The Disney Studios cobbled up this design, and we painted plywood disks about 18" diameter for each side of the pilothouse on all our boats, although we used blue tints instead of green as the North Pacific waters are NOT tropical, if you'll recall My name is Bob Kennedy, I am the son of William Kennedy of Ketchikan, AK. My dad (William or Bill) served in the 10th ERBS during WWII. He died in 1995 of esophageal cancer. He left behind a hand full of B/W pictures from his time in the Army up in the Aleutians. Many of them have no names written on the backs. I'd like to share them with anyone who'd like to see them, and maybe they can identify some?!? Bob Kennedy Port Orchard, WA
www.hlswilliwaw.com
Originally published May 2001
P-115 [Clark Green] P-115 [Clark Green]
#1. Unknown shipmates, 10th ERBS, Aleutian Islands.
P-115 [Clark Green] P-115 [Clark Green]
#2. Unknown Shipmates, 10th ERBS, Aleutian Islands.
P-512 on a trial run outside Los Angeles Harbor, 29 Apr 1944. [Clark Green] P-512 on a trial run outside Los Angeles Harbor, 29 Apr 1944. [Clark Green]
#3. Unknown Shipmates, 10th ERBS, Aleutian Islands.
(L-R) Skipper (Bill) Wilber Green and two crewmen, Axel Nelson and Bill Johnson, onboard the P-510 during its trial run out of Long Beach, CA. [Bill Green] (L-R) Skipper (Bill) Wilber Green and two crewmen, Axel Nelson and Bill Johnson, onboard the P-510 during its trial run out of Long Beach, CA. [Bill Green]
#5. Unknown Shipmates, 10th ERBS, Aleutian Islands.
Two crash boats heading north to the Aleutians. [Clark Green] Two crash boats heading north to the Aleutians. [Clark Green]
#4. Unknown Shipmates, 10th ERBS, Aleutian Islands.
The P-51 all gussied up, known as "The Dream Maker," November 2000. [Clark Green] The P-51 all gussied up, known as "The Dream Maker," November 2000. [Clark Green]
#6. Unknown Shipmates, 10th ERBS, Aleutian Islands.
The P-51 all gussied up, known as "The Dream Maker," November 2000. [Clark Green] The P-51 all gussied up, known as "The Dream Maker," November 2000. [Clark Green]
#7. Unknown Shipmates, 10th ERBS, Aleutian Islands.
The P-51 all gussied up, known as "The Dream Maker," November 2000. [Clark Green] The P-51 all gussied up, known as "The Dream Maker," November 2000. [Clark Green]
#8. Unknown Ship, Aleutian Islands.
The P-51 all gussied up, known as "The Dream Maker," November 2000. [Clark Green] The P-51 all gussied up, known as "The Dream Maker," November 2000. [Clark Green]
#9. Pile driver tipped to one side at Cold Bay, AK.
The P-51 all gussied up, known as "The Dream Maker," November 2000. [Clark Green] The P-51 all gussied up, known as "The Dream Maker," November 2000. [Clark Green]
#11. Group photo, one of the 10th ERBS crews. [Note: De Sommery was skipper of the ERBS’s P-115 Rescue Boat assigned to accept it on behalf of the AAF at Stockton, CA, then travel up the coast to Seattle together with P-114. Unknown if he maintained command of the P-115 as assigned duty in the Aleutians.]
The P-51 all gussied up, known as "The Dream Maker," November 2000. [Clark Green] The P-51 all gussied up, known as "The Dream Maker," November 2000. [Clark Green]
#12. Frank Gonella, 10th ERBS, Aleutian Islands.
The P-51 all gussied up, known as "The Dream Maker," November 2000. [Clark Green] The P-51 all gussied up, known as "The Dream Maker," November 2000. [Clark Green]
#10. Arnie Lind, 10th ERBS, Aleutian Islands.
The P-51 all gussied up, known as "The Dream Maker," November 2000. [Clark Green] The P-51 all gussied up, known as "The Dream Maker," November 2000. [Clark Green]
#13. Dock at Cold Bay.
The P-51 all gussied up, known as "The Dream Maker," November 2000. [Clark Green] The P-51 all gussied up, known as "The Dream Maker," November 2000. [Clark Green]
#14. 85' Army Crash Boat P-519 off of Amchitka, including William Kennedy.
The P-51 all gussied up, known as "The Dream Maker," November 2000. [Clark Green] The P-51 all gussied up, known as "The Dream Maker," November 2000. [Clark Green]
#15. 85' Army Crash Boat P-216.
The P-51 all gussied up, known as "The Dream Maker," November 2000. [Clark Green] The P-51 all gussied up, known as "The Dream Maker," November 2000. [Clark Green]
#16. 85' Army Crash Boat P-144.
The P-51 all gussied up, known as "The Dream Maker," November 2000. [Clark Green] The P-51 all gussied up, known as "The Dream Maker," November 2000. [Clark Green]
#18. 85' Army Crash Boat P-115 in dry dock.
The Army Air Corps wanted the service at any air base from which they would be operating, from the Arctic to the Tropics and in foreign countries if necessary. The US Navy had argued that they were already mobilizing their units for war and the USCG advised that they were willing to assist, but only in areas that they were then operating and supporting. Rescue operations were assigned to the Water Transport Division (ATC) of the Army Quartermaster Corps. The 10th ERBS was organized and based in Alaska. They patrolled and performed rescue operations from Ketchikan, through the Aleutian Chain, to the Kuril Islands.
The P-51 all gussied up, known as "The Dream Maker," November 2000. [Clark Green] The P-51 all gussied up, known as "The Dream Maker," November 2000. [Clark Green]
#17. 85' Army Crash Boat P-115.
William Kennedy’s 10th ERBS Scrapbook by Bob Kennedy