Carl E. Meyer

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Military Service
Twice enlisted
Branch: U.S. Navy
Enlisted: 6 August 1929
Discharged: 5 August 1935

War: WWII
Branch: U.S. Navy
Enlisted: 8 October 1940
Discharged: 4 September 1945

Rank:
Fireman 2-C
Fireman 1-C
Master Mechanic 2-C
Master Mechanic 1-C

Personal Details
Born: 2 February 1907
Died: 12 November 1955
Parents: Peter A. and Kate (Freese) Meyer

Buried: Shiloh Township Cemetery
Wellsburg, Iowa

Carl Meyer's Ship Sails for Panama

Navy Will Endeavor to Capture The Panama Canal from The Army

U.S.S. West Virginia
January 28, 1931

Friend Ashby:

You were telling me just before I left that if I happened to have time I should drop you a line. Everything has been the same here lately for us but if you were here you would probably find something new. We are leaving for Panama February the fifth for another one of those fleet exercises. Admiral Pratt, Chief of Bureau of Navigation, has been here inspecting the fleet just before we leave. There will be around two hundred different ships including battleships, cruises, destroyers, submarines, mine sweepers, and many others including the airplane carriers Lexington and Saratoga.

You see the idea of this will be the same as in war only there will be no firing done. With the army at Panama we will try to take the Panama Canal. The dirigible Los Angeles will also be there to be used in this problem.

Last year we had this also only the army had the airplane carriers and we were captured by surprise when about a hundred airplanes took us by surprise just before we got there.

This will sure be a tiresome job as it takes us about fourteen days to go there. They keep riding around in a circle going through all these problems. At nights, lights are all out and no smoking is allowed. It has been a wonder to me that they have never crashed riding around here in the dark, but they all have a certain speed.

Two weeks ago we had long range target practice. This is sure a dangerous thing with one battleship towing a target for the other ship to shoot at about twenty miles away. The sea was very rough when we were out. Some of the new recruits were seasick, but you never see an old salt like me, as they call them after they have been on the ship a year or more, sick. When anybody gets seasick around here we usually tell him that we are going to have pork chops for dinner and that makes it all the harder for them.

I guess I had better sign off. Hope the revolution will be over when we get there so we will have a chance to go ashore and have some more beer.

Have been getting your paper every week. I see where they are having hard times in the United States but can't see it that way myself, getting sixty dollars a month the year round as a first class fireman.

From a friend,
Carl E. Meyer
U.S.S. West Virginia, B. Division
San Pedro, California

--Wellsburg Herald (Wellsburg, Iowa), 4 February 1931

Kathaleen Meyer Receives Letter from Carl Meyer, Now In Navy

Miss Kathaleen Meyer received a letter Tuesday from her brother, Carl, who has just returned with his ship from an extended cruise from the Panama zone. Carl also enclosed in the letter a beautiful silk handkerchief for his sister as a souvenir from Panama. In one corner of the handkerchief was woven in bright colors, the American flag and the flag of Panama with the stuffs intersecting, which is a symbol of peace and unity. Carl's present address will be now at New York instead of Los Angeles as it has been in the past. Anyone wishing to write to him may obtain the complete address from Miss Meyer.

--Wellsburg Herald (Wellsburg, Iowa), 11 March 1931

Beer and Bull Fights Are Found in Panama

Carl Meyer Writes About Many Things in Tropical Central American Port

U.S.S. West Virginia

Friend Ashby:

Had a little time and thought you might be interested in what is going on in the navy.

We left San Pedro on February 5th and sure had a long trip. It took us sixteen days to get to Panama. Of course we could have done it in less than half that time if we would have taken a straight route as the passenger ships do. Water, water, and water was all we could see for sixteen long days. I have heard that there is a lot of water in this world, but never did think there was as much as there is. This water does not look like the water in the states, as it looks blue as ink. This is a sign that it is very deep. They claim that in some places the ocean is four and five miles deep.

Just before we got to Panama we passed an island where they keep the people that have leprosy. This island belongs to Great Britain, and no visitors allowed. When we went by this island I borrowed a pair of field glasses and took a look at the town. You could see people walking around there with arms and legs missing. It sure looked awful. This island lies about twenty miles north of the entrance of the Panama Canal where we anchor.

The division in which I am in is called the fifth division, which is made up of the West Virginia, Maryland and Colorado. We usually are together. When we arrived at the canal we were saluted by the different ships that were already there. We stayed there ten days. About all we had to do was go ashore. You people may think that all we have to do is go ashore and sleep, but that is not the case. You see, the ship must be cleaned up and the machinery must be kept up. Each morning when we are at anchor, we get up at four forty-five, which is early, as you know. We start to work at five and quit at eleven-thirty. Then we are through for the rest of the day. You can either go ashore or stay on the ship, just as you like.

The only thing about going ashore here in Panama, is that they anchor too far out and it takes about an hour and a half to get there, with the sun beating down at about a hundred and thirty-five in the shade. I went over the day after we got there. The place looked the same as it did last year when we were here.

We take boats over to the beach and all climb out and walk over to a parking place where you can get a taxi to Panama City at your convenience. There were four of us and we walked over and got us a taxi, which was a new Buick straight eight touring car. We told him we wanted to go to Panama City and we sure thought we were riding in class with a big car and a negro chauffeur.

All the people here are mostly black, or have dark complexion. I guess they get that way from being out here so long.

You can ride around here all day in one of these taxis for fifty cents. I don't see how they can afford it, but I guess they do.

While we were riding around, we saw an old building, which was built in fifteen hundred, and it sure was falling fast. Then we went down town and had some beer. We saw a fellow run around with some bills advertising a bull fight at a certain stadium. Whenever we see something new we have to go and see it. We hailed a taxi and told the chauffeur we wanted to go to the bull fight and he took us there. Everything was cheap here, as they only charged us fifty cents for a ringside seat. I had never seen this before and it is sure some risky job.

After the bull fight we went back to Panama City. We walked around town for a time and it was getting around five o'clock, so we decided to go back to the ship.

We only get liberty here in Panama from 12:00 noon to six o'clock at night.

The bill for the day was only two dollars, which I consider very cheap. I have been over about five times and have had enough of it for a while.

After our first stay of ten days we went out for more battle problems, and coming back to Panama every week end for liberty. Last week end we did not go back to Panama, but went to a place called Bahia Honda, which is about two hundred and fifty miles north of Panama. No one could go ashore here as there is no city, only a few grass nuts, where the natives live.

All you can see is mountains and trees. Abut the only thing that is around here is wildcats and rattlesnakes. We left Bahia Honda yesterday morning and were met by the California. The secretary of the navy was transferred from the California to this ship this noon and is with us now.

This afternoon we had torpedo practice. The destroyers shot torpedoes at us, only they were dummies. After they were shot at the ships they would run them down and pick them up.

We had another accident today, as you will probably read in the papers soon. One of the airplanes from one of the carriers was missing and they have been looking for it all day. I don't know if they will find it or not. Such accidents happen here every day. They have all the searchlights lit and will probably look for it all night long.

We go to Panama again Friday and will go into dry dock and have the bottoms cleaned up before we leave for San Pedro again on March the 24th.

I sure will be glad when we get back to the states where it is a little cooler.

I hear that we are going to do a little traveling this summer instead of staying in San Pedro all the time. We are going to San Francisco and Seattle, and will be there most of the time.

In January the fleet is going to Honolulu, which I have heard so much about. We will be gone about two months.

I think I had better sign off for this time. You see, I am not an expert writer but I hope you can get the meaning of this letter.

Am getting the Herald every week and see that you are having a good winter, but I don't think it is as warm as it is here.

From a friend,
Carl E. Meyer
U.S.S. West Virginia, B. Division
San Pedro, Calif.

--Wellsburg Herald (Wellsburg, Iowa), 1 April 1931

Carl Meyer Tells Interesting Details of Sailor Life

Wellsburg Boy Views Many Towns on the West Coast -- Sees Airplanes Often

Seattle, Washington
August 10, 1931

Friend Ashby:

Receiving your paper every week and reading all the news.

I thought maybe you would be interested on what is going on in the navy.

We left San Pedro, Calif., on the eighteenth of June for San Francisco, where we stayed for five days. We arrived in San Francisco Saturday morning at seven o'clock. I heard some on say, "Look, there's the Golden Gate," and of course everybody looked that way until someone gave them the ha, ha. At one o'clock, everybody went ashore and took a look at San Francisco, which is a pretty good city--in face, better than Los Angeles. They have all kinds of free entertainment there, such as free movies, street cars, busses, parks and a lot of different places.

After saying in San Francisco for five days, we left for Port Angeles, Washington for the fourth of July. This is a small city about fifty miles from Seattle, a little lumbering camp. We spent the Fourth here, and some had a big time. What interested me most was the wooden sidewalks, which you don't see very often. We left Port Angeles the fifth for Seattle, where we were welcomed by the mayor and different officials, such as they do in most all of the places. They give us a big welcome and a key to the city, in other words.

Seattle is another fine city. The only thing that I don't like about it is the hills. This is true with most of these cities along the west coast. Almost every city is built on the side of a hill, except Los Angeles.

We stayed at Seattle for about a week then we left for Tacoma, Washington, where we spent about three weeks. Here too, we were welcomed by the mayor and other officials, and went through the same ordeals as we did elsewhere.

At Tacoma, everybody had a big time--that is, everybody said they did.

We had boat races, band concerts, street dances, ball games and many other things too numerous to mention.

It was here that we had the big ship dance. The entire ship was under cover with all kinds of fancy lights and decorations. Every sailor on the ship was given three free tickets, which they could give to their friends (of course, mostly ladies) for their admission to the ship on that night. Two of the best orchestras from Tacoma furnished the music. Refreshments, consisting of punch, ice cream and cake were served. Everything was free, as the ship service footed the bill. All of these entertainments are paid for by the ships service, as they call it. All of the things that you buy on the ship is sold at a small profit, the same as any place else. This money is spent for the different entertainments that we have on the ship. Everybody had a big time. Even the captain said so, and also stated that maybe we would have another one in the near future.

While at Tacoma, a bunch of us took a little trip of three days, to Mount Rainier, which is about an hour's drive out of Tacoma. They have a large park there, and it sure looks funny to gaze up to the top of the mountain, which is entirely covered with snow. We also took a hike to the top to see what snow was like on a midsummer day.

We left Tacoma Friday, August 7th for Seattle, where we are now located. I went over to Seattle last week end and took in several different places of interest.

Two squadrons of navy bombers are also here. They have been doing some stunt flying around the city. I sure have seen plenty of airplanes since I have been in the navy. If a thousand airplanes were flying overhead, I wouldn't ever look up, as I see this every day.

A Canadian cruiser joined us today in the harbor, and they are enjoying the fleet week with us here in Seattle.

We are staying here for ten days, after which we will leave for Frisco and later ending up at San Pedro on August 29th.

The American Legion convention will be held in San Pedro at Long Beach, about the time we arrive there. I suppose we will have to take part in the different parades.

We sure have been a lot of different places this summer. We stop at one place for a couple of days and then leave for the next place, the same as a bum, you might say.

I wouldn't care a bit if our ship would stay here in Washington from now on, but I guess we won't.

We will be in San Francisco for a month, and then we will be back here again for two months in the navy yard, so I guess we can stand it.

The first of the year we are going to the place I have heard so much about, and always wanted to go and that is "Honolulu."

Well I guess it is about time to turn in my hammock for another night. We are having liberty now during these fleet weeks from one o'clock noon until eight o'clock the next morning. But, running around so much gets a little old after while.

I guess this will be all. I just bet you people wish you could all join the navy, wouldn't you? Well that wouldn't do, either. I think I am a twenty year man myself, then retiring with a pension.

Am receiving your paper every week.

My address is, C. E. Meyer, U.S.S. West Virginia, B. Division, San Pedro, California.

--Wellsburg Herald (Wellsburg, Iowa), 19 August 1931

An Active Volcano at Night in Hawaii Is Wonderful Sight

Carl Meyer Writes Interesting Letter from U.S.S. West Virginia

U.S.S. West Virginia
February 13, 1932

Friend Ashby:

Just a line to tell you that I am enjoying the paradise of the Pacific, the Hawaiian Islands. We anchored today, after a thirteen day cruise from California. Thirteen days is a long time, especially when all you can see is water, water and more water.

The main object of this cruise was to capture the Hawaiian Islands from the army, who are stationed here. Everything went just as though it was a war, only no large guns were fired.

Our ships have been cruising around the Islands ever since last Saturday, and we made our first landing yesterday morning at an early hour, which was three-thirty.

We had two army transports with us, the St. Meheil and the Grant, which carried one hundred and ten horses and some mules.

After we had taken the Islands with our battleships, these horses and mules were hoisted in boats and taken ashore with their infantry and marines that were on these transports.

While we were doing all of this, the submarines were circling around us and there were about two hundred airplanes soaring around overhead. Talk about excitement, it was sure going on. The destroyers were chasing the submarines and the airplanes were laying smoke screens. From what I hear I guess our side won as the army officers and navy officers were judges, and were located on a ship a distance from our ship.

We will be at the Islands until March ninth at the different ports, and then we leave for California, where we will go through all of this again. We are going to capture the United States, from the scouting fleet, which will be there from the east coast, including the dirigible Akron, about fifty destroyers, ten cruisers, and thirty submarines.

Our trip back will twenty days, and it will be a great relief to see land again.

Now that I have told you a little about the war, I will now tell you about our liberty here in the Hawaiian Islands.

We dropped anchor this morning at ten o'clock. The last part of the cruise was rather rough.

Our orders for the liberty parties, which left at one o'clock, were dress, ?, at the dock, which was a fifteen minute ride to the main part of the town. After arriving there, five of us hired a car for the day. The charge was two dollars apiece for the use of the car for one day, including the driver.

All the way up to the volcano, we passed sugar plantations and tropical fruits. Some of the sailors stopped at the different stores for coconuts and pineapple, which are very cheap here.

The final stop for sightseeing was a cave, leading in and out under the ground. I found out later that this was the famous lava tube. Then came the volcano herself sometimes called "Madam Pile." The cars were left about a miles from the crater and we walked over lava beds and steam until we could look down upon the boiling mass of red hot lava. We watched this until after dark. Seeing it by daylight was nothing compared to night.

This scene was the most wonderful that I have ever seen in all my life, looking into an active volcano.

Different sights also seen on this trip were, lava tubes, Hawaii National Park, which includes the volcano, Tree Mounds, Chain of Crater road, sulphur banks, Hilo, Rainbow Falls and many others.

I guess I have told you a little about everything. I sure am enjoying the weather. We only wear white trousers and white shirts, and at this, it is fairly warm.

I am enjoying the Herald every week, even if I am in Hawaii, two thousand two hundred miles from the United States.

C. E. Meyer
U.S.S. West Va., B. Division
San Pedro, California

--Wellsburg Herald (Wellsburg, Iowa), 2 March 1932