The USS North Carolina (BB-55) My all-time favorite warship. As an elementary school student in North Carolina, I donated nickels and dimes to save this ship back in the early sixties.

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Flew Off the USS Tennessee

From the March 1, 2012, Rosemount (Mn) Town Pages "Framing Memories" by Emily Zimmer.

Louis Damiani, 88, was a Navy pilot during World War II, serving on the battleship USS Tennessee in the South Pacific.

He lost just about all of his belongings in a fire last March.

His plane was catapulted off the ship and he directed the ship's fire from overhead.

Of course, he could not return and land on the ship, so would have to wait for the ship to pick him up with its crane.  Once, he had to wait in his plane on the water when the ship had to leave and he was stranded for several days before being picked up.

His mother received a MIA letter.

He was at the invasion of Guam. and has a photo of the remains of a Japanese kamikaze on the deck of the Tennessee.  He was also at Iwo Jima and the signing of the Japanese surrender.

Sadly, his health is failing.

--GreGen

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