| MEMORIES |
| We encourage everybody to send us a few memories about your days on the USS Tracer AGR-15. With only a six year existence (1959-1965), you probably knew at least 1/3 of all personnel ever on board the Tracer. The long extended sea duty at picket stations, daily sports activities and small size of crew, caused everybody to know their shipmates better than they would at most other duty stations. |
| 14 Jan 2002 LTJG Joe Gormley, 1958-1960, a "plank-owner" that helped move the ship from the Atlantic to the Pacific and get started as a picket ship in RADRONONE is our first contributor. "Every so often I think about one shipmate by the name of Shackleford. I believe he may have been a yeoman. We were in port, Treasure Island, Don Jordan was the OOD; luckily not I. I lived, for the short times we were in port, in Oakland with my wife. When I came back on board the next morning (this had to be 1959), I learned that there had been a fire in one of the reefers. Shackleford was in the fire party and, apparently, was not completely familiar with the OBA. He was found dead in the reefer after the fire had been extinguished. I wonder if he was the only fatal casualty in the "Battle of the Seaward Extension of the Dew Line". It must have had a strong impression on me as I have remembered his name all this time and I can almost remember what he looked like." I was a "plank owner" on the Tracer (nee Interrupter) having reported on board in Charleston while the ship was undergoing its re-fitting as a radar picket. Cannot remember the name of the original CO but I will look on the complete name list after I finish this. Bill Wooten was his replacement as CO and I think that was after we had traveled through the Panama Canal to the west coast (I have a picture of the ship, taken from the bridge with Lake Gatun in the background; I'll send it along when I have some time to look for it). Ben Coski was XO for the entire time I was on board. I reported originally as Assistant CIC Officer, later moved on to CIC Officer and, for about a month before my separation from active duty, was the Operations Officer. We had one of our "in-ports" at the San Francisco Naval Shipyard for overhaul. I recall that we almost had CDR. Wooten convinced that we should use some of the shipyard budget to plant real grass on the 01 level to make our pickets seem less like being at sea. I wish I could be at the reunion this year to share other sea stories and meet some old friends but I will be in Europe at that time. One of the names that looked familiar to me on the web site (thank you for setting that up and for doing it in such a great way) was Bellamy. That has to be the same Bellamy who was my very sharp Radarman 2nd. Chief Burkett and 1st Class Poindexter were others of my very good crew at that time. This web site is at the top of my "Favorites" list. Thanks Joe Gormley LTJG, 1958-60 Joe's Pictures Editor's Note: Lee Doyel states that the person that died in the reefer fire was a member of his Division, Floyd Dudley, FN.. Were there two deaths?? I was not aboard during this era and can only go on what others say. I have not been able to verify either through the Social Security Death Index. Any further information will be helpful to properly state the facts. (Gormley and Melito<below> were aboard 1958-60 and Doyel was aboard 1960-62) To be the same incident it would have to be in 1960... |
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| 16 Jan 2002 Hi; my name is Frank Melito, SFM3, I served on board the USS TRACER from 1958 to 1960. I put the ship in commission in Charleston , S.C. I was on board during the fire in which I pulled shackelford from the fire in the refeer. I had the duty that day. I was the duty shipfitter, and I had the keys to the repair lockers. Shackelford was on mess duty at the time. When the fire broke out I was at the repair locker issuing fire fighting gear to the fire party. Shackelford was at the repair locker putting on a OBA. I responded to the fire, co2 was used to put out the fire it was an electrical fire. We hooked up some red devil blowers to clear the smoke once the fire was out. My self and 2nd class m/m Timmins noticed a light in the corner of refeer closest to the deck, we investgated and found it was Shackelford. He still had his oba on, we carried him out,pulled off his mask and found he was not breathing. I immedately started cpr on him and we called for an ambulance they took us to the U.S. ARMY hospital on Angel island the doctors worked on him for awhile but he was gone Frank Melito SFM3, 1958-60 |
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| LOCATING SHIPMATES Lee Doyel and Bill Bossert are constantly trying to locate more shipmates. We have recently located Rolando Abadam, Ralph Blodgett, DK2, 1960-62, Gil Teel, SN, Terry Shively,BT3, William Kret, SN, Wayne Pitts, MR3, Grady Roland, SN, Larry Fleming, MM3.... Also the next listed have also signed our guestbook on our homepage..,Richard H. Mikkelson, FN, A.G. "Woody" Wood, AG3, , Roy Neal MM3, Mike Mickelson RM3, John Hubbard, SK3, 1961-62, Don Martin, LTJG 1960-62, Richard D. Herring, QM1, 1961-62 recently signed our guestbook. We are close to locating Milton Comstock EM1, Jim Kelly, AG2, Ray Boylan AG1, We are running into brickwalls trying to locate the following: CO George S. Harrison, LCDR, XO Daniel J. Kenney LT, XO William Wootton, LCDR, Gary A. Pierce CS3 and William A. Jones CS2. Any help you can offer in locating shipmates will be appreciated. Send us an e mail traceragr15@yahoo.com or call 610 544 7864 if you can help.. |