There were rough seas and swells and some of the sailors died. About 3-4 hours later, the destroyer escort USS Edmonds picked Marusich and 399 others up.
Deaths from the Bismarck Sea were put at 318 and 620 survived.
Marusich received a Purple Heart and recovered at a hospital in Norman, Oklahoma, later becoming a teacher and principal before retiring in 1985.
Starting in 1988, the survivors of the Bismarck sea began holding reunions in Las Vegas. They are still having them although only 30 are still alive. Marusich plans to attend these as long as he can.
USS BISMARCK SEA CVE-95
Wikipedia did not mention the Bismarck Sea being a converted freighter, but did say it was originally launched in 1944 as the Alikula Bay before being transferred over to the Navy and commissioned May 20, 1944. It carried a crew of 923, 27 aircraft, and was 499 feet long.
On Feb. 21, 1945, two kamikaze hit the ship and it sank with a loss of 318 crew. Three destroyers and destroyer escorts rescued the survivors.
USS EDMONDS DE-406
Was commissioned April 3, 1944 and was screening escort carriers off Iwo Jima on Feb. 21, 1945. Thirty of her crew went over the side to rescue the Bismarck Sea survivors. It was recommissioned for service in the Korean War and scrapped in 1973.
The Greatest generation. --Cooter
Showing posts with label USS Bismarck Sea. Show all posts
Showing posts with label USS Bismarck Sea. Show all posts
Monday, February 23, 2009
Sinking of the USS Bismarck Sea at Iwo Jima
Todya marks the 64th anniversary of the flag raising at Iwo Jima, February 23, 1945. The Feb. 21st Fresno (Ca) Bee had an article about Steve Marusich, 84, of Ivanhoe who was on a ship offshore and witnessed it as a 20-year-old.
On the morning of the 23rd, he was part of 10 or 11 survivors of the USS Bismarck Sea who were recuperating above deck of the USS Edmonds, when they saw the flag flying. "We noticed it. They announced it over the intercom and we all cheered."
HOW HE GOT TO BE THERE
This was the culmination of a hard three days service for Marusich. He had been a gunner on a torpedo bomber on the USS Bismarck Sea just two days earlier. According to him, the Bismarck Sea was formerly a freighter that had been converted into an escort aircraft carrier. He called it a "Kaiser Coffin" because of their being such U-Boat targets.
After sundown on the 21st, he was on the hangar deck when they were called to General Quarters. Just as he stood up, an explosion sent he and a friend flying 30 to 40 feet. "It knocked me off my ass. We stood up, and down the hangar deck we go. My ears were ringing."
The ship had been hit by a kamikaze. Then, a second one crashed into the ship. Fires caused the torpedoes to explode and water began coming in. The Bismarck Sea was the eleventh and last US carrier sunk in the war.
Those not killed got into the water and were strafed.
To Be Continued. --Cooter
On the morning of the 23rd, he was part of 10 or 11 survivors of the USS Bismarck Sea who were recuperating above deck of the USS Edmonds, when they saw the flag flying. "We noticed it. They announced it over the intercom and we all cheered."
HOW HE GOT TO BE THERE
This was the culmination of a hard three days service for Marusich. He had been a gunner on a torpedo bomber on the USS Bismarck Sea just two days earlier. According to him, the Bismarck Sea was formerly a freighter that had been converted into an escort aircraft carrier. He called it a "Kaiser Coffin" because of their being such U-Boat targets.
After sundown on the 21st, he was on the hangar deck when they were called to General Quarters. Just as he stood up, an explosion sent he and a friend flying 30 to 40 feet. "It knocked me off my ass. We stood up, and down the hangar deck we go. My ears were ringing."
The ship had been hit by a kamikaze. Then, a second one crashed into the ship. Fires caused the torpedoes to explode and water began coming in. The Bismarck Sea was the eleventh and last US carrier sunk in the war.
Those not killed got into the water and were strafed.
To Be Continued. --Cooter
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