Seeking information on AROU # 4 in Guam during WW II

Seeking Information on my Dad
1. I am seeking information on my dad, who served in the U.S. Navy during WW II. I have obtained a copy of his service record from NPRC, and determined that he was assigned to Acorn Assembly and Training Detachment, Point Hueneme on 10 July 1945. On 1 August 1945 he was transferred "to duty beyond the continental limits of the U.S. in component H3B #401 of AROU No. FOUR". He reported aboard that command on 22 August 1945.
2. I have developed that AROU was an acronym for "Aviation Repair and Overhaul Unit", and that AROU Four was on Guam. I remember him talking about spending time on Guam,
3. My dad was an AMM2 when he went overseas , so it makes sense that he would be involved in aircraft repair. He never talked about what he did on Guam, but I do remember him saying that he was on a ship that was present in the Tokyo Bay area on September 2, 1945 when the Japanese delegation signed the terms of surrender. The name of the ship that I remember him mention was the USS Belleauwood (CVL-24). His service record shows no entry for transfer from AROU Four to any ship.
4. The next service record entry was his transfer to “Commanding Officer, NAB, Navy #939 (AIR PAC POOL) FFA by ComAirPacSubComFwd” on 9 October 1945.
5. My primary interest is in learning what he did to contribute to the war effort while serving in the Pacific Theater, and how he ended up in Tokyo Bay on 2 September 1945.
Any help would be appreciated,

 

I have access to muster rolls via ancestry.com and can search for your Dad if you would like. They do have records of the Belleau Wood here and see several hamilton's. What was his name? If I find him, I'll do my best to post the results on here.

Aaron

 

His name was John Leldon Hamilton. His service number was 625 76 01. He had bright red (auburn) hair and was sometimes called "Red" because of that. His military history, as derived from a copy of his service record obtained from NPRC, included: (1) Basic training at Naval Air Station, Corpus Christi, Tx; (2) Naval Auxiliary Air Station (NAAS), Cuddihy Field, Corpus Christi, Tx; (3) ABATU, NAS, St. Louis, Mo.; (4) Acorn Assembly & Training Detachment (AATD), Point Hueneme, Ca.; (4) Aviation Repair & Overhaul Unit (AROU) Four, Component H3B #401; (5) U.S. Naval Air Base, Navy #939 (Air Pac Pool); (6) N aval Personnel Support Center (NPSC), Camp Wallace, TX for discharge.

 

Donald,

Sorry for just getting back to you. I searched for your Dads name on the muster rolls and unfortunately couldn't find it. I specifically searched Belleau Wood on ancestry.com. I'll give it another shot sometime soon.

Aaron

 

Aaron:

Thanks for trying. After going through my dad's service record and finding no reference to duty on the Belleauwood, I layed out a timeline of his duty stations. He may have been onboard the Belleauwood in an embarked unit (AROU Four), which would explain why his name wasn't on the muster rolls of Belleauwood. I haven't been able to develop any more information on AROU Four, which was supposedly headquartered in Guam. By chance, does your Ancestry.com list the Navy command AROU Four (acronymn for Aircraft Repair and Overhaul Unit), and if so is his name listed?

Thanks for your assistance,

Don Hamilton

 

Donald--don't know if you still get messages, but wondering if you have found anything further on your father's service in WWII. I have been doing some research for my cousins regarding there father. It is very interesting because he was also assigned to AROU 4 and NAB 939. With exact same date on record of 10-9-45. And, with no record of being on a ship. My Uncle happened to be a baker and his children remember him talking about baking bread on ship--but never mentioning the name of the ship. I would be very interested to hear if you have found any further documentation that may be applicable to them as well. Thanking you in advance..

Jeanie Lowe

 

Hello Jeanie,
My father also was on AROU 4 and NAB 939. He was also a Cook/Baker in the 1944 - 45 era. I may have have some pictures he might be in. What was his name? I will try and post a couple of pictures here.

 

Documents from the History of the unit…..their are a lot more, but just copied the ones that focused on your fathers time period with the unit








Source: Fold3.com

 

The USS Belleau Wood was anchored in Tokyo Bay on Sept 10th

 

Acorn Assembly & Training Detachment (AATD), Point Hueneme, Ca

an ACORN was a tailored unit designed to carry out the rapid construction and subsequent operation of a landplane and seaplane advance base. Each ACORN had a construction battalion attached to it, as well as trained personnel to operate the control tower, field lighting, aerological unit, transportation, medical, berthing, and messing facilities. A Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit (CBMU) also accompanied each ACORN to maintain the base after the initial construction was completed and the construction battalion had been withdrawn. During the war, ACORNs were sent to such places at Guadalcanal, Espiritu Santo, Green Island, Rendova, Treasury Island, and Majuro.)

 

H3B-401, July 1945

 

Orote Field, which had been completed by the Japanese to 4,500 feet, and was the only existing strip to be rehabilitated during the assault, was completely rebuilt and lengthened to 5,500 feet by the Marine Engineers. Seabees assisted in the development of the field, constructing hardstands, shops, and warehouses. Orote Field was in constant use after the early part of August 1944, first for fighter operations and later for conditioning 1,800 planes per month for the Fleet and the Marines. Planes were tested, repaired, and cleaned of the preserving compounds with which they had been shipped overseas. An aviation supply depot and an aircraft repair and overhaul unit were established at the field.

 

Note this is the same date that AROU FOUR was decommissioned

 

On item #3, the reason he wouldn't be listed as crew on the Belleau Wood is because he was almost certainly attached to the air wing aboard the ship being an aviation rating. The air wing on US Navy ships is what's called a "tenant command." That is, they are aboard the ship, but a separate command from the ship's crew. So, you'd have to find out what air wing or group was assigned to the Belleau Wood at the time in question.
He could have been assigned to a squadron, but more likely was assigned to the air wing / group itself as part of its maintenance assets.

 

On June 16, 1945 Air Group 31 was taken aboard the USS Belleau Wood at Leyte in the Philippines and they flew missions against targets on mainland Japan for the last 2 months of hostilities.

USS Belleau Wood remained in Japanese waters after the surrender and the pilots of Air Group 31 took part in the fly over of Tokyo during the official surrender ceremonies on September 2, 1945.

USS Belleau Wood arrived in Pearl Harbor on October 28, 1945 and departed for San Diego with 1248 returning service men. USS Belleau Wood continued to return service men from the Pacific until January 21, 1946 when she was placed out of active commission at Alameda Naval Air Station in San Francisco Bay.

USS Belleau Wood CVL 24 A Light Aircraft Carrier in WW II

 

So, he was likely aboard as part of a Magic Carpet sailing to return troops to the US.

 

The only USN aircraft carriers present in Tokyo Bay at the surrender were USS Bataan (CVL-29), USS Cowpens (CVL-25), and USS Salamaua (CVE-96).

Seaplane tenders present were USS Cumberland Sound (AV-17), USS Hamlin (AV-15), USS Gardiners Bay (AVP-39), USS Suisun (AVP-53), and USS Mackinac (AVP-13).

Allied Ships present in Tokyo Bay