Status - John Skinner
The St. Croix entered San Francisco Bay on December 16th with returning veterans. John Skinner made his way to Chicago where he would be discharged from the service on New Year's Eve, December 31st, 1945 after 6 years and 18 days in the Navy. His discharge was issued at the Great Lakes Naval Station in Chicago, and he received $100 in mustering out pay.
It was no doubt a Happy New Year, and as John waited for the train back to Indiana, we can picture him thinking about all that had happened since he left. Initial training was followed by a posting to the new destroyer O'Brien, and the shakedown cruise went all the way to Argentina and back with many stop in South America. Several months in the Caribbean, then back to the States and then escorting Wasp in the occupation of Iceland. Next was training for anti-submarine warfare and escorting transports to the Mid-Ocean Meeting Point.
While refurbishing in Norfolk, the news of the Pearl Harbor attacks meant a trip through the Panama Canal and redeployment to the Pacific. Several months of escort duty, much of it near Pago Pago, then preparation for going to the Solomon Islands. O'Brien was torpedoed just after Wasp, and wandered the South Pacific for a few weeks looking for repairs, after which it sank on the way back to the States.
A month at home, and then to Boston for a few months waiting for a new destroyer. Fullam was the new ship but John soon moved to Daly and was back to the Pacific. An attack by airplanes during the invasion of New Britain sank a ship just in front of Daly; a ship that may have actually been in Daly's place that day.
Long months followed hopping across the north side of New Guinea, supporting invasions, shelling the shore, and looking for attacking planes. Daly was part of the Battle of the Surigao Strait, the last surface battle featuring battleships fighting each other.
A return to San Francisco, and then to the Pacific Northwest to pick up a new ship, St. Croix. The troop transport made many trips around the Pacific, and there was relief that there would be no invasion of Japan. Returning to the States for the final time led to Chicago on New Year's Eve.
John had some plans already; the GI bill would help pay for college at the local university, Purdue. John's parents had bought another farm, partly with money he had sent home from the service. He would need to find a car to drive into town for classes. Good things were in the future.
But with all that, was there still a question in his mind, something unresolved?.......
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