Compiled
by the Office of NOAA Corps Operations
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Recollections of Commander Ernst E. Stohsner,
USC&GS
of the Wartime Experiences of the U.S.S. PATHFINDER
FORWARD
At the beginning of WWII, Lieutenant Ernst E. Stohsner was serving on
the USC&GSS PIONEER with Bill Gibson and Lorin Woodcock. Following
the return of the PIONEER to the Navy, Lt. Stohsner was assigned to
duty with the Navy on March 16, 1942, and reported to the Commandant
of the Twelfth Naval District and was assigned to Treasure Island and
performed minor duties until June 11, 1942, when he was assigned to
the PATHFINDER which was still under construction. Lt. Stohsner subsequently
spent the next fifteen months with the PATHFINDER and then was attached
to the USS BOWDITCH for the duration of the war. Following the war,
he retired on a medical disability as a Commander, USC&GS, in 1947
after eighteen years of service.
NARRATIVE
June 15, 1942 to August 31, 1942
"Assigned to the Supervisor Shipbuilding, Lake Washington Shipyards,
Houghton, Washington, for duty in connection with the conversion,
outfitting, and transfer of the USS PATHFINDER. The PATHFINDER was
placed in full commission August 31, 1942. During this period my duties
were quite varied but all connected with outfitting this vessel. The
Supply Officer did not report until about the commissioning date.
I was detailed to substitute for him in the obtaining and transferring
of supplies and equipment. This entailed the preparation of 'allowance
lists' prior to requisitioning and procuring. As the greater part
of the necessary supplies and equipment was being transferred from
the Coiast and Geodetic Survey, my knowledge of its inventory methods
aided greatly in converting from one accounting system to another.
August
31, 1942 to September 22, 1943
"On board USS PATHFINDER. The itinerary of the vessel
during this period follows: Upon commissioning, trial runs in Puget
Sound, then shakedown cruise to San Francisco, arriving end of September.
After several weeks additional conversion and repairs, sailed from
the States early in November. Arrived Funafuti Atoll, Ellice Islands,
early December, surveyed for, compiled, and printed anchorage charts
of this atoll. Arrived vicinity Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, about
February first, proceeded with surveys necessary to compile and print
anchorage charts of selected sheltered areas off Florida and Guadalcanal
Islands. End of April proceeded to New Hebrides Islands and continued
similar operations at a number of existing and proposed anchorages
in this group. I was detached from this vessel at Espiritu Santo Island,
New Hebrides, on September 22, 1943. During this last period the vessel
spent two weeks in August at Sydney, Australia, for repairs of the
ship and recreation of the personnel.
"My survey duties during this period included everything
in combined operations with a large amount of wire drag and baseline
measurement. Training Navy personnel for survey work was a major and
laborious task. There were six Coast and Geodetic officers on board
during this time and I was fifth in rank. The planning and direction
of the survey work was therefore mostly done by the senior survey
officers and I served as a field officer. The experience in small
boats and ashore under the conditions of war filled out my previous
experience in the Coast and Geodetic Survey and proved valuable on
my next assignment. [Assignment to the USS BOWDITCH in assignments
ranging from Assistant Horizontal Control Officer to Senior Survey
Officer, as well as Officer-in-Charge of two detached mobile hydrographic
units which accompanied amphibious operations at Kwajalein.]
"My ship's duties from the time of commissioning until
about the first of May were First Division Officer, and my battle
station was the two forward 20mm anti-aircraft guns. I had attended
a six day course at the Anti-Aircraft Training Center, Point Montara,
California, early in November which covered the operation of this
gun. About the first of May I assumed the duties of Navigator and
my battle station was then Officer of the Deck. Additional duties
were Watch Officer and Educational Officer.
"One of the many unforgettable experiences during
this period was a heavy enemy air attack one afternoon early in April.
The ship was doing hydrography between Florida and Guadalcanal Islands
at the time. I had the wire drag out and was on the thirty-foot guide
launch about two miles east of the ship. Our first knowledge of the
actual attack was a geyser of water next to the PATHFINDER caused
by the near-miss of a dive bomber. A number of planes pealed out of
the sun at the same time attacking craft in the vicinity of the PATHFINDER.
One of these escaped fire from the ships and came directly towards
us and commenced strafing. All personnel topside dove over the side.
The recorder, dragmaster, and myself were at the plotting table below
and did not have time to get out. Six machine gun slugs hit the launch
up forward within a few feet of us. The PATHFINDER escaped damage
although two bombs hit close aboard. She was given credit for shooting
down two dive bombers.
"At the end of May the officers and men of the PATHFINDER
were commended for their excellent performance of duty in forward
areas by the Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet. Attention was
called to the excellent workmanship indicated in the charts produced
on board."
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