U.S.S. LITTLE DD 803 CREW
The U.S.S. Little DD 803 was commissioned August 19, 1944 and sunk May 3, 1945 after four Kamikaze aircraft registered hits on the destroyer in five minutes while serving in TG 51.5 during radar picket station on L-32 day for Okinawa landings. Having only been in service for one-year, three-months and 16 days, the U.S.S. Little DD 803 had very little time to "grow" and "shrink" the total number of crew who actually served aboard her through assignments and transfers.
At the time of sinking, the U.S.S. Little DD 803 crew compliment was 339 consisting of 16 officers and 323 enlisted men. Although an official press release (May 29, 1945) from the Twelfth Naval District Office of Public Relations, San Francisco, CA states, "Of the 340-man crew, seven are known dead, 29 missing and 63 wounded," I have been able to determine from later official U.S. Naval documetation that there were 339 crew on-board at the time of sinking.
Of the 339, 30 crew were lost with the Little, 52 were wounded and the remaining 257 were physically unharmed. Through my research I have come up with 365 crew who served aboard the U.S.S. Little at one point in time. Of those 365, I currently have official U.S. Naval documentation on all but 14 of these individuals. I have noted in the battle station section on each of these individual profiles U.S.S. LITTLE VERIFICATION REQUIRED.
Ames, Oliver F.
Lt. (jg) (Assistant Gunnery Officer)
Deceased (November 23, 2007)
Anderson, Edward (Andy) M.
Lt. (jg) (Torpedo Officer)
Battle Station: Bridge
Deceased (May 19, 2006)
Avallone, A. D.
CMM (Chief Machinist's Mate)
Battle Station: USS LITTLE VERIFICATION REQUIRED
Unknown
Babcock, Gordon
FC (O) 3/c (Fire Controllman Repair)
Battle Station: Director
Living
Barnhart, Allen W.
S 1/c (Seaman)
Battle Station: 5" Mount # 4 - Pointer
Living
Bell, R. L.
Lt (jg) (Assistant Communications Officer - Decoding (Cryptography))
Living
Black, Horace D.
FC 2/c (T) (Fire Controllman)
Battle Station: Plotting Room
Living
Brewton, Walton C.
F 1/c (Fireman)
Battle Station: Foreward #1 Fire Room
Living
Brislenn, Bernard Francis
CGM (AA) (T) (Chief Gunner's Mate)
Deceased (August 11, 2005)
Brock, Walton Carter
F 2/c (Fireman)
Battle Station: Forward # 1 Fire Room
Deceased (May 2003)
Bunck, Warren J.
MM 2/c (Machinist's Mate)
Battle Station: Aft Repair Party
Living
Busch, D. B.
S 2/c (Seaman)
Battle Station: USS LITTLE VERIFICATION REQUIRED
Unknown
Carr, King
Ensign (Assistant First Liuet. - Boatswain)
Deceased (September 9, 2006)
Cartwright, A. D.
MM 1/c (Machinist's Mate)
Battle Station: 5" Mount # 1 - Hot Shellman
Lost with Little (May 4, 1945)
Cator, Robert A.
MoMM 1/c (Motor Machinist's Mate)
Deceased (January 10, 1981)
Chrestman, James Arnold
S 2/c (Seaman)
Battle Station: USS LITTLE VERIFICATION REQUIRED
Deceased
Clausner, Marlin (Spike) D.
Lt. Commander (Executive Officer)
Battle Station: CIC
Deceased (July 24, 2002)
Clift, Eugene S.
WT 2/c (Water Tender)
Battle Station: Aft #2 Fire Room
Living
Coonts, Guy F.
S 1/c (Seaman)
Battle Station: 5" Gun Mount #4
Deceased (June 28, 2002)
Cotta, Robert (Bob) C.
F 1/c (Fireman)
Battle Station: 5" Gun Mount # 5
Deceased (February 1, 2006)
Diggett, Bernard C.
RdM 3/c (T) (Radarman)
Battle Station: Living 1985
Unknown
Domorasky, Chester P.
GM 2/c (T) (Gunners Mate)
Battle Station: 5" Mount # 4 - Gun Captain (Barber)
Deceased (July 7, 1982)
Elledge, W. F.
S 1/c (Seaman)
Battle Station: USS LITTLE VERIFICATION REQUIRED
Unknown
Enderle, Frank
S 1/c (Seaman)
Battle Station: 5" Gun Mount # 3 (Tranferred off ship prior to 5-4-1945)
Deceased (August 10, 2006)
Felt, Andrew (jr) William
MoMM 3/c (Motor Machinist's Mate)
Deceased (August 8, 1998)
Fenoglio, Melvin (Mel) Eugene
Y 3/c (T) (Yeoman)
Battle Station: 5" Gun Mount # 3 (Magazine)
Deceased (September 10, 2005)
Fintel, George LaVerne
MM 1/c (Machinist's Mate)
Battle Station: Forward Fire Control
Living
Gale, Irving J.
Cox (Coxswain)
Battle Station: #41 - 40mm (First Loader)
Living
Gibbs, Arthur B.
TM 1/c (T) (Torpedoman)
Battle Station: Bridge - Director's Room (Torpedo Control)
Living
Goddard, R. D.
S 1/c (Seaman)
Battle Station: USS LITTLE VERIFICATION REQUIRED
Unknown
Grunhuvd, Russell W.
S 1/c (GM) (Seaman)
Battle Station: 5" Gun Mount # 1 (Gun Repairman)
Living
Haggerty, J. F.
CTM (Chief Torpedoman)
Battle Station: USS LITTLE VERIFICATION REQUIRED
Unknown
Hall, Madison (jr)
Commander (Commanding Officer)
Battle Station: Ships Captain - Bridge
Deceased (November 13, 1991)
Hansman, Harold D.
MM 2/c (Machinist's Mate)
Battle Station: Forward #1 Engine Room
Deceased (March 22, 1999)
Hiebert, Richard D.
RT 1/c (Radio Technician)
Battle Station: Radar Transmitter Room
Deceased (May 25, 1998)
Hooten, Boyd E.
S 1/c (FC) (Seaman)
Battle Station: Director
Deceased (February 28, 1999)
Iacovetti, Louis J.
S 2/c (Seaman)
Battle Station: 5" Gun Mount # 2 (Passing Shells)
Living
Johnson, John H.
GM 1/c (Gunner's Mate)
Battle Station: 5" Mount # 1 - Gun Captain
Deceased
Johnson, Roger W.
Ensign (Assistant First Lieut. - Boatswain)
Battle Station: Assistant First Lieut. - Boatswain
Deceased (April 17, 1964)
Johnson, Clarence E.
Bkr 3/c (T) (Bookkepper)
Battle Station: Living 1980's - 5" Mount # 4 - Handling Room
Unknown
Johnston, Gale H.
GM 3/c (Gunner's Mate)
Battle Station: 20MM Starboard Aft #43 *Read Bill Cahill's Story*
Lost with Little (May 4, 1945)
Jones, Sam G.
Lt. (Gunnery Officer)
Battle Station: Director - Gunnery Officer
Deceased
Juliano, E. J.
S 1/c (Seaman)
Battle Station: USS LITTLE VERIFICATION REQUIRED
Unknown
Kludjian, Joseph S.
S 1/c (Seaman)
Battle Station: 20mm Fantail Mount
Deceased (2006-04-04)
Knapper, Charlie (Charles) F.
Stm 1/c (Steward's Mate)
Deceased (October 17, 1984)
Larason, John A.
GM 2/c (Gunners Mate)
Battle Station: 5" Mount # 3 - Gun Captain
Lost with Little (May 4, 1945)
Liles, Chester E.
CWT (AA) (T) (Chief Watertender)
Battle Station: Forward #1 Fire Room
Deceased (October 5, 2004)
Mabbitt, Caryle W.
CWT (T) (Chief Water Tender)
Battle Station: Living 1987
Unknown
Martin, James A.
WT 2/c (Water Tender)
Battle Station: Forward Damage Control
Deceased (September 1, 1997)
Mayville, Kenneth B.
QM 2/c (Quarter Master)
Battle Station: Bridge
Deceased (June 18, 2000)
McCamant, James F.
Ensign ()
Battle Station: Assistant Engineering Officer
Deceased (January 14, 2000)
McClear, Edward J
MM 3/c (Machinist's Mate)
Battle Station: USS LITTLE VERIFICATION REQUIRED
Deceased
McClelland, Danny D.
SC 2/c (Ships Cook)
Battle Station: 5" Gun Mount # 2
Living
McConnell, L. G.
Lt. (jg) ()
Battle Station: Sound Officer
Deceased (September 27, 1993)
McElhany, F. R.
WT 1/c (Water Tender)
Battle Station: USS LITTLE VERIFICATION REQUIRED
Unknown
Miller, George R.
S 1/c (FC) (Seaman)
Battle Station: Starboard bow 40mm - Director operator on the bridge
Living
Miller, R. E.
Lt. (jg) (Supply Officer / Paymaster)
Battle Station: Communications Office
Living
Murray, J. G.
TM 3/c (Torpedoman)
Battle Station: USS LITTLE VERIFICATION REQUIRED
Unknown
Muse, Ralph D.
BM 1/c (Boatswain's Mate)
Battle Station: Forward Damage Control
Deceased
Norris, R (jr) Stewart
Lt. (Senior Boatswain Officer)
Battle Station: Midship Damage Control
Deceased (October 3, 1993)
Olk, Charles A.
S 1/c (Seaman)
Battle Station: #1 40mm
Deceased (August 13, 2003)
Pace, Samuel Francis
CQM (AA) (T) (Chief Quartermaster)
Deceased (March 26, 1989)
Papenfuss, Clarence R.
S 1/c (Seaman)
Battle Station: 5" Gun Mount # 4 (Handling Room - Powder Kegs)
Deceased (September 27, 2002)
Pedersen, Allen C.
MM 2/c (Motorman)
Battle Station: Starboard Engine Room # 1 - Location 1st Kamikaze hit
Lost with Little (May 4, 1945)
Plat, R. O.
TM 1/c (Torpedoman)
Battle Station: USS LITTLE VERIFICATION REQUIRED
Unknown
Pope, William Thomas
BM 1/c (T) (Boatswain's Mate)
Deceased (February 26, 1984)
Reid, Wally J.
Lt. (jg) (Radar Officer)
Battle Station: CIC
Deceased (July 9, 2007)
Rhodes, Ralph (jr) Edwin
GM 3/c (Gunner's Mate)
Battle Station: #45 Twin 40mm
Deceased (September 22, 2003)
Rogers, Allen R.
WT 1/c (Water Tender)
Battle Station: After #2 Fire Room
Living
Rouse, William M.
Lt. (jg) (Assistant CIC Officer)
Battle Station: Combat Information Center
Unknown
Sanders, Ivy Greenbury
SC 1/c (Ship's Cook)
Battle Station: Living 1989
Unknown
Schalk, Theodore J.
TM 3/c (Torpedoman)
Battle Station: #2 Torpedo Mount (Trainer Mount Captain)
Living
Shinn, Thurston (jr) A.
GM 2/c (Gunners Mate)
Battle Station: 5" Gun Mount # 1 (Transferred off ship prior to 5-4-1945)
Living
Shirley, Joe Wilburn
F 1/c (Fireman)
Battle Station: Forward #1 Fire Room
Deceased (August 10, 1997)
Simonini, V. L.
S 2/c (Seaman)
Battle Station: USS LITTLE VERIFICATION REQUIRED
Living
Skelton, William S.
GM 3/c (Gunners Mate)
Battle Station: Port Side 20mm - Aft 44 Gun
Lost with Little (May 4, 1945)
Smith, Gordon Paul
GM 3/c (Gunners Mate)
Battle Station: After Mount 20mm (Gun Captain)
Living
Spracklen, Paul
Ensign (Assistant Gunnery Officer)
Battle Station: Plotting Room
Deceased
Stilger, William George
MM 3/c (T) (Machinist's Mate)
Deceased (March 13, 1994)
Stoen, Sophus (Stoney) Cornelius
BM 1/c (T) (Boatswain's Mate)
Battle Station: 5" Gun Mount # 2 (Gun Captain)
Deceased (December 23, 2005)
Strong, Herbert Ronald
Cox (T) (Coxswain)
Battle Station: 5" Gun Mount # 2
Deceased (February 6, 2005)
Taccinelli, Liberato (Larry) Carl
GM 1/c (T) (Gunners Mate)
Battle Station: 5" Mount #5 - Gun Captain
Deceased (January 13, 1999)
Thayer, J.
SK 2/c (Store Keeper)
Battle Station: USS LITTLE VERIFICATION REQUIRED
Unknown
Turkus, Louis Vesil
Cox (Coxswain)
Battle Station: CIC - Water Tight Integrity
Living
Whall, Franklyn Albert
GM 2/c (T) (Gunner's Mate)
Battle Station: #41 and 42 40mm
Living
Worley, Clarence (Bill) Walter
BM 2/c (Boilermaker)
Deceased (February 10, 2006)