My Carrier War by Norman E. Berg Page B

wife to take care of too.
    I landed, checked in at operations, did the paperwork to transfer the F4F to N.A.S. Norfolk, and asked directions to the offices of Escort Scouting Squadron 28. I can still recall the response of the young sailor behind the counter at operations.
    “Sir, VGS-28 is in hangar three. Catch the bus just outside. It will drop you off. Good luck, Sir, and get a Jap for me.”
    I stood at the bus stop, waiting.
    So much for your welcome to the fleet. Well, I’m just a lowly ensign. What did I expect? Someone from the squadron? Wonder what a squadron will be like? How many pilots? Hope the squadron has dive-bombers. Funny remark that sailor made. Wonder if the squadron is assigned to a carrier. Hope the squadron won’t be leaving right away. Maybe Jean should go back to Bremerton? Here’s my stop.
    I reported to the squadron duty officer with my orders, and after a day devoted to checking out with the medical and personnel departments to be sure my personal papers were in order, I reported to the number two man in the squadron: the executive officer (XO), Lieutenant Poutant. After declaring, “Ensign Berg reporting, Sir!” he asked me to sit down in front of his desk and proceeded to fill me in on the history of VGS-28. (VGS means “composite air group.”) We were one of four newly commissioned carrier squadrons at Norfolk, scheduled for deployment aboard four newly commissioned carriers. I felt excited about going aboard a new carrier. The XO, as I remember, quickly dampened my exuberance. In fact, I still remember his words.
    “Mr. Berg, this outfit is scheduled to deploy on a converted oil tanker previously owned by the Esso Oil Company. It is now owned by the Navy and has a flight deck built on it so it can fly aircraft off the deck. Our ship is USS
Chenango
, Auxiliary Aircraft Carrier (ACV-28), named after a river in New York State. It’s not much of a carrier—top speed 18 knots as compared to the Navy’s four remaining fleet carriers,
Enterprise, Saratoga, Wasp
, and
Horne
t, which all can do 30 knots! Our carrier will still carry fuel oil, so we’ll be refueling other ships as well as operating our aircraft.”
    After describing our carrier, he asked, “Mr. Berg, you’re married, aren’t you? Is your wife with you?”
    I quickly explained my situation about Jean’s brother visiting and how I’d been checking the apartment rentals in the Norfolk area.
    “Mr. Berg, unless you have a car, I’d recommend that you look for a room for you and your wife in a private home that’s on the bus line. Apartments are usually a long way from the air station and you’ll need a car. I’ll ask my wife to keep a look out for a room for you and Mrs. Berg.”
    USS
Chenango
(CVE-28). Photo taken in Eniwetok Harbor, July 9, 1944. (Original photo by Paul Madden, photographer (CV-6), USS Essex.
    It was clear that the interview was over. I stood up, thanked him, saluted, and left his office. I walked down the passageway to the pilots’ ready room where we had lockers to stow our flight gear, got a cup of coffee and sat down.
    God! A room in someone’s home! Housing is really tough in this town.
Did he say only four fleet carriers left? Let’s see,
Yorktown
was lost at
Midway in June. I remember reading the story with Jean—a room! Jean
is going to be so disappointed. Maybe the XO’s wife can help. Got to
find something soon. Then we lost
Lexington
at the Battle of Coral Sea
in May. Why wasn’t Jean home when I called last night? No answer.
She may have disconnected the phone in the apartment. Maybe she’ll
call here so I’ll know when to meet her. Ed must be about ready to go
back to Bremerton. Wonder when the squadron will leave for the
Pacific? Bet there’s a pilot shortage right now. That’s why the hurry to
get this outfit ready to go. I’m already on the flight schedule tomorrow,
in a TBF for a practice bombing flight—a bombing flight! How in the n
hell do you bomb with a torpedo