Weekes, Don J. (Second World War battle reports), 1944 October

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Summary

Title:

Don J. Weekes Second World War battle reports

Dates:

1944 October

Creators:

Weekes, Don J., Lieutenant, b. 1915 and Livingstone, William M.

Abstract:

This collection contains two reports written by Lieutenant Don J. Weekes, USN about the sinking of the USS St. Lo during the Battle of Leyte Gulf, Second World War.

Containers:

box: WWII 24
folder: 9

Extent:

.03 Linear feet (1 folder)

Language:

English .

Preferred citation:

[Item title / description; Box "n" / Folder "n"], Don J. Weekes Second World War battle reports (2017.120.w.r), Center for American War Letters Archives, Chapman University, CA.

For the benefit of current and future researchers, please cite any additional information about sources consulted in this collection, including permanent URLs, item or folder descriptions, and box/folder locations.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection contains two reports written by Lt. Don J. Weekes, USN regarding the sinking of the USS St. Lo during the Battle of Leyte Gulf, Second World War. Also included is one typed "Calling All Veterans" written by a Bob Stevens attempting to conduct oral histories of Second World War veterans.

In the reports, Lt. Weekes provides details of hearing machine gun fire that was not their own, then a loud explosion. He administered first aid to the 20mm gun crew, including a man named Valenzuela, before a second explosion. He then left the stern of the ship and headed toward his forward battle station, noting a fire on the flight deck, receiving two boxes of morphine from Lt(jg) Miles M. Rankin, and hearing the command to abandon ship. He moved to the "foc'sle" (forecastle, upper deck of a ship or forward part of the ship with the sailors' quarters) and continued to administer first aid to burn and shrapnel victims.

While at the front of the ship, Weekes heard a plane and then three small explosions and descended a ladder into the water with Lieutenant Place and Pharmacist's Mate First Class A.G. Vinson, while most other men jumped into the water. The ship listed to port and he swam one hundred feet forward of the bridge and heard a huge explosion and watched the ship sink, going down by the stern. Two and a half hours later he was picked up by the USS Dennis, which by this time was filled with casualties and he began working on their care.

His first report commends Ens. Campbell and PhM2/c's Norman Lund and M.R. Miller, with high commendation for Seaman First Class S.E. Benedict who was a barber that helped with first aid. His second report lists corrective issues for future attackes, such as low plasma and morphine supplies, need for more rubber life boats, emphasis on carrying gloves, and the need for a sphygmomanometer and stethoscope on destroyer escorts, such as the USS Dennis that was underprepared for their first aid.

Biographical / historical:

Lieutenant Don J. Weekes, (Medical Corps) United States Navy (b. 1/11/1915) was born in Thurston, Washington to Claude and Hazel Weekes and moved to Fresno, California at a young age (before 1920, census). He attended Fresno High School and Fresno State College, where he was a varsity athlete, member of the German club, and Mu Alpha Delta fraternity, before transferring to Duke University. There he registered for the draft on October 16, 1940 and after finishing school worked as a physician in Detroit, Michigan. On August 19, 1942 he married a nurse named Pauline Clara Switzer, and by November 12 he earned the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade in the Navy.

Weekes earned the rank of Lieutenant on January 1, 1944 and on October 28 set sail for the Pacific Theater aboard the USS Harris, along with Lieutenant Junior Grade Leonard Ernest "Tex" Waldrop, United States Navy Reserve who became known as an ace pilot and served aboard the USS St. Lo (CVE-63) with Weekes when it went down off of Samara Island during the Battle of Leyte Gulf on October 25, 1944. The St. Lo was the first major American warship to be sunk by a Japanese kamikaze attack.

Lt(jg) Waldrop earned much of his fame defending the St. Lo before her sinking, while also earning fabled noteriety when he apparently abandoned ship by jumping into the sea with a cigar in his mouth and it did not get wet. Also aboard the Harris were Ensign Leslie E. Campbell, (Hospital Corps) United States Navy and Lieutenant Junior Grade Miles M. Rankin, both of whom he mentions by name in his report of the ship's sinking.

Acquisition information:

Gift of Dr. Don Weekes Family, via William M. Livingstone.

Rules or conventions:

Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Indexed terms

Subjects:: World War (1939-1945)
World War (1939-1945) -- Philippines.
War -- Medical aspects
Names:: Livingstone, William M.
Places:: United States. -- Navy

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:: Andrew Harman
Date Encoded:: This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2022-03-24 17:31:53 -0400 .

Access and use

Restrictions:: This collection is open for research.
Terms of access:: There are no restrictions on the use of this material except where previously copyrighted material is concerned. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain all permissions.