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

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THE SAGA OF THE BENSON fConfinuecl from Page 242 long way around 'fhe soufhern end of Kyushu, for fhe Inland Sea was closed fo all fraffic. Arriv- ing af Mafsuyama, we found fhaf fhe Army had only iusf occupied fhaf area a few days pre- vious, consequenfly no one was allowed fo go ashore. Here we peddled a few more passengers 'ro assembled ships in 'rhe harbor, and fhen confinued on our way across fhe Inland Sea fo fhe porf of Hiro Wan. Wan means harbor and on fhis wan is locafed side by side, fhe cifies of Hiro, Kure, and Hiroshima. This was an imporfanf naval base and manufacfuring cenfer, and visible everywhere were scuffled baffleships and ofher naval craff, and one huge plane facfory af Hiro had been reduced fo a mass of fwisfed sfeel and embers. Hiro escaped damage, buf Kure nearby was over half desfroyed, and Hiroshima simply exisfs no more. One single afomic bomb has Ieff only fhe remains of eighf buildings and a small fringe of dwellings on fhe oufskirfs. A few more passengers peddled fo nearby ships here, and fhen off again, fhis fime fo Waka- yama, Honshu. Here we found a Japan more as we expecfed if should be. Wakayama is fen miles inland, and nof foo badly damaged, and on fhe waferfronf is Wakanoura, a fashionable resorf, and unfouched by fhe ravages of war. Fashionable hofels and fine homes dof 'I'he hill- side, while along fhe beach are a series of small fishing villages. We found no end of souvenirs available af Wakanoura and af oufrageous prices, and fhe way fhe sailors were spending fheir money for fhese useless wares musf surely have broughf on fhe greafesf wave of prosperify fhese parfs have ever known. This was fhe Japan of quainf liffle bridges, wind blown pines, impressive Shinfo femples, and kimona clad nafives. We enjoyed ourselves here. Shopping was much easier foo, for in fhe beffer shops, English was spoken. In facf, one of fhe Jap sales- ladies claimed 'I'o be a graduafe of UCLA in Los Angeles. A few more passengers gof off here, and fhen we were off again. This fime fo Nagoya, fhe fhird cify of Nippon. Here we found anofher mufe wifness fo 'rhe efficiency of our bombers. This once modern cify was a rubbish heap wifh only a few fen and fwelve sfory buildings sfill infacf. Nofhing much of inferesf remained here. Our occupafional forces had only faken over a few days prior fo our arrival, buf had fhings preffy well under confrol. Af Iasf we were able fo dispose of our remaining passengers, excepf for 76 which we had decided fo refurn fo fhe Sfafes because fhey had almosf acquired enough poinfs for discharge by fhis fime. Now we were hearfily sick of Japan, and ready fo go home. We had had no frouble wi+h mines excepf for a close call enroufe fo Mafsuyama, when we sighfed one floafing near us. This, our following escorf desfroyed wifh gunfire. - November 8fh found us underway for Okinawa again, fhis fime fo pick up a load of soldiers due for discharge, and we arrived off Naha, fhe capifol cify of Okinawa on fhe morning of fhe I0fh. There was no delay fhis fime. Wifhin 36 hours we had our load and were on our way 'ro Seaffle. I Again we encounfered a floafing mine over a fhousand miles af sea, and we sank if wifh gun- fire, as usual. No ofher evenf franspired while homeward bound, and we arrived in Seaffle on 2I Novem- ber, affer crossing in II calendar days. On previous frips, fhe firsf fhing mosf of our homeward bound passengers were anxious fo see was a whife woman, buf nof fhese veferans of Okinawa and many ofher island campaigns: fhey had been so sfeeped in wreckage for so long fhey wanfed somefhing enfirely differenf-M fhe sighf of a complefe building devoid of all damage and shellpocks. IN APPRECIATION In years fo come fhe voyages and accomplishmenfs of fhe Admiral Benson will recall pleasanf memories. By phofographs and arficles if is hoped fhis book will bring back fo you fhe doings of fhe Mighfy B and her people. A lof of work goes info preparafion of fhis kind of a book. Lf. Sfone and Fafher Nemecek, Army Transporf Chaplain, fook fhe picfures we reproduce. Beauporlanf, A., S IXC, 2nd Division, did much of 'rhe necessary darkroom work. Nickerson, E. M., BM IXC, of fhe MAA force, confribufed The Saga of fhe Benson . Spaulding, K. A., OM 3fC, N Division, wrofe Crossing fhe Equafor and devofed much fime fo composifion and Iayouf. The sugges- fions of Lf. Macllwinnen had a Iof fo do wifh fhe final makeup and confenf. And we hope you like fhe resulf!

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