Detroit evening times., 1943-09-14
BACK FIeONa HE'LL 90. zu BuzTis Jenkins. e11.
From PeQr H#Qf Dor
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-0f04orfne Gunner
A LOT Of men will talk about her for long time
= Nobody can tell II all

n Nobody can tell it all
This wre.tough Marine corporal Walter Ramsy, knows
her we'll the next He gave her his youth He knows
what it's like die her decks to lie under eight dead men
crushed and drowning inches of waterand still feel
the way he does about her.
Not love exactly. That's for The word doesn't
express how the who fought her feel about the heavy
cruiser San Francisco
Ramsy was 10 when his part in this story began
It was 55 m The cruiser lay in drowsy dshabe at
repair dock the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard unaware like the
aboard her of her historic destiny that to endor
Ramsy at least and $50 other brave menn black hell off
savo Island II engagements later
The peaceful Sunday calm of Dec broke in the Marine
compartment Of the cruiser San Francisco with the booming
the oudspeaker All hands man battle stations
Ramsy and the other gunners hesitate unbeievng Not
until the second alarm when the burst of explosions echo IN
the oudspeaer and they feel W ship shake do the dash
top side to be met by of bullets rang the decks and
the sight of strange planes streakng the harbor sky.
The red ball markings of the zero seem at first to be
the red insignia Of Russian planes It's several seconds
before we realize they Japs
horror seizes them. Stripped of A guns (under re-
par the cruiser lies helpless crouched behind bukhead
until the P A. system bellows more AL hands lay over
10 the New orleans-reeve gun knocked out Of ac
ton e"
They swarm across the dock the adjoining ship shrap
mel and bullets flying all over and Ramsy find
pOslIIOH 'ViS' NNNA'
officer mention brand new unused machine guns the
focsle' and Ramsy runs for them
He slams drum gun and vainy tries TO fire IT, He
opens the breach find full OF cosmone He looks around
FOR ramrod There He sends sailor below decks
for amrod As the sailor along the decks Rany sees
straflng Zero cut the sailor down
Ramsy, himself runs down the deck toward the armory
Jap Nakama dives at the ship and bullets the deck six
inches from his flying feet To expert gunner champion
boxer and allaround fighting there is something like
cold terror in being shot al with way TO hit back
The Marine with the amrod and rapidly puts both
5ocabres operation sailor taking The relief
from tension immediate and immense fear from that
moment on Mouths vide and cursng'You dirty yellow
She Marine and sailor pour into the Jap planes
until bomb burst alongside blows Ramsy and the Navy gun
against the bukhead Stunned but unhurt Ramsy looks
up inch Jagged hole The heavy plate three
feet from his head
That night there sleep the San Francisco. The
sits around the deck smoking cgaet and curng and
cursng watching Arizona burn Some Of the guys
L isn't only because they have brothers and friends out
there It's the SIGH, great ships ike the Arizona all smashed
aaa breeding E trre dripping down IN The water-its just
more than We can take in understand
Three weeks later The San Franosco~battle Trim and
deadiy-steams ont Of Pearl Harbor Not her decks
speaks word They stare back dry eyed the Of the
Arizona Rsmsy notes the grim faces walnut jaws tight lips