The following WW2 Twining communiques were saved by Bill Kauphusman.
Bill, a plank owner, died March-1980 at the age of 57.
The following communiques were provided by Bill's wife, Rosemary.
070146 (Jan)
NEIGHBOR V ASTEC
LUZON IS NOW A BLOODY BATTLE GROUND. THE ENEMY IS FIGHTING
TO THE DEATH TO
STOP OUR EXPEDITIONARY FORCES AND EMBARKED SOLDIERS. MANY
SHIPS HAVE BEEN
HIT HARD IN THE PAST FEW DAYS. EVERY UNDESTROYED ENEMY PLANE
IS POTENTIAL
DEATH TO MANY. THIS IS THE TIME FOR GREAT EFFORT AND GREAT
DETERMINATION.
GIVE IT YOUR BEST AND GOD BLESS YOU ALL ---- HALSEY
ANOTHER COMMENDATION TO THE OFFICERS AND MEN OF THIS TASK FORCE
FOR
A JOB
WELL DONE. IN THE ATTACK ON LUZON OUR PILOTS AND AIR CREWMEN
HIT THE ENEMY
ANOTHER DISASTEROUS BLOW IN SPITE OF HAZARDOUS WEATHER. THE
UNCOMPLETED
SCORE SHOWS ONE HUNDRED FORTY FOUR PLANES SHOT DOWN AND ONE HUNDRED
FORTY
DESTROYED ON GROUND. THIRTY FIVE SHIPS SUNK AND TWENTY SEVEN
DAMAGED AND
PROBABLY SUNK. MANY DESTRUCIVE HITS ON AIRFIELDS AND HARBOR
INSTALLATIONS.
THEY CANNOT STOP US.
FROM CMDR TASK FORCE 38
TO TASK FORCE 38
DEC 44
TO THE DRINKING TOMCAT, THE SINGING TOMCAT, HAND
SOME AND FAST PICKETS AND THE GEM-LIKE PICKET. A VERY WELL
DONE JOB. GOOD
OUTFIELDERS HELP MAKE A BLUE CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM UNBEATABLE.
FROM COM TASK FORCE 38
ACTN COLAHAN, TWINING, MADDOX, BRUSH, PRICHETT
INFO ALL TG COMS TASK FORCE 38,
COMTHIRDFLT
17 DEC, 1944
JAN
THANKS FOR YOUR MESSAGE. FIGHTING SHOULDER TO SHOULDER WITH
OLD AND TRUSTED
COMRADES IS A FINE THING. TOGETHER WE HAVE WATCHED OUR YOUNG
AND TRUSTED
COMRADES WHO DID THE ACTUAL FIGHTING AND THAT TOO IS A FINE AND
INSPIRING
EXPERIENCE. I THINK ALL HANDS EXCEPT THE NIPS CAN REJOICE
OVER RESULTS
PRODUCED BY THIS TEAM OF OLD POOPS, YOUNG SQUIRTS AND LIEUTENANT
COMMANDERS.
HALSEY
FROM ADMIRAL HALSEY
TI CTF 38 (TWINING DD 540)
CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN ON AN EXTREMELY WELL DONE JOB.
WEATHER
WAS AGAINST US
ALL THE WAY BUT THE UTMOST THAT COULD BE DONE WAS DONE BY BOTH AIR
AND
SURFACE UNITS. I AM SURE THE ENTIRE FORCE GIVES THE DESTROYER
SAILORS A HIGH
HAND FOR THE POUNDING THEY TOOK AND THE WAY THEY KEPT GOING.
BETTER LUCK
NEXT TIME. BETTER PERFORMANCE COULD NOT BE ASKED
FROM COM 5TH FLT
TAK FORCE 58 27 FEBR,
1945
YOUR USUAL OUTSTANDING SERVICE AND PERFORMANCE OF DULY WAS
SURPASSED
YESTERDAY, LAST NIGHT AND TODAY IN THE RESCUE OF OUR PILOTS.
WELL DONE TO ALL
FROM COMDR TASK GROUP 38.2
TO DESRON 52, 53
PLEASE CONVEY TO THE COMMANDER OF THE FIFTH FLEET MY
CONGRATULATIONS
ON THE
RECENT SUCCESSFUL OPERATIONS OF THE FORCES UNDER HIS COMMAND
PARTICULARLY
THE STRIKE AGAINST ENEMY SHIPS IN THE INLAND SEA. THE
REPORTS
OF THE LETTER
THRILLED THE NATION
FROM SECNAV
TO COM 5TH FLT
INFO 5TH FLT
(RECEIVED 80 MILES OFF TOKYO FEB 16, 1945
COMMINQUE NO. 259 RELEASED AS OF 2350 GCT FEBRUARY 15 AS FOLLOWS
PARA ONE
VICE ADMIRAL MARC A MITSCHER IN COMMAND OF A POWERFUL TASK FORCE
OF THE
PACIFIC FLEET IS NOW ATTACKING ENEMY AIRCRAFT, AIR BASES AND OTHER
MILITARY
TARGETS IN AND AROUND TOKYO.
PARA TWO
THIS OPERATION HAS LONG BEEN PLANNED AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO
ACCOMPLISH
IT
FULFILLS THE DEEPLY CHERISHED DESIRE OF EVERY OFFICER AND MAN IN
THE PACIFIC
FLEET.
PARA THREE
SURFACE UNITS OF THE PACIFIC FLEET ARE BOMBARDING IWO JIMA.
AIRCRAFT OF THE
STRATEGIC AIR FORCE PACIFIC OCEAN AREAS ARE BOMBING IWO JIMA AND
NEARBY
POSITIONS IN THE BONINS.
PARA FOUR
THE FLEET FORCES ARE UNDER THE TACTICAL COMMAND OF ADMIRAL R A
SPRUANCE
COMMANDER FIFTH FLEET BT 152348
FROM CINCPAC/CINCPOA ADVHED
TO SECNAV - PACFLT
INFO COMCENPAC FORWARD AREAS - COM 12-RDO LUZON-COMNORPAC
SPECIAL COMINCH.
27 MAR
TORPEDO PASSED THROUGH SHIP ABOUT ONE FOOT ABOVE WATER LINE.
DID NOT RUN IN
WATER PRIOR HITTING. DETONATED CLOSE ABOARD ON EMERGING FROM
PORT SIDE.
TORPEDO LAUNCHED WHEN PLANE WAS VERY CLOSE. THOUGHT HE WAS
A SUICIDE JOB
AND TRIED TO MANEUVER TO HAVE HIM CRASH AHEAD.
FROM - MURRAY (DD576)
YOUR REPORT OF WINDOWS WAS VERY INTERESTING. IN BATTLE OF
NINETEENTH
I GAVE
YOU CREDIT FOR TWO SURE, TWO POSSIBLES WHICH YOU REPORTED AT END
OF BATTLE.
OPP - HARRIS
CINCPAC SALUTES THOSE GALLANT AIRMEN AND CARRIER GROUPS WHOSE
DEVOTED
PERFORMANCE OF DUTY MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR THE DEFEAT OF THE JAPANESE
FLEET ON
19 AND 20 OF JUNE. THE BRAVE AIRMEN WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR
THEIR COUNTRY
ON THIS OCCASION WILL LIVE LONG IN THE MEMORY OF THE FLEET AND THE
NATION.
THEIR LOSS IS DEEPLY MOURNED.
FROM - CINCPOA
TO - COMDR TASK FORCE 58
THE AVIATION AND GUNSHIPS OF THIS TASK FORCE HAVE DONE A JOB
TODAY
WHICH WILL
MAKE THEIR COUNTRY PROUD OF THEM. THEIR SKILLFUL DEFENSE OF
THIS TASK FORCE
ENABLED THE FORCE TO ESCAPE A VICIOUS AND WELL COORDINATED AIRCRAFT
ATTACK
CARRIED WITH DETERMINATION. ADMIRAL MISTCHER.
TO: TASK FORCE 58
AUGUST - U-R-G-E-N-T
"SPLICE THE MAIN BRACE"
CODRESS TO: THIRD FLEET
(NOTE - WE SPLICED THE MAIN BRACE THIS AFTERNOON (15 AUGUST 1945)
ABOUT 1500.
HAD THE WATCH BUT GOT RELIEVED LONG ENOUGH TO GO DOWN TO THE
MESS HALL FOR
ONE (1) SHOT OF BOURBON. ... THE FIRST IN EIGHTEEN MONTHS)
ALL HANDS OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY, MARINE CORPS AND COAST GUARD
MAY TAKE
SATISFACTION IN THE CONCLUSION OF THE WAR AGAINST JAPAN AND
PRIDE IN THE
PART PLAYED BY THEM IN ACCOMPLISHING THAT RESULT. THE
DEMOBILIZATION OF THE
ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES AND RETURN TO CONDITIONS
OF PEACE WILL
CREATE PROBLEMS TAXING PATIENCE AND CONTROL ALMOST AS GREAT AS THE
TENSIONS
OF WAR. I ASK THAT THE DISCIPLINE WHICH HAS SERVED SO WELL
TO BRING THIS
DEMOCRACY THROUGH HOURS OF GREAT CRISIS BE MAINTAINED TO THE END
THAT NOTHING
SHALL MAR THE RECORD OF ACCOMPLISHMENT AND GLORY THAT NOW BELONGS
TO THE
NAVY, MARINE CORPS AND COAST GUARD. JAMES FORRESTAL
FROM SECNAV
TO ALLNAV
TO EVERY OFFICER AND MAN IN THIS SPENDID GROUP WELL DONE.
IN
THE PAST FORTY
FIVE DAYS YOU HAVE CONTRIBUTED MUCH TOWARDS THE VICTORY ANNOUNCED
TODAY
AND I AM PROUD OF YOU - SIGNED RADFORD
TO: TASKGROUP 38.4
THE NIP OFFICERS ARE STILL FIGHTING. THAT MEANS WE ARE
STILL
FACING AN ENEMY
THAT HATES OUR CARRIERS LIKE THE DEVIL HATES HOLY WATER. UNTIL
THE NIPS
SURRENDER AND ARE DISARMED, REPEAT DISARMED, THEY ARE DANGEROUS
AND NEED
KILLING. THE BEST PRESENT INSURANCE FOR PEACE IS TO CARRY
TO THEM EVERYTHING
WE HAVE. CARRY ON. --HALSEY
OCTOBER
WHEN RFS DETACH AND SAIL DESRON 53 TO PEARL HARBOR REPORT CONDESPAC
FOR
ONWARD ROUTING TO SAN DIEGO WHERE REPORT COMWESTSEAFRON FOR DUTY
IN 19TH
FLEET. AVAILABLE MAGIC CARPET.
FROM - COM5THFLT
(NOTE: WELL HERE IT IS, THE MESSAGE WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR,
FOR 22 LONG
DRAWN OUT MONTHS. WE HAVE BEEN DISAPPOINTED SO MANY TIMES
BEFORE THAT NOW
THAT WE REALLY ARE GOING HOME, IT DOESN'T HARDLY SEEM POSSIBLE THAT
IT IS
TRUE. THE CREWS MORALE HAS GONE UP 100% SINCE LAST NIGHT WHEN
THE GOOD WORD
CAME IN. IT LOOKS LIKE MOST OF US WILL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS
THIS YEAR, AND
THAT IN ITSELF IS WORTH MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE IN THE WORLD.
WE ARE LEAVING
THE 31ST OF OCTOBER FOR THE LAND THAT IS SECOND TO NONE. I
GUESS THE REASON
FOR THAT IS BECAUSE IT'S HOME.)
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