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 Russell Pratt Morse, Lt. USS Salt Lake City CA25 WWII |
USS SLC...Officer...Russell Pratt Morse, Lt.
Dec. 7th, 2016 Sandy, Russell Pratt Morse died on Saturday, December 3, 2016 after a brief illness. Russ lived to be over 100 years old. He was a world traveler up until a few years ago. One of his last trips was to Timbuktu in Mali, West Africa. He told our family "now that he has been to Timbuktu and back, he had seen it all"! Thank you for posting the updates on Russ's page. Robert R. Woodcock
Capt. Russell P. Morse was buried at sea on July 9, 2017 by the officers and crew of the USS Halsey DDG97. "Conforming to Naval tradition, the ship was slowed, colors displayed at half mast and the participating officers and crew were paraded appropriately" The Halsey was on route from Pearl Harbor to San Diego. The ceremony took place 385 nautical miles off the California coast. This was a fitting ceremony to honor the 36 years that Captain Morse served in the United States Navy. Robert R. Woodcock
Nov. 1, 1943 Roster of Officers Restricted Records: Div. V - Duty: DO, Senior Aviator, Ship's Photo Officer Battle Station: Plane |
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Pictured with his aircraft #6 in picture with SLC Pilots, 1941 #10 in Victor Division, May 30th, 1942 #6 in V Division, summer of 1943 Saga of the USS SLC CA25 by H. H. Jaekel Tidbit from Edmond Katenkamp Tidbits from Don Rholl SLC Deck Log Officer's List SLC Deck Logs Dec. 1941 Jun. 1942 Jun. 1942 Nov. 1943 Pictured with small group of Veterans at the 1995 SLC Mini Reunion Attended the following SLC Reunions: 1973 1975 1979 1983 1985 1989 1991 |
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Found in the SLC Deck Logs, for July 1942 Morse, Russell P., Lt(jg), USNR was washed overboard to starboard by a large wave while standing on the port side of the quarter deck. The wave came across the quarter deck from port to starboard. The wave carried him across the deck through two emergency life lines, through the regular life line, and over the starboard side. All engines were immediately stopped, the ship turned hard to starboard and commenced maneuvering to pick up the man. The Captain took the Conn. Smoke bomb was thrown over the side from the signal bridge to mark vicinity of man. The airplane recovery starboard was streamed to starboard to help pick up the man. Main engines shifted to H.P. Combination. Boatswain chair was rigged on airplane crane. Lt. (jg) Morse was recovered. He swam to the Boatsman's chair that was lowered to water's edge after the ship came along side, and was hoisted aboard. He was taken to sick bay for examination. The Officer-of-the-Deck relieved the Captain off the deck. During the recover, several of the ship's crew were injured while assisting in the rescue. Report made by Medical Officer after examining Lt.(jg) Morse and the following named men: Morse, R. P., Lt.(jg), Diag: Exposure. Retained in Sick Bay for observation. Condition: Good Rourke, L. P., S1c, Diag: Laceration, right out eyebrow: Treated & returned to duty. Pate, P. S1c, Diag: Contusion right arm. Retained in Sick Bay for observation. Condition: Good Walker, A. T., S1c, Diag: Laceration of scalp, multiple contusions. Retained in Sick Bay for treatment & observation. Robinson, H. V., S1c, Diag. Back Injury. Retained in Sick Bay for treatment & observation. Condition: Fair. Jolley, H. B., SC3c, Diag: Laceration, 4th finger, right hand. Dressed wound and returned to duty. |
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Dec. 1st, 2016 TIDBITS FROM Russell Morse
Sandra, I am the youngest son of Capt. David G. Woodcock USNR. Russell Morse and my father were bunk mates at USN boot camp and also during flight training in Pensacola FL during 1941. They remained the very close friends until my fathers death in 1986. Our family is very close to Russ and he is known to me, my brother and my sister as Uncle Rusty! In August 2016, Russ celebrated his 100th birthday in Seattle. Last year I asked Russ why he was on deck during the typhoon off of New Zealand. He said that the pilots were having a meeting and had gotten new maps for an upcoming campaign. The pilots were folding the maps but were not sure how to fold them in the correct size to fit in the aircrafts(Curtis SOC) map case. As the junior officer the other pilots elected Russ to go to the aircraft hanger area and retrieve a map case. As he left the ward room into a passage way, which ran the width of the ship a huge wave hit and the rest of the story is almost as published in the log. One piece of the event that was left out was that the ships doctor issued a dose of medical whiskey to Russ and that the doctor was really impressed with the stitching work he had done a week earlier after Russ had his appendix out. We really appreciate the amount of work and effort it takes to keep this website updated and I hope you find this little tidbit about Russ somewhat interesting! I have a few more stories that Russ has shared with me during his time aboard the SLC. Russ and I talked at his birthday about the battle of Komandorski(Attu). I asked him how he faired in that one. He told me that it was a real shooting war.... for 5 hours. The captain ordered everyone to their battle stations. He said as a pilot he didn't have a battle station or maybe he had missed that part! He found a place to sit between some bulkheads, out of the way and out of the action. He told me that two other 18 year old sailors came by, both were scared and crying. Being their senior, 26 years old he took the lead. He told them to sit down and stick with him! I will keep you informed as to how Russ is doing. I do know that he enjoyed attending past SLC reunions. I will keep you informed on how Capt. Russell Pratt Morse USNR is getting along. Thank you, Robert R. Woodcock Montesano, WA 98563 Return to Article Index |
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