Belle Grove (LSD 2) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 29 text:

During the backloading; phase the Belle Grove visited KAOHSUING. Buckner Bay. and Iwakuni and steamed continuously for two weeks carrying various Marine equipment and personnel home from the operation. The weather was generally fine and the card games, guitar sessions and sleeping routine about the decks that is characteristic of independent steaming off-hours began again. The above picture describes the Sunday morning scene during good weather, when LTJG Thomas and ENS Hubbard move their personal battle against religious apathy above decks into the fresh air and sunshine. Depicted below is the foc ' sle taking a wave on one of those gray days when the wind blows, the spray flies, and we catch our meal as it slides up and down the table.

Page 28 text:

EMBARKATION A smooth job of embarkation requir es planning, good timing, expeditious handling of materials by deck department personnel, and competent management of ballast control equipment by engineering people. For example the ship must be ballasted down to the sill upon arrival in the anchorage area, communications between ship and shore must be established and the shore to ship movement properly timed. LCU ' S are unloaded, their cargo placed upon the superdeck by crane at the same time that small craft, tanks, trucks or LVT ' S are cautiously maneuvered into their parking spaces in the welldeck. The same story is true for debarkation except that the whole process is reversed.

Page 30 text:

TAPS. TAPS. LIGHTS OUT, ALL HANDS MAINTAIN SILENCE ABOUT THE DECKS . . . STEAMING INDEPENDENTLY OFF THE COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN, ' ENROUTE IWAKUNI FROM KAOHSIUNG, TAIWAN