8 Heppner Gazette Times, March 7, 1946
Good Ship Daniel
Jay Completes its
Mission in War
On the fifth of January 1945 we
set our course for Mindoro, an is
land on the western expanse of
the Philippines. One day out from
our destination we heard some
startling news a concentrated air
attack by the Japs had destroyed
many ships, wreaked havoc and
destruction on the shore installa
tions. This was definitely no morale
builder, but we sailed on to a fu
ture of uncertainty, perhaps anni
hilation. The following morning as
we steamed into Mangarin bay
Mindoro, except for the burning
burning ships and wrecked shore
facilities it was a picture of seren
ty and we even had movies on the
fantail with the scars of war sur
rounding us.
The officers and men started
wondering was this a ship they
were, or a myth, a fantasy. They
knew one thing for certain as long
as they were out in the Pacific
they didn't want to get off the
Daniel A. Joy. She was the finest
vessel in the navy, and they
wouldn't trade her for the biggest
battlewagon of the fleet.
The men's love and faith in me
were all I desired and I knew now
we were partners for the remain
der of this war. I only hoped I
would always be able to live up
to their wildest expectations, and
carry them safely back to the land
they loved.
On the 11th of January we again
headed north to Lingayen gulf and
found a once blazing hell very
very peaceful.
For several months we operated
between Lingayen and Mindoro
doing various jobs such as patrol,
escort work, duty on the ping line
at Ligayen and rescue work.
On the 4th of March we sailed
for Leyte and then escorted a con
voy back to Manus in the Admir
alties. Upon our return to Leyte in, the
middle of April I went into dry
deck for what I hoped a good ov
erhaul, but 'twas only 48 hours so
the crew worked day and night,
painting my sides and Retting me
ready for i-ea. Then on 19 April we
again set our course for the west
ern Philippines. First stop was Pu
erta Princcssa Harbor in Palawan.
Then on 22 April, 1945 we took the
first largo convoy into Manila.
American planes were bombing the
islands around Corregidor as we
steamed into Manila bay.
Manila, the pride of the Philip
pines, was in smoking ruins. The
harbor wrs cluttered wth surtken
ships and there was hardly a build
ing left standing. Between the Japs
and our own shelling, the eity was
a picture of complete devastation.
After several other trips were
made to Leyte, Mindoro and Ce.bu,
on the 261 h of May we took over
the Fox patrol from Subic Bay to
Mindoro.
This patrol really rendered us a
sorely needed rest. We split the
duty with several other destroyer
escorts and thus had about a third
of the time in port. Along with
submarine search we played nurse
maid to all the ships running north
and south, getting them by and off
the reefs; the most dangerous was
Apo, a large mid-channel reef oifl
Mindoro. We were also sent on
rescue trips and mail runs along
the western Philippines.
We kept the Fox patrol for about
two months and then on August 10,
we had orders to take a slow tow
north to the Ryuku chain. Yes, we
were to go to that already famous
rendezvous, where the navy had lost
more ships and personnel than ever
before in its history the Island ol
Okinawa Shima.
So we steamed out of Manila
Bay and had just passed Corregidor
at 2230 and set our course on 350
(T) when the signalman intercept
ed a blinker from the Island For
tress which said Japan had capitu
lated. It came over in plain lan
guage in the radio shack and al
though all hands were asleep it
wasn't long before everyone was
out and shouting, "Danny Boy real
ly did it this time." This announce
znent of surrender was not official
however, but was made so on 15
August 1945. The war was over.
Yes it was a great day throughout
the world, Japan had accepted the
Potsdam ultimatum.
Lexington Items
By ICRS. MARY EDWARDS
Maj. Eugene (Buster) Gentry and
wife were visiting relatives and
friends n Lexington last week. They
were on their way home to Rapid
City, S. D. and planned to stop at
Halfway to visit his parents.
Mrs. H. M. Mars left Friday for
Palo Alto, Calif, after a short vis
it of a week with her parents,,
Mr. and Mrs. A. M. Edwards.
Joe Way left Wednesday for Far
ragut Ida. where he will receive his
discharge from the navy.
Ben Grant arrived Monday from
Great Lakes Naval Station on
leave.
GENERAL CHAIRMAN
THANKS COMMITTEES
AND OTHER CONTRIBUTORS
A chairman of the "Welcome
Home" banquet committee, I wish
to thank those who cooperated so
splendidly in making the banquet
possible. The following chairmen
with their respective committees
made the many hours of work a
pleasure and by their efficiency
made success certain:
Kenneth House, Mrs. R A.
Thompson, Bob Runnion, Mrs. Cy
rene Barratt, J. J. O'Connor, J. O.
Turner, Loyal Parker, Miss Grace
Gadeken, Conley Lanham, Mrs.
Effie Morgan, Mrs. Ellis x Carlson,
Mrs. J. O. Hager, Mrs. Ed Bennett,
L. E. Dick and Mrs. F. E. Parker
were chairmen of the 13 active
committees involving personnel of
at least 80 people. In addition I wish
to thank the staff of the Gazette
Times for the beautiful programs
and "Welcome Home" cards so gen
erously donated; the restaurants for
the use of their bake ovens and the
Elks for the use of their spacious
hall. To all those who by donations
of food, time and equipment con
tributed to the event I extend my
sincere thanks.
Fletcher Forster
General Chairman
Paris Shopping Interests Army Regular
This soldier has just mode o few purchases in a Parisian shop, os souvenirs
qualified civilians, 17 to 34 years of age. Inclusive wha t'.j I
Rd" Army. J
Whin the reach rf eMeryowei
Electric cooking is as cheap as it is clean and modern.
For PP&L has cut rates 15 times. Twenty thousand homes now cook
with PP&L electricity, and they pay on the average
less than $2 a month for the additional electricity needed for cooking.
Thousands are planning to switch to effortless electric cookery
just as soon as their dealers can supply the equipment
Better see your electric range dealer and get your order in soc
7 .8J5 HOW PP&L CUT THE COST )
j vFI OF ELECTRIC COOKING:
5.1 6 32 Chart iKowt cott of
1 i mi wing tUctrlt rangs
i ffelL ' m ov'0
i) IrtrSr
uDitDdb
) Ittt Hit Kit Mil Wt TIM1
Pacific Power tlteht.
A Self-Supporting, Tax-Paying Business
a A II HI TOII ELECTRICITY CHEAPER ARB CIEAPER1