a 501(c)3 Ocean Outreach Project
Honoring the men their memory and their mission
USS Mannert L. Abele Crew
Abandon ship order is given:
Within a minute the after the impact, Ensign Adair realized that the Abele was breaking in two, for he could see that her aft half was filling rapidly. The deck had sunk close to the water. All sailors in the aft half were abandoning the Abele. In the water, the crew who hade abandoned ship could see the the ship folding in the middle, with the bow and the stern far out of the water. The two huge screw and the twin rudders had risen above the water an ewer still turning.
According to the record, it was less than two minutes from the time of the second kamikaze util Abele had vanished below the waves. With only one minute between the two kamikaze crashes.
Missing In Action
TRENTMAN, John L., Jr. (Ens., USNR)
WYNN, James W. (Lt Gg), USN)
BARNES, Theodore B. (F2c)
BERAN, Arthur K. (Flc)
BETTICA, Fred G. (Slc)
BOBBITT, Merle R. (GM3c)
BOLLINGER, Kenneth D. (Slc)
BOND, Cecil 0. (WT2c)
BURNS, Daniel J. (TM2c)
CAHILL, Thomas J. (Y2c)
CHANCEY, Joseph V. (EM3c)
COKER, Wiliam E. (Slc)
CREAMER, Robert J. (Slc)
CYMBAL, Michael (n) (MM3c)
DAWSON, James M. (EM3c)
DAY, Charles H., Jr. (FCte)
DODSON, J. D. (Flc)
DONATONE, Joseph P. (Slc)
EGAN, John W., Jr. (Ste)
FINN, Thomas C. (Flc)
FISK, Maxwell, L. (Slc)
FRECKELTON, John L. (Flc)
GATEWOOD, James C. (MM2c)
GESENSWAY, Arnold S. (MM3c)
GIASSON, Adelard C. (RdM3c)
GODDU, Joseph W. (MMlc)
HENDRIX, Jack G. (Flc)
HENKLE, Lawrence H. (Flc)
HON, Glenn A. (MM2e)
ITNYRE, Karl W. (Fte)
JOHNSON, Andy G. (Flc)
JOHNSON, Gerald M. (FC2e)
KEEGAN, James F. (Flc)
KNOTT, James P. (EM3e)
KONDASH, Michael T. (Ste)
KRAVITZ, Abraham (n) (MM3e)
LA BUA, Anthony (Slc)
LAIRD, Charles L. (Ste)
LAREAU, Edward H. (Ste)
MAGGIOLO, Vito R. (Flc)
MARTIN, Kenneth R. (Flc)
MESKE, Robert E. (CPhM)
METCALFE, Murrel G. (WTlc)
MEYERS, John A. (RM3c)
MILLER, Luther (n}, Jr. (Ste)
MILLS, Joseph H. (Ste)
NAMIOTKIEWICZ, Vincent S. (WT3c)
NELSON, Howard D. (FC3c)
NORD, Carl A. (WT3c)
PACKARD, Howard E. (FC3c)
PARKS. Ned F. (CWT)
PATTON, William H. (TM3c)
PAULMAN, Henry S. (EM2c)
RANO, James D. (WT3c)
RENN, Clinton T. (MMlc)
ROBERTSON, Edward H. (MM2c)
ROBINSON, Earl E. (FC3c)
ROHRBOUCK, John J. (WT3c)
ROONEY, Frank R. (CTM)
RUDDY, Harry L. (Slc)
RUSSELL, Reuben R. (Slc)
SCHNEIDER, Ernest T. (CFC)
SEE, Harry L. (FClc)
SITKO, Clarence F. (FClc)
SNIDER, Carl R. (EM3c)
STERNBERGER, Robert G. (Y3c)
TERRILL, Royce B. (MMlc)
TOWELL, William Q. (WTlc)
TUCKER, John S. (Slc)
UTTERBACK, Jack E. (WT2c)
WELLS, James D. (WTic)
WHITBECK, George W. (WT2c)
WILSON, Emmette L. (MMlc)
Killed in Action
HODGE, Walter N. {Ensign, USN)
CRAM, George R. (SCte)
HINTON, Thomas M. (SF3c)
MILLS, George (n) (Slc)
TAYLOR, Ernest J. (MMlc)
WILLIAMS, John L. (GM3c)
Died of Wounds
DELAP, Robert F. (CWT)
GIOVINCO, Joseph J. (Slc)
KIRSCH, Anton J. (WT1c)
MARTIN, Richard J. (Flc)
WEST, Richard C. (S1c)
M.L.Abele Crew Summary
Killed in Action
Officers ............................. 1
Enlisted ............................ 5
Wounded in Action
Officers ............................. 3
Enlisted ........................... 35
Mission in Action
Officers ............................. 2
Enlisted ........................... 71
Died of Wounds
Enlisted ............................ 5
Other Survivors
Officers ............................ 20
Enlisted ............................ 216
Total Killed/Missing/Died: ..... 84
Ship's Complement
Total Officers . . . . . . . . .. . . . ... . 26
Total Enlisted . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . 332
Total Ship’s Complement . . . .. . 358
