Have collected the magazine "Sea Classics" over the years..really enjoy their writers.
Had dinner with an officer from USS Benham in Frisco at a naval reunion.
He commented that the battles at night were almost mesmerizing visually..yet terrifying.
A Long Lance blew away USS Benhams bow on Nov14/15 1942, just north of Guadalcanal....Pete was blown from the bridge..drifted about for some time amongst many U.S. and Japanese survivors.
Pete served on USS Isherwood for a year+..after Leyte Gulf he was trans to another can...where he survived a kamikaze which penetrated into the ships CIC .
He was at sea with a carrier group..delayed due to DD'S needing refueling..they were late..arriving Pearl later on Dec 7th.
Pete saw alot of the war...I count it a gift to have met him and listened to his stories.
Poor Pete..he was not a "Plank owner" on USS Isherwood..the guys loved to tease him about this at reunions.