Willis V. Avery US Navy USS Solace |
I was a member of the USS Solace (a hospital ship in Pearl Harbor on Dec 7,1941). At that time I was a 3rd class Pharmacist mate. At the very beginning of the attack, word was passed on the loud speakers for Pharmacist mates that were single, and also off duty to report to the quarter deck for transport to ships that may need us. Our liberty boat was already pulled along side as many of us were prepared to go ashore on liberty. We jumped into the boat and I believe it was just by chance that the coxswain or possibly Chief Pharmacist Mate Cunningham decided to pull along side the USS Arizona. We went aboard the Arizona, and proceeded to give medical attention to the wounded, and also help lift them into any boat that pulled along side. Many of them were probably taken to the hospital at Aiea Landing and many more were taken to the USS Solace, which had a full, compliment of medical corpsmen and of course some very fine Doctors. It seems to me we had about 4 operating rooms on the Solace. Two operating rooms that could handle any surgery and 2 more that were probably used for orthopedic type of surgery. I really don't know how long I was on the Arizona as in taking care of the patients, and the bombs going off and the extreme fires on the Arizona I never had a chance to take notice of the time. I was working with a friend by the name of Ballance who was a 2nd class Pharmacist mate. We were ordered off the ship many times but each time we just said we have patients to take care of and went on with out work. Finally we were ordered off, and the Officer of the Deck said, "Off and I mean now and I have not got time to argue with you". Also the Officer swore at me which is rather uncommon for an Officer to swear at a enlisted man. The only reference I have as to time, was when I returned to the Solace, I still remember I was assigned to the operating room area and some cooks from the galley brought up some baloney sandwiches to have for lunch. I thought well that will be great. I took a bite of the sandwich and chewed and chewed and still could not get it to go down my throat. I even remember walking over to a drinking fountain to get some water to wash it down. Guess I was too excited to get any saliva to help digest the sandwich. |
Information provided by Willis V. Avery |
Willis Avery and his daughter Sandra Sanders USS Solace Reunion 1998 |
