9.
Nov. 8, 2022

My dad Raymond Puetz served on this ship. He passed away when I was only 8. Anyone who knew him I would love to hear from you. And where this ship went during the war.

Thank you,
Marge C.

8.
July 17, 2021

I served on the Anderson at the tail end of the Korean War from February 2nd, 1955 to September 21, 1956, when I was transferred to the USS Missouri BB63 which was decommissioned and was the headquarters for the Pacific Reserve Fleet in Bremerton, Washington. During the time on the Anderson we made 12 trips overseas to Yokohama and other spots in the Far East and on each trip there and back we carried military personnel along with military dependents.

We were in Inchon, Korea on July 22, 1955 and again on December 26 of that year. On one of those trips I was on the fantail watch in the morning before daylight and I reported lumber from what I'm sure was a fishing boat that popped out of the screws at the rear. Apparently no report was ever made of the incident.

Being Catholic and not having a Catholic Priest aboard, I held rosary services on Sunday mornings on deck.

Jerry Klein
St. Louis, Missouri

7.
Feb. 13, 2018

I am trying to get detail on significant Family History events. My uncle Sidney Stevens a member of the British Army was a POW at Cabanatuan in the Philippines and was one of around 22 Brits rescued by US forces during the Great Raid on Cabanatuan POW camp in the Philippines on Jan 30 1945 the remainder were Mainly US troops and a few Dutch civilians.

After some time recuperating in US field hospitals, they were I believe transported to San Francisco on USS
Gen Anderson arriving there in March 1945. There was I understand an enormous reception of boats and ships as they passed under the Golden Gate Bridge. Is there anyone in your group who has access to pictures or film of this momentous event. Also we cannot find any detail of how the British were transported back to the UK.

Perhaps one of you group has a copy of "The Might A" or copies of the ship manifests for the journey that will confirm or deny the facts I have. Need less to say, Sid did not talk about his time as a POW under the Japanese which was from Valentines day 1942 at the fall of Singapore until the rescue from Cabanatuan
Thank you all in advance.

Chaz Stevens
Grimsby, England

6.
Jan. 22, 2017

I sailed with my family on the "Anderson" in Nov. 1956 to Yokohama and couldn't wait to dock in Yokohama, although I did enjoy the trip across the Pacific. I was convinced the Navy was not for me even though my step-dad was career Navy. So, I became a U.S. Marine assigned to an Air Wing, VMF-233, which later became VMA-233, which is now a Helicopter squadron in NAS Norfolk, VA. I graduated from Yokohama American High School in 1958.

Marshall Hart
Lakeland, Florida

5.
Jan. 12, 2016

My father, Johnnie B. Hysell, sailed out of San Francisco, CA to Letye in the Philippine Islands in April 1945. He often spoke of the trip and several things always stood out in his story. The sheer number of soldiers on the ship (10,000?) was always mentioned, including the fact that he knew a cousin was on board, but could never locate him. He received the news of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's death on the voyage, which stunned everyone. 

Perhaps the most interesting point he made was that the ship was reported sunk by the Japanese when they were at the equator. They first laughed about it, since they were still very much afloat. However, later someone pointed out that this was probably bad news in disguise, since it probably meant that the enemy indeed knew their approximate location and the 'news' might be simply premature - eventually to occur when their specific location was found. That brought about a much more somber mood.

His final impression on the ship was the morning that they sailed into Leyte Gulf. The sea was filled with wreckage of military equipment of every kind, from horizon to horizon. This was evidently left from the destruction at the Battle of Leyte Gulf. I was able to provide a framed photograph of the ship to him as a Christmas gift, which he much appreciated. He died on 11 November 1999 in Huntington, WV.

Phil Hysell
Louisville, Kentucky

4.
Dec. 20, 2015

I was on the Andy from March 52 to Feb 56. I was an RM3. My preference was the mid-watch nearly every night between those dates. Captain Fowler was skipper the first couple of years. He had a large photo of his exceptionally pretty daughter hanging on the wall of his cabin, and I visited every chance I got (delivering messages, of course) to get his signature on radio messages. Of course I stepped in far enough to look at her every time. My initials are N.S. Phillipson, and when asked, when I first went on board, what the N.S. stood for. I jokingly said Nancy Sue. That horrible name stuck with me nearly my entire ride on the Andy.

N. Scott Phillipson

3.
Feb. 16, 2015

I was on the USS Gen. A. E. Anderson TAP 111 in January 1957 as a Hospital Corpsman on the trip referred to by by R. Rinninger in his message on March 2, 2014. It is ironic that I remember that trip since there was an Air Force corpsman/medic on that trip that I went to school with and he helped us in the sick bay. Over the years I have run across several people with similar stories. The Anderson was a one of the better duty stations. It could get hectic especially in rough weather with up to 4,000 troops below decks getting sick and busting their shins and mashing fingers on the hatches. Wishing all Fair Winds and a Following Sea.

Gil Lowery
Emerald Isle, North Carolina

2.
Mar. 2, 2014

I recently discovered that my father, a Private in the 339th Infantry was aboard the Anderson when it left for Europe Dec. 24, 1943.  Unfortunately he was subsequently killed in Tremensuoli, Italy on May 12th 1944.  Without my being aware of my father passage on the Anderson, I boarded her early in 1957, I believe it was January and went to Okinawa via another island where we picked up a bunch of Marines, I was Air Force.  I just recently discovered that my father and I had both been aboard the U.S.S. A. E. Anderson we were just 12 years and three weeks apart.

R. Renninger