Sunday in Hell, page 16
She would book passage on an ocean liner out of a west coast port, probably San Francisco, travel by train to meet the scheduled sailing, and perhaps stop by to see Grandma Nesbitt in Vallejo, near San Francisco.
While she booked her departure and was en route, Bob could locate a furnished apartment to rent. He would have a place and his lovely new wife to come home to when Tennessee wasn’t at sea, or he wasn’t on duty when the ship was moored in Pearl Harbor. As for transportation, Honolulu had an excellent city bus system that could take them back and forth to Pearl Harbor and Joey anywhere she needed to go while Bob was at sea. If necessary Bob could borrow transportation from his Navy aviator classmates and friends while they were at sea with the carrier Enterprise. Bob and Joey didn’t need a car to live on Oahu. The whole idea was warm, exciting, an invitation to be together again - as they had promised one another. Then came 12 September
A flurry of phone calls and telegrams: to book passage out of San Francisco on 18 September, on the Matson Line’s SS Lurline, which twice monthly sailed the route San Francisco, Long Beach and Honolulu; to Bob, confirming the booking, departure and arrival dates; to the Borders in Mobile, telling them of their plans; to the Seattle railroad station for schedules, ticket cost and availability to Oakland, where she would go by ferry to San Francisco; to the local bus station for schedules and a ticket from San Francisco to Vallejo; and to Grandma Nesbitt in Vallejo to tell her of the voyage and Joey would like to spend the night of the 17th with her before she boarded Lurline.
Everything fell into place so quickly, she even had time to go into Seattle for a permanent. Full of love, pride and excitement, she wanted to look her best for Bob and the first ocean voyage in her life. To cap off a near-perfect day, Joey went with her parents to the quarters of family friends, the Shippey’s, for dinner, and spent the evening in conversation, much of it about the days ahead and what the future held for Bob and her. Because of the war in Europe, the past two years had not been comforting, but today was special. She excitedly wrote in her diary, “Am going to Hawaii!!”20
On the day before Joey began preparing in earnest for the voyage to Hawaii, President Roosevelt announced an order to the Navy to attack any vessel threatening United States shipping or ships under United States escort. On 4 September the destroyer Greer (DD-145) had been attacked but not damaged while tracking a German submarine 175 miles southwest of Iceland, and on 7 September a German air attack sank the United States merchant ship Steel Seafarer in the Gulf of Suez.21
Despite increasing clashes with the German Navy and the Luftwaffe, to the American public, the wide Pacific seemed a formidable if not an impassable barrier against the expanding Japanese Empire pushing into Southeast Asia.
After completing trip preparations on 12 September, Joey was up early the next morning, went down town for more shopping, and then went out to dinner and dancing at the Yard Club with her family, until 2:00 a.m. On the 14th she packed most of the day, but found time to visit with one of Bob’s classmates, Art Metcalf, before having tea at the Cohen’s quarters, and to bed early.
The day of her departure she went down town with her mother to buy her train ticket, into Seattle for some last minute shopping, and then her mother saw her off on the train to Oakland. Joey noted in her diary that night, “hate to leave,” but excitement and her effervescent personality took over. She met a baseball team and played bridge before retiring to the Pullman car for bed. The next morning it was up at 9:30 and breakfast in California before the train arrived in Oakland at 1:15 p.m.
From there she caught the ferry to San Francisco and the Matson Line passenger terminal, picked up her ticket for the Lurline and checked her baggage. Then she caught a taxi to Norma Warmie’s where she had been invited to stay the night. She and Norma walked down town for dinner and shopping.22
Early Wednesday morning, a British trans-Atlantic convoy left America’s east coast, bound for England, escorted for the first time by United States Navy combatants. Like all convoys plying the Atlantic to assist the desperately fighting English, this one’s movement was cloaked in secrecy - although the convoy’s sheer size and numbers made it easily observable by enemy spies and sympathizers living along the coast.23
A Cruise on the Lurline
On that same morning, Joey and Norma went back to San Francisco for more shopping. Joey bought some shoes, she and Norma looked at pictures, and met Bettie and Bill for lunch. Then tired and worn down by a cold, she went to bed for awhile. In the late afternoon Norma accompanied her to the bus station for the overnight trip to Vallejo to say goodbye to Grandma Nesbitt. The visit was short. After breakfast the next morning, she left for the return bus trip to San Francisco, to meet Norma again who saw her off at noon on the Lurline.
Joey had seen photographs of the Lurline, but the ship was even lovelier than expected. She was elated to learn she was boarding a beautifully appointed liner, a welcome, eye-pleasing respite in the hectic pace of travel. The 18,163-ton, 631-foot ship’s elegant furnishings, mother-of-pearl inlays and beautiful wood-paneling lifted Joey’s spirits and fanned her excitement. What a wonderful way to begin a voyage to happiness. Better yet, stateroom 333D was an inside room below the promenade deck, on a passageway, no portholes, approximately mid-ship, and therefore not as affected by the ship’s pitch and roll in heavy seas.
Lurline’s Grand Ball Room, with mother-of-pearl inlays and beautiful wood-paneling. MNC
After passing beneath the Golden Gate Bridge, and before Lurline set course for Hawaii, there was one more stateside stop in the ship’s triangular route between Honolulu, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. Los Angeles Harbor, in Long Beach, was one of four west coast ports frequented by the Pacific Fleet, and Long Beach was the town where Joey and Bob married barely two months earlier - another pleasing reminder before sailing southwest to Honolulu.24
As Joey prepared to leave Lurline for the day, more than 2,228 miles to the southwest, in Pearl Harbor, Tennessee’s crew was preparing to get underway. Bob was now leading the 5th Division, the 5-inch broadside gun division Karl was commanding when he left for Pensacola on 17 August. As a Midshipman at the Naval Academy, Bob had had an unforgettable experience while on a summer training cruise, by obtaining an E - for Excellence - while acting as a gun division officer aboard a battleship during a firing exercise. The Academy superintendent publicized his achievement to the Brigade of Midshipmen, and his company’s pennant carried the first E in living memory at Annapolis.
As part of the routine preparation for the ship’s departure from Pearl Harbor, a day earlier a massive load of fresh vegetables and fruit was brought aboard, inspected and verified for quantity and quality, and placed in refrigeration along with 1,000 pounds of ice: the Wing Coffee Company, 1153 Smith Street, in Honolulu, delivered 4,000 pounds of oranges, 1,500 pounds of pears, and 10,000 pounds of potatoes; from Chun Hoon Ltd., Nuuana and School Streets in Honolulu came 750 pounds of tomatoes and 850 pounds of squash; the Tai Hing Co., 937-939 Kekoulike Street, Honolulu, brought aboard 1,500 pounds of apples, 800 pounds of carrots, 1,800 pounds of celery, 550 pounds of egg plant, and 1,000 pounds of sweet potatoes; and the Chung Chong Co., Ltd., 1276 College Walk, Honolulu, loaded 1,500 pounds of grapefruit, 425 pounds of lemons, 300 pounds of cucumbers, 1,700 pounds of lettuce, and 700 pounds of peppers.
On 19 September Tennessee was to proceed to its assigned operating area, to the southwest and south of Oahu, third in an open order column with three other battleships: West Virginia (BB-48), Maryland (BB-46) and California (BB-44). At 0732 hours she was underway, following West Virginia and Maryland out of Pearl, and at 0800 her crew mustered on station.
Five minutes later Tennessee’s “electrical gang,” acting on orders from the bridge, energized the ship’s degaussing coils, an essential defensive procedure normally taken before entering waters where electromagnetic mines are a threat. As soon as any metal-hulled ship begins moving through water it will begin building a mine-attracting electrostatic charge surrounding its hull. If ships are built with or without degaussing coils installed - which Naval vessels normally are - the longer such vessels proceed without energizing their degaussing coils, the greater strength the ship’s magnetic field builds, increasing its vulnerability to an enemy’s - or friendlies’ - magnetic mines. Energized degaussing coils neutralize the electrostatic charge. Magnetic mines are designed with opposite polarity to their intended victims, and if a ship without operational degaussing coils passes too close, the mine can deliver a devastating and usually fatal explosive force below the water line, tearing a gaping hole in the hull of its victim.
After Tennessee cleared the entrance to Pearl Harbor, at 0835 she and the other ships in the column began zigzagging, a frequently-exercised defensive maneuver against possible enemy submarines lying in wait outside harbor entrances, along sea lanes, or in known fleet operating areas. Zigzags are preplanned. When the force commander signals their use, he designates which numbered plan will be followed. Each numbered plan, for example Plan #6, specifies different degrees of turn to be followed when the order to begin zigzagging is signaled to ships in the Battle Force.25
* * *
Joey took advantage of the Lurline’s day long stopover in Los Angeles Harbor to get her hair done, do some more shopping, and pick up the check from the insurance company, from which she could reimburse her dad for the loan to buy her ticket. Then it was back to the ship, drinks with Doc and Dot Ward, and dinner. At 10:30 p.m. the evening of 19 September, the Great White Ship, the pride of Matson’s passenger liners, stood out from Long Beach, bound for Honolulu. Joey’s and Bob’s plan to be reunited was coming together. The world would soon be right again.
Saturday, 20 September proved a less enjoyable day, however. The sea was stormy and rough, and the obligatory lifeboat drill went as scheduled at 2:30 p.m. Joey, slightly seasick and still a bit tired from her excitement-filled journey, slept the rest of the day and recuperated sufficiently to keep company with Nat and Gina Bishop awhile before retiring for the night, and much needed sleep. The next day brought a fresh start. She felt rejuvenated.
Out of bed at 6:00 a.m. and a walk around the deck, drinking in the fresh Pacific air before breakfast, stimulated Joey and brightened her day. After breakfast she went to church, and following lunch played the traditional shipboard, deck game of Shuffleboard, other games, went to a concert, dinner, a movie, drank champagne, and danced - before retiring for the night. The day was grand.
After Sunday’s busy social activities, Joey slept until 8:30 Monday morning, again walked the deck, took a light breakfast, then wrote letters. Lurline was now in a warmer climate, thus Joey decided to try out the ship’s swimming pool. She sewed for awhile, took a bath, and joined Gina Bishop in a dinner for Gina’s husband, Nat. Next came another concert. After dinner, she watched a movie, then went dancing again. This time she met and danced with a ship’s crew member who, unknown to her, she would meet again three months in the future. His name was Mr. J.C. “Jack” Fischbeck, Lurline's purser. After one more fine vacation day on the high seas, she was ready for another good night’s sleep.
On Tuesday, she rose at 8:00. After playing shuffleboard in the afternoon with Brad again, she packed. This would be Joey’s last night at sea, since Lurline would arrive in Honolulu tomorrow. She was fortunate to be seated at the captain’s table for dinner, a particularly gay evening in which she played Keeno, danced with Mr. Fischbeck again, and ended a long, happy day with bed at 1:00 a.m.
Wednesday, 24 September 1941, was the day she had eagerly awaited. Joey got out of bed early, at 5:30. She was excited. The islands were soon in view, first, the island of Molokai off the port beam, then as Lurline sailed past the island the call came over the ship’s speaker system - Oahu’s windward side (east coast) can be seen off the starboard bow. Passengers gathered at the ship’s rails to gaze at Oahu’s beauty, and enjoy the sights and sounds of the traditional Hawaiian welcome. By 8:15 Lurline had turned almost due west. First Koko Head then Diamond Head loomed clearly in the morning light, slowly moving past the starboard beam - not long before a tug pulled alongside and the harbor pilot came aboard to steer Lurline to her Honolulu berth.
Hawaii
Though Joey had never set foot in Hawaii, Bob had said beforehand he might be unable to meet her. The pace of fleet exercises had continued unabated throughout 1941 and didn’t let up when the battle force returned to Pearl Harbor. Although for reasons of security the ship’s crew wasn’t routinely made aware of projected departures for exercises, the events of recent months told him he might be at sea when Joey’s ship arrived in Honolulu. He was still aboard Tennessee on a training exercise, and Lieutenant (jg - junior grade) Walter J. Stencil, to whom Bob reported on the ship, had made arrangements for his wife, Anne, to meet Joey when the liner docked.
Joey walked down the gangway shortly after the Lurline’s 9:00 a.m. arrival. The traditional greeting of fragrant leis lowered gently over her head as soft music played by a Hawaiian band pulled her into the island’s air of serenity. Anne went with her to pick up her baggage, then drove her to the apartment Bob rented for them at 250 Kaiulani, in southeast Honolulu - not far from Waikiki Beach, the Punch Bowl and Diamond Head. Joey’s ride from the ship into their cozy furnished apartment was a marvelous beginning in a wonderful setting. She immediately found her surroundings much to her liking.
Bob and Joey had lived in Long Beach in their first rental for barely three weeks after they were married, before they and Karl went their separate ways. Having grown up the only sibling and a daughter, and now in a Marine officer’s family, she was independent, self-sufficient, and easily adapted to the nomadic life of the military. She wasted no time in establishing their Honolulu apartment as their new home. She checked for items she needed to purchase to bring the warm feeling of home to the apartment.
Then Anne took her to shop for the items she listed, and from there to the grocery market to buy food - which also introduced Joey to the local stores and markets of interest. After unloading the car at Joey’s, Anne drove her to her place for lunch, then returned her to unpack and straighten the apartment. From there she dropped Joey off at Mary Staley’s for dinner. Lieutenant Poyntell C. Staley, Jr. a senior aviator who had come aboard Tennessee 16 November 1940, to fly one of the ship’s scout planes, was Mary’s husband. Joey, as a new Navy wife, was, for the first time being welcomed into the Tennessee family at the ship’s home port, a welcome their brief stay in Long Beach hadn’t permitted.
This transition was easy. This was the caring, military family life Joey had come to know and love. Adding to the warm glow already experienced on her arrival, she was now closer to heaven, on a near-mythical, romantic island with an unmatched, worldwide reputation for wonderful, year-around weather, gently swaying palms, beautiful evenings, dreamy sensual music, and tropical moonlight, all of which cast a spell on its thousands of annual visitors.26
While Joey was en route to Honolulu on Lurline from 19-24 September, the Battle Force composed of Tennessee, California, West Virginia, and Maryland worked tirelessly on various fleet training exercises and on-board emergency drills. The first night out, after using Maryland as a simulated target for Short Range Practice (SRP), Tennessee manned all fire control stations and searchlights for night battle practice. The next day she became the target for SRP, launched and recovered two of her planes, while continuing emergency drills.
On 21 September she took the lead in the column, with California, West Virginia and Maryland in that order, and at 0645 began the launch of all three planes for mail delivery and pick-up missions to Oahu and back. At 1655 Tennessee began maneuvering to recover the three planes and their crews, and at 1737 completed their recovery. Mail call soon followed, always an event of great interest and importance to men at sea.
During the day, California and West Virginia left the column for several hours, then rejoined, with Tennessee astern of West Virginia, and third in the column. The ship named for the Volunteer State ended her long 21 September training day by turning out of the column to become the target vessel for night battle practice.
The next day Tennessee catapulted her three planes again, the last, plane 202, launched to starboard at 0635, for anti-aircraft gunnery practice. At 0715, the ship’s control (steering) was shifted from the bridge to the conning tower, where it would normally be shifted as soon as the ship’s crew was called to “battle stations.” Firing began with the starboard 3-inch batteries firing in string (one after the other), with gun #9 the first to fire, at 0739. At 0801 gun #3 from the starboard 5-inch broadside battery fired. Next, at 0828, Tennessee began another run, positioning to bring her 3-inch starboard guns to bear on the target, and at 0838 the battery fired. At 0846 another run with the 5-inch starboard battery firing at 0852.
At 0925 lookouts in the foretop informed the bridge they sighted a merchant vessel bearing two points on the starboard bow. Tennessee ceased firing to starboard, and shortly thereafter, at 0947, began another run to fire with her port batteries. After firing her 3-inch port battery at 0952, she ended her gunnery exercise with the 5-inch port battery firing at 1012 hours. At 1018 the conning tower returned steering to the bridge, and at 1100 the daily inspection of magazines and smokeless powder tests began, followed by the weekly tests of magazines, flooding and sprinkler systems.
Tennessee’s commander, Captain Charles E. Reordan, held mast (disciplinary and court martial hearings) at 1100 while inspections and tests were in progress. At 1530 hours the ship maneuvered to begin recovering her three planes, and completed recovery of the last, 203, at 1557. Again, the long training day ended with the ship serving as target for night battle practice.
