Bataan (CVL 29) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 176 text:

F +f ':X '94 ..:,:: f f X llllll ff ff.,-.,. -Lrlliizziii E r'a.w IE it T: I Q 5 Z X - ll ' N'1zw--..., - Zi X 1 - i i in Illll i n Wlllllllllllllllllllllll l t 'le--'1 -gig ' g ' MT: .fig lilllkxkitlltlluu iuuuclltaqmfgfm 7 xx X f Q I 2 A V 3 X J Q 5 .E 4 jg 5 - i X ... f L X - 1 fd , 16-l9 August '45-We enjoyed the first sweet days of peace and waited to play our part in the Occupation of Japan. 20 August '45-Three detachments of the BATAAN's personnel are trans- ferred from the ship for temporary additional duty in connection with the Occupation. They include Captain FRANK WILKINSON and the ship's Marine Force of 2 officers and 35 men, Lieutenant HERMAN and 34 men and Lieut. Qjgj LAWRY and his group of 4 bomb disposal experts. The previous evening Commander N. K. BEAR and 2 hospital corpsmen were transferred for the same purpose. These are the l3ATAAN's contribution to the occupying forces. 21 August '45-We say good-bye to Air Group 47, which is transferred to the SAN JACINTO for transportation home. We are glad to see them on their way home, for they have well deserved it, but we are sorry to lose them, for they seem an integral part of the ship, and have won our affection as well as our respect. In exchange we -acquire Air Group 49 from the SAN JACINTO3 they are a fine group too, and relations between ship and squadrons continue of the best. 25 August-l September '45-We conduct 'air operations in support of the occupation. They consist of flying patrols over the destroyer rescue picket stations on the flight route between Okinawa and Tokyo Bay, and of reconnaissance flights over Japanese airfields in Shikoku and Southwestern Honshu. On the airfield p-atrol flights over Japan our pilots can see the Japs moving their planes from remote dispersal areas along highways to be stacked on airfields in accordance with the surrender terms. Some of the Japs seem friendly and wave at our planes: others show their disapproval by turning their backs. The only anti-aircraft activity consists of some stone-throwing by a few small boys. . Our planes also reconnoitre allied prisoner of war camps and are greeted by jubilant waves from the prisoners. 31 August '45-The BATAAN h-ad today steamed 150,000 nautical miles since commissioning. 2 September '45-VT planes of Air Group 49 drop supplies to the POW's at Zentzuji Camp in Shikoku. The formal surrender agreement IS Slglled, and we leave for Tokyo Bay. Page One Hundred Scuonly-two gm . . M

Page 175 text:

ORD D WERE WE HAPPY 'fn r..... 175 x i I Page One Hundred .Seventy-one , 4.-4-,A-wi--'.-,:'f.' . 1,12 , - .I2tf,f- 1: 4 5 'Q'-.-j.f.'fI4',-'- -, 37- 1'--f'-.gf -4 fp ,--1... .. u ,- 4,-us. -.' vl ' ' , ' -' f -' ' ' ' '

Page 177 text:

TOKYO LA DI P RTY -auf ia., s ' 9' .N ,sf 'v -.f. ' of. iawanb T xg 9 a ? 'in- 1 A , , , , - It . ' 4 ' WT- -' - 4 1 2 , '. . . , . ,, .U 1' . , ,a ,,, x: rua....'a,,.l-.,,:xf'V:4'.'.n'g I ,.,l a . , .. af , dl' ,- . Page One llumlrczl Svucnly-thrcc :!. l-fl'n'. Q - .u .1 if.-V 1,-'PJ'-.--41' ' 1 4 --pa q1't.f V14-4'!..'-,,gA ,,, .U --U, 37 Q 1