Eyewitness Report of John "Jack" Vaessen, F2/c USN
[Editorial Note. John AKA "Jack" Vaessen was trapped inside the USS Utah when it capsized. Shortly after 1100 a rescue crew from the USS Raleigh was furnished to Warrant Officer Stanley Szmanski and Chief Terry MacSelwiney of the Utah. (Ref: USS Raleigh deck log dated Sunday, 7 December , 1941)This crew literally cut Vaessen from the air pocket in the bottom of the ship. Due to Jack's unique story he has been swamped by reporters, historians and others in quest of his story over the years. He was kind enough to forward a brief synopsis of the days events for publication on this Web Site, with the reminder that his complete story may be found as follows:
Oral History Department
University of North Texas, at Denton, Texas. (Interview #587)]
"[The] Navy custom was to relieve the watch 1/4 hour before the watch change. Joe Barta was on duty and said that between readings he put new batteries in emergency kits and checked supplies. In the meantime, Roy Sonnleitner came down and dogged down the hatch stairs to be painted. Roy said to cross the Amplydne room to go up the other side of the ship
Joe Barta then said activate cranes after 0800 as there was lumber on deck to be loaded for Navy Yard. He wanted to go topside to get a Sunday paper. He became trapped in the battle grating and was unable to make it. The blisters [on the side of the ship] were wide open, having just been painted and when the first torpedo hit they filled fast. Then batteries began exploding. I was hit with deck plates, fire extinguishers, etc.
I pulled fans and all the power and headed to the hatch to the dynamo room as the ship was turning over. In the dynamo room, the wrench for the hatch to the bilges was where it was supposed to be open up. Asbestos flew like a snow storm as I crawled up to a bottom through the bilge, tapping for a hollow sound. In the meantime I could hear the superstructure break and water would rush closer.
While I was tapping with the wrench I got an answer then silence, then rat-a-tat-tat. I thought that was a pneumatic tool. It was strafing and the rescue crew ducked behind the bilge keel.
After I was out and joined the salvage crew LTCDR S. S. Isquith got a motor launch to the 14th Naval District Headquarters to report. He told the Commandant of the rescue and that on the [USS] Oklahoma there must have been the same type of condition. The Admiral said he had been preoccupied and had an aide call "Boys Town" where many yard workers lived to explain the very dangers job. People familiar with steel cutting were a high priority. Another Aide got blue prints and supplies and as a result 28 to 32 men were rescued. I never met any of those rescued from the Oklahoma. LTCDR Isquith presented the Admiral a list of names for medals.
Talking to me, the Admiral said " You and the young fellow on the switchboard only, plus Tomich who kept the steam up." [This would be Chief Watertender Peter Tomich who received the Medal of Honor posthumously - more info re Chief Tomich will be available on this Web Site.]
I still have the flashlight and the wrench which I used to find my way to the ships hull; they are kept in good working order. Stanley Semanski, Warrant Machinist and Terry MacSelwiney both Utah men, heard my tapping first. They went to the USS Tangier to obtain cutting equipment but were turned down, by probably a new OD, because the equipment was Title 'B' equipment.
They decided to try to obtain rescue equipment from the USS Raleigh, although the Raleigh was in bad condition herself. The Warrant Carpenter on the Raleigh, Ray Tellin said "yes, and I will send a crew with you to help." The following is a list of those in the rescue party from the USS Raleigh:
William Hendrickson, a Chief Petty Officer
William D. Hill of Knoxville, TN (see note)
Robert Hill of Bridgeport, AL
Steve White of Malad, Idaho. Being from Idaho, Steve had experienced pulling sugar beets out of the ground. Thus he was the one who pounded out the hull plate as slag from the cutting process was holding it in.
Al Knaovich of Phoenix, AZ
Elvin Groseclose of Speedway, IN
Ray Kulpit of Chicago, whom I did not meet afterward.
Littley from Big Springs, TX was killed later in the war.
Note: Bill Hill was also a Navy Diver. After the Raleigh was moved away from it's berth, he went diving for a bomb that went through the carpenter shop, just missing an aviation gas storage. He recovered a 12" projectile that had "USS Florida" printed on it. Wings had been added, and the inspector's number was visible. (The Florida was a sister ship of the Utah.) Bill was also diving for other things jettisoned from the Raleigh during the attack.
John Vaessen
F2/c USS UTAH
December 7, 1941
(Additional information: John Vaessen was awarded the Navy Cross. William D. Hill was awarded a Commendatory Mast. A letter written in 1967 by Retired Navy Admiral S. S. Isquith (Senior Officer on board Utah on 12-07-1941), indicates that the rescue of 32 men from the USS Oklahoma on December 7th, may have been inspired by the rescue of our own Jack Vaessen)