The Coast Guard's Good War.

April 25, 2002
Material Needed For This Page! Send Your Photos and Descriptions Today.
For information send mail to wrw2@earthlink.net


83-Footer Links. 83503 Lewis Diary More 83s
	Mr. James Mateyack provides a tribute to his father, former Seaman 1/c John F.Mateyack, USCG, (in photo to right) as well as the officers and men of the USCG manned LCI(L)-92This landing craft was put out of commission by German shore batteries during the landing on Omaha Beach. (click image to take you to the web site).
Big Bounce Coast Guard Combat Artist Hunter Wood gives us a 1943 record of a Coast Guard 83-foot patrol boat at sea. The life on board small patrol vessels is a constant of Coast Guard life however uncomfortable and arduous.	Frozen Gun This scene on board USS (CG) Tampa(WPG 48) was a familiar one to the men who sailed the North Atlantic during WWII. Although difficult to see there are men forward of the gun in extreme foul weather gear ready to remove ice from the cutter. The Tampa served out of Boston from 1941-44 for escort duty in Greenland waters. (1943 Photo contributed by former GM3/c Gerald Labadie, USCG)
Friends Made At Sea. The deck force of USS(CG) Tampa (WPG 48) in 1943. Rear (L-R): Unknown, Clark, "Mother" Kerry(with beard), Wilson, Brown, Chief Cluder, Horn, Morley Kemp. Kneeling (L-R): Gerald Labadie, Woolever, Horn (no relation to the first). Note: Balsa life raft on side of ship. These were supposed to hold ten men. (1943 Photo contributed by former GM3/c Gerald Labadie, USCG)
	Chow on the Bow. A rare 1943 photograph of a meal being served on the foc'sle of USCGC Samuel D. Ingham (now a museum at Patriot's Point in Charleston, S. C.). The reason for serving the meal on deck is not known, but considering messdeck tables and benches are used some repair must have been taking place. Also note the use of "china" instead of the metal trays used later. Close examination of the original photo shows a meal of pork chops, mashed potatos and green peas--fine Coast Guard fare. (Photo contributed by former ET2 Bruce Floyd, USCG. His father, GM2 Floyd, is fifth person on left of the foreground table.)
Comin' and Goin'. The Coast Guard manned USS General William Mitchell (AP 114) was one of many that served throughout the war in all theatres of operations. It, and others, carried troops from many nations including Brazilians to Italy. (167K) Official Navy Photo by H. G. Nelson, Norfolk, VA, (ca. 1944/45). Photo contributed by former ET2 Bruce Floyd, USCG
Fightin' For Your Home. Coast Guard Combat Artist Hunter Wood draws a dramatic scene of a Coast Guard APA fighting for its survival against a Japanese aircraft attack. He shows the many functions of firing anit-aircraft guns, retrieving small craft, raising the anchor and getting underway while bombs hit close aboard.
	Mo' Bofors Forty. Coast Guard Combat Artist John J. Floherty captures the tense activity of No. 4 gun of Coast Guard manned LST 770 under aircraft attack at Iwo Jima.
Iwo Jima Day 2 Coast Guard Combat Artist John J. Floherty provides an excellent panorama of the fierce action encountered at Iwo Jima. He notes the Coast Guard vessels brought in close to support the Marines ashore.
	War Doesn't Stop The Work. GM2 Anderson(left) and two unidentified gunner's mate stirkers clean and adjust a .50 caliber water-cooled anti-aircraft machine gun on board First Class Cruising Cutter George M. Bibb at sea in 1941. Photo by (the late) Sidney L. Loyer, GMC, USCG (Retired)

This Ain't No Day at the Beach BM1 Vestal paints the loss of Coast Guard LCI(L) 93 on June 6, 1944. Two other LCI(L), numbers 85 and 92 were also lost in the invasion of Normandy.		Man Your Battle Stations! Coast Guard Combat Artist (BM1) H. B. Vestal, USCGR, perfectly illustrates the sense of urgency of the men on a Coast Guard manned LCI rushing to battle stations for the June 1944 invasion at Normandy. (284K)

	Four-handed Beach party "Some where in the Pacifc" a Coast Guard beach detail takes a break to play some cards and rest. Official U. S. Coast Guard Photo.	Old ship, Old guns In 1943 the Coast Guard manned the USS Bayfield (APA 33) and served with her the remainder of the war. Note the 1.1" quad machine guns. These guns had such a low rate of fire they were practically worthless against fast aircraft. However, they seem to match the near antique triple helm that took six men to control. Official U. S. Coast Guard Photo.
	Long Watches, Lonely War. This photo of a lookout on board Bibb(WPG-31) clearly illustrates the crossed mood of war time patrols. Boring watches yet terrified to relax. This lookout is in the starboard side 3"/50 gun tube. (Photo donated by the late GMC Sidney Loyer, USCG)	Guns are the Way of War. World War II was about guns and Coast Guard Gunner's Mates met and exceded the challanges of the war. Here GM2 Sidney L. Loyer, USCG stands next to the forward 5"/51 gun mount of the First Class Crusing Cutter Bibb (WPG-31) in 1941. (Photo donated by the late GMC Sidney Loyer, USCG)
	"Florence" and Me. GM2 Floyd on board the Ingham (WPG-35) named his gun mount "Florence" circa 1942. Note the "diaper" under the breech. This was used to prevent, unsuccessfully, the oil and grease from dripping on the teak wood decks. (Photo contributed by former ET2 Bruce Floyd, USCG)
		Mama Was a Gunner's Mate. During the war women took on any number of service occupations that would be later closed to them. Here an obvisously staged photo shows two SPAR gunner's mates cleaning a Thompson Sub-Machine gun --without one chip in their nail polish.

Return to:
COAST GUARD WARRIORS--PART OF THE MIX