JUNE News letter #3. Kansas City Reunion Pointers

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1 1 USS CURRITUCK AV7 USS EVERGLADES AD24 USS PINE ISLAND AV12 & THE TORPEDOMAN ASSOCIATION Association Officers & Staff President Gary Adams ALL HANDS: Kansas City Reunion Pointers Vice President & Treasurer Tom Cetnarowski Inside this issue: All Hands and General Info Next Year? Missing Man Registration Form KC Itinerary HMAS Sydney HMAS Sydney 5-6 james.santos88@yaho o.com or Web Page diodon349.com/ Torpedoman/indextma.htm If you have a Sea Story to share me at : AD24Hisory@att.net We have had a number of Questions regarding the KC Airport Shuttle. Here is what we have from Gathering + Our Host for KC Reunion. The Price is $20 each way or $40 round trip for the shuttle. Gathering + will need your flight arrival time and departure info so they can ensure they will have a Shuttle available so call Please Note that Gathering + will be only running the shuttle for Monday the 17th for arrivals, and Friday the 21st for departures. They may run it on Sunday the 16th for arrivals but only if they have enough arrivals that day, so call soon as you have your flight info and I would call again the day you are departing home, just in case. Gary Adams It s not too early to start thinking about next years reunion site, The List of Past Sites follows: Tampa Bay, Nashville, San Diego, Washington DC, Chattanooga, Branson and this year KC. List Of Proposed Site for 2019: New Orleans, Charleston, San Antonio, Pensacola, Vegas, Reno. Philadelphia, Virginia Beach/Norfolk, Kissimmee or Anaheim (Disney Land Area) Please Advise if you have a site, not listed here and are willing to be local host for any site. Contact Gary Adams at AD24history@att.net or By Don Maxwell: This veterans day we found ourselves in the local Chick -fil-a fast food outlet. We discovered a MISSING MAN TABLE The table contained a single rose, a Bible & a Folded American flag, as well as a plaque with following explanation: this table is reserved to honor our missing comrades in arms. The tablecloth is white Symbolizing the purity of their motives when answering the call of duty. The Single red rose, displayed in a vase, reminds us of the life of each of the missing and their loved ones and friends of these Americans who keep the faith. Awaiting answers. The Vase is tied with a red ribbon. Symbol of our continued determination to account for our missing. A pinch of salt symbolizes the tears endured by those missing and their families who seek answers. The Bible represents the strength gained through faith to sustain those lost from our country, founded as one nation under God. The glass is inverted to symbolize their inability to share this evening's toast. The chair is empty They are missing. We have seen this before but not in fast food outlet and never had the time to read and understand. thank you

2 2 Combined Tender Association (CTA) Kansas City, Missouri September 17-21, 2018 Name (on name badge) Spouse/Guest Guest Guest Guest Address City State Zip Telephone Cell Wheelchair Access? Yes No Dietary Restrictions? Airport Shuttle Yes No $40 Per Person Round Trip Call with flight info ********************************************************** HOST HOTEL: Stoney Creek Hotel & Conference Center Bass Pro Drive, Independence, Mo Call for room reservations and mention you are with the (Combined Association) Reunion. The room rate is $ per room per night plus tax. Complimentary breakfast for two, per room. Room rate available 3 days prior and after reunion dates, based on availability. Rooms not reserved by September 7, 2018 will be dropped from the group bx. REUNION ACTIVITY PACKAGE: (Includes Welcome Packet, Name Badge, Welcome Reception, Shows and Attractions, Transportation and Taxes. See Itinerary we encourage you to participate in all activities. If you must opt out of any event, please call our office. of attendees x $ pp = $ No refunds on activity package after August 15, MAIL REGISTRATION & CHECK PAYABLE TO: GRAY LINE GATHERINGS PLUS, 155 Industrial Park Drive, Hollister, MO TO PAY BY CREDIT CARD PLEASE COMPLETE BELOW: I authorize Gray Line Gatherings Plus to charge $ on my card Account # Exp Date Security Code Monday 17 Tuesday 18 Wednesday 19 Thursday 20 Friday 21 Depart At 9:00 a.m. Depart Hotel Depart At 9:00 a.m. Depart Hotel Depart Check in at Stoney Creek Hotel $ per room per night plus tax including full hot breakfast 2:00 p.m. Hospitality Room Open Kansas City, City Tour 12:00 Noon Famous KC BBQ Q39 9:30AM National World War 1 Museum & Memorial Tour, Lunch 2:30 p.m. Return to Hotel 9:00 a.m. BUSINESS MEETING & Memorial Service Free Day to enjoy Kansas City or visit in the hospitality room 6:00 p.m. CASH BAR ACTIVITY PACK- AGE: $ per person INCLUDES: Hospitality Room All Tours and Meals Listed, and Bus Transportation Taxes, and Gratuities Driver Gratuity Not Included Welcome Reception 6:30 p.m. 1:30 Arabia Steamboat Museum Tour 3:00 p.m. Return to Hotel 6:00 p.m. Famous KC BBQ Jack Stack BBQ 7:00 p.m. FINAL EVE- NING DINNER If you Need a Ride to & From the Air port Please Check Box above $40. Round Trip Each 6:00 Minskys

3 3 This year Trish & I made a trip to Australia and while on the West Coast in a small town called Geralton, we visited a War Memorial for the HMAS SYDNEY II a light Australian battle cruiser. The HMAS Sydney was lost with all hands in an engagement with a German Raider 150 miles off the Coast of Australian. The Wreckage was just recently found after 67 years of mystery. The HMAS Sydney was the Pride of the Royal Australian Navy, a floating fortress that displaced 7198 tons of steel, only six years old and had already distinguished her self in battle the previous year during engagement with two Italian cruisers, One she sank, the other was severely damage. The HMAS Sydney carried EIGHT 6-inch beech-loading guns, with a range of 24,800 yards. In addition to the big guns she carried FOUR 4-inch guns, THREE.50 caliber machine guns, TWELVE.303 caliber Lewis guns and EIGHT 21 inch torpedo tubes. After returning from the Med the HMAS Sydney took up patrol and convoy escort duties off the coast of western Australia under Captain J. Burnett. The Sydney was returning from escorting troop ships to the Sunda Straits. She encountered a freighter off the coast near Shark Bay. It was around 5pm on Wednesday the 19th of November What appeared to be just another freighter was actually the German Merchant Raider HSK Kormoran a Kriegsmarine auxiliary cruiser, one very formable fighting ship. Her task was to lay mines in the shipping channels and do what the raiders do best, harass and sink merchant ships. The HSK Kormoran displaced 8736 tons with a top speed of 18 knots, She was one of the largest of all the German merchant raiders and was formidably armed with SIX 5.9 inch guns that were concealed behind panels that would drop down for firing. She also had TWO automatic loading 37mm ant-tank guns which fired armor piercing explosive shells, and FIVE 20mm ant-aircraft guns. On port & starboard sides she had twin manually aimed torpedo tubes that were hidden behind lifting flaps and one fixed underwater torpedo tube. The Exact details of the conflict between these two ships, one a state of the art battle cruiser the other a converted freighter, has always been the subject of controversy and conjecture, I have some of my own ideas that have not been totallly addressed, and there is a lot of information on the Web. The Facts still stands that The HMAS Sydney went down with all hands 645 souls, No Survivors no wreckage virtually nothing. The German Raider had 397 crewman and 317 survived the engagement to bear whiteness to the battle. The Interrogation of the HSK Kormoran Raider was extensive and so was the search for survivors and wreckage of the Sydney has gone on for 67 years. Obviously the Germans did not tell their interrogators every thing, but every thing that they stated was checked out and found to be the truth though probably bit shaded but the truth. It is hard to hide the facts with 317 witnesses. We do not have sufficient room to review all the conspiracy issues, but I assure you they were looked into one by one.

4 4 According to the German Survivors the Sydney spotted the Kormoran 3:55 PM that Wednesday afternoon and had altered her coarse to intercept at a distance of 20,000 meters and slowly closed the distance on the Mystery Ship (Raider) which was having Engine trouble. A game of Cat & Mouse ensured the ships signaling each other and the raider playing the role of innocent Dutch Merchant ship. The German crew later told interrogators they could see cooks in white aprons on Sydneys deck, as the ships drew closer together. Sydney appeared to completely unsuspecting until the Sydney ordered the raider to hoist secret call sign this was at 5:25, without that CODE the game was over. The Captain of the Raider T. Detmers ordered that they strike the Dutch flag and replace it with the German battle ensign and to open fire. By that time Sydney had closed to a range of less than 1500 meters and was almost stationary, and broadside to the Kormoran (This aspect, more than any other, has bewildered naval historians.) why did Sydney's captain (Burnett) place the Sydney so perilously close to an unidentified vessel, when is was rumored that a German merchant was suspected to be in the Indian ocean. Sydney's big guns were almost useless at such close range and per the German survivors Sydney was not at General Quarters (Action Stations) and not closed up for battle. Sydney was quickly hit by Kormorans 150MM guns and the ships rapid fire 37mm and 20mm guns were used with devastating effect on the Australian cruisers bridge and gunnery control center. The Kormaron also fired a number of torpedoes one striking 20 meters from the bow. This sheared off the bow disabling her forwarded turrets. The two rear turrets continue to fire and scored hits on the Kormorans engine room, causing a fire that was to finish the German raider. Sydney steamed away still under fire from the raider, which stopped firing 6.25 and had fired more that 450 shells from her big gun it was assumed the 37mm (Anti-Aircraft and 20MM had expended all their ammunition likewise. The Sydney was last seen as glow on the horizon heading south-south east. The Korman was dead in the water a fire in her engine room that was approaching the mine storage deck. Abandon ship order was given. Explosive charges were placed to scuttle the ship and surviving crew took to the boats.

5 5 Weaponry: A Quick summery of weaponry had the two ships almost even, the 20MM auto cannons and 37mm Ant-tank guns were not to be reckoned with close in engagement. As for armor no contest again against 37MM Armor piercing explosive shells. Crew: Sydney: A large number of her crew, about a third was Seaman apprentices, in training. Kormaran; Well trained and drilled the Kormaran had been in a number of engagements prior to this conflict, but not with another war ship. Why little or no debris, example is the Life rafts (Carleys), The West coast of Australia has its share of bad weather. Tying down life boats and rafts keeps them from washing over the side, inexperienced crew may have tied down every thing. Life Boats were found Tied to the deck. For some reason the Name of the Ship was not Stenciled on the Life Rafts or Vest, probably trying to keep the location of the ship a secret. My Speculation: Initial Salvo took out command control from the bridge. With the bow sheared off and the Sydney was under steam the forwarded momentum imploded all the forwarded hatches with the additional water pressure, taking out the forwarded Gun Mounts. This was shortly after torpedo strike, and early in the action. This was like a power dive, like a submarine. What was left of the crew were attending to damage control and engineering was trying to keep steam up, but most of the crew were probably already dead or trapped. Detail Photos show she was riddled with holes. As noted by the German crew she appeared not to be in GQ. They did not know what hit them. Ok how did they find the wreaked of the Sydney? Per the Captain of the Raider the conflict was west of Shark Bay, but various theorics have the battle taking place elsewhere. The Australian Government finally enlisted the Help of David Mearns a American board experience deep sea shipwreck hunter. Mearns and his London based company Blue Water Recoveries, had found the HMS Hood and German battleship Bismarck, so he started by looking for the Kormaron and as stated by the German Captain it was almost exactly were he said it was. From there it was easy triangulation to find the Sydney about 12 NM south east of the Raiders location in 2469 meters of water.

6 6 After 67 years it took Blue Water 67 hours to find the Kormaron and Sydney with active searching. Both Wrecks are protected under the Historic shipwreck act and placed in the National Heritage List. Nothing is to be removed or disturbed honoring the dead who reside in both wrecks. I may add one more point that the Geraldton Memorial has a dome made of 645 interlocking stainless steel gulls that represent the crew member that were lost. (Photo Below) A bit of twilight zone is that there is a Brass statue of a woman looking out to sea. The sad aguish look on her face tells it all. She is gazing at the exact resting place of the Sydney 150 miles away 26 deg S 111 deg E The statue was placed there years before the Sydney was found.

7 7 Donald R. Kirouac BMC AV7 Gulfport MS. Emmett H. Tidd Captain AD24 Annapolis MD Albert E Hrlicka AV12 Pleasant Dale ME Alba O Wimberley (AO) V1-Div AV12 Austin Tx. Stanley G. Coates TPT Brownsville Tx. William R. Switzer AV12 Klamath Falls OR Coy B. Calvert V1-div AV12 San Angelo Tx. The Version of our news letter has more room to summarize some of our crew member accomplishments in the Navy & Civilian life's. Captain of the USS Everglades forher last Mediterranean Cruise. Captain Tidd went on as Commander Naval Surface Forces Pacific. Years of Service 42 to 76 Commands: USS Force USS Richard B. Anderson USS Charles F. Adams USS Everglades AD24 Cruise/Destroyer Flot-6 & more Emmett Huley Tidd worked with Admiral Zumwalt so when we got a Z-Gram it was allways outlined in Green his trademark. He was my first Capt, I will always remember him. ETCS Adams ALBERA ORAN WIMBERLEY Oran was a WWWII history buff, so it was fitting that he transitioned from his earthly home to heaven on D-Day. He proudly served in the US Navy, aboard the USS Pine Island from Oran was a master craftsman Stone Masonry. (Bricking the Boilers) Oran Left his family and us a poem: The outer crust erodes away Yet the younger man is inside today Why, oh why does time slip away. If you live long enough, that will happen they say. Life just give me one more chance, I will smile, love, laugh, and dance, I will always be kind to others Treat everyone else like my brother. Tis plain to see I ve had my day Oh time, why did you slip away. When they close the box and throw in dirt, They will all say, tis the truth, he loved to FLIRT. Oh, be still old heart of mine Dast I dare drink your cup of wine? You are a dream of days gone by On sits and wonder wonder why? William R. Switzer (Dick) was born in 1923 and went home to be with his lord and savior June 13, 2018 Dick served in the Navy in World War II in the South Pacific aboard the USS Pine Island AV12 a sea plane tender. Dick met Marion, the love of his life, in 1941 and were married in He joined the Los Angeles City Fire Department in 1954 and retied after 20 years of service as an engineer. After retirement dick moved to Oregon and became a member of the Muzzle Loader Club. He loved to go to the Elementary schools and teach the children about the mountain men of Oregon. Dick was also a Ham radio operator.