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A friend of ours dropped over last night and brought a friend along with him. He brought up the subject of the USS Penguin and wondered if I could drum up some data on it. So while he was still here, I dug up some precursory info and told him I will find out more as I go along.

http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-p/am33.htm

USS Penguin (Minesweeper # 33, later AM-33), 1918-1941

 

USS Penguin, a 1009-ton Lapwing class minesweeper, was built at Elizabeth, New Jersey, as part of the World War I ship construction effort. Commissioned in November 1918, ten days after the Armstice brought an end to the fighting, she operated out of New York for several months and, in May 1919, crossed the Atlantic to participate in clearing the wartime mine barrage across the North Sea. Penguin was twice damaged by mine explosions while engaged in this work, with the second incident, in August, causing serious injury. Returning to the U.S. in November, she soon was transferred to the Pacific, operating there until laid up at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Territory, at the beginning of June 1922.

 

Penguin recommissioned in October 1923 and was employed for the rest of the decade as a gunboat on China's Yangtse River. She spent the 1930s and early 1940s at Guam, performing a variety of duties in support of the local government. When Japan began the Pacific War on 7 December 1941 (8 December at Guam), Penguin helped resist enemy air attacks. She was badly damaged by bomb near misses, and was scuttled later that day in deep water near the island.

He had stated a friend tried to look up info and couldn't come up with anything. They told him, "It's like it never existed!"

Well obviously they didn't try very hard, (like try typing it into a Google Search Engine!!!).

He is also looking for specific info on one of the men who served on the Penguin; George Farmer.

Oh ya, Lee is currently playing War in the Pacific, and indeed, one of the ships listed near Guam was the USS PENGUIN. How cool is that? We pulled it up on the game screen last night.

Dorsey Robert Walker

Dorsey Robert Walker

Radio Man 1st Class

Radio Agana

Guam

He was captured on Guam on December 10, 1941

http://www.uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/5185.html

Early on the morning of 8 December 1941 (7 December east of the I.D.L.) USS Penguin (Lt James William Haviland, III) returned to Agana Harbor, Guam from patrol to receive word of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Soon thereafter Japanese planes swarmed over the island. Bombs fell on fuel storage tanks and shore installations. Penguin slipped her moorings and moved outside the harbor to gain maneuvering space. Her anti-aircraft fire drove some of the bombers higher thus limiting their accuracy. The enemy's attention, however, was soon focused on the ships. Penguin became the object of bombing and strafing runs. No direct hits were scored, but one group of bombs straddled the ship. The resulting explosions killed 1, wounded over 60, and caused extensive damage.

 

Downing one plane, Penguin's guns kept up the pace until the ship had been maneuvered to a position a mile and a half off the beach. There, in 200 fathoms, she was scuttled to prevent her capture by the enemy. Her crew made the shore in life rafts and those not seriously wounded continued the defense of Guam. After a short battle, the governor general of the island surrendered the island to the Japanese. Most of the remaining personnel were sent to Japan and were kept as POW's until the end of the war.

I emailed this gentleman, this morning...

Dear Eric:

 

I am conducting research for a new friend, regarding the USS Penguin and one of her crew, George Farmer. While performing research this morning, ran across this page with info about your uncle, Lieutenant James William Haviland. I read you had discovered some papers from the war, and wondered if you ran across any rosters from the ship?

 

I am hoping you can shed more light on the Penguin and then I turn I can pass along the info to my friend Doug. He would be very grateful.

 

Kindly,

Marion

Here's the page: http://navalwarfare.blogspot.com/2008/09/uss-penguin-am-33.html

Here's an interactive page on Guam. While perusing, look at the timeline at the bottom and place your cursor over the grayed-out dots. When you arrive at the fourth dot, you will find info on the Penguin and see exactly where she was that fateful day. Interesting.

http://cardandcard.com/thewarguam/site/warflash/invasion_master.swf

U.S.S. PENGUIN [4 Officers, 50 EM]

Regular Navy

Allen, David Martin,GM3c,3558102,USN,USS Penguin,Mukaishima,WIA 41.12.8 [mentioned Nixon Diary- 14 Dec 1943]

Bairey, Verne Nicholas,MM1c,3207590,USN,USS Penguin,Tokyo area,CT

Benson, Arthur Wise,Bkr2c,3283123,USN,USS Penguin,Zentsuji

Carrillo, Andrew James,QM1c,381984,USN,USS Penguin,Zentsuji,WIA 41.12.9

Cruz, J.J.,Mess Attend 2c,,Chamorro,USS Penguin

Davidson, Harry Willard,WT2c,3683318,USN,USS Penguin,Hirohata

Dean, John Robert,SC3c,2436820,USN,USS Penguin,Hirohata

Epperson, Bobbie,RM2c,342122,USN,USS Penguin,Hirohata

Ernst, Robert Walter,SM3c,3812969,USN,USS Penguin,KIA 41.12.10,Executed on beach

Fraser, Rollin George,BM1c,3110965,USN,USS Penguin,KIA 41.12.10,Executed on beach

Gwinnup, Ralph Henry,EM1c,2914235,USN,USS Penguin,Zentsuji,WIA 41.12.8

Hale, Edward Everett,EM2c,3933244,USN,USS Penguin,Hirohata,WIA 41.12.8

Hanzsek, Joseph,MM1c,2435703,USN,USS Penguin,Zentsuji,PA - WIA 41.12.8

Haskins, Thomas Theron,S1c,3115716,USN,USS Penguin,Osaka area,WIA 41.12.08

Haviland, James William III,Lieut,59306,USN,USS Penguin,Rokuroshi,WIA 41.12.8

Hinton, Cecil Edmond,CM1c,2742064,USN,USS Penguin,Zentsuji

Howard, Edward Neal,WT2c,2915025,USN,USS Penguin,Hirohata

Hurd, Seba Guarland,SM3c,3371486,USN,USS Penguin,KIA 41.12.10,Executed on beach

James, Howard "A",Y1c,3108815,USN,USS Penguin,Osaka area

Johnston, Clarence Bruce,MM1c,3161832,USN,USS Penguin,Executed 42.10.22,evader - captured & executed

Krump, Michael L.,CMM,3159710,USN,USS Penguin,Executed 42.9.11,evader - captured & executed

Lake, Olin Sumner,CQM,3051724,USN,USS Penguin,Zentsuji,WIA 41.12.8

Lumpkins, Floyd,F1c,3369214,USN,USS Penguin,Osaka area,WIA 41.12.8

MacLean, Robert Brown,SK3c,3165955,USN,USS Penguin,Died 44.2.14 Umeda,Pneumonia [Died, 14 Feb 1944, Umeda Busho, Osaka, pneumonia- Nixon & Meyers Diaries]

Magelssen, [sverre] Walter,S1c,3421711,USN,USS Penguin,Hirohata,WIA 41.12.8 [McMillan states, in error, Maggelson]

McFarlane, John Graham,CEM,3755210,USN,USS Penguin,Kawasaki Tokyo #2

McKenzie, Lester William,F2c,3213970,USN,USS Penguin,Toyama #7,WIA 41.12.8

Molnar, Earnest,S1c,3600152,USN,USS Penguin,Hirohata

O'Brien, Robert William,CBM,2911728,USN,USS Penguin,Zentsuji,WIA 41.12.8

O'Neill, Frank James,BM1c,3282372,USN,USS Penguin,KIA 41.12.10,Executed on beach

Olson, Robert Torell,F1c,3285797,USN,USS Penguin,Osaka area

Patterson, Rae,CWT,4083387,USN,USS Penguin,Kawasaki Tokyo #2?,CA

Pineault, Leo Joseph,Cox,2044461,USN,USS Penguin,KIA 41.12.10,Executed on beach

Rathbun, Lorenzo Everett,RM2c,3682748,USN,USS Penguin,unk,WIA 41.12.8 [RG 24, Box 6]

Ratzman, Martin Earl,S1c,3761866,USN,USS Penguin,Zentsuji,WIA 41.12.8 [RG 24, Box 6]

Reed, William James,F2c,3422135,USN,USS Penguin,Zentsuji

Reed, Reginald Walter,SM1c,3753025,USN,USS Penguin,Hirohata

Sawyer, John Wilbur,S1c,2834125,USN,USS Penguin,Zentsuji

Schweighhart, John,GM1c,2282954,USN,USS Penguin,KIA 41.12.10,Executed on beach

Senchuk, Walter,Ens,96158,USNR,USS Penguin,Rokuroshi,OH Dayton

Settles, Edwin Wayne,S1c,3001464,USN,USS Penguin,Hirohata,IL - WIA 41.12.8

Shaw, Gilbert James,PhM1c,3162800,USN,USS Penguin,Omori,NE

Smith, James Madison Jr.,F1c,2685189,USN,USS Penguin,Osaka area

Staff, Jack Wadsworth,S1c,2235308,USN,USS Penguin,Osaka area,NJ

Stansberry, Clifford Devine,S2c,3166668,USN,USS Penguin,Tokyo area,conflict w McMillin Rpt

Taitano, J.L.,Mess Attend 1c,,Chamorro,USS Penguin

Tattrie, Norman Sidney,MM1c,3369422,USN,USS Penguin,Tokyo area,WIA 41.12.8

Tenorio, J.G.,Mess Attend 3c,,Chamorro,USS Penguin

Vergara, C.,OC1c,,Chamorro,USS Penguin

White, Robert Gabriel,Ensign,unk,USNR,USS Penguin,KIA 41.12.10,KIA

Wilkerson, Melvin Cecil,S1c,3563693,USN,USS Penguin,Zentsuji,Severe mental breakdown in POW camp per Frank Perry interview by Joe "Fingers" Zentsujians in Kansas p 34- still at VA Hospital in Waco as of 1989

Wilson, Rex Elwood,EM3c,2722177,USN,USS Penguin,Zentsuji,WIA 41.12.8

Wood, Edwin Allen,Ens,90920,USNR (SC),USS Penguin,Rokuroshi,WIA 41.12.8

Zimmer, Robert William,F2c,2791616,USN,USS Penguin,Osaka area,WIA 41.12.8 Top

Navy Fleet Reserve [uSS Penguin][10 EM]

Cepeda, J.,F1c

Chargualaf, R.,OC1c,,,,,WIA 41.12.10

Concepcion, J.C.,S1c

Cruz, E.,Cox

Flores, Joaquin Lago,S1c

Flores, Jesus Lujan,S1c

Guzman, Tomas,OC1c

Matanane, Jose,MM2c

Perez, J.A.,MM1c,,,,,WIA 41.12.10

Salas, V.A.,S1c

Roster - POW search - USS Penguin

This will take you to page, then click on page 23 and 25 to see continuing list...

Roster - POW search - USS Penguin

 

This will take you to page, then click on page 23 and 25 to see continuing list...

Marion

Like I said many times you are Great.

Never lets a vet down.

Jim Hennessey-87th-Inf-Div.

Jim: Sure appreciate your vote of confidence. That's always nice to see. Hugs!!!