Named WW2 Coast Guard PhMC(Chief Medic's) Uniform set

[Paul R]

This is a really nice grouping to one man. He was a Pharmacist Mate Chief who served from 1937 until 1948. He served in all three theaters of operation and was on a ship that was torpedo'ed during the Battle of the Philippines. This was sold to me by his daughter. She will look for his ribbon bars and make copies of any of photos and documents, which she is going through now. I look forward to posting more items as they come in.

[Rogi]

Very nice pick up Paul

Nice to see this uniform going to a good home

[Paul R]

Thanks Igor! I am so excited to have this set. I am in contact his daughter. There are eight boxes of stuff yet to go through. She is going to hook me up with his original ribbon bars, photos, and documents....

[Rogi]

Thanks Igor! I am so excited to have this set. I am in contact his daughter. There are eight boxes of stuff yet to go through. She is going to hook me up with his original ribbon bars, photos, and documents....

That is excellent Paul So good to hear man, you always hear about the stuff getting split up but its nice to see this go to a good home where it won't be split

[army historian]

Yes, very very nice group.

[Hoyden R.]

Queen Research Gnome did some digging in Ancestry.com per Paul's request. Here's what I found.

Make sure you click the links too, because I've either linked to more pictures or to sources of information.

Joseph Francis Kuchta

DOB: 7 August 1919

Class of 1938, New Kensington High School, New Kensington, PA

Enlisted in the Coast Guard: 16 December 1938

Service Number: 220-057

25 MAY 1943:

USS Etamin (AK93) is commissioned with Lieutenant Commander G. W. Stedman, Jr., USCGR, in command.

Chief Pharmacist Mate Joseph F. Kuchta reports aboard for duty on the date of the USS Etamin's commissioning.

Chief Kuchta is accounted for in the Muster Roll of the Crew

30 June 1943

30 September 1943

31 December 1943


2 February 1944 - 28 February 1944: Leave in Sydney, Australia
Chief Kuchta is transported to and from Australia aboard the USS LCI(L)25

31 March 1944

[Hoyden R.]

27 APRIL - 29 APRIL 1944 :

Just before midnight, three Japanese airplanes scored a lone torpedo hit on the USS Etamin (AK93) at Milne Bay, New Guinea. Crew from the USS Etamin was transferred to the USS Bootes (AK99) on 28 April 1944. When the USS Bootes left Aitape on 29 April, she had the USS Etamin in tow.

28 April 1944: USS Etamin crew aboard the USS Bootes

27 May 1944: Report of Change showing the crew of the USS Etamin transferring off.

[Hoyden R.]

18 SEPTEMBER 1944 - 8 MAY 1946

Chief Kuchta served aboard the USS Admiral W. L. Capps (AP-121). He arrived on it's commissioning date, 18 September 1944.

There are no muster rolls, but here is the page from the USS Admiral W.L. Capps (AP-121)

US Navy Cruise Book with him listed (This is on Ancestry.com, I am not sure if you can see the whole book without a membership)

From 20 November 1944 until 12 July 1945, the USS Admiral W.L. Capps served in the Pacific Theater. They passed through the Panama Canal on 30 & 31 July 1945, steamed up to Norfolk and then departed for the Mediterranean on 1 September 1945.

Upon returning from Europe (and one of my favorite places, Naples, Italy), on 3 November 1945, they made several trips back and forth across the pond. The USS Admiral W.L. Capps, once again, departed Norfolk for the Pacific Theater on 29 December 1945. The Cruise log concludes on 24 April 1946 in New York NY for a grand total of 112,000 miles.

[Hoyden R.]

Here are a few more pages from the USS Admiral W.L. Capps (AP-121) US Navy Cruise Book

The entire Cruise Log is 122 pages long. There is an entire 20 page section that tells the "Saga" of the ship and where it went, as well as sections that describe what each division did.

If there is a particular section you'd like to see, I can download the pages and post them.

[Hoyden R.]

And a bit of info that someone else pulled up to go along with the history of Chief Kuchta.

Etamin - the battle that almost sunk her

http://www.uscg.mil/...es/Caroline.asp

The Coast Guard's Role in the Invasion of the Southwest Pacific and the Caroline Islands
by Dr. Robert M. Browning.

The Coast Guard manned Cargo ship Etamin (AK-93), steamed toward Aitape Harbor on the night of April 21, 1944. The Etamin sailed as part of a 161 vessel task force, including twenty other Coast Guard vessels, organized to make landings at Hollandia, Tanahmerah Bay, and Aitape. During the approach to the invasion beach, the ship's commanding officer, LCDR George Stedman USCGR, spoke to his men and told them of their mission and its hazards. On board were 6,000 tons of high explosives and gasoline in drums destined to be unloaded on the invasion beach. A mistake with this cargo would be fatal. At 0545 the cargo vessel entered the harbor with the rest of the Eastern Attack Group. With minesweepers ahead, Etamin had on each beam other amphibious ships approaching the beach in the dark.

In the predawn mist a destroyer shattered the stillness with the opening shots of the preliminary bombardment. The Etamin's three-inch gun opened up shortly thereafter pummeling enemy targets that included enemy pillboxes and a Japanese barge. The bombardment ended at 0630 and the combat team from the ship landed at 0800. Forty minutes later the cargo hatches were off and the winches whined as the heavy LCMs, and the cargo began going over the side.

Japanese aircraft attacked the beachhead on the second night. Bombs fell on the congested beach area and started a fire among gasoline storage and an ammunition dump. The fire lasted five days. On the night of 27 April, Japanese torpedo planes attacked the anchorage. At 2300 one swung in low off the starboard side of the Etamin and released a torpedo. It struck the starboard side about ten feet above the keel in the number five hold and ruptured the shell plating and the shaft alley. The blast sprayed gasoline over the after part of the ship, but the gas did not immediately catch fire. As the number five hold and the engine room flooded, gas fumes came in contact with the boilers and ignited. The engine room exploded in flames and severely burned three men. All hands fought the fire as the stern rapidly settled. LCDR Stedman decided to beach the ship but with no power he had to ask for assistance from an LCT. The LCT, however, could not budge the large cargo ship and Stedman gave the order to abandon ship. Only two of the ship's complement of 200 Coast Guard and 150 Army personnel died. Fortunately this was the only serious damage suffered by any of the Naval vessels during the Hollandia operation.

[Paul R]

Oh... the stuff did get split. It was a HUGE lot. For sale were his entire jumper set from when he was a PhM1, his PhMC gray and tan service jackets, and a few other odds and ends(Field gear and etc).

HoydenR- Thank you so much for tracking down all of the information on this man, as well as posting the photos! I really appreciate ya!

[Hoyden R.]

Your wife wants a M1913 Patton Saber for Christmas.