World War II Navy Documents
Diary of the Armed Guard Gunnery Officer on the S.S. Lewis Luckenbach
Mag Temp: Fwd: 40 Aft: 41 Mag Temp: Fwd: 34 Aft: 33
Friday, February 4, 1944 Saturday, February 5, 1944
GMT-3 Hrs - 0615-0705 - General GMT-3 Hrs - 0615-0710 - General
Quarters. Quarters.
GMT-3 Hrs - 0800 - Noticed that GMT-3 Hrs 1800-1845 - General
ship was giving off white smoke Quarters.
from her stack. Found it to be due
to water having leaked into her
fuel tanks - which cannot be
corrected until we reach port.
GMT-3 Hrs - 0310 - Radio message
from ship 45 of this convoy to
effect that she expected to break
in two before daylight and was in
a heavy gale. (See entry of
2/1/44, 2230.)
GMT-3 Hrs - 0325 - Radio SOS from
ship having call letters KIWW:
"Lat. 48.10W at 0600 GMT. Vessel
breaking in two."
GMT-3 Hrs - 0329 - Radio SOS from
KIWW:"Lat 48.10N, Long. 41.10W at
0600 GMT. Vessel breaking in two."
GMT-3 Hrs - 0420 - Radio SOS from
KIWW:"Lat 48 degrees 40 North
Long. 41 degrees 20 West at 0600
GMT. Vessel breaking in two.
Diary of the Armed Guard Gunnery Officer on the S.S. Lewis Luckenbach
Mag Temp: Fwd: 40 Aft: 41 Mag Temp: Fwd: 38 Aft: 42
Sunday, February 6, 1944 Monday, February 7, 1944
GMT-3 Hrs - 0630-0720 - General GMT-4 Hrs - 0615-0655 - General
Quarters. Quarters.
GMT-3 Hrs - 1200 - Present position GMT-4 Hrs - 1530 - Ensign half-
of this ship is: 43-42N, 51-48W, masted by order of Commodore. Reason
approximately. unknown.
GMT-3 Hrs - 1310 - Mate on watch,
Second Mate Roberts, at 1310
observed a life-boat drifting
upright in the water about a half-
mile off our starboard beam, on the
starboard side of our beam ship in
column 12.
GMT-3 Hrs - 1340 - At 1340, another
drifted past between this column
(11) and column 12.
GMT-3 Hrs - 1415 - At 1415 another
came by between these columns. The
last two were upset. All three
boats appeared to be small, double-
ended metal boats, painted a very
light gray with a black stripe
painted across their bottoms about
one-quarter way from either end.
All boats appeared to be in good
condition and were probably swept
off the decks of some ship during
the recent gale.
GMT-3 Hrs - 1830-1915 - General
Quarters.
GMT-3 Hrs - Clocks retarded one
hour.
Diary of the Armed Guard Gunnery Officer on the S.S. Lewis Luckenbach
Mag Temp: Fwd: 39 Aft: 38 Mag Temp: Fwd: 38 Aft: 37
Tuesday, February 8, 1944 Wednesday, February 9, 1944
GMT-4 Hrs - 0615-0655 - General EWT - 0630-0700 - General Quarters.
Quarters. EWT - 0900 - About 8 depth charges
GMT-4 Hrs - 1530 - Chief Mate were dropped by escort about 3/4
McCann informed Ensign McCarthy mile off starboard bow. Occasion not
that the towing spar (fog buoy) was determined.
lost during the night with about EWT - 1800-1840 - General Quarters.
200 feet of line. It had been
streamed during the fog of last
night.
GMT-4 Hrs - 1800-1835 - General
Quarters.
GMT-4 Hrs - 1815 - Three white
flares - probably snowflakes - were
shot into the air about three
columns off our port bow followed
at 1823 by five more in groups of
2-2-1. Significance of these was
not learned.
Diary of the Armed Guard Gunnery Officer on the S.S. Lewis Luckenbach
Mag Temp: Fwd: 35 Aft: 36 Mag Temp: Fwd: 33 Aft: 35
Thursday, February 10, 1944 Friday, February 11, 1944
EWT - 0645-0715 General Quarters. EWT - 1055 - Passed Channel Buoy "C"
EWT - 1200 - Two 90 degree course (New York).
changes to starboard. 180 degrees EWT - 1250 - Officially arrived at
in all. Reason unknown. Port of New York.
EWT - 1620 - 90 degrees turn to EWT - 1307 - Dropped anchor about
port. 1 1/2 miles outside Ambrose Light-
EWT - 1630 - 90 degrees turn to ship. Driving snow and sleet.
port. EWT - 2400 - Still at anchor.
EWT - 1810-1855 - General Quarters.
Diary of the Armed Guard Gunnery Officer on the S.S. Lewis Luckenbach
Mag Temp: Fwd: 32 Aft: 31 Mag Temp: Fwd: 31 Aft: 31
Saturday, February 12, 1944 Sunday, February 13, 1944
EWT - 1000 - Weighed anchor and EWT - 0315 - Submitted Port Watch
proceeded into Harbor. list to Lt. Bennett at Port
EWT - 2325 - Came alongside pier at Director's Office, New York.
foot of 31st Street, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Diary of the Armed Guard Gunnery Officer on the S.S. Lewis Luckenbach
Mag Temp: Fwd: 30 Aft: 31 Mag Temp: Fwd: 36 Aft: 37
Monday, February 14, 1944 Tuesday, February 15, 1944
EWT - Port Routine Followed. EWT - Port routine followed.
Diary of the Armed Guard Gunnery Officer on the S.S. Lewis Luckenbach
Mag Temp: Fwd: 41 Aft: 40 Mag Temp: Fwd: 40 Aft: 40
Wednesday, February 16, 1944 Thursday, February 17, 1944
EWT - Port Routine Followed. EWT - Port routine followed.
EWT - 1815 - Kirksey, Oliver C.,
SM3c, 641-14 87, detached for leave.
Gee, Raymond H., Sea1c, Seaman
Signalman, assigned to unit to
replace Kirksey. Gee's Serial
number is 917 49 39.
Diary of the Armed Guard Gunnery Officer on the S.S. Lewis Luckenbach
Mag Temp: Fwd: 33 Aft: 32 Mag Temp: Fwd: 35 Aft: 35
Friday, February 18, 1944 Saturday, February 19, 1944
EWT - Port Routine Followed. EWT - Port routine followed.
Diary of the Armed Guard Gunnery Officer on the S.S. Lewis Luckenbach
Mag Temp: Fwd: 34 Aft: 34 Mag Temp: Fwd: 37 Aft: 37
Sunday, February 20, 1944 Monday, February 21, 1944
EWT - Port Routine Followed. EWT - Port routine followed.
Diary of the Armed Guard Gunnery Officer on the S.S. Lewis Luckenbach
Mag Temp: Fwd: 35 Aft: 36 Mag Temp: Fwd: 36 Aft: 35
Tuesday, February 22, 1944 Wednesday, February 23, 1944
EWT - Port Routine Followed. EWT - Port routine followed.
Diary of the Armed Guard Gunnery Officer on the S.S. Lewis Luckenbach
Mag Temp: Fwd: 38 Aft: 42 Mag Temp: Fwd: 39 Aft: 43
Thursday, February 24, 1944 Friday, February 25, 1944
EWT - Port Routine Followed. EWT - Port routine followed.
EWT - 1830 - Supplies received
today.
Diary of the Armed Guard Gunnery Officer on the S.S. Lewis Luckenbach
Mag Temp: Fwd: 40 Aft: 44 Mag Temp: Fwd: 39 Aft: 44
Saturday, February 26, 1944 Sunday, February 27, 1944
EWT - Port Routine Followed. EWT - Port routine followed.
Diary of the Armed Guard Gunnery Officer on the S.S. Lewis Luckenbach
Mag Temp: Fwd: 41 Aft: 46 Mag Temp: Fwd: 40 Aft: 40
Monday, February 28, 1944 Tuesday, February 29, 1944
EWT - Port Routine Followed. EWT - Port routine followed.
Diary of the Armed Guard Gunnery Officer on the S.S. Lewis Luckenbach
Mag Temp: Fwd: 37 Aft: 42 Mag Temp: Fwd: 36 Aft: 41
Wednesday, March 1, 1944 Thursday, March 2, 1944
EWT - Port Routine Followed. EWT - Port routine followed.
Diary of the Armed Guard Gunnery Officer on the S.S. Lewis Luckenbach
Mag Temp: Fwd: 38 Aft: 43 Mag Temp: Fwd: 44 Aft: 45
Friday, March 3, 1944 Saturday, March 4, 1944
EWT - Port Routine Followed. Expect EWT - Port routine followed.
to receive ammunition tomorrow. EWT - 1000 - Ens. McCarthy with T.R.
EWT - 1800 - Gunners Mate Bowerman Bowerman, G.M. 2c, D.M. Lesesne,
informed Ensign McCarthy that it Sea1c, R.H. Williams, Sea1c, went to
would be necessary for him to go to Port Director's Legal Office to
court next Monday, March 6, 1944, attend Board of Inquiry in the
to press charges against a man who matter of Talaska's shooting. All
had bothered him in an indecent four and W.D. Wade, Sea1c are to be
manner last night and whom he had detached from the ship on 6 March,
had arrested. More details will be 1944, as witnesses.
secured and entered later. EWT - 1600 - Received two lots of
EWT - 1830 - Gunner's Mate Bowerman ammunition aboard:
informed me that he had just found 1. A) 49 cases 20 MM ammunition
E.J. Talaska, Sea1c, the aft port B) 2 cases small arms
watch, lying wounded in the aft gun C) 5 units of pyrotechnics
tub with the service pistol beside These were delivered aboard by Lt.
him, one shell having been dis- (J.G.) Breitman of the Port Direct-
charged. Ambulance was sent for and or's Office for delivery with and
Port Director's Office notified. My for the use of LCT (6) 645 which is
investigation would indicate that part of this ship's cargo.
the wound was self-inflicted in an 2. A) 10 rounds 5"51 Com.
attempt at suicide because of B) 25 rounds 5"51 H.C.
domestic troubles. Talaska was C) 25 45-sec (5"51) fuzes
examined by a Dr. Montecans of Holy D) 25 nose-det.(5"51) fuzes
Family Hospital and was taken in an E) 1 fuze removal wrench
ambulance of that hospital to the F) 35 rounds 5"51 powder (bags)
U.S. Naval Hospital, Brooklyn, N.Y. G) 76 " 3"50 AA-fuzed Mark 22-4
H) 2 " " short cartridges
The bullet penetrated the left side I) 3960 rounds 20MM HET
below the ribs, travelled upward, J) 8100 " " HEI
and apparently emerged through his K) 240 " " BL&P (Target)
back beneath the shoulder blade. L) 120 " " Dummy Drill
EWT - 2000 - Lt.(J.G.) Palmer B. M) 1 box of 3"50 & 5"51 powder
Kern, of the Operations Office, samples.
Armed Guard Center, Brooklyn, NY, Items A to M are for use on this
arrived and questioned Ensign ship.
McCarthy, Gunner's Mate Bowerman, All ammunition received today was
and R.H. Williams, Sea1c, whom stowed in the two ships' magazines.
Talaska relieved. Mr Kern asked for
and was given the gun (S & W - .38
cal., V-52955), belt, holster, and
shells, for which he signed a
receipt.
Diary of the Armed Guard Gunnery Officer on the S.S. Lewis Luckenbach
Mag Temp: Fwd: 43 Aft: 44 Mag Temp: Fwd: 43 Aft: 44
Sunday, March 5, 1944 Monday, March 6, 1944
EWT - 0900 - Ensign Rohde, who is EWT - 1200 - Wilderman, Robert
the relieving Armed Guard Commander Irwin, Sea1c, developed a rash over
came aboard for inspection. He was his face. Was sent to the Armed
shown the guns, magazines, gear Guard Center Sick Bay for examinat-
lockers, and other Navy equipment. ion.
EWT - 1530 - Ensign Rohde went EWT - 1600 - Ensign M.E. Rohde, USNR
ashore. Will take over tomorrow came aboard with five enlisted
about 1300 with five enlisted replacements to relieve Ensign
replacements. C.G. McCarthy and enlisted men
noted in entry of 1000, 4 March,
1944.
EWT - 1615 - Arrangements for relief
of command and Ensign Rohde and his
crew took over. Relieved officer and
men left ship.
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