End of War and Post-War Life for Bill Maris

Flight Log and Personal Notes from July 1944 - September 1944

July 1944

Who would have guessed back in September 11, 1918 Susanna and William Erickson would become the proud parents of their first Daughter, Marietta S. Erickson in South Amboy New Jersey and thirteen month later Hilda E. and William Maris would celebrate the birth of their first son William Leon Maris in Mount Vernon Washington, who would after many years growing up on opposite sides of the US would both chose careers in the U. S, Navy. Be assigned to the same VM Unit at NAS Corpus Christi, Texas in 1943, after working together for many months with out any signs of compatibility , suddenly by a quirk of fate in February 1944 a Valentines Day Card stating “I’m willing , how about you”, unsigned, was delivered by Guard Mail, to one ACMM William Maris, USN, at VPB LCPO OFFICE, with a little detective work I found out that one AMM2/c Marietta Erickson was the sender. While Marie and Edie Dubrinski were valentine card shopping in Corpus Christi for their families, Marie showed this card to Edie who replied why don’t you send it to Maris, your always talking about him, so Marie did, causing us to have our first date at a “Nickel” movie at the NAS Theater a few days latter. It was love at first sight, having similar family backgrounds, family names etc, as time went on marriage was discussed about maybe a Fall wedding, due to the War, men were being reassigned over seas after a year or so of shore duty and I was eligible again to go to sea, so on June 1,1944, a Saturday evening while attending a dinner dance at the Chief Petty Officers Club I faked being sick and retired to the Edentons car. My Friend ACMM Tom Edenton sent Marie out to find out if I was all right. When Marie arrived and got into the car with me, I told her I was in Love with her and would she become my wife, Marie started crying and said yes she would be honored to be my wife, I then presented her with her engagement Diamond Ring, and after a few hugs and kisses we returned to our table in the club, where upon the Orchestra Leader who had been informed by Tom, announced our engagement to all, we danced the rest of the evening in heaven.

Marie contacted the Catholic Priest and made all the proper arrangement required by the Church. Ban announcements etc, and on July 2, 1944 AMM2/C Marietta S. Erickson, USN(W) and ACMM William L Maris, USN were joined in marriage by Father John J. Reardon, ChC, USNR, in the Catholic Chapel at 1800. CPR Leo Culp, USN was my Best Man and AMM3/c Helen was Marie’s Brides Maid, ACMM Picket gave Marie away.

ACMM Tom and Mary Edenton held a reception for us at their Quarters on the Base. Tom latter drove us into Corpus Christi Train Station on the pretext we were going to catch the midnight train to Huston, Texas. So we boarded the train and sneaked out the opposite side of the train, caught a Taxi cab and spent our “Honey Moon” at the Neues Hotel in Corpus Christi, TX At the end of our Honeymoon we moved into government quarters aboard the Naval Air Station and lived there until the end of my tour of shore duty.

• July 8, 1944 Lt Jankovic, USMC (2)/7 PBY-5A Bu#2394 1.9hrs Bounce (T&G)
• July 9, 1944 Lt Jankovic, USMC (2)/7 PBY-5A Bu#04976 1.8hrs Bounce (T&G)
• July 11, 1944 Lt Thorp, USMC (2)/7 PBY-5A Bu# FP198 2.1hrs Bounce (T&G)
• July Total Flt Time 5.8hrs TFTTD-1353.0.hrs

August 1944

• Aug 1, 1944 1stLt Ackerman 2)/5 PBY-5A Bu#2394 2.3hrs Dive Bombing practice on a “Tin-Can” in the Gulf

About the middle of August, Marie found out she was pregnant, God had made a plan for us that’s for sure. Between hugs and more kisses we couldn’t have been happier, although it happened sooner than we had planned as this meant that Marie had to get out of the Navy sooner, not only because she had married a Navy man which was against regulations, but also being pregnant forced the issue.

• Aug 8, 1944 Ens Vinyard (2)/5 PBY-5A Bu#2394 1.5hrs Fam hop
• Aug 14, 1944 Ltjg Mallonie (2)/8 PBY-5A Bu#2394 1.6hrs T&G
• August Total Flt Time 5.4hrs TFTTD 1358.4 hrs

September 1944

• Sept 8, 1944, 1st Lt Ackerman (2)/5 PBY-5A Bu#2466 2.4hrs Fam.
• Sept 9, 1944, 1stLt Ackerman (2)/5 PBY-5A Bu#2476 1.7hrs Chasing Rabbits. Some time during this period we flew down to Duval County (no rationing) landed at an Oil Company Runway next to their office. One of the Crews Sister was a employee, She gave us a whole bunch of Ration Books for the Crew. Taxiing out for take off we clipped a small light pole and dented the leading edge of the wing, broke the pole off and kept going. Got back to Corpus, inspected the wing and fixed it with a “patch”. Nothing further was said.
• September Flt Time 4.1hrs TFTTD-1319.8hrs

Recollections from 1944 to 1970

Children and a Farm Fixer-Upper

Around this time I was transferred to NAS Overhaul and Repair Facility, Engine Overhaul Division and became the Swing Shift CPO, supervising the overhaul and testing of Pratt & Whitney R-985, R-1340 & R2600 A/C Engines for the Fleet as well as the associated accessories. From there I moved to the Billet of Planning Division Leading Chief, supervising the flow of the various aircraft, engines and parts etc being disassembled, repaired/overhauled and reassembled and operationally tested for return to the Fleet.

From there I was assigned back to NAS Operations Department VM-Unit and became a Control Tower Operator and LCPO In-charge of the Waldron Field Control Tower and Crash Crew.

In July 1947, I was transferred from NAS Corpus Christi, TX to COMNAVAIRPAC San Diego, CA for further assignment. While there I made a deal with the Chief Warrant Offer assigning personnel, to extend my enlistment for two years for another tour of duty in Alaska, I was given Orders to NAS Kodiak, Territory of Alaska. I then returned to NAS Corpus Christi TX and moved the family to Anacortes with my parents. I reported in to VR-5 at NAS Seattle for transportation to NAS Kodiak and departed one week later, upon arriving at Kodiak I was assigned to duty in the Operations Department as a Control Tower Supervisor, and latter became the LCPO of the Operations Department Crash and Rescue Division. Having to leave my Family with my parents in Anacortes, WA as Marie was pregnant with her second baby. Son James R Maris joined the family on 26 November 1947 at the NAS Whidbey Island, Oak Harbor Naval Hospital. Marie and family then joined me in Kodiak during March of 1948, where we lived in Government Quarters. Once again Marie became pregnant with our third child and I again received orders.

We left Kodiak in March of 1949 with much misgivings as we were enjoying our tour there. We departed on a early morning NATS ( VR-5) Flight to NAS Sand Point, Seattle, WA and spent a couple of weeks leave visiting with Grandma Hilda in Anacortes.

Reporting in to FASRON-112, Fleet Air Wing FOUR, NAS Whidbey Island, WA for duty. Living in Anacortes and commuting back and forth to work, we found housing due to Marie’s eligibility for Veterans Housing, where we lived until July. Driving on Hwy 20 through the Dewey Beach area I noticed a Farm for sale right on the highway, we were fortunate enough to be able to purchase it and moved in immediately, the house had electricity but no plumbing, water or bathroom facilities, in other words the “First Fixer-upper” we bought. It was wonderful living in the country and being closer to NAS Whidbey.

After many improvements, we got used to the remodeling mess and continued to enjoy country living such as raising chickens, 2 pigs, a Horse named TED, who learned to respond to Port and Starboard vice Gee and Haw as we cultivate the half acre of garden.

On the 30th of October we were digging potatoes in the afternoon, after dinner Marie said she was having labor pains, so we load the family into the car and head for the Hospital at NAS Whidbey Sea Plane Base, stopping at a friends house to leave off Bill and Jim for the night. Our third child Celeste Susan was born just after midnight on the 31st of October, Marie said if it was a girl she would be “Celeste” meaning a Gift from Heaven.

Korea and One Last Flight

Then it happened again, 1950 Korea! Went in to work on a August Friday evening and was told to go home and pack as I among others were being transferred to VR-21 at Barbers Point, Territory of Hawaii the following Monday morning. Flying to NAS Alameda, CA, then to Moffet Field and caught one of the Navy “Flying Elephants”, can’t remember it’s designation, to NAS Barber Point, T.H.

Arriving in Hawaii via NATS and reporting in to VR-21, being informed that there was a year waiting list for housing, so Marie and the family endured my absence for the next 11 months, getting housing assigned in August of 1951 aboard NAS Barbers Point.

Marie and family drove to San Francisco, CA, boarded a MSTS ship for Hawaii. What a glorious day when I met them at the dock in Honolulu five days latter, Celeste didn’t remember me so I had to get reacquainted with her. We lived in a two bedroom Quonset hut for the next couple of years enjoying all the festivities of Hawaiian living and learning the customs particularly of the Meni Hunis.(sp)

In the Spring of 1953 we were once again on the move as I was transferred to the Fleet Airborne Electronic Training Unit at NAS San Diego, Calif. After a few weeks leave (living with the (Huvars) we found a home in Chula Vista, CA and started to enjoy our visit to the area. Marie got a job at Rohr Aircraft Factory, then NAS Supply Dept. on North Island, Grandma had moved in with us due to her Cancer problems. Just nicely settled in and again enjoying our stay, I received orders on a Friday in August of 1954 transferring me to the Fleet Airborne Electronics Unit at NAS Whidbey Island. Packing out the next week we headed for “Home” again. Visited my brother Bud in Hayward CA, left Grandma there for a visit as we continued north. Arriving back at the “Farm” again and finding it a mess, thank God for friends who took us in for a week, even helping us clean up the mess the renters had left in the house and yard. But we were HOME again and that was most important of all.

Being in the Training command I had the pleasure of working with a neat group of Men, working out of my Rate, ax Aviation Machinist Mate, I became involved in the Administrative and Personnel operations of the Unit.

Spending another year aboard all was going well and we were planning on taking 30 days leave in October of 1954 to visit Marie’s family in South Amboy, NJ. The morning I went in to check out on leave, I was informed that I had orders to a VS Squadron at NAS North Island, San Diego, CA. and was to leave immediately. Wow did that upset the apple cart. Anyway after a few phone calls to higher authority, since I had only been aboard for year and it was cost effective spending all that money to move us back south again, they then agreed to transfer me to a local VP Squadron returning from deployment. So I received orders to VP-57 Home ported at NAS Whidbey Island. After checking into VP-57, we got the news that the squadron was being converted to VAH-4 with A3D carrier type aircraft vice the P2V’s we now had. This was quite a switch from Patrol Aircraft to Aircraft Carrier type of operations, specifically in the Nuke field.

We were all sent to the various Familiarization schools for our Rates and we came very proficient in this new field of operation. After a year of training and qualifying our pilots and crew aboard various Aircraft Carriers we sent Detachment on deployment aboard designated Carriers for 6 to 9 month cruises to the Far East.

After serving as Power Plants Division Chief and Squadron Leading Chief, I was able to get qualified to take a Detachment to sea. Became the Maintenance Chief of Detachment “Lima” and deployed aboard the USS Lexington in October of 1958 for a 9-month deployment to the Far East.(Hawaii, Japan, Okinawa, Philippines, Hong Kong, etc)

This is the last time I recorded my flight time, I made one Flight July 1959 from the USS Lexington, CV16 to NAS Atsugi in a A3D with Cdr Moore, CO of VAH-4(A3D) Detachment “Lima”. On the USS Lexington, CVA 16, Made my first Cat Shot, it was neat, was in the BN Seat facing Aft and watching the “Boat” disappear behind us as we climbed to 20K was a real thrill. I made plans for Marie to meet me in Tokyo, Japan for 2 weeks leave while the Lexington was in port at the Naval Base at Yokosuka, Japan.

Meet Marie at the Tokyo International Airport, touring all the neat places during my 2 weeks leave, Marie stayed in Yokosuka for a few day, watching us put out to sea, then returning home via Guam, Hawaii and San Francisco.

December 1959 upon return from deployment I was transferred to NAS Whidbey Operation Department, and become the Department Material Officer and then Department Leading Chief. This also gave me some time to do a lot of after hour studying, completing all the Officer Training Courses for promotion. While stationed here I applied for the Limited Duty Officer Program prior to completing my tour and being transferred to VR-21 Detachment, Atsugi, Japan.

In 1963, I (and family) were assigned to VR-21 Detachment Based at NAS Atsugi Japan and as the Maintenance Chief Petty Officer, I checked out as a Line Plane Captain on the C-1 (COD) and made a number of flights to and from our various Carriers operating in the area, as well as to Osaka Japan to the Shumaya A/C Factory delivering and returning A/C from PAR. Had a few flights in the Admirals R5D, locally and to Okinawa and return.

Last Tour of Duty

While at VR-21 Det., Atsugi, in August of 1964, I was promoted from E-8 to Lieutenant Junior Grade(0-2) (T) in the Limited Duty Officer Program.. With hostilities increasing in Vietnam, Junior Officers with previous WW-II experience were needed and they didn’t have any, consequently they went back to the Enlisted ranks for that “Know-how”. I received orders to VA-112 at NAS Lemoore, CA. for duty, going by the U. S. Navy School of Preflight for indoctrination as a Naval Officer. After reporting into the VA-112, I was assigned duties as the Aircraft Division Officer. The Squadron deployed to the Mediterranean with Carrier Air Group EIGHT, on board the USS Forestall (CVA-59) in the fall of 1965where I was assigned as the CAG IMA, Power Plant Division Officer or the cruise. We visited Berruit for Christmas, Athens for New Years, along with the French Rivera, Naples, while at Naples I went on leave, meet Marie and Celeste as they flew into in Rome. We spent a few days in Rome, Florence, Genoa, Niece, Grasse, to Barcelona via train for a few days, meet the Ship and then meet Marie and Celeste in Palma for a few more days.

Marie and Celeste went on to France, meet Celeste pen pal out side of Paris, then on to London. Then they visited the Willie Smiths, who we new from our tour at Atsugi Japan and on home again to Lemoore, CA. Genoa, Malta, Toranto, Barcelona, and Palma and operated in the Adriatic Sea until the Snowy weather pointed us south again. We returned via NAS Norfolk VA to NAS Lemoore, CA in the June of 1966. I was then reassigned as the Squadron Avionics Weapons Division Officer, with collateral duties of Material Division Officer and Flight Deck Safety Officer for the rest of my tour in VA-112. The Squadron then went to Fallon Nevada for weapons training and deployed to the “Tonkin Gulf” aboard the USS Kitty Hawk (CVA-63) in the fall of 1966 returning to NAS Lemoore, CA in the early summer of 1967. During this time frame I was promoted to Lieutenant (0-3)(T) After another weapons training period to Fallon Nevada the Squadron again deployed to the “Tonkin Gulf” aboard the USS Kitty Hawk, (CVA-63) and returned to NAS Lemoore in the mid-summer of 1968, and was decommissioned.

I received orders for my last tour of duty to HC-4 at NAS Lakehurst, NJ and detached from VA-112 in August of 1968. Enjoying some leave enroute to Lakehurst via the Pacific Northwest reporting to HC-4 in September 1968. Was assigned the duties of the Maintenance Control Officer of a 24 plane Helicopter Squadron, having Helicopters and Aircrews deployed in the Tonkin Gulf, Antarctica, Mediterranean Sea and COMNAVAIRRLANT at NAS Norfolk, VA. After eight months on the job I was assigned duties as the Assistant Maintenance officer HC-4.

My last flight time was in UH-2’s at HC-4 at NAS Lake Hurst in 1968/70 locally and to and from Baltimore Int. Airport (USNA) picking up my son Midshipman Jim Maris, USN and a Classmate, returning to NAS Lake Hurst for the weekend, then on Sunday back to Baltimore (USNA) Of course these were recorded as official cross country navigation flights.

Retirement Projects

February 1, 1970, I retired from the Navy at HC-4 NAS Lake Hurst, NJ (30+years) with full honors with the rank of Lieutenant, (0-3), USN It was an exciting career and I would recommend it for any energetic young man or women. Something was always happening to keep me interested and challenge my ability to solve the problems as they presented themselves with the repair of the A/C or in managing of the personnel/funds.

After leaving the Navy on a Friday, I was employed by the Boy Scouts of America as a District Scout Executive in Ocean County Council, Toms River, NJ the following Monday morning. Graduated from the National Executive Institute, Schiff Scout Reservation, NJ July 28th, 1970 as a Professional Leader in Scouting. Receiving training in the administration of the Cubing, Scouting and the Exploring Programs as well as Council Operation. I remaining in Professional Scouting until March 1973, when I resigned to return to our home in the Pacific North West at Anacortes, WA.

After arriving in Seattle in August 1973, Marie and I went on a trip to California to visit friends and relatives.

Marie was hired by the NAS Sand Point Supply Department, Seattle. WA.

I drew up floor plans on how we wanted to remodel our cabin on Deception Pass. We spent weekends at the Pass, working on the foundation etc and finally poured concrete on the 26 of December 1973.

After completely remodeling the 24 X 25 Summer Cabin in to a full size house under the supervision of our Carpenter/contractor Son Bill, we moved in on Mothers Day of 1975. Marie in the meantime had Transferred to employment at NAS Whidbey Island Supply Department and eventually retired after completing a total of over 20 years of Government service in 1985.

I attended Washington State University Extension Service Master Gardner Program and became a qualified MG in the Spring of 1976, and continued to volunteer my time for the next 20 plus years in Skagit County.

Receiving the title of MG Emitris.

Marie's Last Years

June 1989 was a tragic year for Marie when she suffered a Right Side Stroke, spent 8 weeks in rehab. Returned home in a wheel chair during August, by this time she could walk by herself with help of a cane. In Jan 1990 while visiting our Daughter in Olympia Marie suffered a major Seizure that set her back again and robbed her of all her gains to date. But this didn’t stop her, we continued to travel from coast to coast as we visited friends and relative, always traveling by Air (Aprox 100,000 miles), the various Airline people were especially helpful for the next 12 + years.

On June 1, 2001 Marie suffered a major Stroke, from which there was no recovery and passed away on 13 June 2001. Marie is interned in my Great Grandfather Sargent Matthew Sherman Maris, (a Veteran of the Civil War, from the 31st Ohio Regulars), grave in the Mt. Vernon Cemetery, Mt Vernon, WA. Where I intend to join her some day for eternity!

Since that day I am enjoy keeping in contact with a great many of my shipmates, friends and especially family via; “Ham Radio”, “Snail” or “E-Mail” and phone calls, visits and attending reunions and taking care of my flowers. Served as an Eucharistic Minister at church for 21+ years, and vary active in the Knights of Columbus, serving as FDD-9, PFN San Juan Ass and PGK Council 3611, Elected Second Delegate, from the Washington State Council, to the 1986 Supreme Council Convention, Knights of Columbus, in Chicago, IL. Still find time to Ham it up on the radio gear and do some gardening, if not visiting the Grandchildren and their families in Bellingham, WA.

Date 5 MAY 2004

William L. Maris, Lt USN (ret)