks, where I was shown to my quarters, and Lieutenant Rump left me to fend for myself. After I got settled, I went to the docks and looked at the Cassin. I stood there with my hands on my hips, looking disgusted being assigned here.

I stood there for fifteen minutes when a man in a hard hat, carrying a clipboard, stopped and asked, Can I help you, Lieutenant?

No, sir, I replied, I'm being assigned as the gunnery officer on this ship.

She should be ready by the first of the year, he said, looking at her.

First of the year, I replied in shock.

Yes, sir, he replied. "The Cassin is not a priority, so if someone comes in for repairs that can be fixed quicker, they get the priority, and the Cassin is left with a skeleton repair crew or none at all."

Sir, I said, "I have a couple of questions. What's your name, and am I allowed to go on the Cassin while work is being done.?"

My name is Mark Anderson, he replied. Why would you want be here while we are working?

Well, Mr. Anderson, I have never been on a ship before. So if I can watch her being fitted out, it will give me a better understanding how she works and what she is capable of, I replied.

I'll have a hard hat for you at the office, he said with a smile, pointing to a door, Just let the foreman know you're here. If you have any questions, just ask.

Now I got into a routine. I came in each morning and watched the shipyard workers work. At first, after they started and later, I got there while assignments were being handed out. At first, they all thought that the Navy had sent me to spy on them and make them work faster. Once they had met me, they realized I was just curious. As I watched, the Cassin was taking shape and looked the Mahan-class destroyer that she was. By going to the ship every day, it gave me something to do, and the others in the office forgot about me, and I didn't get any little crap jobs. It also meant that I never met Commander Kennedy since when in port, he didn't come in that early. Hiding like this also meant I couldn't get leave to go and see Betsy, but I could talk to her on the phone. So Betsy and I made plans for her to come and visit me in Oakland for a couple of weeks around Christmas, and I wouldn't go into work as much so we could spend time together. While making the plans, I didn't realize just how long it would be before we celebrated another Christmas together. The plans were made. She would take the Western Flyer to Oakland and spend eight days with me. One might say that this trip was our honeymoon since we got married the day I graduated from advanced training and had to leave of Oakland.

She arrived in Oakland about ten minutes before I got to the train station, with the Western Flyer being twenty-five minutes early. So poor Betsy was left alone to be accosted by horny soldiers and sailors looking to get lucky. As I walked up, some young seaman grabbed her by the arm, trying to drag her off to some dark corner. As she cried for him to let her go, he ran right into me, literally.

Excuse me, sailor, I said, I don't think that this woman wants to go with you.

Not looking, he blurted out, Shove off, Mac. She's mine.

Well, son, I said, let go of my wife before I swab the deck with you.

Just then, a shore patrolman came up and asked, Is there a problem here?

That was when the sailor turned and looked at me and then let Betsy go.

No problem, Chief, I replied. But you might want to take this young man to his unit so he can explain how he was accosting an officer's wife at the train station.

Yes, sir, the shore patrolman said as he took the arm of the sailor. Now Betsy and I enjoyed our first kiss in ten months. I would like to have spent all eight days we had alone in a hotel room, but there wasn't any available. So my little room on base would have to do. We went back to the room to drop off her bags, and the plans were made for supper. Well, supper would have to wait. Once we were back to the room, we began to kiss, and passion got the best of us as we consummated our marriage, twice. So we had a late dinner before returning to the base for some more martial fun. In the morning, we went to breakfast, then Betsy had to go back to my room, while I went to work. It wasn't as bad as she thought it would be since when I left for lunch, I didn't return, and Betsy and I would tour the Oakland/San Francisco area. This was how we spent those eight days until Betsy had to return home. It wasn't until the third day that Betsy remembered to show me the picture of the house she bought for us in Durand, just one more thing to make me blue, when she left. Our fun ended on the twenty-eighth, when she boarded the Eastern Express, but she wasn't alone. Just eight and a half months later, the fruits of our passion arrived in the form of our daughter, Mary Ellen. Just one more thing I didn't get to experience with Betsy as she had Mary alone in the hospital. Well, not really, both of our moms were there. With the slow mail service, I didn't get word until we had set out from Pearl Harbor for the war zone.

4

The Crew of the Cassin

My fun in December behind me, it was time to get back to work. More men began to arrive as the Cassin began to look like a ship again. Some seamen at first, mostly engineer mates, along with a new ensign, Nate Schafer. Nate was fresh from engineering school and was being assigned as the engineering officer. He arrived early with his men to learn the engines as they were being installed. These were not new engines but the engines from the Cassin that was destroyed in Pearl Harbor. Once they were installed, Nate and his men began to train on them as they helped the yard crew get them online. All I could do was watch and wait for someone to need something. February 1 was a big day for the Cassin as a bus pulled up next to the Cassin , and thirty sailors piled off and formed up. I stood on the deck and watched as what had to be a chief petty officer started jawing at the group for how they looked and behaved. This was the chief of the boat, Master Chief Kurt Hall, the COB. Seeing me standing there, he hollered at someone, who came forward and stood in front of the formation. Slowly he approached the gangway and came aboard, and I meet him at the end of the gangway.

Coming to attention, he said Sir, Senior Master Chief Kurt Hall reporting for duty.

Master Chief, I replied. Lieutenant William Pembrooke, gunnery officer. Welcome aboard.

Thank you, sir, he replied.

What division are you in, Chief? I asked.

Sir, I'm the chief of the boat, he announced. "I have thirty-one chiefs and seamen for the USS Cassin. Who is the captain?"

Well, Chief, I said, Commander William Kennedy is the commander, Lieutenant Allen Napier is the exec, but neither are here and won't be. They are in charge until we get to Pearl Harbor, then we will get a permanent commander.

Who's the senior officer? he asked.

I guess that's me, I replied.

Yes, sir, he replied. Do you know where we can stay?

I'll show you the building that the black gang is using, I said. There is plenty of room for your men.

You have other sailors already? he asked.

Yes, Master Chief, I replied, Lieutenant Nate Schafer, the engineering officer, and eight of his men arrived about two weeks ago.

Can we stay on the ship? he asked.

Not yet, Master Chief, I replied. The building where the others are staying is set up as a barracks, and it has a kitchen.

Sir, Chief said, looking at me like I was in trouble, I'm the chief of the boat. You can call me COB or Chief, but don't call me Master Chief. We don't have a kitchen. We have a galley. Where are the rest of our men?

In the engine room, I replied.

Please have them come to the billets, sir, he requested.

Okay, I thought I knew what I was doing. I guess this is part of my education I didn't learn at Great Lakes. I sent word for Ensign Schafer to bring his men to the barracks. Then we went down to the formation, and Chief Hall said something to the man in from of the formation, and they came to attention, and he made an announcement.

"Men, this is our ship, USS Cassin DD-372, Commander William Kennedy commanding. Right now, Lieutenant William Pembrooke is in charge. We have billets for our men for now. Chief Soper, follow us," Chief Hall said.

Chief Soper replied, Aye, aye, Chief.

Then Chief Soper called the formation to attention, and they followed us but were not as sharp as they should be. We could hear some of the chiefs yelling at seamen about how they should have looked. Once we arrived at the building, Chief Hall had some unkind words for Chief Huff and his black gang. Once he had spoken to Chief Huff, Chief Hall set to work organizing the area as I watched. This man definitely had his act together as he gave each chief their orders. Now Chief Huff and his eight men were given an area, just like on the ship, and the others were sorted out by where they would be assigned. Each section was given a section of the building. One of the rooms was set aside as an office, and the rest became a supply room, a storeroom, and chiefs quarters. As the men got settled, Chief Hall took the section chiefs into the office for a meeting. Nate and I watched the men work as the chiefs talked, then Chief Hall came out and got me for a meeting. He took me in and introduced me to the section chiefs who were there by name and what their section was, including Chief Spicer, my division chief. Then he dismissed the chiefs so we could have a chat. He was pleased that I wasn't some stuck-up academy officer and was willing to listen. First things first, since Commander Kennedy and Lieutenant Napier were never there, I was considered the commander, and therefore, I needed to take care of our men. He would be there for me to ask questions for help, but to remember, no is never the final answer, so continue to ask until I got what we needed. Chief Hall preached routine and was going to get the men used to a shipboard routine, and that included Nate and I. Up until now, Nate and I came and went as we wanted, but that was coming to end. Now we needed to report at 0600, take report, and do physical fitness training with the men and then be ready for work at 0800. After 0800, we went to work on the Cassin in areas that were completed and we were allowed to be so we would know about the ship.

Every day now, more men would arrive but no more officers. Chief Hall got them assigned to their divisions and put them to work, and I continued to play commander. Chief Hall had restricted the men to the billets and the dock area nearby, but it didn't stop some from sneaking off. It took a week for some to sneak off to Oakland itself to sample the nightlife and to look for women. It only took once to get caught, when the watch chief got the call that four of our men were in the local jail for being drunk and out of bounds. These four guys did not like it when Chief Hall and I arrived at 2:00 a.m. to get them. Now I didn't scare them, but the Chief did, but the chief couldn't get them out of jail, and I could. After pleading our case to get them released and the charges dropped, I was able to sign for all six of them. Now I hadn't been told how many we were going to get, so I thought it was six. It was a quiet ride back to the docks, but it was not going to last. When we got there at 4:00 a.m.,