Plank Owners Stories

As a "plank owner" I arrived on board in 1944. From Boston I went to Bath Maine in the dead of winter, cold, cold and ice was the norm for Maine that year. I rode the Hull #246 down to Boston, where it was commissioned the U.S.S.Higbee DD-806. Being from Boston it was wonderful to be able to have family and friends present for the occasion. Gunnery practice was a requirement, so we stopped at Atlantic City which was where I became a striker for a "gunner's mate." On the trip to the West Coast I became a striker again, this time for a Motor Machinist. I was assigned to a Motor Whale Boat and that was my job until I left the ship. The trip through the Panama Canal has many memories. At that time only half the crew was allowed to go on liberty, and unfortunately I was not among that half. The shipmates that did go came back with some colorful stories of their shore leave, making many of us wish we could have been among those lucky ones to have made that adventure. I was on the U.S.S. Higbee until 1946 when we reached San Diego . A great ride, and wonderful memories.

	U.S.S. Higbee DDR/DD-806 Plank Owners






	View our list of Plank Owners		View a list of our known living Plank Owners
	View our list of Plank Owners		View a list of our known living Plank Owners

I would like to hear from all of our plank owners. I know we had four Plank Owners at the my first reunion in San Francisco.

William Smith	YN1 P/O 1944-1945	I will seek to offer some info on being one of the first to board the USS HIGBEE back in the fall of 1944. I was sent to Bath, Maine to assist in getting the ships office set up for the future service of the ship. It was a cold, cold time there in Bath and going aboard her daily with the shipyard workers was quite an experience. Then to sail her down to Boston thru the North Atlantic and pulling into the harbor the ship was totally covered with ice. I was surprised to see my picture on a naval personal periodical along with 3 or 4 other shipmates. Then to have my wife attend the commissioning was special for me as we live in Baltimore and that was within our means to have her present.
Richard Bewell	Sonarman 3/C 1944-1946	I was assigned to the Higbee in December, 1944 and was present at the commissioning in January, 1945. I served aboard until February, 1946 where I left her in Siapan. We were part of the 3rd Fleet about 40 miles or so off of Japan the day the war ended.
Jack W. Roberts	TM 3C	I helped put the Higbee into commission in 1945. When it came down from Bath, Maine the sea spray froze on the super structure about 6 inches thick. We had to use steam hoses to get the ice off of the deck so we could hold the commissioning ceremony.
Wayne Keith	Radioman 3/C 1945 - 1946	I was assigned to the USS Higbee and helped commission her in 1945. I served aboard until May, 1946 when I left her in San Diego. We were part of the 3rd Fleet off the coast of Japan when the war ended.
Carl D. Ashcraft Sr.	Seaman 2/C 1944	Carl is still hanging in there and checks out the website through his daughter Crista Reba. Click here to see Carl with his new Higbee bonnet on Father's Day 2004
Donald F. Cavicchi	F1C 1944	As a "plank owner" I arrived on board in 1944. From Boston I went to Bath Maine in the dead of winter, cold, cold and ice was the norm for Maine that year. I rode the Hull #246 down to Boston, where it was commissioned the U.S.S.Higbee DD-806. Being from Boston it was wonderful to be able to have family and friends present for the occasion. Gunnery practice was a requirement, so we stopped at Atlantic City which was where I became a striker for a "gunner's mate." On the trip to the West Coast I became a striker again, this time for a Motor Machinist. I was assigned to a Motor Whale Boat and that was my job until I left the ship. The trip through the Panama Canal has many memories. At that time only half the crew was allowed to go on liberty, and unfortunately I was not among that half. The shipmates that did go came back with some colorful stories of their shore leave, making many of us wish we could have been among those lucky ones to have made that adventure. I was on the U.S.S. Higbee until 1946 when we reached San Diego . A great ride, and wonderful memories.