USS   SOLOMONS   CVE   67

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Joseph Comeau's book on the history of this can-do carrier and her World War II crew reads like a veteran's scrapbook, which it is in a way. There's no narrative in the traditional sense; the book consists of first-hand accounts, rare personal snapshots, and reproductions of contemporary documents, such as a "Welcome Aboard" pamphlet produced for new arrivals aboard the SOLOMONS. Comeau's father, Joseph E. Comeau, Sr., served aboard the SOLOMONS, and the book is a tribute to Comeau Sr. and his shipmates. The book is a wealth of obscure photos and the small details of life aboard a "jeep" carrier during the Atlantic War.
- Doug Buchanan, Editor of Anchor Watch The Official Journal of the Historic Naval Ships Association, July 2005

This is a big book -large format, over 540 pages and 810 photographs -but regardless of its size this book is clearly a labor of love.
For years Joseph Comeau would ask his father -Joseph Comeau Sr. -about his days in the Navy. His father would simply reply that he was on an Escort Carrier and that they were in the Atlantic. He sometimes added that he was also rather sad that there had never been a reunion for his fellow shipmates that served with him on the USS Solomons (CVE-67).
In February 2002, Joseph Jr. got an idea. Using the far reach of the Internet, he began tracking down former Solomons crewmembers, quickly finding 35 men in just a few short months. Each time he found one he would ask that individual to write down memories of the ship and to send a copy of any photos he may have. Joseph Jr. stashed these materials away in a folder, which soon grew to over 235 pages. This he presented to his dad on Father's Day of that year. It was the reunion that his father never had.
Sadly, Joseph Comeau Sr. answered the final Call to Muster on 26 June 2003.
This book, based on the original folder as well as further research, is a great piece of history. It is not necessarily a start to finish history of the USS Solomons, although there is a considerable amount of information on the ship, but rather individual stories of people with a common experience centered around the vessel in which they served, during a war that all fought.. This is a chronicle of the past in the most personal sense.
There is a ton of history here and we highly recommend picking up a copy of this book. We would like to thank Joseph Jr. for undertaking this project -a gift from a son to his dad.
- David G. Powers, Editor of Logbook Great Aviation History, 2nd Quarter 2006

USS SOLOMONS CVE 67. You are about to learn about an Escort Aircraft Carrier in the Atlantic Theater during World War II. My name is Joseph E. Comeau Jr. I just finished writing a book about the ship my father served on during World War II, the "USS SOLOMONS CVE 67", an Escort Aircraft Carrier.

The book is 547 pages long and contains OVER 810 Photos and Scanned Documents, as well as OVER 55 1st person accounts of life on the Solomons. It also contains 2 1st person accounts of 2 German crewmen that were on the U860 when it was sunk by the Solomons. Their accounts also tell of life in POW camps here in the United States.

This book is an Historical Account ( some say it is a Museum Exhibit all by itself ) of the USS SOLOMONS CVE 67 and U860 which was sunk by the USS Solomons CVE 67. It is told by the crewmen and their photos. It’s in the format of a Family Photo Album, by the time you finish reading this book, you will know these men Personally.

This book makes it Blatantly clear how important it is that we talk to our Veterans, record their stories and make copies of their photos. Who would have ever thought that 60 men could have enough stories to fill 547 pages, and over 810 photos, and documents, or that they would be so Happy! And willing to share Their Memories. Additionally, this book shows just how little time we have left to record their memories. Since I started this project in February of 2002, until now, January 2005, Five of the men that contributed to this book have already passed away. They will Never! Get to see the book that they helped write. They are now Gone Forever! BUT! They will now be Remembered Forever!, along with their stories and photos. The five men are:

David R. Green S1/c, USS Solomons CVE 67
Passed Away 27 April 2002, Age 77

Frank S. Rojewski S1/c USS Solomons CVE 67
Passed Away 10 May 2003 Age 76

Joseph Ernest Comeau S1/c, USS Solomons CVE 67 (My Dad)
Passed Away 26 June 2003, Age 77

Adolf Lundquist, U860 Crewman (U860 was sunk by USS Solomons CVE 67)
Passed Away December 2003, Age 90

Joseph Montana, USS Solomons CVE 67
Passed Away 12 January 2005, Age 78

Read this book. Then talk to the Veteran that you know, write down His or Her stories and make copies of any photos. Put them in a folder, give each of His or Her Family members a copy, so that the Veteran will
NEVER BE FORGOTTEN!!

OUR VETERANS HAVE EARNED THE RIGHT TO BE REMEMBERED!!

THANK YOU!!

Here is the "Introduction" from the book, which tells how the book got started.

For years when ever I asked my Dad ( Joseph E. Comeau Sr. ) about His days in the Navy. He would simply say, “I was on an Escort Aircraft Carrier. We were in the Atlantic the whole time I was aboard. We were never in any of the Big Battles in the Pacific. We just Qualified Pilots for landing and taking off of an aircraft carriers deck.” and that was the end of the conversation. Then in 2000, Dad started to tell me about his Navy Days. He told me that he had several different jobs on the Flight Deck. He told me about the two times that he was Injured and about a third time that he was almost Injured. He told me that he had received a Letter of Commendation for Bravery, and he told me with Great Pride how Captain Moss assembled the crew on the Flight Deck and called him forward and shook his hand.

Dad was always disappointed that they were never in any of the Battles. I explain to him that he was in a Battle Zone on the Flight Deck, where it was Very Dangerous and where Men were Dying, from being hit by flying metal, being hit by a propeller, or their plane crashed. I also explained to him that he and his Shipmates were doing a Very Important Job, that of Qualifying Pilots on landing and taking off from the Moving Deck of an Aircraft Carrier, ( the Solomons had a total of over 34,000 landings from 1943 - 1946 ) and that this job was just as Important, Maybe Even More Important than being in one of the Battles.

One of the other things that Dad was always sad about was that the Solomons never had a Reunion. It is now February 2002, and I get the Idea, why not try and find some of Dad’s Shipmates on the Internet. Each time I found a Shipmate, I would ask him if he could send me copies of any Photos that he had, and could he write down what he remembers about the Solomons and send it to me. I took the Photos and Memories and put them in a folder. I gave the folder to Dad for Father’s Day 2002. In four short months I had found 35 of Dad’s Shipmates. I had only expected to find two or three of Dad’s Shipmates in such a short time. By the time that I gave the folder to Dad for Father’s Day 2002, it had grown to 235 pages containing over 300 scanned Documents and Photos. (each of the Dad’s 35 Shipmates that had contributed received a copy of the folder as a Thank You! for their Help) This folder became the Reunion that my Dad had always wanted. Voices from the Past Telling Stories that he had Lived and Remembered. A few of Dad’s Shipmates started to correspond with Dad through the mail on a regular basis. I Can Not Begin to THANK! these crewmen for the Time that they took to correspond with Dad. He Always got Very Excited when a letter arrived and he would call me and tell me all about it.

Sadly! on 26 June 2003, Dad Lost his Eight Year Battle with cancer, and He Answered His Call to Final Muster. As I sit here Writing this Introduction, the Folder, is now a Book, and has Swelled to 547 pages and Over 810 scanned Documents and Photos. You would think that this is the end of my story but, it is just the Beginning! You see, as I continue to Look for more Shipmates, and they continue to find me. I find that many of the Crewmen Long to Tell someone about their Navy Days, as well as find and talk to some of their Old Shipmates. Two of the first 35 Crewmen that I contacted, discovered when I sent them their copy of the folder along with the names and addresses of the other Crewmen that I found, that two of them had been living twenty miles apart for the last thirty years. A few of these Old Salts broke down in tears when I tell them about the folder ( this was before it became a book ) and that I will be sending them a copy. They are Always Excited to hear that someone is Finally! Writing about the Solomons. When I ask them if they would like to Add their Photos and Memories, they are So Excited and Happy you would think that they were 17 and had the world by the tail.

When I find a Son, Daughter, Grandson, Granddaughter, Son-in-Law, or Daughter-in-Law of a Crewmen that has already Answered His Call to Final Muster, I Always hear that their Dad, Grandfather, or Father-in-Law never talked much about their Navy Days, or they were to young to remember what was said. They also will tell me that they only have one or two Photos of their Dad, Grandfather, or Father-in-Law from His Navy Days. When I tell them that I have 547 pages and Over 810 scanned Documents and Photos for them, I can hear them fighting back the tears over the phone. BELIEVE IT ! OR NOT !, IT EVEN GETS BETTER ! than this because, every now and then one of the Sons, Daughters, Grandsons, Granddaughters, Son-in-Laws, or Daughter-in-Laws calls me back after they received a copy of the book. They are EXTREMLY EXCITED ! They tell me that in the 810 Plus Photos they found two or three Photos of their Dad, Grandfather, or Father-in-Law with His Shipmates that they did not have. Some have Even called their Dad’s, Grandfather’s, or Father-in-Law’s Shipmates to talk to them and learn more about their Dad, Grandfather, or Father-in-Law, and His Navy Days.

Somehow I think that this Book will not be the end, but will instead only be “Volume One” of many Volumes to follow on the History and Crew of the "USS SOLOMONS CVE 67".