AH5/A16 |
U.S.S. Solace (AH5)
Pearl Harbor, T.H.,
December 12, 1941. |
|
From: |
The Commanding Officer. |
To: |
The Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet. |
Subject: |
Action during air raid December 7, 1941; Report of. |
|
Reference: |
(a) Cincpac desp. 102102 of Dec., 1941. |
- The following report is submitted of action taken by the
ship during the air raid on December 7, 1941.
- The ship, being a hospital ship, took no offensive measures.
- It was not subjected to attack, and suffered no losses or
damage.
- As soon as it was realized that air raid was on, steps were
immediately taken to close all watertight doors and ports, and
cargo ports except the two at the gangways, to call away rescue
parties, and to prepare all hospital facilities and supplies
for maximum service. The emergency ward of 50 beds was put together,
and as many patients then in wards returned to duty or moved
as possible. Two motor launches were immediately dispatched with
rescue parties to the Arizona, and other boats lowered
and sent on similar duty. Aboout 0820 boat loads of casualties
began to arrive, and were immediately taken care of by the medical
personnel, assisted by available men from the deck divisions.
At 0900 the ship got underway, having slipped its forward and
after moorings, and shifted from berth X4, near Dobbin
and destroyers to berth X13 in the clear.
- All hands worked most energetically to handle the casualty
cases. Too much praise cannot be given to the doctors, nurses,
and corpsmen of the ship.
- Special mention is made of the heroic action in the face
of grave danger in the case of the first two boat crews, #2 motor
launch and #1 motor launch, and their stretcher parties. They
boarded the burning Arizona, while its crew was abandoning
ship, and they rescued the burned and injured casualties found
on its deck, some very close to the flames, and three casualties
on a camel and one man swimming in oily water that was aflame.
After unloading at the Solace, #2 motor launch made two
trips to the West Virginia and brought back casualties
to the Solace; then another trip to West Virginia,
where an officer took charge to carry men abandoning ship; and
then patrolling duty until about 1100, #1 motor launch on its
second trip rescued several more men from the stern of the Arizona
and more casualties from the West Virginia. On its third
trip it received casualties from the West Virginia. On
its fourth trip, having on board the West Virginia executive
officer, it picked up some men in the water and transferred them
to a gig. Shortly thereafter, when many men had jumped into the
water after an explosion on board that ship the boat picked up
over three dozen. The surface was covered with flames. LEY, F.C.,
F2c, USNR, the boat engineer, jumped into the water to rescue
an Ensign. The Coxswain had to get into the water to quench his
own smoldering jumper. With this boat load delivered to the Solace
and a quick change of clothes for its crew, the boat took Carpenter
M.G. Bowman, USN, and salvage party to the Oklahoma where
it remained until about midnight.
- Though all the boat crews and stretcher parties deserve great
credit, outstanding were the Coxswains, GALLOS, S.J., Sea 1c,
USNR, and SACCAVINO, J.V., Sea 1c, USNR, LEY, F.C., F2c, USNR,
and CUNNINGHAM, J.A., CPhM, USN. The crews and stretcher parties
were as follows:
FIRST BOAT (#2 Motor Launch) |
|
SECOND BOAT (#1 Motor Launch) |
GALLOS, S.J. |
S1c (coxswain) |
|
SACCAVINO, J.V. |
S1c (coxswain) |
RAAB, J. |
S2c |
|
ROBERT, F.C. |
S2c |
JOHANN, E.A. |
AS |
|
STROUB, J.L. |
S2c |
ALLEN, C.R. |
F1c |
|
LEY, F.C. |
F2c |
|
STRETCHER PARTIES WITH BOATS |
CUNNINGHAM, J.A. |
CPHM, inchg. |
|
KEEFER, J.A. |
Acting Pay Clerk in chg. |
TIPTON, A.K. |
PhM1c |
|
GAGE, A.E. |
PhM2c |
BALLANCE, E.M. |
PhM2c |
|
OWENS, H.T. |
PhM2c |
BATEMAN, RL.L |
PhM2c |
|
AULT, F.M. |
PhM3c |
POWLES, J.M. |
PhM2c |
|
FARO, R. |
PhM3c |
AVERY, W.V. |
PhM3c |
|
GREGG, R.M. |
PhM3c |
BATES, M. |
PhM3c |
|
LANE, A.L. |
PhM3c |
CARPENTER, P.L. |
PhM3c |
|
MILLIGAN, L.W. |
PhM3c |
DODSON, J.F. |
PhM3c |
|
URSEN, R.J. |
PhM3c |
GENOLA, J.B. |
PhM3c |
|
|
|
RUHL, R.F. |
PhM3c |
|
|
|
- Assisting the ship during the most difficult time were about
six medical officers from other ships, one civilian doctor (U.S.P.H.S.),
five volunteer nurses part of first day and eleven part of second
day. In addition to the ship's chaplain, Protestant, two Catholic
chaplains, from Nevada and Tangier, were aboard
most of the first two days.
[signed]
BENJAMIN PERLMAN
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