The seaplane tender, U.S.S. Pine Island, completed gunnery practice and returned to port. We were anxious to get our engine replaced and get back to Iwakuni. We were also curious to see how our plane would be lifted aboard the ship. The seaplane tenders didn’t look like regular ships. The superstructure extended from the bow to about mid-ship. A deck extended from that point to the stern. A deck this size could accommodate two seaplanes. To lift them aboard and position them were two giant cranes, one at the stern and one on the port side of the deck. The only number that comes to mind for the weight of the planes is 70,000 pounds. I don’t know if that is with gas or without.

I have posted two stories about seaplane tenders to this blog. They are “Seaplane Story 6” and “Seaplane Story 7.” Also, the internet has stories and pictures of the U.S.S. Pine Island AV12 and U.S.S. Salsbury Sound AV13.

Putting a seaplane aboard ship was exciting stuff. A bridle was attached to built-in places of the plane and suspended from the hook of the crane. A rope was placed on top of the wings and connected from wingtip to wingtip. This was for the two guys that would be standing on the wings to help balance the plane as it was hoisted aboard. Each man would stand at the mid-point of a wing and hold on to the rope. If the plane was out of balance and tipped a little, the men could step toward the wingtip or the fuselage and restore balance. I volunteered, and I’ll tell you it was quite an experience. I was used to working high when working on the tops of oil rigs in Colorado, but that didn’t compare with this gig. Anyhow, we were swung aboard, and the engine was replaced. I can’t remember, but think we were aboard the Pine Island for 4 or 5 days. The ship’s crew were professionals and did a great job. They also took good care of us and saw to it that we had everything we needed.

Well, now you have seen some of the highlights of my deployment. I enjoyed everything about it except the absence from my wife, kids, and home. I looked on the Navy as a job and did my best to produce every day. I made AT2, E5, and my final year of my 4-year hitch, I was flying in SF1, the Skipper’s Crew. All in all, the Navy was a great experience for me.

I liked my fellow crew members and the other guys I worked with. I recently heard from a man named Don Frazeur who was in VP 48 after I was. Don had done a lot of research on the crews and former squadron members. He had learned that in Crew 8, my crew, there were only 5 of us left. They are Al Bell, Jay Dow, Jim Dollar, John Reid-Green, and me. Time marches on.

I hope I haven’t bored you with too much detail. I thought that explaining how some of the stuff worked would make the story more enjoyable.

Dave Thomas

6/13/2024