Twisted Bombshell: Battles of the Deep by STANG Magazine

THE GREATEST GENERATION BATTLES OF THE DEEP JUNE 4, 1944

THE UNKNOWN HEROES OF NAVY DESTROYERS, SUBS, AND TROOPSHIPS

The blessings of fate allowed me to write the book that my grandfather himself wanted to do. Through the publication of his story, I have been introduced to others who want to tell their family member’s military history. This is the story of the unknown heroes of the Navy Destroyers, Subs, and Troopships of World War II. This book is in loving memory of Laura Mattern’s father and her hero Mahlon Archie Parker. May his memory and the memory of those who served and sacrificed live on forever in our hearts, in our minds, and in our history. They were the Greatest Generation and will never be replaced.

- Daniel Ramey

TWISTED BOMBSHELL

TWISTED BOMBSHELL

PREFACE

CHAPTER 1

The Beginning

CHAPTER 2

Attack on Pearl Harbor

CHAPTER 3

Battle of Midway

CHAPTER 4

Troopships

CHAPTER 5

Destroyers

CHAPTER 6

Subs

CHAPTER 7

Atomic Warfare

CHAPTER 8

The Return Home

PHOTO GALLERY

Mahlon Archie Parker

EPILOGUE

TWISTED BOMBSHELL

THIS IS THE STORY OF AN UNKNOWN HERO. THIS IS THE STORY OF MAHLON ARCHIE PARKER WHO WAS JUST ONE OF THOUSANDS OF BRAVE MEN JUST LIKE HIM.

PREFACE

My grandfather was the greatest man I have ever known. He was also the greatest loss I have ever had to endure. He passed away from leukemia when I was eleven and the hole in my heart has never healed. Even now, thirty three years later, I cherish every single memory I have of him. His name was Paul Joseph Guiton.

When I was young, my grandfather would always have me sit with him and watch black and white World War II documentaries. He would always emphasize to me how important they were and the history involved. As I got older, he would tell me

bits and pieces why he made me sit and watch those documentaries, but he never dove into the details. He would mention once in a while that he was in the Army and he drove truck. He told me that he was in Europe during the war and that was about the extent of it. I would see some items from his military locker from time to time like his uniform and some old black and white photos while in Europe.

It wasn’t until I started to research his true history in the military that it all started to make sense and come to light. As a matter of fact, the more I dug into his history, the more I found. The more I found, the more I was amazed by the details. It was like following a rabbit down the rabbit hole. The deeper

I went, the more his story took twists and turns. The more it twisted and turned, the more I got lost in one of the biggest and best history lessons of my life.

You see in the end, I found out that my grandfather was a bonafide war hero. In every sense of the word, he was a man that did more in his lifetime than most of us could do in multiple lifetimes. I was able to publish the book that he always wanted to do but never found the time. I was able to share his story and the story of those who fought alongside him.

As more people have read my grandfather’s story, they have come forward with their own desire to know what their loved ones did during the war and to honor their memory. They have shared with me

similar fond memories of growing up with their fathers and grandfathers and the brave women who loved them and supported them, not really knowing the extent of what they did during World War II. Little did they know, they were also unknown heroes. In honoring their memories and their heroic deeds, it has now become my mission to research, explore, and share what I have found and collected.

This is the story of another unknown hero. This is the story of my friend Laura Mattern’s father, and her hero Mahlon Archie Parker, who served in the Navy during World War II.

CHAPTER 1

THE BEGINNING

CHAPTER 1

THE

MISSION NOW IS TO REMEMBER THEIR LIVES AND TO HONOR THEM FOREVER.

Two years ago, I took the time to explore my grandfather’s history in World War II. To make a long story short, I had no idea the rabbit hole that it would lead me down.

In the end, I found out that my grandfather was a bonafide war hero, and not only that, but it sparked a lot of my friends to ask me to help them research their family’s history. The best part of publishing the first book was that we were able to present it to the last surviving member of my grandfather’s Company. To see the smile on his face was priceless. He unfortuantely passed away not more than a year later.

Shortly after, I had a friend come forward who wanted me to write a book about a man he was visiting weekly in a nursing home. He was a man who deserved more honor than we could ever provide. I obliged and fate continued to push me in the direction that I knew I was meant to

go. I was able to finish the second book and with a room full of love and his wife by his side, the man passed away the day my friend gave him his copy of the book written about his life during World War II. That was truly a hard pill to swallow. Right before our eyes, we were watching the last of the Greatest Generation disappearing from this world forever.

I knew that I wanted to do a third book for another friend of mine about his grandfather, but I won’t kid you, I just couldn’t get it started like I did the previous times. It is really hard to relive the memories of these honorable men who gave everything.

However, my mission was and still is perfectly clear. It is not to just write their story. The mission is to remember their lives and to honor them forever.

So I started the third book out in a very similar way as the previous two. Completely random for the most part but sparked by a set of fateful events to the trained eye, which I have started to acquire. Dough Smith, a good friend of mine, called me over to his house one day and told me he had some things for me that he knew I would take good care of. Not knowing what he was offering to pass on to me, I was intrigued. Before I knew it, I was sitting at his kitchen table and he was piling various documents, photos, awards, medals, and even family military heirlooms on the table before me. Most of which belonged to his grandfather. Just like the loving relationship that I had with my own grandfather, Doug shared the same childhood experiences. His grandfather was his hero. To top it off, his grandfather was his inspiration for both Doug and Doug’s father to serve in the military. Doug’s father served in Vietnam and Doug ultimately

served in the Gulf War. They were a family of military legacy.

So knowing that and knowing how much these items meant to Doug and his family, I spent two years doing the research and ultimately finished the third book. In a nutshell, Doug’s grandfather was active in a part of World War II that I knew absolutely nothing about - the Pacific Campaign. I learned that his grandfather, Lieutenant Colonel Horace D. Worley, was an inspiration to his family and his community. A true American hero. He received the Bronze Star for his services in the Medical Corps throughout the Pacific Campaign of World War II. He started his military career in the 76th Field Artillery and was one of the last original “Buffalo Soldiers” of the 2D Cavalry Division prior to being absorbed into the 7th Infantry Division. He was activated to serve in World War II after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Deployed to the Aleutian Islands, the Marshall Islands, Leyte, and under Operation Iceberg during the Allied Forces invasion of Okinawa, Japan, he provided essential medical services and aide to military soldiers and civilian casualties alike. Honoring his medical oath, he served and protected all human life, regardless of circumstance.

Lieutenant Colonel Horace D. Worley survived World War II and served in the United States Army actively for over 24 years. He retired with substantial awards and recognitions including the Bronze Star, Distinctive Unit Badge, American Defense Services Medal, National Defense Services Medal, Army Occupation Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, WWII Victory Medal, American Campaign Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Philippine Presidential Unit Citation, and Philippine Liberation Ribbon.

I was able to finish the third book and donate Horace D. Worley’s military items to a local museum to be preserved and on display forever, honoring his service and sacrifice. In finishing the third book, I found myself itching to keep my mission going. More of my friends came forward and

THE BEGINNING

CHAPTER 1

wanted to learn more about their own relatives that served. Just like my previous books, the research always starts with the uniform and any photographs that have been passed down through the family. During one of our trips to Lake Erie, Pennsylvania to see our friends Joanie and Pete Petersen, Joanie approached me with a pile of family photo albums. She simply said, “You should look at these. You will find them interesting.” And within seconds of opening the first photo album, I was thrown into another research adventure and the fourth book was underway!

Joanie’s father served in World War II in the 451st AAA Automatic Weapons (AW) Battalion and was a part of the invasion of Italy, known as Operation Dragoon. Once I started to read about Operation Dragoon, I found myself getting sucked into another adventure. I literally had no idea that Operation Dragoon occurred and I knew nothing about the history lesson I was about to receive. It was time to chase that rabbit down another rabbit hole!

Joanie’s father didn’t just take some photos, he documented just about every step of his journey through all of his campaigns. He even had some rare photos that I am pretty sure have never been released to the public of the infamous German Railway Gun the “Anzio Express.”

As I dug deeper, I discovered that Donald Jay Rogers was deployed to North Africa, Italy, France, Belgium, and Germany. He served in the United States Army from 1942 to 1945 and he not only participated in the invasion of Southern France and the invasion of Italy during Operation Dragoon, but he also liberated the historical cities of Rome, Naples, Pompeii, and Paris, witnessed the aftermath of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, crossed the Rhine River into

Germany, and aided in locating and destroying the infamous German Railway Gun, the “Anzio Express” that he took photos of!

I shared with Joanie what I had discovered and she was beyond thrilled and grateful! Not even a week after finishing the book about Joanie’s dad, I received a package in the mail. Joanie mailed me the original photos that her father took of the Anzio Express and some other photos from his old albums. I was blown away! Needless to say, they now have a new home and will be well protected. I have added them to my growing personal museum.

Now that another book was finished, I sat back and started to ponder what I would do next. How would fate intervene this time? Being a resident of Pennsylvania and a huge fan of Yuengling beer (also from Pennsylvania), I popped open a cold bottle of Yuengling and started to reflect on the

books I have finished. I looked around my man cave and noticed some World War II relics that I have on display, including a flight mask.

Looking at it, I didn’t think much of it at first other than how bummed I was because I haven’t written a book about World War II bombers. After all, that was what I was most interested in. You could easily say that is my passion, almost an obsession. Honestly, that was the whole reason I came up with Twisted Bombshell. I even designed the Twisted Bombshell logo based on my fascination with bomber nose art and tales of the battles in the sky.

So as I was sitting there looking at the flight mask, my Yuengling bottle was in the foreground. I thought man what a cool picture that would make! I could take a picture to honor those bomber pilots and crew members. I could drink a Yuengling beer as a cheers to them, maybe use the photo as a social media post, and then maybe send it to my friend Richard Yuengling Jr. who continues to own and operate the Yuengling Brewery with his daughters. It

has been their family business for generations. Then fate just smacked me straight in the face! I just got the idea for book number five! I am going to write it about Mr. Yuengling’s dad! Let me explain.

You see, the last time I visited the Yuengling Brewery, I had Mr. Yuengling autograph some of my photos and some articles I wrote about the brewery when my friends and I hosted an event there a couple of years ago. We all dressed up as prohibition gangsters (another fascination of mine) and did a tour of the brewery since it was a known prohibition speakeasy.

As I was talking to Mr. Yuengling about the articles of the event, I mentioned the first Twisted Bombshell book that I was writing. I told him it was about my grandfather who was at Normandy. With that, Mr. Yuengling got a huge smile on his face and took me over to a wall in the building that was dedicated to his father that also served in World War II. His father’s name was Richard Lee Yuengling, Sr. and can you guess what he did? You got it! He was a waist gunner on a B-24 Liberator (bomber) during World War II.

And BOOM! Then it all hit me! I could finally do a book about a bomber crew. I could finally write a book about my passion and about a person that has been right under my nose this entire time and I didn’t even remember! I could honor Mr. Yuengling’s dad! So fate just smacked me right in the face just from me drinking an ice cold Yuengling beer while looking at my flight mask! How freaking awesome!

I finished my beer and off I went on another adventure. I grabbed my computer and started digging through the files of all the photos I took that day when I visited Mr. Yuengling at the brewery. Within moments, I found what I was looking for. Luckily, I took photos of everything that was hanging up on the wall that was shown to me. I took photos of Mr. Yuengling’s dad with his crew members and photos of the information about the missions he flew. I started zooming in on the photos and reading the information and knew it was just the beginning of yet another awesome research adventure.

THE BEGINNING

CHAPTER 1

My heart skipped a beat and I knew right then and there, this would be the best research project yet! I emailed my friend Debbie who has been working with the family for decades at the Yuengling Brewery and let her know what I was up to. I asked her to let Mr. Yuengling know that a big surprise was coming his way!

Within hours, I was scouring the internet and yet again, chasing that infamous rabbit down the rabbit hole. I started researching one item and it led me left and right and connected to a dozen more. From my research, I found that Richard Lee Yuengling Sr. was part of the 566th Bomb Squadron of the 389th Bomb Group (Heavy) “Sky Scorpions” and aided in dozens of bombing missions that ultimately led to Germany’s surrender.

My research found that Richard Lee Yuengling, Sr. was a Staff Sergeant by the end of his military career and was indeed a waist gunner aboard a B-24 Liberator, nicknamed the “Shady Lady”, which completed 34 successful missions from October 7, 1944 to March 9, 1945. Actually, while researching their missions and timelines, I discovered something very unreal. Not even three weeks after Richard Lee Yuengling Sr.’s crew finished their last mission, the “Shady Lady” was shot down over Germany. Both the entire new crew and the “Shady Lady” were gone forever. Fun fact despite this tragedy - if Richard Lee Yuengling, Sr. stayed to fly for a few more missions, he would have also been shot down and killed and Yuengling beer would be no more, as the brewery was ultimately purchased and operated by his son, Richard Yuengling, Jr.

From the research, I also found that the 566th Bomb Squadron was stationed out of Helthel, England, and they engaged in very long range strategic bombardment oper-

ations over Occupied Europe and Nazi Germany. Targets included industrial facilities, oil production facilities and refineries, rail and other transportation centers, enemy military airfields and garrisons, and other vital targets. All of which Richard Lee Yuengling Sr. highlights and confirms in his mission notes that I took photos of.

I also found that the 566th Bomb Squadron was occasionally diverted from strategic targets to perform air support and interdiction missions. To support Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy, it hit airfields and artillery batteries. It struck enemy positions to support Operation Cobra, the breakout at Saint Lo. During the Battle of the Bulge, from December 1944 to January 1945, it attacked storage depots and communication centers. It also supported Operation Varsity, the airborne assault across the Rhine by dropping food, ammunition, and other supplies to the ground troops.

Not only did I find information about the 566th Bomb Squadron and the 389th Bomb Group (Heavy), I found some pretty amazing articles and publications about everything “bomber” related. Topics included the various types of “bomber” aircraft used throughout the war, unique assignments and responsibilities of each crew member aboard each aircraft, and even guides on how to identify aircraft in photos just by their colors and markings. Pretty much everything needed to fully understand life in the sky.

Finishing that book and sharing it with Richard Yuengling, Jr. has been yet another highlight of this amazing adventure that I have been on in making these books for those wanting to know more about their relatives in World War II. Every time I finish a book, I realize there is so much more to learn and so much more that I would love to share from what I find.

As fate would have it, my friend Laura Mattern approached me while I was finishing up the book for Mr. Yuengling and

she said that her dad was in the Navy. This was one area of World War II that I really did want to explore, especially since the Navy played such a crucial role in the Allied Forces victory over Germany. The only problem was, I didn’t know squat about the Navy, their rankings, their modes of operation, and their lingo. To me, Navy life and trying to understand their process was like trying to learn a foreign language.

As fate would have it yet again, Laura’s husband Steve was retired from the Navy and he agreed to tag along with Laura to hand deliver everything she had collected from her father from World War II including photographs, documents, and his medals. While sitting in my backyard and sharing a few Yuengling beers, Steve was able to give me a crash course on Navy etiquette and Navy life at sea and Laura was able to give me quite the collection of information regarding her father, Mahlon Archie Parker. Before I knew it, I was off on a new Navy adventure!

Within a few days, I was finding stuff left and right about Laura’s father that was pretty incredible. Mahlon Archie Parker served in World War II from September 2, 1942 to October 24, 1949 as a Signalman and Boatswain’s Mate aboard a Troopship (the USS Etolin), aboard a submarine (the USS Conger), and aboard two Destroyers (the USS Holton and the USS Gyatt). He received the World War II Victory Medal, American Campaign Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, and the European/African/Middle Eastern Campaign Medal.

Mahlon Archie Parker traveled all over the world while in the Navy. He started his journey at the Great Lakes Training Station in Great Lakes, Illinois, and traveled to San Diego, Panama, Pearl Harbor, San Francisco, Peru, Mexico, Chile, back to the Hawaiian Islands, all up and down the East Coast of the United States, the Gulf of Mexico, and then all over the North Atlantic to France, Ireland, Netherlands, and Europe, and then to the Philippines.

THE BEGINNING

CHAPTER 1

Mahlon Archie Parker received the Navy Submarine Combat Insignia for completion of four successful patrols aboard the USS Conger, obtained his Navy Royal Order of the Horn for rounding Cape Horn and passing through the Straits of Magellan aboard the USS Conger, and received his Navy Ancient Order of the Deep for crossing the Equator aboard the USS Holton.

Mahlon Archie Parker enlisted in the Navy not even a year after the infamous attack on Pearl Harbor and just months after the infamous Battle of Midway where the U.S. Navy defeated the Japanese from their continued invasion of the Pacific.

Not only did he enlist in the Navy at a time of heightened danger and global chaos, he became part of the force responsible for changing the tides of World War II in favor of the Allied Forces against Germany and Japan.

Mahlon Archie Parker while in the Navy aided in securing the supply chain for Operation Torch (Allied Forces invasion of North Africa), was active during Operation Overlord (Allied Forces invasion of France also known as D-Day), and was active during the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan. Not only did he witness history being made, he became a vital part of U.S. Naval history in World War II.

So let’s get on with the next World War II history lesson and adventure. Let me tell you all about Mahlon Archie Parker while in the Navy aboard destroyers, subs, and troopships.

Not only that, but let me tell you all about the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Battle of Midway, and the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. After all, these were all key events in World War II and some of which have been immortalized in U.S. Naval history and heritage

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CHAPTER 2

“A DATE WHICH WILL LIVE IN INFAMY”.

- FRANKLIN

D. ROOSEVELT

On December 7, 1941, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, dragging the United States into World War II. The attack began at 7:48 a.m. Hawaiian time and the base was attacked by 353 Japanese fighters, level and dive bombers, and torpedo bombers in two waves launched from six aircraft carriers. 2,403 people died in the attack on Pearl Harbor including 2,008 Navy personnel, 109 Marines, 218 Army personnel, and 68 civilians. The attack also wounded 1,178 people. The attack was the deadliest event ever in Hawaii, and the deadliest foreign attack on the U.S. until the September 11 attack in 2001 in New York City.

Of the eight U.S. battleships docked at Pearl Harbor, all were damaged and four were sunk. The USS Arizona was the site of nearly half the deaths after a bomb penetrated the ship’s deck and ignited its ammunition magazine. The USS Oklahoma was another battleship destroyed in the attack with 429 men dying and the USS Utah was also destroyed with 58 men dying.

The Japanese destroyed or damaged 19 U.S. Navy

ships, including the eight U.S. battleships. The Japanese sank or damaged three cruisers, three destroyers, an anti-aircraft mining ship, and a minelayer. They also destroyed more than 180 U.S. planes on the ground. Luckily, the U.S. Pacific Fleet’s three aircraft carriers were out to sea on maneuvers and were not attacked. The Japanese lost a total of 29 aircraft, five midget submarines, and 130 men. All ships but the USS Arizona were later raised and six were returned to service during the war.

Later that day, Japan declared war on the United States and the British Empire. On December 8, 1941, the United States and United Kingdom declared war on Japan. On December 11, 1941, Germany and Italy declared war on the United States, which responded with an equal declaration of war against Germany and Italy. The lack of formal warning and the unprovoked attack from Japan on Pearl Harbor led the U.S. President at the time, Franklin D. Roosevelt, to famously label December 7, 1941 as “a date which will live in infamy”.

While writing a chapter for one of my previous Twisted Bombshell books about the Pacific and Horace D. Worley, his grandson, my friend Doug, ironically took a trip to visit his daughter in Hawaii. Ironically yet again, he was visiting Pearl Harbor on its anniversary, 83 years later. He started sending me various photos and talking about how surreal it was to be there. Since I found it only fitting, I told Doug that he needed to write the rest of that chapter since Pearl Harbor played such a major role in his grandfather’s life and for all of those who were a part of the Greatest Generation. So with that in mind, I will use what Doug wrote in that chapter about Pearl Harbor and use that chapter for this book as well since it was such a huge Navy related event, ultimately causing the United States to enter into World War II.

December 7, 2024 - Pearl Harbor Hawaii – It’s a morning exactly the way you would expect any morning in Hawaii to be. Blue skies, light breeze, high wispy clouds, birds chirping, the light lapping of the waves, an immaculate start to the day. Overlooking Pearl Harbor, it’s an image out of paradise. However, there are views in the Harbor that stand out against this otherwise perfect landscape. Broken shapes, the silhouette of cannons, memorials, and something seems off. That’s when it starts to become surreal.

The absolute beauty and calming of Pearl Harbor makes it impossible to imagine or relate to that same day, 83 years earlier. It makes it impossible to imagine the sound of 353 enemy planes flying overhead at low level, dropping torpedoes, the sound of bombs and machine gun fire, the sky blackened

by smoke, the chaos and confusion that was tearing through the community, and the aftermath of this attack.

“Yesterday, December 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by the naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.” These are the words of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd President of the United States, the day after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. While the United States had stayed neutral in the opening days of World War II and did not get involved in the ongoing war in Europe, December 7th changed the entire war. This was a pivotal moment that drew the U.S., and its massive amount of resources, into the second World War, and reshaped the world stage into what we know it as today.

Hawaii has been sought after by many nations, including Japan for hundreds of years. It’s location in the middle of the Pacific between North America and Asia make it prime spot for trade, retail and most importantly, military activity. It’s the perfect stationary aircraft carrier. With islands able to support both Naval and Air capabilities, it was an ideal location and wanted by many countries. Interestingly, when the U.S. fleet was stationed at Pearl on December 7th, 1941, Hawaii was not a U.S. State.

The United States annexed Hawaii in 1898 due to military leaders fearing the Japanese occupation of the islands. U.S. Naval and Air bases were set up all around the island of O’ahu, and it was not until August 21st, 1959, that Hawaii became the 50th State in Union. A little side note – the 1960s to 1970s po -

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2

lice TV series was called “Hawaii Five-0” as tribute to Hawaii being the 50th state.

The Hawaiian Islands were annexed by the United States in 1898 and made a U.S. territory in 1900. With this annexation, the U.S. saw the islands as its most strategic military asset. Presidents McKinley and Roosevelt expanded the military presence on the islands and by 1908, the entirety of O’ahu was being fortified. This included what was called the Ring of Steel, which was a series of gun batteries mounted on steel walls around the island. There were also train rails that circled the island, so mounted artillery and troops could be moved to any part of the island

in a very short amount of time. Some of this old rail system still exists today. One of the gun batteries that was constructed was Battery Randolf right off of the beach in Waikiki, the current site of the U.S. Army Museum of Hawaii. The battery consisted of two 14-inch guns on disappearing carriages and had a range of approximately 23 miles. So how well were these gun batteries built? Short answer –very well. In 1969 Battery Randolph was scheduled for demolition and a contractor was hired to tear it down. The problem was that they couldn’t. After months of brutal assaults from wrecking balls to tear it down, more wrecking balls were shattered than pieces of the battery. The idea of demolishing it was abandoned, and subsequently it was turned into the museum.

Japan had already launched invasions into China and Korea and was expanding its empire. Japan being an island, gives it limited resources so it was looking to expand into Southeast Asia, the Philippines and gain as much territory as it could. The United States opposed the incursion into China and the rise of the Japanese Military in the area, but on the other hand, many thought that it had no vital interests in China worth going to war over.

Because of this, few U.S. officials wanted to take a strong stance against Japan, for fear of stoking a larger war. This mindset began to change in 1937 when the Chinese and Japanese clashed on the Marco Polo Bridge near Beijing, throwing the two nations into a full-blown war. Tensions rose even higher when the Japanese bombed the USS Pan -

ay as it was evacuating U.S. citizens from Nanjing, China, killing thrree. Japan saw the power of the American Naval Fleet in Hawaii, with its battleships, aircraft carriers, submarines and a multitude of other combat ships, as a severe threat to their goals of expansion and started to draw up plans to address this threat from the United States Navy. Once Japanese military command was confident in their plan, and their intelligence determined the best time to attack, the plan was set into motion.

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The Japanese determined that on December 7, 1941, the three aircraft carriers of the United States Navy would be at Pearl Harbor. These were critical targets, as destroying all of the carriers would cripple the Navy’s combat power in the Pacific. Japan launched a fleet of six of its own carriers along with some 24 support vessels from Japan on November 26, 1941. Once within range of Pearl Harbor, the Japanese launched the attack in two waves, with the first planes arriving over the harbor at 7:55 in the morning. The initial wave of aircraft were actually detected by radar stations on the island, but were dismissed because there were fleet aircraft that were scheduled to arrive from the United States mainland around the same time. While U.S. service members were just waking up, or in church, or having just a normal Sunday morning, the bombs began to fall. Everyone rushed to their battle stations and manned whatever position they could to attempt to fend off this attack.

At the time of the attack, the United States military was employing hundreds of Japanese migrant workers on the islands. At the time, the military did not think Japan would be able to carry out such a largescale attack, but rather thought the biggest threat was from the sabotage of aircraft by these migrant

workers. Because of this, the Air Force and Navy planes on the island were parked in very close proximity to each other, so they could be watched and guarded to make sure they were not damaged. This proved to be of devastating consequence, as the Japanese planes were able to strafe and bomb closely parked planes on the tarmac.

The attack was not limited to Pearl Harbor. The military had multiple airfields on the island, and they were all attacked simultaneously in hopes that the United States could not get planes in the air to fight off the Japanese. Despite this onslaught, the U.S.

did manage to launch six of its own aircraft, and did shoot down a few Japanese planes. The most fortunate turn of events for the Unites States was that its aircraft carriers were not at Pearl Harbor. All three had deployed for exercises and suffered no damage.

In the end, an attack that lasted a mere hour and fifteen minutes destroyed 188 U.S. aircraft, damaged 159, sank 7 ships, damaged 26 and took the lives of 2,403 military and civilian personnel. There was no question that United States was at war with Japan and was about to take the fight to their doorstep.

The first attack by the United States against Japan was a mere four months later, with B-25 bombers launching off of the very aircraft carriers that Japan sought to destroy at Pearl Harbor. The Doolittle Raids that launched on April 18, 1942 were a direct attack against the Japanese mainland and sent a message that the United States was out for vengeance. The attack also put the industrial might of the U.S. into overdrive. A new series of Battleships, the Iowa Class, was already under construction on the U.S. east coast and were the most advanced and deadly battleships ever constructed. The attack on December 7th increased the speed of construction of the ships tenfold, with the USS Iowa (BB-61) being delivered in 1943, shortly followed by the USS New Jersey (BB-62), USS Missouri (BB-63) and the USS Wisconsin (BB-64).

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With the might of its battleships, aircraft carriers, support ships and the dedicated military personnel that served them, the United States launched campaigns in Guadalcanal, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, the Marianas, and countless others, to slowly beat back the Japanese threat, and force the total and unconditional surrender of the Japanese military on September 2, 1945. The documents of surrender were signed aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, with a delegation of the Japanese government and General McArthur and Admiral Nimitz as officials of the United States.

To this day, the USS Missouri sits docked at Pearl Harbor, directly behind the shrine that is the USS Arizona and her crew. The “Mighty MO’s” 16 inch guns standing guard over a fallen brother, forever. From where it began, to where it ended, a day which will live in infamy.

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CHAPTER 2

BATTLE OF MIDWAY

CHAPTER 3

CONSIDERED A TURNING POINT IN THE PACIFIC WAR.

Six months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Battle of Midway unfolded and the United States was ready to strike back at Japan. This major naval battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II took place on June 4 to June 7, 1942. The Japanese Combined Fleet under the command of Isoroku Yamamoto suffered a decisive defeat by the U.S. Pacific Fleet near Midway Atoll, about 1,300 miles northwest of Oahu. Yamamoto had intended to capture Midway and lure out and destroy the U.S. Pacific Fleet, especially the aircraft carriers which had escaped damage at Pearl Harbor.

Before the battle, Japan desired to extend its Pacific defense perimeter, especially after the Doolittle air raid of Tokyo in April 1942, and to clear the seas for attacks on Midway, Fiji, Samoa, and Hawaii. A related Japanese attack on the Aleutian Islands began one day earlier, on June 3, 1942. The Japanese strike force at Midway, known as the Kidō Butai, was commanded by Chuichi Nagumo. Yamamoto’s plan for the operation, which depended on precise timing and coordination, was undermined by its wide dispersal of forces, which left the rest of the fleet unable to support the Kidō Butai effectively.

On June 4, 1942, the Japanese began bombing Midway and prepared to wait for the Pacific Fleet to arrive from Pearl Harbor to defend the island. Unknown to Yamamoto, U.S. code breakers had determined the date and location of his planned attack, enabling the Americans to prepare their own ambush; Chester Nimitz, commander of the Pacific Fleet, had sent a large force under Frank Jack Fletcher to the Midway area before the Japanese had arrived. Land-based planes from Midway and carrier-based planes from the U.S. fleet surprised and attacked Nagumo’s force.

All four Japanese fleet carriers, the Akagi, Kaga, Sōryū, and Hiryū, were present at the battle and were sunk, as was the heavy cruiser Mikuma. Japan also lost 3,000 men, including many well-trained and difficult-to-replace pilots. The U.S. lost the carrier Yorktown and the destroyer Hammann, while the carriers Enterprise and Hornet (under the command of Raymond Spruance during the battle) survived the fighting without damage.

The Battle of Midway, along with the Guadalcanal campaign, is widely considered a turning point in the Pacific War. After Midway and the attrition of the Solomon Islands campaign, Japan’s ability to replace its losses in materiel

and trained men became rapidly insufficient, while the U.S.’s massive industrial and training capabilities increased over time. Historian John Keegan called the battle “the most stunning and decisive blow in the history of naval warfare”, while historian Craig Symonds called it “one of the most consequential naval engagements in world history, ranking alongside Salamis, Trafalgar, and Tsushima Strait, as both tactically decisive and strategically influential.

As stated earlier, the Battle of Midway has often been called “the turning point of the Pacific”. It was the Allies’ first major naval victory against the Japanese. Had Japan won the battle as thoroughly as the U.S. did, it might have

been able to capture Midway Island. Saratoga would have been the only American carrier in the Pacific, as no new ones were completed before the end of 1942. While the U.S. would probably not have sought peace with Japan as Yamamoto hoped, his country might have revived Operation FS to invade and occupy Fiji and Samoa; attacked Australia, Alaska, and Ceylon; or even attempted to occupy Hawaii.

Although the Japanese continued to try to secure more territory, and the U.S. did not move from a state of naval parity to one of supremacy until after several more months of hard combat, Midway allowed the Allies to switch to the strategic initiative, paving the way for the landings on

BATTLE OF MIDWAY

CHAPTER 3

Guadalcanal and the prolonged attrition of the Solomon Islands campaign. Midway allowed this to occur before the first of the new Essex-class fleet carriers became available at the end of 1942. The Guadalcanal campaign is regarded by some as a turning point in the Pacific War.

Some authors have stated that heavy losses in carriers and veteran aircrews at Midway permanently weakened the Imperial Japanese Navy. Parshall and Tully have stated that the heavy losses in veteran aircrew, just under 25% of the aircrew embarked on the four carriers, were not crippling to the Japanese naval air corps as a whole; the Japanese navy had 2,000 carrier-qualified aircrews at the start of the Pacific War.The loss of four large fleet carriers and over 40% of the carriers’ highly trained aircraft mechanics and technicians, plus the essential flight-deck crews and armorers, and the loss of organizational knowledge embodied in such highly trained crews, were still heavy blows to the Japanese carrier fleet.

A few months after Midway, the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service sustained similar casualty rates in the Battle of the Eastern Solomons and Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, and it was these battles, combined with the constant attrition of veterans during the Solomons campaign, which were the catalyst for the sharp downward spiral in operational capability.

After the battle, Shōkaku and Zuikaku were the only large carriers of the original Pearl Harbor strike force still afloat. Of Japan’s other carriers, Taihō, which was not commissioned until early 1944, would be the only fleet carrier worth teaming with Shōkaku and Zuikaku; Ryūjō and Zuihō were light carriers, while Jun’yō and Hiyō, although technically classified as fleet carriers, were second-rate ships of comparatively limited effectiveness. In the time it took Japan to build three carriers, the U.S. Navy commissioned more than two dozen fleet and light fleet carriers, and numerous escort carriers. By 1942 the U.S. was already three years into a shipbuilding program mandated by the 1938 Second Vinson Act.

Both the U.S. and Japan accelerated the training of aircrew, but the U.S. had a more effective pilot rotation system, which meant that more veterans survived and went on to training or command billets, where they were able to pass on lessons they had learned in combat to trainees, instead of remaining in combat, where errors were more likely to be fatal. By the time of the Battle of the Philippine Sea in June 1944, the Japanese had nearly rebuilt their carrier forces in terms of numbers, but their planes, many of which were obsolete, were largely flown by inexperienced and poorly trained pilots.

Midway showed the worth of pre-war naval cryptanalysis and intelligence-gathering. These efforts continued and were expanded throughout the war in both the Pacific and Atlantic theaters. Successes were numerous and significant. For instance, cryptanalysis made possible the shooting down of Admiral Yamamoto’s airplane in 1943.

The Battle of Midway also caused the plan of Japan and Nazi Germany to meet up in the Indian subcontinent to be abandoned.

The Battle of Midway redefined the central importance of air superiority for the remainder of the war when the Japanese suddenly lost their four main aircraft carriers and were forced to return home. Without any form of air superiority, the Japanese never again launched a major offensive in the Pacific.

The U.S. victory at the Battle of Midway was achieved through a combination of code-breaking intelligence, strategic planning, and fierce aerial combat.

In general, here are the key aspects of the Battle of Midway to remember:

Strategic Significance - The battle was a pivotal moment, halting Japan’s eastward expansion and allowing the U.S.

BATTLE OF MIDWAY

CHAPTER 3

to begin a series of island-hopping campaigns.

Code-Breaking - American intelligence had broken the Japanese naval code (known as JN-25), enabling them to anticipate Japanese plans.

Ambush Strategy - Admiral Nimitz, commander of the Pacific Fleet, employed a strategy of baiting the Japanese into a trap, where their carriers would be attacked by U.S. carrier-based aircraft.

Decisive Naval Blow - The sinking of the four Japanese carriers, Akagi, Kaga, Soryu, and Hiryu, along with other ships,

inflicted significant damage on the Japanese navy.

U.S. Losses - The U.S. also suffered losses, including the carrier Yorktown and the destroyer Hammann.

Strategic Implications - The victory at Midway significantly reduced Japan’s ability to replace its losses in material and trained personnel, while the U.S.’s industrial capacity continued to grow.

4 - JUNE 7, 1942

JUNE 4 - JUNE 7, 1942

CHAPTER 4

TROOPSHIPS

CHAPTER 4

MAHLON ARCHIE PARKER SERVED A CRUCIAL ROLE IN THE NAVY...

Not even three months after the Battle of Midway, Mahlon Archie Parker enlisted in the Navy. He served his first enlistment from September 2, 1942 to December 19, 1945 aboard Troopships, Subs, and Destroyers. Let’s start with his life aboard Troopships.

So what exactly is a Troopship? Well, during World War II, Troopships, or Troop Transports, played a crucial role in moving personnel across the globe. These ships, many of them converted from civilian vessels like ocean liners, transported soldiers, and sometimes prisoners of war, between countries. The types of Troopships included Liberty ship conversions, General G. O. Squire-class ships, Victory ship conversions, and dedicated transports.

To break it down easy for you, many Liberty ships were converted to transport troopships accommodating up to 650 personnel, General G. O. Squireclass ships were large ships capable of carrying over 6,000 passengers, Victory ship conversions were a class of 84 Victory ship-based troopships developed

during the war, and other ships like C3 ships carried up to 2,100 troops, C4-S-A1 and A3 variants carried up to 3,000 to 3,800 troops, C4-S-B2 carried up to 2,400 troops, and there were also about 400 Attack specific Transport ships. Bottom line, Troopships were exactly as the name suggests, they carried troops to and from the war and all across the globe.

Mahlon Archie Parker’s first taste of the Navy landed him aboard the USS Etolin, which was a converted Troopship formerly known as the Matsonia. While scouring the internet for specific information, I found the following from a book published in 1947 by Ronald W. Charles, titled “Troopships of World War II.”

The Etolin, was chartered in August 1940 at San Francisco for two voyages but in view of the war situation was continued in Army service almost continuously until redelivered to the War Shipping Administration in 1946. Her first two trips were to Alaska. These were followed by two trips to Manila and one to Honolulu from which she last returned to San Francisco

in April 1941.

Between August 1941 and January 1942, the Etolin made five voyages between San Francisco and Honolulu. From her home port in February 1942, she headed for Panama, Ecuador, Peru, Chile and Colombia, returning to San Francisco in April. Following this she made four voyages from San Francisco to Honolulu. From a fifth such voyage she returned to Los Angeles. In October 1942 the ship went to the East Coast, touching at San Diego, Cristobal, Cuba, and New York. At Baltimore, Maryland, she underwent major repairs and alterations, including reboilering, changes in berthing, new heating and ventilation, new deck winches, gyro compass, etc.).

This prolonged overhaul completed by Bethlehem Steel Company in July 1943, the Etolin went to New York, from where she sailed to San Francisco, arriving in late August.

Based at San Francisco, the Etolin made three voyages to the Southwest Pacific, stopping at such ports as Brisbane, Townsville, Gladstone, and Port Moresby. She returned to San Francisco from the last of these trips in August 1944. After minimum repairs there she made one more trip to Honolulu before being laid up for major repairs by the Marine Repair Shop at San Francisco.

According to Mahlon Archie Parker’s enlistment record, he entered training in the service on March 2, 1942 at Albany, New York and was sent to the Great Lakes Training Station located at Great Lakes, Illinois. From there, he was assigned to the USS Etolin and traveled from San Diego, California to Honolulu,

Panama, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Colombia, San Francisco, Honolulu, Los Angeles, San Diego, Cristobal (Panama), Cuba, New York, Baltimore, New York, San Francisco, and then to the Southwest Pacific including Brisbane (Australia), Townsville (Australia), Gladstone (Queensland), and Port Moresby (New Guinea), exactly as it corresponds with the destination record of the USS Etolin just recently noted.

Not too bad of a travel log for a newly enlisted Navy Signalman First Class!

So now would be a good time to describe just how dangerous it was to be on a Troopship during World War II, especially since they were basically transport ships and were sitting ducks to enemy attacks. Unless they were protected within a convoy of Destroyers, they had no chance to defend themselves. They had to rely on traveling in secrecy and stealth as best as they could.

While the exact number of troopships lost during World War II is difficult to pinpoint with absolute certainty, it’s estimated that over 200 ships were lost during the intense battles, and more than 20,000 ships were sunk overall. Specifically, the loss of Allied merchant ships (which included troop transports) due to enemy attacks totaled 3,500 (14.5 million gross tons). Additionally, 175 Allied warships were sunk, according to the Naval History and Heritage Command.

One great movie to watch regarding Troopships, Destroyers, and Subs is the movie “Greyhound” with Tom Hanks. It really puts into perspective the vulnerability of Troopships, the importance of De -

TROOPSHIPS

CHAPTER

stroyer escorts, and the stealth of Submarine attacks. All of which Mahlon Archie Parker was able to experience while enlisted during World War II.

As a Signalman First Class, Mahlon Archie Parker on the Troopship USS Etolin would have been a petty officer responsible for visual communications, primarily using signal flags, flashing lights (Morse code), and semaphore (using two flags held in specific positions to represent letters and numbers to communicate between ships.

His key responsibilities were standing signal watches (standing watch on the ship’s signal bridge, acting as the primary point of contact for visual communication with other vessels in the convoy), transmitting and receiving signals (including sending and receiving messages using various methods: semaphore, visual Morse code, flaghoist signaling), encoding and decoding messages (understanding and handling coded messages for secure communication), maintaining signal equipment (ensuring the proper functioning of signal flags, searchlights, and other equipment), assisting with lookouts (identifying other vessels and potential threats), and assisting Quar-

termasters (on smaller ships - assisting with navigation tasks, like taking sightings and plotting bearings).

Signalmen were crucial for maintaining communication within a convoy of troopships, especially during dangerous voyages across oceans where radio silence was critical to avoid detection by enemy submarines. Visual signaling ensured the coordination and movement of the convoy, as well as the ability to relay urgent messages in case of an attack.

Mahlon Archie Parker served a crucial role in the Navy and his service performance determined the life and death of his entire crew.

CHAPTER 4

TROOPSHIPS

CHAPTER 4

DESTROYERS

CHAPTER 5

MAHLON ARCHIE PARKER “JUMPED SHIPS” TO THE USS HOLTON.

At the end of 1944 and during the first six months of 1945, the USS Etolin underwent major repairs. According to my research and in review of the documents provided to me, it appears that Mahlon Archie Parker was then transferred to service aboard a Destroyer named the USS Holton (DE-703). I was able to find a restricted document that talked about an incident where the USS Holton collided with another ship and was subsequently sent back to the east coast for repairs. Shortly before this event is where and when I believe Mahlon Archie Parker “jumped ships“ from the USS Etolin to the USS Holton.

According to the document, the USS Holton (DE703) was commissioned in New Orleans, LA on May 1, 1944 and shortly thereafter proceeded to Bermuda for her shakedown. After completing shakedown the Holton was assigned duty as escort of convoys making the run between Norfolk, VA and Mediterranean ports. She left on her first voyage in July 1944, making the run to Biserte and returned without incident. The second run commenced uneventfully in September 1944, but on the 14th of October about

400 miles off the African coast, a collision between two ships in the convoy occurred, one being a Liberty ship, SS Howard L. Gibson, loaded with miscellaneous cargo and the other ship being a British tanker, William McKnight, loaded with high octane gas. When the collision occurred the high octane gas ignited and both ships burst into a mass of flames.

The Holton was nearest to the Liberty ship at the time of the collision and, after picking up the crew who had all abandoned, it laid alongside and stayed secured to the burning Liberty ship and sent over the Holton’s repair party personnel in an endeavor to salvage the burning vessel. Although her hull was being crushed in from rolling against the other ship, the Holton lay alongside the other ship ultimately getting the fire under control. The Holton was able to proceed with the escort to Dakar and two-thirds of the cargo and the ship itself was saved. The Holton and its crew received recognition for their service and sacrifice. For the remainder of its time at sea, the USS Holton provided escort to the Philippines, China, and Japan.

Upon further research on the USS Holton, I found

an interesting fact as reported by one of its crew members in regards to the infamous Japanese surrender on the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay at the end of World War II. The crew member stated the following: “We went into Tokyo Bay bringing members to the Battleship Missouri. There were two Chinese and two Korean diplomats” who were delivered to the USS Missouri for the signing, he said.

The Holton then pulled back and is seen in historic photos of the signing in the back of the bay, along with a hospital ship.

While you might think the end of WWll was a time to celebrate, the Holton had received orders to conduct minesweeping operations.

“They had to have four-engine planes (fly low over the water to draw the mines up to the surface and we were blowing them up as best we could,” he recalls. The vibration of the planes would jar the mines loose so they could be cleared “to allow future transport ships” to travel safely.”

As far as Destroyers go, they were absolutely crucial during World War II for escorting convoys as they were the main source of defense against German subs. As noted earlier in this book, one of the best movies to watch regarding Destroyers, Subs, and Troopships is called “Greyhound” starring Tom Hanks. It is absolutely amazing to think that Mahlon Archie Parker served in such a crucial role on these ships and was possibly witness to Japan’s ultimate surrender to the Allied Forces at the end of World War II.

CHAPTER 5

As I was gaining confidence in putting Mahlon Archie Parker’s military timeline in order, little did I know that I was about to fall into that elusive rabbit hole that usually occurs when writing these books.

Shortly after the USS Holton, Mahlon Archie Parker

“jumped ship” several more times. He was assigned to a Navy sub called the USS Conger and then was assigned to another Destroyer called the USS Gyatt.

As the end of World War II was about to come to a screeching halt thanks to the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, coincidentally my research for the rest of Mahlon Archie Parker’s military history focused on some heavy duty cloak and dagger stuff, especially in regards to nuclear weapons. Not only were the USS Conger and the USS Gyatt affiliated with the first of its kind cutting edge weaponry as we entered the nuclear age, Mahlon Archie Parker’s diverse assignments from the end of his military career to post retirement led me to believe he was involved in some top secret assignments. From being assigned to so many different ships, including Troopships, Destroyers, and Subs, he bounced around to being stationed back in Baltimore at a Naval training center, and somehow retired to work in a Bethlehem Steel location that ironically aided in building nuclear weapons.

DESTROYERS

CHAPTER 5

There was already a red flag flying in the air that he was assigned to so many different ships, as most Navy personnel do not “jump ship” that frequently. Another red flag that stuck out as I started to finish my research, besides him being randomly sent back to the states, was that his military history records abruptly went dark for almost five years.

There were absolutely no records of what he did once he was sent back to Baltimore. In fact, he collected so many documents and photos of his military career, it was odd that there was nothing to show for it once his time aboard Navy vessels seemed to come to an end. Even when talking to his daughter Laura, she noted that he never talked about his military career and he was meticulous when it came to keeping photos and records. She too thought it was odd that he didn’t have anything regarding the last years of his service.

Laura’s husband truly said it best one day while we were talking about this book. Steve, being retired from the Navy, noted that nobody jumps ship that many times and there was only one reason for all of the odd transfers, missing data, and missing timelines. He was a “spook” aka worked for the CIA. At first when he said it, I just laughed and thought he was crazy. Then I really thought about it and the ev-

idence that Steve may be correct started to fall into my lap. I just started doing some random CIA history research and putting the pieces of this puzzle together as I dug deeper and deeper into the notion.

What I found finishing up this book is beyond awesome! But let’s finish up with a few more chapters before I lead you down that rabbit hole.

As stated earlier, after the USS Holton, Mahlon Archie Parker jumped ship to a sub called the USS Conger and then jumped ship to another Destroyer called the USS Gyatt.

Let’s talk about subs during this crucial time in World War II and then highlight the emergence of atomic warfare.

DESTROYERS

CHAPTER 5

SUBS

THEY WOULD WAIT IN PACKS, LURKING DEEP IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN...

Subs of World War II were not like the subs of today, but they were the cutting edge Naval weaponry of the time. In fact, the Germans perfected submarine warfare and were the most ferocious fighting force of the Atlantic, almost winning the war utilizing the “wolf pack” mentality. They would wait in packs, lurking deep in the Atlantic Ocean far enough off of the coast that aircraft could not detect them or assist convoys in their travel. Once the aircraft reached their travel limits and had to return for fuel, the ship convoys relied mainly on Destroyers and limited communication between ships while in almost complete darkness floating on an even darker abyss.

Just when you thought safety in numbers would get you through a hellacious journey across the turbulant Atlantic, the German sub “wolf pack” would strike and start picking off ships one by one. The chaos that ensued was absolutely horrific. Ships had to choose to try to save the drowning crews or flee the area in hopes that they too would not get sunk. Literally a cat and mouse game at sea, the wolves werre winning hands down. At least all up until Hitler decided to start putting more energy into other military goals, which made absolutely no sense. The German submarine “wolf pack” literally was winning World War II without even breaking a sweat. Troops, supplies, and ships could not even make it to Europe to fight the Germans. Hundreds of thousands of ships, supplies, and soldiers met their untimely fate thanks to German subs.

As noted earlier, subs of World War II were not like the subs of today. They were very primitive, had primitive engines, and needed to resurface frequently for air and supplies, unlike the nuclear subs of today that can literally stay at the deepest depths for an infinite amount of time based on their supply loads.

Mahlon Archie Parker was on the USS Conger, a new sub launched during World War II. From what I have researched, the history of the USS Conger can shed some light on his travels and missions. I guess to start, you might be wondering what is with the name “Conger.” Don’t worry, I googled it for you and it explains the USS Conger patch perfectly. A “Conger” is an eel found in warm seas at moderate depths, common to both coasts of the Atlantic Ocean. A seemingly odd, yet fascinating fact about the USS Conger (and of course probably ties into the notion that Mahlon Archie Parker was somehow involved in cloak and dagger missions) is that the USS Conger is the only submarine EVER named after a sea creature.

The USS Conger (SS-477) was launched October 17, 1944 by Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and commissioned February 14, 1945. The USS Conger tested new submarine equipment at New London until she cleared July 21, 1945 for Pacific service. At sea between Balboa and Pearl Harbor upon the end of hostilities, she was ordered back to the Canal Zone, and on September 4th, arrived at Key West to provide services to the Fleet Sonar School until December 6th. She sailed then for New London and Tomp-

kinsville, NY, where she lay until sailing January 10, 1946 for her assigned home port at Cristobal, CZ (Cristobal, Panama, Canal Zone).

The USS Conger operated in the Caribbean, calling at Memphis, TN, and Vicksburg, MS, in May 1947 until August 23rd, when she sailed for a complete circuit of the South American continent on special hydrographic work, passing through the Straits of Magellan. She returned to the Canal Zone on October 5th to resume her Caribbean operations, and from January 11, 1948 made her base at Key West. On June 3, 1949 her home port became Norfolk, VA and she operated along the east coast and in the Caribbean assisting in the training of surface ships, taking part in fleet exercises, and perfecting her own readiness for action.

From the documents that Mahlon Archie Parker kept and his daughter Laura provided to me for the research for this book, I was able to identify the timeline that he indeed was on the USS Conger in 1947 and was in fact part of that “special hydrographic work” mission. Nobody can confirm what that mission really was or why the USS Conger seems to have an elusive mission history. In fact, the only other document that identified that Mahlon Archie Parker was on a sub during World War II was a “Submarine Combat Insignia” card that states he completed four successful patrols on September 2, 1944. YES, it says 1944!

That was at the beginning of his military enlistment when he was supposedly at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station. How in the world did he complete four submarine patrols when he supposedly was a new Navy recruit at that time?

I guess this would be the perfect time to to jump in that rabbit hole with me regarding possible association between Mahlon Archie Parker and the cloak and dagger CIA hypothesis.

Let me break it down to you real simple. Mahlon Archie Parker was meticulous for keeping documents and records, but somehow entire gaps of his military service timeline are missing (the very beginning and the very end). As noted earlier, there are records that he trained at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station, records of all of his “jumping ship” adventures (from Troopships to Destroyers to Subs and back to Destroyers), and even records of random missions that he was associated with while assigned to certain Navy vessels. So how can I prove the hypothesis that Mahlon Archie Parker was associated with the CIA? This will blow your mind! Just follow the dots...

When you google research the CIA, you will find that before the CIA name, the CIA was called the CIG. In 1946, the Central Intelligence Group (CIG) was established by President Truman as a successor to the wartime Office of Strategic Service (OSS). The CIG’s primary function was to coordinate and produce in-

telligence, drawing on personnel from the State, War, and Navy Departments. This means that the CIG would have included Naval officers and enlisted personnel detailed from the Navy Department to serve within the new organization.

While a specific breakdown of Navy personnel within the CIG in 1946 isn’t readily available, the structure of the CIG as outlined in documents from the era indicates a collaberative effort drawing from different branches of the military, including the Navy, for staffing and expertise.

For instance, Rear Admiral Sidney W. Souers, USNR, a former Deputy Chief of Naval Intelligence, was chosen by Truman to lead the CIG and became the first person to hold the title of Director of Central Intelligence (DCI). This illustrates the Naval presence and influence within the newly formed intelligence agency.

So why did I mention the name of the first director of the CIG/ CIA? Not only did I want to highlight that the Navy was in charge of the CIG but that particular director, Rear Admiral Sidney W. Souers, just so happened to be in charge of the Great Lakes Training Station at the same time Mahlon Archie Parker was there!

At that time, Rear Admiral Sidney W. Souers was a Lieutenant Commander and was promoted to a full Commander in February 1942, being assigned to command the Sixth Naval District, headquartered at Naval Station Great Lakes in Chicago. In May 1943, after a German U-boat was sunk by the U.S. Coast Guard off the South Carolina coast, Souers, along with Royal Navy Commander Patrick W. Stone, was tasked with the interrogation of the submarine’s crew.

BOOM! Not only was the CIG/CIA first director a Navy person, it was the SAME Navy person that was in charge of the school where Mahlon Archie Parker was sent for initial training! There is no doubt in my mind that Mahlon Archie Parker was recruited by Rear Admiral Sidney W. Souers for the CIG/CIA!

Furthermore, why in the world is some Naval Training Station Commander interrogating people from a sunk German U-boat, when they should be training and schooling in Chicago? That makes absolutely no sense, other than it proves more of the cloak and dagger hypothesis. This might explain how Mahlon Archie Parker completed four successful submarine patrols in

CHAPTER 6

1944 shorlty after this German U-boat was sunk, long before he completed training and even supposedly set foot on a Troopship.

There is only one way Mahlon Archie Parker could have completed those patrols and that was with the help of the then Lieutenant Commander Sidney W. Souers. It is my belief that Mahlon Archie Parker was recruited by Souers back then while at the Naval Station Great Lakes to assist with the sunk German U-boat mission in 1943 and it is also my belief that after Souers was appointed as the first Director for the CIG/CIA, Mahlon Archie Parker was one of the Naval personnel recruited to serve with the new organization. If you follow the dots, the names, the connections, the timelines, the history of cloak and dagger missions, and the irony, this is the only explanation for the gaps of missing history in Mahlon Archie Parker’s military timeline. There is enough evidence to conclude that “YES”, there is a absolute strong possibility that Mahlon Archie Parker did indeed work for the CIG/CIA toward the end of his career, if not throughout his entire career before it was even officially created.

ATOMIC WARFARE

CHAPTER 7

THESE TARGETS WERE CHOSEN BECAUSE THEY WERE LARGE URBAN AREAS...

You can’t possibly talk about World War II without highlighting a chapter on atomic warfare. After all, our use of atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Nagasaki and Hiroshima were the only reason why Japan finally stopped their relentless and unwaivering military pursuits.

On August 6th and 9th of 1945, the United States detonated two atomic bombs over the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, respectively, during World War Il. The aerial bombings killed between 150,000 and 246,000 people, most of whom were civilians, and remain the only uses of nuclear weapons in an armed conflict. Japan announced its surrender to the Allies on August 15th, six days after the bombing of Nagasaki and the Soviet Union’s declaration of war against Japan and invasion of Manchuria. The Japanese government signed an instrument of surrender on September 2nd, ending the war.

In the final year of World War II, the Allies prepared for a costly invasion of the Japanese mainland. This undertaking was preceded by a conventional bombing and firebombing campaign that devastated 64 Japanese cities, including an operation on Tokyo. The war

in Europe concluded when Germany surrendered on May 8, 1945, and the Allies turned their full attention to the Pacific War. By July 1945, the Allies’ Manhattan Project had produced two types of atomic bombs: “Little Boy”, an enriched uranium gun-type fission weapon, and “Fat Man”, a plutonium implosion-type nuclear weapon. The 509th Composite Group of the U.S. Army Air Forces was trained and equipped with the specialized Silverplate version of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, and deployed to Tinian in the Mariana Islands. The Allies called for the unconditional surrender of the Imperial Japanese Armed Forces in the Potsdam Declaration on July 26, 1945, the alternative being “prompt and utter destruction”. The Japanese government ignored the ultimatum.

The consent of the United Kingdom was obtained for the bombing, as was required by the Quebec Agreement, and orders were issued on July 25th by General Thomas T. Handy, the acting chief of staff of the U.S. Army, for atomic bombs to be used on Hiroshima, Kokura, Niigata, and Nagasaki. These targets were chosen because they were large urban areas that also held militarily significant facilities.

For several months, the U.S. had warned civilians of potential air raids by dropping more than 63 million leaflets across Japan. Many Japanese cities suffered terrible damage from aerial bombings; some were as much as 97 percent destroyed. It was thought that leaflets would increase the psychological impact of bombing, and reduce the international stigma of area-bombing cities. Even with the warnings, Japanese opposition to the war remained ineffective. In general, the Japanese regarded the leaflet messages as truthful, with many Japanese choosing to leave major cities. The leaflets caused such concern that the government ordered the arrest of anyone caught in possession of a leaflet. Leaflet texts were prepared

by recent Japanese prisoners of war because they were thought to be the best choice “to appeal to their compatriots”.

In preparation for dropping an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, the Oppenheimer-led Scientific Panel of the Interim Committee decided against a demonstration bomb and against a special leaflet warning. Those decisions were implemented because of the uncertainty of a successful detonation and also because of the wish to maximize shock in the leadership. No warning was given to Hiroshima that a new and much more destructive bomb was going to be dropped. Various sources gave conflicting information about when the last leaflets were dropped on Hiroshima

prior to the atomic bomb. The USAAF history noted that eleven cities were targeted with leaflets on July 27th, but Hiroshima was not one of them, and there were no leaflet sorties on July 30th. Leaflet sorties were undertaken on August 1st and 4th. Hiroshima may have been leafleted in late July or early August, as survivor accounts talk about a delivery of leaflets a few days before the atomic bomb was dropped. Three versions were printed of a leaflet listing 11 or 12 cities targeted for firebombing; a total of 33 cities listed. With the text of this leaflet reading in Japanese “... we cannot promise that only these cities will be among those attacked ...” Hiroshima was not listed.

On August 6th, a Little Boy was dropped on Hiroshima. Three days later, a Fat Man was dropped on Nagasaki. Over the next two to four months, the effects of the atomic bombings killed 90,000 to 166,000 people in Hiroshima and 60,000 to 80,000 people in Nagasaki; roughly half the deaths occurred on the first day. For months afterward, many people continued to die from the effects of burns, radiation sickness, and other injuries, compounded by illness and malnutrition. Despite Hiroshima’s sizable military garrison, estimated at 24,000 troops, some 90% of the dead were civilians.

There were plans for further attacks on Japan following Hiroshima and Nagasaki. There was expected to have another (plutonium-239-based) “Fat Man” atomic bomb ready for use on August 19th, with three more in September and a further three in October.[ A second Little Boy bomb (using uranium-235)

ATOMIC WARFARE

CHAPTER 7

would not be available until December 1945.

On August 10th, a memorandum was sent in which was noted that “the next bomb ... should be ready for delivery on the first suitable weather after 17 or 18 August.” The memo today contains hand-written comments written by military staff that reads “It is not to be released over Japan without express authority

At the cabinet meeting that morning, Truman discussed these actions. James Forrestal paraphrased Truman as saying “there will be no further dropping of the atomic bomb,” while Henry A. Wallace recorded in his diary that: “Truman said he had given orders to stop atomic bombing. He said the thought of wiping out another 100,000 people was too horrific. He didn’t like the idea of killing, as he said, ‘all those kids.’”

Scholars have extensively studied the effects of the bombings on the social and political character of subsequent world history and popular culture, and there is still much debate concerning the ethical and legal justification for the bombings. According to supporters, the atomic bombings were necessary to bring an end to the war with minimal casualties and ultimately prevented a greater loss of life on both sides; according to critics, the bombings were unnecessary for the war’s end and were a war crime, raising moral and ethical implications.

It is unclear the extent that Mahlon Archie Parker may have had in connection to atomic warfare but it is very interesting to note that he was assigned to Navy vessels that were in charge of researching, developing, and testing “state of the art” military technology and weaponry.

It is also interesting to note that once Mahlon Archie Parker concluded his Navy military career (the last years of which are coincidentally missing and unaccounted for), he returned to work civilian life with

ATOMIC WARFARE

CHAPTER 7

Bethlehem Steel.

Just to throw some fuel on the cloak and dagger hypothesis as noted in previous chapters, if you google search Bethlehem Steel and conveniently research some of the ships that Mahlon Archie Parker was assigned to and atomic warfare history, you will find that Bethlehem Steel not only was a key industrial site in making, building, and developing some of his assigned Navy vessels, but unbeknownst to its employees at the time, it was contracted to roll radioactive uranium for nuclear reactors. Let that sink in for a few minutes.

Mahlon Archie Parker retired from the Navy in 1949 and happily worked for Bethlehem Steel for the rest of his life until his civilian retirement in 1983.

Just a fun fact I found researching Bethlehem Steel during his employment timeline: From 1949 to 1983, Bethlehem Steel transitioned from a Cold War defense contractor to a company in terminal decline, crippled by foreign competition, rising costs, and poor management. Its involvement in atomic warfare during the early Cold War was a secret operation that exposed workers to radioactive uranium.

From 1949 to 1952, Bethlehem Steel’s plant in Lackawanna, New York, manufactured uranium fuel rods for nuclear reactors under a top-secret contract with the U.S. government.

THE RETURN HOME

CHAPTER 8

After being assigned to the USS Conger Navy sub, Mahlon Archie Parker “jumped ship” yet again and was assigned to a state of the art Navy Destroyer called the USS Gyatt. It shouldn’t surprise you by now that every ship Mahlon Archie Parker was assigned or associated with was unique - before, during, or after he touched foot on it. In 1956, the USS Gyatt underwent a significant conversion at the Boston Naval Shipyard to become the world’s first guided missile destroyer, initially designated DDG-712. She was subsequently given the hull number DDG-1 in recognition of her unique status. As a guided missile destroyer, the USS Gyatt tested and evaluated new technologies, including the Terrier missile system and a Denny-Brown stabilization system.

After his time on the USS Gyatt, for some unknown reason, Mahlon Archie Parker returned to the states and was assigned to the U.S. Naval Training Station in Bainbridge, Maryland until the end of his military career. The only documents or records regarding his time there are minimal including what is listed on his discharge paperwork, a motor vehicle driving permit, and a Military Police badge. His daughter Laura indicated that he was associated with Security and Military Police while at the Naval Training Station from what she remembers or was told.

The only other items to highlight the end of his Navy career were postcards that he sent home to his family from various locations all over Europe. I have no idea how he could be spending that much time in Europe when he was supposedly stationed at the U.S. Naval Training Station in Bainbridge, Maryland as “Security”, but I guess that just fuels the cloak and dagger hypothesis doesn’t it?

All we do know for certain is that Mahlon Archie Parker returned home after a very colorful and eventful Navy military career. He was a family man and loved his family first and foremost. He

spent the rest of his years doing what he loved and being surrounded by those he loved.

Mahlon Archie Parker was born March 13, 1923 and passed from this world on January 20, 1996. One of the last documents provided to me by his daughter Laura was a certificate by President Bill Clinton, awarded to Mahlon Archie Parker, and reads as such:

“The United States of America honors the memory of Mahlon Archie Parker. This certificate is awarded by a grateful nation in recognition of devoted and selfless consecration to the service of our country in the Armed Forces of the United States. - William J. Clinton, President of the United States.“

I just have to say, out of all of my research on Veterans and especially those from World War II, I have never seen a President send something like that to a soldier upon their passing, especially recognizing their service almost 50 years prior. It is safe to say, whatever Mahlon Archie Parker did while in the military, was extraordinary! He was in fact, an extraordinary man.

MAHLON ARCHIE PARKER

PHOTO GALLERY

EPILOGUE

HE WAS ACTIVATED TO SERVE AMONGST FELLOW SOLDIERS OF THE GREATEST GENERATION...

Mahlon Archie Parker served in World War II from September 2, 1942 to October 24, 1949 as a Signalman and Boatswain’s Mate aboard a Troopship (the USS Etolin), aboard a submarine (the USS Conger), and aboard two Destroyers (the USS Holton and the USS Gyatt). He received the World War II Victory Medal, American Campaign Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, and the European/African/Middle Eastern Campaign Medal.

This book is in loving memory of Laura Parker Mattern’s father and her hero Mahlon Archie Parker. May his memory and the memory of those who served and sacrificed live on forever in our hearts, in our minds, and in our history. They were the Greatest Generation and will never be replaced.

Special thanks to Laura Parker Mattern for your collection of photographs and keepsakes. This project is a true testament of the love that you have for your father Mahlon Archie Parker. He would be very proud of you. God bless you my friend.

TWISTED BOMBSHELL