Harry Numrich

RT1

I was born Nov 5 1920, in Roundup, Montana. I Moved to Seattle, Wash. at age 4.

After moving to Portland Or. Tacoma Wa. & back to Seattle I graduated from Ballard High School in 1940. I entered Edison Vocational & completed a Radio Service course in March 1941. Went to work for Pacific Telephone & Telegraph 3/17/41. I was skiing on Sunday, Dec 7th, joined the Navy on Monday. The Navy shipped me to "boot camp" at Naval Armory in Los Angeles, for Radar candidates 12 /18/41.

The first 400 Radar/Under-water students were segregated & placed in classes 1 thru 4. On course completion, graduates could indicate a preference on assignment. I chose Bremerton near my Seattle home & was placed on the Nassau commissioning crew roster. Captain A.K. Doyle had a dukes/mixture for a crew. A group of seasoned navy regulars from the Lexington, & a bunch of us "feather merchants".

The personnel off the USS Lexington & BB's were the cohesive ingredients to cement the many talents us civilians brought to the Nassau. I was aboard the Nassau from commissioning until 1/11/43 when I became an officer training candidate while on board the Nassau, I have a few hi-lites to relate. Some other crewmembers may recall standing at attention on the flight deck when President Roosevelt cruised thru Bremerton Navy Yard. They told us later who the VIP was. Captain Doyle, on completion of degaussing, in Puget Sound headed for California. One problem we had was there were Bremerton shipyard workers still aboard went with us to San Francisco. Nuff said for now. In my readings, I noted that James Coroles mentioned the accidentatal firing of the 50 caliber guns, from folded F6F wings stowed in the hanger deck. Stanley Ferguson also, told the same story. The incident was related again by Stanley Zabinski. I was in Radio 2, a radio transmitter room. This room adjoined the forward mess hall adjacent to the G dunk locker. When the firing occurred, I was in Radio 2. The victims were men, in line for sundries or just waiting for mess call. There was shrapnel & body parts all over the mess hall. It was horrible, but it could have been so much worse if, dinner was served & the hall was full.

I share the loss of a friend, with Matthew Yuricich, & Charles Ross, at Tarawa. My friend Siler, a yeoman from the exec's office, was transferred with about 125 experienced Nassau sailors to the Liscome Bay. This newly commissioned ship needed talent to round out a green crew. The fleet headed for Tarawa with assurances from General " Dugout Douglas Macarthur " that his high level bombing had neutralized Jap resistance. We spent the nights, off the island dodging the phosphorescent glow of torpedo wakes. We did, the Liscome Bay didn't. The submarine was shooting from about 4 miles away. The Nassau & Liscome Bay were indeed switching positions, as Charles Ross states. We were in an elliptical orbit about 20 miles off the island. When we were in Brisbane, we knew DUG-OUT was fighting the war, in a nice Australian hotel, while the Admiral's did his dirty work. Tarawa was just another one of his mess's, the Navy had to clean up.

After leaving the ship, I was sent to officer training at Montana School of Mines in Butte, Montana. What a deal, 24 fleet men & 180 kids who couldn't recognize an oar. I was there 14 months. My buddies got 90 day wonder commissions. A few of us were sent to MIT & UCLA for the NROTC program. We were slated to supplement Annapolis for 36 months. This was choice duty, but the battles in the Pacific were winding down & 36 months looked bleak. My choice was to go back to the fleet. I was sent to Casco Bay, Portland, Maine to join Admiral Lee's Flag with my old rate. The nukes were dropped so I left the Flag in Norfolk for discharge in Bremerton in 12/19/45.

I went back to work at the telephone company, they bridged my time. I have been a crossbar switchman & a toll transmission man. I completed my BS degree in Natural Science with majors in math. & Eng. I was involved with bringing TV into Seattle when in Toll Transmission.

As Engineering Manager I completed 43 yrs of service to Pacific Northwest Bell.

My wife Maxine & I have been married for 55 wonderful years.

We had 12 wonderful children & great memories