Enterprise: America's Fightingest Ship and the Men Who Helped Win World War II by Barrett Tillman

Author:Barrett Tillman [Tillman, Barrett]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Published: 2012-02-13T22:00:00+00:00

BROTHERS AND OTHERS

For most men, the variety of life ashore had its limits. On a weekly basis or so, some of the beached air group returned to the ship for some good food, a real shower, and a clean, soft berth. In late April Avenger gunner Chuck Shinneman was told he had a visitor on board. The officer of the deck asked, “Do you have a brother in the Navy?”

Shinneman allowed as he did, and was told his sibling had just headed for the flight deck. There Chuck found Ensign John R. Shinneman—his brother, Jay. The Grim Reapers of Fighting 10 had just received a batch of replacement pilots, and Jay would remain for the next combat deployment.

Other brothers came and went during that period, including two of the four Hoover boys from Denver. All were prewar Big E sailors, able to stay aboard despite the Navy’s normal policy after the five Sullivans were lost on the cruiser Juneau at Guadalcanal. Bill Hoover, a bugler, and Paul, a bosun’s mate, were reassigned after three and two years, respectively. Medical Corpsman Victor had left just before Midway but Machinist Howard remained from 1941 until early 1946. In all, at least six sets of brothers—fourteen men—served in Enterprise, of whom A. J. Davis was killed at Eastern Solomons and Lewis Flack at Santa Cruz. Additionally, Chief Machinist’s Mate Allen Patten reported to the Big E in 1942 after serving with his six brothers aboard Nevada, the only battleship to get under way at Pearl Harbor. Their father later entered the Navy during the war.

★ ★ ★

The bombers also experienced change in the slender, intense form of Stockton Birney Strong, whom Captain Osborne Hardison had recommended for the Medal of Honor after Santa Cruz. In February—after more than a year in the Pacific and six months aboard Enterprise—Strong assumed command of Bombing 10.

Among the replacement pilots was Lieutenant (jg) James D. Ramage, the same Jig Dog who had joined Enterprise directly from Annapolis in 1939. Back then he was part of the ship’s company but now, a newly minted aviator, he was exactly where he wanted to be, flying from the Big E. When Jig reported to the squadron, Strong looked up at him—most people were taller—and said in a level, gunfighter’s tone, “Ramage, I am going to make you the second-best dive-bomber in the Pacific Fleet.”

With only fifteen hours in Dauntlesses, Jig Dog received two sessions of field carrier landing practice under the expert tutelage of Robin Lindsey and Jim Daniels. Lindsey exuded confidence: “I’ll get you aboard.” And he did.

Ramage was unusual in that he served aboard Enterprise both as a blackshoe surface officer and a brownshoe aviator. He typified the growing talent pool available in early 1943. When Birney Strong greeted new pilots he was not merely accepting another batch from Pensacola or Corpus Christi. He was grooming his men for greater responsibilities—leaders as well as warriors; thinkers who could sink enemy ships with minimum loss. A dive-bomber pilot had

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