Sunday, June 17, 2012

Something About Jay

I am not sure just how much I have written about Jay Ford Rosenberg.  It may have been some, or maybe, now that I think about it, it may be nothing at all.  That would be a grave oversite it that is the case.  Thinking about it I felt I should set here for a short time and drop a line or two about him, so here goes.
The Beginning - Jays parents had moved from Utah to Southern California in late 1925 or early 1926, I am not sure just which.  They were looking for a new life, and a chance to make more money than they were able to do in the little town of Cedar City where they had grown up and married.  The first two children they had of course was LaMar Harris Rosenberg and Afton Rosenberg.  They moved into a duplex on Pacific Blvd. in Huntington Park, California.  Last I knew that building was still standing.  I haven't, however, been in that part of Huntington Park for over 45 years.  It was a white cement block structure that pretty much stood by itself with wide open country all around it.  In fact the family always said that when the time came for the hasty trip to Bell Mission Hospital they drove across open fields to get there.  Even when we moved to California in 1935 I don't believe that could have been done. 
When Itha was finally admitted to the Hospital Jay was pretty anxious to get into this world, in fact he made his appearance on a gearny in the hall of the Hospital.  This was the same Hospital Jay had his appendix removed after it had ruptured when he was 13 years old.  In fact the Hospital was around and fully operative into the 1960's.
The family now numbered parents and three siblings and one Grandpa, the widowed father of Itha who had  moved to California some time after the family had.  Both Itha and Slim had to work to keep the family fed and clothed, so Grandpa Harris was the Baby Sitter.  Jay had many fond memories of Grandpa and loved hearing his many stories of the early days in Utah.  Of course the story of the Harris family moving from Rigby, Idaho to Cedar City in the early 1900's in a Covered Wagon was pretty interesting as well.  Grandpa Harris had been a Pony Express Rider when he was younger carrying the mail from Cedar City, Utah to Las Vegas, Nevada.  The gold watch he carried and belonged to the family was picked out of a stream I believe in the Virgin River area on one of those rides. Jay felt a great loss when he Grandpa passed away in 1933.  It was then that his Sister Afton took over the baby sitting.  He was always very close to his Big Sister.
I am not sure if it was because of a poor food supply in the home or because Jay was left to his own eating habits  that he developed Rickets.  I recall him saying many times that he ate a lot of Renit Pudding, which I don't know if it is available in stores now or not.  It was to help build him back up.  I believe he felt Rickets was what caused his bow legs.  It may have, it may not have been the cause.  Jay was very ill for a good part of his early life and due to it I believe became pretty spoiled.  He was always in conflict with his older brother.  One because LaMar was upset that he had to 'put up' with his little brother when he wanted to be with his friends.  Of course being the little brother Jay wanted always to be in the middle of what the olders boys were up to. 
Jay admitted he was a 'brat' during his pre teen years.  Quite a 'bully' to hear him tell it.  Picking fights and being the 'mean little kid'.  Knowing him only as a grown up, I never saw any of those characteristics in his make up.  Jay was a loyal friend and had a great many when I met him.  He talked his Dad into signing for him so he could enlist in the Navy during his Senior Year of High School.  The War was winding down and he wasn't all that thrilled with school, so he went to Boot Camp and then returned home, dawned his Civilian Clothes and Graduated with his Class at Bell High School.  He received his final credits for his time in Boot Camp in San Diego, California.
Jay loved his Navy experiences.  He became a 'Motor Mach' and was diligent during his time in the service to advance to become a Petty Officer. When it was time to be assigned to a Ship he stood amid a group of new Seaman in alphabetical order.  The fella to his right was named Reed and was assigned to a ship that was sunk and lost most of it Sailors.   Jay always said he would have been one who was lost because his duty was in the engine room and would have been in an area that escape would have been nearly impossible.  I wish this old brain could remember the name of the ship, but I apologize not being able to recall it.
Another experience he was to mention a number of times was that he was on deck when the ship carrying the Atomic Bomb aboard went sailing by and the Sailors exchanged waves and shouts - none of them knowing what a momentous occasion they had just been part of.   For no one on either ship knew what was aboard.  They later learned that same ship had been sunk on its' return trip from dropping the Bomb off.  Jay also talked about the day when a few of the men aboard the LSM 330 were invited to go ashore and see the B-29's that were on an airfield not far from where they were anchored.  So Jay was able to visit the Nola Gay and have the airmen tell these Sailors all about the airplane, but not what their job was going to be.  In fact I am not sure any of the crew knew just what they were there to do.  What ever, it was two very interesting events while Jay was serving in WWII that were very interesting to tell and think about.
Had the Atomic Bombs not been dropped as they were, a large number of ships that were gathered for an Invasion of Japan would have been numbered among the killed or wounded had an invasion been necessary.  There were so many ships in that group and they were anchored according to their size and their jobs.  To help you get some idea - the ship Jay was on was at anchor 10 miles out of the harbor.  To make it more interesting you need to know that his ship had been made the 'flag ship' of that particular class.  Normally they had a Crew of 50 but being 'flag' they had 80 aboard.
I believe Jay was proudest of the fact he had advanced from 'polly wog' to a 'sheel back' when he was put through the trials of crossing the equator.  In the 'memories book' we put together for the 50th Anniversary of the LSM 330 being commissioned there is a whole section with pictures and a full written account of the ceremony.  Don't hesitate to ask to see the book and read all about Jays days aboard his first Navy experiences.
Of course everyone knew that Jay left the Navy after the War and went into the 'inactive Navy Reserve' to finish his 6 years.  As it turned out he was recalled in 1950 for the Korean 'Conflict' and served aboard the APA 202 USS Menifee.  This ship had been out of commision and was brought back into service.  Jay served again for 18 months before he was finally discharged from the Navy for good.  He always said he would like to go back to Japan and Hong Kong.  He had many fond memories of the South Pacific and felt he could recall some of his time if he could have returned.  When, however, he visit Pearl Harbor in 1985 he was disappointed because things had changed so much he couldn't even figure out where the launches came and went for 'liberty' while he was stationed in Hawaii.  I believe he felt a trip to the other places he had visited would be the same, so he didn't talk about much after that trip.
Jay joined the LSM 330 in San Pedro after the ship had been commission in the Great Lakes Amphibious Base.  Only he and I believe it was one other Crew Member joined there.  All the others were from the East Coast and so Jay never felt that he really was a welcomed addition.  In fact when the first Reunion was planned in 1989 Jay was reluctant to go.  I kept talking to him and finally got him to say o.k.  He was sure he would never remember any of the men.  They met in Norfolk, Virginia at the Amphibious Base.  The Hotel was not far from the Base and we were standing in the Lobby waiting to see if we could find the Group.  Jay said to me: "see those men over there talking?"  I turned and saw about 6 men.  He began to name each one and tell what they did aboard the '330'.  I coaxed him to walk over to them, which he did rather slowly.  When they finally saw him moving in their direction they all said: 'Hi Jay' and the Party was on.  What a blessing it was to re-connect with these men and may I say what a great joy it was for me because all the wives - none having met before became fast friends on meeting, and I have remained close to each one up until this time.  In fact I am still acting - in Jays' absence as the Secretary-Treasure for the USS LSM 330 Family Group.  Our numbers get smaller every year, but we still keep in touch and love knowing we are still here for each other.
Thus brings to a close the 'Ramblings' about Jay and his Navy experiences.
I am sure there is a great deal more he would have added if I could have been able to get him to set down and talk about it.  I believe putting the 'memory book' together was one of the best ways he had of telling about it.
It is an interesting note that a copy has been added to the Library of Congress.  So all those hours and hours of work and care was well worth it.  The USS LSM 330 may have been a very small ship, and had a small company of men and officers, but it has its place in History and in the hearts of those who served aboard her.  Jay was one of the last who was aboard her.  He left the ship in Lousiana.  Only 6 were left to take her into dry dock there.  She was 'moth balled' and kept for a number of years before she was cut into scrap metal as so many other ships that served so well.
Gone, but not forgotten by those who worked aboard her and brought her back home.  So it is written - and so it was.  Eileen C. Rosenberg

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Grandmas Craft Closet

If you have ever heard about Fibber McGees closet, you have some idea of what this one looked like.  Over the years I guess I have gathered just about any and everything you might want to become "crafty".  Of course at one time I was, "very crafty", however at my age those ideas have long been dulled.  Now I set, read, crochet, of knit.  Keeping busy has been limited to the  movement of my hands and eyes it seems.  I still enjoy pretty, fun things, but have no more room for them in the house, and definately no room in the Closet. 
What to do?  Well I learned my Grand Daughters were coming home for a short visit and I got a great idea!  Let those girls come and fight over what they could possibly find for their busy hands and minds to work with.  Soo -
yesterday they arrived early and tackled the job of going into that MESS I
had gathered over the 28 years I have lived in this house.  My only thought in the matter was not to look at what they found, and definately not to get caught up in what they either took or tossed into a large trash can I gave them. 
They didn't have time to go through things piece by piece.  They just had a very quick look into each bag, box, basket or whatever to decide whether it was something one or the other of them might use, or were intersted in.  A
time or two I heard an exicted gleeful sound as one or the other of them found something they had good use for.  I didn't want to know.  They really did a great job of emptying the closet and taking away any number of things I had felt at one time or another would be fun to do.  Now, I have no idea what any of those things might be, but really I don't care.  At least it is out of the Closet and I can now put the space to good use for storing some items of greater worth to me personally. 
We all seem to become collectors of "stuff" much of which we really cherished at one time, but as we grow oldler we find have no use for in our scaled down lives.  Watching the girls find things that might be useful either in their own homes or in the jobs they have in the Church gave me a good
feeling that all was going to a better place than it had been in many a day.
I'm sure there were things in one or another of the boxes, bags or baskets that I might find a use for, but knowing the slow methodical manner in which I now live, it would probably have just layed around without being thought of again.  We seem to hang on to so many things that are no longer useful or needed. 
Which leads me to say: "Thanks girls for coming and getting those things moved into another area and possibly found a great use for.  Like they say if you haven't thought of it, needed it or used it for 6 months, you don't need it any longer.  I am relieved to know I can open that door now and not be afraid of an avalance of buttons, ribbon, paint, glue or misc. items jumping
out at me.  Plus the frustration of knowing somethings I am looking for are definately somewhere in that MESS, but I have neither the time nor the
will power to dig into it to find it.  Now I don't have to think about it, or worry about it.  I shall be ever greatful to the three of you for coming and doing a job that has needed done for a long, long  time.  May I add as well,
ENJOY!  - Grandma "R"