"Dear Folks," wrote Don Bonaventure on June 9, 1944.
"This is the first chance I've
had in quite a while to sit down and write you folks a letter I guess
by the time this letter reaches you, you will have heard the news everybody
was waiting for. All I can say about that is I'd rather have a ringside
seat at a good football game in preference to the one I just had. It must
be a bit of the ol Irish luch riding with me."
As found in many letters from those coming from a combat situation, he
speaks of things at home before continuing with this story (one that would
pass the mail censors). "What a show it [the invasion] was though.
Never expect to see anything like it again. Never want too, either."
Attempting to relate the impossible to relate he wrote, "Remember
how we used to feel just before a ball game. Kind of a tense feeling in
the pit of the stomach. That's just how I felt. I had often wondered how
I would feel, and that's just the sensation I got; Once it started though
you didn't think about anything but the job you were doing."
The 6' 3" Boatswain's Mate did not mention in his letter home was
the attack on the CG 83412 by a German aircarft.
The deck log beginning June 5, 1944 illustrates the mission. It should
be noted that Chief Hayslip and Ltjg Bradley stood six hour watches and
were the only OODs for the boat. The crew's composition was 1 officer
and 13 enlisted men.
Sixty Coast Guard 83-foot patrol boats made up Rescue Flotilla One operating from Poole, Dorset, England. They saved 1435 Allied lives, over half in the first 36 hours of the D-Day landings.
| June 5, 1944 | |
| Mid to 0900. Moored to dock at Poole Harbor, England. 0800. Morning colors held. | |
| 0900 to 1600. Moored to dock at Poole, England. 1300. Held General Quarters & Signal Drills | . |
| 1600 to Mid. Moored as before. 1700. Underway at Habor. 1800. Steering 230o P. S. C. to Portland [England] to catch up with Convoy [Speed 12 knots]. 2100. following in formation with convoy. 123o P. S. C. running on one motor at 600 R. P. M. [5 knots]. | |
| June 6, 1944 | |
| Mid to 0600. Underway traveling in formation with 5 knot Convoy running on one motor at 600 R. P. M.123o P. S. C | |
| 0600 to 1200. As before in Convoy formation running on at 600 R. P. M.123o P. S. C. 1000. C/C [Changed course] 178o P. S. C. | |
| 1200 to 1800. As before in Convoy formation running on at 600 R. P. M.178o P. S. C | |
| 1800 to Mid. As before in Convoy formation running on at 600 R. P. M. 1900. both motors going at various R. P. M., on Various courses. 2030. picked up survivors form Capsized landing barge. off coast of Northern France. 2100 transferred survivors to Navy L. S. T. 2140 Moored to L. C.I. 2330 General Quarters. Fired on Enemy Planes overhead. 2355 secured firing. | |
| June 7, 1944. | |
| Mid to 0900. Moored to Navy L. C. I. off Coast of France. In area assigned. | |
| 0900 to 1600. Moored as before. 1000 Underway, transferred Commander and Crew from Freigher to Navy L. S. T. 1100 Moored to Navy L. C. I. | |
| 1600 to Mid. Moored as before. 1800. Underway. 1830. moored to gasoline tanker received 700 gallons gasoline. 1900 Underway again. (unreadable) Hospital ship being towed by tug. Hospital Ship Knock[ed] out by mines. 2200. Relieved from escort duty. Standing out to take position for Convoy on return trip to Poole. 2300. in Convoy formation heading Northerly, running both motors at 1000. R. P. M [12 - 14 knots]. | |
| Note: Entered Poole Harbor at 0630 June 8, 1944. |
Rare Photo of Bonaventure being off loaded at Poole, Dorset, England.
View of small patrol boats and Poole, England, in the background taken from the open conning station. In foreground is the star painted on top of bridge.
Jaunty, confident, care free and scared to death.
At Right:
| Bottom Row (L-R) | ||
| Ed Kelly, | Coxswain, | New York |
| Joe Cianciulli | MoMM1/c | New York |
| W. A. Bradley | Ltjg | New York |
| Quirlie Humble | GM 3/c | Texas |
| Top Row (L-R) | ||
| Steve Rodick | SOM2/c | Pennsylvania |
| Ken Van Buskirk | Leading Seaman | New York |
| Walter Utnewicz | MoMM1/c | New Jersey |
| Don Bonaventure | BM2/c | New York |
| Burton Stobber | MoMM1/c | Wisconsin |
| Not Shown | ||
| Orin Edwards | CMoMM | Rhode Island |
| Walter Hayslip | CBM | Michigan |
| Tom Roditus | SM3/c | Pennsylvania |
| Frank Quirk | ? | Massachusetts |
| Frank Le Duc | BM1/c | Massachusetts |
| Jim Randolph | SOM2/c | Illinois |
On the photos reverse W. A. Bradley wrote;
"Each one is -- Tops"
Possibly CMoMM Orin Edwards
The covered object in the background
is the 20mm Orlikon.
Unidentified Chief Petty Officer.
Notice the ribbions painted on the wing.
The number (painted over a bridge window
is '24'. These craft were resigned numbers
for the invasion.
Probably SM3/c Tom Roditus on 12-inch Signal Lamp.
