BARNETT, CLYDE FRANKGOOSE@AOL.COM "...I JOINED VPHL-8 IN SEPT. 1947 AT NAS AGANA GUAM ALONG WITH SEVERAL OF MY FRIENDS DAHLBECK AMM1, WT GUY AMM2 LAUDERDALE AMM1, and AUSTIN AMM2. ALL OF US HAD SPENT SEVERAL WEEKS AT THE FAMOUS RECEIVING STATION AT THE OTHER END OF THE ISLAND WHERE YOU HANGED UP YOUR STRIPES AND MADE LIKE A MESS COOK. OUR DUTY WATCH WAS IN THE JUNGLE AIR STRIPS WHERE WE STOOD WATCH WITH A BROWNING 12 GAUGE SHOTGUN TO PREVENT NATIVES AND POSSIBLE JAPANESE FROM STEALING PARTS FROM OUR BOMBERS. ONE INTERESTING BIT OF HISTORY WAS WHEN WE NEEDED PARTS FOR OUR PLANES, ALL WE DID WAS LOOK FOR THE NEEDEWD PART IN THE PARTS CATALOG (JUST LIKE ORDERING PARTS FROM A SEARS CATALOG). ALL SQUADRON GROUND PERSONNEL BOARDED THE USS SUISON BAY, A CONVERTED DESTROYER AND SET SAIL FOR PEARL. WE ARRIVED IN EARLY 1948 AND WERE IN HANGAR 5. I STARTED FLYING AS A PORT WAIST GUNNER IN "BD4" AND SEVERAL OTHERS INCLUDING BD8. JULY 1948 WE PARTICIPATED IN HELPING SINK THE OLD USS NEW YORK AND LATER THE USS NEVADA. I JOINED VPHL-8 AS AN AEM SIC AND IN APRIL 1948 I TOOK MY TEST OUT OF THE OLD PETTY OFFICERS MANUAL FOR 3RD CLASS AND SOON I WAS STRUTTING AROUND WITH MY NEW CROW. I WORKED WITH SOME FINE FRIENDS WHO I MET ON NAS Agana, Guam AND NAS Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii INCLUDING CHIEF EDWARDS ARMC YOUNT AEM2, R. SCHMIDT AEM3, PHILLIPS AEM SIC, THE TINNEY BROTHERS AMMC. I LEFT VP-28 ON SEPT 1948 TO VOLUNTEER MY SERVICES TO VR-44 AT NAS Moffett Field, California IN THE BERLIN AIR LIFT..." [24DEC98]

"VR-44 Shipmate Summary Page"

---