I got the jist of the story right, but a few errors. He e-mailed me the story from the previously mentioned book, and a photo taken by Paul Madden.
Sorry about the length of the post, but I thought it worth telling.The story was written by Robert Hollingsworth and four other men at a reunion in the mid 90's. I have omitted parts to keep this a little shorter.
After commissioning, the first combat planes used for training were Douglas Dauntless's. Because they were relativly light, they could be pushed around easily. Later, at Hunter's point, when they were taking aboard the F4F's, SB2C's and TBM's, that were much heavier, the flight deck crews were bitching and complaining about being tired and sore from pushing these planes around. Some of the plane handlers hatched the idea of using jeeps and went to the ship fitter with the idea. The metalman told them they could rig something up, measured up a jeep and that problem was solved. Next was - how to get jeeps. Every item on a ship, for replacement or augmentation, had to be requisitioned. Jeeps were more difficult to get and always needed justification. There was one jeep already assigned to ESSEX - for the use of the Captain. When ESSEX reached Pearl Harbor, there was huge amounts of material and equipment being unloaded every day on the pier. Two of the flight deck crew left the ship to dump garbage. When they were finished, they went over to the area where the newly arrived jeeps were lined up. They picked two, got in and drove to the area where huge nets were loading supplies aboard and got in line. When their turn came, they drove onto the net, got out and waved a hand in a circle to haul away. They had prepared two slips to attach to the steering wheel specifying For delivery to VIA. Two other conspiritors on board, with official looking papers in their hands, were waiting to drive the jeeps to the after end of the hangar deck, where they would not be so noticable. The tow bars were quickly installed. The following day they were in use towing planes. The work of plane spotting was completed more quickly and with less tiring effort. Along with the Captains jeep, for his use on shore or use aboard ship, and the two stolen ones, they had three. They were able to respot the deck in record time. When the word got out around the fleet, as it always does (scuttlebutt you know), pressure mounted on other carriers to get jeeps as well. Later, the Navy decided that tow tractors were in order, but the handlers didn't like them as they were slow and handlers other than the driver couldn't ride on them very well, so they just got pushed off to the side and they went back to the jeeps.
It may seem remarkable that two jeeps could be stolen off the docks in Pearl, hoisted aboard without someone questioning the action. Truly remarkable was that no one aboard ESSEX questioned where the jeeps came from. One day they began to tow planes and everybody thought that was an improvement and how much better that was. Many Admirals and Captains from other ships sent messages of congratulation to the plane crews for their efficient movement of planes resulting in faster launchings and landings.
These achivements deserve official credit in the Naval history books. At the time of the taping, Mr Hollingsworth had to promise not to use the names of the innovators. This achivement will be lost to history unless one of the ten men privy to the conspiricy decides to hold a press conference.
The whole story with all the details can be seen in Mr Streb's book. The attached photo was taken by Paul Madden, Photograpers Mate, who's pictures have been published in Naval archives and many many publications. Paul passed away Dec 20, 2004. Mr Volkema passed away in 2002, Mr Streb passed away 21 Nov, 2007. I do not know if Mr Hollingsworth is still alive. All were members of the USS ESSEX Association. The WWII membership is passing quickly now and this story will probably never become part of official Naval history, even though it revolutionized plane handling on aircraft carriers.
EJ
