Thirteen/WNET New York WLIW 21
New York War Stories : Your Memories. Your Words.

Untitled

Submitted by: Jerome Friedman

After leaving California in June of 1944, we set sail for Hawaii. Honolulu at that time was not yet a tourist center but I took a swim at Waikiki beach. After 10 days we headed south. We dropped off some supplies to the Army base at Palmyra Island, the southernmost island of the Hawaiian Islands. Our next stop was Funafuti. Enroute we encountered a ferocious typhoon. Our FS362 was tossed about like a cork in a whirlpool. Funafuti is atoll. There were only the indigenous natives to greet us. I collected some lovely shells that I strung together for my sisters. Next stop was the New Hebredes wear I had the pleasure of a fine dinner at the residence of a wealthy French farmer. Finally, on to New Guinea. First stop was an Australian army base where, in a driving rainstorm, we were enthusiastically welcomed by the Aussies. For the next several months we carried cargoes up and back of the north shore of New Guinea. Ultimately we arrived at where the real action was. Halmahera, Morotai and then Leyte in the Philippines. We earned our fruit salad with the little bronze stars affixed.