Comments on: Bombing of Bari, Italy compared to Pearl Harbor, WWII http://www.duskbeforethedawn.net/2009/10/bombing-of-bari-italy-compared-to-pearl-harbor-wwii/ What to read? What to read? So many books in the stack. Mon, 07 May 2012 18:22:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Debra Palmer http://www.duskbeforethedawn.net/2009/10/bombing-of-bari-italy-compared-to-pearl-harbor-wwii/comment-page-1/#comment-36515 Debra Palmer Mon, 09 Apr 2012 20:02:44 +0000 http://www.duskbeforethedawn.net/?p=1160#comment-36515 My father (AAC, 340th Group Communications) spent the previous night at Bari Harbor during WWII in transit to Foggia. While there, he went to a fine opera house and enjoyed walking around the charming town. He left the morning of the raid while still dark out, raining so hard it was like pouring water out of a boot. When he reconnected with his Group, he was informed about the raid and that they had feared for his life. A fully-loaded British munitions ship had been hit , which set off a chain reaction of explosions nearly blowing the town off the map. I hope to soon retrace a large part of his WWII travels, and Bari Harbor is a must. Good luck with your novel! My father recounted his WWII experiences in LUCK OF THE ALBATROSS: AN AMERICAN SOLDER'S EPIC OF WORLD WAR II (hardback, PO Box 972,, Tellico Plains, TN 37385). Now to check out all you've written! My father (AAC, 340th Group Communications) spent the previous night at Bari Harbor during WWII in transit to Foggia. While there, he went to a fine opera house and enjoyed walking around the charming town. He left the morning of the raid while still dark out, raining so hard it was like pouring water out of a boot. When he reconnected with his Group, he was informed about the raid and that they had feared for his life. A fully-loaded British munitions ship had been hit , which set off a chain reaction of explosions nearly blowing the town off the map. I hope to soon retrace a large part of his WWII travels, and Bari Harbor is a must. Good luck with your novel! My father recounted his WWII experiences in LUCK OF THE ALBATROSS: AN AMERICAN SOLDER’S EPIC OF WORLD WAR II (hardback, PO Box 972,, Tellico Plains, TN 37385). Now to check out all you’ve written!

]]> By: admin http://www.duskbeforethedawn.net/2009/10/bombing-of-bari-italy-compared-to-pearl-harbor-wwii/comment-page-1/#comment-25997 admin Mon, 30 May 2011 13:06:32 +0000 http://www.duskbeforethedawn.net/?p=1160#comment-25997 Joan, thank you, a great story about your father. Have a great Memorial Day! Larry Joan, thank you, a great story about your father. Have a great Memorial Day!
Larry

]]> By: joan slavin http://www.duskbeforethedawn.net/2009/10/bombing-of-bari-italy-compared-to-pearl-harbor-wwii/comment-page-1/#comment-25991 joan slavin Mon, 30 May 2011 07:08:38 +0000 http://www.duskbeforethedawn.net/?p=1160#comment-25991 My father, who died four years ago, was at bari harbor that night. My father was a medical administrative officer and his job was to supervise the unloading of medical supplies from a ship in the harbor. He was an officer with the 34th Army Field Hospital in Cerignola, Italy. That night, the men he brought with him to unload the ship , wanted to sleep on the ship.....they were due to begin unloading supplies the next morning. My father said no and made them dig foxholes to sleep in that night. They were all EXTREMELY annoyed at him, but he would not relent. One man refused to dig a foxhole and just slept on top of the ground. Needless to say, once the bombing began, they were all grateful for my father's caution. The man who didn't dig a foxhole, tried to jump in the one my father dug. My father was a new officer at this time. This was a new command for him. I think after this experience, his men had a new respect for him and I think of how many lives he saved that night. He always said in his letters how few problems he had as an officer with his enlisted men. I understand why!! My father never said anything else about that night except that one story. I am sure it must have been a terrible experience for him. I know at that time the american hospitals were not yet on their feet yet in that part of italy and there were only english hospitals. i wonder how they were able to get medical help and how my dad helped. I don't think I will ever know what part he really played, but i am sure he did what he could. My father, who died four years ago, was at bari harbor that night. My father was a medical administrative officer and his job was to supervise the unloading of medical supplies from a ship in the harbor. He was an officer with the 34th Army Field Hospital in Cerignola, Italy.

That night, the men he brought with him to unload the ship , wanted to sleep on the ship…..they were due to begin unloading supplies the next morning. My father said no and made them dig foxholes to sleep in that night. They were all EXTREMELY annoyed at him, but he would not relent. One man refused to dig a foxhole and just slept on top of the ground. Needless to say, once the bombing began, they were all grateful for my father’s caution. The man who didn’t dig a foxhole, tried to jump in the one my father dug.

My father was a new officer at this time. This was a new command for him. I think after this experience, his men had a new respect for him and I think of how many lives he saved that night. He always said in his letters how few problems he had as an officer with his enlisted men. I understand why!!

My father never said anything else about that night except that one story. I am sure it must have been a terrible experience for him. I know at that time the american hospitals were not yet on their feet yet in that part of italy and there were only english hospitals. i wonder how they were able to get medical help and how my dad helped. I don’t think I will ever know what part he really played, but i am sure he did what he could.

]]> By: Walter H. Williams http://www.duskbeforethedawn.net/2009/10/bombing-of-bari-italy-compared-to-pearl-harbor-wwii/comment-page-1/#comment-25295 Walter H. Williams Mon, 25 Apr 2011 02:36:56 +0000 http://www.duskbeforethedawn.net/?p=1160#comment-25295 I was at AFGD#5 about a1/4 of a mile from the dock unloading P38 belly tanks that had come in on one ships that was docked in Bari Harbor. You could see lights and crane booms at the dock I was expecting the Depot to get bombed too,we had 13 ware houses and about 200 acres of air craft supplies,We were the main supplier for the 15 Air Corp as we were called then. All we got was a lot of shrapnel from the antiacraft fire. Walter H.Williams P.S. I have 16 pictures of the Docks after the raid. I was at AFGD#5 about a1/4 of a mile from the dock unloading P38 belly tanks that had come in on one ships that was docked in Bari Harbor. You could see lights and crane booms at the dock I was expecting the Depot to get bombed too,we had 13 ware houses and about 200 acres of air craft supplies,We were the main supplier for the 15 Air Corp as we were called then. All we got was a lot of shrapnel from the antiacraft fire. Walter H.Williams
P.S. I have 16 pictures of the Docks after the raid.

]]> By: admin http://www.duskbeforethedawn.net/2009/10/bombing-of-bari-italy-compared-to-pearl-harbor-wwii/comment-page-1/#comment-21457 admin Wed, 10 Nov 2010 13:16:46 +0000 http://www.duskbeforethedawn.net/?p=1160#comment-21457 Pat, an amazing story, thank you for sharing and thanks to your father for his service. Pat, an amazing story, thank you for sharing and thanks to your father for his service.

]]> By: Patrick Egger http://www.duskbeforethedawn.net/2009/10/bombing-of-bari-italy-compared-to-pearl-harbor-wwii/comment-page-1/#comment-21449 Patrick Egger Wed, 10 Nov 2010 04:59:00 +0000 http://www.duskbeforethedawn.net/?p=1160#comment-21449 My Father (Sherman F. Egger) was an Armed Guard at Bari Italy, that fateful night, he was the gunnery capt. (As a Sailor), He shot at the bombers with the gun aboard their ship. He told me of the carnage and the screams from the men on the hot decks, the men hanging from the gun barrels, because the deck heat was to great, till they fell into the harbor, that was afire. His ship did not sink and he told me of the men he helped from the water, that later were found to have mustard gas on them. He said it was horrific. He was a man among men his entire life, humble, forthright, honest, a hard worker, and a great father. He is misted and we can only hope the generations to come will be half as good as his. Sincerely his son, Pat. My Father (Sherman F. Egger) was an Armed Guard at Bari Italy, that fateful night, he was the gunnery capt. (As a Sailor), He shot at the bombers with the gun aboard their ship. He told me of the carnage and the screams from the men on the hot decks, the men hanging from the gun barrels, because the deck heat was to great, till they fell into the harbor, that was afire. His ship did not sink and he told me of the men he helped from the water, that later were found to have mustard gas on them. He said it was horrific. He was a man among men his entire life, humble, forthright, honest, a hard worker, and a great father. He is misted and we can only hope the generations to come will be half as good as his. Sincerely his son, Pat.

]]> By: Christy Ladas http://www.duskbeforethedawn.net/2009/10/bombing-of-bari-italy-compared-to-pearl-harbor-wwii/comment-page-1/#comment-20950 Christy Ladas Wed, 28 Jul 2010 23:53:31 +0000 http://www.duskbeforethedawn.net/?p=1160#comment-20950 Larry, thank you for your kind words. My Dad lived a full and wonderful life despite his WWII experiences. He didn't talk about Bari much and never complained about his health issues. I too am surprised at how few people know about this part of WWII. Thanks for using it in your novel. I am looking forward to reading it. I have just read "Nightmare In Bari" by Gerald Reminick and it really opened my eyes as to what my Dad and all of the other servicemen endured that night. Thanks again. Christy Larry, thank you for your kind words. My Dad lived a full and wonderful life despite his WWII experiences. He didn’t talk about Bari much and never complained about his health issues. I too am surprised at how few people know about this part of WWII. Thanks for using it in your novel. I am looking forward to reading it. I have just read “Nightmare In Bari” by Gerald Reminick and it really opened my eyes as to what my Dad and all of the other servicemen endured that night. Thanks again. Christy

]]> By: admin http://www.duskbeforethedawn.net/2009/10/bombing-of-bari-italy-compared-to-pearl-harbor-wwii/comment-page-1/#comment-20948 admin Wed, 28 Jul 2010 15:48:24 +0000 http://www.duskbeforethedawn.net/?p=1160#comment-20948 Christy, thank you for sharing this story. I am continuously surprised when I tell people about the Bombing of Bari; few people, even those with good historical knowledge of WWII, have ever heard of it. I am thankful for your father's service, and sorry that it caused him so much pain; it sounds like he was an unsung hero. Larry Christy, thank you for sharing this story. I am continuously surprised when I tell people about the Bombing of Bari; few people, even those with good historical knowledge of WWII, have ever heard of it. I am thankful for your father’s service, and sorry that it caused him so much pain; it sounds like he was an unsung hero.

Larry

]]> By: Christy Ladas http://www.duskbeforethedawn.net/2009/10/bombing-of-bari-italy-compared-to-pearl-harbor-wwii/comment-page-1/#comment-20945 Christy Ladas Wed, 28 Jul 2010 03:12:22 +0000 http://www.duskbeforethedawn.net/?p=1160#comment-20945 My Dad, Robert Scarlett was a S3c on the Lyman Abbott and was in the bombing at Bari, Italy. He was awarded the purple heart and suffered with health problems, especially lung problems for the rest of his life. When I was a young child around 1951 doctors scraped a powdered substance of unknown origin from his lungs. He lived with horrible nightmares for years after the war. He died in 1998 of lung related issues and also was diagnosed with a degenerative neurological disease of unknown origins. From information I have read, it seems that the Lyman Abbott may have had mustard gas on board. I do know my Dad was in a life boat the night of the bombing with fellow shipmates. He put his arm around another crew member to hold him up and my Dad's hand went completely up into the back of this sailor. He and another sailor spent a couple of nights under a bridge before being found and taken to a hospital. This was a horrible,life changing event for the people who lived it. I am proud of my Dad and all those who gave so much for our country. My Dad, Robert Scarlett was a S3c on the Lyman Abbott and was in the bombing at Bari, Italy. He was awarded the purple heart and suffered with health problems, especially lung problems for the rest of his life. When I was a young child around 1951 doctors scraped a powdered substance of unknown origin from his lungs. He lived with horrible nightmares for years after the war. He died in 1998 of lung related issues and also was diagnosed with a degenerative neurological disease of unknown origins. From information I have read, it seems that the Lyman Abbott may have had mustard gas on board. I do know my Dad was in a life boat the night of the bombing with fellow shipmates. He put his arm around another crew member to hold him up and my Dad’s hand went completely up into the back of this sailor. He and another sailor spent a couple of nights under a bridge before being found and taken to a hospital. This was a horrible,life changing event for the people who lived it. I am proud of my Dad and all those who gave so much for our country.

]]> By: admin http://www.duskbeforethedawn.net/2009/10/bombing-of-bari-italy-compared-to-pearl-harbor-wwii/comment-page-1/#comment-18456 admin Tue, 05 Jan 2010 17:14:27 +0000 http://www.duskbeforethedawn.net/?p=1160#comment-18456 George, thanks for letting me know. Your book is now on my to be read list! George, thanks for letting me know. Your book is now on my to be read list!

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