Stories About U.S.S. Neosho Veterans

• My brother, Audress Casey Dunn, Fireman 2nd Class, was killed aboard the Neosho during the Coral Sea Battle.  He was from Mounds, Illinois.  As I understand, his battle station was in the ammunition lockers for the 3-inch 50-caliber AA guns.  I saw him once after he was assigned to the Neosho, his only berth.  Those poor sailors were worked to the bone delivering aviation fuel to Pearl before the war.  His hands were so grimy he couldn't get them clean from boiler work and not even time for a shore haircut.  - Ralph Dunn, formerly S1CL USNR

• I am interested in the USS Neosho because my mom's other brother died in the attack in the Coral Sea.  His name was Frank Allen Scarborough and he was aboard the 68 man life raft that was lost.  The weird thing is that my grandmother (Dolly Scarborough) received a letter from a woman in Australia telling her that Frank and another man "washed ashore" and she was taking care of them.  My grandmother died shortly after (my mom was only 7 at the time) but my father (who knew my mother as a child) had heard the story also.  - Susan Doris

• My uncle, James William Hardwick, known as JW, was a Seaman 2nd Class on the USS Neosho and
  served on her the entire time from when they took possession at the US Naval Receiving Station at Puget Sound until her demise in the Coral Sea.  I even have letters he wrote from the Receiving Station.  He was listed as MIA and no one heard anything about him after the day they were attacked.  I can't tell you how many times I wished he would have survived the war.  I would have really liked hearing his stories but I guess it wasn't to be.  I was told by my Dad (his brother) that his battle station was on a forward gun.  That's about all I know. 

I have a great desire to find out as much as I can about my Uncle JW.  His name is inscribed on a monument in the Philippines.  I intend to try and get a copy of his Navy records.  I just finished copying all his letters and cards he sent home during World War II to preserve them.  - Jeff Hardwick

• My father, Tony Bustos, was on the Neosho and survived.  If he was in water for a long period of time (e.g., a swimming pool) he would start to smell oil.  Also, he could not eat canned pears.  They reminded him of eating while they were floating.  He said that they would dive under the water and swim into the ship to try and get food and supplies, and ended up with a lot of canned pears.  - Jim Bustos

• My first cousin, Wallace F. (Frank) Quillin, Seaman 1st class, was a survivor, not only of the Neosho, but of the Arizona. Here is his story:  Frank survived the attack on the Arizona by being on shore leave that Sunday morning in order to go to church services on the island. When he returned to the beach after church, he found it under attack and his ship sinking.

He was reassigned to the Neosho, and told of his escape from the ship during the Coral Sea battle.
The Neosho was on fire and sinking. The boys on board were diving or jumping into the burning oil covering the water. Some of the boys were injured in the attack and bleeding as they bailed out into the shark infested water. Their screams as they were attacked by sharks rang in the ears of their escaping shipmates, who were helpless to try and rescue them.

Frank was one of the lucky ones who was unhurt and was quickly picked up by another American ship. He did sustain some hearing loss as a result of getting oil in his ears.  After the war, he arrived back in the states in California, where he married and settled down.  He was originally from Florence, AL, where his mother (my aunt) Cora Quillin lived for many years.  Frank's name appears in the National Park Service historical statistics as a survivor of the Arizona.  - Nancy (Mrs. James) Clem

• I was in the Navy during Vietnam, and served aboard the Gearing Class Destroyer, "Henry W. Tucker" (DD-875).  Henry W. Tucker was a Pharmacist's Mate aboard the USS Neosho, and died while swimming from life raft to life raft giving first aid at the time of her sinking, until he just disappeared.  The Tucker also has a website and every two years has a reunion.  I have been to two reunions and they were wonderful experiences.  The Tucker was a very tight and proud ship and served admirably in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam.  - John Gross

• I am the great niece of Clifford Christopher Tatge, the young second class seaman and radio operator on the tanker Neosho that was attacked by the Japanese in the Coral Sea battle.  Christopher was the youngest of seven brothers and sisters. Being a minor, his parents had to consent for him to enlist in the navy. Christopher was visiting his sister's home in California on December 7th when he heard about the attack on Pearl Harbor. He was carrying the signed papers around in his pocket and that very day he mailed his papers in.

My mother has a copy of a letter that Christopher had typed (not written) to my mothers' parents (her father was Christopher's brother). The letter is dated April 2, 1942 and in the letter he mostly talks about the family, his motorcycle that he missed (he said upon his return he was going to "ride the wheels off of it"), and the 16 pounds he had put on since he had been in the navy. Apparently his parents came to California to see him off on his tour as he briefly mentions their visit. The only thing he mentions about the ship is that he is a radio operator on the ship and he liked it fine.  - Dalyne Easley