Talk:USS Morris (DD-417)

message: My father was aboard the USS Morris (DD-417) for the majority of her service . His name was Maurice J. Finley or "Coach" as his shipmates called him. He passed away Febuary  of 01 .
My Dad didn't talk much about his experiences aboard the Morris until a few years before he passed on.
He served on her from 1941 through 45 as a signalman first class. As you can tell from the ships history they were involved early on in the north Atlantic and then on to the Pacific where she was engaged in almost every major theatre of operation in the south Pacific including some time in the north Pacific with the Attu and Kiska operations.
The more I read and research the Morris the more astonished I am that he survived to actually tell someone about his service aboard the Morris . Life on a destroyer during WWII was anything  but easy , but he did have some great memories to share . The ships mascot was a german shepherd named Klinker who they trained to go up and down the deck ladders to take care of his "business".I know my father forged some great friendships ,he spoke of those men in the highest regard .I guess you form a bond with the people you go to war with probably more so then anyone else .  It was a very dangerous time in his life that know one else but those guys can understand.I asked my dad why he enlisted in the navy and he told me that he would have a dry bed to sleep in instead of a whole in the ground.From what I've read he had a dry bed but not much cover during combat ,you were completely exposed to everything being fired at you.  
Sims class destoyers are small ships with big hearts ,I truly believe that they were responsible for saving the lives of many solders and marines.
John Finley
  I am hoping that this is where I add a comment about the USS Morris of WW2? 
My Dad served on the Morris for a relatively short time near the end of the Pacific war. 
I believe about a year or so. He also served on many other vessels.
 He was aboard doing picket duty off Okinawa when the ship was struck by a kamikaze. 
It practically blew the bow off! They were able to patch her up and she limped back to Pearl. 
Before she could be repaired the war ended and the Morris ended up as part of an automobile or something. 
An inglorious end to a courageous ship.
  It is interesting that my Dad's battle station was as an ammunition handler for one of the five inch guns in the bow of the Morris.
 He was transferred to a gun aft before the kamikaze incident which is fortunate in that every sailor in his former (bow) battle station was killed by the kamikaze. One of those little quirks of destiny, I guess.
  Mr. Lindsay in his comments said that his family member joined the Navy so that he could sleep 
in a dry bed instead a hole in the ground. 
My Dad said that he joined the Navy to escape the farm in Garretson South Dakota. 
He said that his Father was a real taskmaster and that there was seldom any rest to be had nor any wages of any sort. 
(Unless you count room and board).
  Anyhow, my Dad, Wilfred "Andy" Anderson, survived the war and recently, with my Mom, celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary. 
My Mom had a moderate stroke a few months ago and is now in a "memory unit" at Saint Bendictines in Duluth MN. 
She still knows us all and gets up and walks around but the stroke robbed her of much her memory capabilities. 
They are both 85 years old and had 65 good years together, (and counting!), so no sadness need be expressed.
  Peace,
    Pete Anderson 
Sweetpea444 (talk) 14:45, 30 May 2011 (UTC)