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If you missed the latest episode of Drain the Oceans last night featuring the RV PETREL and their missions to locate the USS LEXINGTON and USS INDIANAPOLIS, then you can watch it on demand through your cable company or here on the National Geographic Network site: Pacific War Megawrecks
Our friend Paul Mayer is featured and interviewed. Great job Paul, Rob (the big kahuna) and the rest of the technical crew: Rudy Schlepp, Craig Foy, Eric Brager, Rich Mello, Scott Matthews and Pat Travis. I hope they come back to you in the future for more programming and other discoveries! Tammi  When STRONG went down, she took men with her from all over the country and all walks of life. Three of them, including my uncle Billy were from Kentucky. I’ve wanted to connect with the other two families for a long time and was finally able to thanks to the efforts of a woman working with the History Flight organization. She had the skills and access to databases with relative data and was able to share that with me. I am now in touch with family members of Jesse T. “Tommy” Geralds and Frederick Keller. So, thank you Barbara for all your help!
Over the years I’ve offered family members the chance to write a blog that I would post on the website. I offered that to Mike Geralds and he rose to the challenge. Below is his contribution about his uncle Tommy Geralds. “I have been researching the story of my uncle Tommy (Jesse Thomas Geralds Jr). I have not been able to find any personal life stories about him, but have learned much from the Navy records on Ancestry.com and your website (Project USS STRONG DD467). Here is my attempt to blog about his life in the US Navy. It is based on his story that I shared with my extended family. Please feel free to edit this story to correct errors. Tommy joined the Navy on 5/11/38 in Louisville, KY when he was 18. He received 12 weeks of training for enlisted men at Norfolk, VA. He joined the crew of the destroyer USS Gridley DD-380 on 11/6/39 and served for ~11 months. He then joined the crew of the destroyer USS Maury DD-401 and served for ~32 months. The USS Strong DD-467 was brand new and he joined it's crew on 8/7/42 (day of commissioning of the ship). Tommy had earned the rank of Fireman 1st class. His duties were to operate one of the four boilers on the ship. It was powered by steam and the boilers burned heavy fuel oil. The boiler rooms were hot places made even hotter by the hot weather in the South Pacific. The accommodations were spartan at best with tight shared sleeping quarters. They would try to sleep on deck during hot weather. The mess and kitchen were small with mostly basic foods. Reading mail and newspapers was a favorite activity while off-duty. The Strong began it's career as a convoy escort to protect American ships from the German submarines in the Atlantic (this was their shakedown cruise). They were part the convoy of troops and supplies to retake North Africa from the Germans. In January 1943, they joined an emergency convoy of US troops that sailed through the Panama Canal on their way to Australia. The Japanese had taken the Philippines. Sadly, the crew did not get to see Australia as Aussie ships took over the escort duty at 50 miles from Brisbane. (Captain Wellings did not know of the plans to head to the South Pacific until January of 1943 when he received emergency orders.) The Strong joined the US naval forces in the South Pacific that were fighting their way north. They were in major battles for Guadalcanal and the Solomon Islands. Their duties were to escort convoys and support the Marines that were driving the Japanese from their island bases. They joined a task force made up of 4 destroyers and 3 light cruisers. They were know as the "Night Raiders". Their job was to steam into an enemy area of islands at midnight and shell them for 30 to 60 min. Then, they steamed out at high speed to avoid Japanese planes at daylight. The Strong and it's sister ships (O’Bannon, Nicholas & Chevalier) were critical to these missions since they had the latest surface radar. They led the task force into these gulfs and channels to spot any enemy ships in the dark. The task force had completed several raids without any losses. On the night of 7/5/43, the task force steamed into Kula Gulf on the north side of New Georgia in the Solomon Islands. They began to shell the enemy on Kolombangara Island (at Villa) and Bairoko Harbor (on New Georgia’s west coast). The Strong was struck on the port side at 12:43 am by a long lance (Type 93) torpedo. The blast crippled the shipped and shutdown the engines. The crew signaled SOS by signal light and the Chevalier came to their aid at 1:13 am. It rammed their ship and tossed rescue lines & cargo nets to the survivors. 241 crewmen climbed aboard the Chevalier in only 7 min. Japanese shore gunners spotted the damaged ship and opened fire with their 140mm guns. Despite a number of survivors being in the dark waters, the Chevalier had to back away to escape the shelling. A few minutes later, the Strong broke in two and sank. As it sank, some depth charges exploded, causing damage to the Chevalier and injury to the men in the water. The task force was forced to leave the Kula Gulf before dawn. Tommy was reported as MIA. The captain of the Strong reported that the torpedo struck in the forward boiler & engine room. The explosion destroyed this area and opened a big hole in the ship. There were 22 men in the forward boiler/engine room that died instantly. I believe that Tommy was one of these men. While I am sad that his life was cut short at 25, I am proud of his Navy service that helped us win WWII." Thank you Mike! -Tammi Facebook and the National Geographic page recently posted a video trailer of an upcoming episode of Drain the Oceans, a National Geographic program that delves into the history of shipwrecks, sunken cities and more from decades to thousands of years past. It's a wonderful historical perspective and very artfully done programming. One of the producers Phil Craig, follows me on Twitter and I'm hoping to hear that someday they may do one on the Kula Gulf. Hint, hint.
Anyway, this episode airing on Monday August 12th is all about the finding of the USS Indianapolis by the crew of the RV Petrel in 2017! I'm posting the trailer link below. My friend Paul Mayer is featured prominently (hi Paul!) and I can't wait to see the program. Mark your calendars if you are interested in seeing the crew and the research vessel close up as never before. It will be an amazing broadcast. Link to trailer: Drain the Oceans USS Indianapolis Cheers, Tammi One thing I really enjoy on Facebook is following the South Pacific WW2 Museum development in Vanuatu. So far away, yes. But, our men in the Navy and other forces spent a lot of time there on bases and at Espiritu Santo for down time. It was a stop between Noumea, New Caledonia and actions in the Solomon Islands. They would play baseball on the beaches, go swimming and get their beer at the Officer's Club and where ever the enlisted guys were allowed to turn in their two chits.
I've signed up to receive their newsletter and thought I'd share one with you all. They look for feedback and stories, so feel free to contact them. I hope to visit there some day, just to look through the amazing stash of photographs they have of the WW2 period. Since the STRONG was there I feel sure there may be photos of some of the men hanging around the officer's club, playing baseball or doing whatever they did on the island. So, for your enjoyment if you like: https://southpacificwwiimuseum.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Unfold-the-Untold-Vol04No06-Jun-2019.pdf To learn more about them, visit their Facebook page: South Pacific WW2 Museum In other news, I'm still working with the group that I can't yet name on a documentary featuring STRONG and Lt. Hugh Barr Miller, Jr. The families know about this, but I believe this is a first for some of you that I didn't yet inform. It's a very exciting process and I'm a research consultant! Another great thing I can add to my resume, and something that honors the memory of the men and their ship. And, if you are Gold Circle or one of their reps who is checking my site (I know you are), feel free to contact me. More soon! Tammi On Sunday July 7th author Stephen Harding was interviewed by the Australian Broadcasting Company about the story of Lt. Hugh Barr Miller, Jr.'s experiences on Arundel Island and the demise of the USS STRONG DD-467. He shared the link to the podcast of the interview, so check it out below!
ABC Podcast for Stephen Harding Interview: Click here There will be other news to share soon, including news about a documentary I've been consulting on. Then again, there's the movie in progress. I've also been working with History Flight and the MIA Recovery Network to determine what may have happened to the 3 men who disappeared on Arundel Island with Lt. Miller. These men were Danny Mullane, Floyd Lawrence and Frank Armbruster. Some progress has been made in looking through files from one of the military cemeteries on Papua New Guinea, but more work to do and patience is a virtue. Great stuff coming! Tammi On occasion, such as now when I'm tending to a husband recovering from surgery and low on mental energy, I may turn to a contributing author with a like mind and a love for WW2 research. I noticed this post by my kindred spirit friend Julia McCurdy Gimbel (Julia Writes WWII on Facebook) about the Ghost Army. These were legitimate bad ass guys who outwitted the enemy not with guns and ammo, but with strategy and diversionary tactics. There are several books out there on the subject, so just go to Amazon or Barnes and Noble to find what you would like to read. I will have some interesting news to share of my own soon about the project, but I need the official go ahead. For now, enjoy the post:
THE GHOST ARMY, by contributor Julia Writes WWII Think for a moment about the quieter sounds of war: troops moving together with equipment rattling at their sides, soldiers cussing and talking as their hammer blows fell while constructing temporary shelters, radio messages sent discussing plans for troop movement, and tanks rolling across uneven stretches of earth. What if these sounds were all part of an elaborate ruse to trick the Germans? In summer 1944, a handpicked group of 1100 men from the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops took on a special mission: they would become an Army Repertory Theater of sorts, conjuring up whole headquarters, convoys, and large divisions out of thin air. “Its complement was more theatrical than military,” noted the unit’s official history. “It was like a traveling road show that went up and down the front lines impersonating the real fighting outfits.” They were soldiers to be sure, and their work often took them dangerously close to the front lines, but their weapons were less often rifles than life-sized stage props. The unit was armed with inflatable tanks, trucks, and even planes that were staged and visible to enemy reconnaissance. Special effects recordings of infantry units were blasted out of huge speakers mounted on trucks to give the impression that a much larger unit was on site. Radio operators hammed it up over the wires to send confusing and fake messages to lead the enemy on wild goose chases. The men hit the local cafes, relishing in their actor roles as they embellished stories for any spies that might be lurking nearby. The Ghost Army staged over 20 distractions including helping the Allies as they moved inland from the landing at Normandy, supporting Patton as he pressed through France, and providing radio distraction for the relief effort in Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge. Their most dazzling feat, Operation Viersen, came in March 1945 along the Rhine River where they tricked the Germans away from the actual site where the U.S. 9th Army was crossing. They were credited with saving thousands of American lives. The story of the Ghost Army was kept secret for more than 50 years. Now there are many ways you can find out more about this amazing unit. Below is a link for the trailer to the documentary “The Ghost Army” that can be seen on Amazon Prime – the clip has some great footage and interviews with members of the unit. And recently announced, Ben Affleck is currently working on a script to bring the story of the 23rd to the big screen. A great website dedicated to this unit is the Ghost Army Legacy Project. If you’d like to learn more you can find the page at www.ghostarmylegacyproject.org Here it the link for the movie trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=8&v=6g1H3GJqBkc *The full length documentary for The Ghost Army is no longer viewable on PBS, but can be ordered on Amazon here: Ghost Army The newsletter and documents to apply for the reunion in Savannah are now posted on the USS STRONG Association site! This is open to anyone from the DD-467 or DD-758 families, whether you have ever been or not. Please come be with us.
Click here: http://www.uss-strong.com/1reunions.htm Tammi I'd like to share the contents of a couple of emails I recently sent to the friends and families attached to the project. Stephen Harding is busy conducting interviews on his books that will be movies, The Last Battle and The Castaway's War. See content below and watch for updates!
As always, I enjoy passing along news of people who have been involved in the STRONG project. Yesterday author Stephen Harding, author of The Castaway's War had an interview with Sarah MacDonald of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation regarding his earlier book, The Last Battle. Yesterday May 5th was the 74th anniversary of the battle at Schloss (Castle) Itter in Austria, where in the last days of WW2 in the European theater German soldiers and American forces came together to save the lives of French honor prisoners being held at the castle. They briefly discussed the movie about the event that is due to begin shooting later this year. For the entire 33 minute interview, click here: https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/nightlife/this-week-in-history-battle-for-itter-castle/11083380 Enjoy listening, and we hope to hear an interview in the future regarding the shooting of The Castaway's War! **************************************************************************************************************************** I recently shared a link with you to the podcast of an interview Stephen Harding conducted with an on-line radio station, Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The interview was about his book "The Last Battle" and the siege at Schloss (Castle) Itter in Austria in the last days of WW2 in the European theater. Now Steve tells me that the same station is planning on interviewing him for "The Castaway's War" on July 7th!!! This will give him an opportunity to talk about the discovery of STRONG on February 6th by the crew of RV PETREL. I'm so excited and hope that at this time the film will be under way in Australia by Gold Circle. We'll see and I'll keep you posted! The newsletter and information about how to sign up for the reunion in Savannah in September will be out very soon. Be watching for the news to hit your inbox! More to follow! Tammi As an extension of the STRONG mission, I’ve made a contact with a D.C. insider with decades of military research experience in dealing with MIA’s. In particular, I want to focus on the STRONG men missing on Arundel Island: Daniel James Mullane, Floyd Lawrence, Frank Armbruster and Lt. Albert Oberg. Edward A Deering's remains were found, identified and reburied at the military cemetery in Manila in 1949. I've learned that there were at least 2 trips to Arundel Island and perhaps other remains found. Now we need to figure out what happened to them.
When it comes to working cases and providing information this person is a treasure. I’m learning much with our communications and hope to properly inform those of you who may want to submit DNA in the event that some of the unidentified remains found in the central Solomons after WW2 may be claimed. There are numerous steps toward this goal and below are instructions to follow. I’m sorry I can’t identify my source, I’ve been asked to allow them to remain anonymous. Per their instructions: When the family contacts DPAA and NAVY they should ask for the following : (1) a DNA Kit for everyone in family that needs to submit DNA (Family Reference DNA) (2) a copy of the Personnel File and Photos from the Personnel File (OMPF) (3) a copy of the Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF) (4) Unit Records from the USS Strong describing the loss of the ship (5) Case Status Freedom of Information Act site: https://www.foia.gov/how-to.html The Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF) is in the care of the Army and available above through the Freedom of Information Act. These profiles have been long paid for by taxpayer dollars and are available FREE. You can contact the National Archives and end up paying about $40.00, or contact the Navy office listed below. No one should ever have to pay to get one of these reports on their family member. Same for the OMPF, Official Military Personnel File. I need to do this for my uncle’s records. Note: Anyone can order one of the OMPF's. Your man or woman does not have to be missing. There may be some interesting things about their service that you could learn, so this is open to all of you. The DPAA (Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency) has meetings around the country each year. Below is a schedule of upcoming meetings for 2019. You can contact the DPAA and register for an upcoming meeting: https://dpaa.secure.force.com/dpaaFamilyEvents Meeting schedule: 2019 Family Update Schedule Remaining Dates* Date Location April 27 Salt Lake City, UT May 18 Omaha, NE June 19-22 Washington, D.C.** August 01-02 Washington, D.C.*** September 07 Dayton, OH November 16 San Juan, PR 2020 Family Update Schedule* Date Location January 25 Las Vegas, NV February 22 Portland, OR March 21 Miami, FL April 18 Little Rock, AR May 16 Chicago, IL June 17-20 Washington, D.C.** August 6-7 Washington, D.C.*** September 12 Colorado Springs, CO US NAVY CONTACT U.S. Navy Navy Personnel Command Casualty Assistance Division (PERS-13) 5720 Integrity Drive Millington, TN 38055-0000 Tel: 1 (800) 443-9298 DPAA To contact DPAA - there is an online form: https://dpaa.secure.force.com/dpaaContactUs Or they can call DPAA offices at: Office: (703) 699-1169 CONGRESS You should also consider contacting Congressional reps and Senators in your state (House of Representatives and Senate) https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative In the meantime, I will continue to work with this person and pass along specific information to some of you individually. Currently I’m reading through the IDPF’s of some of the missing men that this person has shared with me. I’m very intrigued by the information included that may help some of you, but until I know a bit more I will just keep digging. Thanks for your patience! Tammi Project USS STRONG DD467 |
Tammi JohnsonWelcome to the blog! I'm a life long Kentuckian with a degree in Anthropology, thus a nice background in research, thanks to some great profs at the University of Kentucky. Family and historical research are what float my boat, and this project has been the heart of it for a very long time now. I welcome input and ideas for blog entries, so if you have something to contribute I'll happily post it. 
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