“NERO” OF GUAM

On 21 July 1944 the USMC landed on the Marianas island of Guam–the second island in that archipelago to be retaken from the enemy.  Guam was defended by 19,000 Japanese under LGEN Takeshi Takashima, but by that July date only about 9,000 remained, fighting sporadically in the island’s interior.  Final securing of the island took until 10 August 1944.  American casualties totaled 1435 killed and 5648 wounded, almost all were US Marines.

Earlier, on 16 June 1944, a pre-invasion bombardment was conducted, concentrating on the Japanese airfield on the Orote Peninsula.  USS PENNSYLVANIA (BB-38), IDAHO (BB-42) and the cruiser HONOLULU (CL-48) launched this barrage, protected by a cluster of destroyers and destroyer escorts, including WESSON (DE-184).  Aboard this latter was Electrician’s Mate First Class Charlie Sullivan.  A plank owner, “Sully” served his entire WWII career aboard WESSON, by this date he had charge of the starboard motor room.  Here a powerful electric motor originally designed for train locomotives–powered by a diesel engine just forward the in the starboard engine room–turned the starboard shaft.  As WESSON patrolled for submarines around PENNSYLVANIA, at times less than a hundred yards distant, the cordite blasts that propelled 1600 projectiles shoreward battered the DE.  WESSON’s unarmored hull afforded little protection from the incessant concussions, even below decks.  Seeking refuge from the head-pounding, an off-duty Sully sheltered in the forward battery locker

Months earlier, Sullivan, whose upbringing in rural Pennsylvania included an introduction to music, had purchased a violin in Honolulu while on break from patrols.  He had spent $50 on the instrument–more than a month’s salary, and being one of the few sailors on board with a key to the battery locker, he stored his fiddle there.  With four other shipmates who played various instruments, “Sully” formed an impromptu band on the fantail on quiet days. 

In the battery locker, he picked up his fiddle.  To calm his nerves from the incessant bombardment, he began to play.  “Anchors Aweigh” emanated from the locker; his shipmates heartily appreciating his performance.  Then for months afterward, Sullivan’s nickname became “Nero” for fiddling while Guam was bombarded–a reference to the ancient Roman emperor who “fiddled” while Rome burned.

WESSON served throughout WWII in the Pacific, participating in the invasions of the Carolines, the Philippines, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa.  She earned a respectable seven Battle Stars.  She was transferred to the Italian Navy in 1951 and was eventually scrapped in 1972. 

Watch for more “Today in Naval History”  22 JUN 25

CAPT James Bloom, Ret.

Morison, Samuel Eliot.  History of United States Naval Operations in World War II, Vol VIII  New Guinea and the Marianas.  Boston, MA: Little, Brown and Co., 1953, pp. 375-80.

Oral history of EM1c Charles Sullivan, taken at: PA military Museum, Boalsburg, PA, 8 March 2107.

Sweetman, Jack.  American Naval History:  An Illustrated Chronology of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, 1775-Present, 3^rd ed.  Annapolis, MD: USNI Press, 2002, p. 174.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:  The Roman emperor Nero probably correctly played a lyre–while a portion of Rome burned (that he intentionally set ablaze to clear a location for his planned palatial estate).

          WESSON remembers LTJG Morgan Wesson who was killed in action while serving as communications officer aboard USS ATLANTA (CL-51) in the Battle of the Solomons, 13 November 1942.

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                                            THREE NEAR MISSES

Joining the fight off Okinawa was USS WESSON (DE-184).  Destroyer escorts were a product of WWII, designed specifically for escorting ships against submarine attack.  Some DEs were powered by oil-burning steam turbines, but WESSON bore the other common power plant, a diesel-electric system originally designed for railroad locomotives.  Below decks, Electrician’s Mate First Class Charles Sullivan stood his watch in the starboard motor room, where large electric motors spun the shafts, powered by electricity from two large diesel engines just ahead in the engine spaces.  Sullivan’s shipmate, the ship’s clerk, stood his watch on the bridge, relaying commands to the engine spaces.

When the massive kikisui raid appeared overhead April 6^th, one kamikaze made a dive toward WESSON.  WESSON’s gunners opened but seeing the suicider heading straight for the DE’s stack, a call came to the engine spaces directly below, “Sully, it’s been nice knowing you!”  The familiar voice quickly relayed the situation, unseen from the engine room, and in the second it took Sully’s life to flash before his eyes, he realized his number was up!

But suddenly a Marine Corps F4U Corsair appeared!  The pilot chased the kamikaze, persisting until it exploded mid-air.  Debris fell beside WESSON, narrowly missing.  The Corsair then passed low over the DE, wagging its wings!

The next day WESSON was again in the thick of the fighting.  Sullivan was in his rack, recovering from the fatigue of near-constant General Quarters.  Again the claxon sounded!  Normally Sullivan would grab his pants and run in his underwear up one deck and forward through the machine shop to his station.  But this time he was just angry enough at the constant GQ that he paused several seconds to pull his pants onto his waist.  Suddenly a massive CRASH knocked him to the deck!  A kamikaze slammed into WESSON amidships destroying the machine shop and killing the sailors therein.  Had Sully not paused to pull up his trousers, he would have been running through the machine shop at that very instant himself!  A dutiful EM1c Sullivan now ran past the twisted and burning amidships wreckage toward his battle station.  On the way, he spotted another friend, “Frenchy,” sprawled on the deck, blood spurting from a chest wound.  “Save me, Sully!” called Frenchy as the Electrician’s Mate sprinted by.  “I can’t!” shouted Sullivan, knowing his first duty was his battle station.

Thinking he had left his friend to die, Sullivan was plagued with guilt for decades after the war.  Only when reunions of WESSON’s crew began years later was he reintroduced to Frenchy, whom a Corpsman had saved shortly after Sullivan dashed past!

Watch for more “Today in Naval History”  11 APR 23

CAPT James Bloom, Ret.

Department of the Navy, Naval History Division.  Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Vol 8 “W-Z”.  Washington, DC: GPO, 1981, pp. 205-06.

Oral history of EM1c Charles Sullivan, taken at the Pennsylvania Military Museum, Boalsburg, PA, 8 March 2017.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:  WESSON survived this kamikaze attack to finish the war in Tokyo Bay as part of the fleet accepting the Japanese surrender.  EM1c Sullivan served aboard for her entire career, from her commissioning 11 November 1943 (Sullivan’s birthday) until she left Naval service 24 June 1946.  WESSON served twenty more years with the Italian Navy until being mothballed, and ultimately scrapped, in 1972.  Like most of WWII’s DEs, WESSON was named for a naval hero.  LTJG Morgan Wesson died 13 November 1942 when his ship, USS ATLANTA (CL-51), was battered and sunk off the Solomon Island at the Battle of Guadalcanal.

USS Wesson DE-184

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