Category Archives: WWII

USS Calvert – Chronological Research Notes – 1944.08.21 to 1944.12.10

This document contains research notes and historical content for the period August 21, 1944 to December 10, 1944.

View and download the 71 page document here: USS Calvert – Historical Research Notes – 1944.08.21 to 1944.12.10 (the document will open in a new tab)

During this period, the USS Calvert and crew:

  • Preparation and training for the amphibious assault landing at Leyte, PI.
  • Amphibious exercises in the vicinity of Hawaii during the month of September.
  • Transit to the staging area for the invasion of Leyte, including amphibious exercises.
  • Amphibious landing at Leyte, Philippines, October 20-21.
  • Amphibious landing (reinforcements) at Leyte, Philippines, November 18.
  • Preparation for follow-on assault landings in the Philippines, planned for early 1945.

Additional documents covering other periods of WWII are available here: https://www.usscalvert.com/history/apa32-1942-1947/

Thank you for visiting the website and anything you are wiling or able to share regarding the history of the USS Calvert. Please contact me with questions, additions, or corrections.

Document version history and notes:

  • First published: v2024.02.20

Laurent (Larry) E. Vigneault, Coxswain – May, 1943 – July, 1945

Larry enlisted in mid-November 1942 and reported aboard the Calvert at Todd Shipyard, Erie Basin, Brooklyn, NY, on May 1st 1943.

While aboard he was a member of the 2nd Division Boat Crew. He can be seen in Boat Crew’s photographs here: https://www.usscalvert.com/2013/12/09/2nd-deck-division-boat-crews-1944-11-12/

  • Promoted from SC2 to SC1 on Dec 2, 1943
  • Promoted from SC1 to Cox on June 4, 1944

He departed the Calvert on July 6th, 1945 while the ship was in dry dock at the Navy Yard in Puget Sound, Bremerton, Washington.

Larry passed away in June, 2010 in Worcester, MA.

The following photographs were taken in November 1945, a few months after Larry had departed the Calvert. Larry is second from right in the first photograph and third from right in the second photograph.

Thank you to Larry’s daughter, Sue, for sharing these photographs.

Donald Raymond Robirds, E.M.1c, 1942 – 1944

Donald Raymond Robirds served for over thirty years of his life in the US military: The Army (pre-WWII), the Navy (during WWII) and the Air Force (during the Korean War).

Born in 1914 he first served our country in the US Army as a member of the 2nd Division, Indianhead division in the mid-1930s.

During WWII he served in the US Navy, spending much of his time aboard the USS Calvert as a member of the E (Electrical) Division.

The details of his service record below help paint a broad picture of his time and experience across the arc of WWII, including in the Pacific prior to the start of WWII, his witness of the attack on Pearl Harbor while aboard the USS Rigel, and then his time aboard the Calvert in the Atlantic, African European, and Pacific campaigns.

  • December 13, 1939 – Denver, CO – Date of enlistment in the US Navy
  • February 10, 1940 – Received onto USS Argonne as a S2c (Seaman, 2nd Class) from San Diego
  • February 16, 1941 – Promoted to S1c (Seaman, 1st Class)
  • March 27, 1941 – Transferred to USS Kingfisher
  • October 14, 1941 – Transferred to USS Rigel and aboard the Rigel during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
  • April 12, 1942 – Transferred from to USS Medusa

Here are additional details from the USS Calvert’s muster rolls:

  • Joined the USS Calvert on Oct 1st, 1942, from Portsmouth, VA, with a rank of S1c (Seaman 1st Class). This makes him a “plank holder” as that is the date the Calvert was commissioned as a US Naval vessel.
  • February 1st, 1943 – Promoted to E.M.3c (Electrician’s Mate, 3rd class)
  • August 1st, 1943 – Promoted to E.M.2c (Electrician’s Mate 2nd class)
  • March 1st, 1944 – Promoted to E.M.1c (Electrician’s Mate 1st class)
  • November 26th, 1944 – Transferred off the Calvert – likely in the South Pacific, following the 2nd invasion of Leyte.

The following photographs are from his autograph book, signed several of his Calvert’s shipmates.

Donald also participated in the Calvert’s crossing of the Equator and International Date Line on November 15th, 1943 (making him a “Golden Shellback”) while en route to the invasion of Makin Island. Here is his Neptunus Rex certificate from that event:

And here are two additional messages to the crew from Calvert officers:

Following WWII he enlisted in the US Air Force and served as a Staff Sergeant during the Korean War. He is buried at the Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver, CO. His gravestone can be viewed here.

Robin Lincoln Gold, R3c – May’ 44 to July ’44

Appreciation to Ken, Grandson of Robin Gold (Radioman 3rd class) for providing the photograph of Robin below.

Robin reported aboard the Calvert on May 9th, 1944 and departed on July 4th, 1944. Previous to being on the Calvert he also served on the USS Monrovia (also an attack transport), but I did not see a record for his departure from the Monrovia prior to him joining the Calvert in May of ’44.

As a temporary radar man aboard the Calvert and given the time frame he was aboard, he would have likely been either training the Calvert’s permanent radiomen crew or participating in training exercises in the Pacific (likely Hawaii area) in prep for the Marianas invasions (Saipan and Tinian) that happened in mid July and late July.