Crew member
On Sun, 25 Apr 1999
Jim McMahon Email address wrote:
Street: 16 Holyoke St.
City: Easthampton
State/Prov: Ma.
ZIP: 01027
Country: USA
Phone: 413 527 3808
Fax:
Email: VGMJJM@AOL.COM
Served aboard the Bellatrix AKA3, Ex Merchant Marine Ship Raven during
the Korean war. Carried Army trucks and supplies from Japan to Korea
and took part in a few amphibious landings there. Did not see the
Bellatrix in the list of AKA's. At that time I was QM(s) 2/c
Jim McMahon SMCS USN, (RET)
Ship news article
From: VGMJJM@aol.com
Date: Thu, 4 Nov 1999
This article appears in the Amphibious Force Pacific Fleet newspaper
"The Amphibian, dated Saturday December 6 1952 " USS Bellatrix Saves
Fishermen From Seas.
Twelve Okinawa fishermen were saved from possible drowning recently when
they were rescued from the sea by a lifeboat crew from the USS Bellatrix
(AKA-3).
The sea rescue took place as the Bellatrix was enroute to Hong Kong from
Yokosuka, Japan, after having been diverted from her usual course by a
typhoon.
While the ship was steaming about sixty miles southeast of Formosa, M.C.
Smith, SN, a lookout, sighted an object. As the ship drew nearer, the
object was identified as a closely-packed group of men clinging to the
wrecked remains of a wooden boat.
Under the supervision of C.H. Webster, BMC,. the ship's lifeboat was
lowered to rescue the men. Kenneth A. Hubbard served as boat coxswain,
and returned the survivors to the Bellatrix.
Once of board, the fishermen were all given an examination by the
Medical Officer. Two men, who were badly injured, were taken to the
ship's sick bay for treatment.
The survivors were originally from a small island of the Okinawa group
lying 130 miles east of Formosa.Their 150-foot boat had been torn apart
by a typhoon and 15 of the 27 crewmen had washed overboard.
Those picked up by the Bellatrix had been clinging to the remainder of
their boat for two days.
Later the Bellatris was routed to return the shipwrecked fisher-men to
their homes at Okinawa.
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