February 23, 1945

[Jasonanddeonna]

Thank you to all those who served and are serving.

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[Mikej]

Thank you to all those who served and are serving.

View attachment 2255627

110%!

 

[Dungannon]

Indeed. And RIP to that generation.

[My dad's LCI 457 was shot to rags on Feb 21 while providing cover fire for UDT swimmers blowing up obstacles on the landing beaches. He provided an oral account to author Mitch Weiss, who was researching for his book The Heart of Hell.]

 

[Jasonanddeonna]

Indeed. And RIP to that generation.

[My dad's LCI 457 was shot to rags on Feb 21 while providing cover fire for UDT swimmers blowing up obstacles on the landing beaches. He provided an oral account to author Mitch Weiss, who was researching for his book The Heart of Hell.]

Thank you for sharing.

 

[DirectDrive]

UDT
Underwater Demolition Teams, the predecessor of Navy SEAL teams.
A friend of my father's was a UDT man, Bunny Popp was his name.
I don't remember the battles that Bunny was in, but I remember this...
He told how they would have to get totally covered in talcum powder so they could get into their rubber wetsuits.

God bless those men.

 

[foxmeadow]

I was stationed in Key West 69-70. We'd go to the UDT school and rent scuba gear for recreational diving. There were some hard individuals there.
I was as torpedoman stationed on a tender and we'd have to retrieve practice torpedoes that floated after their run. We'd chase them down on a converted PT sort of boat while they were still moving, and a UDT dude would try to dive over the side and ride them until they stopped. 20' long and 21" in diameter, greased before firing and nothing at all for a handhold. We thought them to be a bit loony....

 

[Jasonanddeonna]

UDT
Underwater Demolition Teams, the predecessor of Navy SEAL teams.
A friend of my father's was a UDT man, Bunny Popp was his name.
I don't remember the battles that Bunny was in, but I remember this...
He told how they would have to get totally covered in talcum powder so they could get into their rubber wetsuits.

God bless those men.

Indeed. Getting out of the wetsuit with talcum powder must have been a pasty mess. I can't imagine being in that cold ocean and being shot at with all the chaos.

 

[Jasonanddeonna]

I was stationed in Key West 69-70. We'd go to the UDT school and rent scuba gear for recreational diving. There were some hard individuals there.
I was as torpedoman stationed on a tender and we'd have to retrieve practice torpedoes that floated after their run. We'd chase them down on a converted PT sort of boat while they were still moving, and a UDT dude would try to dive over the side and ride them until they stopped. 20' long and 21" in diameter, greased before firing and nothing at all for a handhold. We thought them to be a bit loony....

Thank you for your service. Did anyone actually get on and ride one?

 

[foxmeadow]

Thank you for your service. Did anyone actually get on and ride one?

View attachment 2257185

I never saw one hang on for very long. The idea was to catch it right at the ogive and use arm strength to stay at that position. Once you slipped down on the cylindrical air flask, it was a greasy ride back to the rudders and propellers. They let go before they got cut up...

 

[fstdraw]

My dad saw the flag raising and cheered with the rest of his shipmates. Nearly 10 days with little sleep or rest, radio operators were a hot commodity which lead to his trip on a landing craft to the beach. I'm sure everybody wished they could be somewhere else. His favorite people were United States Marines.

 

[Jasonanddeonna]

I never saw one hang on for very long. The idea was to catch it right at the ogive and use arm strength to stay at that position. Once you slipped down on the cylindrical air flask, it was a greasy ride back to the rudders and propellers. They let go before they got cut up...

Yup, I would imagine that was a very short and quick ride. Those propellers....

 

[Jasonanddeonna]

My dad saw the flag raising and cheered with the rest of his shipmates. Nearly 10 days with little sleep or rest, radio operators were a hot commodity which lead to his trip on a landing craft to the beach. I'm sure everybody wished they could be somewhere else. His favorite people were United States Marines.

Wow, that must have been a great sight to see given the circumstances.

 

[nwslopoke]

UDT
Underwater Demolition Teams, the predecessor of Navy SEAL teams.
A friend of my father's was a UDT man, Bunny Popp was his name.
I don't remember the battles that Bunny was in, but I remember this...
He told how they would have to get totally covered in talcum powder so they could get into their rubber wetsuits.

God bless those men.

William Hopper who played, Paul Drake on Perry Mason, has been reported as being a Frog Man before acting. I don't know if that was Hollywood legend or true.