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Sterling Baker

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After a successful operation at Algiers, The USS Almaack was headed back to England when it was torpedoed off Portugal. Sterling Baker was in his bunk when it hit and, though the ship remained afloat, he never slept below deck again. While repairs were underway, he served in Casablanca, where he had a memorable Christmas. (5:31)

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The USS Almaack had been repaired and upgraded and headed out again, this time to the Pacific. Coxswain Sterling Baker had moved up the food chain to hatch leader, supervising the unloading and loading of landing craft. During an air attack, he became a 20mm gunner. At Saipan, he looked through his gun sight toward shore and saw something disturbing. (5:59)

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Ashore at Guam during a lull in the fighting, the sailors of the USS Almaack started eating coconuts and drinking coconut milk. This caused quite a commotion in the toilet facilities later aboard ship. Sterling Baker relates what one old Chief did to get the line moving, and how someone got revenge. (2:30)

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At Leyte, Sterling Baker had to operate in a smoke screen, unloading landing craft and supplies for the invasion. It was unnerving because he could hear attacking aircraft above but he couldn't see them. When underway, the amphibious cargo assault ship would lower paravanes into the water, which would cut the mooring cables on mines so they could float to the surface for disposal. (5:06)

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Sterling Baker had to wait several days to get all his cargo unloaded at Iwo Jima because of the slow advance inland. This was his last action and he was transferred to Alameda Naval Air Station where he manned a converted PT boat used for rescue operations. He reflects on his scout training that he never got to use. (4:43)

Steve Carver

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He was fully recovered but Steve Carver had undergone a kidney operation at the age of sixteen. Because of this, the Army wouldn't take him but the Marines said, sure, if you get cleared by a doctor. So, at his own expense, he got the clearance which meant that, essentially, he paid to get into the Marine Corps. (6:00)

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Steve Carver drew an unusual MOS after Marine boot camp. He was assigned to be an Ontos crewman. This was a weapon that was rejected by the Army but embraced by the Marines. It was a tracked vehicle, like a small tank, that had six mounted recoilless rifles. (6:06)

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Steve Carver had been impatient during training but when he got to Vietnam, he wished he'd had more. He latched on to a sergeant who seemed to be a really good Marine and followed his lead. He was astounded to learn that there was no gear to go around. Where was his rifle? There weren't even enough mess kits. (9:22)

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His MOS was changed to supply but that didn't mean that Steve Carver was out of danger. Yes, he was most often in the rear but they got mortared there, just like everybody else. He operated in the vicinity of Hue a lot and he knew that increasing amounts of enemy movement toward the city had been noticed and passed up the intelligence channels. How could the Tet Offensive have been such a surprise? (3:47)

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Baker was a good card player but so was Sgt. Alo. Steve Carver remembers a marathon all night game between the two which wound up in favor of the sergeant. Sgt. Alo was a native of Samoa who took an improbable path to becoming an American and a Marine. (7:26)