James L. Foote
Era: World War II
Military Branch: Navy
Photo 1: Mr. Foote (right) and Calvin Reilly, from Clinton, Iowa, attended Machinists Mate School at the State College of Science in Wahpeton, North Dakota, before shipping out on the Windham Bay.
Photo 2: Mr. Foote taking his turn at guard duty while attending Machinists Mate School at the State College of Science, Wahpeton, North Dakota.
Photo 3: Mr. Foote was on the Windy Bay basketball team. Teams would sometimes travel from ship to ship for friendly competition. The Windy Bay once played the Harlem Globetrotters. ________________
James L. Foote served during World War II in the U.S. Navy from June 15, 1943, until May 26, 1946.
Mr. Foote was inducted in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with 35 others. Soon after, he boarded a train for Farragut, Idaho, for boot camp. After boot camp, he was sent to Bremerton, Washington, to become part of the crew for a new Casablanca-class escort carrier, the USS Windham Bay (CVE 92), one of the “Kaiser coffins” built by Kaiser Shipyards. The crew took it on a shakedown cruise in Puget Sound, then traveled along the Columbia River and out into the Pacific Ocean, headed for San Diego.
The Windham Bay was a support transport ship, carrying pilots, combat-ready airplanes, and supplies (including drop tanks and radio and radar tubes). Mr. Foote and his crewmates participated in the Battle of Iwo Jima, which began in February 1945, and the Battle of Okinawa, which began in early April 1945. Throughout, the Windham Bay transported new or repaired airplanes and carried away damaged planes to be repaired in support of combat. The Windham Bay was for a time part of the 3rd Fleet and subsequently part of the 5th Fleet.
Mr. Foote’s rank was Water Tender 2nd Class. He began as a water tender, was moved to the boiler room, then worked on the evaporators (which desalinated ocean water), working with superheated steam in the engine room. He became the ship’s “oil king,” maintaining the ship’s balance by adjusting the ballast as fuel oil was used up or added.
Mr. Foote was decorated with one Battle Star.
He was born in 1924, the son of Clyde C. and Selma Foote. Mr. Foote was born in Superior, Wisconsin, and graduated from Superior East High School on June 6, 1943, nine days before being inducted into the Navy.
Source: Interview with veteran; “History of the USS Windham Bay,” Office of Naval Records and History
