Author Archives: Chris Funck

H.W. “Mack” McClellan – Navy Corpsman, Phm2c

Many thanks to Robert McClellan for providing this photograph of his father, H.W. “Mack” McClellan, Phm2c.

H.W. “Mack”McClellan-001

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mack was a hospital corpsman aboard the Calvert beginning with the invasion of Sicily, July 1943, through to the end of the war in the fall of 1945. He participated in the Calvert’s landings as a permanent member of the Calvert’s shore and beach party crew.

Mack can be seen with the Calvert’s medical corpsmen crew here.

Mack was also part of the Calvert’s shore party who were sent ashore in Hiroshima in October,1945, two months after the bomb (The Calvert was part of the occupation forces following the surrender of Japan).

 Note:

  • 2014-04-05 – Improved post and add cross-links.
  • 2014-08-03 – Corrected dates on medical corpsmen photograph.

Calvert’s medical corpsmen, 1943 or 1944

The photographs below show the Calvert’s medical corpsmen and medical staff in either 1) November 1943 shortly before the invasion of Makin, or 2) June/July 1944 around the time of the invasion of Saipan.

Many thanks to Robert McClellan for providing the first photograph from his father’s collection. His father, H.W. “Mack” McClellan is kneeling in front of the crew member wearing the black coat.

USSCalvert-APA32-PhMates1944-Annotated (new)

In the above photograph you can also see parts of the Calvert’s mine-sweeping equipment and rigging, including two paravanes, cradles (holding the torpedo-shaped paravanes) and the sweeping boom (horizontal boom).

This second photograph shows the same group of men, along with additional members of the Calvert’s medical crew. This photograph was provided by Eric Hook (USAF), whose grandfather William J. Hook was a surgeon aboard the Calvert ’43-’46.

1943-Pharm-Mates-Group-Annotated (new)

Please contact me if you happen to know the names of any of the other crew members pictured here.

Notes:

  • 2014-04-05 – Edited to improve the post and to add cross-links.
  • 2014-08-02 – Corrected date of photographs from summer 1944 to November 1943 based on information from other crew members and families of corpsmen who served after this photograph was taken. Added Dr. Valcik’s name to the photograph.
  • 2015-02-05 – Changed possible timeframe to either 1943 or 1944 based on additional information and the addition of Jacob A.S. Fisher’s name to both photographs.

Calvert’s “duck tail” stern and aft 5″ gun

Here is a photograph of the Calvert’s “duck tail” stern and her aft 5″ gun, circa 1943-45.

APA32-Stern-Aft-3inch-gun-001-sourced

 

Appreciation and thanks to Robert McClellan for sharing this picture from his father’s collection. Robert’s father, H.W. “Mack” McClellan, served aboard the Calvert as a hospital corpsman from 1943 to 1945.

Notes: 1) Thanks to Wasey Broussard for correcting my error on this picture. The 5″ aft gun is visible, not the 3″ aft gun as I had originally posted. 2) Edited on 2014-04-05 to improve the post and to add cross-links.

 

 

 

Calversion, Volume 11, 1983 – Table of Contents

A full copy of the Calversion newsletter, volume 11, is available here.

Table of Contents for Volume 11:

  • Cover Page / Page 1:
    • Updated 1983 reunion information (San Francisco, CA)
  • Page 2:
    • Service scroll and decal ordering information.
  • Page 3: Mail Call
    • Ross Hornbuckle remembers events aboard the Calvert from ‘51 – ‘52 with Capt. Robbins.
    • Earl R. Megraw provided a copy of the “Calvert Song” sung on the way back home from Sicily in 1942.
    • Bill Marks (Lt.?) shares the story of Capt. Sweeney’s jeep (stolen from Marines) during WWII.
  • Page 4: Mail Call
    • Note from M.A. Coulvillia regarding correspondence with Charles L. Schooler. Burial at sea for Secretary of State Stephen Early’s son at Roi Namur.
  • Page 5: Mail Call
    • Gerald “Red” Ford – WWII
    • C. Simpson – Aboard the Calvert in 1942-43 and again in 1950
    • Sterling J. Wesp – WWII, Barber on the Calvert
    • Inquiry to the whereabouts of Randall Charles McNary – August 1942 – September 1945
  • Page 6:
    • Calvert Marine Museum information; Proclamation for all Calvert materials to be sent to the Museum.
  • Pages 7:
    • Map of the Track of Western Naval Task Force from the US to North Africa – 1942
  • Pages 8 & 9:
    • 1983 San Francisco Reunion Information
  • Back Page / Page 10:
    • Roster of contributions to the newsletter