Veteran recalls his days in U.S. Navy during World War II
Over 16 million Americans served in the U.S. Armed Forces during World War II. They were the children of the Great Depression and came from every part of the nation to serve their country.
One of those 16 million was Pine Island resident Frank Furia.
“I was born in Rochester, New York, on April 20, 1924,” Furia said. “I was just 17 when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and I wanted to join the Navy but my mother was sick and my father refused to sign the papers. You had to be 18 years old to join without a parents signature at that time.”
In late 1942, after Furia turned 18, he joined the Navy and entered boot camp at Sampson Naval Training Base in January 1943.
“They built that facility at Seneca Lake in New York state in less than a year,” Furia said. “Boot camp was eight weeks long and the base was right on the lakefront. I was assigned fence guard duty and I can tell you it was cold that winter. I had a big sheepskin coat and one of those Mickey Mouse ear-flap hats tying to keep warm.”
At the completion of boot camp, Furia was sent to Philadelphia to join the crew of the USS Monterey (CVL-26) in Camden, New Jersey. The Monterey was an Independence-class light cruiser converted to an aircraft carrier. Originally named the Dayton, she was renamed after the Battle of Monterey and launched Feb. 28, 1942.
“When I came aboard ship they thought I was 14 years old and wanted to send me home but I carried my birth certificate with me to document my age,” Furia said. “The ship was commissioned June 17, 1943, and after her shakedown cruise we departed Philadelphia for the Caribbean Sea where we went looking for German submarines. They put depth charges on the torpedo bombers and we flushed out three submarines. One of my shipmates was an ensign named Gerald R. Ford the future president of the United States.”
In July 1943, the Monterey was ordered to the western Pacific. After passing through the Panama Canal, the ship arrived in the Gilbert Islands in November 1943 in time to help secure Makin Island. The ship also took part in strikes on Kavieng and supported landings at Kwajalein and Eniwetok into February 1944, followed by raids in the Caroline and Mariana Islands, northern New Guinea, Bonin Islands and the Battle of the Philippine Sea.
After a quick overhaul at Pearl Harbor, the Monterey returned to battle and launched strikes against Wake Island and in the southern Philippines, supported the Leyte and Mindoro landings.
Then on Dec. 18, 1944, the Monterey, along with Admiral William Halsey’s 3rd Fleet, sailed into Typhoon Cobra. Halsey’s weather experts misread the track of the impending storm and the Task Force sailed right into 100-knot winds (120 mph) and extremely high seas causing the ships to roll more than 70 degrees.
Furia was on the mast when the storm struck.
“The seas were enormous and three destroyers rolled over,” Furia said. “I saw them with my own eyes. Several planes on the hanger deck of the Monterey tore loose and spilled aviation fuel on the deck. Something sparked and there were several fires going all at once. I was waiting to go on the hose when the fires were contained. Ensign Gerald Ford was instrumental in putting those fires out.”
The storm, heavy winds and heavy seas continued for two days.
“We were lucky to get through that alive,” Furia said. “We lost almost 800 men in that typhoon and the storm decimated the fleet.”
The fleet lost the USS Hull, USS Monaghan and the USS Spence. Damaged ships included the Cowpens, Langley, Cabot, San Jacinto, Altamaha, Anzio, Nehenta, Cape Esperance, Iowa, Baltimore, Miami, Dewey, Aylwin, Buchanan, Dyson, Hickox, Maddox, Benham, Donaldson, Nawman, Tabberer, Waterman, Natahala, Jicarilla, Shasta and Monterey.
“The damage was so bad Admiral Halsey kept it a secret,” Furia said. “They didn’t want the Japanese to know how much damage the fleet had sustained.”
The damage to Monterey was extensive and after the storm it sailed to Bremerton, Wash., for an overhaul in January 1945. Afterwards she rejoined the fleet and supported the Okinawa Operations.
“After the war, Monterey was assigned ‘Magic Carpet’ duty making several voyages between Naples, Italy, and Norfolk, Va.,” Furia said. “During ‘Magic Carpet’ duty, we brought soldiers back home. It was the only time I got to see where my family came from. I never got back to Italy.”
During World War II, Monterey planes sank five enemy warships, and damaged many others. The Monterey and her crew were also responsible for the destruction of thousands of tons of Japanese shipping and hundreds of planes. In all, Furia was involved in 11 major engagements of World War II.
Furia served in the Navy until 1959. After leaving the Navy, he served 8 1/2 years in the National Guard as part of the Cornell, New York, Cavalry.
“I moved back to Rochester, New York, where I met Sara in 1964,” Furia said.
Sarah Mitchell was living in Spring-water, New York, and working in Roches-ter 50 miles away as a nanny.
“I took the bus back and forth to work every day,” Sarah said. “Then one day while waiting for the bus this stranger came along and offered me a ride. Of course, I said no. Then a couple of weeks later in a pouring rain I was waiting for the bus and along comes this same stranger. This time, probably because of the rain, I said yes and he brought me to the bus station. And the rest as they say is history we’ll be married 52 years in September.”
Sarah and Frank went on to have three sons Gregory, John Henry and Christopher. Today they have seven grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
“What started us coming down to Florida was a car accident Sarah had,” Frank said. “Being here in the warmth helped her feel better and back in 1988, we rented a place here. We like it so much we decided to buy a house and have lived here ever since.
“After the war I got to see Gerald Ford again when I was stationed aboard the USS Randell in 1948,” Frank said. “I also got to see the Monterey again. She was decommissioned in February 1947 and sent back to Philadelphia. I had an opportunity get there. I have a lot of memories from that ship – I think I saw ghosts.”
Veteran recalls his days in U.S. Navy during World War II
Over 16 million Americans served in the U.S. Armed Forces during World War II. They were the children of the Great Depression and came from every part of the nation to serve their country.
One of those 16 million was Pine Island resident Frank Furia.
“I was born in Rochester, New York, on April 20, 1924,” Furia said. “I was just 17 when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and I wanted to join the Navy but my mother was sick and my father refused to sign the papers. You had to be 18 years old to join without a parents signature at that time.”
In late 1942, after Furia turned 18, he joined the Navy and entered boot camp at Sampson Naval Training Base in January 1943.
“They built that facility at Seneca Lake in New York state in less than a year,” Furia said. “Boot camp was eight weeks long and the base was right on the lakefront. I was assigned fence guard duty and I can tell you it was cold that winter. I had a big sheepskin coat and one of those Mickey Mouse ear-flap hats tying to keep warm.”
At the completion of boot camp, Furia was sent to Philadelphia to join the crew of the USS Monterey (CVL-26) in Camden, New Jersey. The Monterey was an Independence-class light cruiser converted to an aircraft carrier. Originally named the Dayton, she was renamed after the Battle of Monterey and launched Feb. 28, 1942.
“When I came aboard ship they thought I was 14 years old and wanted to send me home but I carried my birth certificate with me to document my age,” Furia said. “The ship was commissioned June 17, 1943, and after her shakedown cruise we departed Philadelphia for the Caribbean Sea where we went looking for German submarines. They put depth charges on the torpedo bombers and we flushed out three submarines. One of my shipmates was an ensign named Gerald R. Ford the future president of the United States.”
In July 1943, the Monterey was ordered to the western Pacific. After passing through the Panama Canal, the ship arrived in the Gilbert Islands in November 1943 in time to help secure Makin Island. The ship also took part in strikes on Kavieng and supported landings at Kwajalein and Eniwetok into February 1944, followed by raids in the Caroline and Mariana Islands, northern New Guinea, Bonin Islands and the Battle of the Philippine Sea.
After a quick overhaul at Pearl Harbor, the Monterey returned to battle and launched strikes against Wake Island and in the southern Philippines, supported the Leyte and Mindoro landings.
Then on Dec. 18, 1944, the Monterey, along with Admiral William Halsey’s 3rd Fleet, sailed into Typhoon Cobra. Halsey’s weather experts misread the track of the impending storm and the Task Force sailed right into 100-knot winds (120 mph) and extremely high seas causing the ships to roll more than 70 degrees.
Furia was on the mast when the storm struck.
“The seas were enormous and three destroyers rolled over,” Furia said. “I saw them with my own eyes. Several planes on the hanger deck of the Monterey tore loose and spilled aviation fuel on the deck. Something sparked and there were several fires going all at once. I was waiting to go on the hose when the fires were contained. Ensign Gerald Ford was instrumental in putting those fires out.”
The storm, heavy winds and heavy seas continued for two days.
“We were lucky to get through that alive,” Furia said. “We lost almost 800 men in that typhoon and the storm decimated the fleet.”
The fleet lost the USS Hull, USS Monaghan and the USS Spence. Damaged ships included the Cowpens, Langley, Cabot, San Jacinto, Altamaha, Anzio, Nehenta, Cape Esperance, Iowa, Baltimore, Miami, Dewey, Aylwin, Buchanan, Dyson, Hickox, Maddox, Benham, Donaldson, Nawman, Tabberer, Waterman, Natahala, Jicarilla, Shasta and Monterey.
“The damage was so bad Admiral Halsey kept it a secret,” Furia said. “They didn’t want the Japanese to know how much damage the fleet had sustained.”
The damage to Monterey was extensive and after the storm it sailed to Bremerton, Wash., for an overhaul in January 1945. Afterwards she rejoined the fleet and supported the Okinawa Operations.
“After the war, Monterey was assigned ‘Magic Carpet’ duty making several voyages between Naples, Italy, and Norfolk, Va.,” Furia said. “During ‘Magic Carpet’ duty, we brought soldiers back home. It was the only time I got to see where my family came from. I never got back to Italy.”
During World War II, Monterey planes sank five enemy warships, and damaged many others. The Monterey and her crew were also responsible for the destruction of thousands of tons of Japanese shipping and hundreds of planes. In all, Furia was involved in 11 major engagements of World War II.
Furia served in the Navy until 1959. After leaving the Navy, he served 8 1/2 years in the National Guard as part of the Cornell, New York, Cavalry.
“I moved back to Rochester, New York, where I met Sara in 1964,” Furia said.
Sarah Mitchell was living in Spring-water, New York, and working in Roches-ter 50 miles away as a nanny.
“I took the bus back and forth to work every day,” Sarah said. “Then one day while waiting for the bus this stranger came along and offered me a ride. Of course, I said no. Then a couple of weeks later in a pouring rain I was waiting for the bus and along comes this same stranger. This time, probably because of the rain, I said yes and he brought me to the bus station. And the rest as they say is history we’ll be married 52 years in September.”
Sarah and Frank went on to have three sons Gregory, John Henry and Christopher. Today they have seven grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
“What started us coming down to Florida was a car accident Sarah had,” Frank said. “Being here in the warmth helped her feel better and back in 1988, we rented a place here. We like it so much we decided to buy a house and have lived here ever since.
“After the war I got to see Gerald Ford again when I was stationed aboard the USS Randell in 1948,” Frank said. “I also got to see the Monterey again. She was decommissioned in February 1947 and sent back to Philadelphia. I had an opportunity get there. I have a lot of memories from that ship – I think I saw ghosts.”