Skimmers vs. Sewerpipes*
Dear MS Hudson,
Congratulations
on your continuing efforts to keep the legacy of our old Destroyer
Escorts alive. No, I was not a member of the Silverstein crew, but
I did serve from 1957 to 1960 aboard USS Douglas A. Munro (DE-422),
alongside of her in Pearl Harbor. Along with USS McGinty, USS
Whitehurst, USS Walton and USS Edmonds we were Escort Squadron
Eleven (CortRon 11).
As
I have a couple of times in the past, I would like to send to our
sister-crew aboard Silverstein a message of THANKS for the
Silverstein's outstandingly courageous act in 1958 of ramming and
sinking the dastardly submarine that slammed a torpedo into the
Munro's port side at the forward engine room. The torpedoing
occurred about 14 miles northwest of the channel leading into Pearl
Harbor and nearly sent us to Davy Jones's Locker.
The amazing show
of BROTHERHOOD and fearless determination displayed by USS
Silverstein on that day, weeks later, in seeking out the very
submarine that put a "fish" into the "guts" of the Munro and put our
crew (as the Navy Hymn says) "In peril on the sea", was remarkable
and astounding! (And as I understand it, this happened within a
mile of where that "sewer-pipe" torpedoed us.
Of course the US
Navy saw the loss of the USS STICKLEBACK (SS-415) in a somewhat
different light... No sense of humor in ComSubPac.
what-so-ever......!
SOMEONE must
have seen at least the IRONY of it though, as many years later I
discovered that the following photo was made the "cover photo" for
at least ONE edition of the US Navy Damage Control Manual.
Gary Hanson, former DK2, USNR, USS DOUGLAS A. MUNRO (DE-422)
USS Douglas A. Munro DE-422 The "Rest of the Story" was in Gary's reply to
my request for permission
*Tagalog is an assortment of very basic phrases
used by Filipinos to communicate in English. mc
WWII
Era | Korea War &
'50s | Viet Nam & 60s |
Reunions |
All Links Page |
Search & Rescue
USS Whitehurst Logo by: Pat Stephens, Webmaster, DESA
By: Gary Hanson, former DK2, USNR, USS Douglas
A. Munro DE-422
Gary Hanson DK2 1958 and as he appeared at his
Retirement
Note: The following story was related by Gary Hanson
in e-mail to Mary Hudson, the communicator for Walton DE-361 veterans,
and completed in a second e-note to me after I asked his permission to
post the story on the USS Whitehurst Web site. All of the ships
mentioned served in the same Escort Division, CORTRON-11, home ported
in Pearl Harbor.
The story is so well written, so interesting, and so downright funny,
it must be published.
The two incidents mentioned in the story happened in the course of
Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) exercises. Although humorous, it is
factual. Max Crow, Webmaster
*Surface Ships vs. Submarines
USS Silverstein DE-534 shortly after the
collision. The DE's CO is holding position
with the bow plugging the hole to reduce the water flow into the
submarine.
to publish the story on the Whitehurst site.
Memorial |
Poetry |
Enemy Below |
Taps List |
Photos/Armament |
History |
Crews Index |
Home