The Journey
The following is the journey of the USS Frederick C. Davis. This page is a work in progress.
The pictures are from a box my gramps brought back home on leave. All taken by the ship's photographer. On the back of the pictures, he had handwritten notes that I have included in quotes before each picture.
After the invasion of France, the ship returned home after more than a year overseas. The picture below captures the navy tradition of flying a pennant when a ship returns home after being gone for a year. Each foot in length represents a member of the crew. This one was 212' long. Its amazing the story represented by that pennant.
The following link will activate GoogleEarth. The intent is to show an idea of the travels of the ship
Personal Diary.
Here is a personal diary from Anthony Kanzoski, GM3c, of the port of calls and such. Some interesting notes at various points.
Anthony Kankoskie Diary.pdfBum Boats
My gramps called these "bum boats". On the back of the picture was the following:
"These are the bum boats that came out to meet us nearly every time we came into port in Italy. They begged for anything at all to eat and many a time I've seen them haul stuff out of the water that had been thrown overboard. These people are hungry. Note the small children rowing some of the baots."
Algiers
Naples
Palermo
Isle of Capri
Pompeii
Oran
Anzio, Italy (51 kilometers south of Rome)
The ship and crew were at Anzio from 22 Jan 1944 through June 1944.
The following was found on the Archive.org website, which is a non-profit library of free books, movies,software,etc.
It is footage that was filmed abroad the USS Frederick Davis during the invasion of Anzio. It is approximately 8.5 minutes in length (no sound).
Naval Photographic Center film #1605. National Archives description:
1) SCU 40MM fires tracers, LS Fire burns - night action.
2) LS Tracers chase German plane, SHS 40MM fires.
3) LS German plane falls in flames over Anzio.
4) SHS Bomb lands, explodes close aboard.
5) LS Hospital ship. SHS USA wounded lowered to boat.
6) LS Hospital boat, approaches hospital ship.
7) LS DD fires. SHS 20MM gun crews fire.
8) LS Tracers AA. LS Night flares settle.
9) LS P-51 passes. LS Life boat near PT boat.
10) GV P boat, P-51 flies over, Anzio BG."
National Archives Identifier: 76091
"Vapor trails over Anzio made by German MC 109's, 110's or Ju 88's"
"A bombed house at Anzio, Italy"
"What most of Anzio looked like by June 1944. I walked down this same street."
"Another typical Anzio scene. Note the soldiers".
"This section of Anzio hadn't been touched by bombs yet when this picture was taken, by June of '44 it looked like the rest of the pictures".
"This villa at Anzio is where the war correspondents were quartered- Ernie Pyle was there - it was hit later on in the campaign".
"Yank humor at Anzio".
"Outside of church at Anzio".
"Interior of cathedral at Anzio. It was one of the few buildings that wasn't bombed".
"Interior of another church in Anzio".
"A dwelling in Anzio, Italy".
"Home in Anzio".
15 August 1944 Invasion of France
The following was found on the Archive.org website, which is a non-profit library of free books, movies,software,etc.
It is footage that was filmed abroad the USS Frederick Davis during the invasion of France. It is approximately 5.5 minutes in length (no sound).
Naval Photographic Center film #5169. National Archives description "1) LS-MS LSTs underway with barrage balloons-SV.2) MS APs standing by to debark troops-SV.3) LS USS ARKANSAS bombards beach.4) MS French cruiser underway.5) MS French cruiser bombards beach.QUALITY: FAIR"
National Archives Identifier: 77381