Sorry for the OT here, I'm looking for some Information on Navy Destroyer DD693

Just Dallas · October 13, 2011, 06:14:38 PM

Mods, please remove this when appropriate.

Ahoy you sailors and children of sailors.... I need to get in touch with the survivors of the USS MOALE, DD693. It was active during WWII and up until recently had a crew website. Those websites are no longer active or valid, believe me, I've checked.
The reason for my interest is that a few of the crew are still alive and would like to know that my father in law has passed away.
thanks for any information you can give.

Rick59-4104 · October 13, 2011, 06:23:23 PM

Dallas,
You might try the Tin Can Sailors group.

Rick (USS Vesole DD 878, My home from Sept 1975-----Decom- December 1976)

Rick59-4104 · October 13, 2011, 06:33:54 PM

Dallas
Tin Can Sailors Registry

http://www.destroyers.org/smrdd/uss_moale.html

Rick

Just Dallas · October 13, 2011, 06:39:38 PM

Thanks Rick, I've got some email addies from that and some phone numbers I'll call when it's daylight. Most of these guys will be in their 80's and deserve to know what's happened to their shipmates.

I was all Army, but my dad was all Navy, CA72, USS Pittsburgh.

Quote from: Rick59-4104 on October 13, 2011, 06:33:54 PM
Dallas
Tin Can Sailors Registry

http://www.destroyers.org/smrdd/uss_moale.html

Rick

Rick59-4104 · October 13, 2011, 06:59:24 PM

Dallas,
Was your Dad on the Pittsburgh when she lost her bow in the Typhoon? Yep, 100' plus waves took the bow off. I bet that was quite the ride. If he was aboard my hat is off to him...Heck my hat is off to him anyway

I have been on Destroyers keeping tabs on Russian Subs in January in the far North Atlantic, rode a Guided Missile Frigate in the Bering Sea off the NE coast of Siberia but we never lost a major part of the ship...

Rick

Oonrahnjay · October 13, 2011, 07:03:20 PM

The USS Moale was a US Navy Destroyer of the Allen M Sumner class,

She was built by Federal Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. (Kearny, New Jersey, U.S.A.) The keel was laid down 5 Aug 1943, she was launched 16 Jan 1944, and commissioned on 28 Feb 1944. She was decommissioned and stricken 2 July 1973, sold 13 November 1974 and scrapped.

For a little info on WWII service, see http://www.uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/2100.html

Just Dallas · October 13, 2011, 07:19:25 PM

Rick, yes he was, there are pictures on my website (edit: those are gone, I'll repost them to my album soon, I promise.)

Pittsburgh lost 104' of it's bow the day after the battle of Iwo Jima.

One thing that my MiL never knew was that the Moale, DD693 was also there... she thought her husband was safe and sound on the east coast of NC. Different stories tell of it being part of TAFFY 58 and took at least 3 hits from Kamikaze's.

He was a man that I have always looked up to. Slight of stature, (135 lbs fighting weight), 5' 5" tall, a strong Christian, and would look any man straight in the eye.

My dad on the other hand was the brawling sailor of old, 6' tall, 180 pounds of tough. He never carried a chip on his shoulder, but he would knock the one off of yours in a heartbeat. Golden gloves champion for 19 years on that ship... 66 bouts, 1 KO, 2 TKO's. He taught me to fight, and also taught me that if there was no ref and no ring, never fight fair. So I didn't.
He was a damage controlman and fireman on the Pittsburgh, and also the only one qualified to operate the wildcat brake.

BTW, the Pittsburgh broke apart for the same reason the Liberty Ships broke in two......

Quote from: Rick59-4104 on October 13, 2011, 06:59:24 PM
Dallas,
Was your Dad on the Pittsburg when she lost her bow in the Typhoon? Yep, 100' plus waves took the bow off. I bet that was quite the ride. If he was aboard my hat is off to him...Heck my hat is off to him anyway

I have been on Destroyers keeping tabs on Russian Subs in January in the far North Atlantic, rode a Guided Missile Frigate in the Bering Sea off the NE coast of Siberia but we never lost a major part of the ship...

Rick

Just Dallas · October 13, 2011, 07:33:33 PM

Moale was actually launched, (officially), at the Brooklyn Navy yard. She may have come off the weighs in NJ, but as far as I can tell, no one wants to be from NJ... unless they are far from NJ.

Scrapped is a harsh word. I may have been Army, but my heart has always been with the sea.

My dad's ship was decommed and recommed in both Korea and Vietnam. It was also used as a Survey ship during the blockade of Cuba in 1962.

When it was sold for scrap, a friend and I were buying liberty ships and smaller vessels for scrap. I actually walked it's decks without knowing that it was an important part of my history. It was in a line of 16 ships and the one I needed to look at was number 14... Pittsburgh was number 8. I didn't know that until about a year later when my dad was looking at some of the paperwork we had laying around.

Both my dad and my wife's dad were plank owners on their respective ships.

Quote from: Oonrahnjay on October 13, 2011, 07:03:20 PM
The USS Moale was a US Navy Destroyer of the Allen M Sumner class,

She was built by Federal Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. (Kearny, New Jersey, U.S.A.) The keel was laid down 5 Aug 1943, she was launched 16 Jan 1944, and commissioned on 28 Feb 1944. She was decommissioned and stricken 2 July 1973, sold 13 November 1974 and scrapped.

For a little info on WWII service, see http://www.uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/2100.html

Rick59-4104 · October 13, 2011, 07:46:42 PM

Dallas,
Wow!!!!
I hope your Dad knew that 30 years after the Pittsburgh lost her bow when I went thru Navy Damage Control School the instructors were still using the event as an example of the severe type of damage to a ship that can be overcome.

Him being a Damage Controlman he was part of the crew who would have shored up decks and bulkheads (using oak timbers) and saved the ship. That ship should have sunk and it had over a thousand crewmembers aboard. Had it sunk many lifes would have been lost, little chance of rescue in a storm like that was. They are not called the Greatest Generation for no reason.

Sorry to all for the off topic talk but folks but events like this need to be talked about and remembered.

Rick

technomadia · October 14, 2011, 05:27:29 AM

Many years ago, I helped my father (a Navy submarine vet - SSBN-601) put together a database of ship's histories and crew lists so that he could better find his cremates, and help others reunite..

We continue to host and offer the site for free at:

http://www.decklog.com

Looks like we list 10 shipmates for the DD693, if that's helpful at all.

DeckLog over the years has become the backend structure for many submarine vet groups, as well as used for the crew roster lists for hundreds of ship's reunion websites.

Enjoy.. and thank you for the service of all of our veterans to our great nation.

- Cherie

crown · October 14, 2011, 07:39:45 AM

dallas i bet my dad helped to fix your dads ship. little known fact during ww2 the navy had 3 repair ships. they where sent to repair the other
ships. some times during battle my dad was a under water welder /hard hat diver there ship had one anti aircraft gun and all sailer had a sidearm nothing else the ship was loaded with steal and had a full machine shop and fabricating shops no parts. they made them his was the only ship to return. the other where lost at sea .they had the worst job he told me there where times he was underwater welding when torpedos hit the ships they where repairing john

Mex-Busnut · October 14, 2011, 08:15:15 AM

And thanks to all who have participated to keep America free and great!

artvonne · October 14, 2011, 09:21:01 AM

My whole life, when Dad started talking about the past, my older brothers and sister scattered. For whatever reason I pulled in close and tried to absorb it all, ask questions. And im so glad I did.

One big event in his life he always got choked up over, was he was working in Emergency repair at Alemeda NAS during Korea. The aircraft carrier USS Boxer was running back and forth, taking aircraft out to Korea, and bringing damaged stuff back to Alemeda. He said he saw many aircraft that were not only in torn up sections, but blood and guts in the cockpits, chunks, litteraly, of our guys who paid the ultimate price for us.

Occasionally the same aircraft would come back, he said nobody liked seeing that. He said he saw a lot of damaged ships that came back too.

Just Dallas · October 14, 2011, 10:57:36 AM

Paul,
I totally understand.
I took my senior trip to south east Asia and worked with some of the Swift Boat guys. I saw many boats that came in with chunks, pieces and parts of machinery, wood, guns and people.

The dreams never stop.... maybe they did for the WWII guys, but not for us.

Quote from: artvonne on October 14, 2011, 09:21:01 AM
My whole life, when Dad started talking about the past, my older brothers and sister scattered. For whatever reason I pulled in close and tried to absorb it all, ask questions. And im so glad I did.

One big event in his life he always got choked up over, was he was working in Emergency repair at Alemeda NAS during Korea. The aircraft carrier USS Boxer was running back and forth, taking aircraft out to Korea, and bringing damaged stuff back to Alemeda. He said he saw many aircraft that were not only in torn up sections, but blood and guts in the cockpits, chunks, litteraly, of our guys who paid the ultimate price for us.

Occasionally the same aircraft would come back, he said nobody liked seeing that. He said he saw a lot of damaged ships that came back too.

bubbaqgal · October 14, 2011, 08:41:24 PM

Since there is no other thread to do this I wanted to say thank you to all of you that sent me messages of condolence. Your kind thoughts are truly appreciated.