en-route . All the men on that train were given new orders and were consequently dropped off at different locations . He was dropped of in Virginia at the Little Creek Coast Guard Station at Cape Henry , Virginia . But there was a problem . The men were dropped in different areas like Savannah , Little Creek , Baltimore , and New York . However all their gear continued on to New York . They all had to sit around doing nothing until the gear finally caught up to them . They waited for a whole week without their sea bags . “ We were living in a boathouse without our equipment ”, said Warren . “ The Chief Petty Officer in charge of the base advised our crew to stay out of the way and not attempt to interfere with base operations ”. The base was extremely busy as there were ships being sunk by the Germans off the Coast of Capes Charles , Henry and Hatteras .
Finally , when the gear caught up with Warren ’ s company the men were finally assigned to their duties .
“ They spread us over buoy tenders in Portsmouth , Virginia . I originally cleaned boilers in the beginning of my service as an apprentice seaman , and slept in temporary assigned sleeping quarters ”.
Some of the buoy tenders were originally the old coal burners that were converted into oil in WWII . Some of these were old lighthouse service vessels . In 1939 the Coast Guard Cutter Mistletoe was built and served as a buoy tender . Warren James served on this ship working the buoys . Coast Guard Cutters like the Mistletoe could lift 20 tons and had the capability to lift anything that was in their way . This was very important work as they set up ports and harbors for the Navy ships in many locations .
When asked about his relationship with his shipmates and his officers Quartermaster James smiles and tells us that he got along very well with everyone . He did his job and did it well and
Coast Guard Buoy tender “ Mistletoe ”. Built in 1939 this is one of the ships Quartermaster James served on during WWII . was respected by his crewmates and his officers alike . Warren tells us that most of the Coast Guard officers he encountered were good ones .
In fact there was one officer that he tells us he fondly remembers . While on duty on board the U . S . S . Eugene PF40 , there was an executive officer , who was a reservist from Texas . “ One day I took the liberty of writing a letter to his widow . I told her that if there were ever a real Mr . Roberts during World War II , it was her husband who always took them out and brought them back in one piece ”.
“ While I was overseas I would stay in touch with
Warren James ( left ) and his shipmate D . E . Christy taking a break . These men served together on the CGC Mistletoe and the USS Eugene . my family by good old mail . I would write and tell them how things were going and about any interesting things that happened . The food was good and so was the pay .
When I left the service I was making $ 127 a month ”.
Back in those war days the food was not as good as it is in today ’ s military . On special occasions like Thanksgiving and Christmas the food was “ pretty good ”. But then sometimes not so good . Warren remembers a time when he was in the New Guinea area . " We were fed powdered eggs and powdered potatoes and we ate K-Rations .”
One interesting thing that he remembers while serving there was that the natives in New Guinea were not too receptive to the Coast Guard or any other American Servicemen . They were head hunters and some of them were even cannibals .
We asked the Quartermaster how they kept up morale and what they did for recreation ? He replied , “ whenever there was an opportunity , we would find a place to go ashore and have a few beers . There was an Island off New Guinea called Admiralty Island which was a fleet anchorage . On that island was Duffy ’ s Tavern which was literally built of cases of beer . We spent some time there ”, he said . “ And sometimes we got some guys together and played baseball ”.
He remembered that at times the entertainer Bob Hope was in the Pacific area but he never got the opportunity to see him perform . When Hope was entertaining the troops on another island nearby , Warren and his shipmates were patrolling offshore .
R express
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