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I knew Dannie . I think everyone on the ship did - with his big grin. I was in fire control and operated rangefinder in the main battery gun director. Burt Brown —Preceding unsigned comment added by 208.105.221.238 (talk) 19:34, 11 June 2008 (UTC)
Daniel Friel, my dad, served part of the war on the USS Ordronaux. The picture of my dad below (wearing Pea Coat ) may or may not have been taken with mates on the Ordronaux but, possibly, the USS Eagle.
Depending on response, I have a few more pictures I can post.
Pat Friel
Broken Decker Tin Can Destroyer edit
The Ordronaux was affectionately called a "Broken Decker Tin Can" destroyer by her men. I'm not quite sure of these particular connotations but they all have meaning. My father in the last four years of his life was very livid about his ships accomplishments. He was the ships "Steersman" who in the tiny room in the back and lower room of the ship ran the motors which turned the ships rudder. As accustomed with this series ship, there was no direct movement of the rudder from the command bridge, but rather voice messages down a tube where both sides communicated rather "prehistorically." This room, from what my father told me; was small, very hot and humid, noisy (on account that it was located behind the engine and transmission) and very isolated. He spent most of his time reading his bible and praying for all the men on the ship and for the ship's mission.
During the bombardment of Italy, when the ship snuck into the harbors during the dead of night waiting for the sun to come up and blow the bits out their targets, there were many "scrapes" from mines laid by the enemy. My father recalled this eerie noise across the hull and continued praying that the ship would not fall to these mines. Many were touched but none were detonated and the various missions were successful. Not so for the USS Nields (DD 616) their sister ship who was destroyed this way.
My father was Electrician's Mate 2nd Class Warren J. Wittbrodt from Detroit Michigan.
Pictures(forthcomming)include the ship and of my father when the ship made port in Hawaii. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.244.128.30 (talk) 14:31, 26 April 2008 (UTC)