RECOLLECTION

Frank Calhoun Bush 2001

“Confidence of Youth !”

I enlisted in the U.S.Navy on October 9, 1943, and reported aboard the USS Swanson DD443 in the Brooklyn Navy Yard on 28 December 1943. She was moored to a pier. I was in a large group of men, being transferred from Pier 92 in New York to the Swanson. I recall that William McLawhorn, Harry O’Connel, Walter Kasper, Noah Weatley, Graydon Harris, John Hall, Don Hall, Woogie (Nickname) Hall, Claude Harrison, R.V.Huges, Carl Jackson, Frank Hartman, Hershel Eickmon, H Hickman, Don Berlin, John Alford, Henry Bishop, James Barnes, Gerrard Sparta, and W. Schebler. I was a young man in the big city of New York for the first time. Naturally I had liberty in New York City and was able to see the New Year of 1944 in.

The Swanson sailed on January 7^th, enoute to Colon, Panama, Canal Zone. Even though I was a young inexperienced sailor, I did not have any fear, possibly because I was in among some veterans sailors on a ship that had a battle history and survived. Arriving in Colon, Panama on January 12^th, and we had liberty both in Colon, and then again after transiting the Canal and stopping over in the west end of the canal, Balboa, Panama for a few days, with liberty.

Then we sailed for New Guinea in the South West Pacific. Enroute we stopped overnight in the Galapagos Islands, then sailed for Bora Bora , crossing the Equator on 22^nd January where all of us Pollywogs were duly initiated into Shellbacks. This is an experience I will never forget. Then we sailed on to Milne Bay, New Guinea via, Somoa Island,Port Purvis in the Solomon Islands.Then the real war to about to begin.

By this time I was getting familiar with more men and was given the opportunity to join the Torpedo gang. I had been getting to know these men, and had liberty with them and sailed the seas with them. We all had our duties and we did them.

The Swanson sailed on to the invasion of the Admiralty Islands Invasion taking about 30 days of continuous General Quarters, then on to the Hollandia, New Guinea invasion, and we were the Flagship. Followed by the invasion of Biak Island, then Noemfoor Island, and Cape Sansapor operation.

Then we left the South West Pacific and joined the fast Aircraft Carriers of Admiral Halsey Task Force 38. We participated in the largest and most far flung Naval Battle ever fought, the battle for Leyte Gulf. We served as destroyer escort screen for the carriers. By this time and having been assigned to different General Quarters stations , and I felt very safe though out my time in all the invasions and encounters we had.

The total time I will never forget my shipmates and our close times together.