USS Yosemite AD-19

Yosemite Ship Saga - Page 14

Stories by Dick Wibom, MM2/c

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First Call Home - Yosemite in U.S.
As soon as the lines wee secured, some of us went off the ship. I remember seeing one shipmate get down on his knees and kiss the dock. I saw a dockside telephone just a sgort distance away and had the operator call home. My folks didn't have a phone so I called a neighbor who said, "Hold on and I'll be back with your Mother." It was like Heaven hearing her voice. I had to make it a short call, but I learned there had been some deaths in our family and they didn't want to get me concerned. I did feel real bad everybody I left wouldn't be there when I got home. I got back aboard and it was a short stop as we had to leave to get unloaded. They said there was enough TNT on the Yosemite to blow up half of New York City.

Unloading the Yosemite, No Liberty for me
We had to go out into the Atlantic Ocean where there were long docks with railroad tracks on them and some warehouses. Part of the crew got liberty in New York City, but unfortunately, I didn't. Those of us who were left pulled an all-night, all Hands working party. It was hard to believe the Yosemite carried so many 5" shells, torpedoes and depth charges. The liberty party returned and told us of the great time they had in New York.
I remember taking a shower and getting ready for that big eventful day. I packed my new suitcase, got my rifle ready and hoped there would not be any last minute screw-ups.

Last day as crewman of the USS Yosemite
The last day I coudln't hardly eat breakfast, I was so excited. When we went to quarters we were presented with a packet of papers to be presented for discharge - mine said Great Lakes, Illinois where I'd taken service school traning before assignment to the Yosemite. We then lined up at the gangway where our names were called, saluted the officer of the deck and saluted "Old Glory". It felt great, but nostalgic, as I went down to the bus from the Yosemite.
I wondered if I would ever see her again or be able to board her one more time. Fifty years plus I did just that at Mayport, Florida when the Yosemite was decommissioned. So ended my saga with the USS Yosemite.

Arthritis, weaker eyes, some memory loss has made this difficult, but these are the times we hope will not be forgotten.

The End

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As a shipmate who has had the priviliege of knowing personally many of the "Plankowners" and others of the originial crew who were part of the WWII generation, who were shipmates can be proud of their contributions to the efforts to the history of the USS Yosemite.
It is true that Dick really covered his own feelings about the times and situations encountered in his Saga. I am extremely happy that he was able to recount what happened in his own words to give those of us who followed a flavor of life aboard the USS Yosemite in wartime.
All of th eoriginial crew have their own stories to tell amd maybe only the "Grandkids" will ever hear them. But they were, as someone put it, "The worst of times and the best of times."
Thanks to you Dick, they were inspirational to many of us.
Ed

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Words of Wisdom
Don't gamble; take all your savings and buy some good stock and hold it till it goes up, then sell it. If it don't go up, don't buy it.
-- Will Rogers
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - This country has come to feel the same when Congress is in session as when the baby gets hold of a hammer.
-- Will Rogers - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - There is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory which states that this has already happened. -- Douglas Adams, Author

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