Yesterday, I wrote about Pearl Harbor veteran Joseph Thornton, 86, who died in January and is going to have his ashes spread over Pearl Harbor.
The ship he served on, the USS Curtiss was quite active in the attack on Pearl Harbor and shot down several Japanese planes and engaged a minisub.
The ship's crew was also involved in the atomic blasts at the Bikini Atoll after the war, earning Thornton and crew mates the name Atomic Veterans.
The Curtiss was a new (launched 1940) sea plane tender and got underway quickly once the attack began and began firing at the attackers. At 0836, the Curtiss spotted a periscope in the harbor and opened fire. A torpedo barely missed it and four minutes later, the submarine surfaced and dived. The destroyer USS Monagham then engaged it with depth charges.
At 0905, gunfire from the Curtiss hit a Japanese plane and it crashed into No. 1 crane and burned. Three minutes later, they shot another one down. Then, a dive bomber approached, and dropped a bomb which crashed through the deck near No. 1 crane and exploded below deck, causing a fire, then, the plane crashed into the water.
The Curtiss lost 19 men that day.
A Valiant Ship and Crew.
Showing posts with label USS Curtiss. Show all posts
Showing posts with label USS Curtiss. Show all posts
Monday, April 20, 2009
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Pearl Harbor Survivor Honored
Boston.com
At age 19, 19-year-old mess cook Joseph Thornton was on board the USS Curtiss, a new seaplane tender in Pearl Harbor that fateful December morning when the Japanese attacked.
He helped load the 50-caliber machine guns, but never forgot the chaos.
He died in January, and now, his ashes will be spread across the harbor near his battle station. His passing leaves 44 remaining Pearl Harbor Survivor Association members in Massachusetts. About 3,900 remain across the whole country.
His grand daughters will spread the ashes from Ford Island and a Navy Honor Guard will fire a 3-volley salute. A US flag that flew over the USS Utah Memorial will be presented to his family.
Mr. Thornton said that about twenty men died when a Japanese plane crashed into the Curtiss about 30 feet from where he stood.
He also was witness to the US Bikini Island atomic tests.
The Greatest Generation.
At age 19, 19-year-old mess cook Joseph Thornton was on board the USS Curtiss, a new seaplane tender in Pearl Harbor that fateful December morning when the Japanese attacked.
He helped load the 50-caliber machine guns, but never forgot the chaos.
He died in January, and now, his ashes will be spread across the harbor near his battle station. His passing leaves 44 remaining Pearl Harbor Survivor Association members in Massachusetts. About 3,900 remain across the whole country.
His grand daughters will spread the ashes from Ford Island and a Navy Honor Guard will fire a 3-volley salute. A US flag that flew over the USS Utah Memorial will be presented to his family.
Mr. Thornton said that about twenty men died when a Japanese plane crashed into the Curtiss about 30 feet from where he stood.
He also was witness to the US Bikini Island atomic tests.
The Greatest Generation.
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