“Nero” of Guam

                                                   16 JUNE 1944                                                “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 Read More

Three Near Misses

                                                  6-7 APRIL 1945                                             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 Read More