Page 59 - Mastheads Jan-June 1945

THE MASTHEAD,~SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1945 PAGE 3
·* U. S. S. BOSTON HAS LOST HER SEA LEGS BUT NOT HER SPIRIT *
ment grew until there were guerilla
groups operating with -their hit-
and-run tactics wherever th e y
could strike at the enemy. Under
the leadership of Marshal Tito,
these guerilla fighters have been
united into an efficient and wen
organized army.
Marshal Tito lived in a bomb
proof cave and from there he
directed the activities of his army
and navy. Lt. Commander Roberts
and his unit helped to install the
electrical and radio equipment used
by Tito to broadcast to the people
of Yugoslavia.
There are three major factions
in the country; the Croations, the
Serbians and the Slovens. Marshal
Tito has been able to draw these
factions together for the first time,
to fight for a common cause.
In this army, the men and
women fight side by side. Even the
small children have a job to do. The
HEADING A STAFF of fourteen instructors, the commanding officer of commanding officer. Evidencing the full day of a radio student, the
the radio school at Verba Buena Island and his two associates are pic- upper right photo shows a group of strikers engrossed in code receiving nine and ten year old~, because of
tured at the upper left. Left to right they are H. E. Nolen, CRE, USN; practice under the careful supervision of CRM L. W. Cooper, instructor. their size and speed, can crawl
J. W. Mullins, CRE, USN, and Lt. Commander W. T. Conkling, USNR, A receiving speed of 28 words per minute is their goal. close to the German pillboxes and
wipe them out with hand grenades.
Heroine of the Past The army has been almost entirely
equipped with material captured
Still Serves Her Country from the enemy.
When the country was freed
from the Germans and Italians,
The historic old cruiser Boston,
the partisan army joined with the
last remaining unit of the famous
Russian army in their advance into
"White Squadron," forerunner of Hungary and Czechoslovakia. Sup-
our present great fleet of fighting plies can now be taken to these
ships, and the only ship to be hit armies by ship, and the potential
at the Battle of Manila Bay, is now fighting power is considerably
entering its fifth year of naval strengthened.
service as a radio training school. The Yugoslavian Navy originally
After having been moored along- consisted of a single - masted
side the dock at the Navy Re- schooner. This schooner captured a
ceiving Station on Yerba Buena German Flak ship. The capture
Island for more than 20 years, it was made entirely by the use of
was brought out of retirement and hand grenades, thrown from the
given a new lease on life in 1940, deck of the schooner. After this
when it was recommissioned as a amazing feat, and with the u.se of
training ship for radio operators. the guns and power of the German
ship, they were abe to capture or
The Boston was placed in com- pick off other enemy vessels.
mission in 1887, just four years A ship loaded with 20,000 pounds
after the necessary authorization of Danish butter, destined for the
for her construction was made by ABOVE IS THE OLD BOSTON, held prisoner by the mud at her moor- German troops in the Greek and
Congress. She comprised the sec- ing under the Oakland Bay bridge. Dalmation sector, sailed into the
ond in the famous "Alphabet or Adriatic Sea.
White Squadron," at that time the After Spending Months With Yugoslavian "It was the best butter I have
most modern warcraft afloat. The ever tasted and we had all we
squadron was sent first on a cour- Leader, Lt Commander ·Roberts Returns to T. I. wanted for two months." Lt. Com-
tesy vj_sit to European waters and mander Roberts testifies to this be-
then returned for the Chicago "Marshal Tito, the Yugoslavian cause, the German troops never got
World's Fair. At the Battle of leader, is a very intelligent and a whiff of the delicacy. The ship
Manila Bay the Boston was struck clever man. He is an outstanding was captured by the combined
twice, one Spanish shell passing ex;imple of the driving force the forces of allied navies!
through her smokestack and the people of Yugoslavia have mus- Lt. Commander Roberts said, "I
other piercing her hull and landing tered against the oppressors of have more respect for the Yugo-
in the ward room but failing to their homeland." slavian people than any other
explode. After completing her reg- This statement was made by Lt. people in the world.· They are
ular sea service the craft was Commander Edward J. Roberts of honest, polite, clean and hard work-
moored at Yerba Buena to act as San Rafael, Calif., who is back on ing people. They are proud people
receiving ship. A few years ago it Treasure Island after months of who live under hardships that
was planned to sell her for scrap close association with the partisan would · defeat other nationalities,
but while being towed off the is- leader. but they never utter a word of
land she began leaking so badly the Commanding Officer of a special complaint. They are strong, rugged
plan was abandoned. mission, Lt. Commander Roberts men and women who will fight to
Now known as the USS Des- spent 13 months in the Mediter- the finish."
"At one time we had chocolate
patch, the ship is now being utilized ranean war theatre. He was also bars which we practically forced
as a radio school, handling an av- in command of a motor patrol them to accept. They hadn't seen
erage of 200 radioman aspirants. group operating in the Adriatic
To enter the school, prospective Sea. any chocolate in so long that they
were reluctant to deprive us of the
students are required to pass an He had nothing but praise for the
Navy men assigned to this special delicacy. They love cigarettes, but
a-ptitu.de test before being assignw
mission. They lived on "C" and "K" they wouldn't: think cf 1 bumming'
to a class "A" school. In a maze one from anyone."
of o.scmators, condensers and rations for 23 weeks. Through this America is the "promised land" to
quartz crystals,'students are taught and the attendant hardships there
were no complaints and no disci- the Yugoslavian people. They like
the complex duties of a Navy radio-
plinary problems. The courage and Americans and they wish to be like
man in a period of 19 weeks. Re- them. They are devoted to Marshal
quirements to pass the course en- efficiency of the men were a source Tito and both he and his people are
tail a typing speed of 40 words of great pride to the "00" who'
said, "the men were a credit to surfeited with the German way of
per minute and a sending or re-
ceiving speed of approximately 28 the American Navy and the local living. They look forward to
people thought the world of them." fashioning a government after the
THE SCENE at top was taken In words per minute--with no errors. American principle,
the control room, where recorded Failure to meet these and other Coffee is a "must" in the Navy
code signals are "broadcast" to the and an electric coffee pot turned
receiving room below. In the center standards results in assignment to . up as part of the gear. Electricity
are W. B. Prechtl, RM1c, and CRM general detail.
A. D. Roberts, instructor, working Assuming command of the Yerba to operate it? There wasn't any ... CINCPOA--
with one of the many ingenious so the men adapted a generator tQ
testing devices contained in the Buena Island radio school in Oc- produce the "juice" for the precious New Dateline For
Lt. Commander Edward J. Roberts,
radio repair shop. At bottom is tober of last year was Lt. Com- who recently returned to Treasure coffee pot. Then the dehydrated
again the control room showing this mander W. T. Conkling, USNR. Island after more than a year of rations "weren't so bad" with the
time the reels of perforated tape Nimitz Bulletins
which are used for the same pur- Mr. Conkling has had a long ca- duty in the Mediterranean theatre. luxury of GI American "Joe"!
Among his more Interesting adven-
pose as the recordings in sending reer in the radio field, starting with tures was making the acquaintance The Navy men soon learned to The new, dateline for war bulle-
radio signals. radio gunnery in World War I and of Marshal Tito, while supervising say "Stravo!", the Yugoslavian tins in the Pacific is CINCPOA,
advancing to the U. S. Naval Com- installation of electrical equipment greeting and salute of comradeship. meaning Commander - in - Chief,
A certain local Seabee who got munications Reserve in 1920. He for the fighting Yugoslav Partisan The most unusual custom to be- Pacific Ocean · Area. CINCPOA is
married not so long ago was asked was recalled to active duty for the leader. come familiar with, was the barter Admiral Chester W. Nimitz.
the other day how he like married present emergency and assigned to system. This country has no money His new advanced headquarters
life. His reply was: "Oh, we have the Office of Naval Officer Procure- inside the Golden Gate might not system and uses barter as the on an island thousands of mile::i
a lot of fun. My wife cooks some- ment as radio officer procurement be as glorious as fighting with means of exchange. west of Pearl Harbor can't be
thing and I try to guess what it is." officer. Assisting Mr. Conkling at Commodore Dewey, but the gallant When the Germans and Italians named for reasons of security but
his present post on the old Bos- old Boston is still serving her were goose-stepping over the soil from his front line position the
Then there was the Texas Wave ton are two officers and a staff of country by supplying badly needed of Yugoslavia, the underground admiral will-as he forecasted-
who thought a boycott was a male 14 competent instructors. radio operators for our fighting movement was the only hope of hurl mounting blows against the
davenport. Being mud-bound on an island fleet of today. organized resistance. This move- J~ps.