- Contact Ralph at consultone1@comcast.net
Old post July 2010:
Doc forwarded below email to Ralph Hann who served on Maza in 1944, Ralph’s response dated July 7, 2010:
Thank you for this interesting documentation by Quartermaster Walt Gladwin. I served in the wheelhouse as a Helmsman many many hours and was friendly with the Quartermasters but at this point in time I cannot remember their names. I am sure I knew Walt. His description of things that went on is very good. My recollection of some of it differs but not by too much. The sailor who was killed was Ed Marsh not spelled as Walt had it. I also remember Lt. Tucker as he was a dynamic guy.
His write up sounds like all of this happened on the first cruise of the Mazama. Actually after the Saipan action the Mazama did return to the USA in August of 1944 to Mare Island for some upgrading and for a new load of ammo. We set sail again mid September and it was during the second cruise that the Mazama was torpedoed by the Jap Kamikaze submarine. It was also during this cruise that we took part in the Leyte Gulf Battle prior to the torpedoing and repairs and our trip back to the USA, San Francisco and our stop in Pearl Harbor enroute.
From Dorothy Gladwin Russell ` emailed to Doc July 6, 2010:
My brother found this document from papers our Dad, Walter J. Gladwin (Quartermaster of the first crew of the Mazama) left us. I thought you would be interested in it. It tells the story of the Mazama’s first mission after her commission on March 10, 1944. The first attachment has two pictures of the Mazama. The next three, the story. We do not have any record of who created this document. At a minimum, I believe his name could be added to the “Crew List” along with the other names listed in this story. Most of the information on your web site are of later years of this ship. I hope you find this interesting.
It would be great if you could authenticate this document for us and, if you wish, you may publish on your web site, where I found your name.
Note from Doc: I will try and get these documents posted on site in the future.
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