SCOTT:…Oral
history, an
interview with
Cecil Cran who
is the
interviewee, and
I’m James Scott,
the interviewer.
The place of the
interview is in
Sacramento,
California, and
Mr. Cran’s
residence in
Sacramento. The
current time is
10:10 and the
date is
September 29th.
Now, we have
gone through the
process of
signing the
release, we have
discussed Mr.
Cran’s choice
to…not…or to
decline
contribution of
certain bits of
information if
he doesn’t feel
comfortable in
doing so. He has
signed the
release of
information to
the public under
the Freedom Of
Information Act
and I think we
are basically
all set to go.
I’m also giving
Mr. Cran a
transcript and
facsimile of the
core questions
that we are
going to ask him
so that he can
review them as
we go along. The
interview should
not take more
than an hour,
maybe a little
bit longer, so
let’s get going
right here.
Again, this is
an interview of
Cecil Cran and I
am James Scott….
SCOTT: Here we
go…all right…Mr.
Cran we’re going
to start from
the very
beginning--basically,
the prelude to
the War--if you
could tell me
something about
your background,
um, basically,
everything prior
to entering
active duty in
World War
II-tell me about
your life.
CRAN: Uh, okay,
I was primarily
raised in…just
on a ranch, just
outside of Grass
Valley,
California. We
moved from that
area to Oroville
so I could
finish high
school. And uh,
from Oroville I
had to quit high
school in the
third and to go
to work…I went
to work for the
Western Pacific
Railroad and uh
to support my
mother…I was
working there
and the
railroads got so
busy and they’re
working me seven
days a week,
seventeen hours
a day, and being
just a young
person, and I
had a
girlfriend, and
she got
complaining
because we just
never had any
dates, and so it
went on to
about, over a
year, that I
wasn’t having
any time off you
know, so I
decided to call
in sick one time
and my best
friend…my buddy
I was going to
high school
with, Joe Grey,
he took off at
the same time,
but he was sick
and I wasn’t.
And I went back
to work the next
day, and the
superintendent
just climbed all
over me…called
me into the
office… called
in the labor
union…just
chewed me out
something
fierce.
SCOTT: Let you
have it. What
year was this
approximately?
CRAN: This was
1942.
SCOTT:
Okay...okay.
CRAN: Okay? So,
anyway, he just
really ripped me
up and he said
“well now you
can quit if you
want to. I don’t
care what you
do. You just
don’t play this
game anymore.” I
says “If this is
the way it’s
gonna be…if I
can’t have any
time off…I’m
gonna join the
Navy so I can at
least have some
liberty and 30
day leave a
year…at least.
SCOTT: How old
were you at this
time?
CRAN: Think I
was 18.
SCOTT: 18. Okay,
all right.
CRAN: Okay? And
uh, so that’s
exactly what I
did. Another
fella there
workin’ with me,
we decided both
to go join the
Navy. And we
joined together.
Uh…his name
was.. .uh…Smith.
I forgot his
first name. But,
anyway, we
joined together
here is
Sacramento.
SCOTT: Okay.
Now, why the
Navy?
CRAN: Well,
(laugh) this
goes back to
when I was a
child. The nurse
that helped
deliver me, when
I entered into
this world, she
always kept in
contact with me.
And, uh…I guess
the reason she
kept in contact
with me…and my,
my mother and
her were great
friends, and she
was changing me
one day, and she
gave me a bath,
and was kissing
my belly and
everything, and
I, you know what
happened, uh,
she got a face,
a face full of
you know what?
(laughing). So,
anyway
(laughing), uh,
we were real,
real great
buddies. And,
every year, she
would, every
birthday, or
Christmas she
always sent me
money or come
and got me and
during the
summer months
she would take
me on trips. And
this time she
took me to San
Francisco for
the first time,
and I had never
slept, had never
been in a hotel.
We stayed in the
Marc Hopkins
Hotel way up, up
in the upper
stories. And the
next day she
took to
Montgomery
Ward’s, bought
me a bunch of
news clothes,
and then took me
out on the…uh…on
the…on the
aircraft
carrier..uh…oh
shoot…what the
heck’s the name
of that…?
SCOTT: The
Yorktown?
CRAN: No, no. It
was the…oh
shoot…it’s right
here (Cran
presents photo).
Maybe it says
right on the
bottom there?
Oh, I know it as
well as I know…
SCOTT: Oh, the
Saratoga!
CRAN: The
Saratoga! Ya.
Well, when I
went
aboard…well…she
immediately went
up to the
admiral’s
quarters ‘cus
she was a great
friend of him
and the sailors
took me over and
(laugh), and
they just uh,
they just
spoiled me all
the gee-dunks,
and gee-dunks
you know is
candy and ice
cream and I, I
had chow with
‘em and the chow
line and the
whole thing, and
well I was
gung-ho Navy
from then on you
know, and was
gonna be, Navy
nothin’, nothin’
could touch me
but the Navy.
SCOTT: That was
a heck of a
recruiting job
on their part
and they didn’t
even know it.
CRAN: Oh they
did! (laugh).
But that was a
fantastic
experience. I
never thought
that I would
grow up to
patrol with the
Saratoga, you
know. That’s why
I joined the
Navy.
SCOTT: So, uh,
prior to joining
the Navy did you
have any
military
training or
experience? Were
you a boy scout?
Um, were you in
any other sort
of group?
CRAN: No…no. I
was strictly a
farm boy and I
knew how to
work.
SCOTT: Okay, all
right, all
right. Good
enough. So, when
you entered the
Navy were you
married,
engaged, did you
have any
children?
CRAN: No. I had
a girlfriend. I
wasn’t engaged.
We were just
boyfriend,
girlfriend.
SCOTT: Okay.
And, were you
living with your
parents at the
time?
CRAN: I was
living with my
mother.
SCOTT: With your
mom?
CRAN: Ya.
SCOTT: Okay. All
right. So, let’s
move on to the
second question.
Um, now tell me
about your
experiences and
feelings during
induction and
the initial
military
training
experienced
during the Navy.
Boot camp? Um,
just the early
on sort of
experience.
CRAN: Well, my
first experience
was when we left
Sacramento here,
and we got on a
train and went
to San
Francisco. And
that’s where we
were sworn in,
and then we got
on another train
from San
Francisco and
went to San
Diego, to uh, to
boot camp there.
And when we got
there, uh, we
were still in
our civilian
clothes and the
chief that was
going to train
us got up in
front and on
this stand, and
we’re all
standing out
there in the
field and, on
the concrete,
and he got up
there and he
looked at us,
and shook his
head and he
says, “What a
sorry bunch of
plow junkies you
are!”
(laughing). And
he says “I’m
gonna tell ya
something…he
says you’re
gonna hate my
guts in the next
two weeks. If
you don’t you
wish you had
have.”
(laughing). But,
he says “I wanna
tell you
something. I
want you to
listen to me
because I’m
gonna train you
to save your
life.”
SCOTT: Words
you’ll always
remember.
CRAN: I’ll never
forget.
(laughing). And
he was a high
school coach and
he was tough…he
was…very tough.
SCOTT: So, do
you think of him
as the person
you remember
most from boot
camp?
CRAN: Ya, I
would say…
SCOTT: Did you
make any
buddies? Do you
remember any?
CRAN: Oh, I had
lots of
buddies…ya, I,
I…
SCOTT: Are there
any, in
particular, that
you’d like to
talk about?
CRAN: Oh, I had
one…it was
aboard the
Chicago…he was
36-years-old. He
was, uh, he sort
of took me under
his wing. He was
a metal smith,
by trade, and
uh, he sort of
took me under
his wing and I
called him “Pop”
Crawford. His
name was Joe
Crawford. And he
taught me the
ropes on, on
metal smithing,
and that’s where
I got training
in metal
smithing.
SCOTT: Okay, so
the drill, the
drill master
back at camp and
then, and then
“Pop”
Crawford…those
are the two.
Okay, all right.
SCOTT: Now, um,
back to, um,
your induction,
and being sworn
in and going to
boot camp. What
was your feeling
like at this
time? I mean,
emotionally. I
mean, Pearl
Harbor had
happened, you
know, my guess
is seven, eight,
maybe nine
months prior to
that. Um, how
did you feel in
terms of your
sense of
nationalism and
patriotism?
CRAN: I was
raised to be
very patriotic
anyway. Uh, it
uh, when I first
went into, into
boot camp, the
first few days I
wished that I’d
never joined.
The shots, the,
in both arms.
You couldn’t
raise your arms.
They made you
get out there
and do all those
exercises…about
killed ya and,
and a…
SCOTT: What was
the toughest,
what was the
toughest uh
exercise, or, or
ah, drill that
they made ya do?
CRAN: Well, when
you had that
tetanus shot,
you know, I was
very allergic to
it, and, and,
also uh, uh
mesquito
disease. Uh,
that do you call
that now?
SCOTT: Oh,
malaria?
CRAN: Malaria. I
was allergic to
that. And, uh, I
couldn’t raise
my arms, but
they forced you
to raise your
arms, you know,
you had to raise
them over your
head…do all
these exercises.
It was tough,
and uh, and then
one night uh we
did our laundry
and we had to do
our own laundry
and we had to do
our caps and
that and
everything had
to come out just
perfectly white.
If they turned
out yellow or
something, well
they’d give you
XP duty. You’d
have to get out
in the middle of
the night and,
and do guard
duty, just walk
back-and-forth,
back-and-forth.
Here, I had this
real high fever,
and out there
walkin’
back-and-forth,
back-and-forth.
I thought “how
stupid this is.”
You know…here
I’m sick as
a….almost as, as
the old saying
“sick as a dog,”
and here this
dude’s got me
out here in this
fog and cold
(laughing). And
uh, I just
couldn’t, I just
couldn’t see no
sense in it,
but, uh, it
taught me, I
knew my
endurance. That
taught me how
much endurance I
had. But, uh…
SCOTT: So, how
long did, did,
uh, camp last?
CRAN: I think it
was six weeks.
Think that’s
what it was.
SCOTT: Um, so
was there
anything that
you saw, um, as
unusual when you
were in boot
camp? Were any
people removed?
Were any people
seen unfit for
duty during or
after boot camp?
CRAN: I don’t
remember if
anyone was unfit
for duty, but,
uh, one person
was, uh, ahead
of me, in a
line, and he was
not directly in
front of me, but
he
collapsed…and…everybody
wanted to help
him and the
instructor he
just really got
on ‘em, he says
“Whenever anyone
falls, you step
up and take his
place,” you
know. Forget
him!
SCOTT: And how
did you feel
about that?
CRAN: Oh, we
thought that was
very cruel. We
thought that was
just uncalled
for. That was,
uh…
SCOTT: Even now,
do you feel that
way?
CRAN: Pardon?
SCOTT: Even now,
do you feel that
way?
CRAN: Yes I do.
I…think we
should, you
know, someone
should help ‘em.
I still feel
that way.
SCOTT: All
right. Well
let’s move onto
the next
question. Now,
what skill were
you initially
trained to do,
and then what
skill did you
actually end up
acquiring and
practicing in
the Navy?
CRAN: Well, in
the Navy, as I
said, “Pop”
Crawford got me
into metal
smithin’ and
then the, my
division officer
seen was, uh,
that I
progressing well
in it, so he
sent me to San
Diego advanced
welding school
for six-months
and, uh, and
that was from
the U.S.S. San
Francisco.
SCOTT: Okay. So
that’s after the
Chicago…later
on?
CRAN: Ya, right.
SCOTT: So, did
you enjoy being
a metal smith?
CRAN: Yes I did.
I enjoyed it
very much. I,
uh, I was able
to work on the,
on the very last
ship that was
hit three days
after World War
II. The
battleship
Pennsylvania,
three days after
the War was
over, this
Japanese
Kamikaze dove
into the fantail
and killed 22
guys.
SCOTT: The
Pennsylvania was
at Pearl Harbor
as well.
CRAN: Ya, I
think it was
there, too.
Anyway…
SCOTT: So you
did the repair
job, or helped
do the repair
job on the
Pennsylvania?
CRAN: That’s,
uh, when I was
stationed on
that sectional
dry dock. That
was the
Pennsylvania
that was in
there at the
time.
SCOTT: So, which
job were you the
most proud of
doing? The
Pennsylvania?
Did that repair
job make you the
most proud?
CRAN: Ya, I
though that was
kinda unique. We
worked on a
number of ships.
But, we also
worked on the
dry dock and
maintenance of
the dry dock.
SCOTT: Can you
remember any
other repair
jobs that were
distinguishing
in any way?
CRAN: No, no
that was, that
was, that was
the grave, that
was the main
one, because of
the trauma of
all of those 22
guys being
killed. And, and
gettin’ ‘em out
of there. And,
and, the smell
was terrible.
SCOTT: Ya, the
uh…what, what
was your feeling
um, it was near
the end of the
War: the, you
know, the
Kamikazes were
used. What was
the sentiment of
yourself and
your shipmates
toward…..?
CRAN: During the
War?
SCOTT: During
the war. I mean,
obviously, this
practice was
never used
before. Um, you
know, it was an
original sort of
thing that the
Japanese had
developed, and,
uh, ethically,
you know, there
were probably
some concerns
that came up.
You didn’t
understand why
they were doing
it probably and
I was wondering
how you felt.
CRAN: Well, I
felt it was such
a waste of life,
you know, to uh,
to do something
like that. I, I
just, and to
take so much
life with ‘em
you know, that,
uh….the San
Francisco was
hit several
times with those
planes, you
know. Quite a
few were killed.
To me, I thought
it was just
absolutely
senseless.
SCOTT: And one
more quick
little question
with, uh, metal
smithing. Were
you good at it?
Did you feel
like you an ace,
an ace behind
that blow torch?
CRAN: At least I
thought I was.
(laughing). I
was a journeyman
welder. I had a
journeyman’s
card.
SCOTT: Well,
that takes a lot
of skill to be
able to win such
a title.
SCOTT: Okay, um,
so um sticking
with training a
little bit, now
the first post
you held was on
the Chicago.
Right? Okay, so
when you were on
the Chicago was
it deployed for
training at all?
Fleet problems,
things like
that? I mean,
did you
have-before you
were sent to the
South
Pacific-was
there a period
when you thought
there was enough
time for
training? Did
you feel it like
the training was
adequate? And
was it long
enough, or was
it too long?
CRAN: Well, it
wasn’t long
enough-I didn’t
think-because I
couldn’t
comprehend, you
know, I, I
couldn’t
comprehend the
seriousness of
it, and the
seriousness of
the stations
that I was put
in. First thing
I went on the
Chicago, of
course, they uh,
when you first
go aboard, you
have to serve so
much time, in
serving food you
know. They call
that mess
cooking. And, my
battle station,
my very first
battle station,
was down in the
ammunition;
there was two of
us down in the
ammunition hole.
And uh,
five-inch,
five-inch. And
we put ‘em on
this elevator
and send them
up, you know, to
the gun mount.
Well, send them
on to the second
deck and then
they put ‘em on
and send ‘em on
up. But, uh, the
day before the
Chicago got hit,
I was
transferred from
that station up
to between
number one and
number two mess
hall. And, uh,
had I’d been in
that station, I
wouldn’t be here
today.
SCOTT: So, when
you say the
Chicago that was
at Rennell
Island?
CRAN: Ya.
Rennell Island.
Ya. The first
torpedo hit us
was, in the
fantail-knocked
out our power,
the screws, and
knocked us dead
in the water.
And then, uh,
then a plane
came over and it
was heavily
damaged and then
hit our radar
screen, and
threw flames all
over the ship
and illuminated
us, and then we
got three more
hit, we got one,
one hit in the
bow, and another
one hit in
mid-ship. Well,
the rest of the
night it was, it
was, bailin’
water, bucket
brigade, bailin’
water to get the
ship on an even
keel. The U.S.S
Louisville towed
us all that
night. Broke
several lines
trying to tow
us; finally got
connected. They
towed us all
that night, then
a see-going tug
came out and
took on a little
after daylight,
I guess,
something like
that. Towed us
the rest of the
day until 4
o’clock that
afternoon,
another, I think
it was around 4
o’clock, another
squadron came in
on us. I think
it was 22 or
something like
that 22 torpedo
bombers come in
on us, and uh,
finally did the
job on it. They
put 5 more…I
think there was
a total of 8
torpedoes hit
us.
SCOTT: And this
is, uh, this
night fighting,
this is at
night?
CRAN: This,
well, the first
night it was
after dark, but
the next
afternoon it was
still daylight.
And uh, we all
hit the water or
tried to hit the
water, and as I
was swimming
off-I have to
tell this
story-it’s not a
story, it’s
really, really
unique. As I was
swimming off,
the fantail, the
lifeline was
under water, and
I was swimming
off, and as I
was swimming off
my shoestring
was untied, ‘cus
they instructed
you, never take
off any of your
clothes-your
shoes or
nothing-when you
hit the water.
Keep everything
on. Well, I did.
And so, but my
shoestring was
untied for some
reason. I had
the high shoes
on, and it got
wrapped around a
lifeline. Well,
I couldn’t get
loose, and it
kept dragging me
down and I was
going under
water like
crazy. And I
thought “Oh boy,
this is it…this
is the end of
it. I’m not
gonna get away…”
‘cus I was on
the suction side
of the ship, and
all that suction
and everything.
And, I was
fightin’ to get
away, and I
didn’t know how
far under water
I was…seemed
like a long
ways, but uh, I
knew it was over
so I just, uh,
said a little
prayer, asking
him to protect
my mother, you
know, from the
shock, you know,
of me losin’ my
life. Just about
that time, just,
just as I was
givin’ it up.
You know, I
says, I just
give a, I
couldn’t fight
no more. And
just
felt…believe it
or not, it felt
just like a
magnetic hand
grab me right by
the top of the
head, and when I
came to my
senses again I
was yards away
from the ship.
All by myself.
And when the
waves and swells
would come up
I’d wave.
(laughing). They
come over and,
the destroyer
Sands’ crew was
picking us up.
That a commando
ship, an old
World War I
commando ship,
and they come
over, and they
says “When did
you abandon
ship? Day before
yesterday?”
(laughing). But,
actually, it
sunk in
nineteen-minutes
and I, I was I
actually had
seen it go
under-I seen the
flag just wave
itself right
into the water.
SCOTT: You saw
that? What a
moment that must
have been.
CRAN: Ya. I’ll
never forget it.
SCOTT: So…during
Rennell Island,
the sinking of
the Chicago, do
you you feel, in
any way, that
you should have
been recognized
for…citation?
CRAN: Na, just,
it was just a
job to be done.
I didn’t feel
anything
special…nothing
like that. I do
know that after
the Chicago was
sunk, they took
us, we went to,
Esperito Santo.
They…was on the
destroyer
several days
and, uh, very
little water:
just enough
water to wet our
lips, wet our
mouth. And uh,
anyway, we went
aboard the…I
guess it was a
luxury liner;
they issued us
new clothes, and
got showers. Of
course, we had
this crude oil
all over us. Uh,
and then we went
to Main New
Caledonia. And,
as soon as we
got there…this
commander of the
camp, Camp 13,
he put us right
to work. Well,
we didn’t think
that that was
fair, and so
Captain Davis
came down and
told him: he
says “Well, I’m
still, I’m still
in command of
these…of the
ship. I’m still
the captain” and
he says “These
men are not to
work. I’m gonna
send them to
rest camp.” So,
that’s what they
did.
SCOTT: I wanna
just backtrack a
little bit.
Prior to your
first combat
experience, the
Chicago had
been…at
Guadalcanal, it
had been at the
Battle of Coral
Sea, do you
remember
speaking to some
of the fellows
who had been on
the ship during
that time? Can
you relay some
of their
experiences…some
of the things
that they had
gone through?
CRAN: Gosh, it’s
been so long. We
didn’t talk too
much about it.
Really…no. See,
as the Chicago
lost 45 foot of
its bow there,
in one of the
battles, and
that what
Captain Foley
got court
marshaled,
because he uh,
the ship had 45
foot of its bow
blown off by
torpedo and be
refused to enter
into the
battle…and, uh,
he got court
marshaled for it
and got sent to
shore and he on
Guadal, uh, on
Panama Canal and
he committed
suicide because
of that.
SCOTT: But, not
a whole lot of
information to
relay past that?
CRAN: No.
SCOTT: Okay.
Let’s see. Are
there any more
stories that
you’d like to
relay about your
combat
experiences?
Were there any
after that that
you had?
CRAN: The San
Francisco. Uh,
after we left
the Main New
Caledonia, they
went to Pearl
Harbor to get
foul weather
gear and headed
right for the
Bering Sea, and
we’s in that
campaign up
there and we’d
takin’ the
islands
back…Attu…And
that was
humungous duty
up there…it was
cold and scary
because if you
got hit you
didn’t have a
chance at
survivin’. You
know, you hit
that water and
it’s over.
SCOTT: It’s
terribly cold up
there.
CRAN: Ya. You’d
never survive.
SCOTT: Do you
ever
remember…seeing
a Japanese
sailor or seeing
Japanese ships?
CRAN: No…no I
never did.
SCOTT: You saw
planes?
CRAN: Seen a lot
of planes…lots
of planes. Lots
of planes.
(laughing). I
always did say I
was the biggest
coward in the
United States
Navy.
SCOTT: You
you’ve got that
written down on
your
application…(laughing)…which
certainly is not
true.
CRAN: Well, I’ll
tell ya, I might
notta had
nothin’ up here,
but boy my feet
was educated.
They moved right
on.
SCOTT: You know,
it’s all about
human nature,
but the fact is
you were a
contributor in
all sorts of
different ways,
and you did your
part and that’s
what’s
important…
SCOTT: Well, so
anymore
experiences you
want to relay
about combat?
Anything you can
remember…any
stories you
remember coming
off of
Guadalcanal?
Anything like
that?
CRAN: No.
SCOTT: Whatever
happened to
“Pop” Crawford?
CRAN: “Pop”
Crawford? He
stayed on the
San Francisco, I
think, until it
was
decommissioned.
SCOTT: Okay, so
you both were
transferred over
there together?
CRAN: Ya. From
the Chicago.
SCOTT: So he
stayed with the
San Francisco?
CRAN: Ya, he
stayed on and,
and…I know when
I left the San
Francisco he, he
says “Well, I
wanna say
goodbye a couple
a’ days before.”
(laughing). He
couldn’t stand
to say goodbye.
SCOTT: When
you’ve gone
through
experiences like
you two went
through, I mean,
it’s a bond,
it’s something
that, it’s hard
to break, it’s
really hard to
really put it
into words. I’m
just guessing,
but I can see it
in your eyes.
CRAN: Oh, it’s
tough. But, I’ll
tell you one
thing, New
Caledonia has
the biggest
Mosquitoes in
the world.
(laughing). They
should use them
for torpedo
bombers they’re
so big.
SCOTT: So…did
any of your
comrades catch
malaria, catch
dysentery?
CRAN: No, I
don’t know of
any, no, no.
SCOTT: What did
you hear about
Henderson Field
on Guadalcanal?
Did you hear
anything about
what was going
on there?
CRAN: Well, not
too much,