1944-1945 Remarkable Manuscript Diary and Naval Memorabilia Collection of an Indiana Soldier Serving on the USS Lewis Hancock in the "Pacific Theater of War"

On offer is a remarkable collection which includes the handwritten diary, printed diary transcript, and associated naval memorabilia from a U.S. Navy officer who served aboard the USS Lewis Hancock, a much-decorated U.S. Navy destroyer throughout World War Two (WWII) and the Korean War. 

This collection belonged to  U.S. Navy officer William L. Averitt (see BIO NOTES). Averitt's handwritten diary begins in January 1st, 1944 and continues until June 30th, 1945. There are entries for most days. Averitt begins his diary by indicating that he will list “Items of interest aboard the USS Hancock in Pacific Theater of war”. In his diary, Averitt gives an incredible picture of the life of a US Navy Officer deployed during the war. Excerpts from this remarkable diary follow:

“Crossed equator five times today. Also crossed 180 meridian. Got initiated, hair all cut off in spots. Head and face painted with green and red paint. Got graphite grease put in my pants. Got thunder beat out of me. They liked to have drowned me with salt water. Had to take some kind of bitter medicine. Had to kiss the royal baby which was the belly of a shellback. Went through the paddling machine. Got a shot of electricity and outside of that I am in pretty good shape….” [Jan 23, 1944]. 

“After our visit with King Neptune and the Golden Dragon, Captain Lyman told us our planes are attacking the Marshall Islands. A can picks up a contact on sub. Drop charges” [Jan 24, 1944].

“Rescued pilot from a plane crash. Plane was shot up on a raid over Truk. Pilot ok. Dropped charges on a jap sub. Believed to have sunk it. Oil slick on water. Called GQ at 1800. Being attacked by torpedo planes. Shot down six. Not much sleep tonight” [Feb 16, 1944]. 

“Executive Officer gives us the dope today. On our way to raid Markus and Wake. We have Wasp, Essex and Sanasinto [ie San Jacinto]. Heavy cruisers also We are to leave our Task Group with Sanasinto [sic] and San Diego and Division 104 (cans). We are to intercept anything on its way to Japan or any other island. We are operationg about 650 miles from Tokyo. Easy bombing range. We meet the Task Group at dawn. We are to raid Wake on the way back” [May 17, 1944]. 

“Transferred men to Bunker Hill. Picked up a dead Jap pilot and parachute. His head, legs and one arm was missing. Outside of that he was in pretty good shape…” [June 23, 1944].

“...about 15 planes came in on us but only 8 got by the fighters. Sigsbee got her fantail blown completely off killing 20 men. She was about 100 yards off our port quarter. We put up such a good secondary defense that we warded off three planes. They were making runs on us but pulled out and missed by feet. One plane that we warded off hit the hunt tearing off her whale boat…one plane crashed off our starboard quarter missing us by a few yards…” [April 14, 1945].

This collection also includes a typed transcript of Averitt’s diary. The transcript was typed on a computer and printed out on continuous printer paper. The pages have not been separated. The transcriptionist is unknown. 

Following the war, the U.S.S. Lewis Hancock Association was created. Part of this collection is an undated, glossy Reunion 'yearbook. Context suggests that this reunion took place in Falls River MA as there is a picture of the USS Massachusetts included. No date is given, but again context would suggest that it occurred in the 1980s or 90s. Of significance is a listing of attendees along with their addresses.

Included is a copy of James C Fahey's 1941 edition of the excellent reference work The Ships and Aircraft of the United States Fleet. - Two Ocean Fleet Edition. This was a detailed listing of all ships in the United States Navy along with extensive information about each ship and class.

In addition to the print materials, there is a black and white photograph of 2 young men circa 1940. It can be presumed that one of the young men pictured is William L. Averitt. There are also five rank patches. It is reasonable to assume that these belonged to Averitt. They are as follows: Carpenter's Mate, Aviation Electrician's Mate and a shoulder rank insignia of a Petty Office First Class.  They are in good condition.

Rounding out the collection is a white canvas sailor's belt. It is still wrapped in its original thread binding and does not appear to have ever been used.

WILLIAM L. AVERITT BIO NOTES: Averitt was born in 1920 to Helen L. Averitt and Will F. Averitt. He was born in Pleasant Township, Greenwood, Indiana. He was the second of four children. He had an elder sister named Virginia, a younger sister named Mary and a younger brother, John. His father, Will F. Averitt, was a well-known local historian who published books on the history of the Averitt family and the history of Greenwood, Indiana. Averitt attended Whiteland High School, south of Greenland. He graduated in 1937 and went on to work for the Industrial Harvester at its Indianapolis plant. He enlisted in the US Navy on December 8, 1941, the very day that the US declared war on Japan. He trained at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station in Chicago, and was then sent to New York. He lived on the German steamship the Cambden, which was docked near the SS Normandie. Averitt was on the SS Normandie when it caught fire in the New York harbour on February 9, 1942. He had minor injuries.  He went on to serve in the Pacific Theatre on the USS Lewis Hancock, a Fletcher class destroyer (DD 675), which is where he kept this diary. Following the war, Averitt lived in Indianapolis IN where he passed away at the age of 78 in 1998.

HISTORICAL NOTES ON THE USS LEWIS HANCOCK (ship on which our diarist served): Hancock was laid down in March 1943 and served with distinction in the Pacific Theatre from 1943 through 1945. Attached to the Fast Carrier Task Force (Task Force 58, later renumbered Task Force 38), she participated in a number of the major battles of the Pacific Theatre including the Battle of the Philippine Sea and the Battle of Leyte Gulf. She participated in strikes against Tokyo. For her service, she was awarded 9 battle stars. Mothballed following the war, she was recommissioned  in 1951 and served again with distinction in the Korean War, earning an additional 2 battle stars. She was finally decommissioned in 1957 and transferred to the Brazilian Navy where she served until broken up in 1989.

For a historian, this is a superb collection - a first-hand, eye-witness account of some of the most intense and important naval battles of WWII. The notes speak not only to the major actions of the war but to the daily ship-board routines. Through his words, a reader can get a sense of what it was like to be in the thick of battle. His notes can also serve as cross-references for various other ships, their locations and actions. For a genealogist, the Reunion Yearbook is a goldmine of information. Altogether, this is a fine collection of material straight from the war years of WWII.

The diary measures 5.5” x3.5”. It contains 73 pages and Averitt mostly writes on both sides of the page. The diary is 90% complete. The softcovers are in good condition as are the pages. The spine is pulling away from the covers but it remains intact. The handwriting is legible. Overall G.