Veterans History Project

The Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war.

Many of the kids in high school in Cheyenne, WY followed the things going on overseas every chance they could. They helped with the scrap drives, were affected by the rationing, and knew of other young men who had come home wounded or worse. According to Charles William Nation (Bill), the youngsters at home couldn't wait to do their part to win the war. Their choices were to join the Army, the Army Air Forces, or the Navy. The navy seemed to be the best fit.

Bill was the last of thirteen kids in his family and there were two served in the Navy by then. After signing up, and passing the physical requirements, he was off on a troop train bound for Camp Farragut, Idaho. This inland training post was home to quite a few young men who launched (so to speak) their careers in the Navy. Actually the men followed orders of "get on the train" and didn't worry too much about the geography.

The usual things happened on arrival. He said the people running the camps were older Chief Petty Officers...guys who had "been there". The training at boot camp was said to have pushed the young men just beyond endurance. Somehow, they survived, he said. The next thing to happen was attendance at the specialty school. Bill went to Gunner's school at Camp Farragut as well.

Once through schooling, Bill got leave to return home for a few days. On to life as a sailor... The train was headed for northern California. This was a smaller Navy installation that had but two barracks with a "restroom" in-between. It was cold. There was no coal for heat and there was no hot water in the "restrooms". A senior sailor came by and heard all the complaining and he suggested calling the Doctor. (It was a health problem, right?) Somehow, a Dr was summoned and took notice of the situation. In not much time, there was heat, warm water and some clean sailors headed to sea!

The men were moved down to San Diego, Calif., where they boarded the Caisson Bay. When a sailor is aboard a new ship and is on its first deployment to Sea, the sailor is issued a "Plank Certificate" which declares this sailor as among the first on this given ship. Bill still has this certificate. The Caisson Bay, an escort carrier, took the men to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Bill said one of his jobs on the Caisson Bay was delivering stores from the coolers to the galley. The ship was bobbing and weaving, making the newcomers sea-sick. Bill said he and his mates would get the items, head to the edge of the ship, "feed the fish" then resume their trip to the intended destination. When the Caisson Bay got to Pearl Harbor, he was assigned to DD 501, the DSS Schroeder. This ship was part of Task Force 58/38.

Earlier, the Schroeder served as a first aid ship for wounded Marines coming back from Tarawa and had come to Pearl Harbor for repairs. On 1 Feb 1944, the USS Schroeder went back to the battle in the Pacific and was instrumental in the assault at Kwajalein, in the Marshall Islands. The ship went on to Guadalcanal and New Guinea conflicts. Bill was a gunner's mate at these locations and was a busy man. In the spring month of 1944, the Schroeder joined the "fast carriers" as they conducted bombing and photographic missions over Kyushu and later supported the troops in southern Okinawa. The US military had the plan to conquer an island, secure things and build a port for the US Navy fleets.

Bills job was to run the operation of the guns. The ones he watched were fired by trained officers. Bill and his men sent up the shells to the top-side gun crew. He considered that they fired hundreds of thousands of rounds. Bill is still impressed at how well the whole thing went so smoothly.

Towards the end of the war, the kamikaze bombers became more prevalent. At one point, one of the enemy planes came toward them. The men sounded the alarm but one who should have known, contradicted their observations. The plane nearly hit a ship the Schroeder was protecting. (There was a demotion involved!)

During the action, when the call came out "General quarters, general quarters, all hands... man your battle stations". Bill was always at the gun before anyone else. He kept his socks inside his shoes so that he wouldn't have to fool with sock when the alarm sounded. He could slide into his pants, buckle up on the run and get to his fighting area readying it before others arrived. The USS Schroeder had no casualties of its crew.

While in movement, some of the sailors had gripes and event went so far as to complain to the ship's Captain. They told his the food was terrible and that he should check into it. The Captain did that and in the process, came by Bill as he ate. Someone yelled "Attention!" The Captain put the men at ease and asked Bill about the food. Bill, never a complainer, said the food was great! There was enough of it, it was cooked right, and was just good.

In off-duty time, they men didn't have much cash money to fool with. They played acey-deucey, told stories about home and the girls they had known. It was called "scuttle-butt". Many good friendships were developed especially among the work groups. Bill stayed in touch with home by writing letters. Bill was considerate of the Mothers and Fathers back home who were anxious about their kids. Taking pictures wasn't allowed on the ship, but somehow the ship's commander learned that Bill was a photographer. Since the original photographer had left the ship, the young sailor< Bill, was called in and told him they wanted pictures taken. The Navy had the equipment so Bill had an additional duty. Bill, 20 yrs old, was able to establish a dark room aboard the ship. He processed his photos then and there. At one point as Bill was taking pictures – a known, not-allowed activity – a guard saw this going on. The guard contacted the "skipper" and told him to get the photographer, open his camera and take the film out. He said to throw the film away and admonish the photographer. The skipper did just that. He then took the cameraman (Bill) aside and told him to be more discreet, but to keep taking pictures!

In early August 1945, things changed. The first bomb had been dropped on Nagasaki, Japan. In that the Schroeder was in Tokyo Bay, and needed fuel, it actually took fuel from the USS Missouri. The surrender of Japan happened in Tokyo Bay on the USS Missouri.

Finally, it was announced that the war was over and that the fleet was heading for Pearl Harbor. The Schroeder went to San Diego, then fairly soon, went south to and through the Panama Canal and on to the North Carolina area where she was put into mothball status. From there, Bill and the rest of the crew, boarded trains headed for California. Once out of the Navy, he caught another train for Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Bill Nation had a love for anything he did in life. He got a job as a photographer for a firm and developed some skills with it. In time he opened his own portrait photography studio and later became a realtor. He ran for and was elected as Cheyenne, Wyoming Mayor for three terms.

Gunner's Mate C. William "Bill" Nation, you did a great job. It would have been a pleasure to fight on your side! Thank you for your service.