Click on photos for a high-resolution (600 DPI) version.
Message from SECNAV – 14 August 1945. (Photo credit: Estate of Norman C. Harris)
Menu for Thanksgiving Day, 1944 - USS Cumberland Sound AV-17
Menu for Thanksgiving Day, 1944 - USS Cumberland Sound AV-17
Green Dragon certificate for crossing the 180th Meridian into the Eastern Hemisphere.
Plank Owner's Certificate - USS Cumberland Sound AV-17
Witness to the Surrender of Japan - USS Cumberland Sound AV-17
Military Currency (front)
Military Currency (back)
Autographs from the USS Cumberland Sound AV-17 (front)
Autographs from the USS Cumberland Sound AV-17 (back)
Air chart
Roster of Officers, USS Cumberland Sound AV17, 1 April 1945
Cumberland Sound tour – 1945
Credit: son of Ralph J Ribble, SKV2c
My Dad has the Witness of Surrender paper framed on his living room wall.
I remember seeing a large copy of the Witness of Surrender paper among my dad’s things, but all I have been able to find so far is just the small wallet-sized one. I’m sure it’s still sitting in a box somewhere – we just need to find it.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
I have my dad’s Witness to the Surrender Certificate. It is approximately a standard sized sheet of paper, printed in green. I also have his Golden Dragon Certificate. I had never seen another until I looked here. If they survived my last move, I have two copies of the ship’s newspaper and some photos of the crew at Redlands University while they were awaiting the ship’s completion, before shakedown.
That’s great, Laurie! If you’re able to scan any new material, I’d love to be able to add them to the site.
Hello,
My father Ralph Rizzolo served on the USS Cumberland Sound.
I have original copies fo the Crew’s News from 25 December 1944 to December 1, 1945.
I also have a copy of ??You Name It??, dated Dec 15, 1944.
I also have a copy of the Anniversary Edition, dated Aug 21, 1945.
Is there any interest in these items?
Ralph
Absolutely, Ralph! If you can scan it and email it to me, I sure would appreciate being able to add it here. I’ll be sending you my email address this evening. I looked through my father’s journal for “Ralph Rizzolo” but didn’t find it. He had lists of names, notes about who was assigned to do what, and that sort of thing. Lots of details (one note was about four men who had “mattresses from R/B” – no clue what that was about) since that was what he kept with him as he went about his duties.
Thank you so much for putting this site up. My late father-in-law, AMSC Hanyan “Slim” Kasner, served aboard for all of the Pacific theater action. I have his letters to his wife, Tokyo Bay Surrender certificate and other ephemera/souvenirs. Do you have a crew picture of the Chiefs in your collection? Also would be interested if you have any other pictures that he may be in. I know its a needle in a haystack but would greatly appreciate it.
I looked for “Kasner” but couldn’t find anything. There are several places in my dad’s journals where he had a list of names. Each time I hear from someone, I look through those lists hoping to find that name – so far, nothing. That would have been interesting because it offers glimpses into the daily life of the men on board.
As far as I can tell, all the photos with the officers and crew have already been posted. There are still a number of other photos, but most of them are near-duplicates. Now that I’ve got a name, I’ve got something to look for when I go through other papers as I come across them.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
I have a copy of my father’s (Charles Eugene Kennedy) witness of surrender and crossing the equator as well as several pictures I believe were taken on the USS Cumberland Sound. Please let me know how to upload them or where to send them for your records.
I truly appreciate your putting things together and connecting with my Dad’s past.
Sincerely,
Barbara Kennedy
You should have an email from me waiting for you – Thank you!
Thanks for building and maintaining this website. It’s been a gold mine of additional information for me and my wife, who is writing a detailed history of my dad’s service years during the war. You could say he and the Cumberland Sound were siblings. He started his boot camp in San Diego the day they started building the Cumberland Sound, and he served as a member of her original crew as a gunner’s mate (Petty Officer 2nd Class) through the end of the war. He told me (the few times I can remember being able to get him to talk about it) several great stories, some funny and some not so funny, including one of the high points of his service….that being watching the signing of the peace treaty through binoculars from about 100 yards away. His name was Jack T. Noblett. If you have mention of him in any records you have, I would love to be able to see them. (You mentioned to someone else on here that you have a crew roster on this site, but all I’ve been able to find is the officers roster. Am I missing something?) My mother has his medals and other memorabilia, including the 1-year anniversary issue of the Crews News! It’s not in great shape, but it’s fascinating to me. It’s quite thick, so if you could send information on how I would get it to you, I would ask my mom if she would let me borrow it long enough to get a copy of it to you. Many of the same photos you have on this site are in it, but they are not in nearly as good a copy as the ones here. (The publishing equipment then wasn’t what it is now!) Thanks again for what you do!
Thanks for stopping by and for the kind words, Al. I just checked through my father’s journal, but didn’t find Jack Noblett in there. The best place to find his name would be the Muster Roll image files. These are scanned copies of the ship’s muster roll in 1944 and 1947. Each page is an image file, so it can take some time slogging through them, but that’s the official list of who was on the ship at that time. There is also a roster that I’ve made up from various sources – mainly from the membership roll of the Cumberland Sound Veterans Association and from my father’s journal, but it is far from being a complete list. Its advantage is that it is in digital format and in alphabetical order. If you are able to scan that copy of Crews News and email it to me, I’d love to add it to the site. Let me know if you’ve got any questions on that. Again, thanks for stopping by and writing.
Thanks for the answer, Stephen. After I wrote you (of course…lol) I found the muster rolls, and I’ve located my dad’s name twice. Also, there’s a good pic of him with the gunnery division, which I’ve pulled off and printed for a book we are putting together of his service time. I’m not sure when I’ll be able to get the Crew’s News anniversary issue from my mom, but I will do so as soon as I’m able and will get it to you. Again, thanks for your hard and diligent work! It means so much to me and my family!
I have my grandfathers crews news lot of great pics love to share.Need more info ? Army vet.
My grandfather served aboard as well I believe it was either 1946 or 47. His name was Robert O Burch.
Hello there! My Grandfather George F. Thiel served on the Cumberland Sound, and was present for the surrender. I have an Imperial Japanese Flag that is signed by his entire squadron, or so the story goes. It also has a Japanese signature in the middle. I’d love to send you a picture of it. I would guess that there are at least 50-60 signatures with hometowns on the flag itself.
That would be a great addition to the site! Thank you. I’m sending you an email that you can reply to with that attached.