The day Dad helped sink the IJN Carrier 'Chitose' ...

[Mark Allen M]

Hey Owen that would be outstanding to be able to return your collection back to this fellows family. And especially on the anniversary of October 30, 1944. Lets hope you hear back from Mr. Okuma.

Good stuff

[Okuma]

I believe the skipper of VB-13 was Charles Skinner.
I have his logbook, Navy Cross, and some other
articles..........

I just now happened across this message board, because I was searching for my father's name. Yes. Charles Allen Skinner was commander of VB-13 in the Leyte Gulf when the Franklin was crippled. After the war, he retired to Florida, met Joyce Bush, and was a father to her 8 kids, then adopted the youngest daughter's first born son. Me. Dad didn't talk too much about the war, but he did talk about Leyte. When he was going down the elevator to get below deck, he narrowly avoided being hit by a kamikaze. The wreckage flew over his head, and he lived. He was awarded the Navy Cross for his service there.

Greetings!!! ... Here's a video of the October 30, 1944 kamikaze hit. Your dad dodged a big one that day.
http://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675 ... ing-planes

I would also suggest if you have an interest that you contact Mr. JOMiller above and see if there's a possibility you can recover your father's Logbook, Navy Cross etc.

So let me get this straight? Your grandfather adopted you from your mother? his daughter? and you became his son as opposed to his grandson? Or both? Is that correct? No matter you are kin and that's all that matters.

My biological mother was Joyce's daughter with her first husband, after they divorced, Charles married my grandmother. When I was born, my mother was unable to take care of me, resulting in a bad case of pneumonia that nearly killed me. After that, Charles and Joyce, my step-grandfather, and maternal grandmother decided to adopt me. It's a very strange family tree, when my mom is my sister and my grandmother is my mother. My brother is my nephew, but thankfully, I'm not my own grandpa. I am my own uncle though.

JOMiller, I can't figure out how to PM you, but if you have Facebook, you can message me on there, my name is Derek.

And I never really knew that the attack was on Oct 30....my birthday. No joke. Thank you for this video so much. I'm completely emotionally compromised right now, looking at that.

Last edited by Okuma on Tue Oct 29, 2013 11:38 am, edited 1 time in total.

[Mark Allen M]

Derek great to hear from you again. Don't get lost on us now. Feel free to e-mail me at the address below and I'll walk you through the PM process if you like. It's ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL you get in touch with Owen. Such a cool thing that your birthday is tomorrow. I have another thread I'll post here that deals specifically with the October 30, 1944 USS Franklin kamikaze hit as well. Great you have come here and even more outstanding you may find much more about your father's career than you may never have known. That's what this place is about (among other things) Bravo to you and Bravo to Owen. Let me know if you need ANY help at all in contacting Owen. He's a good man so you will be pleased to meet him.

Sincerely and congrats,

Mark
mam121061@aol.com

[JOMiller]

PM sent Derek

Owen

[Mark Allen M]

Hi Owen, Derek cannot PM yet because he's new to WIX (?) PM or e-mail me and I'll pass on Derek's e-mail to you. Thx for doing what you are doing. Very classy and honorable to say the least.

[Okuma]

He contacted me on facebook, I'm sure we'll both update you guys.

[Mark Allen M]

Beautiful, look forward to hearing from you's dudes ...

[Mark Allen M]

Happy birthday Derek, hopefully you and Owen have had a great chat. The youtube video below shows yet another angle of the October 30, 1944 Kamikaze hit. (69 years ago today) Your dad and mine dodged a big bullet that day. Luckily for the two of us they survived it.

Very tragic others were not so lucky ... may they forever rest in peace.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yq-URVyZNGM

This is another video I found a few years back, the narrator has the carriers mixed up though as he calls the Belleau Wood the Franklin and the Franklin the Belleau Wood. Still authentic though other than that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEoNemoBRKU

[Okuma]

Thanks for the birthday wishes! And yes, our fathers were very lucky that day.

[Okuma]

The medal, in its case.

[Mark Allen M]

OUTSTANDING!!!!!! ... You got your fathers medal back. That's gotta be be one of the most class act things I have seen happen on this site ever. Great, great, great job Owen ... Made my day.

Congrats Derek, good for you

[Okuma]

Actually, we still had the medal, what Owen has is the ribbon that goes with the medal. We're still getting everything worked out.

[Mark Allen M]

Bravo! Regardless, great hearing stuff like this.

[MaysUSMC]

I believe the skipper of VB-13 was Charles Skinner.
I have his logbook, Navy Cross, and some other
articles..........

Contact me Regarding Charles A. Skinner. He is my wife's grandfather.

[Okuma]

Wow, I haven't checked back here in a bit, been busy with school. I can't really remember most of the names, except Whitney, but it'd be great to get in contact with you about him. I'm on Facebook, my profile name is Derek Effing Skinner, currently.