The Crew of the

USACS JOSEPH HENRY

Last Update: 3309 Corrections, Comments or Additions are Welcome! Marty Dwyer Martyk9 @ Webtv.net NOTE: To send me an E-mail, please delete the two spaces from the above address. Thanks!

OFFICERS: Shortly after I took command, 2nd Lieut. Steven Wronowski came on board as Executive Officer, a most welcome additIon. Steve had been a Regular Army Enlisted Man (high NCO rank) in Hawaii at Fort Kamehameha on Dec 7th and promptly selected for OCS. His first assignment as an Officer, was the JO HENRY. He brought a great combinaton of enlisted experience and Battery Command Training. He stayed about 2 1/2 years, got married and asked for a transfer hopeing to get faster advacement in rank. He was replaced by 1st Lieut. Ronald Moton, a cabon copy who had also been a high ranked enlisted man at Fort Kamehameha when the Japanese attacked, immediately went to OCS. The JO HENRY was his second assignment. These two fine Officers releived me of much of the detail work of Battery Command. Lt . Moton took Command of the JO HENRY when I was separated in 1946.

Officers of USACS Joseph Henry @ JMiller c1944

CO: 1941-1946

Capt. John J. Miller, CAC @JMiller c1944

Small Boat Unit Commander (0825) WD AGO Form 100 © JMiller

XO; 1942 - 1944

Lieut. Wronowski, CAC @ JMiller c1944

WARRANT OFFICERS: These men were members of the Army Mine Planter Service, Coast Artillery Corps, and held civilian Certificate of Maritime Proficiency as Master, Mate, Chief Engineer or Asst. Engineer. In the AMPS they held ranks as Chief Warant Officer, Warrant Officer or Warrant Officer Junior Grade. Those serving on the JO HENRY when I first came aboard were Regular Army; but, as new Mine Planters were being built in Ohio, experienced WOs were transferred there. During my Command, CWO McLean, Master, and CWO Bailey, Chief Engineer, were Regulars - The others having come from civilian ships. (Both Mates were from Great Lakes Ore Boats). These men were specialist in their work, and their rank was meant to identify it. They had individual cabins, separate mess and head. They were the direct contact with enlisted men in the duties that made the ship run. The WO ranks - fitting between Non-Commissioned Officers and Commssioned Officers - were distinctive and, not being great in numbers, it suggest that they held themselves as a unique group - and rightly so. The AMPS WOs did have an association which seemed to look after their best interest - evident in transfers arranged and in getting extra sea-duty pay for us on the JO HENRY.

{NOTE: I have been told that the CO, Submarine Mine Depot, Little Creek, Va. controlled the assignments of all officers of the Army Mine Planter Service. I know of one case, the Commander of the New England Frontier Defense Command had to revoke his orders transferring the Commanding Officer of the USAMP ABBOTT to another Mine Planter within 3 days. -mjd}

The relationship between the Commanding Officer and the Master suggested possible conflict. Civilian MASTERS were the "Captain" of their ship {and by Maritime Law were in complete control -mjd} He was the BOSS! On the Mine Planter the Commanding Officer was the BOSS! Regulations recognized this situation and provided procedure for resoution. This was never a problem on the JO HENRY {or other AMP ship - mjd}. Early on, i advised the MASTER and Chief Engineer, it was their ship to maintain and when we cast-off from the dock, the Master was to "run" the ship. There was NEVER an occasion for me to over-rule, or even question, this delegated responsiblity.

Ships Officers:

@ JMiller c1941

Master:

CWO McLean, AMPS @ JMiller c1944

ENLISTED CREW: The peacetime crew were all Regular Army and the build-up to full strength involved draftees. The first group to come aboard, six as I remember, was a great addition. A civilian clerk from an Ordnance Depot; a Maine lobsterman, a college grad from Macy's, a horseman (at the tracks), an artist (big and burly - don't mess with him). Later additions were good guys, who learned quickly. In my four years, only one real problem, promptly solved. There was an appreciation by the men for their assignment on the JO HENRY. They were inclined to bragg about it when ashore with other soldiers. Interesing cable work, visiting port cities, shipboard duties, clean sheets, warm quarters, Oficer Club food, no formations, drill, KP. Informal uniforms on board, books, magazines, radios, sea-store cigarettes at 55 cents a carton. All was not perfect; there were occasional shore activities with MP escorts to the ship. No fighting on the ship - Zero Tolerance - Prompt Transfer! One instance of liquor aboard ship {at least only one brought to my attention}. Summary Court Martial - Guilty - Loss of pay and Restriction to ship. About once a year a Summary Court. I kept penalties moderate but meaningful. Tried not to impose reduction in rank since most offences were not job related. Supervised recreation on pay day: First Sergeant "hosted" craps and poker in upper crew's quarters. A little noisy for me since my cabin was directly above. In one night the re-distribution of wealth was completed. Health aboard was generally good. At the first sign of illness it was off to the shore medic. And often a brief hospital stay to avoid spreading among the crew. No serious injuries or broken bones. One acute appendix, operated successfully - ASHORE. I had three shots of morphine in the safe - happy not to have used. Crew enjoyed shore leave in cities - Portland, Portsmouth, Boston, New Bedford, Newport, and NY City. Red Cross and USO were favorites for some, especially in Boston with tickets to baseball and hockey. Some men had {met} wives ashore from time to time; others had girl friends. It was notable that in four years, we had not one case of a sexually-transmitted disease! There are stories to tell about the guys, some of the things they did or what happened to them.

"Perhaps, at some other time!"