My dad emailed this picture to me this morning. The guys are from the USS Hawkins, taking a break from duty at a bar in the Philippines. Dave Roberts, my dad, is the one sitting on the left. The three guys seated beside him worked on his crew. The other two guys were shipmates. Dad is 19 in this photo. He's a very handsome teenager, isn't he? (I'm told I look a lot like him.)Dad and his crew were all Torpedomen's Mates, which meant they maintained the weapons and the launchers. They fired torpedoes at submarines when found by sonar. When at sea, Dad stood on sonar watches just to have something to do.
Dad was also the auto weapons man when they had to go ashore. He manned the machine gun when the landing party was close to shore or when going up a river. When needed, he was also backup pointer for the number one gun mount. He pointed the big gun at the target and pulled the firing trigger.
As I look at my dad in this picture, I can't help but wonder what he was thinking or talking about before the photo was snapped. He looks so darn young! At 19 years old you have your whole life ahead of you. Serving in the military certainly puts life in perspective, which might explain why they all look a bit somber. They certainly didn't go to the bar for a boisterous celebration. Maybe they became more lively later in the evening?
Though I don't say it nearly enough, I am very proud of my dad. I post this photo to honor him, and to thank him for sharing it with me.
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