U.S. Fleet off Aleutians pics

Hey folks, being an out-of-work bum has some positives. I just got to scan in some of my grandfather's pics from the Aleutians.

I'm not for sure where these were taken of the fleet, but it was probably off Kiska. He went in with the invasion, then he was transferred to Adak about a year later. There was no writing on the majority of these, and grandpa is a little too old to remember the details now.

The only photo that has writing on it is the beached Japanese (transport?) that was taken at Kiska.

Not very detailed, but I'm proud of them!

Can any navy guys here identify some of the vessels?

 

Thanks!

Never seen before pictures are always cool!!!!

 

nice pics. Being also at the moment a professionally undirected bum I am now inspired to use my time to dig out and scan some of my own Grandfather's stuff.

P.S. I hope someone manages to ident some of the ships, I'm sure it is possible

 

IIRC, the only time so many CVEs were in the Aleutians would be right at the end of the war. They would be part of Task Force 44 during August, 1945. The CVEs would be USS Kitkun Bay, USS Manila Bay, USS Fanshaw Bay, USS Nehenta Bay, USS Savo Island (arriving on or about August 15th), and the USS Hoggatt Bay.

 

I am also wondering if this is not the same wreck as the photograph that you have, photo taken on Kiska Island. It looks very similar.

found here Shipwrecks of the Aleutian and Pribilof Islands
list of Aleutian ship wrecks. Shipwrecks on Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge

Yep, it is the same ship! She is the Urajio Maru
Here is her page on PacificWrecks.org http://www.pacificwrecks.com/ships/maru/urajio.html
Photo: http://www.pacificwrecks.com/ships/maru/urajio/urajo-beached.html

 

Thanks for the salutes guys! Takao, as usual, your knowledge is amazing.

 

It's not all knowledge, a judicious use of Google also helps.
Don't know why I didn't just go to pacificwrecks.org in the first place.

Although I was rather surprised to see the ship still standing into recent times.

ULITHI,
Any more photos to share? It is always a pleasure to view period photos from WW2.

 

Well, just got to a computer. I have a few more photos of the islands. I'm not sure if they were taken by my grandfather or if he bought them. The last one is a photo of my grandfather and his buddies in his hut. Unfortunately, there are no names to go with the faces. My grandfather is in the lower left.

 

Gorgeous pictures, Ulithi. I really appreciate seeing them. Can't really add anything beyond what Takao has already said. Thank you very much for sharing them.

 

Well heck, I found a few more photos from this grandfather. Thought I would post them here rather than start another thread.

That snow covered hut looks pretty forboding. Now I know why my grandfather said that many nights he just stayed in and ate a can of tuna, rather than fight his way over to the mess hall.

 

Beautiful pictures, Thank you so much for posting them!

The one with your grandfather wearing the polar bear patch is my favorite. My grandpa also wore that patch. The Alaskan Defense Command patch.

 

That would be, "y'all bums"....

 

Another Aleutians "Vet" still amazingly around is the SS Northwestern:
Panoramio - Photo of S.S. Northwestern at Captain's Bay
She was grounded at Dutch Harbor during a storm and then set afire during the Japanese attack there in 1942. She was filled with scrap metal and anchored at Captain's Bay, but no tug was ever found to take her south to Seattle for scrapping and she eventually was pushed into shallow water and abandoned.

 

For lack of somewhere better to put this...

John Huston's 1943 "Report from the Aleutians"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AWtspndW-k

 

Thanks to all for the great pictures and commentary on this thread. My late father was a Sonarman 2c on a destroyer escort (DE-50 USS Engstrom) that operated in and around the Aleutians from the period September 1943 until January 1945. They did ASW work, convoy escort, and ops around Paramushiro.

The Engstrom was sent to San Francisco NSY for a quick overhaul prior to redeployment, but he was sent to sonar refresher training and subsequently transferred to DE 327 USS Brister, and finished the war with ops around the Philippines, Okinawa, and Taiwan (called Formosa at the time). The Brister participated in the rescue of ~1200 POWs from various POW camps on Taiwan, and his memories of that experience remained vivid until the time of his death.

I'd like to hear from anyone whose relatives served in either of those ships, or who may themselves have served (although sadly, not many of them may be left). Thanks.

 

I always thought this was such an ominous photo looking at the destroyer USS Pruitt through the landing craft ramp just released from the USS Heywood moving toward Massacre Bay, Attu 11 May 1943.--Ray