sweet pea ca.33

sweetpeaca33 · #1 (**permalink**) February 20th, 2007, 10:11 AM

hi,i'm new to this,so i'll just start by saying that my dad and grandfather both served in the U.S.navy;my dad was a loader on a40mm AA gun on the USS PORTLAND or "SWEET PEA".my grandad was a chief torpeodoman i think on the USS UTAH and also a navy diver. i say i think because ive got some pics. of him and on the back it refers to the UTAH.they are both gone now and i have this relentless desire to find out as much as i can about them and their ships.ive been visiting alot of websites and found out a good amount of info. but if anyone here can lead me to more or different places i would be very gracious!also if anyone knows anything about sweetpea or utah i would love to hear it ,also im searching for film and photos as well.i didnt ask enough when dad was around,as he didnt talk to much about it unless we asked.now i have a million things to ask him but cant!so if you guys dont mind i'll pick your brains. i have so much respect for those who fought and died in ww2,i think about what it must have been like on a ship in the middle of the ocean ,guns blazing,wow!!!and most any one of those guys say that "oh,you would have done the same thing"; i thank god and all those guys who did what they did,they are way big heroes!!!

Jim O · #2 (**permalink**) February 20th, 2007, 08:21 PM

Welcome to the site! I understand your feelings. There are lots of questions I would ask my father and, more importantly his brothers (both of whom saw combat action, one in the skies over Europe and one in the Pacific) if they were alive now. As for whether you or I would have done the same as our parents' generation I can't say, but most (not all) went willingly on all sides and for all nations.

john allred · #3 (**permalink**) August 24th, 2007, 08:21 AM

Can't help with the UTAH, but might can help with information on the USS PORTLAND. My dad was aboard the Portland for four years. He too didn’t talk to much about it, until he was about 70 years old. Now he seems to enjoy the correspondence. Let me know if we can help you any way.

John

Klaus · #4 (**permalink**) August 24th, 2007, 09:33 AM

Welcome sweet pea ca.33!

I hope you enjoy this forum as much as we do. I'm sorry I can't help you on your Quest, for this theatre is not my speciality.