Boyd C Rodgers

Younger brother of Thurber M. Rodgers  - WWII US Army

Great Grandson of George W. Thurber - Civil War - Union Army Ohio 1st Reg. Co E Art.

(My Dad, Boyd Rodgers, relayed this to me.)  Boyd enlisted in the navy 5 May, 1944 in Cleveland, Ohio USA.  Trained at the U.S. Naval Training Center-Great Lakes Il. Rec. Baks San Pedro, California r.s. Navy # 128 New Jersey ( B.B.62)

The U.S.S. Battleship New Jersey was a Flag Ship for Admiral Halsey. Boyd served on the ship during the battles of Guam, Palau, Okinawa, Northern Luzon & Formosa, Visayas, China Coast and Iwo Jima. He was awarded 7 bronze stars for his service. The U.S.S. NJ had 2 planes on the fantail, Kingfishers with pontoons. When they landed, they used a net and hook to catch the plane. For takeoff, there was a catapult. (12 Ft Kick in the ass) The New Jersey protected the aircraft carriers. The Lexington anchored beside them. Called them the Rooky-sooky boys. Recalled one or two nights of general quarters (due to rough water.) Boyd at first served in the Powder room. 6 bags, 85 lbs per bag, 1 ton Big Shells. (Hell of a rumble.) Set off 6 or 7 one night. (Pillow and blanket over the speaker?) Crossed the Equator and went back and forth across the date line. (Shellback & neptune?) Air raids on Japan The Aleutian Islands were cold. Then back to the South Pacific. The New Jersey would refuel 4 of the destroyers. 18 December, 1944: They lost two destroyers in the Pacific due to Typhoon Cobra. On the upper deck waves were over 100 feet high. The destroyers (tin cans) would flip over and go down. Didn't want to get caught sideways.

One day they had him strapped into one of the gunner stations for 11 hours and at the end he had lost all feeling in his legs and could not walk.   Eventually Boyd moved from the Artilery Powder room to the ship store. He said that at one point they carried a load of gold bars and he always wondered what had happened to them. He was just 17 years old when he enlisted and had to have his mother sign to allow it. The time he spent on the battleship and in the powder room triggered a condition that he had to live with the rest of his life (epilepsy) and for which he received a discharge from service due to physical disability.

He returned back to the states on the U.S.S. Bountiful (A H 9): U.S.N.H. Seattle Washington