My dad, Richard Lohman (1924–2004), served in the U.S. Navy for exactly three years during World War II.
After doing his basic training at the U.S. Naval Training Station in Great Lakes, IL, he spent the rest of his time in the service as a Gunner's Mate 1st Class on board the U.S.S. General A.E. Anderson - the "Mighty A."
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| The "gun gang in the Armory." Dad's in the back row, far left. |
The Anderson was a troop transport that thankfully never saw combat. Their most notable passengers were the survivors of the Bataan Death March. Much more on that in here.
The Voyages of the Mighty "A"
The Log of the Mighty "A"
1943-1945
Being the story, in words and pictures, of the wanderings of the
USS GENERAL AE ANDERSON
Thanks to this "A" mazing, monogrammed book, we know quite a bit about what the ship was up to. During the course of the war, the Anderson made thirteen voyages.
Voyage No. 1
25 November–15 December 1943
7,355 miles
Newport News, VA to Casablanca, Morocco to Newport News
Voyage No. 2
24 December 1943–12 January 1944
7,355 miles
Newport News to Casablanca, Morocco to Newport News
Voyage No. 3
22 January–13 February 1944
8,240 miles
Newport News to Oran, Algeria to Casablanca, Morocco to Newport News
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| The USS General A.E. Anderson docked at Oran, Algeria |
Voyage No. 4
28 February–21 March 1944
8,320 miles
Newport News to Oran, Algeria to Newport News
Voyage No. 5
26 March–7 May 1944
10,640 miles
Newport News to Oran, Algeria to Gourock, Scotland to Bermuda to New York, NY
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| Ship and Crew - Oran, Algeria |
Voyage No. 6
12 May–25 June 1944
7,320 miles
New York to Avonmouth, England to Gourock, Scotland to New York, NY to Newport News, VA
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| Part of a convoy to England |
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| Dad in New York, June 1944 |
Voyage No. 7
29 June 29–11 September 1944
29,848 miles
New York, NY to Panama Canal to Melbourne, Australia to Bombay (now Mumbai), India to San Pedro, CA
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| Dad (left) in Bombay |
Voyage No. 8
26 September–11 December 1944
26,542 miles
San Pedro, CA to Melbourne, Australia to Bombay (now Mumbai), India to Brisbane, Australia to Noumea, New Caledonia to Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides (now Vanuatu) to San Diego, CA
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| Dad (right) in Bombay |
Voyage No. 9
22 December 1944–9 March 1945
16,556 miles
San Diego, CA to San Francisco, CA to Finshhafen, New Guinea to Hollandia, New Guinea to Leyte, Philippines [Bataan Death March Survivors] to Hollandia, New Guinea to San Francisco, CA
Voyage No. 10
7 April–22 July 1945
29,261 miles
San Francisco, CA to Finschhafen, New Guinea to Hollandia, New Guinea (now Jayapura, Indonesia) to Leyte, Philippines to Manila, Philippines to Townsville, Australia to Morotai, New Guinea to Eniwetok, Marshall Islands to Panama Canal to Newport News, VA
Voyage No. 11
8–28 August 1945
8,056 miles
Newport News, VA to Marseilles, France to New York, NY
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| Dad (front) in Marseilles |
Voyage No. 12
4–21 September 1945
6,501 miles
New York, NY to Le Havre, France to New York, NY
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| Dad (left) in New York with Eddie Johnston, September 21, 1945 |
Voyage No. 13
29 September–9 November 1945
16,200 miles
New York, NY to Port Said, Egypt to Suez Canal to Karachi, India (now Pakistan) to Suez Canal to New York, NY to Hoboken, NJ
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| Dad (left) in Port Said |
For a grand total of 182,194 miles!
Dad's Christmas Card to his parents.
Honorably Discharged
After the close of the war, and three years to the day of his joining the Navy, he was honorably discharged. In his Notice of Separation, he indicates that in civilian life he wants to go into Refrigerator Maintenance. That was a life path he did not follow. He first went into the printing business, becoming a foreman book binder, before deciding to enter the ministry. Also of note here, he was to receive $100 in mustering out pay. Congress had passed the Mustering Out Payment Act in 1944 to provide money for those in the service returning to civilian life.
After the close of the war, and three years to the day of his joining the Navy, he was honorably discharged. In his Notice of Separation, he indicates that in civilian life he wants to go into Refrigerator Maintenance. That was a life path he did not follow. He first went into the printing business, becoming a foreman book binder, before deciding to enter the ministry. Also of note here, he was to receive $100 in mustering out pay. Congress had passed the Mustering Out Payment Act in 1944 to provide money for those in the service returning to civilian life.
