Admiral W S Benson (AP 120) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 30 text:

film waferfall cascaded info fhis man-made wonder hued fhrough solid rock, breaking fhe a lil kb f mounfain range. Then info vasf Gafun Lake where we.anchored +0 awaii ne o a . . biiyfuricfhriaugh fhe lasf. sef.of locks, fhe panorama of fhe Caribbean :In hVI6W pn Jlhe dlsfaix horizon. The call for swimming parfy sounded, and we enioyed Se-vera OUYS In 959 Wal' wafers before fhe red neon arrow on fhe locks announced if was our furn 'ro enfer. By 2000 we cleared fhe canal and sfeamed off across fhle lgsfcqrip gsrlbbeannanldarigfg fh Afl f' , h b uf fen- days lafer we enfered f e ng is annecw fqgnfly visiiblecoiil oiiire piarfi beam, and anchored af sunsef in fhe Bay of fhe Seine off Le Havre, France. , , The nexf morning we enfered fhe breakwafer and moored af an.army ponfoon pier amldsf an appalling shambles. This once busy French porf gave mufe fesflgmony of fhe efficiency of our bombers which had sysfemafically wiped ouf over half of fhe cify. Those ofuus who wenf on liberfy fhaf affernoon were fouched by fhe pinched faces of fhe in ablfanfs, digging abouf in fhe runins of fheir former homes. Buf whafever sympafhy we fell' for fhem was almosf wiped ouf affer we had sampled 'I'he nafional drink of gasoline and biffers labelled Cognac , and dispensed shamelessly from all bars for fhirfy francs a fhrow. Everywhere we encounfered work parfies of German prisoners clearing rubble, or marching in small groups under fhe wafchful guard of American negro froops. This musf have been galling fo fhose proud members of fhe Masfer Race. Upon our refurn fo fhe ship, we found her already loading our happy passengers, all of whom had recenfly been evacuafed from German prison camps. By early morning we had a full load and were underway once more, ouf fhrough fhe crumbling breakwafer and pasf a sunken Liberfy ship, lying fhere like a silenf senfinel, her supersfrucfure awash in fhe lazy swell, and sef our course for fhe Sfafes and New York Cify! When only six hours ouf, and in mid-English Channel, we had a very close brush wifh a floaf- in-g ouflaw mine. The ship hove fo, and we sunk if wifh our 40mm. guns. Nofhing furfher oc- curred fo break fhe monofony of six foggy Norfh Aflanfic days unfil we passed 'rhe Ambrose Lighf and anchored off Sfafen island af sundown, wifh fhe fowering spires of lower Manhaffan aglow in fhe disfance. Came morning, we dressed ship fore and aff wifh rows of brighf signal flags, weighed an- chor, and proceeded down fhe crowded bay, and up fhe Hudson River fo our berfh af Pier 88. As we glided pasf The Lady and fhe skyscrapers of Manhaffan, we were greefed by fhou- sands of whisfles, a boafload of Pulchrifude alongside, and a fumulfous welcome such as only New York can give fo refurning heroes. One hecfic monfh in New York. Times Square, Broadway, Radio Cenfer, Greenwich Village, Coney Island, fhousands of bars and nighf-clubs, and all fhe lafesf shows. A grand climax was our ship's dance al' fhe exclusive ,Roosevelf Hofel. Our sojourn here leff us broken in purse and healfh, buf all agreed fhaf never had we had such a fime as fhis. TRIP NO. 4 6 July, and we slipped ouf of our berfh af Pier 88 quiefly. No ringing cheers or a symphony of raucous whisfles fhis fime, for we were unloaded, and wifh fhe longesf cruise yef ahead of us. Our desfinafion-Marseille, France, where we were 'ro load soldiers for 'rransporfafion fo fhe Philippines via fhe Panama Canal. We anchored off New York harbor overnighf 'l'o refill our magazines wlfh shells and powder, fhen off across fhe Aflanfic for fhe fhird fime. Anofher unevenfful crossing, nofhing fo break 'I'he monofony of endless wafer for abouf six days excepf for several of fhe Azores, which we slipped by one nighf af dusk. We enfered fhe Sfraifs of Gibralfar on a brighf sunny morning wifh fhe gloomy rocky coasf of Africa on our sfarboard, and 'I'he arid coasf of Soufhern Spain on our porf. Af one poinf 'rhe sfraifs narrowed down fo seven miles, and we could see fhe old cify of Tangiers clinging fo ei preclplfous hillside, while on fhe Spanish side, numerous liffle villages, each wifh fheir profecf- Ing casfle, or walled fower sprawled iusf ouf of reach of 'rhe surf. Then mighfy Gibralfar 'uf- fing ouf info 'I'he channel-massive, formidable, menacing, her fowering sfeppes brisflinglvslifh large guns, and challenging us wifh inquisifive blinkers. Now 'I'he brigh+ vivid blue of fhe Mediferranean creaming under our bows-'I'he confinuing coasf of Spain and Soufhern France-fhe Balleric Isles fainfly visible on our sfarboard. We fel:-'.a sprf gf Infhrllll fc? be In fhese wafers, 'I'he cradle of world hisfory and fhe baffleground of an :qui y. c oos o porpolses frlsked abouf us. and quainf fishing boafs doffed fhe horizon. X 3? i '9 of 0 Q53 ,if .3 'll ' lf .. eiixfflffd lllfllflllflr' 1 fa 'yglllxxhv-NT 01-7:9 :L l Q- 0 F il V ' K eg is ,bgslllldfpg E zz if 'SHT' A 1' x se f , .5 ls N av Q-...... Eg 41 , 1 ' 1

Page 29 text:

in-luilion aboul such lhings. Scores ol lhem were wailing al lhe gale lor lhe lirsl liberly parly, and lhe resl hunled uplown. Only lwo days here, and oll again lor Bombay where we arrived eleven days laler lor a slay ol one week. The same smells, conlusion, and haggling wilh merchanls. Prices up aboul lwenly percenl +his lime due lo mounling inllalion and lree spending Americans. Anolher beer parly al lhe beach, lhis lime al a privale mansion laken over by lhe Army. 3l March, and homeward bound, loaded wilh lroops, civilians and gruesome casuallies ol war. We by-passed Melbourne lhis lime lloud screams ol anguish lrom lhe lhe crewl and pro- ceeded lo Brisbane. Friday, lhe lhirleenlh, and an unlucky day indeed, lor over lhe air' came the announcemenl ol Presidenl Roosevell's dealh. A slunned and sorrowing ship as we pul inlo Brisbane lhal morning, our llag al hall-masl. We did nol like Brisbane. Nolhing like Mel- bourne. Smaller, nol so hospilable and loo crowded wilh mililary personnel. Here we look on more passengers, army and navy, headed oul lor New Caledonia. Everylhing aboard lrom a pregnanl missionary lo a Chinese movie aclress. Several days laler we arrived oll New Caledonia, and lell our way cauliously lhrough a greal barrier reel lhrown around lhe Island like a magical proleclive ring: a ring ol lhunder- ing breakers as lar as lhe eye could see, lilling lhe air wilh rainbow sludded loam resembling an endless row ol sparkling jewels wrapped in lilmy gossamer. Then inlo lhe placid land-locked harbor ol Noumea, a charming old French village populaled by colonials, husky nalives, and lhousands ol American marines and sailors. Here was lhe crossroads ol lhe Pacilic, where one mel buddies lrom olher ships over endless quanlilies ol beer and hamburgers al lhe Slockade, a mililary canleen supreme. We look on aboul a hundred Seabees here and weighed anchor lor Espirilu Sanla. Aller wending our way lhrough lhe counlless brighl green Islands ol lhe New Hebrides, we arrived al our naval base on Espirilu Sanla, a lropical lace ol greal beauly, wilh sandy beaches slid- ing inlo limpid emerald waler, which mirrored lhe lush and waving cocoanul palms. lThis in- spired descriplion will no doubl be mel wilh a disgusled Nuls lrom such ol our personnel who were marooned lhere lor several yearsl. Near lhe enlrancelo lhe harbor is seen lhe walery grave ol lhe lransporl Coolidge marked wilh a square ol buoys. Our slay here was only a maller ol hours, and lhen oll lor lhe Slales once more. Al sunrise on lhe morn-ing ol 3 May, lhe breakwaler ol San Pedro hove inlo sighl. We were mel al lhe pier wilh lhe inevilable bands and crowds ol shouling people. Somehow one ex- pecls lo become inured lo lhese homecomings, bul lhe brighl over'oyed laces ol our passen- gers, some wilh lears slreaming unashamed down lheir laces, lhe cheers drowning oul slirring music lrom lhe ban-d, never ceased lo move us wilh lhal 'Feeling ol pride in being a parl ol all lhis. We broughl 'em back alive. 'SVQP' Ef3S'3Z3. '83-2'Z:S 0 Q-0-Q' T +- wma 0-3' '4'l9- WB-40'-4-U 'U 3? 3 F9 : 'D3 o :':'2'7 n 4mrnin -0 -43 - g0-fgm:'fm-o-3g':0g- mffggg. m o m-' 3x5- '3i,? 5-'S-an'l'gQ-T 3'af?l3'Z 52-,f:0 2-3-Eau! S 'O:s2m 0321 O: mf +300- ,,, '3'3+5-:'Q,0-n.3'3-'Q mira- 2 :i9'2'z3 '9 109..??23-3 5 :'01..w9' 232'-same---.952 'Essen' 'lc -'3ozQ.J'm3'Qp Q -PQ -I-3 'U -qw---,...Q. 5' 0 -4- 0 0 +- f 5,-hm'D3o'gcn5,'no..2,,Q- wma:-mg 4 1Q'9h5'5DJm3Q.U-00 UgfmU'1 f1C-- LQmc'a'nLQ-I-O 2 mo- C0 39-m-ss4f5.3 -O--. ' 35 Q' 'Dm OWS... +--V 3210-4.-'fl 2o.i.3+3m:ai5,3g, 52 ?,Q 'Icno g2.s3'9,5-g.2Q'SZff,, 0gs. '4f.3 BQ: +0 m-.- Q- 10 m Z '2, f.+225'x-cn.,.+o..Q.0:-3 S+-5 rog' 3 mi I' :m : sig?-5 0 5:-:2 gy' 9- ,fm 2 5 10 ' -I 2.150- +...mm:1E,gg3gL:.,.,g-0 5-3-om-hm.-I :-'3+S'a.3-,+s'-2s '2 2 SU-an-Q32 302-:.-.:: m2.:5'...f-LI, mo.o3-S-'U :4'1l-m:ooo.:s...o.:-mm im :--1 snmmv'o+roE y':gmo.- m::5 --fjggfz Tm?,.9,,gmE.--zzgg-135 gi-:sl-:nip Bgqgg-'E--15 3m'sDo,-D m2.m0mg 2 -Tas F -1223-2. 25:32. 'M -Sm U' ETF cz. 0 :1-:'o Eggigxgeaimllm 525225 fl,-:0+mQ'm PFE.Ua-rg 04 3-' 3 'QQ.g.:'SJ:,5gSD2',,nLg'g, 2303-Q, m?9,,2 co+3. 'D. CDU' -o- wof82 ' :gp '3'-- W9-003' ':,n., 0.355 co:-3S5im:,:g U-:QE-gg' 53.mgR:'f-',2g3gg'm'4m fDg un! :s -- +--FF:-1 3011, :'Q.I Q U f.fD-U.,.-.-hQ.3Q--hi CD .Q 'U C41 411:75 Qm:,U'HD S830 -I-...nrm5 -cnwsg-,g-4-15-oo. C: LQOTOQ 5m39'm CDE.--n-3 S+- 3-1 3 Q- -'B-, fP-r,,4- 0 gQ5':o3Ei.-'Fo 5'-OI 2720+ Q-+ '42-' fTg.?2.,LSv- 2'6Ii.g-Ef? 3-3'3's3Tg ' n 3'Q--hmn 1 Q--' -P CQ- 3+9'3+c,1TVim3i uw-U mm I 0 'U mm :Pi m3g3c?3 43g'Q-m3mgL OMQBQ-3 qgfg- mah 2.9110 Bi 2:0-1 m 0 C -14'-Q39-g 01 0090 -H -4 0 T: BQ-:s +-E 'U go gvgfims-gi. ,, mg,-QQ. Q-Cm,7,'-I-9,1-.m'43!.5'3 E3-ILQQS -,5,,,:---I-mu' 43...-P O-cu im -4- RQ-m'0v-:,:+mLQQ'I :Q.0 :s 3- -'CD -I' -'Q- QI -U -in Ln m03enw-IV' W3 -+3 QD-I... + 'f '4- : g5'3-ro25l5'0 9'3T5 ?'2 ms! -4ua7.'..mv.m.cnco swcnxlwm 'ff111llf' Nfl, 'III lflllfyl ll 'ti I 'XXL '96 TE ll' Yeh ' xlulff P 4' E S lg Qffvz S Q in A sffewba Q c z R m ,U O x 'V 1 41 , , aj' ' 21 - X 41 n x .-- --X X 'mlilgi+l'liliMii'Jj'o x w ,.v' E., W-S ,jill - 'ff1fflll f I ll

Page 31 text:

The nexf evening a'l' sunsef we arrived in Marseille, and were subiecfed fo fhe usual roufine of feeling our way fhrough a maze of sunken ships and ruined docks. The cify ifself had nof suffered much damage, buf mosf of fhe waferfronf had been sysfemafically desfroyed, wifh almosf every pier blocked by scuffled shipping. Affer clearing fhe narrow channel inside fhe breakwafer, we were finally moored alongside a scuffled ship which fhe army had ingeniously converfed fo a loading plafform by virfue of building a gangway from 'l'he pier across her supersfrucfure. Marseille, known as Messalina fo fhe ancienf Romans, was builf in 50 A.D., and is one of fhe oldesf and largesf cifies of France. Her gray sfone houses are so mellowed wi'I'h age, fhey seem fo blend info fhe hills fhaf encircle fhem. Topping fhe cify is a cafhedral, a iewel of per- fecf Byzanfine archifecfure, perched precariously upon a crag overlooking fhe cify. Ouf in fhe harbor sprawls a gloomy forfress on a small island, fhe Chafeau D'If, made famous by Alex- andre Dumas' novel, Le Comfe de Monfe Crisfo. We spenf four days af fhis famous wafering place and were subiecfed fo fhe same vile cognac everywhere. Paramounf in fhe inferesf of fhe crew were 'rhe quainl' sidewalk urinaIs which never ceased fo be a wonder fo us, and second in fhe ifems of vifal sfafisfics was 'rhe complefe absence of any resfauranfs in 'rhe cify. One could sfarve fo deafh in fhis place wifh- ouf some feeding connecfions. We enioyed anofher beer parfy here on fhe shores of fhe Mediferranean, and some of us even wenf bafhing. Much fo our amazemenf, fhe wafer was icy cold, buf 'I'he women warmer. Meanwhile, German prisoners swarmed over our ship, loading gear and provisions. Soon our froops came aboard in sfeady sfreams, among which, we were pleased fo nofe, were a goodly number of nurses and Red Cross girls. On July 7 we gof underway for Panama, and arrived fhere aboul' I0 days lafer. Affer being shoved fhrough fhe canal wifhouf delay, we moored fo a pier once more in Balboa for fhe nighf, and our passengers were all faken ashore for an overnighf parfy, which musf have been a good one, judging from 'I'heir condifion as fhey were poured aboard fhe nex'l' morning. Of course we had Iiberfy, foo. Good fime again. Up anchor and bound for fhe Philippines, almosf a I0,000 mile run from here. This leg of fhe frip was an uncomforfable one, paralleling fhe equafor all fhe way. If was insufferably hof. The firsf welcome break in fhe monofony of fhe endless Pacific was our passing Eniwefok, in 'rhe Marshall Islands, reporfing in by blinker as we passed. This was fhe firsl' land we had seen in almosf sixfeen days. Several more days wenf by, and we arrived af Ulifhi, where we dropped anchor for fhe nighf. , Ulifhi is probably one of fhe leasf known of our Pacific conquesfs, yef one of fhe mosf impor- fanf. If resembles an emerald necklace fhrown upon blue velve'l', wifh ifs ring of fwenfy-six small afolls. If is sifuafed abouf sixfy miles norfheasf of Yap, and was faken from fhe Japs in I943 wifhouf fhe loss of a single man, fo become one of fhe mosl' imporfanf fleef supply bases in 'I'he Pacific. The Navy refers fo if as ifs grocery s'rore. The day of our arrival here was a momenfous one, for iusf as we passed fhe submarine nef, hundreds of ships here were sounding fheir whisfles fo celebrafe official news iusl' received of fhe surrender of Japan, earlier fhan was generally expecfed, which required severe changes fo be made in personnel. Several days Iafer when we approached our desfinafion in Leyfe Gulf, a confusion of blinker messages greefed us wifh all sorfs of conflicfing orders, and we were re-roufed 'ro Lingayen fo unload insfead of Manila. The frip fo Lingayen was an inferesfing one fhrough 'rhe hearf of fhe Philippine's 7000 islands. We sfeamed 'rhrough narrow Surigao Sfraifs, which could be called Iron Boffom Bay No. I , for fhe reason fhaf fhe flower of 'rhe Japanese navy was resfing in ifs depfhs as a resulf of fhe greaf naval baffles foughf fhere. Lingayen proved fo be anofher disappoinfmenf, for we could unload only I I00 of our pas- sengers fhere, and we were roufed fo Manila fo dispose of fhe balance. Overnighf from Lingayen found us passing befween Corregidor and Bafaan af sunrise, and a few hours lafer Manila hove info view. Manila Bay proved fo be a vasf graveyard of sunken ships, wifh spars and supersfrucfures awash as far as fhe eye could see. And fhe cify, once known as fhe Pearl of fhe Orien'I ' lay in horrible ruins, almosf complefely guffed. We wan- dered fhrough fhese ruins, faking scores of picfures. These ruins more deeply impressed us, fhan fhose in fhe European fheafer, because fhis more resembled one of our cifies af home, 'Q s if X .40 K , ....... 'dsl If lf1ff0,,, fl - ir QT'-L ,llfl 5 n Q Xlllllffi' Iliff + If '4,!l I K6 X :N tiftgg 3 S - I. i X .H , S 0 Q . . ,S ' Wffffu,f.,s o Tags XX ill -. ,km llllf 'T fffffllflli hi UJ H. Ill!! f1ffffllll I