Dayton James Turner was born in the Cook County Hospital at Chicago, IL, on 4 Jul 1929, to Dayton Lee and Anna Ruth (Hammond) Turner. His parents divorced in May 1934 and his mother then married his step-father, Victor McGee Mains. Dayton James grew up using the family name “Mains” and in 1954 had his name legally changed to Jimmie Dayton Mains.
In 1939, Jim’s mother and step-father divorced. His mother moved the family to Mena, AR, where they lived and worked on a farm owned and operated by his grandparents, Archer Dana and Mary Anna (Dickinson) Hammond.
Because of the great depression and economic conditions that gripped the land, Jim grew to manhood early in life. At 9 years of age, he became a Farm Hand. He helped his grandfather and uncle Elmer Sylvester Hammond perform all aspects of farm operations. In addition, he attended Grade School in a two-room building located on a dirt road near Old Potter (about 3 miles from the farm). He walked to and from the schoolhouse each day class was in session. He continued to perform his farm chores before and after school. He graduated from the 8th Grade in the Spring of 1941 at age 11.
In the Fall of 1941, Jim started to attend classes at the High School in Mena, AR, but had to stop after a few weeks when his mother married his step-father, Jeremiah Allen, and moved the family to Pine Bluff, AR, where Jeremiah gained employment as a Millwright at Pine Bluff Arsenal which had expanded its operations due to the start-up of World War II. Jim completed the 9th Grade at the High School in Pine Bluff, AR. The family then moved closer to Jeremiah’s employment and Jim started the 10th Grade at the High School in Whitehall, AR. He completed the 10th Grade and started the 11th Grade at that school. Because a formal education was not a priority, at age 14 Jim stopped attending High School and started full time employment with: (1) a Logging Company, (2) Peterson and McFadden Construction Company and (3) the Cotton Belt Railroad.
In Dec 1944, when his mother could stand his persistent pleadings no longer, she signed papers that permitted him to enter military service. He was only 15 years old at the time but she indicated that he was 17 (the minimum age allowed).
On 22 Jan 1945, he enlisted in the US Navy for the "Duration of the War plus Six Months", indicating that he was born on "4 Jul 1927". He traveled from his home in Pine Bluff, AR to Camp Robinson at Little Rock, AR where he assembled with other recruits and boarded a Troop Train for Boot Camp at San Diego, CA. After 12 weeks at Boot Camp, he attended amphibious training at Coronado, CA, and then left the United States for overseas locations where he participated in naval amphibious operations.
He traveled as a passenger aboard several US Navy Ships: on 25 Aug 1945, he departed Treasure Island Naval Station at San Francisco, CA, aboard the US Navy Attack Transport (APA-33) USS Bayfield en route via Eniwetok Atoll and Guam to Tacloban, Leyte, Philippine Islands - The ship arrived at Leyte Gulf on 14 Sep 1945 and unloaded its passengers and cargo at Samar.
He recalls that voyage so well. His naval unit, Garrison Boat Pool, Group Pacific (GROPAC) 13 was among approximately 1,200 US Marines bound for the invasion of Hokkaido, Japan (Code named “UCIP FOR HATE”). His billet was located on the lowest deck in the most forward hold – he claimed a canvas berth on the port side of the ship’s bow. After leaving Treasure Island, he sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge. He was among several passengers who looked up at the underside of that bridge and became sea sick – he remained in that condition for the first three days of the journey. On the evening of the third day, he decided that he would either have to eat something or he would surely die. He made my way topside and stood in the chow line for a long period of time and finally made his way down to the galley located on a lower deck. He presented his tray and the mess cook rewarded him with a greasy Pork Chop. He dropped the tray and hurried topside to do his business. After that event, he felt better and enjoyed the rest of the trip. He learned the skill of playing poker, dice and other such games. He sailed around Eniwetok Atoll and recalled how beautiful the Island appeared. On arriving at the anchorage at Guam, the Captain informed everyone that the ship was running low on fresh water and encouraged them to bathe in the ocean. They immediately jumped from the ship and swam around for a while. Meanwhile, the Captain’s Gig with a contingent of guards armed with Machine Guns patrolled the area on lookout for Sharks. On arrival at Samar, he was among those poor unfortunates designated to perform Stevedore functions unloading the ship.
He departed Samar after a few days ashore aboard the US Navy Attack Cargo Ship (AKA-77) USS Towner en route to Okinawa; about mid-October 1945 (soon after the devastating Typhoon Louise passed on 9 October), He departed Okinawa aboard the US Navy Vehicular Carrier and Troop Transport (LSV-6) USS Montauk en route via Tsingtao [now known as Qingdao] to Taku, China. As an element of his parent organization, GROPAC 13, his unit was in support of elements of the 1st and 6th Marine Divisions which had been sent to North China to assist Chinese Nationalist authorities in disarming and repatriating the Japanese and in controlling ports, railroads, and airfields. They also supported the Nationalist government while it reasserted its control of that nation in the face of anarchy and civil war.
His amphibious unit established and maintained a Boat Pool at Taku, located at the mouth of the Hai River in Bo Hai Bay, which is connected to the Yellow Sea by the Bo Hai Strait. They were involved with transporting supplies and equipment between large ships that lay at anchor off the Taku Bar and the shore. (The Taku Bar is a submerged bank in the estuary created by continuous deposits of sand from the river. Located some ten miles east of the port city of Taku - the gateway to the major city of Tientsin [now known as Tianjin], the sand bar effectively blocked large American warships from proceeding further up-river.) Personnel of his Boat Pool were berthed and fed aboard the Self Propelled Barracks Ship (APB-41) USS Wythe which remained parked pier side in the Taku Harbor. This ship originally had been launched as Landing Ship Tank (LST-575) and later modified and redesignated LST (M) and finally APB-41 USS Wythe. As a member of the Garrison Boat Pool, his primary occupation was Coxswain of Landing Craft Mechanized (LCM).
In Jun 1946, he became eligible for return to America and discharge from the service. On 5 Jun, he boarded the American Freighter and Troop Transport (SS Dashing Wave) and debarked at San Diego, CA, on 22 Jun. He boarded a Troop Train and traveled to Millington, TN, where he received an Honorable Discharge from the service on 27 Jun 1946 (seven days before his 17th birthday when he would become eligible to enlist legally). During that enlistment, he attained the grade of Seaman First Class (E-3).
In recognition of his service with the US Navy, Seaman First Class Jimmie D. Mains was awarded the China Service Medal; American Campaign Medal; Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal; World War II Victory Medal; and the Navy Occupation Service Medal (Asiatic-Pacific).
After leaving the US Navy in Jun 1946, he joined the US Army on 13 Sep 1947 and served in several branches of that organization until he finally retired from military service at Fort McClellan, AL on 31 Dec 1966 as a Sergeant Major (E-9) in the US Army Chemical Corps. He then joined the US Civil Service and served in various positions of the US Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service until October 1982. At that time, he transferred to the US Army Chemical School (an element of the US Department of Defense) and finally retired from that organization at Fort McClellan, AL on 31 Dec 1989 as a Military Research Analyst (GS-12).
After 1 Jan 1990, he has continued to support non-profit activities of local veteran’s organizations, civic groups and clubs in which he has maintained membership.
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Other Comments:
Peavy, Dr. Thomas, SP5 Medical Department
Sergeant Major,
Thanks for the stop-by at my page. Additional thank for your service beyond the USN. What a career you have had. You are a part of the generation in which my dad and uncles served. You men of WWII are my heroes. I grew up hearing of the great things all of you did. Were it not for you and those men, our nation and lives would be so different. My one enlistment in the USAR was instructive and certainly prepared me for a return to the Navy as a Corpsman. Little did I know that I would spend twelve years attached to the Fleet Marine Force as a Corpsman based on my Army time. Old Senior Chief Petty Officers such as I are honored to offer an honorary rack in the Goatlocker to those who hold ranks equivalent to Chief and above. If you have an opportunity drop by my Together We Served USN page and pay a visit. In my Chief's mess you are always welcomed. Thanks again for all you have done for our nation in and out of uniform.
Dr. Thomas Peavy, HMCS,USNR,(Ret.)
Corpsman of Marines
Best Friends S1/C Glen Dale Marshall (Passed 16 Dec 2009) S1/C Robert G. (Bob) Mathis (Passed 9 Mar 2003) S1/C Willard Magness (Passed Jul 1972) ________________________________________
Other Memories En route from Coronado, CA to Treasure Island Naval Station at San Francisco, CA:
Personnel of the Garrison Boat Pool traveled by train to San Bruno, CA and shortly thereafter by truck to Treasure Island Naval Station at San Francisco, CA. _________________________ En route from Treasure Island Naval Station at San Francisco, CA to Philippine Islands aboard the US Navy Attack Transport (APA-33) USS Bayfield:
On 25 Aug 1945, unit personnel boarded the USS Bayfield and traveled [as passengers] via Eniwetok Atoll and Guam to Tacloban, Leyte, Philippine Islands.
Jim became seasick as the ship passed under the Golden Gate Bridge and did not recover for three days. He thought he would surely die.
As the ship approached Eniwetok Atoll, he noted how beautiful the island looked.
The ship ran low on fresh water and the Captain allowed the crew and about 1,500 Marine and Navy passengers to leave (jump from) the ship and swim in the harbor at Guam while the ship rode at anchor. Marine guards searching for Sharks patrolled the area in small boats with Machine Guns at the ready while the swimmers were in the water.
The voyage continued and the ship arrived at Leyte Gulf and unloaded its passengers and cargo at Tacloban on 14 Sep 1945. __________________________ En route from the Philippine Islands to Okinawa aboard the US Navy Attack Cargo Ship (AKA-77) USS Towner:
After a few days ashore, personnel of the Garrison Boat Pool departed the Philippine Islands en route to Okinawa. On arrival after a few days at sea they observed the results of the recent invasion. The destruction was overwhelming.
Personnel of the unit were assigned to an area on the island awaiting further orders - they were housed in tents during the tragedy caused by Typhoon Louise when it hit Okinawa on 9 Oct 1945.
The Website at http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq102-6.htm summarizes the devastation caused by that storm. The story, in part, is quoted below:
"On 4 October 1945, a typhoon was spotted developing in the Caroline Islands and tracked as it moved on a predictable course to the northwest. Although expected to pass into the East China Sea north of Formosa on 8 October, the storm unexpectedly veered north toward Okinawa. That evening the storm slowed down and, just as it approached Okinawa, began to greatly increase in intensity. The sudden shift of the storm caught many ships and small craft in the constricted waters of Buckner Bay (Nakagusuku Wan) and they were unable to escape to sea. On 9 October, when the storm passed over the island, winds of 80 knots (92 miles per hour) and 30-35 foot waves battered the ships and craft in the bay and tore into the quonset huts and buildings ashore. A total of 12 ships and craft were sunk, 222 grounded, and 32 severely damaged. Personnel casualties were 36 killed, 47 missing, and 100 seriously injured. Almost all the food, medical supplies and other stores were destroyed, over 80% of all housing and buildings knocked down, and all the military installations on the island were temporarily out of action. Over 60 planes were damaged as well, though most were repairable. Although new supplies had been brought to the island by this time, and emergency mess halls and sleeping quarters built for all hands, the scale of the damage was still very large. If the war had not ended on 2 September, this damage, especially the grounding and damage to 107 amphibious craft (including the wrecking of four tank landing ships, two medium landing ships, a gunboat, and two infantry landing craft) would likely have seriously impacted the planned invasion of Japan (Operation Olympic)."
"Conditions on shore were no better. Twenty hours of torrential rain soaked everything, made quagmires of roads, and ruined virtually all stores. The hurricane winds destroyed from 50% to 95% of all tent camps, and flooded the remainder. Damage to Quonset huts ran from 40% to 99% total destruction. Some of these Quonsets were lifted bodily and moved hundreds of feet; others were torn apart, galvanized iron sheets ripped off, wallboarding shredded, and curved supports torn apart. Driven from their housing, officers and men alike were compelled to take shelter in caves, old tombs, trenches, and ditches in the open fields, and even behind heavy road-building machinery, as the wind swept tents, planks, and sections of galvanized iron through the air." __________________________ En route From Okinawa via Tsingtao [now known as Qingdao] to Taku, China aboard the US Navy Vehicular Carrier and Troop Transport (LSV-6) USS Montauk:
The unit departed Okinawa about mid-October 1945 (soon after the devastating Typhoon on 9 October passed) aboard the LSV-6. Everyone was watchful for Floating Mines in the water between Okinawa and the mainland of China.
The ship arrived at Tsingtao after a few days at sea and all personnel remained aboard ship at pier side for a few more days before the ship continued its voyage onward to the harbor at Taku, China. _________________________ Life at Taku, China:
As an element of GROPAC 13, the Garrison Boat Pool was in support of the 1st and 6th Marine Divisions which had been sent to North China to assist Chinese Nationalist authorities in disarming and repatriating the Japanese and in controlling ports, railroads, and airfields. They also supported the Nationalist government while it reasserted its control of that nation in the face of anarchy and civil war.
Jim's unit established and maintained a Boat Pool at Taku, located at the mouth of the Hai River in Bo Hai Bay, which is connected to the Yellow Sea by the Bo Hai Strait. Unit personnel were involved with transporting troops, supplies and equipment between large ships that lay at anchor off the Taku Bar and the shore.
(Note: The Taku Bar is a submerged bank in the estuary created by continuous deposits of sand from the river. Located some ten miles east of the port city of Taku - the gateway to the major city of Tientsin [now known as Tianjin], the sand bar effectively blocked large American warships from proceeding further up-river.)
On arrival at Taku aboard the LSV-6, personnel of the Garrison Boat Pool left the ship and proceeded on to nearby Tangu, China where they were billeted in an abandoned warehouse complex for a period of time while they established a basin for their landing craft.
After a few weeks, they moved onto the Self Propelled Barracks Ship (APB-41) USS Wythe which remained parked pier side in the Taku Harbor. This ship originally had been launched as Landing Ship Tank (LST-575) and later modified and redesigned LST (M) and finally APB-41 USS Wythe.
As a member of the Garrison Boat Pool, Jim's primary occupation was Coxswain of Landing Craft Mechanized (LCM). _________________________ En route from Taku, China to San Diego, CA aboard the American Freighter and Troop Transport (SS Dashing Wave) (later renamed USS Choctaw):
In Jun 1946, Jim became eligible for return to America and discharge from the service.
On 5 Jun, Jim boarded the SS Dashing Wave in the anchorage at Taku, China, and left that ship in the harbor at San Diego, CA on 22 Jun 1946.
Note: In 1946, there were three Sea Lanes used by American ships to return to America from the vicinity of Japan; i.e.:
a. Northern Route: The ship maintained a course taking it north near the Aleutian Islands chain and arriving at Seattle, WA.
b. Middle Route: The ship maintained a middle course taking it to San Francisco, CA.
c. Southern Route: The ship maintained a southern course taking it to San Diego, CA.
The Southern Sea Lane was by far the best. Generally, the weather remained warm and the water was at rest. This was the Sea Lane that their Ship's Captain intended to take. He did so until about mid-voyage when the ship received a distress call from another ship traveling along the Northern Route indicated that they had a sailor aboard who was suffering from Appendicitis and needed immediate assistance. They had no hospital facilities aboard.
Of course, the Ship's Captain changed course and proceeded north to the ship in distress.
When their ship arrived within a short distance of the other ship, the waves were at least 40' high and both ships were pitching and yawing badly. They were both in trouble. Everyone including the Crew became seasick. The Captain turned the Ship's Bow into the wind and ordered citrus fruits to be brought topside to help settle stomachs.
There was a call for volunteers to man a rescue party and travel over to the other ship and retrieve the ailing sailor. The waves were so high and the clouds so heavy that they were not able to see the other ship even though the ships were within a few hundred meters of each other. They dared not get much closer.
Several volunteers agreed to man the Captain's Gig and retrieve the ailing sailor. On two different occasions, the crew had trouble dropping the small boat into the water - the waves were so high and erratic that some of the sailors were injured when the small boat was pushed back up to the top of the davit and heads were cracked. Additional volunteers were called for.
Finally, the mission was complete and the volunteers with the ailing sailor in tow returned in the Captain's Gig. The boat was hoisted onto the deck of the ship; the ailing man was taken to Sick Bay where he joined several injured volunteers. They all received medical attention and the ship returned to its preferred Sea Lane.
After leaving the ship at San Diego, CA and participating in a Custom Inspection, Jim boarded a Troop Train and traveled to Millington, TN, where he received an Honorable Discharge from the service on 27 Jun 1946 (seven days before his 17th birthday when he became eligible to enlist legally).
During that enlistment, Jim attained the grade of Seaman First Class (E-3).
