congressional medal of honor winner rufus g. herring - USS Landing ...

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Karl Wohl, LTJG,Red Bluff, CaliforniaLCI(G) 450Thomas W. Campbell, S1c,Gray Court, South CarolinaEdward Goosens,Hillman, MichiganVaughn E. Hampton, S1c,Arvada, ColoradoJoseph S. Kvidera,Sioux City, IowaLCI (G) 469John B. Hopkins,Chico, CaliforniaEarl W. Reneau,Brooksville, FloridaLCI (G) 471Robert Dotson, Yn3c,Columbus, OhioLawrence M. Hermes, LTJG,Houston, TexasRobert S. Hudgins,Virginia Beach, VirginiaDonald W. Wingrove, S1c,Marshalltown, IowaLCI (G) 473Richard W. Hickey,Mattawan, MichiganLCI G) 474Robert J. Harker, LT,Terre Haute, IndianaTimothy J. Sullivan, BM2c,Ormond Beach, FloridaE-Mail Corrections and AdditionsPlease make these changes in your email addresses:And remember to send all email address changes or corrections to Jim Talbert at tab626@juno.comLCILCI 26LCI 447LCI 455LCILCI 773LCI 1063Name/Correct Email AddressLeroy Rousterginlee@chartermi.netWilliam B. Schlosserwbschlosser@abcglobal.netWilliam ArmstrongWlacwa1@yahoo.comEdgar O. Biscottibiscuits526@cox.netRaymons FarmerSailor61946@aol.com24
The Homecoming of Flotilla EightByJack C. HollanderAlpharetta, GAFormerly LTJG, Staff Navigator, USS LCI Flotilla Eight FlagshipOur LCI Flotilla Eight was on station in thePhilippine Islands in 1944 and 1945 where ourships in their jungle camouflage saw action inmany invasions including Tacloban, Corrigidor,Manilla, Cebu, Borneo, Zamboanga and manyothers.During July, 1945, preparations for the invasion ofSouthern Kyushu in Japan were well underwayand, according to our Commander, we were “tohave the honor to lead the invasion to the beacheswith the first wave of Marines. Forthis”honor” our ships had to be prepared with agreater capacity for close-in fire support. Thisconsisted of rockets, mortars and 40mm guns.For this conversion to rocket ships and gunboatswe were ordered to Pearl Harbor. On the way toPearl, we met many transport ships loaded withtroops heading west for the Philippines andOkinawa. At Ulithi anchorage, as sailors werewont to do, we greeted them with choruses of“You'll be sorry.” I don't think the troops appreciatedthis.When we arrived at Pearl Harbor the yards wereso overloaded with ships being repaired fromKamikaze attacks that we were ordered to returnto Mare Island Navy Yard in San Francisco. All ofus were wild with excitement to get back stateside,even if it was to be for only two weeks.I came across an old Navy tradition called the“homeward bound” pennant which is a pennantwith stars and stripes in red, white and blue. It isabout one foot wide and thirty feet long, with anadditional foot for each month the ship has beenoverseas. As we had eighteen months overseas,that gave us a forty-eight foot pennant to beraised at the masthead of a ship 158 feet long!All thirty-six ships of our flotilla carried this pennant,made by our bosuns.Then, when we were just three days west of SanFrancisco, the second atomic bomb was droppedand the war was suddenly ended. No moreJapan to be invaded! Our formation of shipsbroke ranks and sailed in all directions. Ship'swhistles blasted and we all went berserk for ashort period of time.Our Commander was asleep when the wordabout Japan's surrender came down. I awakenedhim with “Commander, the war is over!” His firstwords, after he awoke and hit his head on theupper bunk were, “What will I do now?” I replied,“I don't know, Commander, but I plan to gohome!”Our Commander did get his act together. Hewent on to a distinguished career in the Navy. Heretired as a Rear Admiral with a Silver Star.During the Cuban missile crisis he commanded adestroyer squadron.We did not know at the time but we were thefirst flotilla of ships to arrive in San Franciscoafter the ending of active hostilities. On eachside of our conning towers we had painted ourcampaign ribbons and battle stars, plus symbolsfor planes shot down and landings made. All oursignal flags were broken out and decorated ourship from bow to masthead to fantail. We madea very glamorous sight indeed!As we approached San Francisco, we formed ourships into single column formation, each shipone hundred yards apart. The line of ships25
Page 1 and 2: OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THEUSS LANDI
Page 3 and 4: A Word from the EditorGreetings, on
Page 5: USS LCI NATIONAL ASSN. REUNIONMAY 1
Page 9 and 10: LCI 713 JOINS THE FLEET FORTHE PORT
Page 11 and 12: Associate Members. I'm expecting a
Page 13 and 14: The Gunboats at Iwo Jima: Part IThe
Page 15 and 16: After wounded were transferred, shi
Page 17 and 18: 1117—Hit portside, Captain's cabi
Page 19 and 20: Deck Log, USS New York (BB-34):1352
Page 21 and 22: The Heroism of Rufus G. HerringComm
Page 23: “We Were There”Present Members
Page 27 and 28: Carl Chapple Donates AnotherModel f
Page 29 and 30: Coastguard LCI Veteran Writes His M
Page 31 and 32: USS LCI NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONAPPLICA

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