05/27/2017
Getting a jump on Memorial Day weekend, here's a throwback from another memorable time at Long Beach Airport where we tested the ZERO SOUTH vehicles. These photos were taken by ZS Engineer, Brock Winberg one serendipitous afternoon in 2015 when several very-fast, tax-payer-owned, aircraft unexpectedly taxied up to our hangar. There are moments where I've known we have something special with this project, but when the pilots stepped down from their planes and ran to our vehicles--like their flight plan said, "today's mission is to fly to Long Beach to see some really cool electric HMMWV rigs." It was just validating. We showed the pilots how they worked, but when I declared myself an owner in the military co-op and ask asked to fly theirs, well, that went over as well as you can image.
On a serious note, I'd like to share a story and say a few words about one of my ancestor veterans who I've been obsessively researching lately: Chief Construction Mechanic, Benjamin F. Baggarly (service # 2675040) served in the Navy in World War II. He was stationed in Long Beach and likely he and his wife Sara and son Robert were the first Baggarlys in California. Records say he was aboard the USS Lexington (CV-2) but it was his service aboard the USS Neosho (AO-23) that made him a hero. This ship was known as an 'oiler'-- AKA, a fuel resupply ship and on May 6th 1942 it had just refueled the US Task Force 17 which was a fleet of ships, also known as Task Force Fox. The fleet had just completed a siege on Tulagi Island in the South Pacific Coral Sea, east of Australia on May 4th under the charge of Admirals Fletcher, Fitch and Crace. USS Neosho, and her fellow-resupply ship/battlecruiser, USS Sims, detached from the fleet and headed south for a refueling rendezvous at Point Rye (16°S 158°E) when Japanese Admiral Takagi’s search planes (who were looking for the main fleet) mistook Neosho and Sims for a carrier and a battle cruiser and sent 62 planes to attack. After several assaults, Sims was sunk at around 12:30 p.m. with the loss of 237 men. On board Neosho, the crew watched their es**rt ship sink before their eyes. During the action, 20 Neosho crewmen died and 158 jumped overboard or went missing, leaving only 125 survivor and for several days their ship was immobilized, listing 26 degrees at (approximately) 16°09'S, 158°02'E and drifting Northwest. I can only assume this was the truest definition of 'uncertainty' for the surviving crew, who knew they could roll and sink at any moment. On the morning of May 9th, the pharmacists reported to the Captain (Philips) that three injured men had died: Fireman Third Class Davis A. Christian, Fireman First Class Henry T. Chapman, Chief Construction Mechanic Benjamin F. Baggarly, They were buried at sea in a mid-morning ceremony on May 9th when the Neosho was approximately 3 miles Northwest of 15°35'S, and 156°55'E in a funeral service that brought all hands to the side of the ship while Captain Phillips said a prayer and the bodies were sent down into the deep.
I'm not sure why but, for some reason, it was important to me to know exactly where the burial at sea occurred so I researched further. A Lieutenant on board (Brown) recorded the ship’s position of 15°35'S, and 156°55'E on May 9th at 10:12 a.m. while the ship was adrift on a Northwest heading at a speed of 1.4 knots suggesting the burial at sea was probably 3-5 miles Northwest of this position. I plan to go there one day and pay my respects.
So, what happened to the survivors drifting on the Neosho? On May 11th 1942, at approximately 1:PM, the U.S.S. Henley rescued the survivors and at around 2PM, when all hands were safely aboard Henley, Commander Phillips declared Neosho a total loss and asked that she be sunk. The Henley complied and fired two torpedoes and several rounds of 5-inch and the crew watched Neosho go down, stern first, at 3:22PM at latitude 15°35' S., longitude 155°36' E.
I look at what's happening in the world these days and think it's important to look back at the lives of those who came before us for example and inspiration. I can confidently say, those who served in World War II were truly the greatest generation and we owe it to them, to ourselves, our children and to our fellow men and women to do our best to be like them. I have faith that we can do that.
