My Pop was quite a story-teller but not much of a writer. In later years I put him in touch with a fellow who was writing a book about the kamikaze vs. US Navy in WW2. Pop knew all too much about this subject. One suicide plane exploded so close to him that a piece of aluminum flew down his collar and hit him in the back of the neck. He expected to be covered with blood and was afraid to reach back and find out. He bent down and had one of the guys from his gun crew remove the piece of debris, a strip about 6 inches long with rivets in it… but not a scratch or trace of blood.

Another plane was coming straight down the barrels of his twin 40mm guns ablazing… it emerged from the cloud of smoke and he stared as his crew shot one of the landing gear off… but still it kept coming. At the last possible moment it veered from its path and slammed into another gun mount killing a dozen of his shipmates in plain sight.

In the heat of battle he once told his men, “Keep praying and keep shooting. If you can only do one, keep praying.”

The USS Colhoun lasted exactly one year from the month it was commissioned and Pop was on board the whole time. My Pop’s Navy career encompassed the entire history of one brave little Navy destroyer. Unlike a lot of combat veterans, Pop talked about it… almost every day and in graphic detail. It shaped him. He was proud to have served and thankful to have survived.

The youngest men on the Colhoun would be nearly 90 years old now. I don’t think there are more than a dozen or so left. They may have survived the war but eventually they all succumb to the slow march of time. Pop died in 2011 aged 88 years. He’d probably still be kicking around the old farm if it weren’t for the cancer he fought ‘til the end.

Here are some notes he wrote after an interview with David Sears, author of “At War with the Wind” (2008). These details are particularly special to me as I read them in my father’s own handwriting. They seem brief and cold in delivering just the facts, but they engage my imagination and bring to mind a thousand conversations in which he provided more warmth and color to the events described… his spoken narrative of these events could run an hour or more, and inevitably brought to mind more stories, more personal anecdotes, indeed running to an entire Sunday afternoon spent enthralled by his mastery of the story-teller’s art.

Here is the capsule version.

Written By J.M. Pollock G.M. 2C USS Colhoun DD801 Fletcher Class. Escort Task Group to Iwo Jima. Screened Landing Craft for Landing. Bombarded Hot Rock (Surabatchi) Close support of ground force through forward observer. Heavy damage from shore batterys— Out of action—Extensive repairs at sea. New stacks, Torpedo Mts. Holes in hull— Ready to go again— Escort Task group to Okinawa Troops land April 1st (Easter Sunday) 1945— That night Colhoun sailed North approx 45 minutes flying time for aircraft to take position to monitor aircraft flying south to attack the ships of the invasion force. Colhoun was known as a fighter director ship. It had Radar jamming equip. Hi-teck Radar and Radio equip. Ship to Air Craft. There were a few other Destroyers with this equipt. These ships were stationed 15-16 mi apart on a radar picket line. Colhoun and Bush were on station No. 1 and No. 2 direct flight line the suicide craft would fly. Other ships of this group were Terry 513, Gregory 802, Lorrie—Van Valkenburgh 656- Cassin Young that I can remember. On April 5, we received message the japs were sending 800 suicide planes south on April 6. The gun captains were given this info- and to be as prepared as possible- And did they come… Our combat air patrol (C.A.P.) had a field day. Many became Aces that day. When they ran out of ammo we were left without air cover. Colhoun shot down near a doz hard to say exact. While this is going on. Colhoun received Mayday from one of our planes that was hit with Flack while bombing airfield where jap planes were taking off. He had to ditch close to the island. We were led to his position by some of the other planes. We brought him aboard. Seas were very rough and we were far from our station. Speeding back you should have seen the wake of that ship. Water and spray looked like a smoke screen. While returning Colhoun received distress call from Bush. Under heavy air attack. Before we got there Bush took a twin engine bomber in starboard side. She was dead in water and still under attack. Colhoun sailed between Bush and incoming planes fending them off for awhile—too many to handle. One got by. Made a return coming in very low, striking gun 40-4 straight in the barrels. Guns firing full blast. Bomb went through stacks exploding on training circle on Mt. 40mm3. Both gun crews were lost except two (Avey and Ammeral). We still had power maybe 15 knots at best. Still had power to guns. Planes still coming. Looks like we may make it. Dive bomber down through engine room. No more power. Another plane hits bridge. More coming. Without power hard to track. We try. One or two hit so close to ship at water line gas mixed with salt water drenched some of the men aboard. No fire. (Thanks) Abandon Ship Not yet for crew on Mt. 40mm5 which was Aft Center of ship on Deck house. 300 degree + view of all air craft coming in. One plane remained. USS Colhoun dead in water, Bush a little forward to port. This plane kept making fake runs. 40mm ammo self destructs at 4000 yds (2 N mi) We would fire at it to see how close he was. I told the gun crew that I would call it a draw if he would just go. You must understand, many are over the side at this time but there are injured and wounded on the fantail being treated by Dr. Casey and others (Phm. Taylor) The last plane has made his plan. He circles far Aft lines up with Colhoun. I tell the pointer on the gun to elevate to approx 45 degrees. We are well in front of him. I think his plan is to bomb Colhoun and fly into Bush. Here he comes. Start firing. Tracers stream up ahead of him. He does not like the looks. He turns left our port side. Bomb drops, wobbles a little, then spirals, we could see the side of it (Thank the Lord) It then flew into the stern of Bush. Terrific explosion—Darkness came—Rescue ships come—we removed the injured—I boarded L.C.I.R. 87. At Beach head, I went aboard Hinsdale. It has bomber in engine room. Heck! Gun Captain – Pollock. Director – Scott, Hunsucker. Pointer – Bernard. Loaders – Christie, Moore, Allenfort, Garza.

