Wayne F. Gibbs, Jr.

 Lieutenant - U.S. Navy - LST Officer

1943 - 1946 - Reserves 1967

World War II & Cold War

U.S. - Europe - Pacific

 

 

SIGNIFICANT EXPERIENCES

Unusual ExperienceChina’s "Sampan Navy" -Training personnel to operate amphibious craft to be eventually given to Chinese by USA as reported by noted WWII War Correspondent Hal Boyle: six days a week, Chinese officers and 20 boarded the LST for instruction in navigation and operation. American officer was assigned each Chinese officer & enlisted man to each Chinese sailor. Stayed together for all classes, while a dozen interpreters surmounted language barrier. (Ed. Note: have you got a mental picture of this operation??). After a couple of months (hopefully!?) Chinese would be ready to take the ships to sea alone. (High point: The Commander of the U.S. 7th Fleet, Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek of China, Madame Chiang, and General Albert C. Wedemeyer came aboard to inspect LST 1050! On Feb. 1946).

He and his wife, Marge, lived in Sutton Walk.

Wayne Gibbs passed away at Lexington in 1999.  

 

 

 

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