U.S.S. ABBOT  ⭑  DD 629

Honored by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

By George S.K. Rider

USS ABBOT (DD-629) REUNION 2018 ATTENTION ON DECK!

Some of us are old enough to remember an audio participation radio show that aired first in 1942, “CAN YOU TOP THIS”. The title came to mind as I began to write about our 2018 reunion. Ted Karras keeps setting the bar higher and higher with each reunion, along with his helpers, his wife Mary Lou; daughter Tammy and her husband Jim Saben; Rich Baran and his wife Peggy; Janet Jackson; and Jay Hershberger.

Dorothy and I set out early on 9/5 from our home in Essex, Conn., for the two and a half hour drive to Reunion Headquarters in the Karras’s home town of Yarmouth, Cape Cod, to join 38 crew members, who had served at various times aboard, from her launching at Bath, Maine, in 1943 to the day she was decommissioned in 1965. A total of 74, including daughter Jenny, families and friends, shared an event rich five-day program that had us on the go each day and well into most nights.

Thursday, September 6 at 8:30 a.m. found us on two well-appointed tour buses headed for Provincetown, with sight seeing from the busses on the way, and expert commentary on what we were seeing, and what we were about to see from Ted’s son in law, Jim Saben.

Two and a half hours of browsing, shopping and lunch set the stage for an eye-popping, incredible “Day With Whales In The Wild”, aboard one of the tour boats of the Whale Watch Fleet. Words cannot do justice to the wonders that we were about to see. At one point there were 3 humpbacked whales parallel to each other and our boat, on their backs, side by side, slapping the water with their fins. One of the ladies with us counted 51, the number of times that another huge whale beat the water with her tail, all of the antics producing “ooos”, “aws”, and applause from their appreciative audience. The display prompted the Captain of the tour boat to announce over the intercom that he had been doing these trips for many years and that today’s action ranked with the very best he had ever witnessed. He was quick to add that, “The Whales must have known that they would be performing for the crew members of the Abbot.”

I stood on purpose, and got soaked by the spray. The salt air filled my lungs. What a day!

Friday, we boarded the buses for tours of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, the guided walking tour of the campus, and the USTS Kennedy (Training Ship, a commercial freighter) that was docked on campus. Lunch with the cadets followed. A lecture on the facility and its functions, plus a driving tour of the Pave Paw Radar Station at the Otis Air Force Base, rounded out a long, and well planned day. On the way back to our home port, The Hampton Inn, West Yarmouth (it felt like we were coming home, the staff treated us so well!), we drove through Hyannis Port with more expert commentary from Jim Saben high-lighting the history of the area, stories, and viewing of the monuments to the Kennedy’s.

We had dinner by the pool. The after dinner entertainment began, featuring raffle drawings. It was presided over by Rich Baran (the Abbot’s own Don Rickles). The two raffles raised $1,400. Richie spared no one as he chose a different diner to reach into a bag containing the tickets, handing one to him and stepping back as the winning numbers were announced. There were 22 baskets donated by the crew, chock full of goodies, wine, liquor, trinkets and keep sakes. His remarks to and about the winners were priceless.

Saturday was a free day. A number of us slept in, shopped and explored the area in preparation for the Lobster Bake that night.

On a personal note, Rich Baran’s remarks included a tribute to my brother Ken. We served together aboard the Abbot. He told the story about Ken and me giving him a ride to our homes in Bay Shore, L.I., N.Y. We left Newport in a heavy snowstorm that got worse. We pulled off the road and rode out the worst of the storm at Vaughn Monroe’s Night Club. A great lasting friendship formed that night. Ken passed away in 1995.

During Friday night’s festivities, Dave Rogers presented me with a sold 8 inch black fouled anchor, a reminder to keep me moored close to home, and a taller black and white, circular striped lighthouse, to help me find my way home from The Black Seal, a great gathering place in Essex, Conn. Dave also enhanced and enlarged a color a photo of me taken at an earlier reunion, and presented me with the striking picture which hangs proudly in my office.

My raffle winnings included a giggly, sublime green, long-skirted, well appointed, Hawaiian hula dancer strumming a ukulele, and now gyrating in front of me as I type.

Saturday was a free day that allowed us to slow the pace, sleep late, shop, and explore the area. Some jitneyed to Hyannis Port, or swam in Hampton Inn’s pools, rested, and leisurely get ready for the lobster bake that night. The dress code was casual Hawaiian! The steak and lobsters plus all the trimmings, corn on the cob, clams and oysters where more than I could handle. Having our daughter Jennifer there was icing on the cake!

Ted Karras began the formal part of the evening by thanking Yarmouth selectmen for naming September 9 as USS Abbot Day. He introduced special guests Police Chief Frank Fredrickson and staff members, and paid an emotional tribute to Police Officer Sean Gannon, 32, who was murdered 4/12/2018 by a career criminal.

Ted praised the management and staff of the Hampton Inn for their care in hosting us. He introduced state Representative Tom Whalen who presented proclamations signed by Governor Baker honoring five Abbot sailors for their actions in WWII. Three veterans and the widow of one were present.

Of all the wonderful events, the camaraderie and nostalgia that the reunion generated, hearing the stories, most first hand, of the wartime exploits of the proclamation recipients will stay with me forever. While we were visiting Mass Maritime, most of the others embarked on the walking tour. Several of us, whose mobility was questionable, gathered on the elevated terrace of a school building that overlooked the broad campus, with a view of the river, and the Kennedy docked in the distance. I was wheel chair bound and arrived on the terrace first. Several ladies came along together, followed by 96-year-old, Howard Nickerson.

We were “moored” side by side in wheel chairs, his equipped with a small oxygen tank. Four generations in his family accompanied Howard, 17 in all. I had the honor of getting to know him and for more than an hour I listened to his stories of the Abbot’s collision with the Cowpens 10/18/1943, the bombardment of Honshu 7/14/1945, and the dramatic order issued to the Abbot’s captain, by the carrier, “Take the torpedo”, as the Abbot veered sharply to stand in its path. Howard was on deck, and witnessed the torpedo pass under her, missing the carrier’s port bow by yards. He was the last of the Abbot’s plank owners (original crew) and was aboard for her christening in 1943.

Master Chief John Alford’s Navy career spanned more than 20 years, and he served aboard eight ships. I heard about his part in bringing down, “The last kamikaze!”, two days after General Mac Arthur signed the documents ending WWII. John’s battle station was ammunition handler on a quad 40-millimeter gun battery situated between two 5-inch mounts, comprising one sector on the carrier USS Wasp. His account appeared verbatim in an interview conducted by the city of Alexandria, Va.; Office of Historic Alexandria; and Alexandria Legacies Oral History Program. Admiral Halsey had sent a dispatch to all, as commander of the Third Fleet, that the war was over, but if an enemy plane comes over, “Shoot him down in a friendly manner”.

The Wasp had a Combat Air Patrol, CAP aloft, consisting of eight aircraft. Two Kamikazes appeared. One was engaged and shot down. From a height of 8,000 feet, the other Kamikaze dove on the carrier and was hit several times. The Wasp pilot broke off allowing anti-aircraft fire to finish the job. The Wasp was turning sharply to port. John did not witness the plane crashing into the sea off the starboard bow, as the carrier executed the sharp left turn. He was busy passing ammo. John was later advised that his Sector had done the job!

Gene Gallagher and I served aboard the Abbot, six years apart. We were both assigned to the Gunnery Department, both shared the duties as “1st Lieutenant” and the same battle station, the Mark 56 director which was about as big as a small telephone booth, located aft of the second stack. Depending on the heading of the ship, you sometimes dismounted covered with soot from the stacks. The responsibilities included aiming and directing two 5”38 mounts and 3”50 gun tubs.

Gene played a key role during the Cuban missile crisis. The Abbot was patrolling in the waters off Cuba, and was ordered to challenge all sea transport attempting to transit the U.S. Naval Base waters at Guantanamo.

Mid-afternoon on a clear day late in October 1962, a Soviet freighter was headed for Guantanamo Bay en route to enter and proceed upstream to offload her cargo. Abbot was ordered to stop her from entering. General quarters sounded. Abbot continued to challenge the freighter by light to stop, identify and disclose her destination and cargo. The freighter did not respond. Abbot steamed up the port side of the freighter, crossed her bow, and began to crisscross back and forth to deny entry. Still there was no response. Ensign Gallagher, the Mark 56 Fire Control Officer, was summoned to the bridge and ordered to replace GM3 Malcolm as mount captain. Mount 51 was manually aimed at an angle off the bow of the freighter. Still no response!

Orders from the bridge were given to load Mount 51. A potentially serious incident was fast escalating almost 56 years ago.

Had it not been for an alert lookout on the starboard wing of the bridge, who spotted water churning astern of the freighter, and shouted out, “She’s In Reverse!”, WWIII might have started. No one will ever know what would have happened. The order to commence fire had already been given to Commander Craig who relayed the order to gunnery officer Lt. j.g. Chris Bailey on the bridge, who in turn was to relay it by sound powered phone to Ensign Gallagher now in Mount 51, he never received the order!

Both ships went dead in the water. A small boat from the Guantanamo Navy Base, approached the freighter, a half-dozen marines boarded the freighter verifying that there no missiles aboard. The freighter was allowed to proceed. All orders had been relayed from the admiral at Guantanamo to the Captain Craig of the Abbot, to Lt. j.g. Bailey, and to Ensign Gallagher with his hand on the trigger!

The problem then became, what to do with the live round in Mount 51. Abbot steered a course for open water, scanned the area and safely fired the round, “Abbot’s last round fired in action”. Even though the round fell harmlessly into the ocean, the threat of finding another target was enough to avert a much different outcome.

I later overheard a crewman relating his recollection of the blockade incident and equating the mood of Abbot’s crew after the successful interception of the Soviet freighter, to the elation of the New England Patriots players, in the locker room after winning a Super Bowl.

As I write this, I’m reflecting on how blessed I am to have served on the Abbot with my brother Ken, a highlight of my life, and all of my wonderful shipmates. Nostalgia pokes its head up at the damnedest of times.

As I close with a tear, the image of Howard telling his stories, his pride in his country, and the joy of having four generations in his family at the reunion is living testimony to the greatest generation! Howard passed away 10/19/2018. God Bless!

Older First Lieutenant,
George S.K. Rider

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