Talk:USS Hinsdale

KeesyM (talk) 06:32, 28 May 2014 (UTC)

KeesyM (talk) 07:30, 27 May 2014 (UTC)== USS Hinsdale (APA-120) Account of Corporal Keith Carpenter Jensen, 2nd Marine Division, aboard the USS Hinsdale when struck by a Kamakazi pilot on April 1, 1945. ==

Keith Carpenter Jensen was born April 17, 1922 in Grover, Lincoln, Wyoming. He enlisted as a Private in the Marine Corps Reserves, Class IIIB, July 9, 1942 in Salt Lake City, Utah when replacements were needed. Records show that he was part of the "Fourth Recruit Battalion, Recruit Depot, Marine Corps Base, San Diego, Calif." It was, as he recalls, the first Mormon Platoon. On December On October 3, 2015 I interviewed him further about the following events. He stated that his Battalion mapped the following course, setting off first from San Diego; stopping in Hawaii; New Zealand; and on to Saipan where he states "they rebuilt." He states their first Captain (name unknown) was killed in Saipan and was replaced by 1st Lieutenant Fargo. After rebuilding, they moved on to Tinian and finally to Okinawa. At some point between New Zealand and Okinawa, Corporal Jensen stated that his division stopped at Tarawa, "being the only outfit that was there." He recalled "the operation was quick and only took four days." This stop in Tarawa is consistent with other accounts regarding the 2nd Marine Division. It is unclear if Coropral Jensen participated in the four-day fight or if his battalion arrived at the end of the four-day fight. Previous statements of their "being the only outfit that was there," and "all fighting on Tarawa had ceased," implies that his group arrived at the end of the fight on Tarawa. On October 3, 2015, Corporal Jensen gave the following account to me in person regarding the last evening on Tarawa. He and others thought they were safe having had so much success in those four days, and like others he did not dig a foxhole. Later that night they fell under enemy fire, "bullets going everywhere." He was not struck, but feels he escaped a near death experience that evening. He also shared that he was taught to use the Japanese phrase,"Come out, don't be afraid" during the war.

Prior to being transferred to the USS Hinsdale, he recalls serving aboard an "LST" ship. He does not recall the name of the LST ship. He stated that the LST "being overcrowded" was the cause for the transfer to the Hinsdale. USS Hinsdale APA-120. According to Corporal Jensen, on arrival into Okinawa, the orders were for the USS Hinsdale to "draw the firepower" in order for another ship loaded with Marines to make a surprise landing on the other side of Okinawa. The crew of the USS Hinsdale was preparing what he referred to as a "fake landing" on Okinawa. This is consistent with military records. [www.airdefenseartillery.com/online/2010/Coast%20Artillery%20Journal/Extract/CA%201944/May-June%201944.pdf See Pgs. 22-27 "AAA with Amphibious Forces" description of the use of feint or diversionary landings]

The morning of April 1, 1945, Corporal Jensen recalls going below deck to have his usual "coffee and donuts" with his good friends and fellow servicemen. It was like most other days, save for one difference, the USS Hinsdale (APA-120) was approaching Okinawa. Corporal Jensen stated he left eating quarters earlier than was his usual habit stating, "I wanted to prepare for the approach to Okinawa." He recalls that five to ten minutes after reaching the upper deck of the ship, he heard and felt the crashing of the Kamakazi pilot into the lower part of the ship. Shortly after, the ship began to list to one side. The men were ordered to the opposite side of the ship, and Corporal Jensen did as ordered. When he reached the other side of the ship, he recalls watching men jumping from the ship into the water below. Corporal Jensen stated he was not a "strong swimmer." Remaining aboard the ship proved to be a wise choice. Corporal Jensen stated it was not long before there were "visible sharks in the water." Why some men jumped overboard may be explained by the following report regarding debarkation nets. A portion of the report from the USS LST 831 dated May 1, 1945 is as follows:

 "To: Commander in Chief
 "Subject: War Diary, April 1945.
 "T.G. 51.8
 "U.S.S. LCI 995, Flagship
 "1 April (Time Zone -9)

       "Underway in Task Group 51.8 (Commander Philip Niekum, Jr.,
       "USN, (Ret.), Commander LST Group 18, U.S.S. LCI 995 Flagship)
       "for Okinawa Shima.  At 0530 went to general quarters. At
       "0550 two enemy planes made suicide attacks on the convoy.  One
       "was exploded in mid air close aboard the LST 724, the other
       "crashed into LST 884 on our port beam causing a serious fire."

       "At 0719 arrived at area and changed organization to Task
       "Group 51.2 (Rear Admiral Jerauld Wright, USN, U.S.S. ANCON,
       "Flagship).  Boats and ramp were lowered to simulate unloading
       "operations as feint was made on southeastern beaches.  Having
       "proceeded to the transport area we lay to by the APA 120,
       "which had been hit and received aboard 148 officers and men of
       "HQ Co., 3rd Bu., 2nd Marines via boats.  The chain debarkation 
       "nets were very unsatisfactory.  We retired for the night accord-
       "ing to plan."

Fold 3 - WWII Diaries - USS LST-831 - "unsatisfactory chain debarkation nets" Amidst the commotion, Corporal Jensen noticed a man climbing up the debarkation netting cast over the side of the ship. Captain Fargo, [sic.], was that man. He had taken a landing boat from the LST ship over to the USS Hinsdale. When he reached Corporal Jensen, he exclaimed, "Thank God, you are alive." Corporal Jensen boarded the landing boat, but recalls being the only serviceman aboard that boat aside from Captain Fargo. When asked why he and Captain Fargo were the only two in the boat, he replied, "there was no one else around." The others had either jumped, gone to other areas of the ship or disembarked by some other means. When speaking to Corporal Jensen in October of 2015, he stated there were still men left on the ship at the time he left with Captain Fargo. He is unsure why he was the only one taken aboard the rescue boat by Captain Fargo. He was then put aboard an LST ship. Corporal Jensen recalls that he stayed on the LST ship where it remained in the South Pacific for a while longer. He could not recall the name of the ship. Records indicate the USS LCI-995 Flagship was "cruising in circles about 60 miles East of Okinawa Shima waiting for further orders" LST Cruising in Circles after April 1, 1945 Hinsdale Attack which is consistent with Corporal Jensen's account.

Corporal Jensen slept on the deck along with the other survivors due to the lack of beds available. The April 2nd account of the USS LCI-995 states: "there were 170 men without berths while another 70 men were sleeping on cots topside with inadequate protection from the weather."WWII War Diaries LST-831 War Diaries - Rescue of the APO-120 Officers by LCI-995 Flagship There is an account found regarding USS LST-831, LST Flotilla 29, Group 87, Division 174 which confirms the accuracy of Corporal Jensen's account. "148 officers and men of the 2nd Marines were taken aboard from the USS Hinsdale (APA-120) which had received a suicide plane in the engine room. No troops were disembarked at this time and after laying off Okinawa until April 11th, the 831 returned to Saipan and disembarked the troops except for small maintenance details for equipment which remained on board."

Corporal Jensen is my grandfather. He was furlowed from the military after three years. He stated that at the time, "there was no way to tell your parents you were coming home." So he and many other servicemen would hitchhike their way home. He hitchhiked as far as Evanston, Wyoming and at that time phoned the Grover Post Office near his home town in Afton, Wyoming leaving a message for someone to come and pick him up. His brother Cyril and sister Arlene came for him. He recalls their excitement to see him and see that he was okay. Shortly after, he met his sweetheart, Nadine Murphy and the two were married three months later. They will celebrate their 70th anniversary in December 2015. Together they raised a family of three girls and two boys. He is now 93 years old. With the help of his children, he and his wife continue to run their hunting camp, "Jensen Outfitters" in Afton, Wyoming.

We continue to search for records regarding Captain Fargo. Corporal Jensen provided the following information regarding Captain Fargo: Corporal Jensen served with Captain Fargo from the time the captain was a 2nd Lieutenant. Captain Fargo was promoted to 1st lieutenant and to captain by the time of this rescue aboard the USS Hinsdale. Captain Fargo was promoted to captain when the prior captain was killed in the line of duty on Saipan. (Account was given by Keith Carpenter Jensen himself in the years 2010, 2014 and October 2015. Submitter: I, KeesyM am the granddaughter of Keith Carpenter Jensen and was present in person when the first account was given in 2010 and was present via telephone in 2014 when Keith Carpenter Jensen retold the account and included more details and again in person in October of 2015 where we were able to clear up some of the details about Tarawa and additional details were added. I credit his toughness throughout his life to having been part of the greatest generation!)--KeesyM (talk) 08:36, 29 May 2014 (UTC)KeesyM (talk) 01:53, 26 May 2015 (UTC)KeesyM (talk) 02:16, 17 October 2015 (UTC)