Ironbottom Sound and My Dad MM1Martin “Marty” DePaoli USN

Ironbottom Sound and My Dad MM1Martin “Marty” DePaoli USN

They call it “Ironbottom Sound" (alternatively Iron Bottom Sound or Ironbottomed Sound) it is the name given by Allied sailors to Savo Sound, near Guadalcanal.

My dad, Marty, has a strong connection to what happened there.

During the late 1930’s my father, MM1 Marty DePaoli, served four years in the Navy as a machinist mate on board USS Quincy (CA-39), which was a United States Navy New Orleans class heavy cruiser. He was very close to all his shipmates and cruised around the world and went on the Neutrality Cruise. He left the Navy in late 1939. He got out just in time, right before Hitler invaded Poland. After the invasion the Navy did not allow anyone to get out. This was sort of a stop loss or backdoor draft, so most of his shipmates were not allowed to leave at all.  He then took a really good job as an aircraft engine machinist in civilian life.
When Pearl Harbor happened, the aircraft company thought so highly of him, that they offered to support a deferment for him. He had in fact already served four years in the Navy. He did not have to serve again at all. He refused the deferment, and he enlisted again in the Navy, even though he did not have to go. I did not learn about this until I got his Navy records after he died. Most people who knew him will not be surprised that he scored off the charts (99% +) on mechanical and electrical Navy aptitude tests.
When he enlisted, he requested to be stationed on his old ship the USS Quincy (CA-39).  He knew the ship and his former shipmates very well. At that time however, it was in dry-dock being refurbished and up-gunned and armored. The Navy denied his request and rushed him directly to the fleet (on a destroyer) because they needed all the experienced prior service Navy personnel possible. The Japanese were winning everywhere.
Shortly later in the war, his old ship, the one he requested to be on, the USS Quincy (CA-39) was sunk at the Battle of Savo Island in 1942 with great loss of life (almost the entire crew) and lies at Ironbottom Sound. My Dad didn’t hear about it until six months later. At that time the U.S. government censored the loss because of morale issues and the fact that the Japanese were still winning everything.
When I was on active duty at the Navy Yard in Washington DC, (I was recalled to active Navy duty for four years after 9/11) I would often visit my Dad on weekends in Royersford. I obtained a photograph of his old ship the USS Quincy (CA-39) from the Navy museum on base. Only black and white photos exist and I brought it home for Dad.
My Dad looked at the photo and went very quiet and teared up. He reluctantly started to talk about it; I could tell it brought back memories and much sadness.
Then one of the most incredible experiences of my life happened.  People who knew my Dad knew he was a great storyteller. My Dad started to talk about many of his old dead shipmates. He would state their name and rate, describe them and tell stories about their adventures, hijinks, things they did on liberty and what hometown they were from.  This went on for over an hour.  I just listened in awe. My Dad was in his nineties but his mind and memories were still very sharp.  For this one hour my Dad had honored his dead shipmates and brought them back to life for me. We never talked about the USS Quincy (CA-39) again after this.
If my Dad had gotten his wish on his second Navy enlistment and been assigned to the USS Quincy (CA-39), my family and me would not be here today. He lost all of his old shipmates, who were more that brothers to him, who now rest at Ironbottom Sound. My Dad understood ultimate sacrifice and greatly missed his old shipmates. On this Memorial Day let’s honor my Dad, his USS Quincy (CA-39) shipmates, and all who made the ultimate sacrifice for us.