Oral History Interview with Melvin A. Bice, August 9, 2011

Transcript of an oral interview with Melvin A. Bice. When Bice finished high school in Lincoln, Nebraska he joined the Navy. The Navy called him up in February, 1943 and he took basic training in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. During training, Bice contracted the mumps. After basic training, Bice was assigned at San Diego to the USS Mataco (AT-86), an ocean-going tugboat. Their first assignement was to tow a floating drydock to New Guinea. Along the way, Bice shot down a Japanese aircraft. Upon arrival and delivery of the drydock, Bice was returned tothe US to attend aircraft gunnery school. Soon after, he was assigned to the USS Ommaney Bay (CVE-79). The Ommaney Bay was present for action in Leyte Gulf, where Bice describes kamikaze attacks and shooting down more Japanese aircraft from his twin 40mm anti-aircraft gun, for which he received a decoration. He also describes being bombed by a Japanese airplane in Lingayen Gulf and the Ommaney Bay sinking. Bice then provides details about abandoning ship, leaping into the water, finding an ammo can to use as a flotation device, and watching as the Ommaney bay was scuttled by an American destroyer using torpedoes. Aftr being in the water several hours, Bice was rescued and taken aboard a destroyer. From there, he was transferred to the USS Louisville (CA-28) and was aboard her when she was hit by kamikazes. From there, he was again transferred, this time to the USS West Virginia (BB-48). He finally was transferred to the USS General R.L. Howze (AP-134) where he spent the remainder of the war. At one point, Bice recalls an inspection conducted by Admirals Nimitz and Halsey onboard the ommaney bay. Bice was out of uniform and got chewed out some by Halsey while Nimitz observed and gave a slight grin. When Bice returned to the US, he was assigned to an ammunnitoin depot outside of Bremerton, Washington where he served the remainder of his term in the Navy