I'm interested in contributing 1st-hand (father's diary) info about DE789/APD81 '43-46. I'd also like to offer the info/souvenirs to his shipmates. How can I find if any of the shipmates are still alive? I don't have any names. Any guidance/suggestions would be greatly appreciated. OUTSTANDING site. Highest regards.

From: [email protected]
Date: Sun, 8 Feb 1998 14:13:47 EST
Subject: Re: From my guest book- Can you help?

Rich/Ali,

I have attached a transcript of my father's diary kept while aboard the USS Tatum, DE789/APD81.

This is This is NOT a work of art, this is NOT the product of historical research, this is a young sailor's hand-written diary, submitted as one person's perspective for historical purposes. I have transcribed the diary as accurately as possible, keeping everything as it was written.

I am considering scanning a page or two in for inclusion in the site.

Constructive comments are welcome. I would especially appreciate other first- hand accounts related to specific occurences mentioned in the diary. I'm also looking for a crew list and for anyone who may have served aboard the USS Tatum during the '43-'46 time frame. Referrals would be greatly appreciated.

Also, references I've run across which the team maintaining the website may want to publicize: U. S. Warships Since 1945: Stone, Paul H; Naval Institute Press, 1987 Destroyer Escorts of WW II; Elliott, Peter; Almarte Publications (London), 1974

best regards,

doug

WWII Diary Aboard U. S. S. Tatum, DE789/APD81, 1943-1946
William F. (Franklin) Hall

June 16, 1943
Sworn in navy at Fort McClellen, Alabama. Spent two months in Boot Camp and O.G.U. in Chicago and two and a half months in Norfolk, Virginia before being assigned to U. S. S. Tatum, Destroyer Escort 789 which was under construction at Orange, Texas. (O. B. U. - Out-Going Unit. A Unit of men awaiting other men to be trained to complete the ship crew. When you get in the o. G. U., you knew that you'd had it!)

Nov. 2
Went to Orange, Texas to watch completion of the ship that was to be our future home.

Nov. 22
Ship was commissioned with a big celebration of all Orange (population 3000)

Nov 25
Left Texas via Sabine River. Rammed U. S. S. Raby D. E. 326. Looks like we're off to a banging start.

Nov. 29
Arrived at Galveston to have ships hull painted. Nice two-tone job. Wonder what the '44 models will look like. Trial run in Gulf of Mexico. Wonder if it is to see if the ship will stand it, or the men. Returned to Galveston, keeping up our starting record by hitting a buoy and running aground, which damaged the starboard propeller, shaft, and degausing equipment (equipment to neutralize the metallic-seeking effect of enemy torpedoes.)

Dec. 15
Arrived in New Orleans for drydock repairs. No ramming. (Tugs pulled us in.)

Dec. 16
Rammed French carrier while backing out of drydock. They don't have any business over here anyway. Left for Bermuda for initial "Shake-Down Cruise." My attempt to name the Tatum the U. S. S. U-Bange went wet.

Dec. 21
Arrived in Bermuda and anchored in harbor. Crew went ashore to get sickly drunk so they couldn't blame it on sea-sickness. Everything calm in harbor, so we stay there thru Christmas Eve.

Dec. 25 Christmas Day. The day for roast turkey with all the trimmings and to beat all luck, we go out to sea. Plenty rough. Guess they want to feed the sharks the turkey after we eat it. Looks like no mercy for us hungry people. Looks to me like we could have stayed in port until after dinner, but we've learned there are only three ways to do a thing: (1) the right way, (2) the wrong way, (3) the Navy way. Torpedo accidentally launched, but didn't explode. Knocked big hole in stack (smoke stack). Start living on borrowed time. Continued Shake-Down Cruise in and out of Bermuda constantly.

1944

Jan. 14
Mad sea pitching us to the tune of a fifty-six degree roll. Nobody singing "Roll On!"

Jan. 16
Arrived in Boston for a general overhaul and paint job. This time a black and gray stripe. We must be joining the Zebra fleet. Must be going to operate in the Atlantic awhile. These colors being the camouflage color for blending with the changing color of the sea.

Jan. 28
Left Boston and arrived at Norfolk, Virginia the following day. Signs in Norfolk read, "Dogs and Sailors keep off grass."

Feb. 11
Prepared to leave Norfolk. Orders suddenly changed.

Feb. 13
Left Norfolk for open sea. Much better than liberty in Norfolk.

Feb. 18
Arrived in Colon, Republic of Panama. Norfolk was never like this.

Feb. 22
Left Panama for Norfolk. Emergency cases of sickness and changed course.

Feb. 24
Arrived in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Three cases of spinal meningitis transferred to hospital, shoved off.

Feb. 28
Pulled into New York for one night.

March 2
Back in good ole Norfolk.

March 3
Went down river to Portsmouth for two days. Make it seven days.

march 12
Back in new York. Liberty, Statue of Liberty, and what-have-you.

March 25
Underway from New York for high seas, escorting large convoy at speed of 8 knots (9 miles per hour). Captain handling ship nicely, was put in charge of escort division. I don't think I'm going to like this.

April 19
Pulled into Plymouth, England, which appears to be the slums of the world. Tied up to a D.E. 793, a ship of our division. Captains of escort vessels coming aboard to either make pow-wow or drink vodka.

April 22
Underway from Plymouth. Destination unknown. This destination unknown business is getting to be a regular thing as far as the crew is concerned. it seems that when we go into port we pick up sealed orders and the captain doesn't open them until we are well out of harbor.

April 23
We pulled into Milford, Wales, a British territory near Bristol.

April 25
Underway again leaving British Isles.

April 26
Arrived at Belfast, Ireland.

April 28
Left Belfast. Ten miles out, orders opened - Return to New York.

May 11
Arrived at New York.

May 28
Left new York for high seas. Leaving in a hurry. Things don't look good. Joined the rest of our escort division and big convoy of carriers, cruisers, and battlewagons. Looks like the playing is over with. Have one of the best crews in the navy. The Gunnery department has been proving their end of it in recent competition.

June 5
Run into storm and wolf pack off the Azores, but are losing no time with either of them. Scuttlebutt is there's an invasion coming off somewhere on the coast of France. Have never seen so many Bibles. Man from Fire room goes off his bean and jumps overboard. Can't use lights to find him for fear of exposing position of convoy to the subs in the area.

June 6
Looks like the invasion was postponed until today because here we are just out in the channel from Normandy, and things are just beginning to happen in a big way. The biggest fleet I have ever seen approximately four thousand ships including landing craft.

June 10
Left fleet for open seas.

June 24
Arrived at Bayogne, New Jersey. Population - a big skating rink full.

June 28
Left New Jersey and one day later, arrived at Melville, Rhode Island.

June 30
Left Rhode Island prepared for rough sea.

July 8
Went through Straight of Gibraltar by the "Rock."

July 10
Arrived in Oran, Africa and left the following day.

July 12
Arrived at Casablanca (French Morocco) and left same day. Long time no liberty. Pick up convoy later.

July 14
Passed Algiers.

July 15
Arrived at Birzerte (Graveyard of American Air Force during Northern Africa Campaign) and left convoy.

July 16
Returned to Oran.

July 21
Left Oran. Really like this Mediterranean duty. Sea is almost like glass. Visibility about seven miles to horizon.

July 24
Arrived in Malta, the most bombed area on the map at this time. Assigned duty of escorting carriers in the Mediterranean area. First task force of carriers to operate in this area. Word is there are six German destroyers in the Crete area. Formed task groups to scout the area.

July 28
Arrived in Alexandria, Egypt after steaming to Crete, Tunisia, and Tripoli. First Americans to visit Egypt in form of fleet.

Aug. 1
Left Alexandria.

Aug. 3
Arrived in Malta.

Aug. 5
Passed Sicily, Isle of Capri and arrived in Naples, Italy. Got Liberty but couldn't hardly get around the place for the soldiers. They have completely taken over and it looks like they are doing it under orders. Must be going to push on toward France.

Aug. 9
Left Naples. Fleet enlarging rapidly. Put in command of L. C. T.'s. Things look kinda big once again. Never did like the looks of big convoys, especially when things start getting hush-hush---.

Aug. 12
Arrived in Corsica with all types of landing barges, ships, "men-of-war" and escorts.

Aug. 13
After refueling, left Corsica with nothing less than an invasion fleet. Approximately two thousand ships including landing craft.

Aug. 14
Just 75 miles off the coast of German occupied southern France. Executive officer makes another of his well-needed pep talks.

Aug. 15
D-Day at 0800, all hell breaking loose with all ships showering the shore with shells from 30 calibre to 16 inch shells. Paratroops dropping about twenty miles inland, dog fights in the air, ships and landing craft going in. Tatum was first to send a man ashore, the captain being the landing operational commander. We stay in one place for two days using sonar for sub detection, radar for enemy planes and aircraft, and taking on men who were losing their ships. Bombers and fighters flying in formation from all angles, as many as a hundred in a group. St. Tropey.

Aug. 17
With everything going well, left at flank speed. Twelve hours later, arrived in Corsica to escort and to pick up ships that were not seaworthy. This and patrolling for subs through August 23.

Aug. 24
Arrived in St. Raphel, France. Kept this run up through the 29th at which time we changed to Ile Rousse to France.

Aug. 30
Anchored at Corsica for the first time now in about a month. Had a midnight movie, "Dixie" by some Crosby fellow. Made a few temporary repairs.

Sept. 5
Underway again, making shuttle runs. War still going on over here. Sprinkling rain all day. French navy has come out of hiding now and has anchored in U. S. protected ports.

Sept. 9
Changed run from Corsica to Gulf of St. Tropez.

Sept. 16
Changed run from Patalia, Sardinia to Corsica.

Sept. 17
Pulled into Bastia, Corsica and secured main engines for first time in God knows when.

Sept. 18
Here we go again.

Sept. 20
Arrived in Cagloneo and what do you know, we get liberty - After getting our shore legs we visited King Victor Emmanuel's castle. Went through court room, secret session room and many other interesting places in the building. Had beautiful paintings, even on the 50 foot ceilings.

Sept. 21
Underway again. Arrived in Bostia the following night.

Sept. 23
Left Corsica at flank speed for Naples to pick up mail we hadn't had in ages. Ran into a lose mine field just outside Naples. had to explode most of them before going in. Not much on personal mail but ship's mail might prove interesting once opened.

Sept. 30
Picked up six big L. S. T.'s and out to sea again.

Oct. 1
Destination now affirmed as Marseille. Supposed to get there tomorrow night. Germans now evacuating.

Oct. 2
Due to rough seas, date of arrival set back indefinitely. Water pretty, but dangerous. Giant swells larger than ships and very high winds. Looks like a snow-storm on a black background. Would like to take pictures, but with navy rules of no cameras, haven't been able to smuggle camera aboard. No like. Damages heavy on L. S. T.'s in storm and losing ground at rate of one knot per hour, even though we are supposed to be going forward at 15 knots per hour. Had to turn back and go with the storm all night. Poor soldiers on L. S. T.'s. Sea sick, I'll bet.

Oct. 3
Ended up back in Sardinia, but here we go again for Marseille. Storm over.

Oct. 5
Arrived in Marseille. Went ashore once for liberty and several other times as captain's boat engineer. Liberty from 1300 to 2000. Don't want us loose after that. Got one break pertaining to late liberty. Got back to ship when wind was so high that the swells wouldn't let us get near ship for fear of tearing up boat. Get orders to return ashore and remain until wind settled. Wind doesn't Not mad. Got back to ship about noon next day. Big hang-over. German prisoners helping to load U. S. ships with supplies. Big cathedrals all over town not damaged. City not bombed as bad as other cities here. mail! Liberty! Was just looking through science news letters and noticed that they inform us that rubber wear on curves over here is 1200% greater than that on straight aways...Wonder if they are referring to girdles.

Oct. 8
Shoved off at 1800. Arrived in Cagloirea 10th.

Oct. 12
Left same for Marseille.

Oct. 14
Arrived in Marseille.

Oct. 15
Left same with destination not verified.

Oct. 17
Arrived in Birzerte.

Oct. 18
Left Birzerte. On the move again like a nervous cat. This always means something is going to happen for the best or worst.

Oct. 20
Arrived in Mers El Kibis.

Oct. 28
Lit off main engines for trial run. Anchored in same port.

Oct. 29
Lit off again to go out and fire guns. No dope. Looks like they're trying to decide what to do with us. Part of escort has already been detached from our unit and has gone through the Suez to the Pacific. The fleet here has just about wound up their work and it could mean bad news. However, no pressure seems to be on the crew.

Nov. 4
Underway. Scuttlebutt is Toulon, France just taken. Should be good liberty. Convoying thirteen liberty ships.

Nov. 6
Orders changed, because we are changing course.

Nov. 7
Marseille.

Nov. 8
Left for Naples with a big troop transport.

Nov. 10
Arrived in Naples.

Nov. 11
Underway with same big transport. They must like us. Loaded with men. Its either thru the Suez to the Pacific or to the States because troop ships don't hang on like that if they aren't going somewhere. Pressure on men started with a few smiles. No information. Just a feeling one gets after a little time in this outfit.

Nov. 13
Gloom day. The latest scuttlebutt is we go thru the Suez canal into the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea and join the Fifth Fleet now having it out at Leon. Don't think we're gonna like this. If someone would only drop a wrench into some of the machinery. Are having to use our 6th sense because there's no sign of the other five yet.

Nov. 14
Anchored at Oran. We'll get orders from fleet commander today. Of course, we won't know anything until we get out to sea.

Nov. 15
Out in Mediterranean for gunnery competition. Back to Oran and a few repairs.

Nov. 20
Left Oran for Gibralta. Secured main engines. Crew going ashore in groups to visit ancient hero gardens, gallows, torture chambers, and other historical landmarks. Via train, went part of the way on "The Rock" - couldn't go in tunnels. Have never been here before.

Nov. 25
Underway thru Straight and into Atlantic.

Nov. 27
Arrived in Casablanca. Liberty one day. Left next day for open sea. Destination New York. (Hmmm) Ran into quite a storm about a thousand miles off and had to change course until we got down even with Bermuda. Went by Bermuda and up the Carolina Coast and on into new York.

Dec. 12
Arrived in Brooklyn, Navy Yard, but moved following day to Statten Island. Ship being converted from Destroyer Escort (D. E.) to Auxilliary Personnel Destroyer (A. P. D.) This means we will be quite a while and will get leave.

Dec. 13
Got 30 day leave

1945

Jan. 15
Returned to New York to find ship gone from Statten Island. After calling everyone but Walter Winchell, found out that the ship was over in Brooklyn. O.K., because either place was only 30 minutes from up-town New York. After a little work here, back to Statten Island for completion.

Feb. 7
Arrived in Norfolk to take amphibious training and to take on Underwater Demolition Teams.

Feb. 22
Arrived in Limon Bay, Panama.

Feb 23
Went thru Panama Canal and stopped at Panama City for refueling.

Feb. 28
Arrived in San Diego, and are going to get liberty. Be here for two weeks, so Look Out Hollywood! Went to Los Angeles on first week-end and on into Hollywood. Visited the Hollywood Canteen. (Nothing like it was cracked up to be.) Went to Hollywood Paladium (biggest and finest club in the world), next week-end to Pacific Square in San Diego. Both places had good bands, as well as all clubs in New York. Shaw and Carle were on the coast at this time and at the two above places.

March 12
Arrived at Pearl harbor (Oahu, Hawaii).

March 13
Honolulu, Hawaii, went swimming at Wakiki Beach. Got drunk at Wakiki Beach Hotel.

March 14
Mealean Bay (Maui, Hawaii).

March 17
On move again and me no likum. Polishing guns, making dummy runs, maneuvering, and doing all the things that mean no vacation.

April 6
Arrived at Eniwetok Atoll, refueled, and on toward that thar other war.

April 13
Arrived at Withi Atoll, but just long enough to fuel, and some women wanted sailors to pitch them coins for doing ungraceful things like pulling off their hats, etc. near Yap, an island still inhabited by the Japanese, but are isolated from rest of world to starve to death. Ships aren't even taking up enough time to waste shells on them.

April 25
Into Northern Luzon with underwater demolition teams to blow up underwater obstructions so ships could come in with small invasion forces. Got too hot, and losing too many teams , so had to get out. main fleet up fooling around, or I should say, having it out at Okinawa. Not enough sea fit ships here to stage an effective invasion. Orders to join the fleet under Halsey at Okinawa.

Went into Hagushi [?] Bay, Okinawa. Refuelled at sea.

May 24
Went into Wise Man's Cove to pick up some kind of assignment. This I know I won't like, because things are too hot now. Raids at any time of day or night and they don't care who they send to see Davy Jones next. Ships folding up like wings on a crashing plane. Some going down in as little as 40 and 50 seconds with as little as twelve men getting off. Was saved by the bell one time today. The ship that took our position in the patrolling fleet was just hit by two suicide planes. Not many enemy subs, but have never seen so many planes. Would make a beautiful picture. When they get hit and set on fire, they level off just above the water level and head directly toward a group of ships and the only thing that will prevent being hit is skillful work by Captain and a gun crew that can probably explode the plane before it reaches you. Of course, if it were not for some expert machinists and engineers, where would any of us be? That's one the crew usually argues out while not in combat.

May 27
Refueled at sea and are next in line to go up near I E Shima on a lone picket duty. This is to keep subs from coming in on that side of the island and picking up important Japs and relay messages of approaching aircraft from Kyusu and Formosa. Looks like a suicide assignment because the ship just before the one leaving now for the assignment lasted 15 hours. Understand the Captain asked for this. He drops ten points with me but he is still the best skipper, says our crew, in this here Navy.

Same day: The ship that went up at noon today was sunk at 1600 (4: p.m.) and because there were no other ships to pick up the crew they are given up as lost. Island nearest it is occupied by Japs. Took over where she left off at 2000 (8:00 p.m.) and all is well at this point.

May 28
Halsey pulls out with some of our best and fastest ships just to fool around the coast of Japan and try to make them think we had just about finished here. I think we need everything we have here, but I'm not admiral yet!

May 29
Here we are still waiting to join the last ships that were here but not before we cause somebody some trouble. it has been almost two days. just off I. E. Shima (Ernie Pyle was killed here). Nobody saying anything to anybody. About sundown the captain sounds general alarm which means battle stations. We have been living at general quarters for two weeks now and could stand about a week without eating but sleeping. The report was six enemy planes, ten miles, headed our way. Next report six planes three miles. Two planes changed course because at two miles, only four planes. The following results was in what seemed to be three hours (actually three minutes, 38 seconds.) We had sent three of the enemy fighters and one two-engine bomber to kingdom come. Our part of it was a suicide plane thru the engine room where I slept while in enemy territory. I wasn't there then because I could not sleep this particular night. Got a 550 pound bomb in Executive's cabin near the 5 inch gun magazine, but fortunately it did not go off. Looks like we've been living on borrowed time long enough. Taking on a little water in the engine room so was relieved of duty and to our insult, the Admiral told the Captain a relief had been on its way since he heard we were under attack. No sleep, it is too uncomfortable with a keg of dynamite aboard. Finally disposed of the bomb and by the time everybody got kinda settled, it was daylight. Got a pep talk from Admiral Hill under Halsey and was tagged with the name "Plane-a-Minute Ship." Same week was named "Ship of the Week" on some radio program.

May 30
While anchored in Buckner Bay, Okinawa, was raided twenty-two times from midnight until 5:00 a.m. Am going to put in for overtime if this keeps up. A total of seventy enemy planes were shot down during the five hours with a loss of twelve U. S. Navy vessels. If lives were not at stake, I think this is the most exciting invasion I have ever seen. There hasn't been a dull moment yet and I don't remember a moment's silence. How long it will last and who will win is anybody's guess. I think we need Halsey's fleet here, but as I said, I'm not Admiral.

May 31
Not much going on. Guess they gotta run out a few more planes. Reports from fleet off the coast of Japan good. Not much opposition. Few scattered suicide planes. only bombing now. Question is, are they getting ready for a new start, or don't they have anymore planes to use as targets? Captain goes aboard Admiral's ship for orders. Still crippled with a little water coming thru engine room. Number 1 main engine out of service.

June 1-5
Everything looking good, even if we are going to the Philipines. Left Okinawa same day Captain picked up orders from Admiral.

June 5
Entering San Pedro harbor, Leyte Gulf, Philipines. Got here just in time for Philipines' Liberation, which added another ribbon to our 'American Theater," "European Middle-Eastern," two stars, "Pacific Asiatic," two stars, making us a total of four stars which is pretty good in such a short time. One and a half months in drydock for temporary repairs with all sorts of rumors about us going back state-side. plenty of beer parties and ball games. Ship wins 13 out of 15 games and wins island championship.

Aug. 15
V-J-Day (Can't describe celebration)

Aug. 22
Back at Buckner Bay, Okinawa. Rumors back at Leyte were flying a little wild. Okinawa now in U. S. control All men go ashore in groups to see how bad things were torn up. Don't know how the Jap army lived. Island covered with sweet potato vines. Well fortified with underground concrete ammunition dumps and all types of guns. Start making runs with more men-o-war ships and troops. Can't be another war. Occupation, I guess.

Sept. 11
Went into Yokohama[?], Honshu and took hotels and converted into hospitals for P. O. W. 's before putting them aboard hospital for returning to U. S. Men weighing as little as 75 pounds. Only fed them ice cream for two days, and then soups. Later on, anything they wanted and as often as they wanted to eat. Several dying of malnutrition. Herding Japanese soldiers into big buildings after dark and standing guard, taking anything for souvenirs, including buttons off coats, swords, bayonettes, etc. Marines finally get here so we move on.

Sept. 21
Arrived at Nagasaki, Kyushu for some job with news photographers aboard. Made tours of Atomic bomb Area. had lost three men and two anchors in cyclone off Osaka Bay, Japan, so had to take anchors from Japs Nagasaki Ship Yard. Japs acting like scared rabbits. Navy sticks up signs reading 'Welcome Marines." Finally getting relieved of duty by occupation forces (new men just out of training in States). Might get to go home, but doubtful, as the Navy has to see to the marines and soldiers around here. Soldiers returning home by troop ship-loads. Poor Navy. Start leaving. The question mark again. Optimism.

Oct. 18
Arrived at Manila and Luzon in Philipines.

Oct. 22
Subic Bay, Philipines. Where to from here is anybody's guess.

Nov. 2
Arrived in Haiphong (French Indo-China). Picked up Nationalist Chinese Troops and start north. Looks like we have gotten into the Chinese Army. Not Ding Hao!

Nov. 10
Landed in Chin Wang Tao (Northern China at Great Wall) after being fired at by Communists off Korea. Unloaded troops and started getting out. Its about time!

Nov. 14
Arrived at Laker (North China), refueled, and pulled out again, but anchored out. Very cold with water within five miles of Harbor frozen. Got 72 hours liberty. Was picked up by ice cutters and after four hours of hacking our way thru ice, got ashore.

Nov. 16
Moved on down coast of China to Tsingtao where we didn't stay long enough to throw rocks, but that o.k. as Shanghai is about the next big seaport and we just can't pass that place without stopping and going ashore, or can we?

Nov. 19
Arrived in harbor at Shanghai via WhangPoo River. Things are looking up. Started getting liberty half ship at a time. More people of more races than I've seen in many moons: Several big ballrooms with hot bands, especially on the Ya Ya Ching Road by the ball park and race track (about 15 minutes via rickshaw). Next night, two thirds of ship on liberty, which gives everyone two days leave and one night duty. Am standing duty engineer every fifth night. Good racket. Spend almost three months and got in on the Chinese New Years celebration starting Feb. 1 and lasting thru the third.

1946

Feb. 12
Arrived in Hong Kong. As big as Shang Hai. Ship taking on four striper (captain) and being put in charge of Embarcation of Japanese, and whoever doesn't belong in China. Looks like good duty as we will be here all the time. Ship put in charge of U. S. Shore Patrol Headquarters. Looks like Tatum crew is going to stay drunk ashore all night. Throw $1,500 party for two days at Hong Kong's me Mae Keyo Ballroom being furnished drinks, good band, and girls for guys that couldn't get them otherwise. Parties still going on after ship's party, but at our own expense. Am getting slant-eyed and understand a little Chinese.

March 3
A great day in my Navy career. Left Tatum for U. S. via U. S. S. new Yorker A. P. L. II. Even though I am going home, it's kinda regretful leaving some of the fellows, but this foreign country called U. S. A. has a reputation of being good liberty...Ding Hao! Expect to be discharged in may! Went back up to Shang Hai, from there on a 42 day trip via Hawaiians, thru Panama, getting liberty again in Panama City, thru canal and on to Brooklyn. Went out on liberty last night by sweet talking guard. next day, in charge of a 19 man draft going to Memphis to be discharged. Can't do a thing with the sots. Almost lost two of them in Ohio.

May 3 1946
Discharged.