Feb. 29, 1932 - Oct 10, 2002
The voyages of the USS Twining DD540
The Korean War Era -- January 1951 to March 1954
1951
Introduction:
The following transcript has been recorded from entries made in my personal log recorded over the thirty-eight months I was assigned to the Forward Engine Room. The events describe in the following passages were compiled from three sources: (1) My personal experiences, (2) Word of mouth from other crewmembers, (3) Official announcements received from the Bridge and (4) copies of the daily deck logs obtained from the Chief of Naval Operations. Therefore, given that "shipboard scuttlebutt" is not always reliable, some events may not have happened as they are recorded here. Every attempt has been made to record the entries as they were originally entered in the Log. However, some grammatical changes have been made without altering the nature of the log entry. Any recent comments concerning the events have been shown in italics.
Roger E. Myers
The adventure begins..........
Graduation day from the Machinist Mate School at Great Lakes, IL had finally arrived and we had our orders. It was December 29, 1950 and we were in the midst of one the worst storms to hit the Midwest in several decades. I was elated. I had been assigned to the USS Twining DD540, a Fletcher Class destroyer. Just what I wanted. After two weeks leave at home, I reported aboard on 12 January 1951 while the ship was moored at Todd Shipyard in San Pedro, Ca. Two other MM school graduates reported with me. They were Tom O'Hare and Dick Luttrell. (Dick and I had been together since Boot Camp.) Dick and I were both assigned to the After Engine Room. However later I was transferred to the Forward Engine Room and Dick went to the Forward Fire Room and switched to a BT rating.
Dick and I had now achieved our dream of "Destroyer Duty" and were chomp'n at the bit to get over to Korea. The following is log of the ship's activities over the next thirty-eight months.
17 January 1951: Underway from San Pedro for San Diego. Arrived the next day and anchored in the bay.
18 January 1951 to 3 March 1951: For the next six weeks the ship put to sea every Monday morning and returned every Friday evening to train naval reservist in shipboard procedures. It was during this time that I transferred to the Forward Engine Room.
4 March 1951: The ship entered Mare Island Naval Shipyard in Vallejo, Ca. This was for the annual overhaul and many structural changes were made including the tripod mast. This overhaul was to last for three months.
7 June 1951: Officially released from Mare Island. 1100 underway to San Pablo Bay to calibrate compass. At 1600 headed for Port Chicago Naval Ammunition Depot. Arrived at 1800 and moored for the night.
8 June 1951: Began loading ammo at 0700. Continued all day until 1600. Underway for Treasure Island Naval Station. Arrived at 1930. Remained at T.I. until 11 June.
11 June 1951: 0800 underway for San Diego, Ca.
12 June 1951: 1500 arrived at San Diego. Moored in the bay at Buoy #28 in company with DD's SHIELDS, MADDOX AND COLOHAN.
13 June 1951: Normal working day. Painted main steam lines.
14 June 1951: Stood 1600 - 2000 Auxiliary watch.
15 June 1951: Captain's lower deck inspection. Went ashore with Morris.
16 June 1951: Captain's Personnel Inspection. O'Hare and I went to Mission Beach in the afternoon and took in the Jalopy Races at Balboa Stadium in the evening.
17 June 1951: Stayed aboard. Holiday routine. (Sunday)
18 June 1951: Attended "Depth Charge School" at the Destroyer Base. Went ashore with Ewer in the evening.
19 June 1951: Today is my anniversary. One year in the Navy.
20 June 1951: Stood my first "Top" Auxiliary watch.
21 June 1951: Had liberty. Went to TiaJuana with Ewer and Befoden.
22 June 1951: Went ashore with Parkhurst and Morris.
25 June 1951: Underway for UTE training maneuvers off the California coast.
27 June 1951: Went along side the USS Bottineau APA 235 and passed guard mail.
28 June 1951: Went along side the USS Antietam CVA 36 and passed guard mail.
02 July 1951 to 19 August 1951: The ship remained in San Diego. The week days were spent underway conducting U.T.E. training exercises and the weekends anchored in San Diego Bay.
20 August 1951: Today is the day we leave for our tour of duty in the Far East. Underway at 0900 for Pearl Harbor T.H.. I am standing throttle watch.
22 August 1951: Transferred to mess cooking for two weeks.
25 August 1951: Arrived at Pearl Harbor at 1400. Went ashore at 1800 with Musser, Love, Parkhurst and O'Hare. We headed to Honolulu and Waikiki Beach where we swam and drank cold beer.
26 August 1951 to 05 September 1951 we remained in the Hawaiian Islands conducting training exercises at sea (Bombarding practice) and pulling liberty in Honolulu on the weekends.
28 August 1951: Took the exam for MMFN.
29 August 1951: Took "Military Req. Test".
01 September 1951: Relieved from mess cooking by O'Hare. I was officially promoted to MMFN.
05 September 1951: Underway for Midway Island on the next leg of our trip to the Far East. I am now Standing evaporator watches.
06 September 1951: Underway training exercises. We laid down a smoke screen and the COLOHAN fired on us.
07 September 1951: Steady steaming at standard speed. 165 rpm
08 September 1951: Arrived at Midway Island at 0500. We refueled and took on mail then was underway at 1100 for Yokosuka, Japan. At 2400 we crossed the 180° meridian. (International Date Line) Inducted into the "Sacred Order of the Golden Dragon". Clocks are turned ahead 24 hours.
10 & 11 September 1951: Steady steaming and heading for a wicked storm.
12 September 1951: We are in the midst of the storm now and living on baloney sandwiches and cold pork & beans for our meals. Luttrell and I went up and laid under the torpedo tubes and watched the other ships in our group come up out of the water with their screws spinning in mid air. The inclinator in the engine room recorded a 55° roll.
13 September 1951: Finally, we have steamed out of the storm.
15 September 1951: We arrived in Yokosuka, Japan at 1500. I noticed as we steamed in that the USS Bon Homme Richard CV and the USS New Jersey BB were in port. I had one of the signalmen send a message to Jack Rizzuto on the "Richard" but got no response.
16 September 1951: @ 1300 went sightseeing in Yokosuka with Musser. @ 1400 we caught the electric train to Yokohama. (Cost: 90 yen Round trip). We spent the time there shopping ,sightseeing and ended up at the "Daytime Beer Hall" were we drank beer at 120 yen a quart and listened to the band play American songs. Unfortunately every song sounded the same no matter what different song was announced. @ 1700 we caught the train back to Yokosuka and spent two hours at the Enlisted Mens Club. @ 2000 we ran into Jack Rizzuto, Fred Bicknell and Jim Perino off the "Richard" and took in the show at the EM club. The remainder of the night was spent at the "Black Rose Bar". (In Yokohama I bought a knife for 860 yen)
17 September 1951: I had the duty and stayed aboard. The "Richard" and the "New Jersey left port today heading for duty with Task Force #77. Morris went ashore and purchased an pair of field glasses (10X50mm power) for me. Cost: 5,760 yen.
18 September 1951: @1400 underway for the Korean operating area. Captain Osborne came on the PA system and gave the crew the word on what lay ahead of us for the next month. (See his comments under 10 October below)
19 September 1951: @ 0900 Condition "ABLE" was set as we passed through a mined area: The Shimonoseki Straits. This waterway divides the Japanese Islands of Honshu and Kyushu and provides a short cut from the Pacific to the Yellow Sea and the Korean Operating Area.
20 September 1951: @ 0500 Took on fuel from USS Navasota AO #106. @1000 Caught up with Task Force 77 @1700 planes began returning from daylight raids. USS Boxer is said to have lost three of it's planes in the raids. @1830 ship went to dusk alert. @2000 the Twining was dispatched to investigate an unidentified surface craft lurking near the Task Force. We lost contact so we returned to the Task Force. We did get close enough to the shore to see the gun flashes on the beach.
21 September 1951: Passed guard mail to the USS Boxer CVA #21. Went to dusk alert.
22 September 1951: @0500 refueled from USS Tolovana AO #64. No dusk alert tonight.
25 September 1951: The carrier planes made new air strikes today.
26 September 1951: Refueled from Tolovana AO #64. We received our first mail since leaving Yokosuka. We also took aboard a South Korean naval officer. @1500 the Task Force held target practice and almost shot down two of our own jets returning from air strikes on the mainland.
30 September 1951: Replenished from the Tolovana and then went alongside the USS Paricutin E18 at1600 to . load ammo but had to break away because of rough seas.
2 October 1951: Replenished from the Tolovana and took on ammo from the Paricutin. @1600 left TF 77 and proceeded to Wonsan Harbor and joined Task Force 95. We rendezvoused with the USS Boyd DD544 in the outer harbor and Commodore Kelly transferred to her for a meeting. We then followed the Boyd into the inner harbor but then given orders to anchor in the outer harbor for the rest of the night.
3 October 1951: @0600 ship went to Dawn alert. Commodore Kelly came back aboard with four Korean officers. @0900 we proceeded to the inner harbor and commenced firing at shore installations. We spent the remainder of the day in company with the USS Shields and the Boyd bombarding the main land. We continued to fire at intervals throughout the night. By dawn numerous fire were seen on the shore.
4 October 1951: Still firing. @1030 a group of British and Canadian officers came aboard. They were part of the fire control party on the beach. @1200 we left the inner harbor and anchored in the outer harbor. @1509 the ship was called to General Quarters and we steamed back into the inner harbor to assist the USS Epperson DD719 who was been fired upon from the shore. @1530 the Epperson had countered the attack and had the situation under control. @1730 a party was dispatched in the whale boat to Haystack Island to man the directional beacon light that guides the planes from TF77 in for their night strikes.
5 October 1951: Routine intermittent firing throughout the day. @1230 a Korean junk was sighted but sticking too close to the shore to be challenged.
6 October 1951: Routine firing.
7 October 1951: We proceeded to the outer harbor and went alongside the AKA59 to load ammo and stores. We then went alongside the USS Chemung AO30 to take on fuel. After replenishing ship we anchored at buoy #4. @1430 we were called into the inner harbor to assist the USS Epperson DD719 who was receiving counter battery fire from the beach. As the Twining entered the harbor the enemy guns turned on us and we received numerous near misses straddling the ship. The closest shells hit less than 100 yards from the ship. The enemy guns almost had us zeroed in when they were silenced by the guns of both the Twining and the Epperson.
Webmaster's note:
Roger Myers died in October, 2002 before he completed typing all the entries dating to March 1954 from his Twining log.
20 Dec 2008
NOTE: Dave Murray obtained a copy of Roger's diary from Roger's wife
Jackie Myers and completed the typing. Enjoy
7 October
Went along side AKA 59 for ammo and stores also went along side Chemung AO 30 to take on fuel. After replenishing ship. We anchored at buoy # 4 @ 1430 we were called into the harbor to assist the Epperson DD 719 who was receiving counter battery fire from the beach. As we entered the harbor the enemy guns switched its fire to us. We received numerous near misses on both side of the ship the closest being not more than 100 yds. The shore guns almost had us zeroed when it was silenced by the guns of the Twining and Epperson.
8 October
@ 0600 Epperson tried to blow up a mine but didn’t succeed. @ 1200 met the Colahan and passed light fright @ 1330 anchored at buoy #4. A South Korean minesweeper came alongside for water.
9 October
@ 0530 went alongside the L.A. ‘135’.Commodore & Navigator went aboard the L.A. to confer with the admiral .Then the Twining in company with the L.A. & Swenson DD 729 proceeded back to Wonsan. Twining & Swenson entered the inner harbor while the L.A. remained out in the outer harbor and bombarded the area from which the enemy guns fired on us the day before. @ 1530 went alongside the AKA 13 Titania. Took on fuel, ammo, stores & mail. Also 14 new men
10 October
@ 0600 went to morning alert. An enemy gun began firing at us. These were a little closer than the ones on Oct. 8th. The enemy gun was silenced by a white Phos. shell. @ 1000 another enemy gun opened up on us. These shells were a little bigger than the others. @2000 the ship patrolled up north all night.
11 October
@ 1100 members of the 41st (Commandos) Royal Marines came along side for provisions @ 1300 went along side AKA 13 Titana for replenishing @ 1400 went alongside AO 107 Passumpic. After refueling headed for Hungnam. We made a sweep through the area with out drawing any Counter-battery.
U.S.S. Renshaw DDE 499 received 3 hits from shore batteries Songjen I casualty
12 October
As we were securing from morning alert. An enemy jet plane dove at us through the over cast. Dropped 2 bombs or rockets @ 25 yds off the starb. side. He also strafed the water on the starboard side. No one saw the jet plane. @ 10 min’s after securing from G.Q. Morris reported seeing a plane off the Port side. Ship went to G.Q. The plane was reported to be a flock of ducks. @ 1600 ship was fired upon again. Closest one being 5 ft oft of the fantail.
13 October
Very quiet day. Sent all the old Clothes we had aboard over on an Island here to a leper Colony.
14 October
@ 1500 went alongside the AO- 62 Tuloga for fuel. The ship was warned of an approaching typhoon within 24 hrs.
15 October
1200 L.A. & Swenson DD 729 entered the harbor. We left to meet the Stormes DD 780
16 October
@ 1400 left Wonsan for T.F. 77 @ 0600 met up with T.F. 77 @ 0900 passed freight to the Mansfield DD 728. Operated with the T.F. the rest of the day.
17 October
Left TF 77 enroute to Yokosuka
18 October
Underway for Yokosuka
19 October
Arrived in Port at 1200 along side the Hector A.R.7
20 October
Entered Dry Dock #2 for repairs to Sonar
24 October
Left the dry dock and went alongside the Hector
28 October
Underway for Task Force 77. The next 19 days was spent with the Task Force. While we were there a plane knocked the radio antennae off the Ellen (631)
16 November
Arrived back in Yokosuka moored along side Hamel.
22 November
Thanksgiving day. Rip, Lutt, Pittman, Williams, Morris and myself went for a bicycle ride in the Japanese countryside. That evening we went to Mamusans ate steak & eggs and drank Saki. Run into Bob Hull. We had dinner at the Golden Pheasant Rest.
23 November
Yokosuka overflowing with ships. New Jersey, Wisconsin, St. Paul, L.A. Rochester & Helena Antiedum and a flock of “tin cans”
24 November
Underway for Okinawa we spent the next two weeks conducting A.S.W. exercises with our Des. Div. and Badocuny Straits CVE 116
While in Buckner bay! A man on the Shields was burned to death by steam. We returned to the T.F. and after transferring the Commodore and his staff to the Shield, we proceed to the bombline in company with the Wisconsin on the 11 of Dec.
12 December
Arrived at the front line we are in pretty close to the shore, because the guns of the Ground forces can be heard. We started bombarding and by midnight many fires were visible on shore
13 December
The ship ran down a Korean boat and went aboard to check it. We had to fire a few warning blast from a Thompson’s. before they would come alongside We knocked out a machine gun nest in the afternoon They are still many fires burning on the beach and every time the “Wiskey” fires her 16 inch another fire is add to the rest
14 December
The T and the Wiskey slipped up to Kojo and did a bit of afternoon shelling.
15 December
Received mail from the Eversole and headed toward Sasebo
16 December
@ 0800 arrived at Sasebo refueled & loaded stores & ammo. No liberty was granted. Under way for Bombline
Dec. 17, 18, & 19
Off the Kosong-Kansong area with BB Wisconsin – bombarded trenches, Gun positions, troop & Command Posts. We are in so close to the shore that the rifle shots can be plainly heard
20 December
The day of the big strike. The twining in company with the Wiskey & two other DD’s shelled Flak stations and gun Positions. The flyboys made three large air attacks. Bombing (B-17) & Strafing (Jets & Corsairs) at low levels. The Twining spent 10 hrs. Deep in the “Slot” While the Wiskey & DD laid off of “Haystack”. All U.N. units really laid on the fire and no counter-battery fire was encountered (Thank-god) Planes encountered very little flak. Upon leaving the harbor of Wonsan, The twining ran down three sand pans and sank same.
21 December
Back to the grind of Harassing the foe. We knocked out a mortar position, 80% of a Chinese Company and an Enemy assembly of troops in a village.
A QM on the bridge spotted a group of soldiers erecting a command post. We stopped them with our 5 in. The spotter said it was best shooting he had seen.
22 December
Relieved by the Walker DDE 517 returned to the Task Force with the Wiskey.
25 December
Spent Christmas replenishing the ship
26 December
Starting getting rough. Snow flurries. Twining in company with the Ervin and one other D.D. Searched for 6 downed airman. Ervin picked up all 6 men. They spent 1 ½ hrs. In the water (44°)
Roger's 1952 Diary
Roger's 1953 Diary