Coast Guard Has Souvenirs
Spent 3 Months Running Barges in Solomons Area
Back from the Solomon Islands is Eugene C. Wettermark, 22, seaman first class in the United States coast guard, who was stationed aboard a transport and spent three and a half months running invasion barges in the island area.
His story, packed with many an adventure, is highlighted with the original invasion of the islands, when the Japs were caught off guard.
“At 6 a.m.,” he began, “our fighting ships opened with a broadside on shore installation. The Japs were eating breakfast. They had set up for the Jap way of life. Stores of opium were found in their tents. For Jap standards, they were well supplied. They had two big engines for generating lights for Henderson field.
Hit the Beach
“The planes from the carriers came down and strafed the Japs and blew up considerable supplies including ammunition and guns. At the zero hour for an attack on the beach, the fighting ships ceased fire, the marines got off transports and into invasion barges. We took off in waves. When we hit the beach we found no resistance because of the shell fire from our ships. At noon, I was alongside our transport and I had my boat loaded with cargo ready to hit the beach. I heard the general quarters alarm on the ship and then the antiaircraft fire began. I looked into the sky and saw 25 to 30 Jap medium bombers overhead. They were flying high and no damage was done to our convoy.”
Continuing his story, the young man said that on an island 28 miles from Guadalcanal, the raider battalion of the United States marines was landing.
“The night battle was on,” he said. “I was leaving ship with a load,. As I left the beach I noticed a yellow flash across the horizon. When I reached my ship I had to be put aboard for repairs and my boat was hoisted aboard. General quarters alarm sounded.
“Jap fighters were coming toward our ships dropping flares. They missed our ships and we got under way all right, maneuvering in the vicinity of the islands. At daybreak we went back to the canal and started unloading ships.”
Transport Sunk
He presented a graphic word picture of a battle in the sky. “We saw,” he said, “three planes coming towards us. Our men began firing. I saw a Jap Zero and two United States fighters. The Zero was shooting at us but he was shot down before he could do much damage. Of course we didn’t know whether it was our fire or the fighters. We imagined it was the latter.”
He told of a Jap dive bomber crashing into a transport. The latter caught fire and later sank. After most of the Jap planes were knocked down, the ships returned and uploading was completed.
Wettermark has been visiting his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Carl E. Wettermark, 1517 W. 27th Street. He was to leave Monday for San Diego.
Source: Sioux City Journal, Dec. 28, 1942 (photo included)
