Storm Cocks was reluctant to talk about his experiences in World War II, suggesting that his memories were unpleasant. He served aboard the USS Ormsby, probably starting in the early part of 1943 (after finishing boot camp) and ending when she returned to Portland, Oregon in December of 1945. What follows is a short history of Storm's life written by his wife, Geraldine Barney, and then a history of the USS Ormsby, the ship on which Storm served, and the actions in which she was engaged (lifted freely from Wikipedia). I have tried to write this summation in a way that might furnish a little bit of background for Gerry's account and give the reader an inkling of Storm's experiences during WWii. History by Geraldine Barney Cocks STORM CHRISTENSEN COCKS was born in Morenci, Arizona, on October 21, l925 to William Thomas Cocks and Aagot Christensen. He was the third of three children and was born in the old Morenci hospital. His father was a miner, having come to Morenci from Cornwall, England, when he was about 17 years old. He served in the military, having met Aagot there in El Paso Texas while he was recuperating from a broken leg. William Cocks was a miner and set about gathering property that had mining potential. Storm's earliest memory is when he was about 2 years old. He remembers standing in his crib and his father beating him with his hand. When Storm was three years old Mr. and Mrs. Cocks separated and Aagot took the three children back to New York City to stay with her younger sister, Margit Helene. Storm has a vivid recollection of that trip on the train. He slept in the little luggage hammock in the berth. Margit was also a physiotherapist and had a school on Madison Avenue. During the 5 years that Aagot and the children lived in New York City, they moved several times, always staying in the vicinity, but moving to a larger or smaller place as their finances dictated. This was during the great depression of 1928-33. Storm could ride the subway anywhere in New York City for 5 cents. He went to school and they took the bus as it was a long walk. However, many times he and his sisters would walk and save the nickel it took for bus fare to buy a treat. When it snowed in New York City the snowplow would pile the snow half on the sidewalk and half on the curb. Storm and his sisters would walk to school sometimes all bundled up against the cold. Storm would walk on the piles of snow lining the road. They were usually frozen and hard but sometimes there would be a soft place and he would sink down in the snow and have to climb out. Storm would roam the streets on his own while his mother, aunt and uncle worked. He frequented Central Park which was very close. He said he used to roam all over it playing on the swings, sailing ships on the ponds, running over the hills and pathways all over with his friends of the streets. When the dirigible Hindenberg (a zeppelin) first tied up to the Empire State Building in l936 Storm was there. He was asked by a man from a radio station to say what he thought of the big dirigible and was given a nickel for his comment. His comment was that he wished he was up in it. MARGIT CHRISTENSEN, Storm's aunt, had a school where she taught physiotherapy or massage therapy to students. She also had a clientèle of wealthy patrons who sought her out for therapy. Storm remembers a room with a pommel horse, weights, the rings and bars for exercise as well as a steam cabinet where the patron was placed with only his or her head sticking out. There were also rooms where the patient could be massaged and manipulated around the muscles. Storm's uncle and his mother worked for his aunt and were quite busy with their work. Margit was a patron of the arts and had a huge grand piano in her living room. A maestro, as he was called, would come to her home regularly and give her lessons, both on the piano and voice. He wore a long black cape which he flipped back as he paced during the lessons and he always held a long cigarette holder to his lips. He also wore a hat on his head with a wide brim and one side turned up, rather sporty like. Storm remembers his aunt doing the do re me scales and he could hear her a block away as she practiced.

The mine was still going but the war started and Storm decided to volunteer when he turned 17. His dad had to sign for him to join. However, it was Waldo who took him to Tucson so he could enlist. The day he left, Storm got up early all alone, got his breakfast, and went to the bus stop alone. His father did not even get up to see his son off to war. He went alone. Boot Camp in San Diego lasted 6 weeks. They were made to run the obstacle course in their white uniforms and of course the rule in the Navy was "no dirty uniform". So he had to wash and scrub his uniform every night to keep them clean which was no easy task after a day on the obstacle course. The Sargeant was mean and barked out his orders and flaunted his authority, causing Storm to do a reverse action when he was placed over men. He believed in being fair, polite, complimentary for good work and getting the job done with praise, not punishment. This was his philosophy in the Navy, as a Master Sargeant in the Army and as a foreman and Master Mechanic for Phelps Dodge Corporation. He always told the men the job he wanted done, gave them time to solve it their way, checked on it and if there were problems he would offer suggestions or solutions. That way the men could learn and then get help. He would always praise his men, giving them credit for a job well done. Needless to say he was liked by his men wherever he worked. Upon enlisting Storm was told he could get in whatever trade he chose. Storm's dream had been to work on airplane engines When he finished boot camp he was given a choice of small boats or cook and baker. Naturally he chose small boats, a far cry from what he had anticipated. He worked his way up in the ranks quickly, seeming to have a talent for knowing what to do and how to please and accomplish the job quickly and accurately. He became bosun mate. In war zones the men had shifts of 4 hours on watch and 4 hours off to sleep during the night hours. They were always sleepy. They had to do their regular work during the day as well as the watch during the night. If there was general quarters (attack positions) they had certain duties to fulfill. After GQ they had to do watch duty again and sometimes that would mean even longer hours without rest. It was not uncommon to sleep standing up. Storm could doze with pair of binoculars held to his eyes. He could sleep laying across the gun he was ready to fire. He could sleep sitting up or laying down in his net hammock below deck. Storm's job during WW II was to drive a Higgins boat (LCVP, Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel) from ship to shore unloading men and machines. The battle ships way off shore would bombard the Island relentlessly for several days to soften the landing that would follow. When the battle ships stopped their fire the Higgins boats would carry troops of men from ship to shore, under heavy artillery from the enemy on shore. On the night before a landing, the drivers of the boats would check their boats to make sure everything was working okay. Storm checked his boat thoroughly. On the morning of the battle on Guam, Storm was to carry a vehicle and its crew ashore. With hearts pounding the boat took its position in the wave that would go in together. As the line of boats began their journey toward the shore amid the shells breaking overhead Storm's boat began taking on water from the heavy load and he turned on the bilge pump to pump it out. The water became deeper and things were beginning to float in the bottom of the boat. The bilge pump was not working properly. Storm asked the men to bail out the water with their helmets but the water was coming in faster than it was going out. Storm looked in at the bilge pump and found a combat boot stuffed up the pipe. He knew he would have to pull out of the wave as they were taking on too much water to land with the other boats. So he took his bearings and headed for that part of the beach he had been told to head for in case of trouble. Seeing the direction the boat was taking the officer aboard said, "No, go more to the left." Storm told him he had been told to head in the direction he was going. The officer argued and became adamant. "More to the left", he said. "More to the left!" Storm, 18, finally followed the officers' orders and headed in that direction. When they landed not one part of their force was in sight. They were on an isolated stretch of beach. The front of the boat was dropped down into the water and the crew of the vehicle got aboard and drove it off. It stalled when it hit the water, half on the ramp and half off. The men could not get it started again. As a result the boat took on even more water as it poured in from the open front ramp of the boat. The boat settled deeper in the water and the men bailed with their helmets in a futile effort. The boat and men were trapped targets to any enemy fire that could find them. Soon the tide came in enough to get the boat off the beach. With a damaged propeller they drove in ellipses until they met the tender boat that helped with disabled boats and it pulled them back to the ship where the propeller was quickly repaired and made ready for the next wave. The stuck boot probably saved Storm's life. One of the Lord's tender mercies. End of history written by Geraldene Barney Cocks

This is a brief history of the USS Ormsby (APA-49), beginning with her construction, and ending with her being scrapped after an accident (while still carrying war materials).

History:   Name: USS Ormsby (APA-49) Namesake: Ormsby County, Nevada Builder: Moore Dry Dock Laid down: 21 July 1942 Launched: 20 October 1942 Christened: Twilight Acquired: 10 March 1943 Commissioned: 28 June 1943 Decommissioned: 15 March 1946 Renamed: USS Ormsby (APA-49), American Producer Reclassified: AP-94 (Transport) to APA-49 (Attack Transport), 1 February 1943 Struck: 17 April 1946 Identification: MCV Hull Type C2-S-B1, MCV Hull No. 288 Honors and awards: Six battle stars for World War II service Fate: Scrapped July 1969 after accident

General characteristics   Class and type: Ormsby-class attack transport Displacement: 7,300 tons (lt), 13,910 t. (fl) Length: 459 ft 3 in Beam: 63 ft Draft: 24 ft Propulsion: 1 x General Electric geared drive turbine, 2 x Foster-Wheeler D-type boilers, 1 x propeller, designed shaft horsepower 6,000 Speed: 17 knots Capacity: Troops: 83 Officers, 1,465 Enlisted Cargo: 150,000 cu ft, 2,700 tons Complement: Officers 46, Enlisted 478 Armament: 2 x 5"/38 caliber dual-purpose gun mounts, 2 x Bofors 40mm gun mounts, 4 x twin 20mm gun, 18 x 20mm single gun mounts.

World War II Upon completion of her conversion and shakedown in July 1943, Ormsby sailed from San Francisco en route to San Diego to load Marines and cargo for Pearl Harbor. From Pearl she loaded more Marines, Seabees and equipment and departed 14 August for Nukufetau in the Ellice Islands (renamed Tuvalu after the war).

Invasion of Tarawa Continuing southward, she stopped in Pago Pago, Samoa, and then sailed on to Wellington, New Zealand, arriving on 11 September. There she embarked Marines and carried out amphibious warfare training until the end of October. From Wellington, New Zealand Ormsby steamed via Efate to Tarawa, Gilbert Islands and landed her troops there for the battle on 20 November 1943. Wikipidia account of Tarawa Engagement Storm probably piloted one of the LCVP Higgins boats that couldn't cross the reef the first two days of the battle due to the neap tide. One landing force transport was badly damaged by a Japanese torpedo bomber.

Returning to Pearl Harbor on 7 December she again loaded troops and supplies and conducted training through January 1944.

Invasion of Kwajalein, the Marshall Islands On 31 January 1944 Ormsby participated in another amphibious assault landing her troops at Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands. Wikipidia account of Kwajalein Engagement

Following this operation, the USS Ormsby moved on to Guadalcanal in February and trained Army units until 28 March 1944, when she landed reinforcements at Bougainville. Perusing the chronology of the Bougainville Campaign suggests that the Japanese forces had been largely driven from this area when these reinforcements were landed. The USS Ormsby then continued on to Milne Bay, New Guinea.

Invasion Aitape, New Guinea In April 1944 she sailed to Buna, Finschafen and then to Aitape, New Guinea where on the 23rd, army assault troops were landed. Wikipidia account of Aitape Engagement A reinforcement voyage to Aitape followed on 3 May 1944.

Invasion of Guam Returning to the Russell Islands and Guadalcanal, Ormsby loaded Marines of the First Provisional Brigade, trained them in May, and landed them on Guam 21 July 1944. Wikipidia account of Guam Engagement While at Guam the USS Ormsby suffered her only casualties of the war when an officer (Raymond P. Arnold, LTJG) and an enlisted man (Frank J. Coglianese, S1/c) were killed when the bow was hit (probably by a mortar).

On 22 July 1944 a 3-inch shell hit the bow on the port side below the main deck. Damage was minor and there were no casualties.

These are landing craft (LCVP, or Higgin Boats) from the USS Ormsby of the type that Storm piloted throughout the conflict. Wikipidia account of the Guam Engagement Seeing, and having to drive over, bodies of dead US Marines floating in the surf here on the beaches of Guam (and other places) was an experience that haunted Storm for many years.

The USS Ormsby landed the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade south of the Orote Peninsula on the morning of 21 July 1944 (as indicated on the map). When Storm followed the Marine Lieutenant's order to veer left, he probably landed somewhere in the vicinity of the town of Agat, or perhaps even on the peninsula itself. And, given the Japanese defense detailed in the above wiki account, he was very lucky he wasn't taken under fire before he was able to extricate his boat.

Invasion of Peleliu Ormsby trained Marines of the famed 1st Marine Division at Guadalcanal prior to landing them at Pelelieu, Palau Islands, after a 2100 mile trip across the pacific. Wikipidia account of the Peleiu Engagement The commander of the 1st Marine Division predicted the island would be secured within four days However, after repeated Imperial Army defeats in previous island campaigns, Japan had developed new island-defense tactics and well-crafted fortifications that allowed stiff resistance, extending the battle through more than two months. The US forces lost 2336 killed and 8450 wounded. The Japanese lost 10695 killed, 19 soldiers captured, and had 183 foreign laborers (Koreans) captured. Postwar statisticians calculated that U.S. forces expended over 1500 rounds of ammunition for each Japanese defender they killed. The National Museum of the Marine Corps called it "The bitterest battle of the war for the Marines".

Invasion of Leyte Proceeding to Hollandia and loading Army units, the USS Ormsby participated in an assault at Leyte in the Philippines. On 20 October 1944, Ormsby landed elements of the 24th Army in the assault on Leyte in the Philippines, and was there for General Douglas MacArthur's return. Ormsby sailed form From Leyte to Manus, Admiralty Islands, then to Hollandia, and on to Morotai where she loaded more troops. On 14 November 1944 Ormsby landed reinforcements on Leyte.

Wikipidia account of the Leyte Engagement Here Storm observed Kamikaze attacks against US warships. The idea of a voluntary death in the service of ones country was difficult for US Servicemen to accept. Vice Admiral C. R. Brown, US Navy summed it up this way: "There was a hypnotic fascination to the sight so alien to our Western philosophy. We watched each plunging kamikaze with the detached horror of one witnessing a terrible spectacle rather than as the intended victim. We forgot self for the moment as we groped hopelessly for the thought of that other man up there." American sailors were not afraid of much, but Kamikazes scared them.

In late November 1944 Ormsby received orders to return to the United States for an overhaul at San Pedro, California. From 18 December 1944 to 12 March 1945 necessary repairs were made. Most likely Storm was given leave some time during this refitting. but the details are not known.

On 20 March 1945 Ormsby left Port Hueneme, California with Seabees for Guam, arriving on 11 April 1945. Loaded with returning service veterans she arrived San Francisco on 5 May 1945. Two days later she proceeded to Seattle, Washington. Ormsby departed Seattle on 22 May 1945 with army personnel and arrived at Guam 14 June 1945. Making another "Magic Carpet" run with returning veterans, Ormsby returned from Guam via Tinian and Saipan arriving in San Francisco on 13 July 1945. She departed San Francisco on 31 July en route to Manila. News of Japan's surrender arrived on 14 August 1945. Proceeding on to Manila, Ormsby loaded members of the 43rd Division and delivered them to Tokyo, arriving there on 13 September 1945.

Transport missions Ormsby departed Tokyo Bay on 19 September 1945 and, after weathering a typhoon, arrived at Guam on 24 September. There she embarked elements of 15th Marines and departed for for Tsingtao China. She participated in the occupation landings there on 11 October. Underway again on the 17th of October, Ormsby sailed first to Manila (arriving 23 October) then on to Haiphong, French Indochina.

On 2 November Ormsby arrived Haiphong, French Indochina where she awaited arrival of the Chinese Army coming, via land, from Kwellin, China.

Upon their arrival, Ormsby embarked elements of the 62nd Chinese Army, and departed for Formosa. The sailor standing arms akimbo in the stern of LCVP PA 49-12 looks a lot like like storm.

Ormsby landed the Chinese occupation forces at Port Saei on 18 November and sailed for Manila arriving 21 November. Departing Manila on 27 November 1945 and proceeding to Okinawa, Ormsby loaded returning veterans and made one more "Magic Carpet" voyage to Portland, Oregon, arriving on December 20. This was her final passage after untiring war effort.

See Newspaper Article for a clipping detailing the arrival of USS Ormsby in Portland 20 December 1945.

Decommission Ormsby decommissioned 15 March 1946 and was struck from the U.S. Naval Register on 17 April 1946. She was delivered to the War Shipping Administration on 16 May 1946.

Awards Ormsby earned six battle stars for service in World War II. Assault Landings: 20-Nov-1943 Tarawa, Gilbert Islands 2nd Marine Division 31-Jan-1944 Kwajalein, Marshall Islands 7th Army Division 23-Apr-1944 Aitape, New Guinea 24th Army Division 21-jul-1944 Guam, Marianas Islands 6th Marine Division 15-Sep-1944 Peleliu, Palau Islands 1st Marine Division 20-Oct-1944 Leyte, Philippine Islands 24th Army division Reinforcement Landings: 28-Mar-1944 Bougainville, Solomon Islands 90th Army Division 3-May-1944 Aitape, New Guinea 34th Army Division 14-Nov-1944 Leyte, Philippine Islands 34th Army Division Occupation Landings: 13-Sep-1945 Yokohama, Japan 43rd Army Division 11-Oct-1945 Tsingtao, China 6th Marine Division 2-Nov-1945 Haiphong, Indochina To: Takao, Formosa 62nd Chinese Army

Commercial Career Ormsby was eventually acquired for commercial service by United States Lines and renamed SS American Producer. In March 1969, American Producer was severely damaged after striking the pier at San Francisco while outbound for Da Nang, Vietnam, with a cargo of bombs. Consequently, she was scrapped at Kaohsiung, Taiwan, in July 1969.