ACORN 33 muster report 1 Mar 1944 Port Hueneme California

ACORN 33 muster report 31 May 1944 Hawaii

On March 1st 1944 Aviation Radioman (ARM3c) Richard McConeghy reported for duty to ACORN 33 at Port Hueneme California. Navy ACORN units were responsible for quickly building airbases from new or captured airfields (the acronym stands for Aviation, Construction, Ordnance, Repair). The Navy believed the Seabees in the ACORN units could produce an operational runway overnight. At some point ACORN 33 left California for Pearl Harbor Hawaii.

Smoke rises from LST-480 as tugs and other craft try to put out her fires. At left is LST-39, also burning, with men on her bow ramp, probably removing cargo, and other vessels alongside and nearby. Photograph dated 22 May 1944 (day after the explosion).

The rusting remains of LST-480, an American Landing Ship (Tank) in the West Loch of Pearl Harbor. She is the only remaining sign of the West Loch Disaster.

On May 21st 1944 ARM3c Richard McConeghy was attached to ACORN 33 stationed at West Loch in Pearl Harbor Hawaii. On that day an explosion rocked the deck of LST (landing ship, tank) 353 in Pearl Harbor’s West Loch at 3:08 p.m. A chain reaction of explosions and fire killed 163 men and wounded 396. Six LSTs sunk and several more were severely damaged. It was Pearl Harbor’s second greatest disaster in terms of casualties. Former ACORN 33 sailor Rod Plaisted provides a great first-person account of the West Loch disaster. They were helping load bullets and bombs amid the hundreds of ships getting ready for the invasion of Saipan. How closely connected Petty Officer McConeghy was to the disaster isn't known but he was likely there.

Richard Joseph McConeghy