Harold Fix

Harold Fix

I was born in Danzig, North Dakota in June of 1922, and grew up in Mandan. I joined the CCC in 1938nd in 1940 worked my way west to Los Angeles where I enlisted in June 1942.

I attended Boot Camp at the Naval Training Center in San Diego as a member of Company 42-333. I traveled by troop train to Bremerton, where I once again went through Boot Camp because the U.S.S. Nassau was not finished.

In August of 1942, I went aboard the Nassau as a Second Class Seaman and was in the Second Division. When I left the ship, around November of 1945, I was a Boatswain's Mate First Class. Harry Zimmerman was my replacement on the Nassau.

I remember the first time I lowered a boat. There was water in it, so they thought I had not checked the plugs, as we had to pull it back up. The plugs were there, but the Commander was right there to inform me that it was my responsibility to check them before lowering the boat. He also told me that I WAS third class. Fortunately for me, it was not my error, but you can see there was no room for errors.

Across the pier from us was the U.S.S. Tennessee from which we "borrowed" some of the gear to get us out to sea. We served under Captain A.K. Doyle who went on to become well known during the Korean War where he was in command of the U.S.S. Hornet. While on the Nassau, I became Captain Doyle's driver.

A sizable number of men had served on the Lexington, and a few of the names I remember are C.L Morrow, third class who went on to become Chief; and Q.D. Davis, 1st class Boatswain's Mate and head of the Second Division. Both were very fine men. Faces, names, and events are blurred after all these years. And after servicing on so many different ships, I can't be sure of the time and location. Sixty years ago!

We made many trips across the Pacific carrying planes. Marine troops, and prisoners of war. Most of these trips were without escort. I remember once, when we were in Fiji with no way to unload planes, they were catapulted off while we were still tied on the dock.

We visited New Caledonia for "rec," and we saw the Saratoga anchored there after having "caught a fish".

On another trip, we had to travel up a narrow channel to Brisbane, Australia to deliver some planes. There were no camels (barges) available to cushion us from the dock. I remember Captain Doyle telling them in no uncertain words that he would turn around and take those planes right back where they came from, and miraculously a barge was found so that we were able to complete our mission.

With all the zig-zagging we did, I figure we traveled twice the distance. We were at the Battle of Leyte Gulf. On our way back from the Pacific, we anchored off San Clemente, and they carried supplies to us. There was No Liberty before we sailed to Attu. Two weeks before the war ended, Dee, the girl I met while at home on leave from my second boot camp, were married in Los Angeles.

I wish now I had stayed on the Nassau until she was decommissioned, but I left about November 1945 to serve In Air Group Eleven at North Island, San Diego.

In 1955, I attended Electronics School at Treasure Island, and became an Electronics Technician.

In 1961, after serving twenty years, I retired In Valleo, California.

We have three children, five grandsons, on granddaughter, and one great granddaughter. One of our grandsons Is serving in the Air Force as an Electronics Technician.