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Clifford Pittsley

MEMOIRS OF HONOR AND SERVICE

Clifford Pittsley was drafted into the Navy in 1942 in Wausau,

Wisconsin. He served aboard the Anvibus Ship U.S.S. Memfee APA
202. They took part in the invasion of Okmamo, Japan.

Can you begin by telling us your story?

I was aboard ship with Amphibious Forces. We carried several small boats them P
boats. We would run up to the shore, let the front end down and let the men off. Then
we brought the front up and backed off again. That was in the invasion of Okinowa.
That was an easy one for us because they were fooling the Japanese. The bombers
were all coming in on the other end of the island, so they thought that was where we
were going to hit, but we hit on this end. For four days we never even heard a gunshot.
Then we began to hear them, but by that time, we had our ship unloaded and we took
off again and they had a rough time after that. That was what everything was leading
up to when they drafted me. They almost pushed me into the Navy. I was glad they did
because we always got to the ship. We went aboard for a little bit, had our lunches and
everything, slept in a cot. At night they would take the ship out to sea. Then during the
day the ship would come in and the P boats would unload the men. They didnt anchor
them out there, but then they brought any boat that was back at the ship at that time,
and pull them aboard for the night. If they didnt bother us, why we could sleep in our
bunks, you know, during the invasion, but they kept us busy. There was about three
planes I guess, always came in, they came in just so far, what we called quarters, thats
the gun stations. We werent a fighting ship, but we did have some guns at war. But
they kept what was called General Arm and then they would go off, and then all of a
sudden they would come back because it was secure. We would go back down, I didnt
even get my shoes kicked off one time and then they were calling us back because they
were trying to wear us out. And finally the captain told us, everybody stay at your stations, one man on the phone. So in case they start coming, then you would be notified
by phone. We had one that picked us out early one morning. It was coming in, we were
here, he was coming in this way, and then he turned off and then he would come
around, and my station then was handling ammunition. All of a sudden I could hear it.
I went the door and here he was coming straight down at us. He was flopping you
know. I could see the detonators on his wings. He was that close. He was trying to
hook one of our masts, but the captain was real smart, and he was coming down here,
the captain gave a hard right in full blast, you know, full speed. That ship,

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dadadadadadada and he came in right there. There wasnt even a splash. He just
phew! that was it. They had some destroyers drop some bombs down, but nothing ever
came up. That was about the closest we came. That was leading up to it. We went back
to Honolulu then and, well it was April Fools day, actually, when we hit the beach
there. I dont know, we took a few troops back out then, yes, and then we got all set,
just like we were going to invade again. We
went into Nagasaki that time, but they had
So I went outside and a
USS Wisconsin sitting there. It was a big
body of water. And we had to wind our way
movement of people, everyinto the big body of water, here, and
body was just, the streets
Wisconsin was sitting with all of their guns
were full of people. They
straight out, pointing all around, so nobody,
didnt want to make any move against that.
were just so glad that it was
But then we had to unload, yeah we brought
over.
some troops in and we pipe naust, helping
them build up again. Then we went back to
San Francisco, and we were beginning to
load for an invasion, and the war was over. I
was in a movie, we had liberty a little you
know, but I was in the movie watching and all of a sudden they flashed it onto the
screen, the war is over. So I went outside and a movement of people, everybody was
just, the streets were full of people. They were just so glad that it was over. I had to
make one more trip. We were discharged or taken off, according to our...it was points,
you had to get so many points and then you were taken off, and I didnt quite make the
points, so I had to make one more trip out. I think we
went out to the Philippines that time, and then we
brought a bunch of troops back in. The ship we had, I
think it was three decks, yeah three decks down and
in the invasion we had small tanks and jeeps and all
that stuff down below. Then, the next one was troops.
Then what they did then was they built temporary
bunks and everything, way up, and by the time we got
out there, they had them all made. Carpenters have
made them. So we brought back that load, and as we
were coming in to San Francisco, water boats came
out there, they were shooting water in the air. They
were meeting us. The whole dock was full of people,
and in fact all of the troops were on one side, the ship
began to kind of...the ship had so much weight on one
side that the captain ordered all of the troops to go

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below. Then after we got tied up and everything, then they let them come out. I got
ahead of my story, that was...I made one more trip out and that was my last trip. But
before that, we crossed the equator. It was a big day. Captain was one for jolly good
times you know, and all of us that havent been across the equator, there were a certain
number that were older and the crew members you know, have been in a longer time,
so they had been across. They were initiating
us. Oh, what they did. They had a big tank
...I made one more trip out
there, theyd give you a haircut and dump
you in that greasy water. They swatted us as
and that was my last trip.
we had to go on our hands and knees. They
were swatting us on the back side. I should
have brought my book along. Some of those
pictures, there was only one officer there, in
my division. But anyway, even the officers,
the junior officers, even some of the younger
ones havent been across yet. You could tell because none of them had their shirt on,
but they had their neckties on. They got the same deal as we did. It was all day, all day
we were doing that. Do you have any questions? Well I got a few pictures here (he
started showing us his pictures that he brought in), Im going to start out with this one
because that was with my wife and daughter when I came home from boot camp when
that picture was taken. My daughter was two years old that week. Then here is three of
us having a good time. My wife kept saying that you have been drinking, she says. We
weren't, but it looks that way. I can see that. And then here is a funny one. We were
standing behind you know. And then this is where we
graduated from boot camp. And they had all kinds of stuff
out there in the bigger cities out in the coast where so
many servicemen, and I was walking down the street in
San Francisco. Next thing I knew, a guy tapped me on the
shoulder. He said he took my picture. I think it was a
buck, and then he would send some home. You know how
a lot of times when you are getting your picture taken, you
kind of pose, but I was just walking along and I didnt
know anyone bothered. And then this was the ship that I
was on. You can see all of the boats on there.

Where did you get this one from?

That was in Chinatown at...I dont know, it must have been
Frisco, yeah. Well another day experience I had too was
when we first went up... We trained in boats down in San
Diego, and then after we had enough training and that, by

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train they sent us to Astoria, Oregon thats where they built the ship. So we went
aboard there, and we were considered plank owner although it was all steel floor. But
we were plank owner. And so we spent a few days there yet, unloading, and doing this
and that. When we took off, we were going to go down there to Frisco, and the first
night I drew crows nest watch. Its up in here, I had to climb up that post and then
here, walk out a bit here, and there is a tank
here. You crawl into that, and if it was realYou crawl into that, and if it
ly in enemy water's, then you would close
the cover down and you would have just a
was really in enemy waters,
little slot of the sea, where you could tell by
then you would cover the
radio what was going on. Well I couldnt see
cover down and you would
myself climbing that thing, you know when
you are swaying and everything. So as soon
just a little slop the sea,
as I saw that, I was going to have that watch
where you could tell by radio
for the start. I went to the chaplain and I
told him about it, and oh yeah, he says. A
what was going on.
lot of people cant climb, go up high and
everything. He was talking like that and
then he said that he would talk to the captain. But in the meantime, he says, You
will have to take the watch because otherwise, you will have to be Court Marshall. Oh
ok. It was dark out, and my watch was from midnight to whatever time. I hugged that
old post. It was like climbing up a telephone post. There were hooks there that you
would step on. I got up there, and I looked about from here to the table, (about eight
feet) and thats where there was a tank that you would sit in. Well, I made it there. But,
when I came down, it wasnt so bad because you realized that you were coming down.
Then, I waited all day to get some word from the Chaplain, but when the word came, I
was told that I had to go up and do it again. That was his theory. He thought that if
you can go up and do it once, you can keep doing it. After a few times you begin to be
able to do it super easily. Sometimes, when we werent in enemy water's or anything,
we would flip the cover of the tank back and sit up outside of the tank. But, uhh, that
first night, it was something else. And then also, when we were tied up, I dont know if
you can see this right about here, (showing us picture of the ship he was stationed on)
that is a boat boom. When we were tied up or even anchored, they could swing the
boat boom out and tie the boats up. And you know of course they had to have a watch
on the boat boom, I got the evening watch or something like that. I looked at that little
board that they had on top of that telephone pole to climb over to the tank, and uhh,
there was a little plank, uhh, a little railing about so high (one foot) to hang onto while
you walked out there to the tank. And, you know that board would be going up and
down with the ship while you are in rough water, and even when you arent in rough

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water, it was just rocking up and down this was on the boat boom. And, well, I
scooched out there to try and drop down into the boats, and then I thought wait a
minute, boy! If anybody would ever see me do this, I would never live it down. So the
next time I went easy and pretty soon I was waking up at midnight, you know, to take
my watch. Id walk out there and drop down and sit in the boat there for a while so
nobody would do anything to it. So, thats
the way that I learned theres no use comNavy is after men this
plaining because they arent gonna do anything for me. Yep, thats a... I went in April,
month, were gonna put you
but I didnt go in on the first draft at all,
in the navy. I answered, The
only after a couple years after they had
navy? I think Id rather be in
started drafting. Because my wife was carrying my daughter, even though she wasnt
the army. Ive got two bothborn yet, I was considered a father then and
ers in the army and you
they werent taking any fathers at the time.
So, all of a sudden, you knew that they were
know, a couple of friends in
starting to plan you know, for this big invathe army. But he ended the
sion, and so then, they started taking
fathers too. And, we went down on Palm
discussion by saying No,
sunday to Milwaukee to have our physicals
youre in the navy!!
and stuff, to sign you up, they had a whole
trainload of recruits from Wausau. We
werent flying at that time. Nobody was flying at that time, except for a few military officials, but as far as passengers, we werent
flying. By train, we went down to Milwaukee, and once went through our examinations, I lined up. And they had army, navy, army, navy officers sitting behind a desk
you know, and they would peel one guy off, send him over there, and then peel the second guy off, and send him over there, and so on. And apparently, I had to get the navy
officer when it was my turn to go up, and I had a bad wrist, and I was hoping maybe,
maybe, I was hoping that would keep me out, you know, but no such luck. But I went
and it happened to be a navy officer, and he says, What do you want, army or navy? I
got down and said, I dont think it is going to make a bit of a difference, I am going to
be away from my family. He responded, Navy is after men this month, were gonna
put you in the navy. I answered, The navy? I think I'd rather be in the army. Ive got
two brothers in the army and you know, a couple of friends in the army. But he ended
the discussion by saying No, youre in the navy!! And, boy was I glad! Like I said in
the very beginning, even in the invasion, we slept between sheets. Those guys in the
Atlantic, though, not such a good deal because they had winters over there, you know,
but I was in the South Pacific the whole time. But those other guys, they were in rough
shape. Some of them never changed clothes for a couple weeks because it was, you

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know in the middle of winter out there. Ohh, I was lucky, but yet I was unlucky. Well,
the first time we went out, we were sailing to Pearl Harbor. And then from Pearl
Harbor, it was just about a month. We were sailing to the Philippines, but what we did
was we went this way, and then this way, and then back this way and even in circles.
They didnt have you go in a straight line because the enemy could track you and then
have somebody waiting for you when you
got there. So, we circled around, and it took
I liked to drive the boats.
us about a month to get there, so there wasnt too much a guy could do. We painted the There were times...like in San
boats a bit, and with the salt water on that
Francisco especially, where
steel, it was forever rusting, so we would get
we would anchor out San
a hammer. A normal hammer has a round
head, but these were for chopping. Wed
Francisco bay I guess they
chop the rusty paint off, and then paint it
called it. Oakland on one
again over. So, yeah, we did a lot of chopping, I dont know. I didnt have too many
side and San Francisco on
harrowing experiences. I liked to drive the
the other. And, only so many
boats. There were times... like in San
Francisco especially, where we would
would get to leave, you
anchor out San Francisco bay I guess they
know.
called it. Oakland on one side and San
Francisco on the other. And, only so many
would get to leave, you know. Then some
would leave the next day, and so on. And
then youd have different jobs to do, you know. You might have to drive the boats, or
bring them onto the ship, so I often volunteered to do it for a different guy if he wanted to have some fun ashore. That would probably be
going to a movie or something, but that wouldve been
it. So, I would volunteer and take his place and run the
boats back and forth, you know, in San Francisco, and
it was a rough one. There was a strong current in that
bay, and you would come down the ladder right about
there (showing us picture of ship) where the ladder for
coming aboard ship if you werent tied up or anything,
but thats where the officers would stand and you
would say Permission to come aboard, sir?. One time
we stopped out on some island-- I forget what it was-but anyways, we were tied up to the dock and there
werent very many fellows on that island. So, they had
movies there, but only a few, so theyd have to play

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them over and over again. So, when we pulled over there, we took our own movies
ashore, and just about every man on the ship, because we only went a little ways, the
guys were ready for a movie. Then, all the guys on the island came with us and we all
watched movies together. So then, when the movie was over, the officer of the day that
had to stay on the ship, the whole crew fooled him. Every man but him was off of the
ship, so then the officer had to suffer
through 300+ Permission to Come aboard,
I didnt get to come home.
sir? The next day, the captain said to the
whole crew: Next time that happens, just
The only time that I got to
forget the Permission to Come aboard,
come home was after boot
sir? He had to do that for the whole percamp. And then that was in
sonnel on the ship. I was in for not quite
two years. I didnt get to come home. The
July of 1944, and I didnt see
only time that I got to come home was after
my family again until January
boot camp. And then that was in July of
1944, and I didnt see my family again until
7 or 8 of 1946.
January 7 or 8 of 1946. We got off of the
ship Christmas Eve, and it was pouring rain.
But, when we got up Christmas day, it was sunny and you couldnt even tell that it had
rained. And, I dont know why they held me, but then they put us on the train. We had
people to serve us food and beverages, and they even had guys that would make your
beds for you in the evenings when you went out. But, after
it was over, they didnt want anymore to do with you, and
they sent us home on a coach. It took about three days, I
guess, and they had us sleeping on the floor of the coach,
or on the seats, and we kept trying to find a comfortable
place to sleep, you know. So, we didnt get much sleep
there. We went to the Great Lakes Navy Base, and then I
went home, and I was through. But, my only welcoming
committee was my wife and daughter. But, when we came
into Frisco, there were water boats shooting water everywhere. Anything you want to know?

Do you remember anyone that you served with?

No, I dont remember any of the names. Yeah, we went for
all this time, and nobody ever thought about us until, what
was it, 2009 or 2010. Anyway, the first group from Wausau
here, that went down for never forgotten, but anyway, the
guy who got you the names for the veterans, uhh, Mr.
Aleckson, he was the leader of this Never Forgotten Honor

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Flight program. Well, we went by train, no, we went by plane. That was my first plane
ride. It was a BIG plane, and we flew to Washington, D.C. to see the memorial that
they had built for WWII, and we saw a few other memorials too. But, it was a great
day. If you were tired, there was a wheelchair for you, and there would be someone to
push you if you wanted it. And when we came home, we got held back a bit because
there were guys up front in wheelchairs that
they got off first, so then we started going off
We got up in the air, and
slow, and at 10:30 at night, in Wausau, there
was a band playing and officers standing
they said, Mail Call. I had
there saluting, and the airport down there
no idea. My wife, my daughwas just jammed with people. At 10:30 P.M.,
ter, my son, a lot of people
it was unbelievable. And now, I wear this
hat, and I often have people come up to me
around Wausau, they all
and say Thanks a lot. Hell say, you know.
wrote a letter and sent it to
When we went down in Washington, that
was my first plane ride, and they had what
him.
you called a guardian and two service people. And we got on the plane, somehow by talking, the lady from Mosinee, she was our
guardian and a guy from Rhinelander. But anyway, we got talking on the plane and I
says, I have never been on a plane before. They said, well you better take the window
seat. Theyd both been up, so I got the window seat. I couldnt believe it, we just went
up through air. We went over Lake Michigan by Milwaukee. Man it didnt take any
time, and we were over that. And for a while, I was beginning to see little puffs of
white stuff. I couldnt figure it out, so I asked the guy, what in the world is that? He
said youre above the clouds. That was quite a long day, well we left at seven o'clock
A.M. and then it was just about 10:30 P.M. when we came back. It was a long day, but
boy, it was a busy day. When we were on the plane coming home, I thought, well you
know, I should take a little nap. We got up in the air, and they said, Mail call. I had
no idea. My wife, my daughter, my son, a lot of people around Wausau, they all wrote
a letter and sent it to him. We all got a manilla envelope and they were all mail call. By
the time they got that all passed out, hey, theres Wausau.

Were you awarded any medals or citations?

No, just the victory medal and I just had one little bar with a star on it. That meant
one invasion. Some of them had their chest full.

What was your most frightening experience?

We have what they called a five inch, gun, you know, and there was kind a big ring
around it. There were about six or seven guys on that station. I was one of them there
too. Some of the guy had been in before or have been in or sometime already, you

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know. They were on our ship. We were coming into.....it must have been San
Francisco too. And there were big land swells, you know. And the captain tried to
steer around, but we couldnt so we just have to hit them. Waves were coming in this
way, not wild waves, just big waves . We were
going this way and that wind was blowing in
this way, and then the ship would go way
over this way and that way. It would go this
way and then come back and then go again. So I guess my most frightenheheh.. there were two guys sitting there
ing was that and climbing the
and saying, oh, another 2 degrees and it
mast, yes because we never
would never right itself. You know they
were watching the mast up there. Im sitting fired a gun except in practice.
thinking, oh what am i going to do, you
In fact, I never carried a gun,
know. (Laugh) You know that was frightenin fact some of them had
ing because that....within the first week or
two, i guess i was on the ship there. So I
rifles, and we never had a
guess my most frightening was that and
gun at all.
climbing the mast, yes because we never
fired a gun except in practice. In fact, I never
carried a gun, in fact some of them had rifles,
and we never had a gun at all. Except on the boats, they had machine guns on the
boats.

Did you ever do anything for fun?

No, I tell ya, we had a lot of boys bring them in on the boat, and they would go ashore.
Then you would pick them up about midnight, and they cant hardly walk. They had a
good time they thought. I felt pretty good I didnt do anything yet. Oh boy, I guess we
have quite a few movies in the evening. You know, we didnt have any outside though.
No, because depending upon just where you were, but then the smoking light would be
out outside because you know its dark out. We strike a match, somebody that thinks
they see something they will see that. So we are all nervous. No smoking, no nothing
on topside then it was on top of the ladder, it was a stair and then there was a canvas
hanging we got to move that canvas over and get in between before we can open outside doors, so that there were no light coming in when you open the door. Then one
night I was standing outside by the rail just thinking you know and I knew we were in
a big convoy at that time and I remember where we were going, if were heading
towards Okinawa or not, but anyway I knew there were several ships, it was black outside and I knew there was a ship, less than a block away from us. It was steaming right
along with us and standing there and all a sudden the ship was bright. You could see
everything that ship what they called phosphorus in the water. From the ship, when

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the ship is throwing that water and throws around and there it is. There were a lot of
phosphorus. Thats one thing about the ocean and theres all kind of waters. Its a big
body of water, but theres all kind of waters. There is some water where we sometime
be going up by the bow and you could see the keel, the water was so clear. Or you
would go down to the stern, and you could almost see the propeller going. Then again
you couldnt see your hands in front of you.

And that is where I was

What did you do after you were discharged?
working when I went in so
I went back to work where I was working
when I got back out, I went
when I was discharged at the venner factoright back there and sure
ry. I dont think any of you know, no I dont
think any of you know where that factory
enough they give me my job.
was that we had in Wausau. Yes we had it
right where Rose Garden is. The restaurant
in town. The Rose garden on Thomas Street.
Its big, you might see a big restaurant, and they have dances there, weddings and all
that. Anyway, we have the factory there and we cut some one, one-hundredth of an
inch, they peel it off of the log In strips and then it was dried. Well, those we didnt dry
it in the drier, we hung them up on clotheslines, but otherwise I worked in the drying
department and that was a big long machine and had high heat in there. There was
chain like, one wanted to go this way and the other one wanted to come this way and it
sort of when it went into the machine they were held flat, you know, and they will go
ohhh, maybe a hundred feet. And that is where I was working when I went in so when
I got back out, I went right back there and sure enough they give me my job. So I
worked there, I became foreman in the department then, and I decided I had enough I
had worked there 25 years. I just hated to go to work in the morning. so that was the
time when John Muir in Wausau, they were going to open that school up in the fall
and this was more in the spring. They were talking about that they were going to open
that school up in the fall, and how many custodians they would need and all that. You
know it was all in the paper. So the head custodian from the Senior High, he went to
church with us, the same as the man that was over all, you might say he was the boss
of all the maintenance. He went to church with us too. So when I saw that, I told my
wife, I want to try for that. So I talked with Harvey and he says Tell Frank you
would come over and see him tomorrow. So after my shift was over at 3:00 o'clock.
Seven to three I was working then. I went to see him and well he said he put me down.
Then he called me once if i want to drive a bus, there was an opening on the bus, student bus, you know. No I never drove one of those. Well all of a sudden, then they put
me as they... they decided on all these...different schools had to come into the school
district. So all of the cities on the outside of Wausau. They all have to be serviced, so

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they put me on that. So I drove that...I was driving all the time, thats how I got this
bad eye. The sun and the windshield, you know. Anyway then I stayed there then,
when they put me on that job, boy I was on that job for about 15 years maybe. Then
Rib Mountain school, they were in need of a custodian so I put in for that, and I got
tired of driving, you know. My wife was after me because in the winter it is pretty
rough driving sometimes. So then I put in eight years at Rib Mountain school and I
retired from there.

Is there a message you have for young people today about war?
My theory was always do what you're asked plus a little more if you can. Yes that is
what I would do. I would say. I know they would because I had to deliver to Rib
Mountain school, so I got to know most of them there. When I told them I was coming
out there everybody was glad because I mean there, well, you come in there with an
office, you know some supplies. Well there would be some little, favor I would do for
them. This and that, so that got me in out there then when I was tired of driving. So I
did my job there, plus a little more.

After returning from the service Clifford went back to

working at Underwod Veneer Company until he
retired.