NOTE; My brother, James M. Goff died in March, 2007. These notes that he had written years ago were found in the bottom of a drawer. I will copy these notes as he wrote them.
British Battleship "Warspite" came into Bremerton Navy Yard near Seattle Wash, l94l from Pacific with 17 dead in bow from tarpedo. I visted aboard but don't remember much of "Stern Walk" (B.B.Battleship). U.S.S. Colorado was in drydock that they finally got in for repair. The dead smell was awful. I had left the Colorado in Hawaii - I had served a year on her, then came to Bremerton to put new diesel drive seaplane tender in commission "USS Biscayne."
With supplies for sea planes and crews we were sent to Greenland to kill off U-Boats preying on convoys to Russia. Next we were rushed to Freetown, Africa to do the same job in preparation and involvement of invasion of North Africa. Casablanca, from there up river to Port Lauty doing the same thing.
Then in Oran, Africa were converted into comand ship, to lead invasiona. Admiral Connally, Staff, war room, mass communiications, officers from different military service, countries, etc. Made invasion of Sicily at Licata. Here I was in charge of repair party on LCT (landing craft tank). We stayed with army gun crew "48MM's" on breakwater. We ate with them and passed ammo, etc.
When on a black night, in the middle of being heavily bombed, half the little town on fire, when some of our own planes that had been pulling glider of paratroops etc, became lost, and getting out of fuel, came in on top of us. We helped shoot some down. We were all condemmed for this around the world. Hearing crys for help, we took our boat and rescued all but pilot - dead , went down with plane. Fearing they were Nazi fakes, we frisked them as we pulled thim in. Almost had to shoot one and throw him back when he found out who we were
Next, we led the English in at town of Salarino, Italy. BLOODY, bloody, bodies along shore, 3 and 4 deep until small corvet, Canadian and one of our own destroyers cleared the beach. From here we were sent to take over down the beach where US boys had been landed on side of little river and supplies on the other. When they had to back up to beach for their supplies, the Admiral there sent us in to turn it around or evacuate. They took off 30 minutes later. A paratrooper group from Sicily was called to help I saw jump 20 minutes late. My first cousin, Olan Ratliff, was one of them and was killed.
Auss cruiser and British B.B. pulled close behind us - Biscayne, shelling Nazi tanks which turnd the tied. However high flying bombers dropped glide bombs on us, but lt last minute sent one in to sink our U.S. Cruiser, one almost sunk English battleship "Warspite", another one hit among small boats at large freighters unloading, filled bay with bodies, legs, arms, etc. Our boats worked days pulling bodys and parts out of water, turning them over to Army for burying.
Later I thought I was going to be shot by a behind lines brass, when I was locating cousins grave that had been moved to outskirts of Naples, Italy.
