Red Headed Stepchild
(The Barrett family memoir of Navy Life)
by Sophie Ruth Meranski with photos
|
Jack Barrett photo Egypt January 1932++ }A{ A plot, in Galactic co-ordinates, of some of the nearby star clusters that encircle the Sun reveals another interesting feature. These star clusters form a band or belt known as GOULD’S BELT – this is inclined relative to the Galactic plane, the reason for this is not clear. It is supposed that the clusters making up Gould’s belt were formed by some common, large scale process. Fig 1.14 Gould’s belt – a band of clusters and associations of bright young stars (OB associations) that encircles the Sun. Note that Gould’s belt is inclined relative to the Galactic plane, which is represented by the horizontal line running across the middle of this figure. Another peculiarity of our part of the disc is that stars of all kinds seem to be more densely packed in our immediate neighbourhood than they are in surrounding regions. Counts of star numbers in different directions indicate that their number density at a distance of 500 – 1 000 pc is only about half the local value. Taking into account the severe obscuring effect of dust on faint stars, it seems the Sun does occupy a region of enhanced star density, known as the LOCAL SYSTEM. Whether the local system is related to the presence of Gould’s belt is unclear. The ability to detect X-rays from all directions seems to indicate that we are not enclosed by a cloud of molecular or atomic hydrogen. Rather, we seem to be contained within a bubble of hot gas, perhaps caused by a supernova that occurred about 10 5 years ago. Studies of absorption features in the UV spectra of stars at various known distances indicate that this so-called LOCAL BUBBLE is about 200 pc across and that it contains a number of warm clouds that may have cold centres. The Sun appears to be located on the edge of one of these warm clouds, though when we look through it in the direction of the constellation Sagittarius – it seems to cause little absorption, so cannot be rich in dust. Fig 1.15 A highly schematic representation of the Local Bubble of the ISM that contains the Sun. The Spiral Arms – their nature, origin and influence. The spiral arms are thought to be important features of the disc, though really firm evidence of the spiral structure is hard to obtain. The results of one attempt at mapping HII regions (glowing ionised hydrogen clouds), thought to be especially correlated with spiral arms is shown in Figure 1.16. It is widely believed that spiral arms are concentrations of bright stars rather than mass. They stand out because they contain bright HII regions and luminous O and B class stars.Fig 1.16 The spiral arms of the galaxy? An attempt at mapping the spiral arms based on optical HII regions, strong radio HII regions and weak radio HII regions. Galactic longitudes are shown. O and B stars are so short lived that, if you see them, they cannot be far from where they were born so it is usual to regard the spiral arms as the main locales of star formation in the Milky Way. Q Why should star formation occur along such reasonably well defined spiral tracks. Q. How do the arms manage to persist over long periods of time. One thing to keep One thing to keep in mind is that if the arms were composed of an unchanging population of stars, the differential rotation of the disc would cause the shape of the arms to alter with time and an initially ‘realistic’ pattern would soon cease to resemble any observed spiral arms. This problem is known as the WINDING DILEMMA. Although the spiral arms may represent a persistent pattern, they cannot always contain the same population of differentially rotating stars if they are as persistent as we think they are. The mechanism described below is the current preferred theory of how the enhanced bright areas within spiral arms are produced and maintained. The conventional theory of spiral arms is based on DENSITY WAVE THEORY developed by the American astronomers C.C.Lin and Frank H. Shu in the 1960s. The theory predicts that areas exist in the galactic disc where the density is slightly increased relative to the disc as a whole. This density increase is only a few percent but is highly significant. Mathematical modelling indicates that these density enhancements can survive the effect of differential rotation (like the red spot on Jupiter). One of these long lived self consistent patterns of density enhancement is shown in Fig 1.17. Such patterns are known as SPIRAL DENSITY WAVES. Fig 1.17 A spiral density wave. This pattern of enhanced density (as shown by the intensity of shading) rotates in the same sense as the orbiting disc material but at a generally slower rate. Only towards the outer edge of the disc, at the so called co-rotation radius, does the rotation speed of the density wave equal that of the matter in the disc. The density wave rotates rigidly despite the fact that the disc material rotates differentially. In fact the density wave moves more slowly than the matter in the disc. As stars and gas approach the density waves from behind and pass through them, they experience compression in the process, and then move on ahead of the wave’s leading edge. A dense cloud entering a density from the rear would encounter a rapid increase in ambient density , as indicated in Fig 1.19. For a giant molecular cloud, just on the verge of forming stars, the encounter with a sudden increase in density (even of only a few percent) will be enough to triger star formation and thus give rise to coherent patters of star formation which we see as spiral arms. Fig 1.19 Average relative gas density encountered during an orbit of the Milky Way. (highly schematic). The above theory is popular but is not well confirmed by observational evidence and has unresolved questions such as what created the density waves in the first place? Open Clusters and OB Associations. OPEN CLUSTERS are another prominent feature of the Galactic disc. Such clusters are localised regions where the (number) density of stars is enhanced relative to that of the immediately surrounding area. A typical open cluster would be 2-3 pc across and might include anything from a few stars to many hundreds. Some open clusters are sufficiently prominent to be visible to the naked eye. The Pleiades (Plate 1.22b) in the constellation of Taurus. In all around 200 open clusters are now known, although this is only about 1% of all the numbers to be found in the disc. Not only are open clusters found in the disc, they are also common in the spiral arms. They are composed of population I stars and include an above average number of bright stars, they are used to map the location of spiral arms. Open clusters must have short lives otherwise differential rotation relative to the arms would carry them out of the arms and spread them across the disc. Detailed studies of open clusters show that all the stars in a particular cluster were formed at the same time and that the cluster as a whole is unlikely to survive for more than 109 years (1 billion years) and normally only last a few million years. Plate 1.22a The open cluster The Pleiades is readily visible to the unaided eye. It is about 50 million years old. The blue light is starlight scattered by dust that the cluster probably encountered after the last vestiges of its own cloud disappeared. The Pleiades is 410 light years away. Plate 1.22b This is one of the oldest open clusters known, about Ten thousand million years old (twice the age of the Sun). It is 2700 light years away. This cluster has a catalogue number M67. |
|
Mabel Ganz identified by Rebekah Geetter l989. Sophie used to play jacks as a girl singing "One two button my shoe Three four shut the door Five six pick up sticks Seven eight Lay them straight Nine ten a big fat hen eleven Twelve Dig and Delve Thirteen 14 maids a-courtin l5 16 maids a kissing l7 l8 maids a waiting l9 twenty my stomach's empty My dear old grandmother lost her shhoe in the year of fourteen hundred ninety two." While living at 25 Morgan Street about l909-asutumn l9l6 Sophie had a vegetable garden near the Connecticut River in the summer of 1915. This picture with Mabel Ganz is taken after the move to Wooster Street autumn 1916, where the family lived on second floor above the grocery.A l9ll Meranski family group has been added to website.Sophie used to sing "Oil, oil, kerosene oil My oil is better than Finnegan's oil. Finnegan;s oil is water.mine's kerosene oil" "Mopving day, moving day Take you oil stove from the floor Take youstove,and there's the door." "Nineteen dear old Nineteen Fairest Classof old NINEteen. Fairest class at HARtford High love for you will never died Nineteen dear old NINEteen Fairest class of old Nineteen."-Tune of Chopin A Flat Polonaise. Also "I care not for the Hartford times i dare not read the Evening Post I do not want the Journal One Cent and the World is Mine." (tune -"Love me and the World is Mine" Sophie Meranski Barrett 1901-1987 learned the well known lines 33-36 in Hartford Public Schools and sometimes recited them from memory in later years. In School Days JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER 1807-1892 1 Still sits the school-house by the road, 2 A ragged beggar sleeping; 3 Around it still the sumachs grow, 4 And blackberry-vines are creeping. 5 Within, the master's desk is seen, 6 Deep scarred by raps official; 7 The warping floor, the battered seats, 8 The jack-knife's carved initial; 9 The charcoal frescos on its wall; 10 Its door's worn sill, betraying 11 The feet that, creeping slow to school, 12 Went storming out to playing! 13 Long years ago a winter sun 14 Shone over it at setting; 15 Lit up its western window-panes, 16 And low eaves' icy fretting. 17 It touched the tangled golden curls, 18 And brown eyes full of grieving, 19 Of one who still her steps delayed 20 When all the school were leaving. 21 For near her stood the little boy 22 Her childish favor singled: 23 His cap pulled low upon a face 24 Where pride and shame were mingled. 25 Pushing with restless feet the snow 26 To right and left, he lingered; -- 27 As restlessly her tiny hands 28 The blue-checked apron fingered. 29 He saw her lift her eyes; he felt 30 The soft hand's light caressing, 31 And heard the tremble of her voice, 32 As if a fault confessing. 33 "I'm sorry that I spelt the word: 34 I hate to go above you, 35 Because," -- the brown eyes lower fell, -- 36 "Because, you see, I love you!" 37 Still memory to a gray-haired man 38 That sweet child-face is showing. 39 Dear girl! the grasses on her grave 40 Have forty years been growing! 41 He lives to learn, in life's hard school, 42 How few who pass above him 43 Lament their triumph and his loss, 44 Like her, -- because they love him. {S} |
|
The Barrett family grew tomatoes around time of World War I at 640 East Seventh St. South Boston. In Waikiki insects and mildew and mold made tomatoes difficult to grow, but Jack managed to grow a few small 'yellow pear' and 'red plum' tomatoes by putting bags over the fruit after flowering to keep insects from laying eggs in them.From 1947 to mid-l960s Jack experimented with several variety of tender large tomatoes near Rustic Road on the sunny southeast side of his home in West Roxbury. He started the seed in early February on the "sun porch" he enclosed with glass, except for two moveable panels, where screens could be placed in warm weather.In the early years after 1947 he grew many large tender Winsall tomatoes he originally bought from Peter Henderson and W.A Burpee Companies and also "Crystal White" tomatoes - said to be less acid as well as of interesting appearance and taste -developed from yellow varieties.As long as possible up to 1965 or 1966 Jack grew his own seed of these white tomatoes when he could no longer find it commercially.Biodiversity in vegetable and fruit crops remains a huge challenge.Piano teacher Giuseppe deLellis of West Newton and Retired Coast Guard Vice Admiral Wilfred Derby of Weston were among many friends with whom Jack shared tomato seed - also 1940s neighbor Anthony Bernazzani next door.---=- Second Portion P___A___N___A___M___A chapter HANNIBAL chapter, second portion.Letters of Harry Ferguson, Ezequiel Labiosa, Paul Nelson, president Arias of Panama, -HANNIBAL day orders,website PANAMA photo locations,+ Lafayette J.Jones, last Dan Candler and Chester Peake letters.Sophie's final portions of HANNIBAL chapter:- Great Dismal Swamp, Gleasons, Vaccaros-Trios, Rice family, McKims, Isabelle the parrot, HANNIBAL FINAL MONTHS 1935 AUGUST Sophie pregnant. SEPTEMBER Hurricane coming north. OCTOBER Transfer to command of CLAXTON. P-A-N-A-M-A second portion --HINCKLEY- -11 January l970 letter from Captain Robert M. Hinckley USN Retired 4200 Cathedral Ave. NW Washington DC-(salutations to Mrs. Barrett - main text addressed to John Barrett junior regarding HANNIBAL inquiries:"The survey area was the Gulf of Panama, & the Pacific Coasts of Panama & Costa Rica.We did work for the government of Costa Rica helping them find a deep sea port for shipping bananas out,She was an old ship purchased in l902 for the Asiatic Fleet.She was a collier -cast iron hull-built by Harland & Wolff shipyard in England.She was converted into a survey ship at least ten years before I took command.There was always a lot of work to do on a ship as old as she was,& we were always getting new Hydrographic equipment installed. The ship was being modernized to a certain extent.None of the officers were specialists in Hydrographic work- we had three Hydrographic officers from the Navy Hydrographic Office to plan & make charts of the work we were doing.The HANNIBAL operated directly under orders from the Chief of Naval Operations,& our plan of operations for the next survey season was made out by me in conference with the Chief Hydrographer & his aides.The ship sailed for the survey area shortly after the first of the year & would be in the survey area until late summer.We had two sub chasers & they did valuable work in going into (shallow) waters (where) the ship couldn't go to set up survey beacons & carry equipment.We left them down in Panama when the ship went north for an overhaul.Mr. Devine was in charge of the survey planning in the area,& he & I would always get together with your father to plan the next day's work.About our relations with the local government officials,the only occasion I had to call on foreign governments was when we surveyed around Costa Rica.I called on their President,& he was very appreciative of the work the ship was doing for his country.We arranged a trip from Punta Arenas where the ship was tied up to San Jose the capital for officers & wives & enlisted men to spend a weekend.We missed the regular train, so I called the President on the telephone-& he sent a "special" down from San Jose to pick us up.There was only one other ship during survey duty-the NOKOMIS-a converted yacht.We worked with her at one period sounding a large portion of the Gulf of Panama.We were the first survey ship to receive the deep sea sounding machine, which would bring back samples of the bottom & had a string of Nansen bottles,which tapped sea water every fifty fathoms.We had a scientist from Scripps Institute on board to analyze the water. The deepest sounding we got was over 900 fathoms (5400 feet).I took command of the HANNIBAL in January l933 & was detached May 3l, l934.One of the greatest thrills I had on the HANNIBAL was finding a rock pinnacle only six feet below the low tide surface about one half mile to seaward from an island near Cape Mala, Panama.The skipper of one of our sub-chasers,-Lieutenant Ascherfeld,I think-whom we left down in Panama when the ship went north-said he talked to the captain of a small coastal cargo vessel who told him there was a rock out there & he wouldn't go anywhere near that area.If you want to see the HANNIBAL survey areas & even the logs of the HANNIBAL, write Commander U.S.Navy Oceanographic Office, Suitland,Maryland 20390.Please give my & Mrs.Hinckley's kindest regards to your mother.Sincerely, Robert M. Hinckley, Captain, U.S.N. Retired (pl9l) Harry Ferguson letter Letter postmarked l6 April l970 from Jacksonville Florida written by Captain Harry Ferguson who was the engineer officer in l934-l935, "Dear Mrs. Barrett, Of course I remember you and Jack very well from my days on board the HANNIBAL from some time in October l934 until November l936. During that time I served as Engineering Officer, having relieved A.R. Boileau in October l934.Boileau was on board only a few days after my reporting for duty, so I never got to know him very well.However I do remember many of the others you mentioned in your recent letter-Candler, Halstead,Visser, Crosser,Ascherfeld, Nelson, Pittman,Peake, Aiken, Devine,Livingston, Lehman, and most of the others.When I reported on board, Gresham was the skipper, relieved later by Stevens,who was relieved by Richards not long before I left. If I remember correctly, Jack was relieved by Frank Fitch quite some time before I left.Our top speed with a good following breeze was nearer nine knots instead of six or seven (as some of the others said). I do remember, however, having Point Mala Lighthouse at the southern tip of Panama in sight for twenty-four hours as we were bucking a tide trying to round that point on our way to Balboa.Also, if I remember correctly,at that time the HANNIBAL was the oldest ship and only coal burner left in the Navy, with a three cylinder reciprocating engine and only one propellor. Several times we would leave Balboa or Cristobal with our bunkers full of coal and bags of coal piled up anywhere we could find room for them on deck in order that we could spend as much time as possible in the survey area. Pittman was a Warrant Boatswain who was drowned off the East Coast of Costa Rica- and his body returned via the HANNIBAL to Cristobal. I believe the Communications Officer was either Crosser or Aiken, (Crosser was First Lieutenant - Sophie Barrett note).I was certainly glad to get all the news about many of my shipmates with whm I HAD LOST CONTACT- I don't believe I had heard from or of any of them in years and years. I knew about Benny Crosser's death but did not know about the others you wrote about (Aiken, Boyd, Nelson,Ascherfeld, Boileau, Clarence Smith).Now for some information about me since leaving the HANNIBAL. I left her in Norfolk about November l936 and spent about seven months on the ARKANSAS as a turret officer. Then I went to the Naval Academy as an Instructor in Spanish. In June l939 I was detached from the Naval Academy and reported to the USS NASHVILLE a light cruiser which was then in Annapolis Roads.I went aboard as the seventh serior Lieutenant and left in April 1943 as the senior commander, except for the Executive offcier.If I had stayed aboard another couple of months, I would probably have been the "Exec" as not long after I left a classmate of mine who was junior to me became "Exec."I spent most of the war on the NASHVILLE- a good part of the time in the Aleutian Islands.Just after I joined her we went through the Canal to Long Beach (California), where we were based several months -and then sent out to Pearl Harbor.It appeared that we were going to be out there from then on, and since the Navy Department did not see fit to change our home base, I left my family in Long Beach.Finally I decided to send for them at my own expense, so my wife, Helen, had the boys taken out of school early, shipped the car out to Pearl Harbor, and all of them boarded a ship for there.About the time they arrived in Honolulu,the NASHVILLE was transiting the Canal again, under secret orders- so I could not wire her not to come.I could not get in touch with her for a month or more but finally was able to call her long distance from Boston and tell her to get back to Baltimore with her family as soon as she could. Of course that was all at my own expense.By the time she got back to Baltimore with the family,we were up in Iceland but came back before long, so she left the boys in Baltimore and joined me in New York for a few days. During the rest of l941 we operated out of Bermuda with the Neutrality Patrol and were there on Pearl Harbor day.That day we left again for Iceland and were gone for two or three weeks. When we got back, we were again sent to Pearl, and later to the Aleutians so I didn't get to see the family for a year or more. I finally got detached from the NASHVILLE in March or April l943 and got back to the States to find Helen living in Coronado with my mother and father. I went there and was stationed with the Operational Training Command Pacific until June l944.. I was then ordered to Balboa as Port Captain but wasn't allowed to take my family with me, so that was another year's separation- they finally joined me in Balboa in July, l945.Please remember me to any of our old shipmates that you might see or contact and my very,very best to you and yours, -sincerely, Harry Ferguson." I am also including a letter which Jack received on the HANNIBAL in Norfolk, Virginia sent from the Submarine base, Coco Solo, Caal Zone,dated September 27, l935 and written by Ezequiel Labiosa, Coxswain YP 41 Coco Solo, Canal Zone: "Lieutenant Commander J. B. Barrett, Executive Officer, USS HANNIBAL, Norfolk, Virginia, Dear sir,I can hardly find words to explain my gratitude and express you of my deep appreciation for your benevolent kindness in having granted me to remain here with the YP boats whereby I can provide my wife with a home in Colon. I will always remember your very hearty consideration, sir, and shall ever cooperate with you here in my duties and anywhere to the best of my knowledge and strength, gladly.In the event of any chance for me to go up for second class boatswain's mate, I wish you will kindly give one a thought down here, Mr. Barrett,and you can be sure that I will very highly appreciate your thought and will discharge my time in the Navy with such pride as only an officer of your caliber can provide in a man.If I could only serve my life in the Navy with suich officers as you- you can be sure sir that throughout my fifteen years in the Service, I never found anyone to whom I could be so grateful. I always hold high my pride in my good record. Only trust in God I will be under your command the years I have left to serve in the Navy." Another letter from a junior boat officer Paul Nelson was written to Jack from the Naval Observatory at Washington on 6 December l933 when the ship was in Portsmouth,Virginia: "Dear Commander, We have just about completed our course here at the Observatory. I expect to leave on or before thirteen December for Norfolk. There remains only a compilation of data. Commander Demott (Dewitt?) informed me that he is writing a letter to Mr. Devine in regard to the measuring sticks for the sounding machine tubes. He also informed me that the sticks will arrive on board before departure for Panama. Washington has been a very expensive city to live in, and both my wife and myself shall be glad to get back to Norfolk and our Hannibal friends. Please convey my regards to the members of the mess. Sincerely yours, Paul Nelson." (Note: Paul had the duty on the mine layer OGLALA the night of December 6-7 l941. Admiral Furlong was aboard that morning and as Senior Officer Present Afloat he gave the order for all ships in the Harbor to sortie right after the first bombs fell at Ford Island around 7:50 that Sunday morning.Paul had combatant duty in the War and was retired as a Captain.On October 8,l970 his wife Gene Nelson wrote:"Paul was Communications Officer on Admiral Furlong's staff and kept telling him the OGLALA was sinking and he'd better get off. OGLALA was his flagship, and he insisted the old thing be raised.It was alongside HELENA, which was tied up to 1010 dock. It has been pulled astern when it was toppled over on the dock. Paul could look into his (old) room whenever the water cleared.He had command of fourteen LSTs and convoyed the troopships which took Palawan (Western Philippines).He and his LSTs missed Leyte-Samar (October l944) as his (group's flagship the 775 broke down." The President of the Republic of Panama sent a radio to the USS HANNIBAL on May 23, l935 "To Captain James M. Stevens, USS HANNIBAL- My best thanks to you for the courtesy shown me during my visit to Coiba yesterday, Best wishes and regards, Harmodo Arias, president of the Republic of Panama." I am gioving here the MORNING ORDERS for the HANNIBAL at Bahia Honda, Panama , Wednesday 22 May l935 as a sample of the type of orders put out by Jack while Executive Officer of the HANNIBAL l933-l935: 0500 All Hands 0530 Turn to -Scrub down - Prepare to get under way- Breakfast for forty men (ML # 1,2,3,4 crews ,sounding and extra details 0615 ML#1,2,3,4, proceed as assigned 0620 under way 0730 breakfast 0800 Muster on stations. turn to- Sweep down - Clean up decks 0900 Quarters- White working uniform. Survey Operations 06l5 MR #1 Lt jg Jones ,full sounding crew plus two men Run lines as per boat sheet. Lunch and supper for one officer, ten men. ML#2 Lt jg Lockwood full sounding crew plus two men, Run lines as per boat sheet. Lunch and supper for one office, ten men.ML #3 Lt jg AKIN full sounding crew plus two men. Run lines as per boat sheet. Lunch and supper for one officer, ten men.Motor Launch #4 Chief Boatswain Pittman, full sounding crew plus two men. Run line as per boat sheet. Lunch and supper for one officer, ten men. Avoid unnecessary hazards. Ship will return to Bahia Honda prior to evening meal if practicable. Instructions for Official Visit at Coiba. Reference USNR Art. 234, 297, 322 All men on deck will be required to be in white working uniform prior to contact with planes.When planes have alighted on water, a Motor Whale Boat, flying color with an officer with AC boat and two men to man it, will be sent to transfer personnel (President of Panama, two other Government of Panama officials, Commander Gates, and Mr. Young) to shore at Coiba colony. The officer in the boat will invite party to return to ship for luncheon and will arrange for a definite time for return of boat for party and what time luncheon should be served. If party passes "close aboard" (USNR art 267, 400 yards) officers and crew will be called to "attention", facing outboard toward party. After landing has been effected,boat will transfer other personnel from planes to ship as necessary or desirable. When President comes aboard: All men on topside in white working uniform with neckerchiefs. Officers in full dress white - medals- gloves- swords- Full Dress Bilt. Have eight sideboys tending side rest of crew man Rail at equal intervals along ship's side. Officers assembled on quarterdeck, starboard side aft. Sound "Attention." Have the National Ensign of Panama "in sops" at the main. Tend the saide. When the president reaches the deck, officers and men shall salute. The National Emblem of Panama shall be displayed at the main the moment he reaches the deck and during the entire visit. After party goes below, removal of jumper and neckerchiefs may be authorized but with careful preparation ofor prompt resumption at President's departure. Personnel not in official party should be returned to plane well in advance of conclusion of official visit.On President;s departure some cermonies "Salute, manning rail, Attention" shall be rendered. National Ensign of Panama will be handed down at "Carry on" when President leaves ship. Motor Whale Boat, flying colors with officer will return President and party to planes. Officers and crew will shift into ordinary service uniform of the day - J.B. Barrett, Lieutenant Commander USN Executive Officer. be out there from then on. Devine, Livingston, Lehman, and most of the others." END HANNIBAL DAY ORDERS 22 May 1935. Website locations P-A-M-A-M-A chapter photos May 31, 1934 party for Captain and Mrs. Robert Hinckley Panama City - and detail of Jack and Sophie Barrett-#865 Sophie driver license 1934 Panama Sophie with Boyd's maid Netha #110 old Buick #156 p 20 #985 -p 44 Sophie in hammock com LJJ Lafayette Jackson Jones letter HANNIBAL Panama l935 On 15 February I received a letter from Fredericksburg Virginia, Mary Washington College from the junior boat officer on the HANNIBAL who is now Captain Lafayette Jackson Jones. "Dear Mrs. Barrett, I did indeed serve on the HANNIBAL at the time you speak of and remember Commander Barrett - then a Lieutenant Commander I believe- very well. To the best of my recollection Lieutenant jg Robert E. Lockwood joined the ship at sea in the early spring of l935 - I regret to say that Captain Lockwood Retired died in Delmar, California within the past year or two.I remember well most of the people mentioned by you. I believe Captain Gresham had the ship when I reported - later relieved by Captain Stevens and then by Captain Richards. Harry Ferguson was engineer, Dan "Shorty" Candler the navigator, Ben Crosser First Lieutenant, Peake the supply officer and Smith the doctor. Others on board were Akin, Visser, Halstead, and one or two others whom I can't recall- it was thirty-six years ago. Pittman was there and Lehman and Devine (hydrographers) - whom we called "Too-Too" with affection of course. I remember the day Pittman was killed. He, Mervin Halstead, and I were working the sounding boat crews along a stretch of beach, putting up shore signals and taking soundings.While landing with ourAtlantic City surf boats, I suspect that all of us turned over several times that day - I know WE did. The speculation was that Pittman may have been hit by the boat or by some of the materials carried for the construction of signals.It was not unusual for the landing boats to broach and turn end over end in the surf, but the waves did seem to be higher than usual on this particular day. As you probably know, the HANNIBAL - we called her the "White Swan" - she was painted white- was the last coal burning ship in the United States Navy. We would go to sea with full bumpers and sometimes with a deck load of coal in bags, and we stayed (at sea) as long as fuel supply allowed- usually about a month. We worked hard in the HANNIBAL, but we had a good time when we cme into port- usually for about ten days."Shorty" Candler and I used to go to the races at the old Panama Race Track. The horses weren't very fast, but that didn't bother us, and we played softball and tennis and drank beer of course.Dr. Smith and I had a lot of good fishing up and down the coast. The best as I remember was around the islands of Jicaron and Jicasita off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica.I remember one day we were out in the motor whale boat, and I had a good fish on the line.The fish was about to pull me on the rocks, and "Doc" wanted to cut him loose, but I wouldn't hear of it.Anyway we got the fish before he wrecked the boat, and he was a fifty-nine pound amberjack. "Doc" caught a one hundred fifty pound shark one day, and when he got him in the boat, I was ready to jump over the side.We caught all kinds of fish.You never knew what you would have on your line next, and that made it doubly fascinating. I talked many times with Commander Barrett. As I remember he had a mustache.Does my memory fail me in this regard?It seems to me that he assumed temporary command of the ship for a time - perhaps after Captain Gresham left and before Captain Stevens reported (spring l935).Anyway we all liked him very much and thought he was a fine officer.- Well, there are some of my memories of my service in the "white swan." I hope you wil find them interesting. Forgive me for waiting so long to answer your letter. Sincerely yours, L.J. (Jack) Jones, Captain USN Retired." Letter from Dan Candler 16 April l97l "We are planning on heading for Pennsylvania in about ten days for a stay of about six weeks, and while in Philadelphia I shall try to get in touch with Ethel Smith and get the story of the loss of the dog "Mack." I know that he was a Llewellen setter and was a well bred dog even though I never hunted with him.He was treated as one of the family.You might tell John that the only difference (i had) with his father was the one you mentioned - the late bridge game. Can't remember any others now.I told John that his father probably knew more about boats than anyone I've known.And he passed up many chances to take us to task when he probably should have.And a good "Exec" does not mention that an order comes from the Captain.John can well be proud of his father. Sincerely, Dan Candler."-- While Dan and Anne (Candler) were visiting in Pennsylvania in the early summer of l971, a heart attack -sudden- struck him, and he passed away. He had been looking forward to his fiftieth anniversary at Annapolis, as he was in the class of l922 and was very popular.His wife Anne wrote of his passing. BLACK NOTEBOOK FOUR p. 20 July 2, 1970 from Commander Chester Peake 2521 Milmar Drive Sarasota Florida 33577 My dear Mrs. Barrett, It was fine to have your letter. Tiny and I were glad to hear from you, also of all of our mutual shipmates of years ago. Just tell them I am still kicking and glad to be able to do so at my steadily advancing age. = But we must impart Tiny is still confined to the Rest Home. I am hoping and trusting the broken bone is knitting satisfactorily. An X-ray is scheduled for next week Naturally she is confined to the bed or a wheelchair practically the entire day. = Several days each week she goes to therapy- getting lonely here at home. When you write to Gene Nelson, kindly remember Tiny and me.She was a fine girl and a fine shipmate. Also Frank Delahanty. It has been years since I have seen him. I have your other letter here- filed under "P" for "pending" and for "personal". = We have some items of years ago in storage places here at the house - only - where are they? It's likely I would have to take out a few partitions to locate some of our memoirs. = But really I have kept your precious letter on my writing table - to jog up my failing memory- and - most important - to dig into the chests, boxes, etc. where our HANNIBAL notes are most likely to be filed away - at the first favorable opportunity. Tiny and I convey our kindest wishes. Sincerely, Chester P. Peake" [HANNIBAL Supply officer, who corresponded extensively with Sophie in 1970s]. Of HANNIBAL families, the Barretts lived near Clarence and Mary Boyd in Coronado, California 1938-9, saw Paul and Gene Nelson in Hawaii 1941, and Mary Ascherfeld 1946-7, and had Clarence and Mary Boyd visit at West Roxbury 1948. Correspondence with many HANNIBAL friends was extensive in 1970s, and Sophie remained in touch with Admiral Richard Visser and his wife Joan in Madrid Spain to 1986 and also with Mrs. Mary Ascherfeld in Pensacola, Florida, and Mrs. Halstead in Los Altos, California,and the Boyds' daughter Peggy - Mrs. Stafford Green in Charleston, Carolina. Friends of the Ascherfelds, Mr. and Mrs. Powers, whom Sophie met in Panama visited Sophie in West Roxbury about 1985. HANNIBAL chapter Sophie's final portions- Great Dismal Swamp, Gleasons, Vaccaros-Trios, Rice family, McKims, Isabelle the parrot, pregnancy, hurricane, transfer to CLAXTON command: Starting 7 December l934 Jack had four weeks leave during which we drove all over eastern Virginia, including Virginia Beach and Great Dismal Swamp and then into North Carolina. But most of the time we just stayed in Portsmouth,enjoying the yams and fresh spinach and taking short =166= drives into the country around Portsmouth. Early in January l935 I returned to Panama on the CRISTOBAL, and Helen Aiken wife of one of our junior officers was also aboard. I became acquainted with Mary and Margaret Gleason of Ardmore, Pennsylvania,who were going to Colon on the Atlantic side to visit their Army dentist cousin.We saw Mary frequently in Philadelphia when she worked for the Insurance Company of North America. Her sister worked in New York City for the Aluminum company.For the entire l935 season I lived at the McKim home in Ancon,where they rented me a good=sized porch, which served for living and dining, and a bedroom, a share of a bathroom, and kitchen privileges.The family next door, where the man Captain Schlomny was a Canal pilot, had a parrot that really talked.It called out, "Isabelle"- the name of their daughter, and it talked all the time.Mr.McKim worked in the Administration building on Ancon Hill.Their daughter Josephine McKim was a well-known swimmer who did the swimming parts for Hollywood movie stars.The younger daughter Musa Jane was studying at college on the mainland.Mr. McKim often visited the San Blas Indians on an island off the coast of Panama.They were a comparatively unknown group who avoided outside contacts, but they were friendly with Mr.McKim.He was writing a book about them and asked for my opinion and criticism. In Ancon in l935, John Vaccaro's sister Rose and her husband Hugo Trio called on Jack on the HANNIBAL.Since he wanted to show them as much of the Canal Zone and Panama as possible, he took them riding in the old Buick. When Jack got a flat tire, Hugo skillfully changed the tire for him.Commander and Mrs. Paul Rice, our old friends from the TULSA in 1930 and l931, were in Panama in 1935, when he was the Admiral's aide aboard the TRENTON. They lived in Panama City, where I visited them and I admired their spacious quarters- much nicer than the homes in the Canal Zone.But Gertrude got malaria there. Paul retired soon after her attack because of his arthritis in 1935,though he was recalled to active duty one year before World War II and worked at Pearl Harbor in industrial management. HANNIBAL FINAL MONTHS 1935 AUGUST Sophie pregnant. SEPTEMBER Hurricane coming north. OCTOBER Transfer to command of CLAXTON: When Jack told our medical officer on the HANNIBAL in early August l935 that I thought I was pregnant= and told him what my symptoms were, he told Jack I merely had phlegm.Going up north in September l935, I bought a few bottles of bay rum in Haiti- one for Bill Barrett, who met me in New York.The CRISTOBAL had left a few days before the HANNIBAL, and we had a very rough trip because of a hurricane behind us. The HANNIBAL was closer to the center of the storm and made a dangerous passage. On the CRISTOBAL those of us on the upper deck were forbidden to leave our cabins. Bill Barrett met me in New York and took me by taxi to Grand Central Station, where I took a train via Berlin, Connecticut to New Britain where I saw my sister Babe and Dr. Geetter and their two young sons David and Albert, born l933 and l935.When I arrived in Portsmouth in September, l935 Jack had rented the second floor of Mr. Hanger's home, converted into two "apartments." It was much too small for us, without any dining space. The kitchen was merely a 'hole in the wall' a section of the living room with space only for a tiny stove and a tiny refrigerator. There were no wash tubs and only a very small sink, so the maid had todo the washing in the bathtub and had to go through the one bedroom to get to the bathroom.=l68- To eat one had to put up a bridge table in the living room. In the bedroom there was a genuine Duncan Phyphe table,but we didn't use Mr. Hanger's precious antique, as there was no pad for the table, which was too big for our cramped living room.The place was cold. At the most inappropriate times the elctric lights would go off.We would then have to search for Mr. Hanger,who lived in the cellar,which was always locked.Most of the time he was not there when the lights went out, and we endured cold and darkness.One Sunday evening when the lights went out at five o'clock (dark in Portsmouth at that season) Jack was so upset that he packed his suitcases and put them in the car preparatory to moving to the HANNIBAL as the place was unliveable.But since I was pregnant and did nothing about packing and getting out,he brought all his gear back and in disgust went to bed cold and hungry, and I did too.After living at the Hanger converted home a short time, Jack discovered that the first floor tenants were Commander and Mrs. Frank Delahanty of the Supply Corps.Frank and Jack were old friends.Sue Delahanty shopped with me for maternity clothes and helped me alter them.When we learned that my 1923 classmate Edna Delahanty at Mount Holyoke was Frank's first cousin, Sue and I became close friends.About Christmas time we found an apartment at 7100 Hampton Boulevard in Norfolk, Virginia not far from the Naval Operating Base, where Jack after November commanded the destroyer USS CLAXTON, after his HANNIBAL duty ended. |
|
p 13-100 Second Portion P___A___N___A___M___A chapter HANNIBAL chapter, second portion.Letters of Harry Ferguson, Ezequiel Labiosa, Paul Nelson, president Arias of Panama, -HANNIBAL day orders,website PANAMA photo locations,+ Lafayette J.Jones, last Dan Candler and Chester Peake letters.Sophie's final portions of HANNIBAL chapter:- Great Dismal Swamp, Gleasons, Vaccaros-Trios, Rice family, McKims, Isabelle the parrot, HANNIBAL FINAL MONTHS 1935 AUGUST Sophie pregnant. SEPTEMBER Hurricane coming north. OCTOBER Transfer to command of CLAXTON. P-A-N-A-M-A second portion --HINCKLEY- -11 January l970 letter from Captain Robert M. Hinckley USN Retired 4200 Cathedral Ave. NW Washington DC-(salutations to Mrs. Barrett - main text addressed to John Barrett junior regarding HANNIBAL inquiries:"The survey area was the Gulf of Panama, & the Pacific Coasts of Panama & Costa Rica.We did work for the government of Costa Rica helping them find a deep sea port for shipping bananas out,She was an old ship purchased in l902 for the Asiatic Fleet.She was a collier -cast iron hull-built by Harland & Wolff shipyard in England.She was converted into a survey ship at least ten years before I took command.There was always a lot of work to do on a ship as old as she was,& we were always getting new Hydrographic equipment installed. The ship was being modernized to a certain extent.None of the officers were specialists in Hydrographic work- we had three Hydrographic officers from the Navy Hydrographic Office to plan & make charts of the work we were doing.The HANNIBAL operated directly under orders from the Chief of Naval Operations,& our plan of operations for the next survey season was made out by me in conference with the Chief Hydrographer & his aides.The ship sailed for the survey area shortly after the first of the year & would be in the survey area until late summer.We had two sub chasers & they did valuable work in going into (shallow) waters (where) the ship couldn't go to set up survey beacons & carry equipment.We left them down in Panama when the ship went north for an overhaul.Mr. Devine was in charge of the survey planning in the area,& he & I would always get together with your father to plan the next day's work.About our relations with the local government officials,the only occasion I had to call on foreign governments was when we surveyed around Costa Rica.I called on their President,& he was very appreciative of the work the ship was doing for his country.We arranged a trip from Punta Arenas where the ship was tied up to San Jose the capital for officers & wives & enlisted men to spend a weekend.We missed the regular train, so I called the President on the telephone-& he sent a "special" down from San Jose to pick us up.There was only one other ship during survey duty-the NOKOMIS-a converted yacht.We worked with her at one period sounding a large portion of the Gulf of Panama.We were the first survey ship to receive the deep sea sounding machine, which would bring back samples of the bottom & had a string of Nansen bottles,which tapped sea water every fifty fathoms.We had a scientist from Scripps Institute on board to analyze the water. The deepest sounding we got was over 900 fathoms (5400 feet).I took command of the HANNIBAL in January l933 & was detached May 3l, l934.One of the greatest thrills I had on the HANNIBAL was finding a rock pinnacle only six feet below the low tide surface about one half mile to seaward from an island near Cape Mala, Panama.The skipper of one of our sub-chasers,-Lieutenant Ascherfeld,I think-whom we left down in Panama when the ship went north-said he talked to the captain of a small coastal cargo vessel who told him there was a rock out there & he wouldn't go anywhere near that area.If you want to see the HANNIBAL survey areas & even the logs of the HANNIBAL, write Commander U.S.Navy Oceanographic Office, Suitland,Maryland 20390.Please give my & Mrs.Hinckley's kindest regards to your mother.Sincerely, Robert M. Hinckley, Captain, U.S.N. Retired (pl9l) Harry Ferguson letter Letter postmarked l6 April l970 from Jacksonville Florida written by Captain Harry Ferguson who was the engineer officer in l934-l935, "Dear Mrs. Barrett, Of course I remember you and Jack very well from my days on board the HANNIBAL from some time in October l934 until November l936. During that time I served as Engineering Officer, having relieved A.R. Boileau in October l934.Boileau was on board only a few days after my reporting for duty, so I never got to know him very well.However I do remember many of the others you mentioned in your recent letter-Candler, Halstead,Visser, Crosser,Ascherfeld, Nelson, Pittman,Peake, Aiken, Devine,Livingston, Lehman, and most of the others.When I reported on board, Gresham was the skipper, relieved later by Stevens,who was relieved by Richards not long before I left. If I remember correctly, Jack was relieved by Frank Fitch quite some time before I left.Our top speed with a good following breeze was nearer nine knots instead of six or seven (as some of the others said). I do remember, however, having Point Mala Lighthouse at the southern tip of Panama in sight for twenty-four hours as we were bucking a tide trying to round that point on our way to Balboa.Also, if I remember correctly,at that time the HANNIBAL was the oldest ship and only coal burner left in the Navy, with a three cylinder reciprocating engine and only one propellor. Several times we would leave Balboa or Cristobal with our bunkers full of coal and bags of coal piled up anywhere we could find room for them on deck in order that we could spend as much time as possible in the survey area. Pittman was a Warrant Boatswain who was drowned off the East Coast of Costa Rica- and his body returned via the HANNIBAL to Cristobal. I believe the Communications Officer was either Crosser or Aiken, (Crosser was First Lieutenant - Sophie Barrett note).I was certainly glad to get all the news about many of my shipmates with whm I HAD LOST CONTACT- I don't believe I had heard from or of any of them in years and years. I knew about Benny Crosser's death but did not know about the others you wrote about (Aiken, Boyd, Nelson,Ascherfeld, Boileau, Clarence Smith).Now for some information about me since leaving the HANNIBAL. I left her in Norfolk about November l936 and spent about seven months on the ARKANSAS as a turret officer. Then I went to the Naval Academy as an Instructor in Spanish. In June l939 I was detached from the Naval Academy and reported to the USS NASHVILLE a light cruiser which was then in Annapolis Roads.I went aboard as the seventh serior Lieutenant and left in April 1943 as the senior commander, except for the Executive offcier.If I had stayed aboard another couple of months, I would probably have been the "Exec" as not long after I left a classmate of mine who was junior to me became "Exec."I spent most of the war on the NASHVILLE- a good part of the time in the Aleutian Islands.Just after I joined her we went through the Canal to Long Beach (California), where we were based several months -and then sent out to Pearl Harbor.It appeared that we were going to be out there from then on, and since the Navy Department did not see fit to change our home base, I left my family in Long Beach.Finally I decided to send for them at my own expense, so my wife, Helen, had the boys taken out of school early, shipped the car out to Pearl Harbor, and all of them boarded a ship for there.About the time they arrived in Honolulu,the NASHVILLE was transiting the Canal again, under secret orders- so I could not wire her not to come.I could not get in touch with her for a month or more but finally was able to call her long distance from Boston and tell her to get back to Baltimore with her family as soon as she could. Of course that was all at my own expense.By the time she got back to Baltimore with the family,we were up in Iceland but came back before long, so she left the boys in Baltimore and joined me in New York for a few days. During the rest of l941 we operated out of Bermuda with the Neutrality Patrol and were there on Pearl Harbor day.That day we left again for Iceland and were gone for two or three weeks. When we got back, we were again sent to Pearl, and later to the Aleutians so I didn't get to see the family for a year or more. I finally got detached from the NASHVILLE in March or April l943 and got back to the States to find Helen living in Coronado with my mother and father. I went there and was stationed with the Operational Training Command Pacific until June l944.. I was then ordered to Balboa as Port Captain but wasn't allowed to take my family with me, so that was another year's separation- they finally joined me in Balboa in July, l945.Please remember me to any of our old shipmates that you might see or contact and my very,very best to you and yours, -sincerely, Harry Ferguson." I am also including a letter which Jack received on the HANNIBAL in Norfolk, Virginia sent from the Submarine base, Coco Solo, Caal Zone,dated September 27, l935 and written by Ezequiel Labiosa, Coxswain YP 41 Coco Solo, Canal Zone: "Lieutenant Commander J. B. Barrett, Executive Officer, USS HANNIBAL, Norfolk, Virginia, Dear sir,I can hardly find words to explain my gratitude and express you of my deep appreciation for your benevolent kindness in having granted me to remain here with the YP boats whereby I can provide my wife with a home in Colon. I will always remember your very hearty consideration, sir, and shall ever cooperate with you here in my duties and anywhere to the best of my knowledge and strength, gladly.In the event of any chance for me to go up for second class boatswain's mate, I wish you will kindly give one a thought down here, Mr. Barrett,and you can be sure that I will very highly appreciate your thought and will discharge my time in the Navy with such pride as only an officer of your caliber can provide in a man.If I could only serve my life in the Navy with suich officers as you- you can be sure sir that throughout my fifteen years in the Service, I never found anyone to whom I could be so grateful. I always hold high my pride in my good record. Only trust in God I will be under your command the years I have left to serve in the Navy." Another letter from a junior boat officer Paul Nelson was written to Jack from the Naval Observatory at Washington on 6 December l933 when the ship was in Portsmouth,Virginia: "Dear Commander, We have just about completed our course here at the Observatory. I expect to leave on or before thirteen December for Norfolk. There remains only a compilation of data. Commander Demott (Dewitt?) informed me that he is writing a letter to Mr. Devine in regard to the measuring sticks for the sounding machine tubes. He also informed me that the sticks will arrive on board before departure for Panama. Washington has been a very expensive city to live in, and both my wife and myself shall be glad to get back to Norfolk and our Hannibal friends. Please convey my regards to the members of the mess. Sincerely yours, Paul Nelson." (Note: Paul had the duty on the mine layer OGLALA the night of December 6-7 l941. Admiral Furlong was aboard that morning and as Senior Officer Present Afloat he gave the order for all ships in the Harbor to sortie right after the first bombs fell at Ford Island around 7:50 that Sunday morning.Paul had combatant duty in the War and was retired as a Captain.On October 8,l970 his wife Gene Nelson wrote:"Paul was Communications Officer on Admiral Furlong's staff and kept telling him the OGLALA was sinking and he'd better get off. OGLALA was his flagship, and he insisted the old thing be raised.It was alongside HELENA, which was tied up to 1010 dock. It has been pulled astern when it was toppled over on the dock. Paul could look into his (old) room whenever the water cleared.He had command of fourteen LSTs and convoyed the troopships which took Palawan (Western Philippines).He and his LSTs missed Leyte-Samar (October l944) as his (group's flagship the 775 broke down." The President of the Republic of Panama sent a radio to the USS HANNIBAL on May 23, l935 "To Captain James M. Stevens, USS HANNIBAL- My best thanks to you for the courtesy shown me during my visit to Coiba yesterday, Best wishes and regards, Harmodo Arias, president of the Republic of Panama." I am gioving here the MORNING ORDERS for the HANNIBAL at Bahia Honda, Panama , Wednesday 22 May l935 as a sample of the type of orders put out by Jack while Executive Officer of the HANNIBAL l933-l935: 0500 All Hands 0530 Turn to -Scrub down - Prepare to get under way- Breakfast for forty men (ML # 1,2,3,4 crews ,sounding and extra details 0615 ML#1,2,3,4, proceed as assigned 0620 under way 0730 breakfast 0800 Muster on stations. turn to- Sweep down - Clean up decks 0900 Quarters- White working uniform. Survey Operations 06l5 MR #1 Lt jg Jones ,full sounding crew plus two men Run lines as per boat sheet. Lunch and supper for one officer, ten men. ML#2 Lt jg Lockwood full sounding crew plus two men, Run lines as per boat sheet. Lunch and supper for one office, ten men.ML #3 Lt jg AKIN full sounding crew plus two men. Run lines as per boat sheet. Lunch and supper for one officer, ten men.Motor Launch #4 Chief Boatswain Pittman, full sounding crew plus two men. Run line as per boat sheet. Lunch and supper for one officer, ten men. Avoid unnecessary hazards. Ship will return to Bahia Honda prior to evening meal if practicable. Instructions for Official Visit at Coiba. Reference USNR Art. 234, 297, 322 All men on deck will be required to be in white working uniform prior to contact with planes.When planes have alighted on water, a Motor Whale Boat, flying color with an officer with AC boat and two men to man it, will be sent to transfer personnel (President of Panama, two other Government of Panama officials, Commander Gates, and Mr. Young) to shore at Coiba colony. The officer in the boat will invite party to return to ship for luncheon and will arrange for a definite time for return of boat for party and what time luncheon should be served. If party passes "close aboard" (USNR art 267, 400 yards) officers and crew will be called to "attention", facing outboard toward party. After landing has been effected,boat will transfer other personnel from planes to ship as necessary or desirable. When President comes aboard: All men on topside in white working uniform with neckerchiefs. Officers in full dress white - medals- gloves- swords- Full Dress Bilt. Have eight sideboys tending side rest of crew man Rail at equal intervals along ship's side. Officers assembled on quarterdeck, starboard side aft. Sound "Attention." Have the National Ensign of Panama "in sops" at the main. Tend the side. When the President reaches the deck, officers and men shall salute. The National Emblem of Panama shall be displayed at the main the moment he reaches the deck and during the entire visit. After party goes below, removal of jumper and neckerchiefs may be authorized but with careful preparation ofor prompt resumption at President's departure. Personnel not in official party should be returned to plane well in advance of conclusion of official visit.On President;s departure some cermonies "Salute, manning rail, Attention" shall be rendered. National Ensign of Panama will be handed down at "Carry on" when President leaves ship. Motor Whale Boat, flying colors with officer will return President and party to planes. Officers and crew will shift into ordinary service uniform of the day - J.B. Barrett, Lieutenant Commander USN Executive Officer. be out there from then on. Devine, Livingston, Lehman, and most of the others." END HANNIBAL DAY ORDERS 22 May 1935. Website locations P-A-M-A-M-A chapter photos May 31, 1934 party for Captain and Mrs. Robert Hinckley Panama City - and detail of Jack and Sophie Barrett-#865 Sophie driver license 1934 Panama Sophie with Boyd's maid Netha #110 old Buick #156 p 20 #985 -p 44 Sophie in hammock com LJJ Lafayette Jackson Jones letter HANNIBAL Panama l935 On 15 February I received a letter from Fredericksburg Virginia, Mary Washington College from the junior boat officer on the HANNIBAL who is now Captain Lafayette Jackson Jones. "Dear Mrs. Barrett, I did indeed serve on the HANNIBAL at the time you speak of and remember Commander Barrett - then a Lieutenant Commander I believe- very well. To the best of my recollection Lieutenant jg Robert E. Lockwood joined the ship at sea in the early spring of l935 - I regret to say that Captain Lockwood Retired died in Delmar, California within the past year or two.I remember well most of the people mentioned by you. I believe Captain Gresham had the ship when I reported - later relieved by Captain Stevens and then by Captain Richards. Harry Ferguson was engineer, Dan "Shorty" Candler the navigator, Ben Crosser First Lieutenant, Peake the supply officer and Smith the doctor. Others on board were Akin, Visser, Halstead, and one or two others whom I can't recall- it was thirty-six years ago. Pittman was there and Lehman and Devine (hydrographers) - whom we called "Too-Too" with affection of course. I remember the day Pittman was killed. He, Mervin Halstead, and I were working the sounding boat crews along a stretch of beach, putting up shore signals and taking soundings.While landing with ourAtlantic City surf boats, I suspect that all of us turned over several times that day - I know WE did. The speculation was that Pittman may have been hit by the boat or by some of the materials carried for the construction of signals.It was not unusual for the landing boats to broach and turn end over end in the surf, but the waves did seem to be higher than usual on this particular day. As you probably know, the HANNIBAL - we called her the "White Swan" - she was painted white- was the last coal burning ship in the United States Navy. We would go to sea with full bumpers and sometimes with a deck load of coal in bags, and we stayed (at sea) as long as fuel supply allowed- usually about a month. We worked hard in the HANNIBAL, but we had a good time when we cme into port- usually for about ten days."Shorty" Candler and I used to go to the races at the old Panama Race Track. The horses weren't very fast, but that didn't bother us, and we played softball and tennis and drank beer of course.Dr. Smith and I had a lot of good fishing up and down the coast. The best as I remember was around the islands of Jicaron and Jicasita off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica.I remember one day we were out in the motor whale boat, and I had a good fish on the line.The fish was about to pull me on the rocks, and "Doc" wanted to cut him loose, but I wouldn't hear of it.Anyway we got the fish before he wrecked the boat, and he was a fifty-nine pound amberjack. "Doc" caught a one hundred fifty pound shark one day, and when he got him in the boat, I was ready to jump over the side.We caught all kinds of fish.You never knew what you would have on your line next, and that made it doubly fascinating. I talked many times with Commander Barrett. As I remember he had a mustache.Does my memory fail me in this regard?It seems to me that he assumed temporary command of the ship for a time - perhaps after Captain Gresham left and before Captain Stevens reported (spring l935).Anyway we all liked him very much and thought he was a fine officer.- Well, there are some of my memories of my service in the "white swan." I hope you wil find them interesting. Forgive me for waiting so long to answer your letter. Sincerely yours, L.J. (Jack) Jones, Captain USN Retired." Letter from Dan Candler 16 April l97l "We are planning on heading for Pennsylvania in about ten days for a stay of about six weeks, and while in Philadelphia I shall try to get in touch with Ethel Smith and get the story of the loss of the dog "Mack." I know that he was a Llewellen setter and was a well bred dog even though I never hunted with him.He was treated as one of the family.You might tell John that the only difference (i had) with his father was the one you mentioned - the late bridge game. Can't remember any others now.I told John that his father probably knew more about boats than anyone I've known.And he passed up many chances to take us to task when he probably should have.And a good "Exec" does not mention that an order comes from the Captain.John can well be proud of his father. Sincerely, Dan Candler."-- While Dan and Anne (Candler) were visiting in Pennsylvania in the early summer of l971, a heart attack -sudden- struck him, and he passed away. He had been looking forward to his fiftieth anniversary at Annapolis, as he was in the class of l922 and was very popular.His wife Anne wrote of his passing. BLACK NOTEBOOK FOUR p. 20 July 2, 1970 from Commander Chester Peake 2521 Milmar Drive Sarasota Florida 33577 My dear Mrs. Barrett, It was fine to have your letter. Tiny and I were glad to hear from you, also of all of our mutual shipmates of years ago. Just tell them I am still kicking and glad to be able to do so at my steadily advancing age. = But we must impart Tiny is still confined to the Rest Home. I am hoping and trusting the broken bone is knitting satisfactorily. An X-ray is scheduled for next week Naturally she is confined to the bed or a wheelchair practically the entire day. = Several days each week she goes to therapy- getting lonely here at home. When you write to Gene Nelson, kindly remember Tiny and me.She was a fine girl and a fine shipmate. Also Frank Delahanty. It has been years since I have seen him. I have your other letter here- filed under "P" for "pending" and for "personal". = We have some items of years ago in storage places here at the house - only - where are they? It's likely I would have to take out a few partitions to locate some of our memoirs. = But really I have kept your precious letter on my writing table - to jog up my failing memory- and - most important - to dig into the chests, boxes, etc. where our HANNIBAL notes are most likely to be filed away - at the first favorable opportunity. Tiny and I convey our kindest wishes. Sincerely, Chester P. Peake" [HANNIBAL Supply officer, who corresponded extensively with Sophie in 1970s]. Of HANNIBAL families, the Barretts lived near Clarence and Mary Boyd in Coronado, California 1938-9, saw Paul and Gene Nelson in Hawaii 1941, and Mary Ascherfeld 1946-7, and had Clarence and Mary Boyd visit at West Roxbury 1948. Correspondence with many HANNIBAL friends was extensive in 1970s, and Sophie remained in touch with Admiral Richard Visser and his wife Joan in Madrid Spain to 1986 and also with Mrs. Mary Ascherfeld in Pensacola, Florida, and Mrs. Halstead in Los Altos, California,and the Boyds' daughter Peggy - Mrs. Stafford Green in Charleston, Carolina. Friends of the Ascherfelds, Mr. and Mrs. Powers, whom Sophie met in Panama visited Sophie in West Roxbury about 1985. HANNIBAL chapter Sophie's final portions- Great Dismal Swamp, Gleasons, Vaccaros-Trios, Rice family, McKims, Isabelle the parrot, pregnancy, hurricane, transfer to CLAXTON command: Starting 7 December l934 Jack had four weeks leave during which we drove all over eastern Virginia, including Virginia Beach and Great Dismal Swamp and then into North Carolina. But most of the time we just stayed in Portsmouth,enjoying the yams and fresh spinach and taking short =166= drives into the country around Portsmouth. Early in January l935 I returned to Panama on the CRISTOBAL, and Helen Aiken wife of one of our junior officers was also aboard. I became acquainted with Mary and Margaret Gleason of Ardmore, Pennsylvania,who were going to Colon on the Atlantic side to visit their Army dentist cousin.We saw Mary frequently in Philadelphia when she worked for the Insurance Company of North America. Her sister worked in New York City for the Aluminum company.For the entire l935 season I lived at the McKim home in Ancon,where they rented me a good=sized porch, which served for living and dining, and a bedroom, a share of a bathroom, and kitchen privileges.The family next door, where the man Captain Schlomny was a Canal pilot, had a parrot that really talked.It called out, "Isabelle"- the name of their daughter, and it talked all the time.Mr.McKim worked in the Administration building on Ancon Hill.Their daughter Josephine McKim was a well-known swimmer who did the swimming parts for Hollywood movie stars.The younger daughter Musa Jane was studying at college on the mainland.Mr. McKim often visited the San Blas Indians on an island off the coast of Panama on Atlantic coast near Colombia.They were a comparatively unknown group who avoided outside contacts, but they were friendly with Mr.McKim.He was writing a book about them and asked for my opinion and criticism. In Ancon in l935, John Vaccaro's sister Rose and her husband Hugo Trio called on Jack on the HANNIBAL.Since he wanted to show them as much of the Canal Zone and Panama as possible, he took them riding in the old Buick. When Jack got a flat tire, Hugo skillfully changed the tire for him.Commander and Mrs. Paul Rice, our old friends from the TULSA in 1930 and l931, were in Panama in 1935, when he was the Admiral's aide aboard the TRENTON. They lived in Panama City, where I visited them and I admired their spacious quarters- much nicer than the homes in the Canal Zone.But Gertrude got malaria there. Paul retired soon after her attack because of his arthritis in 1935,though he was recalled to active duty one year before World War II and worked at Pearl Harbor in industrial management. HANNIBAL FINAL MONTHS 1935 AUGUST Sophie pregnant. SEPTEMBER Hurricane coming north. OCTOBER Transfer to command of CLAXTON: When Jack told our medical officer on the HANNIBAL in early August l935 that I thought I was pregnant= and told him what my symptoms were, he told Jack I merely had phlegm.Going up north in September l935, I bought a few bottles of bay rum in Haiti- one for Bill Barrett, who met me in New York.The CRISOBAL had left a few days before the HANNIBAL, and we had a very rough trip because of a hurricane behind us. The HANNIBAL was closer to the center of the storm and made a dangerous passage. On the CRISTOBAL those of us on the upper deck were forbidden to leave our cabins. Bill Barrett met me in New York and took me by taxi to Grand Central Station, where I took a train via Berlin, Connecticut to New Britain where I saw my sister Babe and Dr. Geetter and their two young sons David and Albert, born l933 and l935.When I arrived in Portsmouth in September, l935 Jack had rented the second floor of Mr. Hanger's home, converted into two "apartments." It was much too small for us, without any dining space. The kitchen was merely a 'hole in the wall' a section of the living room with space only for a tiny stove and a tiny refrigerator. There were no wash tubs and only a very small sink, so the maid had todo the washing in the bathtub and had to go through the one bedroom to get to the bathroom.=l68- To eat one had to put up a bridge table in the living room. In the bedroom there was a genuine Duncan Phyphe table,but we didn't use Mr. Hanger's precious antique, as there was no pad for the table, which was too big for our cramped living room.The place was cold. At the most inappropriate times the elctric lights would go off.We would then have to search for Mr. Hanger,who lived in the cellar,which was always locked.Most of the time he was not there when the lights went out, and we endured cold and darkness.One Sunday evening when the lights went out at five o'clock (dark in Portsmouth at that season) Jack was so upset that he packed his suitcases and put them in the car preparatory to moving to the HANNIBAL as the place was unliveable.But since I was pregnant and did nothing about packing and getting out,he brought all his gear back and in disgust went to bed cold and hungry, and I did too.After living at the Hanger converted home a short time, Jack discovered that the first floor tenants were Commander and Mrs. Frank Delahanty of the Supply Corps.Frank and Jack were old friends.Sue Delahanty shopped with me for maternity clothes and helped me alter them.When we learned that my 1923 classmate Edna Delahanty at Mount Holyoke was Frank's first cousin, Sue and I became close friends.About Christmas time we found an apartment at 7100 Hampton Boulevard in Norfolk, Virginia not far from the Naval Operating Base, where Jack after November commanded the destroyer USS CLAXTON, after his HANNIBAL duty ended. NOTE, John Barrett In 1970 my mother Sophie Barrett and I attempted to reconstruct some chronology of October-December 1933: it appears Jack Barrett reported at beginning of October 1933 to begin duties as Executive Officer of HANNIBAL at Portsmouth, Virginis. Sophie may have kept the apartment at 422 Columbia Road Dorchester in Boston for a time, and they came to South Boston at Christmas. Jack had some leave in this period. A letter of Jack's brother Bill from this period suggests some information and also a letter from Captain John Nelson, who had been Jack's superior officer at Charlestown Navy Yard 1932-3: "postmark November 23, 1933 The Shoreham, Washington, D.C. [to] Lieutenant Commander John B. Barrett USS HANNIBAL Navy Yard Norfolk, Virginia Dear Jack, I received the Army-Navy tickets, and they are very good. I got tickets fort the Princeton game and went last Saturday. They were also excellent. Had a nice interlude after the game as Doug Brown a Princeton professor asked us to come to tea after the game at his home- just what you need after sitting out in the cold. Also, the nice box of candy arrived, for which I thank Sophie and you - here again I have no manners for not telling you long ago. I had planned to go to Boston after the Princeton game, but certain changes down here made it necessary to come back right away. I think I'll go up there this weekend after Thanksgiving. This work down here will probably end as far as I'm concerned about December 15. It's sure a merry whirl now, with lots and lots of activity. I want to get down to Norfolk soon and had hoped to before this. Last Saturday was the first I've had off for ages. Some Navy Lieutenant from your ship called me last night. I tried to tyake him to lunch, but he was apparently too pre-occupied. It's time to go to work. Regards to Sophie. Bill" [SOPHIE note: This letter seems to prove that Jack and Sophie went to Norfolk in the fall of 1933. We stayed at the Heart of Ghent Hotel in Norfolk- then lived in an apartment in Portsmouth, where Pa Barrett visited, also Mollie Barrett and Eileen Lane. At the Heart of Ghent we saw Bill Keester and Mrs. Keester of the Coast Guard, and visited them at their home in Norfolk soon after - then we moved to Portsmouth. On Christmas Day 1933 we were at 640 East Seventh Street, South Boston - stayed four days- and then were at Geetters' in New Britain New Years Eve 1933 and New Years Day 1934. We returned to Portsmouth the day after New Years Day. I remember stopping at the Shoreham in Washington to see Bill for lunch on our way down to Norfolk in the Buick in the fall. He had been loaned to the National Recovery Administration NRA by the Met and was offered a full time job in the Roosevelt administration but preferred to return to the Met.There was also a letter from Captain John Nelson at Boston Navy Yard to Jack on the HANNIBAL in Norfolk in the fall of 1933 and he sent regards to me. Captain Nelson was Jack's immediate superior at Boston Naval Shipyard 1932-1933.] |
|
P_A-N-A-M-A ___ Sophie and Jack Barrett are sitting at left of front row. Jack was Executive officer of survey ship HANNIBAL October l933 to September l935. Next to Sophie is guest of honor Captain Robert M. Hinckley, who was being relieved by Captain Gresham, who is next to him, then Mrs. Hinckley. Lieutenants Richard Visser and Mervin Halstead and Benny Crosser were in the group.Photo was taken in Panama City. Better original copy with additional portion at right of photo has been added to webpage 102 photo # 1482. According to following 1989 letter of Admiral Visser, photos of Jean and Paul Nelson appear in right segment: "postmark August 30 1989 Rear Admiral and Mrs. Richard Gerben Visser United States Navy Retired : Madrid Sunday 27 August '89 Dear John, Thank you for sending the pictures of Captain Hinckley's farewell party,- they bring back treasured memories. Except for commanding the SS DALY (DD519) during World War II, I think my tour on survey duty in the HANNIBAL was the most interesting and self satisfying of my naval career.As young officers we were given the responsibility we wanted, and we could see the results of our work. I reported to the ship just after New Years Day in 1934 and served nearly two years until October, 1935,before being transferred. To identify some of the people:- (1)standing in the aisle holding up his drink is Lieutenant jg "Red" Akin US Naval Academy 1929 a classmate; (2) beside him on his right is Mervin Halstead USNA 1930;(3) I am standing just behind Akin. I don't see Dr. Smith in the picture.4 Commander Gresham with the swollen left arm is Hinckley's relief and sitting between Commander and Mrs. Hinckley. (5) Sitting beside Mrs. Hinckley is Helen Akin, Red's wife; next (6) is Lieutenant C.B. Peake the Supply Officer. I forget the name of the attractive girl next. I dated her, and she was the sister of a flyer (Army Air Corps) at Albrook Field. Jean Nelson is the last girl seated, and her husband Paul is standing behind her. He is a classmate also. I hope you sent these pictures to Halstead, too, for he will appreciate them as do I. This year is the sixtieth anniversary of my USNA class of 1929, and we are celebrating our reunion on 25 and 26 October in Annapolis with homecoming following on the 27th and 28th.We're meeting with our daughter and grandson and cousins, so it should be a great reunion. Many thanks again for sending the pictures.I shall write to the Halsteads.I'm sorry they live out in California - too far to visit. Joanna joins in sending best regards.-- Dick Visser. In front row from left of picture are Jack and Sophie Barrett, Captain Robert Hinckley, his successor Captain Gresham, Mrs. Hinckley,Mrs. Helen Akin, Chester Peake, and unidentified lady, and Mrs. Gene Nelson, whose husband then-Lieutenant Paul Nelson is standing behind her. Lieutenants Red Akin, Richard Visser, and Mervin Halstead are standing in an aisle toward left of photo, Akin identifiable holding up a glass, Visser behind Akin, and Halstead next to Akin probably to photo-left, Akin's right.The following 1989 letter from Read Admiral Richard G. Visser identifies several other persons in the photo and lists Annapolis year of several.Year: 1934,May 31____ P_A-N-A-M-A ___ Sophie and Jack Barrett are sitting at left of front row. Jack was Executive officer of survey ship HANNIBAL October l933 to September l935. Next to Sophie is guest of honor Captain Robert M. Hinckley, who was being relieved by Captain Gresham, who is next to him, then Mrs. Hinckley. Lieutenants Richard Visser and Mervin Halstead and Benny Crosser were in the group.Photo was taken in Panama City. Additional portion at right of photo is in existence and will be added to website. According to following 1989 letter of Admiral Visser, photos of Jean and Paul Nelson appear in right segment: "postmark August 30 1989 Rear Admiral and Mrs. Richard Gerben Visser United States Navy Retired : Madrid Sunday 27 August '89 Dear John, Thank you for sending the pictures of Captain Hinckley's farewell party,- they bring back treasured memories. Except for commanding the SS DALY (DD519) during World War II, I think my tour on survey duty in the HANNIBAL was the most interesting and self satisfying of my naval career.As young officers we were given the responsibility we wanted, and we could see the results of our work. I reported to the ship just after New Years Day in 1934 and served nearly two years until October, 1935,before being transferred. To identify some of the people:- (1)standing in the aisle holding up his drink is Lieutenant jg "Red" Akin US Naval Academy 1929 a classmate; (2) beside him on his right is Mervin Halstead USNA 1930;(3) I am standing just behind Akin. I don't see Dr. Smith in the picture.4 Commander Gresham with the swollen left arm is Hinckley's relief and sitting between Commander and Mrs. Hinckley. (5) Sitting beside Mrs. Hinckley is Helen Akin, Red's wife; next (6) is Lieutenant C.B. Peake the Supply Officer. I forget the name of the attractive girl next. I dated her, and she was the sister of a flyer (Army Air Corps) at Albrook Field. Jean Nelson is the last girl seated, and her husband Paul is standing behind her. He is a classmate also. I hope you sent these pictures to Halstead, too, for he will appreciate them as do I. This year is the sixtieth anniversary of my USNA class of 1929, and we are celebrating our reunion on 25 and 26 October in Annapolis with homecoming following on the 27th and 28th.We're meeting with our daughter and grandson and cousins, so it should be a great reunion. Many thanks again for sending the pictures.I shall write to the Halsteads.I'm sorry they live out in California - too far to visit. Joanna joins in sending best regards.-- Dick Visser.P___A___N___A___M___A part i --- HANNIBAL main text P-A-N-A-M-A chapter In l933 in Boston Jack was at first disappointed when he received orders as Executive Officer of survey ship HANNIBAL operating on the west coast of Panama for eight months a year and spending four months in Norfolk, Virginia for repairs, smooth work on reports,and leave and liberty for the crew.For two years he had been a Lieutenant Commander on shore duty in Boston where he had command of the Reserve training ship EAGLE l9,before which he had been gunnery officer of the gunboat TULSA in TIENTSIN, China. a ship that had been at the dock much of the time,and now he wanted command of a combatant ship to help him qualify eventually for promotion to Commander. He told me that duty on the HANNIBAL would sidetrack him, hurt his chances of selection for promotion especially because of his age in grade overage because he was thirty-three when he received his first Regular Navy commission as Lieutenant. In the fall of l933 we went to Norfolk to report to the HANNIBAL, where his disappointment did not last long.He was challenged when the Executive officer he relieved told him, "You can spend a lot of time in your bunk. This ship runs itself." Jack was amazed to find that the civilian hydrographer and ship's officers usurped the Captain's cabin every evening for "conferences" on the next day's work.Immediately Jack reorganized the ship - he liked and admired Captain Robert Hinckley, the captain of the ship.Every afternoon Jack met with the Captain and the chief hydrographer- the Jack wrote out the orders for the next day, and there were no more evening meetings in the Captain's cabin.Thus the Captain and other ships' officers could have the evening to themselves for rest and relaxation.[NBK 2 p 249] Officially the home port of the HANNIBAL was Portsmouth, Virginia, but in fact the ship was there only in the fall and very early winter. for repair work and transcription of the year's survey results and for leave and liberty. Most of the year the ship was in waters on the Pacific coast of Panma and Costa Rica surveying largely uncharted waters.which were becoming of interest to the national governments and American commercial interests. The officers and crew were Reugular Navy, and the civilian hydrographic engineers from the Naval Hydrographic office supervised the surveying.Commander Robert Hinckley was the Commanding Officer of the HANNIBAL, Lieutenant Commander Jack Barrett was the Executive officer, Dr. Clarence Nickerson Smith was the medical officer, Lieutenant Commnader Chester Peake was the Supply Officer, Dan Candler was the navigator and a senior watch officer, and the small boats were run by Clarence Boyd, Ted Ascherfeld, Dutch Woefel, Paul Nelson, Dick Visser, Mervin Halstead, and "Red" Aiken. Benny Crosser was also aboard as First Lieutenant and a watch officer. Commander Gresham relieved Commander Hinckley was was then relieved by Jack and then by Commander John Garfield Stevens. Jack considered his Boatswain Pittman very capable. After we left, Pittman subsequently drowned in 1936. I planned to live in the Canal zone in Panama when the ship was down there, because the HANNIBAL came into Balboa every month or six weeks and stayed in Balboa about ten days. My husband inquired about military transportation for me, but as Portsmouth was the home port, we had to pay for the transportation 251 where I occupied a house reserved for a civilian family due to arrive in about a month. The only furnishings were the basic furniture and dishes supplied by the federal government to all civilian households in the Canal Zone. The house was overrun with cockroaches and giant spiders, and the iguanas lived on the roof. Clarence Boyd skipper of one of the small boats and his wife Mary who could find no place to live, stayed with us on Plant Street but soon found a place of their own in Ancon. They had a lively wire haired terrier named Mischief. On Plant St with nothing to do in that empty house I read Culbertson bridge book from cover to cover, really studying it and also read two large volumes on "The Life of John Marshall" The first Saturday night there Jack and I went to the Union Club with Captain and Mrs. Hinckley, with Navy friends the Foggs and with Army friends Major and Mrs. Robb. The Union Club in Panama City is a most romantic spot where you drink and dance under the moon and stars and where you and your money are soon separated. One Navy friend, after an evening there drove his car right onto the grass of a mid town Open monument square! When the family arrived to claim its home on Plant St I moved into the small bachelor quarters of a woman telephone operator who was going to the mainland for three months. Mary Boyd, Mary Ascherfeld, and I spent nearly every afternoon at Fort Amador an Army fort where we could swim because Army wire kept the sharks out of the area. One evening late in l933 [or early in l934] Jack and I were having dinner at the Heart of Ghent Hotel in Norfolk, Virginia, shortly before I sailed for Panama.Jack happened to look over to the far side of the dining room,jumped up suddenly, and rushed off with a happy smile on his face. For some time he talked animatedly with a couple who seemed as glad to see him as he was to see them.When he returned to the table he told me the man was a Revenue Cutter cadet at the same time he was- Commander William Keester of the Class of l9l0. Only five cadets were graduated in the class of l9l0, and Bill Keester was one of Jack's good friends.The next evening we went by invitation to see the Keesters at their home in Norfolk, and they spent several happy hours with Jack talking about the subsequent careers of their contemporaries. Jack saw Keester later in Washington when Jack went there to inquire about small Coast Guard boats for the USS HANNIBAL's survey work. Jack got two dories from the Coast Guard- boats that were invaluable in the treacherous surf in shallow survey areas on the western coast of Panama and Costa Rica.Jack found a fine group of officers on the HANNIBAL when he joined the ship in Norfolk October l933. Captain Hinckley was very well qualified. He was able, even-tempered, friendly, appreciative of the work of his officers and men and had a "happy" ship. In letters from many of the ships' officers including Dan Candler, Dick Visser,Mervin Halstead, Jack Agnew, Harry Ferguson, Paul Lehman, Lafayette Jones, Woelfel-they all agree that they worked hard on the HANNIBAL but considered those years among the happiest of their naval careers- they worked hard at sea and played hard when they came ashore in Panama.Dan Candler, the navigator had a jolly disposition, and no amount of painstaking works was too much for him.Dr. Clarence Nickerson Smith, had a real interest in tropical medicine and diseases and a most challenging job to keep the officers and men free of malaria and other tropical diseases. An efficient paymaster, Chester Peake, was liked by everyone and gave us an awful scare when he was desperately sick in a Panama hospital suffering from a severe case of malaria. Clarence Boyd, Ted Ascherfeld, Dick Visser,Mervin Halstead,Paul Nelson, "Red" Aiken were among the young officers who ran the small boats- motor launches, sub chasers, and dories. Harry Ferguson relieved Boileau as Engineer Officer. Mervin Halstead owned a small pit bear, cut down a poisonous tree which almost cost him his eyesight, and he discovered a previously uncharted pinnacle rock which they temporarily termed "Hinckley Rock", and later it was permanently named Heradura rock on the charts.It was a dangerous rock only six feet below the surface of the water.Captain Hinckley wrote from Washington DC in l970 that discovery of that "Pinnacle Rock" was the greatest thrill he had while aboard the HANNIBAL.Very soon after the first of the year in l934 I went to Panama on the SS CRISTOBAL where Ethel Smith shared a cabin with me.It was pleasant aboard, especially as Ethel knew a young Army officer.One night he was in the cabin when I wanted to go to bed, and I sensed that Ethel would be glad to have him leave.So I said, "Mr. ---will you kindly leave so we can go to bed?" He was incensed- not because I asked him to leave, but because I had addressed him as "Mr." He informed me that all Army officers, even Second Lieutenants were always given a title and told me to address him as "Lieutenant." He had no use for me the rest of that trip.(l57) Captain Hinckley was succeeded by Captain Gresham, who invited Jack and me to dinner aboard the HANNIBAL. Both Captain Hinckley and his succesor Captain Gresham wrote in fitness reports that Jack was a fine seaman, an excellent ship handler,an excellent organizer, and a highly satisfactory Executive officer.Jack knew that Captain Gresham was affected with cancer and did all he could for the Captain's comfort during the time Captain Gresham was in command (about June l934-April l935).When he left, Jack was in acting command early l935, and I remember standing on the dock watching Jack take the"White Swan" (as the HANNIBAL was known) out of Balboa bound for the survey area. It was done with skill and with consideration for his officers and men.I was pleased when the Chief Hydrographer in Washington wrote that the HANNIBAL had done its work well during the periods of Jack's command. While I was still in the telephone operator's apartment just before I went to live with Mary in Ancon (where we had the luncheon for the Freeman girls) the Pacific fleet came to Balboa. A constant stream of white- uniformed sailors passed my house to and from the YMCA which was right next door to me.In the evening I could hear he band music until the "Y" closed about eleven o;clock. I wrote to Jack, who was out in the Survey area when the Fleet came in - on April 24, l934, " When most of the taxis, buses, and trolleys bearing the one o'clock liberty parties departed Balboa for Panama City,I walked to the Post Office where I found a fat letter for me in Box 208.It was a happy girl who opened that letter, then sat down on the Post Office steps to spend some time with you.Although there are so many demands on your time and attention in that dangerous work,you make time to write to me.If appreciation counts, you are well rewarded.If I were busy, the time might not seem so long, but there is little for me to do when I have no husband to serve and such a good maid to serve me.Mary Boyd is all excited.. she got a message from Clarence saying they would leave on the ANCON in May for Annapolis, where Clarence will go to Post Graduate School.She is delighted to be going home. My good friend Helen Miller writes asking me to invite her to Panama in June as she wants to make a cruise from New York City. The powers-that-be have changed their minds about the length of the stay of the Fleet on this side of the Canal. Consequently the hostesses on this side of the Canal are wild with rage.It makes no difference to me because without you parties and receptions have no charm. They decided night before last to push the ships through the Canal as fast as possible in order to find out how long it would take in case of war.Ships started through early yesterday morning.The word is that all of them will have gone through before six o'clock tomorrow morning.Since the fleet officers have to be ready to leave or have already left,all receptions and parties remaining on the schedule have been cancelled.You and I were invited to dance at the governor's reception and to the dance at Fort Amador.The arrival of the Fleet last Saturday has made very little difference in my life.Mary Boyd refused all parties involving fleet officers- says Clarence would not approve.On Saturday morning Mrs. Corbin drove Mary and me to Fort Amador to watch the battleships PENNSYLVANIA and CALIFORNIA come in, followed by many other ships.That afternoon in the heat and blazing sun,hundreds of sailors in clean white uniforms passed our house.They came back before six o'clock, sober, quiet, cheerful, none the worse for wear.Saturday evening Mrs. Corbin drove me to the Union Club- as an extra lady.There were only a few Naval officers in her party- mostly senior officers.Sunday afternoon thousands of sailors passed our house.I suppose they were glad to be ashore, but I was sorry for them in the heat and glare.Since the arrival of the Fleet, I haven't taken the car out., as the traffic is wild.I am most interested in what you say about the performance of the self-bailer and of the dory - guess you are proud of them.-Sophie Barrett" In May I rented a large house until I was scheduled to go North in September l934.Helen Miller a New York City secretary who had worked with me at the Division of Publications of the Commonwealth Fund under Mary Augusta Clark a l903 Mount Holyoke alumna, visited me there.There was a big party at the hope of Captain Crapo the afternoon Helen arrived. Although Helen met many naval people, she was land-sick after travel. Soon the HANNIBAL came into port, and our paymaster helped us entertain her. ..l62 In September or October l934 I returned to Portsmouth, Virginia via the CRISTOBAL. We found an unattractive furnished apartment with a dark kitchen, but it had two bedrooms.Pa Barrett came down from Boston by train, stayed a week and went back by boat.We still have the enthusiastic account he wrote about his boat trip home.He and Jack drove around the Virginia countryside. They liked to talk with the peanut farmers, one of whom picked a handful of peanuts for Pa Barrett.He invited him to come back and pick all he wanted to take home with him to Boston, but Pa Barrett had trouble chewing peanuts with the few teeth he had left when he was almost eighty years old. The peanut-fed pigs were used to produce hams with a special flavor.Jack remembered about the indignation of the farmers when the New Deal and Henry Wallace "plowed little pigs under" to reduce production and support prices. On Friday of that week we bought a whole fish, which Pa Barrett cleaned, prepared and cooked. Pa Barrett enjoyed going aboard the HANNIBAL when she was in port and had lunch there with Jack a few times.In May l934 Mollie Barrett and her grade school classmate Gertrude Granville visited Jacksonville Florida and sent photographs from the Manson Hotel there to us in Panama.Now in the fall October l934 Mollie and her cousin Eileen Lane of Melrose were traveling on the Merchant and Miners Line boat from Boston to Norfolk.Jack met them at the boat in Norfolk and drove them to our apartment in Norfolk for lunch.Then the went by bus to Washington to see their second cousin John Lambert who worked as an editorial writer for a Washington newspaper. He had been many years a reporter in Portsmouth New Hampshire and was a friend of President Calvin Coolidge. One Naval officer in Portsmouth had a large family. "All I have to do is look at my wife, and she gets pregnant," he explained. 'l65About this time I drove to Baltimore to see my doctor brother Pete, his wife Jen, and their infant son Arthur, who died of appendicitis at age four. My brother Pete, whom I hadn't seen for five years, was building up his pediatric practice also doing a great deal of free work for the Salvation Army. MaNY YEARS LATER WHEN MY BROTHER'S DAUGHTER DEBBY (Deborah BORN 1935) was married in June l957 to Alfred Sonnenstrahl, the Salvation Army sent a representative to the wedding to honor my brother for the countless hours of free service he had given to the Salvation Army. -54''- #54' Now I am entering into Jack's memoirs some greatly prized letters sent to me from his HANNIBAL shipmates in response to our queries relating to Jack and the HANNIBAL. We had an amazing and rewarding response from every officer of that ship to whom we wrote.It was gratifying that they seemed to enjoy reviving the old memories. We kept in touch with several up to 1986. The consensus of opinion was that Jack was an outstanding Executive Officer for that survey work and a good shipmate under sometimes trying conditions.Commander Dan Candler of Dallas Texas wrote on 14 March l970: "Dear Sophie': Your letter arrived yesterday. Please ask your son John to forgive my delay in answering his letter.The reason was merely laziness, but my excuse was that I wanted time to get my thoughts together.I was sorry to hear of Jack's death as I had always considered him to be one of my best friends.When the chips were down, we were on the same side.That service on the HANNIBAL has always been considered one of the happiest times of my life.Our tours of duty covered the same period approximately, although I left a little after your husband did, in February l936.Then I went to the TEXAS until mid-l938 - then to mine sweeper - submarine tender in Hawaii, the SEAGULL from l939 to June l942.We were at Maui when Pearl Harbor occurred.I saw you all at least once in Pearl Harbor, and I remember that Jack helped with his influence to get me some transportation- I believe that was to help me in reporting to the CABOT - a small aircraft carrier-in l944.I ended up the war as skipper of the repair ship CEBU in the Philippines and Okinawa.Getting back to the HANNIBAL: I was Navigator- we surveyed the coast of Panama from the Cape Mala I believe about eighty-ninety miles south of the Pacific entrance to the Canal to the Costa Rica border as well as the Gulf of Necoya in Costa Rica.. After I left they covered a small part of the Atlantic coast.That is where Pitman was lost.We also covered the outlying islands- the names of many of them escape me. On one of them the old chart had a note "Caution - the island may be erroneously located - possibly as much as two miles." We found that it was out of position about one half mile. One of the other islands covered was Coiba, - and Quibo, which was the penal colony of Panama. We knew the boss man as well as some of the convicts, who were used as guides to help us in locating the best places to put up our signals.One day the President of Panama decided to meet us.We advised him against it, as the weather was bad- with lots of rain- but he was adamant and came anyway. The planes just barely made it, and at least one of them could not leave for two days until we had time to bake their generators dry.The President might have looked like a President in Panama City, but when he came aboard the HANNIBAL that day, he looked like a half-drowned rat. We also wrote the sailing directions for the area covered. "Central American Pilot" I believe the book is called. But not having seen the chart or the sailing directions for more than twenty years- anything said is from memory -and that is not as it once was.As to our old friends, I remember the name (Guillermo) Medina from his connection with the HANNIBAL or the Hydrographic Office. It was also good to have news of Paul Lehman.Recently I read that Captain Hinckley. who with his wife had traveled widely since retirement, had to call of a proposed jaunt due to his hospitalization.Dick Visser and Mervin Halstead could give you more information on the YP boats than I. The Vissers had been in Spain for ten years- or twenty- then came back here and spent about two years traveling and buying a house and getting located in Florida.They decided to move back to Spain. They said their address would be c/o General Delivery APO New York NY 09283.I have seen Dr. and Mrs. Clarence Smith over the years - in fact saw "Surge" the month before he died- last June I believe. They had been living around Philadelphia, and my wife Ann, comes from Philadelphia, so we get up there once a year.You did not mention the engineer. But Boileau died some years ago, and I believe that Harry Ferguson lives in Jacksonville, Florida. Agnew went into the Supply Corps. I saw him when he was Supply Officer on an Aircraft carrier.Harvey Akin, the fellow who liked to work calculus problems as a pastime, died a few years ago in North Carolina.I saw him last in Honolulu soon after Pearl Harbor.Benny Crosser was the First Lieutenant, the ship's housekeeper and an exceedingly good one. CANDLER #54 preceded by p. l75: It was Dick Visser's motor launch that was lost. He was trying to do too good a job & a wave broke too close to him & swamped his boat and pulled it on the rocks. Boats could not be landed on that side of the island-Cebaco Island-I'd forgotten its name until you mentioned it. So boats landed on the lee side and men had to go up over the hogback and down on the other side.As I remember it, the jungle was not so bad,but it was a job to haul heavy weights like boat engines over the hill.But there never was a crew that was in better condition than the crew on the HANNIBAL- at that time the oldest ship in commission in the Navy.-Think that the pinnacle you refer to was named by us 'Hinckley Reef.' I don't know whether it came out on the chart like that or not.(Halstead later wrote, "I was the guy who found 'Heradura Rock'- it was six feet below the surface and a hazard.") To answer one of John's questions, I don't know whether it is history or legend but Admiral Dewey is said to have found the HANNIBAL a collier built in England about l896- in the South China Sea loaded with coal previous to the attack on Manila.He bought it for the price of the coal. All of the survey ships were ships which would not have been of much use to the Navy on any other duty.The NIAGARA,which was working on the east coral America was a converted yacht." (p. l76) And on the 28th of March l970 Dan Candler wrote to John:"Dear John-I enjoyed both your & your mother's letters.I shall try to answer your questions as well as pass on any information which may be of interest.The notes of your Dad would be much more accurate than my memory.I remember that tropical storm as in that storm I saw the anemometer reading eighty-three knots,which is the highest reading I ever saw on an instrument.We tried letting salad oil drip in the windward scuppers but as to whether it did any good or not I can't say.We knew about the storm before passing Guantanamo,but everyone was eager to get back to Norfolk so we did not stay there.After that it seemed that when we were clear of land we ran with the wind on the quarter until it passed on,which took two or three days.I am sure that Mervin Halstead gave you a better picture of the YP boats than I could give.There were also three - I believe- twin screw motor launches with platforms for heaving the lead to take soundings.There is also a platform or "chains" from which one may take soundings on most ships.Your father knew more about small boats than anyone else on board & at his instigation we obtained two dories, -one was a Nahant dory & I can't remember the name of the other.l77 To get a starting point for the survey a party was sent ashore for about a month to locate a point by taking sights of lower magnitude stars.A base line & direction from this point was then actually measured-which gave two points.Signals were then erected - consisting essentially of a flag on a tripod- on conspicuous point in the vicinity.Then by bearings these signals were located on our temporary charts- then a boat or a YP or the HANNIBAL would take simultaneously two sextant angles -horizontal using three signals- & a sounding which would finally end up as a depth marking on a finished chart.Where it was difficult to locate signals on land, we sometimes we sometimes used floaters, which were made square - four steel drums & two by twelve timbers about fifteen feet long.These were moored in comparatively shallow water & had signal flags mounted on them.The hydrographic engineers would make up the rough charts with the signals on them the night before so they would be ready for the boats the next morning.In deeper waters the HANNIBAL ran lines of soundings.Once we were taking bearings on the top of a hill where we had a signal which was about eighty-five miles away.-It was not that the HANNIBAL required such a long time for overhaul,but the time was taken up for the hydrographic engineers to get their temporary charts & sounding records in shape to turn over to the Hydrographic Office. Of course the time in Norfolk was used also for rest & recreation, leave for the crew,many of whom lived in Philadelphia & could not afford to have their families in the Canal Zone.One of the last things to be done l78 before departure was after the rough charts were made up-the writing of the sailing directions was my job.I can remember working over a chart in the Norfolk Navy Yard on New Year's Day & trying to listen to a football game on the radio.On the way to & from the Canal Zone we were directed to take what were called "dynamic soundings". This consisted of getting samples of water at different depths & sending them either to Woods Hole or Scripps Institute of Oeanography at La Jolla California.We would probably take soundings at six locations on each trip.There was one rather protected anchorage behind one large island & only about one half mile from another with a good swimming beach.At first we liked to go in swimming until someone started fishing for sharks over the stern.After one was hooked we would shoot him.There were as many as six or seven ten-or-twelve-foot sharks on lines over the stern at one time.Most of us lost our interest in swimming after that.The crew was the hardest working ever - & not baD AT PLAYING EITHER. ALL IN ALL IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST ENJOYABLE TOURS OF DUTY I HAVE HAD.I always considered you father one of my best friends. I admire him for going back & getting that law degree. He was a good seagoing man and a good l79 shipmate.You may well be proud of him.Kindly remember me to your other."- Dan Candler." (According to Mervin Halstead, Candler's family at one time had a controlling interest in Coca-Cola company in early days when it was very small- in later years he was in Dallas Texas). #51 Paul Lehman hydrographic engineer Sophie introduction: "The mess steward Machete knew that I liked curry, so when the ship was in port (infrequently) he always told Jack when they were going to have curry, and Javk would tell me or drive home and get me for the treat. Aboard ship the steward goes from man to man with vegetable dishes of beef or chicken curry, and each man helps himself.Then he serves the rice. Then he goes to each man with a tray which contains a variety of flavorings, chopped nuts, picadilly, chutney, coconut. I always sat next to Dr. Clarence Smith, who piled his plate high, and we certainly enjoyed that lunch. I sat across from Paul Lehman, the junior hydrographic engineer on the HANNIBAL. One noon he smiled at me across the table and said, "My fiancee is just like you, Mrs. Barrett." That was in 1934. When we returned to Balboa in 1935, Helen was Mrs. Lehman, a new bride, and Paul was a happy man. I was very surprised to see a girl about my height and weight, a brunette,who had her arm in a sling. She, a new bride, had fallen and broken her wrist. I was sympathetic, but the officer who visited with me then teasingly accused Paul of twisting her arm." On March 24,l970 our friend the junior hydrographic engineer,a civilian on the HANNIBAL, Paul Lehman wrote to me from Bethesda,Maryland:"Dear Sophie-We were so glad as well as surprised to receive your nice long interesting letter.Helen & I have thought about you & John many times since we were all together in Panama in l934-l935.We were so sorry to learn of Jack's passing.Our love & heartfelt sympathy go out to you at this time.We know that it must be a great l82 comfort to you to have your son with you.Sophie I'll do my best in answering your questions.Aboard a survey ship there are generally three civilian engineers,one senior hydrographic engineer & two junior hydrographic engineers. The term hydrographer is used loosely to designate any one of the three.Actually the real Hydrographer of the Navy is an Admiral.He never goes to the survey area but stays in Washington as the head of the Hydrographic Office.The title of Hydrographer of the Navy,held by an Admiral,was changed to Oceanographer of the Navy in l962,& the name of the office was changed to U.S. Naval Oceanographic Office & is located in Suitland,Maryland.Now as well as in l935 one of the several nautical publications produced is the nautical (navigational) charts.The US Coast & Geodetic Survey has the responsibility of making nautical charts & maintaining them corrected to date for all over the world.Many of these charts by reciprocal agreement are almost reproductions of foreign government charts.The nations that have the means of doing hydrographic surveying work do so for the nations that need to have their coasts charted but do not have the means for doing so.The International Hydrographic Bureau at Monaco monitors all of the work.In this way chart nations do not overlap-that is-survey in the same area.Rather by agreement they exchange information.Anyway the above somehow tells why the USS HANNIBAL was working in Panama & in Costa Rica in l934-l935.The best chart-making nations in the past & today are in this order: United States,Great Britain,Germany, Japan, & France.On a ship doing hydrographic surveying the officers,hydrographic engineers, & crew obtain l83 the basic information needed for constructing nautical charts.These charts show the contour of the ocean floor.You probably know that the floor of the ocean is made up of mountains,hills, & valleys.In the ocean mountain peaks are called pinnacles if they are below the surface of the water or islands if they are above the surface.Before the survey ship with its sounding boats goes into an area a definite control system has to be established to determine the exact latitude & longitude of the area to be surveyed.This is done by the means of building eighty foot high steel towers at various places along the shore & up to within three or four miles behind the shoreline.Some of these towers are built on high hills or mountains.From the top of each tower the engineer reads angles between the other towers that are visible to him- mountain peaks,points of land, islands.This system of control towers is known as a "Triangulation Net." This triangulation net is drawn (or portrayed) over a three foot by four foot piece of paper at a scale to show about thirty,forty or fifty miles of coastline- the waters off of which are to be surveyed.This net drawn as geometric figures (as triangles,parallelograms) is the main control of the survey work.The towers forming the net are colored with different-colored canvas so that they can more readily be seen against various backgrounds- trees or sea or sky. One-foot-in-diameter holes are cut in the canvas covering to allow the wind to go through- or rather so that the wind would not knock the tower down.Large colored flags are flown from the tops.At the start of the net a metal plate l84 with a cross cut thereon is set into a concrete base.Then the exact latitude of the intersection of the cross is determined astronomically.Hundreds of readings are taken of the stars each night & the sun each day.Finally the exact latitude & longitude of this point is known.Next from this point a baseline of about four or five miles in length has to be very accurately measured.This is done along a railroad track when possible.The iron-steel measuring tape must be under 3.5 pounds pressure when read,& temperature readings must be taken & corrections made accordingly.The measurement must be made three times.The results must be within five inches of error.This measured line or distance becomes the vertex of the triangle- which in turn becomes the first figure of the triangulation net.By having all the angles between the towers read & knowing the sides & angles of the first triangle, by trigonometric computation the latitude & longitude of each tower is determined.ow the exact location of intermediate stations is determined.The ship, sub-chasers & motor launches then go into the area & measure the depth of the water by taking thousands of soundings.These soundings portray the contour of the ocean floor.The officers taking the soundings record the information on the boat sheets.Quartermasters simultaneously read angles with sextants between these stations,thus determining the position of the boats. Periodically small changes in the course steered have to be made to stay on the sounding lines drawn on the boat sheets.The location of the sounding lines & the distance between them are designated by the engineers after a study is made of the nature of the terrain of the ocean floor.Fathometers are used to l85 periodically measure the depth of the water.From the bottom of the sounding boat the signal of the fathometer sends a sound wave to the ocean floor.The time of the returning echo gives the depth of the water.The boat sheet material is worked up onto smooth sheets when the ship is in Norfolk or Philadelphia.The completed sheets are sent to the Oceanographic Office & are the basic material for the making of the new charts.The senior hydrographic engineer spends about ninety per cent of his time aboard the mother ship joining with the Captain & Executive officer in formulating plans & procedures for the work& they review the progress made & the accuracy of the results obtained.In some situations a more concentrated effort in operations must be made. Generally the Captain, Executive officer & senior hydrographic engineer visit Port Authority officers to make sure that agreements are understood regarding matters of right-of-way at tower & signal sites- the clearing or cutting down of timber sites (which are often on the top of high hills & mountain peaks) & the use of lighthouses as triangulation stations, obtaining materials & food.At the present time junior hydrographic engineers must be graduates in civil engineering, having been schooled in hydrography, topography & oceanography. They have to be able to make trigonometric computations mainly for the triangulation control net. l86 During my time on the HANNIBAL we lost a motor whaleboat-not a motor launch.he sailors & I were in a motor whaleboat that capsized in the surf while making a landing.We swam to shore.one of us was injured. The boat was demolished as it was dashed against the rocks near the shore.All that was salvaged of the wreckage was a little piece of the side of the boat that contained the boat's number - this I handed to Captain Hinckley when I finally got back aboard the HANNIBAL.My last trip that Iaent ilsvice was in the 1934-1935 season when Jack a was the Executive officer,& Helen & you were in Balboa.I hope Sophie,that some of my answers to your questions will be of help to you & your son.Helen joins me in sending much love. -Paul Lehman."-#52 Adm. Visser- #52 VISSER letter Hannibal l934-5 On the 25th of March l970 Rear Admiral Richard Gerben Visser residing in Madrid,Spain- a young boat officer on the HANNIBAL when Jack was its Executive Officer wrote:Dear Sophie & John junior,Forgive me for not having acknowledged your letters sooner but it has been virtually impossible.Joanne & I sold our house in Florida in January & moved back here to Madrid,where we formerly lived from l957 to l967.My years in the HANNIBAL are some of the treasured memories of my life.I enjoyed fine associations with everyone on board & found the work of hydrographic surveying to be highly interesting.As a young officer I was given a great deal of responsbility & in the beautiful finished charts could see the final completed products of all our united research & effort.The YP 42 was my first command,& I learned the basics of ship handling & seamanship from this experience.We had loads of fun in Panama- all of us together when the ship was in port,going to the several swank beer l87 gardens in the evenings & to the Union club on Saturday nights for dinner & dancing. On Sunday afternoon there were the horse races which were fun to attend. Captain Hinckley was a particularly fine captain& he & Mrs. Hinckley always joined in with us in our social activities. I have kept up with them over the years & stopped to see them in Washington about five years ago.I am distressed to know that he has been hospitalized.Commander Barrett was a fine Executive Officer & particularly well qualified for that duty.Under his direction I was given charge of an operation to drag several hundred square miles of coastal waters to a depth of twelve fathoms. We employed both YP's, & Mervin Halstead worked with me.It was unique from the normal survey work & presented a challenge to us.We did the job in three weeks & we had the feeling of having accomplished something worthwhile.During the course of the operation we located & charted a pinnacle which could have ripped the bottom out of a ship.We may have named it 'Hinckley Rock' or some such name.I'm sure you know the history of the HANNIBAL.It was a British collier & Admiral Dewey bought it it China during the Spanish-American war.It was loaded with coal- & to get the coal he had to buy ship & cargo. It remained on the rolls of the Navy right up to World War II.I think its last service was as a station ship in Norfolk.It had a wrought iron hull & one reciprocating engine of either 300 or 600 horsepower.It had natural draft with tall stack, fire tube boilers which l88 burned soft coal-these had to be cleaned regularly-that is the reason we got back to port about once a month.The main pumps,including the air pumps,were all connected to the main shaft,so whenever we got underway we started with zero vacuum (if John junior is an engineer he will appreciate this!)Steam was generated in the boilers & pushed through the cylinders.As the main shaft turned over,it activated the main air pump which began to suck a vacuum in the main condenser thus permitting an easier flow of steam.With an engine of such low power the efficiency was never very high & only under the best conditions of a fair breeze were we able to obtain a maximum speed of six to seven knots!I often remember rounding Cape Mala en route to & from the survey area on the west coast of Panama-the current there is rather strong - two-three knots. Invariably we would have the lighthouse bearing on the bow at sunset- & at sunrise the next day it would still be in plain sight on the quarter. With a ship of such low power you can readily understand that it was a dangerous situation when we were caught in that hurricane north of Cuba (September l935).We were fearful that, being caught in mountainous seas & 75-l00 mile per hour winds we would be unable to maintain steerage way & might founder. Ah- but she was a comfortable old ship & served us well-& we loved her!To answer a couple of John junior's questions:The HANNIBAL spent three months in Norfolk not only for overhaul but in working up the rough data of our season's work into smooth charts for reproduction by the Hydrographic Office.The charts were beautiful!The last survey of the area we completed in l934-l935 had been carried out by the British one hundred years before-considering what they had to work with,their charts were reasonably good. We found one rock "Pillar of Salt" only about two miles out of position. l89 The "Morrow Puercos" operation covered an area to a considerable distance offshore where the water was comparatively shallow-under one hundred fathoms.To run the lines getting depths, we extended the triangulation from known points on shore to floaters (rafts with flags & skirts on pyramids),which we anchored in depths up to thirty fathoms.Using these to determine the ship's position at any moment, we ran our lines covering a wide area out of sight of land.Poor Captain Gresham had a cancerous tumor in his arm & was not with us very long. Captain Stevens relieved him toward the end of my last survey season, so I didn't get to know either of them very well.The YP-42 operated independently away from the HANNIBAL much of the time.For example I was in charge (& had Mr. Devine & Mr. Livingston with me) of the survey of the Gulf of Nicoya on the west coast of Costa Rica.The entrance of this gulf is about as wide as the English Channel.It took us three months to do the job,& I didn't see the HANNIBAL during all this time.The YP 41 brought us supplies & mail and exchanged Livingston & Devine,who split the time between them.After all this I hesitate to bore you further with an outline of my career during & after the war.To sketch it briefly I graduated from the Naval War College on 2 December l94l & reported to COMINCH headquarters in Washington- Admiral King-when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.It took a year to extricate myself from Washington & take command of a new 2l00-ton destroyer l90 USS DALY DD5l9 & get to sea. After a shakedown in the Atlantic operating with other destroyers out of Argentia (Newfoundland) we went to the Pacific to join our squadron.We participated in the Aleutian operation from August to December l943,then went to the Southwest Pacific theater where we participated in the forward movement of the Allied forces through New Guinea,then Halmahera Islands & the invasion of the Philippines culminating in the Battle of Surigao Strait (OCTOBER,L944). I had tremendous success with the DALY, saw a lot of combat & had a wonderful crew-& no one got hurt while I had command.From the DALY after Surigao I was ordered to the staff of Admiral Turner Commander Amphibious Forces of the Pacific Fleet as Assistant Operations Officer. In that capacity I helped prepare the plans for & participated in the assault & conquest of both Iwo Jima & Okinawa. At war's end we were in Manila working with the Sixth Army & had just competed the plans for the invasion of the Japanese home islands.Thank God we didn't have to carry them out!-although I sometimes wonder what chain reactions we have inherited by having used the bomb.After the war I had various commands in both the Destroyer & Amphibious Forces & served on major staffs.I was also selected for & attended the National War College in Washington. I love the Navy & have fine memories of it.From your description it appears that Commander Barrett had a long & varied career,& his memories should prove most interesting and worth publishing.I sincerely wish you success with it. I would be glad to hear from you again & hope the contents of this letter will be helpful. Sincerely, Dick Visser." #53 Halstead- #53 HALSTEAD HANNIBAL l934 On January 25,l970 Captain Mervin Halstead who was one of Jack's junior officers on the HANNIBAL wrote to John from Los Altos California:" Yes I was aboard with Hinckley,Gresham,& Stevens-Candler, Visser, Boyd,Ascherfeld & many others were there with me.Your mother was a small, dark-haired lady then. My father General Lawrence Halstead US Army was in command of the U.S. Army in Panama then.Being the son of a "bigshot" I was enjoying myself plenty.I was the guy who found Heradura Rock-it was six feet below the surface & was a hazard.I dragged for it & found it only ONCE. Even though I took an accurate fix,the current was so swift you could not stay over it long enough to find it again.The HANNIBAL came north during hurricane season & damn near foundered in l935. There was another ship a converted German yacht NOKOMIS-she was always on the east coast of Panama.Until late in l936 the HANNIBAL operated on the west coast. The east coast was extremely dangerous because of constant surf-waves.Boatswain Pittman drowned in late l936.I did see your father in Hawaii. He put me aboard a ship CAPE BLANCO to get me out before someone grabbed me & took me out to the action area in the Pacific before I could get my thirty days leave.I had been in action area three years plus.Very nice of him.All the names you mention are on the chart. Cape Mala was the turning point coming home to Balboa - it is ninety miles out. l80 I have the original of the enclosed post card.(YP 41 illustrated)The YP 41 was painted white,with yellow superstructure.It had two Winton air injection engines, carried l500 gallons of drinking water & sometimes as many as fifty men. It was very wide & made the trip from Norfolk to Panama easily.It had wooden deck & one half inch thick steel hull.There was a sister ship GALLATIN YP 42. Lieutenant jg Dick Visser commanded it. Neither Visser nor Halstead (me) took promotion exams until l938.The note 'Halstead & Visser better read up' referred to the two of us commanding such boats as these. These boats ran survey lines as many miles as possible from "can't see to can't see" eight am to dark -as many as thirty thousand miles per year.Glossy water, teeming with sharks, barracudas,crocodiles.(Pictureshows Halstead marked by arrows showing compensated magnetic compass,search light,port holes, fenders to keep from bumping, patent anchors - atmosphere very hot & wet- picture of where Halstead was stationed -also Boatswain Warrell,Seaman Peyton, CPO Engineer Hall, & AFFIRM flag meaning "We are coming alongside,PORT side." It is a picture of YP 4l the MAHONING,which was given to the Navy by the Coast Guard for survey work.It was 2l0 tons & made ten knots.It had one of the first depth finding appliances aboard.At the time of the picture it was coming aboard the USS HANNIBAL,which was the mother ship on which Barrett was the Executive Officer.The HANNIBAL made eight knots.This particular picture was made in l935 off Aufuera Island,Panama Pacific coast -Sophie Barrett note) "Yes there were three civilians you named l8l & another one arrived in l936.They plotted our stuff.Devine was in charge.I found the largest scorpion in the world one day on the east coast of Panama.He is in Smithsonian now.Big as a crab. I chopped down a manzanilla tree & got poisoned as Lord Nelson had done a century before.Almost lost my eyes. The doctor was 'Cyanide' Smith. Gresham died of cancer.He was going place in the Navy when he came down with it.They didn't know what it was- so sent him to the HANNIBAL to rest.Ship spent about thirty days out (then) ten days in Balboa.I went to US Naval Academy postgraduate school from HANNIBAL. I got twelve hours notice to be ready to get off to USS HERBERT DDl60 as we passed through canal.(When I arrived,Ascherfeld picked me up in a sub chaser that YP 4l replaced later & took me out to the HANNIBAL. Very interesting duty-but so long ago- 36 years.We spent October,November, &December in Norfolk Naval Shipyard each year. On YP 41 I had a Keysote bear (crotommi) named Oscar that bit you pa & he wanted me to get rid of him - not really (joke). Very truly yours-Mervin Halstead." #16 Agnew Letter Panama l933=l935 #16 And on May l, l97l Commander Jack Agnew who was one of the junior officers on the HANNIBAL when we joined her in l933 wrote from Dover, Delaware,"Dear Mrs. Barrett, It was good to hear from you after so many years. At almost sixty-two years of age I suppose my memory of the early 'Thirties is not as good as it should be.For example I could not have told you the name of the Boatswain who succeeded Mr. Fry - until you mentioned Pittman. But of course Agnes and I both remember you and your fine husband, such a gentleman, fine seaman, and good administrator! We were so sorry to hear of your great loss.Since my retirement in l960, I have had no time for nostalgia about the Navy, dearly as I love it.After all it took me as a kid of sixteen, through the Academy and thirty years of subsequent service.But even before the actual date of retirement, I was in a classroom getting my teaching credentials, and the next year I started teaching full time. I am now teaching Spanish at Wesley College here.But back to the HANNIBAL- the "White Swan of the Carribean". We have many fond memories. Of course it was personally nice duty for us because of Balboa being Agnes's home town and having her mother still down there at that time. We greatly enjoyed the times when the ship was in port, whether we went to the Union Club, or the beer garden, - golfing at Amador, driving up into the interior- and that wonderful time when our wives joined us in Puntarenas (Costa Rica) and we had a spectacular trip up to San Jose where we spent about four days.-That ambassador's champagne party when Captain Hinckley kept hovering over us to make sure we did not imbibe too much! I understand that Costa Rica has a fine new banana port which we surveyed before moving into the Gulf of Necoya.Puntarenas was not too interesting, and the only way we could get cold beer was to go aboard a German ship. Quepos Point on the other hand, was wild virgin territory when we moved in.How well I remember the Easter Sunday morning when I had a bunch of natives well inland on top of a high hill, clearing away the underbrush and cutting down trees so that the Tower party could put up one of their structures.That was where I learned that the male monkey comes chattering through the trees loudly so that one does not notice the female and the young going through a little further away.I never felt too good at cutting my way through those tropical jungles, nor did any of the others- I am sure- realizing that if a deadly fer-de-lance (snake) was around and bit a person, it would probably be the end of him.One bad thing about the Costa Rica work was that we were so far from Balboa and could not go in and out as we had when working in Panama.It was off Panama southeast of Bahia Honda I believe that the incident of finding the pinnacle rock of which you spoke occurred and if that was the same incident, it was my boat that found it.And when we did find it, -oh boy- the HANNIBAL was coming right for it.She might have had her bottom ripped off if we had not stopped her. My crew would not go back to work until they let us come alongside and collect the prize which the skipper had offered- a box of cigars, I believe! It was also off Panama nearby where I caught my most satisfactory fish, a forty-five pound red snapper, slowly trawling around a rock offshore.We had a lot of fun fishing.One would have thought we were nuts, running lines of soundings,putting up markers offshore and ashore,for six days a week and then taking a boat out fishing on Sunday!And all the sounding boat engineers kept a line astern when we were working and frequently gave us freshly caught and grilled mackerel to augment our lunch.Of course the work had its dangerous side out in the boats and in landing - both. I remember the time I ran my boat aground, but fortunately it was in Manzanillo Bay on the Atlantic side on my first time out, and there was no surf. But when Dick Visser did (the same thing), it was on a wild coast, and the boat was lost.I remember that he had all the little radios, which they were trying out for us to use in the sounding boats,out testing them, and of course they went, too.On one landing in a whale boat putting a beach party ashore, Mr. Fry lost his glasses and was nearly killed, as his successor Pitman was later (1936). Good old 'Shorty' Candler! I remember I could never make the chili hot enough for him and had to provide him with extra chili powder when he would have dinner with us in Balboa.. Poor 'Shorty' - the time when - early in his time aboard, he got too much sun, , and with his fair complexion he was quite badly off. Somebody told him crude oil would help, so he put some on in the shower.-what a mess! We had enough junior officers to man two World War I sub chasers and four sounding boats as I remember.As to the enlisted men, I have a most vague memory except for my boat captain, whose name was I believe, Edwards and who though only a seaman, was the better of any boatswain's mate I was to come across later.It was our great pleasure to host Captain and Mrs. Hinckley and several of the ex-"HANNIBALites" at a party at the Sub Base, Pearl Harbor late l937. I'll bet Marion and Bob (Hinckley) never forgot the ride back to their hotel, for I believe I had "too many martoonis." When I left the HANNIBAL, I had only been thinking about the Supply Corps, but after a year on the "black gang" as Boiler Division officer on the PORTLAND, I had made up my mind. After a short but wholly satisfactory interlude as Second Division officer and No. 2 turret officer (my turret won the "E" the week after I left) I went to Supply School in Philadelphia Navy Yard. There followed duties at Pearl Harbor, Norfolk Navy Yard, Patoka, Naval Aviation School Patuxent, and the carrier WASP- then ashore for good I went to Naval Aviation School San Diego, Naval Storehouse Gulfport-Assistant Fleet Supply Officer, Atlantic- Logistics Officer for Admiral Blandy- the Logistics course at the Naval War College,- Regional Accounting Office Philadelphia. Well there you have a thumbnail sketch of what I remember of the good old HANNIBAL and of our lives since. If you have any specific questions,I should be most glad to answer them.At any rate. it has been grand to be back in touch with someone from the"White Swan" and I hope we can keep in touch.Agnes joins me in affectionate greetings.Most sincerely, - Jack Agnew."In September l97l I received a letter from Captain J.C. Woefel of Long Beach California" Dear Mrs. Barrett, Your letter arrived just as we returned from a lot of traveling.I am sorry to learn of Dan Candler's passing. He was always such a jolly person.I joined the HANNIBAL in l933 in time to go South, and then left her as soon as we got to Panama. I never returned to her. While I knew Commander Barrett briefly, I do remember that he was well read and had many interests and was most co-operative.He was most helpful in getting my survey party off on my second trip to Alaska. I next saw him in l944 at Pearl Harbor when he arranged my transportation to the states after I relinquished command of my destroyer.He went out of his way to get me headed for home, which I greatly appreciated.After leaving the HANNIBAL, I worked in Panama and Costa Rica and then on to Alaska.From there I went to combatant ships. In l935 I was married just before going to Post Graduate School at Annapolis. We have three children. I retired from the Navy in l955 and went with Richmond Oil Company- retired now- Best - "Dutch" Woefel |
|
Honolulu has an active Audubon group, of which Jack Barrett's friend the Star-Bulletin editor Riley Allen was an active member.The large Kapiolani Park and its zoo were about six blocks east of the Barrett home on Ala Wai Canal across Kapahulu Street east of Thomas Jefferson School.p 13-102---- |
|
p 13 #103 Rome was one of the more enjoyable stops on the Barrett honeymoon trip around the world on the Dollar line January-March 1932.They visited the catacombs, Forum, and attended the Opera as guests of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Pardee, though their seats were in a high balcony.... P___A___N___A___M___A chapter HANNIBAL chapter, second portion.Letters of Harry Ferguson, Ezequiel Labiosa, Paul Nelson, president Arias of Panama, -HANNIBAL day orders,website PANAMA photo locations,+ Lafayette J.Jones, last Dan Candler and Chester Peake letters.Sophie's final portions of HANNIBAL chapter:- Great Dismal Swamp, Gleasons, Vaccaros-Trios, Rice family, McKims, Isabelle the parrot, HANNIBAL FINAL MONTHS 1935 AUGUST Sophie pregnant. SEPTEMBER Hurricane coming north. OCTOBER Transfer to command of CLAXTON. P-A-N-A-M-A second portion --HINCKLEY- -11 January l970 letter from Captain Robert M. Hinckley USN Retired 4200 Cathedral Ave. NW Washington DC-(salutations to Mrs. Barrett - main text addressed to John Barrett junior regarding HANNIBAL inquiries:"The survey area was the Gulf of Panama, & the Pacific Coasts of Panama & Costa Rica.We did work for the government of Costa Rica helping them find a deep sea port for shipping bananas out,She was an old ship purchased in l902 for the Asiatic Fleet.She was a collier -cast iron hull-built by Harland & Wolff shipyard in England.She was converted into a survey ship at least ten years before I took command.There was always a lot of work to do on a ship as old as she was,& we were always getting new Hydrographic equipment installed. The ship was being modernized to a certain extent.None of the officers were specialists in Hydrographic work- we had three Hydrographic officers from the Navy Hydrographic Office to plan & make charts of the work we were doing.The HANNIBAL operated directly under orders from the Chief of Naval Operations,& our plan of operations for the next survey season was made out by me in conference with the Chief Hydrographer & his aides.The ship sailed for the survey area shortly after the first of the year & would be in the survey area until late summer.We had two sub chasers & they did valuable work in going into (shallow) waters (where) the ship couldn't go to set up survey beacons & carry equipment.We left them down in Panama when the ship went north for an overhaul.Mr. Devine was in charge of the survey planning in the area,& he & I would always get together with your father to plan the next day's work.About our relations with the local government officials,the only occasion I had to call on foreign governments was when we surveyed around Costa Rica.I called on their President,& he was very appreciative of the work the ship was doing for his country.We arranged a trip from Punta Arenas where the ship was tied up to San Jose the capital for officers & wives & enlisted men to spend a weekend.We missed the regular train, so I called the President on the telephone-& he sent a "special" down from San Jose to pick us up.There was only one other ship during survey duty-the NOKOMIS-a converted yacht.We worked with her at one period sounding a large portion of the Gulf of Panama.We were the first survey ship to receive the deep sea sounding machine, which would bring back samples of the bottom & had a string of Nansen bottles,which tapped sea water every fifty fathoms.We had a scientist from Scripps Institute on board to analyze the water. The deepest sounding we got was over 900 fathoms (5400 feet).I took command of the HANNIBAL in January l933 & was detached May 3l, l934.One of the greatest thrills I had on the HANNIBAL was finding a rock pinnacle only six feet below the low tide surface about one half mile to seaward from an island near Cape Mala, Panama.The skipper of one of our sub-chasers,-Lieutenant Ascherfeld,I think-whom we left down in Panama when the ship went north-said he talked to the captain of a small coastal cargo vessel who told him there was a rock out there & he wouldn't go anywhere near that area.If you want to see the HANNIBAL survey areas & even the logs of the HANNIBAL, write Commander U.S.Navy Oceanographic Office, Suitland,Maryland 20390.Please give my & Mrs.Hinckley's kindest regards to your mother.Sincerely, Robert M. Hinckley, Captain, U.S.N. Retired (pl9l) Harry Ferguson letter Letter postmarked l6 April l970 from Jacksonville Florida written by Captain Harry Ferguson who was the engineer officer in l934-l935, "Dear Mrs. Barrett, Of course I remember you and Jack very well from my days on board the HANNIBAL from some time in October l934 until November l936. During that time I served as Engineering Officer, having relieved A.R. Boileau in October l934.Boileau was on board only a few days after my reporting for duty, so I never got to know him very well.However I do remember many of the others you mentioned in your recent letter-Candler, Halstead,Visser, Crosser,Ascherfeld, Nelson, Pittman,Peake, Aiken, Devine,Livingston, Lehman, and most of the others.When I reported on board, Gresham was the skipper, relieved later by Stevens,who was relieved by Richards not long before I left. If I remember correctly, Jack was relieved by Frank Fitch quite some time before I left.Our top speed with a good following breeze was nearer nine knots instead of six or seven (as some of the others said). I do remember, however, having Point Mala Lighthouse at the southern tip of Panama in sight for twenty-four hours as we were bucking a tide trying to round that point on our way to Balboa.Also, if I remember correctly,at that time the HANNIBAL was the oldest ship and only coal burner left in the Navy, with a three cylinder reciprocating engine and only one propellor. Several times we would leave Balboa or Cristobal with our bunkers full of coal and bags of coal piled up anywhere we could find room for them on deck in order that we could spend as much time as possible in the survey area. Pittman was a Warrant Boatswain who was drowned off the East Coast of Costa Rica- and his body returned via the HANNIBAL to Cristobal. I believe the Communications Officer was either Crosser or Aiken, (Crosser was First Lieutenant - Sophie Barrett note).I was certainly glad to get all the news about many of my shipmates with whm I HAD LOST CONTACT- I don't believe I had heard from or of any of them in years and years. I knew about Benny Crosser's death but did not know about the others you wrote about (Aiken, Boyd, Nelson,Ascherfeld, Boileau, Clarence Smith).Now for some information about me since leaving the HANNIBAL. I left her in Norfolk about November l936 and spent about seven months on the ARKANSAS as a turret officer. Then I went to the Naval Academy as an Instructor in Spanish. In June l939 I was detached from the Naval Academy and reported to the USS NASHVILLE a light cruiser which was then in Annapolis Roads.I went aboard as the seventh serior Lieutenant and left in April 1943 as the senior commander, except for the Executive offcier.If I had stayed aboard another couple of months, I would probably have been the "Exec" as not long after I left a classmate of mine who was junior to me became "Exec."I spent most of the war on the NASHVILLE- a good part of the time in the Aleutian Islands.Just after I joined her we went through the Canal to Long Beach (California), where we were based several months -and then sent out to Pearl Harbor.It appeared that we were going to be out there from then on, and since the Navy Department did not see fit to change our home base, I left my family in Long Beach.Finally I decided to send for them at my own expense, so my wife, Helen, had the boys taken out of school early, shipped the car out to Pearl Harbor, and all of them boarded a ship for there.About the time they arrived in Honolulu,the NASHVILLE was transiting the Canal again, under secret orders- so I could not wire her not to come.I could not get in touch with her for a month or more but finally was able to call her long distance from Boston and tell her to get back to Baltimore with her family as soon as she could. Of course that was all at my own expense.By the time she got back to Baltimore with the family,we were up in Iceland but came back before long, so she left the boys in Baltimore and joined me in New York for a few days. During the rest of l941 we operated out of Bermuda with the Neutrality Patrol and were there on Pearl Harbor day.That day we left again for Iceland and were gone for two or three weeks. When we got back, we were again sent to Pearl, and later to the Aleutians so I didn't get to see the family for a year or more. I finally got detached from the NASHVILLE in March or April l943 and got back to the States to find Helen living in Coronado with my mother and father. I went there and was stationed with the Operational Training Command Pacific until June l944.. I was then ordered to Balboa as Port Captain but wasn't allowed to take my family with me, so that was another year's separation- they finally joined me in Balboa in July, l945.Please remember me to any of our old shipmates that you might see or contact and my very,very best to you and yours, -sincerely, Harry Ferguson." I am also including a letter which Jack received on the HANNIBAL in Norfolk, Virginia sent from the Submarine base, Coco Solo, Caal Zone,dated September 27, l935 and written by Ezequiel Labiosa, Coxswain YP 41 Coco Solo, Canal Zone: "Lieutenant Commander J. B. Barrett, Executive Officer, USS HANNIBAL, Norfolk, Virginia, Dear sir,I can hardly find words to explain my gratitude and express you of my deep appreciation for your benevolent kindness in having granted me to remain here with the YP boats whereby I can provide my wife with a home in Colon. I will always remember your very hearty consideration, sir, and shall ever cooperate with you here in my duties and anywhere to the best of my knowledge and strength, gladly.In the event of any chance for me to go up for second class boatswain's mate, I wish you will kindly give one a thought down here, Mr. Barrett,and you can be sure that I will very highly appreciate your thought and will discharge my time in the Navy with such pride as only an officer of your caliber can provide in a man.If I could only serve my life in the Navy with suich officers as you- you can be sure sir that throughout my fifteen years in the Service, I never found anyone to whom I could be so grateful. I always hold high my pride in my good record. Only trust in God I will be under your command the years I have left to serve in the Navy." Another letter from a junior boat officer Paul Nelson was written to Jack from the Naval Observatory at Washington on 6 December l933 when the ship was in Portsmouth,Virginia: "Dear Commander, We have just about completed our course here at the Observatory. I expect to leave on or before thirteen December for Norfolk. There remains only a compilation of data. Commander Demott (Dewitt?) informed me that he is writing a letter to Mr. Devine in regard to the measuring sticks for the sounding machine tubes. He also informed me that the sticks will arrive on board before departure for Panama. Washington has been a very expensive city to live in, and both my wife and myself shall be glad to get back to Norfolk and our Hannibal friends. Please convey my regards to the members of the mess. Sincerely yours, Paul Nelson." (Note: Paul had the duty on the mine layer OGLALA the night of December 6-7 l941. Admiral Furlong was aboard that morning and as Senior Officer Present Afloat he gave the order for all ships in the Harbor to sortie right after the first bombs fell at Ford Island around 7:50 that Sunday morning.Paul had combatant duty in the War and was retired as a Captain.On October 8,l970 his wife Gene Nelson wrote:"Paul was Communications Officer on Admiral Furlong's staff and kept telling him the OGLALA was sinking and he'd better get off. OGLALA was his flagship, and he insisted the old thing be raised.It was alongside HELENA, which was tied up to 1010 dock. It has been pulled astern when it was toppled over on the dock. Paul could look into his (old) room whenever the water cleared.He had command of fourteen LSTs and convoyed the troopships which took Palawan (Western Philippines).He and his LSTs missed Leyte-Samar (October l944) as his (group's flagship the 775 broke down." The President of the Republic of Panama sent a radio to the USS HANNIBAL on May 23, l935 "To Captain James M. Stevens, USS HANNIBAL- My best thanks to you for the courtesy shown me during my visit to Coiba yesterday, Best wishes and regards, Harmodo Arias, president of the Republic of Panama." I am gioving here the MORNING ORDERS for the HANNIBAL at Bahia Honda, Panama , Wednesday 22 May l935 as a sample of the type of orders put out by Jack while Executive Officer of the HANNIBAL l933-l935: 0500 All Hands 0530 Turn to -Scrub down - Prepare to get under way- Breakfast for forty men (ML # 1,2,3,4 crews ,sounding and extra details 0615 ML#1,2,3,4, proceed as assigned 0620 under way 0730 breakfast 0800 Muster on stations. turn to- Sweep down - Clean up decks 0900 Quarters- White working uniform. Survey Operations 06l5 MR #1 Lt jg Jones ,full sounding crew plus two men Run lines as per boat sheet. Lunch and supper for one officer, ten men. ML#2 Lt jg Lockwood full sounding crew plus two men, Run lines as per boat sheet. Lunch and supper for one office, ten men.ML #3 Lt jg AKIN full sounding crew plus two men. Run lines as per boat sheet. Lunch and supper for one officer, ten men.Motor Launch #4 Chief Boatswain Pittman, full sounding crew plus two men. Run line as per boat sheet. Lunch and supper for one officer, ten men. Avoid unnecessary hazards. Ship will return to Bahia Honda prior to evening meal if practicable. Instructions for Official Visit at Coiba. Reference USNR Art. 234, 297, 322 All men on deck will be required to be in white working uniform prior to contact with planes.When planes have alighted on water, a Motor Whale Boat, flying color with an officer with AC boat and two men to man it, will be sent to transfer personnel (President of Panama, two other Government of Panama officials, Commander Gates, and Mr. Young) to shore at Coiba colony. The officer in the boat will invite party to return to ship for luncheon and will arrange for a definite time for return of boat for party and what time luncheon should be served. If party passes "close aboard" (USNR art 267, 400 yards) officers and crew will be called to "attention", facing outboard toward party. After landing has been effected,boat will transfer other personnel from planes to ship as necessary or desirable. When President comes aboard: All men on topside in white working uniform with neckerchiefs. Officers in full dress white - medals- gloves- swords- Full Dress Bilt. Have eight sideboys tending side rest of crew man Rail at equal intervals along ship's side. Officers assembled on quarterdeck, starboard side aft. Sound "Attention." Have the National Ensign of Panama "in sops" at the main. Tend the saide. When the president reaches the deck, officers and men shall salute. The National Emblem of Panama shall be displayed at the main the moment he reaches the deck and during the entire visit. After party goes below, removal of jumper and neckerchiefs may be authorized but with careful preparation ofor prompt resumption at President's departure. Personnel not in official party should be returned to plane well in advance of conclusion of official visit.On President;s departure some cermonies "Salute, manning rail, Attention" shall be rendered. National Ensign of Panama will be handed down at "Carry on" when President leaves ship. Motor Whale Boat, flying colors with officer will return President and party to planes. Officers and crew will shift into ordinary service uniform of the day - J.B. Barrett, Lieutenant Commander USN Executive Officer. be out there from then on. Devine, Livingston, Lehman, and most of the others." END HANNIBAL DAY ORDERS 22 May 1935. Website locations P-A-M-A-M-A chapter photos May 31, 1934 party for Captain and Mrs. Robert Hinckley Panama City - and detail of Jack and Sophie Barrett-#865 Sophie driver license 1934 Panama Sophie with Boyd's maid Netha #110 old Buick #156 p 20 #985 -p 44 Sophie in hammock com LJJ Lafayette Jackson Jones letter HANNIBAL Panama l935 On 15 February I received a letter from Fredericksburg Virginia, Mary Washington College from the junior boat officer on the HANNIBAL who is now Captain Lafayette Jackson Jones. "Dear Mrs. Barrett, I did indeed serve on the HANNIBAL at the time you speak of and remember Commander Barrett - then a Lieutenant Commander I believe- very well. To the best of my recollection Lieutenant jg Robert E. Lockwood joined the ship at sea in the early spring of l935 - I regret to say that Captain Lockwood Retired died in Delmar, California within the past year or two.I remember well most of the people mentioned by you. I believe Captain Gresham had the ship when I reported - later relieved by Captain Stevens and then by Captain Richards. Harry Ferguson was engineer, Dan "Shorty" Candler the navigator, Ben Crosser First Lieutenant, Peake the supply officer and Smith the doctor. Others on board were Akin, Visser, Halstead, and one or two others whom I can't recall- it was thirty-six years ago. Pittman was there and Lehman and Devine (hydrographers) - whom we called "Too-Too" with affection of course. I remember the day Pittman was killed. He, Mervin Halstead, and I were working the sounding boat crews along a stretch of beach, putting up shore signals and taking soundings.While landing with ourAtlantic City surf boats, I suspect that all of us turned over several times that day - I know WE did. The speculation was that Pittman may have been hit by the boat or by some of the materials carried for the construction of signals.It was not unusual for the landing boats to broach and turn end over end in the surf, but the waves did seem to be higher than usual on this particular day. As you probably know, the HANNIBAL - we called her the "White Swan" - she was painted white- was the last coal burning ship in the United States Navy. We would go to sea with full bumpers and sometimes with a deck load of coal in bags, and we stayed (at sea) as long as fuel supply allowed- usually about a month. We worked hard in the HANNIBAL, but we had a good time when we cme into port- usually for about ten days."Shorty" Candler and I used to go to the races at the old Panama Race Track. The horses weren't very fast, but that didn't bother us, and we played softball and tennis and drank beer of course.Dr. Smith and I had a lot of good fishing up and down the coast. The best as I remember was around the islands of Jicaron and Jicasita off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica.I remember one day we were out in the motor whale boat, and I had a good fish on the line.The fish was about to pull me on the rocks, and "Doc" wanted to cut him loose, but I wouldn't hear of it.Anyway we got the fish before he wrecked the boat, and he was a fifty-nine pound amberjack. "Doc" caught a one hundred fifty pound shark one day, and when he got him in the boat, I was ready to jump over the side.We caught all kinds of fish.You never knew what you would have on your line next, and that made it doubly fascinating. I talked many times with Commander Barrett. As I remember he had a mustache.Does my memory fail me in this regard?It seems to me that he assumed temporary command of the ship for a time - perhaps after Captain Gresham left and before Captain Stevens reported (spring l935).Anyway we all liked him very much and thought he was a fine officer.- Well, there are some of my memories of my service in the "white swan." I hope you wil find them interesting. Forgive me for waiting so long to answer your letter. Sincerely yours, L.J. (Jack) Jones, Captain USN Retired." Letter from Dan Candler 16 April l97l "We are planning on heading for Pennsylvania in about ten days for a stay of about six weeks, and while in Philadelphia I shall try to get in touch with Ethel Smith and get the story of the loss of the dog "Mack." I know that he was a Llewellen setter and was a well bred dog even though I never hunted with him.He was treated as one of the family.You might tell John that the only difference (i had) with his father was the one you mentioned - the late bridge game. Can't remember any others now.I told John that his father probably knew more about boats than anyone I've known.And he passed up many chances to take us to task when he probably should have.And a good "Exec" does not mention that an order comes from the Captain.John can well be proud of his father. Sincerely, Dan Candler."-- While Dan and Anne (Candler) were visiting in Pennsylvania in the early summer of l971, a heart attack -sudden- struck him, and he passed away. He had been looking forward to his fiftieth anniversary at Annapolis, as he was in the class of l922 and was very popular.His wife Anne wrote of his passing. BLACK NOTEBOOK FOUR p. 20 July 2, 1970 from Commander Chester Peake 2521 Milmar Drive Sarasota Florida 33577 My dear Mrs. Barrett, It was fine to have your letter. Tiny and I were glad to hear from you, also of all of our mutual shipmates of years ago. Just tell them I am still kicking and glad to be able to do so at my steadily advancing age. = But we must impart Tiny is still confined to the Rest Home. I am hoping and trusting the broken bone is knitting satisfactorily. An X-ray is scheduled for next week Naturally she is confined to the bed or a wheelchair practically the entire day. = Several days each week she goes to therapy- getting lonely here at home. When you write to Gene Nelson, kindly remember Tiny and me.She was a fine girl and a fine shipmate. Also Frank Delahanty. It has been years since I have seen him. I have your other letter here- filed under "P" for "pending" and for "personal". = We have some items of years ago in storage places here at the house - only - where are they? It's likely I would have to take out a few partitions to locate some of our memoirs. = But really I have kept your precious letter on my writing table - to jog up my failing memory- and - most important - to dig into the chests, boxes, etc. where our HANNIBAL notes are most likely to be filed away - at the first favorable opportunity. Tiny and I convey our kindest wishes. Sincerely, Chester P. Peake" [HANNIBAL Supply officer, who corresponded extensively with Sophie in 1970s]. Of HANNIBAL families, the Barretts lived near Clarence and Mary Boyd in Coronado, California 1938-9, saw Paul and Gene Nelson in Hawaii 1941, and Mary Ascherfeld 1946-7, and had Clarence and Mary Boyd visit at West Roxbury 1948. Correspondence with many HANNIBAL friends was extensive in 1970s, and Sophie remained in touch with Admiral Richard Visser and his wife Joan in Madrid Spain to 1986 and also with Mrs. Mary Ascherfeld in Pensacola, Florida, and Mrs. Halstead in Los Altos, California,and the Boyds' daughter Peggy - Mrs. Stafford Green in Charleston, Carolina. Friends of the Ascherfelds, Mr. and Mrs. Powers, whom Sophie met in Panama visited Sophie in West Roxbury about 1985. HANNIBAL chapter Sophie's final portions- Great Dismal Swamp, Gleasons, Vaccaros-Trios, Rice family, McKims, Isabelle the parrot, pregnancy, hurricane, transfer to CLAXTON command: Starting 7 December l934 Jack had four weeks leave during which we drove all over eastern Virginia, including Virginia Beach and Great Dismal Swamp and then into North Carolina. But most of the time we just stayed in Portsmouth,enjoying the yams and fresh spinach and taking short =166= drives into the country around Portsmouth. Early in January l935 I returned to Panama on the CRISTOBAL, and Helen Aiken wife of one of our junior officers was also aboard. I became acquainted with Mary and Margaret Gleason of Ardmore, Pennsylvania,who were going to Colon on the Atlantic side to visit their Army dentist cousin.We saw Mary frequently in Philadelphia when she worked for the Insurance Company of North America. Her sister worked in New York City for the Aluminum company.For the entire l935 season I lived at the McKim home in Ancon,where they rented me a good=sized porch, which served for living and dining, and a bedroom, a share of a bathroom, and kitchen privileges.The family next door, where the man Captain Schlomny was a Canal pilot, had a parrot that really talked.It called out, "Isabelle"- the name of their daughter, and it talked all the time.Mr.McKim worked in the Administration building on Ancon Hill.Their daughter Josephine McKim was a well-known swimmer who did the swimming parts for Hollywood movie stars.The younger daughter Musa Jane was studying at college on the mainland.Mr. McKim often visited the San Blas Indians on an island off the coast of Panama.They were a comparatively unknown group who avoided outside contacts, but they were friendly with Mr.McKim.He was writing a book about them and asked for my opinion and criticism. In Ancon in l935, John Vaccaro's sister Rose and her husband Hugo Trio called on Jack on the HANNIBAL.Since he wanted to show them as much of the Canal Zone and Panama as possible, he took them riding in the old Buick. When Jack got a flat tire, Hugo skillfully changed the tire for him.Commander and Mrs. Paul Rice, our old friends from the TULSA in 1930 and l931, were in Panama in 1935, when he was the Admiral's aide aboard the TRENTON. They lived in Panama City, where I visited them and I admired their spacious quarters- much nicer than the homes in the Canal Zone.But Gertrude got malaria there. Paul retired soon after her attack because of his arthritis in 1935,though he was recalled to active duty one year before World War II and worked at Pearl Harbor in industrial management. HANNIBAL FINAL MONTHS 1935 AUGUST Sophie pregnant. SEPTEMBER Hurricane coming north. OCTOBER Transfer to command of CLAXTON: When Jack told our medical officer on the HANNIBAL in early August l935 that I thought I was pregnant= and told him what my symptoms were, he told Jack I merely had phlegm.Going up north in September l935, I bought a few bottles of bay rum in Haiti- one for Bill Barrett, who met me in New York.The CRISTOBAL had left a few days before the HANNIBAL, and we had a very rough trip because of a hurricane behind us. The HANNIBAL was closer to the center of the storm and made a dangerous passage. On the CRISTOBAL those of us on the upper deck were forbidden to leave our cabins. Bill Barrett met me in New York and took me by taxi to Grand Central Station, where I took a train via Berlin, Connecticut to New Britain where I saw my sister Babe and Dr. Geetter and their two young sons David and Albert, born l933 and l935.When I arrived in Portsmouth in September, l935 Jack had rented the second floor of Mr. Hanger's home, converted into two "apartments." It was much too small for us, without any dining space. The kitchen was merely a 'hole in the wall' a section of the living room with space only for a tiny stove and a tiny refrigerator. There were no wash tubs and only a very small sink, so the maid had todo the washing in the bathtub and had to go through the one bedroom to get to the bathroom.=l68- To eat one had to put up a bridge table in the living room. In the bedroom there was a genuine Duncan Phyphe table,but we didn't use Mr. Hanger's precious antique, as there was no pad for the table, which was too big for our cramped living room.The place was cold. At the most inappropriate times the elctric lights would go off.We would then have to search for Mr. Hanger,who lived in the cellar,which was always locked.Most of the time he was not there when the lights went out, and we endured cold and darkness.One Sunday evening when the lights went out at five o'clock (dark in Portsmouth at that season) Jack was so upset that he packed his suitcases and put them in the car preparatory to moving to the HANNIBAL as the place was unliveable.But since I was pregnant and did nothing about packing and getting out,he brought all his gear back and in disgust went to bed cold and hungry, and I did too.After living at the Hanger converted home a short time, Jack discovered that the first floor tenants were Commander and Mrs. Frank Delahanty of the Supply Corps.Frank and Jack were old friends.Sue Delahanty shopped with me for maternity clothes and helped me alter them.When we learned that my 1923 classmate Edna Delahanty at Mount Holyoke was Frank's first cousin, Sue and I became close friends.About Christmas time we found an apartment at 7100 Hampton Boulevard in Norfolk, Virginia not far from the Naval Operating Base, where Jack after November commanded the destroyer USS CLAXTON, after his HANNIBAL duty ended. |
|
Back row, Nell Craig, Annie Mehegan, Eileen Mehegan (later Mrs. Oscar Hanson l920-l988 of Denver - front right Eileen's grandmother Hannah Alberts Mehegan about 1860-l940 on Hyde Park Avenue Roslindale in later years widow of "the printer" at Boston Herald Robert Joseph Mehegan senior (who wrote Barrett family history & passed away May 1925). At front left is Hannah's sister. Hannah was Annie Mehegan's mother, Eileen's grandmother. #104 p 13 106 From Elvira Mehegan, wife of Jack's second cousin,Robert Mehegan,junior, of Denver, Colorado, came a letter written September 6, l970,"Dear Sophie and John junior, I am answering both of your letters together and hope I don't get things too much mixed up. I shall send my Paul his pictures and the address of Robert F. Fahrbach (junior) in California. Also send Edmund pictures.I talked to Edmund and his wife last night about Darlene's health. He said the orthosurgeon told her her improvement after the brain operation was remarkable. We are all so thankful. Edmund was very much interested in this family history. If any of you people go there or out here, we shall be so glad to meet you.I have no idea of locating any of the Richard Sullivans here.I looked in the Denver telephone book. there are four columns of Sullivans. You mentioned Helen B. Craig. That would be Nellie Craig.She is the only one of the Mehegan relatives I met. She used to visit us as well as Rob's father.When I knew her she lived in South Boston. I never heard her mention any brothers or sisters.When I went to Boston in l920, the Mehegans lived on Brown Avenue, Roslindale, but I remember them speaking of Cambridge and Mozart Street (Jamaica Plain).I think my husband was born in Cambridge (l887). I heard him speak of Sister Mary Joseph, whom he visited when he went to California.Robert senior was a printer on the Boston Herald all the time I knew him. Johanna his wife talked more about the family than he did. In fact I got to know several of her relatives while Nellie Craig was the only one on his side. I wish I could be of more help to you about the Mehegans. You asked about me in Wyoming. I was born in Evanston - 1894-went to Boston in l920. After Bob died in l933,I went back to Evanston. I tried to get a teaching job in Boston but was told no superintendant would hire me trained in a western college. I learned there was an opening in Evanston- so sold some things, packed others and took my four children aged two to twelve years back to the West. You asked about the railroad. It was very important. Engines were all coal burning and the main means of both transportation and freight. Now there is just one passenger train a day east and west going across the state. I remember my father had a horse and buggy for short trips. My ancestors the LaRivieres settled in Canada from France at the time of the French Revolution (relatives of Lafayette's mother).I am almost ashamed to send this "hodgepodge" to you. I have written things as I think of them.It is easier for me to forget than to remember.I shall mail the other pictures you sent soon. Best wishes from all the Mehegans. P.S. I just thought of something else.When in Evanston Robert junior's work was Civil Service clerk in the Land Office.When he went back to Boston he was rejected by the Draft for World War I because he was too thin. So he was a Civil Service clerk at the Army Base, South Boston until three weeks before he died of a brain tumor. - Elvira Mehegan." Robert Mehegan junior visited San Francisco September 1911 and saw Sister Mary Joseph. The Robert Mehegan junior family -l- Eileen: Her husband is Oscar O Hansen (he uses only initials). He is a druggist, a graduate of Colorado University at Boulder. He was in the Navy in World War II. Their address is 5560 East Dickenson Place Denver Colorado 80222.Their phone is 756-6l52. I include this because their phone is unlisted.(in l933 Eileen was thirteen years) Their children: -a- David Hansen age 23. He is in his last quarter of college and is married. His wife had a,baby girl Laurie Ann Hanson on August 26, l970. -b- Barbara Hanson age eighteen She is in college now. -c- Sue Hanson age twelve, in the eighth grade. --2-John Mehegan (John R. Mehegan in l933 was twelve years old.)He is a graduate of Colorado University at Boulder in chemical engineering.He was in the Coast Guard in World War II located in the Pacific Ocean area. He works for Martin Marietta Company in Denver.They make space vehicles for the government.His address is 445 South 42nd Street, Boulder, Colorado 80302.His children are: -a- Mark Mehegan age nineteen years -b- John Mehegan called Jack seventeen years -c- James Mehegan called Jim eleven years -d- Jane Elizabeth Mehegan called Mitzie age six years.--3- Edmund J. Mehegan (In l933 he was five years) He is a graduate of Chicago Art Institute and works for Rand McNally Company.His address is 1637 Illinois Street, Des Plaines, Illinois 60018. Edmund had four years service in the Navy ending with the Korean War, but no active duty. His wife had a serious brain operation in June of this year.She seems to be making very good progress. Their children are: -a- Estelle Mehegan fifteen years old -b- Matthew Mehegan twelve years old - Martha Mehegan six years old.--4- Paul F. Mehegan He is a graduate of Notre Dame University Indiana with a degree in aeronautical Engineering.He works for Rocket Dyne Company, a branch of North American Aviation Company.They make engines for government missles. His address is 6621 Berquist Avenue, Canoga Park, California 9l304. (In l933 he was three years.)His family: -a- Teresa Mehegan age twelve years -b- Maria Mehegan age eight years - c-Lisa Mehegan age six years -d-Paula Mehegan age four years -e- Robert Mehegan age two years - f-David Mehegan born late in l97l. Many thanks for the pictures you sent. I have mine and have given Eileen hers.When Annie Mehegan was ill, Eileen went to Arlington,Massachusetts. After Annie's death Eileen had to clear her apartment.She found a picture of Robert senior. On the back was written that it was taken when he was twenty-three years old. She did not find anything to indicate that the woman (in a picture) was Kate Mehegan.Her features resemble other Mehegans, though- Elvira Mehegan." Oc 10, 1970 Since I sent you the postcard dated 1915,I found information in an old suitcase of my Bob's: it is an account of his trip to California. It is dated October 11, 1911 to October 22.He mentioned a Public Lands convention held in Denver which he attended. He reported for work in the Land Office September 27, 1911. He mentioned receiving a letter from sister Mary Joseph 2043 Polk street, San Francisco- also Miss Kate Barrett was writing to her nephew who was in U.S. Cutter Service. October twelfth Bob heard from him from New London, Connecticut.(I assume that was your husband and father).One thing mentioned that does not apply to the family but was of interest to me- In --3-- Evanston Bob paid one dollar a day for room and board in a private family.Bob's trip to San Francisco- He left Evanston September 5, 1911 on the Overland, Limited, a coal-burning engine that gave off cinders. At Ogden,Utah,an oil-burning engine was substituted.Great Salt Lake was crossed over a man-made cut-off (a big project of fill-in rock).When the train reached Oakland, all had to transfer to ferry to cross the bay to San Francisco.He visited many places in San Francisco, then on Sept ninth went to visit relatives at 2043 Polk Street. --4--There he met the Hessions, Barretts, and other relatives.Mrs. Hession's home was near Market Street.Miss "Auntie" Barrett and Kate Barrett lived with her.The big San Francisco 1906 fire destroyed her property, which had to be rebuilt.Kate Barrett was Robert [ Mehegan] Senior's first cousin, [and "Auntie" was the aunt of them both].Besides these three women, he learned about sister Mary Joseph,the Kerrigans,Colemans, Murphys,Fahrbachs, and Rings.Miss Kate Kerrigan was the only other one he met.He had eight meetings with these people.They told him of the western relations, and he told them of those in the East.They treated him --5-- very well.While Mrs. Hession was elderly and wrinkled, she was very active physically and mentally.She helped her relatives and started {her son-in-law] Mr. Fahrbach in business. Mr. Hession was a highly educated man, a civil engineer and surveyor.The Hessions had three children Robert, John, and [Elizabeth]Mrs. Fahrbach. Robert married but John did not.Both died within six months of each other.John was a letter carrier. Mrs. Fahrbach died about 1910 [1907].The next person mentioned is Kate Barrett, Robert Senior's first cousin. She was active as a suffragette.She spent much time in helping her older relations.These ladies and Bob went--6--to Berkeley to visit Sister Mary Joseph (September thirteenth).They discussed the eastern relatives. She was very active.There was a discussion of the Kerrigans, Colemans, and Murphys. Bob's last visit at 2043 Polk Street was September tenth. Kate Kerrigan (unmarried) was {one of two} living daughters of bob's granmother's oldest sister. [Mary Barrett,Mrs. Ring in Ballymartle, Cork].Both Mr. and Mrs. Murphy were dead at this time,- two grown sons survived. They had not kept close to Mrs. Hession.On September 20 Bob took a steamer for Los Angeles. At that time Mrs. Johanna Hession, Kate Kerrigan, the two Murphy boys and Miss Coleman --7--were the only remaining relatives |
[Main|