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Posted on 12/14/2004 10:00:05 PM PST by SAMWolf
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 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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| Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans.
Where the Freeper Foxhole introduces a different veteran each Wednesday. The "ordinary" Soldier, Sailor, Airman or Marine who participated in the events in our Country's history. We hope to present events as seen through their eyes. To give you a glimpse into the life of those who sacrificed for all of us - Our Veterans.
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God Was His Co-pilot A Radio Tokyo broadcast revealed to Colonel Robert L. Scott how effective his 23rd Fighter Group was. “They were making the point that we were weak because we only had 500 planes,” said Scott. “At that time we had only 35!”  Credited with shooting down 22 enemy aircraft, Scott was awarded three Silver Stars, three Distinguished Flying Crosses and five Air Medals. His fame was enhanced by his first of 12 books, God Is My Co-Pilot, which inspired a hit movie that still runs from time to time on television. Today, at a very vigorous 87, Brig. Gen. Scott is national director of the board of the Museum of Aviation, in Warner Robins, Georgia. Founded in 1984, the museum displays 85 aircraft spanning the entire history of flight. Almost every day Scott can be found working in his office, which is full of memorabilia from his long and distinguished career, including a large tiger-skin rug with ferocious fangs on the floor in front of his desk. A tall, slender man, Scott answers questions about his World War II experiences with the zeal of a young boy recounting some adventure he just had.  WWII: During World War II your flying exploits were well-known nationwide. How did your interest in planes begin? Scott: Mama said that when I was 4 she took me to Central City Park in Macon, Georgia, to see a demonstration of a plane flying. The flier's name was Eugene B. Ely. He crashed and burned that day. I dragged my mother by the hand to see the dead pilot in the cockpit, and she said that from that day all I ever wanted to do was fly. WWII: What other early adventures did you have? Scott: I was in Scouting, and I wanted to get the aviation merit badge. The requirements included building a model plane that could fly 75 feet. Hell, I wanted to do more than that, so I made a glider large enough to hold a man. We tried to tow it with a Ford automobile, but the police ran me off the road, so I decided to try to fly it from some high point. There was a very large two-story house on Napier Avenue, in Macon, owned by Mrs. Bessie Napier. I asked her if my friends and I could fly my plane from the top of her house. She naturally thought that we were referring to some small, hand-held plane. We had to hoist it up on the roof with a pulley attached to a 4-by-4 we put on the roof. I jumped off the roof strapped in the plane and managed to fly about 40 feet before the main spar broke at the point where there was a knot in the pine 2-by-4 I had used. I fell down more than 60 feet into a Cherokee rose bush. I was picking thorns out of myself for days!  WWII: When did you get your first plane? Scott: I bought it at the age of 13. They were auctioning off a number of World War I surplus Curtiss JN-4 Jennys, over near Americus, Georgia, and I bought one of them. As soon as the auctioning opened, I blurted out "75 dollars," because that was all the money that I had, but I was outbid by several hundred dollars by a man in the back who continued to outbid me on other planes. Finally, he came up to me and said: "Look, kid. Buy your one plane for $75 and get on out of here. I'm buying for an airline." That's how I came to own my first plane. WWII: How did you learn to fly it? Scott: I was taught by a local streetcar conductor -- I've forgotten his name -- who taught me in Central City Park, where the flier had been killed when I was 4. WWII: You graduated from West Point, but it seems that you attended a little later in life than most cadets. Why was that? Scott: I had not taken enough of the proper courses in high school to gain admission, so after several tries I went back to high school to take the necessary subjects, math mainly.  WWII: How did you get along with the other cadets? Scott: I was popular with the upperclassmen because I could already fly and many wanted to learn. They would come to my room for flying lessons. We would put two straight-back chairs together, one in front of the other, pretending they were the seats in the cockpit of a plane. That was my classroom. WWII: After graduation from West Point, you were admitted to the Army Air Corps. Where did you go for training? Scott: I went to Randolph Field, Texas. My teacher was Robert H. Terrell, who taught us to take off and land into the wind. Truman H. Landon was another of my teachers. He later became a four-star general. He told me that I was too rough on the controls. You were expected to solo after only four hours of flying with an instructor. They only wanted men who had confidence in themselves. When they asked you so early if you thought you were ready to solo and you showed any hesitation, they washed you out. It was the screening process. WWII: I expect you were an eager student. Scott: Yes. I tried to anticipate what Lieutenant Landon would say even before he said it. Once I thought he said, "Dive." We were at a low altitude for diving, but I tried to please. As we went into the dive, he took the controls and brought us over the trees into a cotton field. He said to me, "Scott, what in blazes were you trying to do? I said, 'Glide.'" Another time, he got out of the front seat with his parachute after a few rough landings, and I knew he thought I was good enough to do my first solo. Yet as he got out of the plane, he commented that he wasn't going to let me kill him while I practiced. He told me that when returning I was to land as close to him as possible. I tried to do what he wanted. I could have landed right on top of him. Yet he threw his parachute down and ran. After I passed, I looked back and I thought I saw him waving. Waving your hand meant to come around again. I later learned that he was shaking his fist at me. I came around on him again and landed near the hangar about a mile from where I left him. He had to walk back. I later realized what I had done, but my ship had been taken by another student, so I couldn't go get him. When he finally walked up, he said as he passed me, "It's kinda hot out there." The next day after a lesson he took me down at the exact spot where I had left him the day before. He told me to get out of the plane and he would show me what he wanted me to do. He blew dust all over me taking off, and three times buzzed me, making me run like hell. Then he landed near me and taxied to the hangars, leaving me with the long, hot walk back with my parachute. The next day I soloed again, but this time I didn't forget to go back and pick him up.  WWII: After training, where did you go? Scott: To Panama for three years. I volunteered for all the flying time I could. I just couldn't get enough. I would fly out over Panama Bay and take target practice on the sharks. WWII: Where were you when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in December of 1941? Scott: I was a flight instructor at Cal-Aero-Academy in Ontario, California. We had 110 students, and President Roosevelt had ordered 50,000 pilots. We had only 200 airplanes. I flew that afternoon to Moffit Field, only to be told that I was too old to be a fighter pilot -- at 34! Well, I wrote everybody, generals, congressmen, everybody, asking to be permitted to get into the war. No one answered my letters
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LOL! Morning Feather.
Today is Norton update day. Downloaded updates yesterday. Also downloaded three critical updates from Windows.
Web broswer hung on us this morning. Second time in two weeks it has happened.
How's it going, Snippy?
LOL! I wish we would coat our ammo in pigs fat.
Notice No "On this Day In History" tomorrow or Fri. as there are going to be workmen in my place putting in new windows.
In DEC.! words cannot express just how thrilled I am at this.
Pack a lunch and watch one land.
WWII: What was Chennault like?
Scott: He was great! A wonderful leader!
As I recall Pappy Boyington had a slightly different take on Chennault.
Those were the smart ones. :-)
Free Dixie!
LOL!
We had one come to Phuc Vinh that painted the nose red and had a santa face on it. Called it the "Santabou"
Yeah, but Pappy Boyington was just a trouble maker. ;-)
The Caribou, still trying to figure out how the Army slipped that one by the Air Force. I'd guess SOMEONE got their butt in a sling over that.
Back tonight
When pigs fly?
LOL! I'll bet that's fun to drive down the exporessway. :-)
Trying to throw some contracts Canada's way I guess.
Today's classic warship, USS Farenholt (DD-491)
Benson class destroyer
Displacement. 1,620
Lenght. 348'4"
Beam. 36'1"
Draft. 11'10"
Speed. 38 k.
Complement. 208
Armament. 4 6", 6 .50cal mg, 6 21" tt., 6 dcp., 2 dct.
The USS Farenholt (DD 491) was launched 19 November 1941 by Bethlehem Steel Co., Staten Island N.Y.; sponsored by Miss N. L. Garland, great-grandniece of Admiral Farenholt; and commissioned 2 April 1942, Lieutenant Commander E. T. Seaward in command.
Farenholt sailed from San Diego 1 July 1942 for Tongatabu, Tonga Islands, where between 18 and 23 July she joined in shore bombardment exercises. Sailing in the task force centered around Wasp (CV-7), Farenholt took part in the invasion of Guadalcanal 7 August, the first American land offensive of the war. She screened Wasp as the carrier launched air strikes supporting the marines in the initial days of this long and bitter struggle, and acted as flagship for Destroyer Squadron 12. After replenishing at Noumea from 3 to 8 September, she returned to the Wasp group, covering the transportation of reinforcements from Espiritu Santo to Guadalcanal. When her force was attacked by two Japanese submarines 15 September, she rescued 143 survivors of torpedoed Wasp, including the task force commander and the commanding officer of the carrier.
Farenholt returned to Espiritu Santo with the survivors next day, then sailed to Noumea to screen occupation troops to Funafuti. Back at Espiritu Santo 6 October 1942, she joined a force whose mission was to intercept and destroy Japanese shipping and to prevent the reinforcement of Guadalcanal by the nightly "Tokyo Express" runs into the island. On the night of 11-12 October, her force contacted the Japanese in the Battle of Cape Esperance, sinking a Japanese destroyer. Three American ships, one of which later sank, were damaged in the action. One of these was Farenholt who received three hits, and suffered three killed, 43 wounded. Although her torpedo tubes were inoperative, she continued to fire on the Japanese ships until the close of the action, scoring hits on a cruiser and a destroyer. Flooding through shell holes on her waterline, Farenholt was saved when oil, water, and topside weights were shifted to list the ship 9° to starboard bringing the holes out of the water; she made Espiritu Santo 13 October under her own power.
Farenholt sailed to repair battle damage at Pearl Harbor, and returned to Espiritu Santo 3 March 1943. After a month of patrol duty and training exercises in the New Hebrides, she sailed 3 April for escort operations in the Solomons. Off Lunga Point on the night of 6 April, she engaged enemy bombers, and the next day, escorting six ships eastward through Sealark Channel, was under attack by 14 torpedo bombers, at least one of which she splashed. One of her men was wounded by a near miss. Once more she replenished at Espiritu Santo, and then joined in training operations, resuming escort missions to and from the Solomons 30 April. On 13 May she drove off a bomber attack which wounded one of her men, and on 30 June engaged shore batteries on the coast of New Georgia at Munda to protect transports landing troops on the island of Rendova across the channel. As the assault shipping retired from Rendova late that day, guarded by Farenholt and six other destroyers, a flight of Japanese torpedo planes attacked. Farenholt joined in the general barrage which splashed many of the attackers, maneuvered to avoid two torpedoes, and was struck by a third which fortunately failed to explode. When flagship McCawlely (APA-4) was sunk, Farenholt took aboard the task force commander, Rear Admiral R. K. Turner.
As the New Georgia operation continued, with new landings at various points on the large island, Farenholt escorted support shipping north from the lower Solomons and fired shore bombardment until 16 July 1943. After a brief period alongside a tender at Espiritu Santo, she operated out of that port and Efate on escort and patrol duty between Noumea and Guadalcanal, sweeping against Japanese shipping, and bringing troops and supplies to Vella Lavella. In October, she sailed for a 6-day visit at Sydney, Australia returning to Purvis Bay 29 October, and 2 days later joining the screen of the carrier striking force operating northeast of Bougainville in the initial landings. Along with their direct support of the assault and the ensuing battle, the carriers launched air strikes on Buka and Rabaul. From November through February 1944, Farenholt continued her operations in support of the Bougainville and New Britain operations, escorting reinforcements and supplies to Empress Augusta Bay searching for enemy shipping, and bombarding Choisoul, many points on Bougainville, and the Shortlands. She covered landings on Green Island 14 February fighting off a dive bomber attack in which she downed at least one plane. On the night of 17-18 February, her squadron made a daring dash down St. George Channel to fire on shipping in Blanche Bay and bombard Rabaul, sinking two merchantmen and inflicting much damage on shore installations. A similar attack on Kavieng 25 February provoked heavy counter fire from shore, and Farenholt was holed at the waterline on her starboard side. Once again her crew saved their ship, controlling flooding with skill and determination.
Temporary repairs were made at Purvis Bay, and Farenholt sailed for a much needed west coast overhaul. She sailed for action once more 16 June 1944, and after training briefly at Pearl Harbor, arrived off Guam 21 July to screen the transports landing assault troops. She patrolled off Guam until 10 August, then sailed back to Eniwetok to prepare for the Palaus operation, major in itself as well as being the most important preliminary to the liberation of the Philippines. Through September, she screened carriers for preliminary strikes on the Palaus and the southern Philippines, bombarded a radar station on Cape San Augustine, Mindanao, supported the unopposed landings on Morotai and the bitterly contested assault of Angaur, and sailed with the carriers as they launched raids on Manila and photographic reconnaissance flights over Leyte and Samar.
Between 28 September 1944 and 13 October she replenished at Manus, then rendezvoused with the fleet carriers once more in time to screen during flights flown in support of the assault landings at Leyte 20 October. After fueling on the 21st, her group shaped course for Ulithi, to be called back on the 24th for its role in the decisive Battle for Leyte Gulf. Farenholt's squadron, however, was detached to rendezvous with Canberra (CA-70) and Houston (CL-81), damaged in the air battles off Taiwan earlier in the month and still making their epic retirement toward Ulithi. The group arrived at Ulithi 27 October.
With Commander, Destroyer Squadron 12 assigned to command the Western Carolines and Marianas Patrol and Escort Group, his flagship Farenholt served as station ship at Ulithi and Kossol Passage and escorted convoys between those points and to ocean rendezvous until 5 May 1945. Three days later she reached Okinawa, and for the next month carried out the usual varied destroyer duties around the embattled island, screening and escorting shipping of all kinds, rescuing downed pilots and survivors of damaged and sunken ships, bombarding shore targets, and operating with carriers as they launched air strikes on Japanese positions and bases, especially those in the Sakishima Gunto from which suicide flights were flown. She sailed north to San Pedro Bay, arriving 19 June, to join the logistics group supporting the fast carriers in their air strikes against the Japanese home islands. On 28 July Farenholt returned to Okinawa for screening duties until 22 September, when she sailed with an Army general aboard to accept the Japanese surrender of islands in the southern Ryukyus and in the Sakishima Gunto. From 20 October to 31 October she voyaged from Buckner Bay to Sasebo escorting a transport, then sailed for San Diego and Charleston S.C., arriving 8 December. She was placed out of commission in reserve at Charleston 26 April 1946. After more than twenty-five years in the Reserve Fleet, USS Farenholt was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register in June 1971 and sold for scrapping in November 1972
Farenholt received 11 battle stars for World War II service.
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