RECOLLECTIONS

Lloyd J. Miller 1988

“IT’s A SMALL WORLD”

On September 9, 1944 USS Swanson DD443 was operating with a Carrier Group in the vicinity of Palau Island in the Pacific. That evening the USS Swanson was ordered on a search mission for one of our pilots who was hit by enemy gunfire and had to ditch his plane near YAP Island. We searched through out the night and the next morning at approximately 10 A.M. we found the downed pilot in his one man rubber boat. We welcomed him aboard, had him examined by the doctor, and gave him a good meal.

I learned his name was Robert Slingerland, not a common name, so at the first opportunity I asked him his home address and other pertinent information. You can imagine my surprise when I learned he had grown up in Altamont, Kansas where I had attended High School and that his father had been my science and chemistry teacher!

Ensign Slingerland told me the worst part of the entire ordeal, in the rubber boat all night, was the absolute stillness with the one exception of water gently slapping the sides of the boat.

That afternoon, we high lined him back to his carrier the USS Franklin.

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RECOLLECTION

Charles F. Reynolds 1989

“THROW HIM BACK !”

While steaming as part of Task Group 38.4 screen, the Swanson was detached to proceed and search for a downed U.S. Navy pilot off enemy held island of YAP.

After locating the pilot in his one-man raft, the Swanson maneuvered alongside and he climbed aboard. I remember almost verbatim his first words: “YOU KNOW I COULD SINK YOUR DESTROYER WITH MY MACHINE GUNS!” We suppressed the urge to throw him back !

That night TOKYO ROSE gloated on her radio broadcast that the Japanese Imperial forces had successfully repelled a major U.S.Naval force (Swanson) at YAP Harbor.

Later after rejoining Task Group 38.4 we gently and safely highlined a happy Ensign Slingerland back to his Carrier.