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From: "Randy Dunavan" <>
Subject: [MDSTMARY-L] Leo Jarboe
Date: Tue, 5 Jun 2001 16:00:16 -0500

Would anyone know Leo Jarboe?

Descendants of Leo Jarboe




Generation No. 1


1. LEO1 JARBOE was born Abt. 1927.

Notes for LEO JARBOE:

Next Hasegawa inquired if there were any survivors of Callaghan. He was put
in touch with Leo Jarboe, a Washington, D.C.-area resident who had been an
18-year-old gunner on Callaghan during those days off Okinawa. Hasegawa and
Jarboe spent a day together. They visited the U.S. Capitol and the Navy
Memorial, which is dedicated to all who have ever served in the U.S. Navy.
They also talked about the events of that day in May some fifty years
earlier. At this time Mr. Hasegawa learned that Callaghan had lost nearly
twenty percent of her crew when she was sunk by a Kamikaze pilot just before
the end of World War II.

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July 31, 1995

Ex-World War II enemies forgive, become friends

Associated Press

PIGEON FORGE, Tenn.- Fifty years after trying to kill one another in war, a
kamikaze pilot and the American sailors who shot him down embraced,
exchanged mementos and forgave over the weekend.

"The enemy yesterday can be your friend today, Kaoru Hasegawa, 71, told
surviving crew members of the USS Callaghan.

Hasegawa, who spent a year researching war records to find the men who shot
him down and plucked him from the water, spoke slowly through an
interpreter. When he was finished, about 100 gray-haired survivors of the
U.S. destroyer applauded.

Hasegawa, now the president of a large paper manufacturing company in Osaka,
was on a bombing run on May 25, 1945, against the U.S. task force bombarding
an island east of Okinawa. His craft, armed with a 1,760-pound bomb, was
shot down as it crossed the Callaghan's bow.

"Within less than 30 seconds, it was all over, said Robert Thatch, who was a
20-year-old boilermaker on the Callaghan.

Boats were sent to pick up survivors a standard practice for friend or foe.
Hasegawa was brought aboard unconscious. He said he expected to be executed.

Hasegawa was transferred to the battleship New Mexico, where he tried to
kill himself before being sent to a prisoner-of-war camp in Hawaii.

Last week, Hasegawa visited the Navy Memorial in Washington. He laid a
wreath there and donated $10,000 to the memorial fund in appreciation to the
Callaghan crew.

Copyright 1995, The Detroit News

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CALLAGHAN (DD-792) was launched 1 August 1943 by Bethlehem Steel Co., San
Pedro, Calif.; sponsored by Mrs. D. J. Callaghan; commissioned 27 November
1943 Commander F. J. Johnson in command; and reported to the Pacific Fleet.

CALLAGHAN sailed from the west coast 5 February 1944 to plunge into action
with fast-striking 5th Fleet in smashing air raids on the Palaus, Yap,
Ulithi, and Woleai from 30 March to 1 April. Based on Manus in April,
CALLAGAHAN supported the Hollandia operation through important services as
picket ship during air strikes, and screening the valuable tankers.

>From June to August 1944 Callaghan provided screen for escort carriers
softening up, and later supporting the invasions of Saipan, Tinian, and
Guam. At Saipan CALLAGHAN's guns joined in driving off a heavy Japanese air
attack on 17 June, helping splash three enemy planes. FANSHAW BAY (CVE-70)
was struck by a bomb in this attack, and CALLAGAHAN shielded the crippled
escort carrier safely back to Eniwetok. Late in August CALLAGHAN began
operations as escort for air strikes on the Palaus, Mindanao, Luzon, and the
Central Philippines in support of the invasion of the Palaus, a stepping
stone to the Philippines.

With the long-awaited return to the Philippines scheduled for mid- October
1944, CALLAGAHAN steamed in the screen of the carrier force conducting
essential preliminary neutralization of Japanese airfields in Formosa and
Okinawa. During a heavy enemy air attack on 14 October, CALLAGAHAN joined in
downing several planes. Sailing on to stand guard off the invasion area on
Leyte, CALLAGHAN's force contributed air power in the decisive Battle for
Leyte Gulf, which insured the Allied advance in the Philippines against the
desperate Japanese efforts to break up the landings. After pursuing Japanese
cripples fleeing north, CALLAGHAN returned to support the Philippine
operations, in company with the 3d Fleet, for air strikes on Luzon. En
route, on 3 November, RENO (CL-96) was torpedoed, and CALLAGHAN stood by to
protect the stricken cruiser until relief forces arrived, when CALLAGHAN was
able to rejoin her group for the strikes. Through December, she participated
in more air strikes on the Central Philippines, and in January 1945, the
destroyer sailed with the 3d Fleet for air raids on Formosa, Luzon,
Indo-China, Hong Kong, and the Nansei Shoto.

Through the following months, CALLAGHAN operated at the same active pace,
screening carrier strikes pounding Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and the Tokyo area.
CALLAGHAN assisted in sinking a Japanese picket boat on 18 February, and on
3 March joined the bombardment of Parece Vela. In late March she joined a
battleship force at Ulithi, and from this base sailed for the preinvasion
bombardment of Okinawa, where she threw harassing fire ashore during the
night of 26 March. This initiated prolonged fire support and screening duty
in the dangerous waters off Okinawa during which, in addition to invaluable
aid to the troops, CALLAGHAN joined in the sinking of a Japanese midget
submarine and in the kill of three dive bombers.

On 9 July 1945, CALLAGHAN took station on the embattled radar picket line,
where on 28 July she drove off a biplane intent on suicide with
well-directed fire, but the plane, skimming low and undetected, returned to
strike CALLAGHAN on the starboard side. It exploded and one of the plane's
bombs penetrated the after engine room. The destroyer flooded, and the fires
which ignited antiaircraft ammunition prevented nearby ships from rendering
aid. CALLAGAHAN sank at 0235, 28 July 1945, with the loss of 47 members of
her valiant crew.

.

Randy Dunavan
Longview, Texas

http://www.jarboe.org/
http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/d/u/n/James-R-Dunavan/index.html?
Welcome=988131687

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