Tough times:Burial at sea video: Here's a sad sea burial you may or may not have read about, I know it brought tears to my eyes. Alex Loyce Edward Deen, an Aviation Machinist Mate 2nd...

buckbrush Loc: Texas then Southwest Oregon

Here's a sad sea burial you may or may not have read about, I know it brought tears to my eyes.
Alex

Loyce Edward Deen, an Aviation Machinist Mate 2nd Class, USNR, was a gunner on a TBM Avenger.

On November 5, 1944, Deen's squadron participated in a raid on Manila where his plane was hit multiple

times by anti-aircraft fire while attacking a Japanese cruiser.

Deen was killed. The Avenger's pilot, Lt Robert Cosgrove, managed to return to his carrier, the USS Essex.

Both Deen and the plane had been shot up so badly that it was decided to leave him in it.

It is the only time in U.S. Navy history (and probably U.S. military history) that an aviator was buried

in his aircraft after being killed in action.

http://loyceedeen.webstarts.com/uploads/GoingHome.mp4

samantha90 Loc: Fort Worth,Texas

This immediately got my attention, my grandfather was a gunner on an avenger during the war. Thank you for posting.

buckbrush wrote:

Here's a sad sea burial you may or may not have re... (show quote)

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

A touching video. Thank you for sharing.

Dennis

Doddy Loc: Barnard Castle-England

Very moving..

davefales Loc: Virginia

Thanks for sharing. One of those aspects of war that few of us ever have had to think about. I have to guess that the gore was so excessive that the ship's captain decided to ditch what was apparently a still-flyable aircraft. (When you are in the middle of the Pacific, where do you go for replacement aircraft?)

Dannj

I witnessed a burial at sea in the late 60s; a wish fulfillment of a retired Navy chief. Quite different circumstances from your story but a very moving ceremony.

Cornishpete Loc: Illinois

And tears to mine too. Very moving. Thank you for sharing this.

silver-rail Loc: harrisburg, pa

Thank you for sharing this video. My dad was in the navy in WW11 and I remember once of him telling me one of the saddest things he witnessed was burials at sea.

shadows creation Loc: san antonio

Thank you for your service sir. Rip

catfish252

davefales wrote:

Thanks for sharing. One of those aspects of war that few of us ever have had to think about. I have to guess that the gore was so excessive that the ship's captain decided to ditch what was apparently a still-flyable aircraft. (When you are in the middle of the Pacific, where do you go for replacement aircraft?)

During WWII the Navy used Escort Carriers (CVE) also known as jeep carriers and baby-flattops. There were well over 100 of this type made with the first 50 or so being lend-leased to the Royal Navy. Escort carriers were approx 1/2 the size of the fleet carriers. They were usually made into carriers from the hulls of commercial ships. Their primary duties were to escort convoys, defending them from enemy threats such as submarines and planes. In the invasions of mainland Europe and Pacific islands, escort carriers provided air support to ground forces during amphibious operations. Escort carriers also served as backup aircraft transports for fleet carriers and ferried aircraft of all military services to points of delivery where ever needed.

davefales Loc: Virginia

catfish252 wrote:

During WWII the Navy used Escort Carriers (CVE) al... (show quote)

Certainly interesting, but I'm not sure what the tie-in is to this video. The Essex CV-9 was a fleet carrier.

catfish252

davefales wrote:

Certainly interesting, but I'm not sure what the tie-in is to this video. The Essex CV-9 was a fleet carrier.

You asked "(When you are in the middle of the Pacific, where do you go for replacement aircraft?)" -- that was what the answer was about, the Navy used the escort carriers to ferry replacement aircraft to bases and to the fleet carriers.

davefales Loc: Virginia

catfish252 wrote:

You asked "(When you are in the middle of the Pacific, where do you go for replacement aircraft?)" -- that was what the answer was about, the Navy used the escort carriers to ferry replacement aircraft to bases and to the fleet carriers.

Thank you.

Old Pro

I served on the USS Copahee, CVE12 in the Pacific during WWII. The first CVE was the USS Long Island, CVEI. They were laid as a Cruiser. Mine, CVE12 is a Toyota now. There are many tragic stories coming from war. I just read about the USS Bullhead, a submarine with a heroic record during WWII that went down with 84 men aboard 4 days before the Japs surrendered. The book, Overdue & Presumed Lost, written by Martin Sherridan, a newspaper reporter who sailed on two war patrols before its final patrol.