Sorry for late post but this is what happened yesterday... i pretty much did nothing but read –yea, crazy i no- but this book got me wrapped up for hours! I'm not a big reader and my aunt gave me this book about a vessel sunk in WWII. Out of 230 crew and troops aboard only 5 survived (o_0) the author: Theron N. Mackay wrote this book and made copies for the families that had lost lives on this vessel. The writer remains in a quandary as to the proper terminology for this writing. Whether it be a “chronicle”, “documentary” or a “history”? But whatever it is, the writer’s personal involvement in the rather short life of one United States Naval Vessel during World War Two. The U.S.S. LST 342 (landing ship tank 342) these ships weren’t given names like many other US Navel Vessels – only numbers. Four days prior to the LST 342 being struck and sunk by a torpedo from a Jap sub, with 150 troops and 500 TONS of ammunition on board the author celebrated his 19th birthday.
Theron returns to Iron Bottom Sound every year and places a lei on one of the LST’s beached close to Tulgai Island in remembrance of every person that died here in WWII. He is 89 years of age now. On my arrival to Guadalcanal he had just flown back home- I just missed him. They named this stretch of water Iron Bottom Sound because some of the fiercest navel battles were fought here. With hundreds of ships lying on the sea bed... lots of ships still waiting to be discovered.
There’s a little bit of history for you... I hope you find it as interesting as I do.
I experienced my first ever earth quake in the late afternoon that lasted about 2-3 seconds. At first I didn’t know what it was. I was sitting outside on the patio (reading), I looked inside at the water cooler and the water was shaking like crazy! It was a cool exciting experience, a little scary though... this followed by a tropical storm. Strong winds and lots of rain!
Some pictures of a LST in Tulagi:
lei placed by Theron N. Mackay
Harbour of the Guadalcanal Island
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